THE WILD IHDIAH TEIBES OF THE MADEIRA VALLEY. IH) 
contrasted strangely Avitli his former self-posse.ssion and impassibility. 
ith a A"ery serious face, but witb a sort of quiet politeness wbicb I 
could not but admire, tbe old man tried to make me understand that 
tbese instruments, wdiose boAvliug tone be imitated while miu’cbing 
slowly and majestically round the burial-places, were used for then 
lamentations over tbe dead, and could not be jiarted witb like any 
profane object. Such an exhibition of sentiment by a real naked 
savage, in a real dense primeval forest, struck me indeed even more 
than tbe solemn manner in wbicb the announcement was delivered.* 
I afterwards prevailed, witb some difficulty, uj)on the same young 
Caripuua to keep quiet for a few moments in one of tbe hammocks, 
until I had draAvn bis profile. His hesitation did not seem to arise 
from any superstitious fear — ^tbe “ civilised ” Tapuyos at Mandos were 
far worse in this respect — but I fancy be simply thought it diill 
Aimrk. 
Jlut the hour for parting came, when tbe whole tribe accompanied 
us to tbe river-shore ; the Avomen caiTying great quantities of mandioca- 
roots, and heavy bundles of yelloAV and red maize in baskets suspended 
on their backs by broad glossy stripes of bast, Avbicb passed over their 
forehead. They carry their babies in similar contrivances slung across 
then shoulders. 
We parted evidently the very best of friends; and Ave Avere fully 
confident that such attacks as our old mulatto hunter had spoken of 
were not noAV likely to happen again. But we were the more disagreeably 
surprised Aiffien wa learned, on oirr return to Manaos, that the same 
tribe had, only a few mouths afterwards, attacked the boat of a 
Bolivian merchant, and hud killed the proprietor and five of his 
puddlers, while Ids Avifo, though badly wounded, had succeeded in 
* Some years before I bad witnessed a similar scene in tbe province of Haraua, on 
tlie sbores of tbe Farauapanema, wbeu the old CJnyowa chieftain, I'aliy (in tbe 
Aldeamento de Santo Ignacio), on our taking leave of liim, presented us with a fine 
bow, adoi’ned with toucan-feathers. I thanked him heartily, and, in acknowledgment 
of liis gift, assiued him, with as serious a face as I could muster, that I always should 
use it in war and in hunting, and remember him by it ; but looking quite frightened, 
ho took the bow hastily from my hands, and, handling it like a sceptre, moved round 
us with pompous moasvu’ed strides, at the same time, with uplifted head, singing long- 
drawn notes of ear and heartrending harmony. lie could not be quieted until I had 
promised, when I at last understood what he meant by some broken Avords in 
Portuguese like “ Gaga niio! Guerra nfio! Amigo! Santo!” that avo would ever koop 
sn(a'od tbe gift of our brown friends, and never soil it in Avar or hunting — a promi.se 
Avhiili I cun Avith good conscieucc declaru Ave havo always faithfully observed. 
