TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



281 



of the farm, they retired in the evening to the 

 woods. 



The nearest huts of the Coroados (Aldea do Cu 

 priano) were only a few hundred paces from Gui- 

 dowald. We visited them in the evening, and 

 found the tent-shaped huts, which were made of 

 palm leaves, quite empty, except here and there 

 an old person. The inhabitants, fearing that we 

 were come to take them away for soldiers, had 

 fled over the Rio Xipoto to their neighbours in 

 the woods. It was not till they had convinced 

 themselves of our peaceable intentions by their 

 spies, that they gradually returned. A young 

 Coroado, whom Captain Marlier had taken into his 

 house and polished a little, was particularly instru- 

 mental in gaining us the confidence of these sa- 

 vages, and we were by degrees surrounded by a 

 great number of them, who assembled in Guido- 

 wald with and without arms. By several trifling 

 presents, among which painted soldiers made of 

 lead were the most agreeable, we gained their at- 

 tachment, and our soldier, on his promise to treat 

 them with mandiocca, maize and brandy, received 

 an assurance that they would come on the follow- 

 ing day in great numbers, to execute a festive 

 dance in our presence. At the approach of night, 

 they departed unperceived. Some of them slept 

 in the barn, and others in the neighbouring huts^ 

 from which they returned early in the morning to 

 make preparations for the festival. These con- 



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