330 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
the time, and yet I daresay you would have liked 
now and then to listen to tales of frades and mocas 
(friars and girls), and of men who could turn them- 
selves into biitas and cobras grandes. We all left 
Sao Jeronymo together. You know Chagas — a 
" homen muito servigal " (" a very useful man ") and 
a great scoundrel — with a face exactly like the back 
of a Surinam toad. He rendered me much assist- 
ance in my passeios (excursions), etc., and also took 
a special delight in cheating me in our little negocios 
(dealings). He sent another expedition up the 
Paapun's to steal curuminis and cunha-tas (boys 
and girls), your friend Bernardo being at the head 
of it. Even I was in some sort an accomplice, 
having lent a gun to Tushaua Joan (Bernardo), 
though without knowing for what purpose it was 
intended. For this, and for other of his good 
deeds, our friend Chagas is now in prison at the 
Barra, but I know not yet what is likely to be the 
result." ^ 
[Two short essays appertaining to the Uaupes 
appear in the Journal, and will appropriately come 
at the end of this chapter.] 
Customs at Death and Burial 
1853. — On January 2 died an old woman in 
Panure. The decease took place about noon, and 
the relatives who were on the spot immediately 
commenced their lamentations, keeping up a regular 
song and often pointing to the dead body as it lay 
in a hammock. The burden of their song I under- 
^ [I have myself given some account of this man's former evil deeds and of 
his escape from punishinent. — Ed.] 
