Chap. II. 
MAUH^S INDIANS. 
133 
a large cigar, made with an air of great mystery by 
rolling tobacco in folds of Tauari, and then sucks the 
place, drawing from his mouth, when he has finished, 
what he pretends to be the worm. It is a piece of very 
clumsy conjuring. One of these pajes was sent for by a 
woman in Joao Malagueita's family, to operate on a child 
who suffered much from* pains in the head. Senhor 
J oao contrived to get possession of the supposed worm 
after the trick was performed in our presence, and it 
turned out to be a long white air-root of some plant. 
The paje was with difficulty persuaded to operate whilst 
Senhor Joao and I were present. I cannot help think- 
ing that he, as well as all others of the same profession, 
are conscious impostors, handing down the shallow secret 
of their divinations and tricks from generation to gene- 
ration. The institution seems to be common to all 
tribes of Indians, and to be held to more tenaciously 
than any other. 
The opposite (western) shore of the Tapajos for some 
distance beyond the falls, and the country thence to the 
channels behind Villa Nova, are inhabited by the Mauhes 
tribe, of whom I have spoken in a former chapter. 
These are also a settled, agricultural people, but speak a 
totally different language from that of the Mundurucus. 
I saw at Aveyi'os several men of this fine tribe, who were 
descending the river in a trading canoe, and who, on 
being confronted with a Mundurucu were quite unable 
to understand him. There are many other points of dif- 
ference between the two tribes. The Mauhes are much 
less warlike, and do not practise tattooing. Their villages 
are composed of a number of small huts, tenanted by 
