VOYAGE TO THE RIO NEGRO 169 
I one night much amused the sailors by inquir- 
ing what bird it was that was making a croaking 
noise in an opposite cacoal. It was not a bird, they 
said, but a small quadruped, the size of a rat, which 
had its abode in the cacoals and lived on the fruit. 
It is one of the animals specially resorted to by the 
Indian payes or wizards, and great importance is 
attached to its replies, which are merely a repetition 
of its note — written Toro by the Brazilians, but 
sounding almost like the French trou — for an 
affirmative, and perfect silence for a negative. I 
was in my turn diverted by one of the crew holding 
a conversation with the Toro, whereof what follows 
is a nearly literal translation. 
" Your worship sings very sweetly all alone by 
night in the cacao tree ! " — " Toro! Toro 
" Your worship seems to be enjoying your supper 
on the delicious cacao ! " — " Toro ! Toro 
" Will your worship tell me if we are to have a 
favourable wind in the morning ? " — Toro respondeth 
not. 
" Your worship, do me the favour to say if we 
shall arrive at Obidos to-morrow " — Again no reply. 
Your worship may go to the devil ! " — An insult 
of which Toro taketh not the least notice ; and so 
ends the dialogue, the Indian being too angry to 
interrogate further. 
When lying-to for a wind I obtained a few plants 
unobserved, or left ungathered, the preceding year; 
and when slowly beating against the strong current 
in the Strait of Obidos, I twice swam on shore to 
gather a stout Mimoseous twiner that adorned the 
banks for miles with its thick spikes, a foot long, of 
minute pale yellow flowers. 
