76 



TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



old as the time of their first acquaintance with the 

 Europeans, and it seems that these animals first 

 became known to them on their excursions to- 

 wards the Spanish possessions of Assumcao, in 

 which part they had increased with incredible ra- 

 pidity. Though they are so used to horses, they 

 are not very good riders, and do not venture to 

 tame and break the wild animals, except in the 

 water, where they have less to fear from their res- 

 tiveness, and are less in danger of falling. Hunting, 

 fishing, and looking for fruits in the woods, are, 

 next to war, the chief occupations of the men. 

 The business of the women is to prepare the flour 

 from the roots of the mandiocca plants, which those 

 who live in Aldeas have begun to cultivate, and 

 the manufacture of cotton stuffs, pottery, and other 

 utensils. Their basket-work of fibres, which they 

 chiefly make of some kinds of palm, are said to 

 excel in beauty and strength those of most of the 

 other Indians. It is probably in consequence of 

 the European civilisation, which has already exer- 

 cised its influence, in many respects, over this tribe, 

 that the women wear an apron, and a large square 

 piece of striped cotton stuff which serves as a 

 cloak. The men, on the contrary, are quite naked, 

 except the abovementioned narrow bandage round 

 the loins, which is of coloured cotton, and often 

 adorned with glass beads. The face and often the 

 neck and breast of the adult Guaycurus, are dis- 

 figured by tattooing, in the shape of diamonds ; 

 in the underlip they wear a piece of reed several 



