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I CHAPTER VI. 
THE WILD INDIAN TRIBES OF THE MADEIRA VALLEY. 
Tlio Jluras. — The Ajaras. — ^Tlie Mtiiulrun'i.'i. — The I’ereutiutiTis. — ^Tlie Conpima.?. — 
OiU' First Meeting' >rith the 
Latter. — TJioir Malo«;a. — 
Their Way of BurjTr'g 
the Dead. — Former Attacks 
on tho Madeii'a, Javaiy, and 
Furus. — The Unknown W'ay- 
layers at the Mouth of tho 
Mamoro. — ^Future of tliese 
Indians. — Their Languages 
and Eoh’gimis Views. — Theii’ 
Pajes. — An Old Settlement. 
HERE is a proverbial 
saying diffused over 
the wliole Amazon 
region : “ lazy like 
a Miira wlio sleeps on 
throe cords;” that is, who 
does not even take tlio 
trouble of making a pro- 
per hammock ; and in- 
deed the saying is right. 
The Miiras are the laziest 
of all the lazy Indians of 
these parts. Tlioy are 
despicable alilce to white 
and coloured men ; and 
notwithstanding their well-known skill in hunting, fishing, diving and 
“.similar free arts,” any other Indian or mestizo would think it tho 
gi-avest insult to be taken for one of these pariahs. Once they Avere 
a powerful tribe; but bloody fends with the Mundruciis, at the end 
of the last century, reduced them to the poor condition Ave noAV sec 
