322 STAY ON THE EIO GRANDE DE BELMONTE, 



bird with a white tail, which has not yet been described in works on 

 natural history*. Some fine large aiihitmas Mvere also killed; these 

 animals chiefly frequent this part of the country ; we heard almost 

 daily their loud concert, and their singular sonorous voice was a sum- 

 mons to my hunters to take their guns. 



On the 25th of September I left the island, and returned with all 

 my people to the Quartel. On the way we met with a company of 

 Botocudos, who were seated round their fire ; they belonged to the 

 party of Captain Gipakeiu, had waded through the river, which is 

 shallow at this place, and, contrary to their custom, taken up their 

 abode on the south bank. Many of their young people leaped into 

 our boat, to go with us to the station. We had scarcely arrived 

 there when another company of savages came from the south bank ; 

 this was the horde of Captain Jeparack, which I had not yet seen. 

 It was a strange sight to behold all these brown people raising their 

 bows and arrows above their heads, and wading across the river ; the 

 noise made by their passage through the water was heard at a great 

 distance. 



All these savages carried on their shoulders bundles of poles six or 

 eight feet long, for the purpose of fighting with Captains June and 

 Gipakeiu and their hordes ; but the latter was now at a distance 

 in the forest, and even June, with his troop, was just then absent 

 from the Quartel. The savages ran eagerly through all the rooms in 

 the buildings to look for their adversaries, but not finding them, left 

 their poles standing at the Quartel, as the sign of a challenge, and de- 

 parted again towards evening. During the following days, however, 



* Trochilus ater, a hitherto undescribed humming-bird, whose plumage is not pretty ; male 

 5 inches k)ng ; bill slightly curved ; body nearly black, only in some places of a shining grey 

 and copperas colour ; sides under the wings, rump, and tail, white, on the latter a border of 

 a violet colour, the middle feathers varying with dark green and steel-blue. 



