64 



JOURNEY PROM RIO DE JANEIRO 



St. Pedro dos Indies is an Indian village, which the Jesuits are said 

 to have originally formed of Goaytaca Indians. This place has, 

 indeed, a large church, and several streets, but the houses are only 

 mud huts, all of which, as well as most of the detached dwellings in 

 the neighbourhood, are inhabited by Indians. They have a Captain 

 Mor^ equivalent to commandant or bailiff, of their own nation, who, 

 however, possesses no other distinction than his title. There are 

 only a few Portuguese here besides the priest. The Indians have, 

 mostly, the genuine physiognomy of their race, which has been more 

 particularly described in the account of our visit to St. Lourenzo ; 

 but it is here more characteristically expressive. Their dress and 

 language are those of the lower classes of Portuguese, and they are 

 but partially acquainted with their ancient tongue. They have the 

 vanity to pretend to be Portuguese, and look down with contempt on 

 their still uncivilised brethren in the woods, whom they call Caboclos, 

 or Tapuyas. Their women fasten their long, coal-black hair in a knot 

 at the top of the head, like the Portuguese females. 



In the corners of their huts hangs the net, or hammock, in which 

 the family sleep. We found also in their habitations, many vessels 

 made of grey clay. The men are generally good huntsmen, and ha- 

 bituated to the use of the gun. The boys are very good marksmen 

 with the bow of airi wood, called bodoc. This bow has two strings, 

 which are kept asunder by two small pieces of wood : in the middle 

 is a place where the strings are united by a kind of network, to receive 

 the clay ball, or small round stone. The string and the ball drawn 

 back together by the fore and middle fingers of the right hand, are 

 suddenly let go, when the ball is discharged. Langsdorff has made 

 mention of this kind of bow, which he saw at St. Catherine's : they 

 are used all along this coast, and on the Rio Doce even the men 

 carry them, as a defence against the Botocudos, when they have no 

 fire-arms. They are very dexterous in this mode of shooting, and 



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