CABACEIRO. 51 
5 
died, and if he had any cloth, bury him therein, otherwise 
naked. They make a hole in the desart, and set by him a vessel 
of water and a little maise to eate and drinke in his journey to 
the other life,* and without more ceremonies cover him with 
earth, and lay on the hole the mat, or chaire on which he was 
brought to burial, where they consume without any more re- 
spect, although they be new — for they hold it ominous to touch 
that seat on which one died. — The Christians there were as 
scrupulous of the mats or chaires of their slaves deceased ; but 
I bestowed them on the tire or water, and they besought me 
of charitie to forbear lest some evils should befal them from the 
*'dead/' 
At Caba^eiro stands an excellent house belonging to a Signor 
Aranjo, who at this time was very prudently engaged in sur- 
rounding it with a high wall as a protection against the Makooa. 
The shore on the side of the bay is flat, and intersected by a great 
number of sandy creeks and inlets, which are left dry at low 
water : these I repeatedly visited in search of sea productions, 
and I never met with so great a variety on any other coast. The 
star-fish and sea-fiowers were particularly beautiful, and of many 
exquisite colours ; sponges too of several curious sorts were 
common, and the sand was besides loaded with muscles, crabs, 
and other shell fish ; while in the shallow water various species of 
sea priapi were found, and ditferent sorts of molluscEe, some of 
which, though beautiful to the eye, could not be preserved, as 
they soon dissolved on being exposed to the sun, or when im- 
* The American Indians about Lima have a precisely similar custom, and a gentleman 
resident in London, possesses some of the vessels used on such occasions. 
H 
