i851.] GIANT CIGARS. 19S 



A hundred bright pairs of eyes were continually directed on 

 me from all sides, and I was doubtless the great subject of 

 conversation. An old man brought me three ripe pine-apples, 

 for which I gave him half-a-dozen small hooks, and he was 

 very well contented. 



Senhor L. was conversing with many of the Indians, with 

 whom he was well acquainted, and was arranging with one to 

 go up a branch of the river, several days' journey, to purchase 

 some salsa and farinha for him. I succeeded in buying a 

 beautiful ornamented murucu, the principal insignia of the 

 Tushaua, or chief. He was very loth to part with it, and I 

 had to give an axe and a large knife, of which he was much 

 in want. I also bought two cigar-holders, about two feet long, 

 in which a gigantic cigar is placed and handed round on these 

 occasions. The next morning, after making our payments for 

 the articles we had purchased, we went to bid our adieus to 

 the chief. A small company who had come from some 

 distance were taking their leave at the same time, going round 

 the great house in Indian file, and speaking in a muttering 

 tone to each head of a family. First came the old men bearing 

 lances and shields of strong wicker-work, then the younger 

 ones with their bows and arrows, and lastly the old and young 

 women carrying their infants and the few household utensils 

 they had brought with them. At these festivals drink alone 

 is provided, in immense quantities, each party bringing a little 

 mandiocca-cake or fish for its consumption, which, while the 

 caxiri lasts, is very little. The paint on their bodies is very 

 durable, for though they never miss washing two or three 

 times a day, it lasts a week or a fortnight before it quite 

 disappears. 



Leaving Ananarapicoma, we arrived the same evening at 

 Mandii Parana, where there was also a malocca, which, owing 

 to the great rise of the river, could only be reached by wading 

 up to the middle through the flooded forest. I accordingly 

 stayed to superintend the making of a fire, which the soaking 

 rain we had had all the afternoon rendered a somewhat difficult 

 matter, while Senhor L. went with an Indian to the house to 

 arrange some "negocio" and obtain fish for supper. We 

 stayed here for the night, and the next morning the Indians 

 came down in a body to the canoe, and made some purchases 

 offish-hooks, beads, mirrors, cloth for trousers, etc., of Senhor 



