332 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
now in the place of her birth (she was a native of 
the Paapun's), where it would reappear probably in 
the form of some animal. 
In reference to this superstition it may be 
mentioned that these Indians have a great repug- 
nance to kill the larger quadrupeds, such as the 
deer, the tapir, etc., believing the bodies of these 
animals to be the resting-places of the souls of 
their ancestors. "How should we kill the stag," 
they say, " he is our grandfather ? " They are, how- 
ever, ready enough to kill fish, and when the white 
man kills and cooks a tapir they rarely refuse to eat 
of it. 
Some days afterwards a quantity of caxiri and 
caapi was prepared, and a very large company 
assembled from the village and adjacent sitios to 
repeat their lamentations for the deceased. At 
intervals parties of eight or ten of the men partook 
of caapi and sallied forth from the house with lances 
and arrows, bestowing mortal blows on the ground, 
as they said they would do on the paje were he or 
she in the same place. 
Rise and Fall of Rio Uaup^.s 
Like the Rio Negro and Solimoes, the Uaupes 
is said to be at its height near June 24, but does 
not fall perceptibly till the beginning of August. 
When I reached Sao Jeronymo on September 7, it 
was gradually lowering, and so continued, only 
occasionally filling again a few inches with a heavy 
rain. But on the 20th of November it began to 
refill, and by midnight had risen 20 inches. After- 
wards it rose very slowly until December 5, when 
