FROM PAEA TO MANAOS. 



177 



care as his small plantation requires, this is his only occupa- 

 tion. An Indian is never seen to do any of the work of the 

 house, not even to bring wood or water or lift the heavy 

 burdens, and as the fishing is done chiefly at certain seasons, 

 he is a very idle fellow for a great part of the time. The 

 women are said, on the contrary, to be very industrious ; and 

 certainly those whom we have an opportunity of seeing here 

 justify this reputation. Esperan^a is always busy at some 

 household work or other, — grating mandioca, drying farin- 

 ha, packing tobacco, cooking or sweeping. Her children are 

 active and obedient, the older ones making themselves use- 

 ful in bringing water from the lake, in washing the mandi- 

 oca, or in taking care of the younger ones. Esperan^a can 

 hardly be called pretty, but she has a pleasant smile and a 

 remarkably sweet voice, with a kind of child-like intonation, 

 which is very winning ; and when sometimes, after her work 

 is over, she puts on her white chemise, falling loose from 

 her brown shoulders, her dark skirt, and a rose or a sprig 

 of white jessamine in her jetty hair, she is by no means 

 unattractive in her personal appearance, though I must 

 confess that the pipe which she is apt to smoke in the 

 evening injures the general effect. Her husband looks 

 somewhat sombre ; but his hearty laugh occasionally, and 

 his enjoyment of the glass of cacha^a which rewards him 

 when he brings in a new lot of specimens, shows that he 

 has his bright side. He is greatly amused at the value 

 Mr. Agassiz attaches to the fishes, especially the little 

 ones, which appear to him only fit to throw away. It 

 seems that the other family who have been about here 

 since our arrival are neighbors, who have come in to help 

 in the making of mandioca. They come in the morning 

 with all their children and remain through the day. The 



