A Visit from Some Maiongkongs. 
315 
877. The savannah presented an unusually lively appearance now 
that the vaqueiros with their long pikes ( Üpiessen ) and still longer 
lassoes, astride their quick horses, hunted like Cossacks over the broad 
grassy plains to collect the widely-scattered herds and chase them back 
to Fort Sao Joaquim. If any deer happened to be caught in the drive 
they were all the more certain to become the spoil ol' the lasso, because 
their small horns proved no obstacle to the enveloping noose. Senhora 
Liberadina who, like an Amazon on her little horse, Hew over the savaimali 
with the swiftness of the wind, seemed to have mounted it just to invoke 
our admiration at her smart pursuit of the deer, and skill in lassoing 
it. With the first two animals killed, that were slung on her high saddle, 
she then proudly entered the village, her big toes in the narrow stirrups, 
her naked heels with pointed spurs. 
878. Next day the Brazilians evacuated the village. At the head of 
the procession — that consisted partly of pack-horses, partly of Indian 
carriers, several of whom were transporting the vesper-bell on a long 
rafter — rode Friar Jose, Commandant Leal, and Senhora Liberadina. 
As they made off Captain Leal wished us the following hearty good-bye; 
he desired nothing else than that he might have to appear at the head of 
an army before Pirara, so as to repay our hospitality in a way which at 
the present moment was impossible. 
879. Hardly had these guests left us than they were replaced by a 
new but different lot on the following day. It was a long string of 
Maiongkongs, a tribe occupying the watershed of the upper Orinoco and 
its tributary, the Parima. My brother no sooner discovered amongst 
them some acquaintances he had made on his journey to the sources of 
the Orinoco in the years 1838 and 1839 than he was recognised by them 
with the heartiest manifestations of delight. The chieftain, a brother 
of his guide as far as Parima on that particular journey, spoke Portuguese 
fairly well, so we got to learn that their settlement was situate on the 
River Cunucunuma, a tributary of the upper Orinoco, and that he, the 
chieftain, having been told by his brother that axes were to be obtained 
in Georgetown, was now on his way there to get some: certain of his 
people, from hearing my brother talk, still remembered the approximate 
direction of the capital. They had followed the Orinoco from the 
Cunucunuma as far as the Cassa'quiare and so reached tlm Rio Negro, 
had then followed this down to the mouth of the Rio Branco, travelled 
up the latter to Fort Sao Joaquim, and thus reached Pirara now by 
means of the Takutu and Malm. In this way they had within three 
months covered a distance of not less than 1,000 miles partly by water 
and partly overland : they now proposed resuming their journey to 
Georgetown here from Pirara, the approximate situation of which they 
had also learnt, — to fetch a few axes. They were a big and finely 
developed people, the greater number of whom measured from 5ft. 0 
inches to 8 inches, their body at the same time appearing more compact 
and muscular and their facial features more rounded than those of the 
other tribes hitherto known to me. The forehead was small and 
receding, while the eyes which lay close to each other, were more obliquely 
slit, and shaded with long eyelashes; ever brows and beard were 
