R. Schomburgk^ Dr. Phil. 6i 
escape we dispatched two Arekunas who were to make them 
acquainted with our peaceful intentions. We reached the 
plain, and before us the hut, in front of which the now- 
appeased Indians received us, and in which, to our rejoicing, 
we were regaled with fresh cassava bread and some smoked 
game. This was such a meal as had not been enjoyed for 
many weeks. When we had consumed the provisions, and 
informed the Indians that we should stay for the night here, 
the hunters with their long blowpipes went to procure fresh 
game, in which they were successful, as they proved at their 
return. Amongst the Arekunas the blowpipe is the most 
common and approved weapon for killing the game with 
poisonous small arrows. 
Amongst the surrounding vegetation, mostly unknown to 
me, were large trees of Clusia insignis, Mart., with its large, 
wax-like, white and pink-tinged flowers. 
We found the night very cold, the thermometer showing 
only er" Fahrenheit. When we started in the morning all 
the inhabitants, old and young, followed us, securing- their 
huts with a door made of palm leaves. Our party in conse- 
quence increased considerably in number — of course the new 
followers had to look out for their own provisions 
Near sundown, after crossing several oases, in which the 
Guttiferae, especially the geuus Clusia, formed the predomi- 
nant vegetation, I collected Chisia insigniSf Mart., rosea, St. 
Hill, hicolor, Mart., leprantha, Mart., macrocarpa, Spr., micro- 
carpa, Spr., and nemorosa, Meyer. Several of these species 
appeared as parasites on other trees ; and this was often the 
case with the magnificent Clusia insignis. 
The Dimorphandra macrostachya, Benth., with its brilliant 
flowers rose like majestic trees above the vegetation. 
We soon approached the valley of the Kukenam again, and 
observed on its westerly bank two large dome-like huts, 
one in the course of erection, and round them a number of 
red painted Indians were assembled in festive attire. The 
Chief, a worthy old man, was sitting on a chair, clad in a 
shirt stifi* with dirt, his head covered with an old hat crushed 
and bare of all hair, no doubt having from age, a red-yellow 
color. The chief was surrounded by the elders of the settle- 
ment, also clad in fragments, at one time white shirts, which 
were hanging down in rags over their red-colored bodies. 
The chief looked at us for some time without speaking, and 
then began his oration, which we feared would never end ; 
when he had ceased he rose to shake hands with each of the 
