332 



STAY ON THE RIO GRANDE DE BELMONTE, 



let their hair ^row, and crop it behind ; and sometimes too they shave 

 their heads hke the Patachos. They are said also to build their huts 

 in the same manner. The languages of the two tribes are however 

 different, as will be seen by the specimens which will be annexed to 

 these Travels. They make common cause against the more numerous 

 Botocudos, but they have often had disputes and wars with each 

 other. I obtained weapons from these people in exchange for knives. 

 They regaled me with caiii, the favourite beverage of the Indians in 

 general, who, like all rude people, are very fond of strong liquors. 

 What the root of the jatropha manitiot supplies to the Brazilian, is 

 furnished to the Guaraune by the juice of the mauritia palm, to the 

 South Sea islander by his azim, and to the Calmuck by his kumiss. 



The house of the Machacaris lies in a real wilderness, where the 

 cries of the monkeys and other wild animals are heard close at hand : 

 they have cut down and burned the woods there and made their plan- 

 tations. After a short stay, I returned down the Sucurucu in my 

 canoe. 



During the oppressive heat of noon, I was charmed with the dark 

 shady paths, leading under lofty trees, and through thickly inter- 

 woven bushes, to the habitations of the Indians, which here lie scat- 

 tered and detached on the bank of the river. Many of these coast 

 Indians work for the Portuguese planters for hire, and at the same 

 time cultivate their own plantations ; others, especially young men, 

 serve as sailors on board the ships, or latichas, belonging to the 

 town. 



In this part we again found very picturesque views, which it would 

 be a great pleasure to see represented by the pencil of an able land- 

 scape painter, to be able to recal them to mind in a more lively man- 

 ner. I saw an old tree hanging over the water, which afforded a 

 real botanical collection. From the top shot forth cactus pendulus, 

 and phyllanthus, the branches of which hung down like ropes ; 



