LIFE IN TEFF^:. 



231 



by its own foliage, but the branches were covered with para- 

 sites, and with soft, dark moss, in contrast with which the 

 lighter green, glossy fruit seemed to gain new lustre. I call 

 it a gourd-tree, simply from the use to which the fruit is 

 put. But it goes here by the name of the Cuieira-tree 

 (Crescentia Cajeput), the cup made from the fruit being 

 called a Cuia. The fruit is spherical, of a light green, 

 shiny surface, and grows from the size of an apple to that 

 of the largest melon. It is filled with a soft, white pulp, 

 easily removed when the fruit is cut in halves ; the rind is 

 then allowed to dry. Very pretty cups and basins, of 

 many sizes, are made in this way ; and the Indians, who 

 understand how to prepare a variety of very brilliant colors, 

 are very skilful in painting them. It would seem that the 

 art of making colors is of ancient date among the Ama- 

 zonian Indians, for in the account of Francisco Orellana's 

 journey down the Amazons in 1541, " the two fathers of the 

 expedition declare that in this voyage they found all the 

 people to be both intelligent and ingenious, which was shown 

 by the works which they performed in sculpture and painting 

 in bright colors." * Their paints are prepared from a par- 

 ticular kind of clay and from the juices of several plants 

 which have coloring properties. In an Amazonian cottage 

 one hardly sees any utensils for the table except such as the 

 Indians have prepared and ornamented themselves from the 

 fruits of the Cuieira-tree. I longed to extend my walk into 

 the woods which surrounded us on all sides ; but the forest 

 is very tantalizing here, so tempting and so impenetrable. 

 The ladies told me there were no paths cut in the neigh- 

 borhood of the house. 



* See " Expeditions into the Valley of the Amazons/' published by the 

 llakluyt Society. 



