^, Ö8 Prince Maonmilian^s ' ' 



women^ on the contrary^ are more nice, sometimes wear a veil, 

 and are fond of ornamenting themselves. They all speak Por- 

 tuguese, though among themselves they sometimes use their 

 native language. 



The languages of the Coroados and Coropos are nearly allied, 

 and the Puris generally understand both. Our young Coropo 

 Francisco spoke all the three languages. The difference of 

 language among the various tribes of the primitive inhabitants 

 of Brazils is an interesting subject, and worthy of close investi- 

 gation. Almost all the tribes of the Tapuyas have a peculiar 

 language. From the similarity of a few unconnected words 

 among so many different dialects, attempts have been made 

 to trace the origin of this race to the European nations, but 

 certainly without foundation. Papa and Mamma, it is true, 

 signify among the Cambevas or Omaguas exactly what they im- 

 ply with us,=^ and the word Ta may in the Coropo- tongue 

 have the same meaning as in German, but except such unim- 

 portant and accidental instances of agreement, there exists not 

 the slightest analogy between these languages and the idioms 

 of Europe. The peculiar arms of the Coroados, and to which 

 they still much adhere, consist of bows and arrows, which dif- 

 fer only in some slight respects from those of the Puris, The 

 feathering of the arrows is chiefly obtained from the red Araras 

 (Psitticus Macao, Linn), which are found higher up the Para- 

 iba at Aldea da Petra. In these arms, like all their kindred 

 tribes, they are very expert, and they occupy themselves much 

 in hunting in the woods before their huts. 



Our most important object was now to form an acquaintance 

 with the barbarous Puris in their primitive woods. We pro- 

 ceeded therefore to the opposite bank of the Paraiba, and re- 

 ceived a very good reception at the house of a Furriel, who 

 immediately sent his brother into the forest to inform the Puris, 

 that strangers wished to speak to them. This was an unequi- 

 vocal sacrifice offered by our host to his courteousness towards 

 us ; for these people not only bring him no advantage, but 

 even occasion him much injury. When they are amicably 

 treated they come down to the vicinity of the plantations, but 

 even then they use the productions of the estate, as if they 

 had been intended for themselves ; and often rob the negroes, 

 who have business in the adjacent woods, of their shirts and 

 other clothing. This horde of Puris had their station not long 

 since at 5. Fidelis and are supposed to belong to those who 



* S. dc la Condamine, Voyage, Sfc. p. 54. Even among our Antipodes, the 

 New Zealanders, children call their father Pah-Pah, see ColUns's Account of 

 tfie Engliah Colony in New South Wales. Lorid. 1798, 4 p. 555. 



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