420 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
remaining fumes, but now he must shake off his 
drowsiness by renewing the dance. 
I had gone with the full intention of experiment- 
ing the caapi on myself, but I had scarcely dis- 
patched one cup of the nauseous beverage, which 
is but half a dose, when the ruler of the feast — 
desirous, apparently, that I should taste all his 
delicacies at once — came up with a woman bearing 
a large calabash of caxiri (mandiocca-beer), of which 
I must needs take a copious draught, and as I knew 
the mode of its preparation, it was gulped down 
with secret loathing. Scarcely had I accomplished 
this feat when a large cigar, 2 feet long and as 
thick as the wrist, was put lighted into my hand, 
and etiquette demanded that I should take a few 
whiffs of it — /, who had never in my life smoked a 
cigar or a pipe of tobacco. Above all this, I must 
drink a large cup of palm-wine, and it will readily 
be understood that the effect of such a complex dose 
was a strong inclination to vomit, which was only 
overcome by lying down in a hammock and drink- 
ing a cup of coffee which the friend who accom- 
panied me had taken the precaution to prepare 
beforehand. 
White men who have partaken of caapi in the 
proper way concur in the account of their sensations 
under its influence. They feel alternations of cold 
and heat, fear and boldness. The sight is disturbed, 
and visions pass rapidly before the eyes, wherein 
everything gorgeous and magnificent they have 
heard or read of seems combined ; and presently 
the scene changes to things uncouth and horrible. 
These are the general symptoms, and intelligent 
traders on the Upper Rio Negro, Uaupes, and 
