TO THE mo GRANDE DE BELMONTE. 



277 



the Quartel dos Arcos, Quartel do Salto, Quartel do Estreito, 

 Quartel da Vigia, Quartel de S. Miguel, and of Tucaihos de Lorena. 

 The first is generally called Caxoeirinha, from the little waterfalls 

 formed by rocks in the neighbouring river. The navigation on the 

 river affords some support to the Villa de Belmonte ; the inhabitants, 

 who are all fishermen, are, like most of their countrymen in Brazil, 

 very skilful in the management of their canoes. 



There is at Belmonte a peculiar race of civilized Indians converted 

 to Christianity, who are distinguished by the name of Menien 

 Indians, but call themselves Camacan. The remains of their 

 ancient language, now greatly corrupted, bear testimony to their 

 real origin, with which they are themselves well acquainted. For- 

 merly they lived higher up the river, till the Paulistas (inhabitants 

 of the Capitania of S. Paulo) expelled them from that place and 

 destroyed many of them. Those who escaped fled to the villa, and 

 settled there. They have gradually abandoned entirely their ancient 

 mode of life, and are now quite reclaimed, having partly intermixed 

 with the negro race, some being employed as soldiers, others as 

 fishermen and planters. A few old people only still understand 

 some words of their ancient language. They are skilful in handi- 

 craft work, and make rush-mats, ( esteiras,) straw hats, baskets, 

 fishing-nets, and smaller nets to catch crabs *, &c. They are like- 

 wise good hunters, like all the Indians, but have long since renounced 

 the bow and arrows for the gun. 



I passed some time at Belmonte in order to rest my people and 

 the cattle, though the country is said not to be very healthy ; fevers 

 and catarrhs are frequent, and the people complained that this year 

 (1816) had been uncommonly sickly. The mosquitoes are a great 



* This net, called pj^'o, is a stronglv knotted sack, and is drawn b\ two men along the 

 bottom of the water. 



