70 



TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON, [Novembet 



sometimes even twenty, with enormous mis-shapen heads, and 

 fearful rows of long sharp teeth. When a number were out 

 on the land, dead or dying, they were cut open, and the fat 

 which accumulates in considerable quantities about the intes- 

 tines was taken out, and made up into packets in the skins 

 of the smaller ones, taken off for the purpose. There is 

 another smaller kind, here called Jacare-tinga, which is the 

 one eaten, the flesh being more delicate than in the larger 

 species. After killing twelve or fifteen, the overseer and his 

 party went off to another lake at a short distance, where the 

 alligators were more plentiful, and by night had killed near 

 fifty. The next day they killed twenty or thirty more, and got 

 out the fat from the others. 



I amused myself very well with my gun, creeping among the 

 long grass, to get a shot at the shy aquatic birds, and some- 

 times wandering about the campo, where a w^oodpecker or a 

 macaw rewarded my perseverance. I was much pleased when 

 I first brought down a splendid blue and yellow macaw, but 

 it gave me some hours of hard work to skin and prepare it, for 

 the head is so fleshy and muscular, that it is no trifling matter 

 to clean it thoroughly. The great tuyuyu {Mycteria Americana) 

 was often seen stalking about ; but, with every precaution, I 

 could not get within gunshot of it. The large and small white 

 herons were abundant, as well as black and grey ibises, boat- 

 bills, blue storks, and ducks of several species ; there were also 

 many black and yellow orioles, and a glossy starling, — of all of 

 which I procured specimens. 



I had an opportunity of seeing the manner of curing fish 

 practised here. They are partially skinned, and a large piece 

 of meat cut out from each side, leaving the backbone with the 

 head and skin attached. Each piece of meat is then cut 

 lengthways, so as to unfold into a large flat slab, which is then 

 slightly sprinkled with salt and laid upon a board. Other 

 slices are laid on this, and, when the salt has penetrated 

 sufficiently, they are hung upon poles or laid upon the ground 

 in the sun to dry, which does not occupy more than two or 

 three days. They are then packed up in bundles of about a 

 hundred pounds each, and are ready for market. The bones 

 and heads furnish a fine feast for the vultures, and sometimes 

 a jaguar will carry them away in the night, but he prefers an 

 entire fish if one is left in his way. 



