RETURN TO MANAOS. 



261 



" Make no ceremony, and don't be ashamed ; eat with 

 your fingers as your 're accustomed to do, and then you '11 

 find your appetites and enjoy your dinner." His advice 

 was followed, and I must say they seemed much more 

 comfortable in consequence, and did more justice to the 

 good fare. Although the Indians who live in the neigh- 

 borhood of the towns have seen too much of the conven- 

 tionalities of life not to understand the use of a knife and 

 fork, no Indian will eat with one if he can help it. 



When the dinner was over, the room was cleared of the 

 tables and swept ; the music, consisting of a viola, flute, and 

 violin, was called in, and the ball was opened. The forest 

 belles were rather shy at first in the presence of strangers ; 

 but they soon warmed up and began to dance with more 

 animation. They were all dressed in calico or muslin 

 skirts, with loose, cotton waists, finished around the neck 

 with a kind of lace they make themselves by drawing the 

 threads from cotton or muslin, so as to form an open 

 pattern, sewing those which remain over and over to se- 

 cure them. Some of this lace is quite elaborate and very 

 fine. Many of the women had their hair dressed either 

 with white jessamine or with roses stuck into their round 

 combs, and several wore gold beads and ear-rings. The 

 dances were different from those I saw in Esperanga's 

 cottage, and much more animated ; but the women pre- 

 served the same air of quiet indifference which I noticed 

 there. Indeed, in all the Indian dances I have seen the 

 man makes the advances, while the woman is coy and 

 retiring, her movements being very languid. Her partner 

 throws himself at her feet, but does not elicit a smile or 

 a gesture ; he stoops and pretends to be fishing ; making 

 motions as if he were drawing her in with a line, he 



