274 



ings, and other painful exercises. There are 

 but a small number of these sacred trumpets. 

 The most anciently celebrated is that upon a 

 hill near the confluence of the Tomo and the 

 Guainia. It is pretended, that it is heard at 

 once on the banks of the Tuamini, and at the 

 mission of San Miguel de Davipe, a distance of 

 ten leagues. Father Cereso assured us, that the 

 Indians speak of the botuto of Tomo as an ob- 

 ject of worship common to many surrounding 

 tribes. Fruit and intoxicating liquors are placed 

 by the sacred trumpet. Sometimes the Great 

 Spirit (Cachimana) himself makes the botuto re- 

 sound ; sometimes he is content to manifest his 

 will by him, to whom the keeping of the instru- 

 ment is entrusted. These juggleries being very 

 ancient (from the fathers of our fathers, say the 

 Indians), we must not be surprised, that some 

 incredulous are already to be found ; but these 

 express their disbelief of the mysteries of the 

 botuto only in whispers. Women are not per- 

 mitted to see this marvellous instrument ; and 

 are excluded from all the ceremonies of this wor- 

 ship. If a woman have the misfortune to see the 

 trumpet, she is put to death without mercy. 

 Thd missionary related to us, that in 1798 he 

 was happy enough to save a young girl, whom 

 a jealous and vindictive lover accused of hav- 

 ing followed from a motive of curiosity the 

 Indians, who sounded the botuto in the planta- 



