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Very little sugar is grown here ; the principal articles of produce 

 sent to the capital are corn^ bacon, fowls, jaracanda, or rose-wood, 

 and ipecacuanha. In many parts of the neighbourhood is found a 

 tree, the bark of which has been successfully used as a substitute for 

 the quinquina of Peru. 



In one of the frequent excursions I took in the neighbourhood of 

 Canta Gallo, previous to my journey to the reputed silver mine, I 

 obtained some information respecting the half-civilized aborigines of 

 the district from a man who employs himself in procuring ipecacu- 

 anha, and is a kind of chief among them. They reside in the woods, 

 in a most miserable condition ; their dwellings, some of which I §^w, 

 are formed of boughs of trees, bent so as to hold a thatch or tiling of 

 palm-leaves ; their beds are made of dry grass. Having little idea of 

 planting or tillage, they depend for subsistence almost entirely on 

 their bows and arrows, and on the roots and wild fruits which they 

 casually find in the woods. The chief above-mentioned brought 

 about fifty of these Indians to pay me a visit, which was not a little 

 gratifying to me, as it afforded an opportunity of examining their 

 features, and of conversing with the few among them who could 

 speak a little of the Portugueze language. The dress of the men 

 consisted of a waistcoat and a pair of drawers ; that of the women, 

 of a chemise and petticoat, with a handkerchief tied round the head, 

 after the fashion of the Portugueze females. They bore the general 

 characteristics of their race, the copper-coloured skin, short and 

 round visage, broad nose, lank ttlack hair, and regular stature, in- 

 clining to the short and broad-set. Being desirous to see a proof of 

 their skill and precision in shooting, of which I had heard much, I 

 placed an orange at thirty yards distance, which was pierced by an 

 arrow from every one who drew his bow at it. I next pointed out a 

 banana-tree, about eight inches in circumference, at a distance of 

 forty yards ; not a single arrow missed its aim, though they all shot 

 at an elevated range. Interested hy these proofs of their archery, I 

 went with some of them into a wood to see them shoot at birds ; 



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