254 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
directing a scrutinising glance at each person as he 
passes, and the music, of course, indicates to him 
where to stop. He then walks up to the possessor 
of the needle, and at once puts his hand on the 
latter and draws it out. 
You may well suppose that dancing in the 
latitude of the Equator is not a very cooling pro- 
cess ; yet at five in the morning the dancers, though 
perspiring from every pore, ran out and bathed in 
the river. Nor was this by any means so dangerous 
as it would have been in your climate ; for here, 
except in the heat of the day, the temperature of 
the water is generally greater than that of the air. 
When I was up the Trombetas and it came on to 
rain during the day, my Indians used to strip them- 
selves naked and submit most stoically to the 
pelting of the shower ; but as soon as it ceased 
they plunged into the water, literally to warm 
themselves, as you will understand when I mention 
that on such occasions I have found the temperature 
of the air to be 75° and that of the water 84°. 
At daybreak preparations began also to be made 
for breakfast — a pig and a turtle were slaughtered 
and several fowls. We were strongly pressed to 
stay and partake of it, and my companions accepted 
the invitation ; but as I was determined not to 
neglect business for pleasure, I came away at 6 
o'clock with some girls who were going to a sitio 
near that of Senhor Brandao. 
I very much doubt if you will find this recital a 
tithe as amusing as I found the actuality, but it will 
serve to give you an inkling of manners and customs 
far removed from those of Old England. 
