276 
TRAVELS ON THE RIO NEGRO. 
\June, 
In the middle was a broad aisle, formed by the two rows 
of the principal columns supporting the roof, and be- 
tween these and the sides were other rows of smaller 
and shorter timbers; the whole of them were firmly 
connected by longitudinal and transverse beams at the 
top, supporting the rafters, and were all bound together 
with much symmetry by sipos. 
Projecting inwards from the walls on each side were 
short partitions of palm- thatch, exactly similar in ar- 
rangement to the boxes in a London eating-house, or 
those of a theatre. Each of these is the private apart- 
ment of a separate ‘ family, who thus live in a sort of 
patriarchal community. In the side aisles are the farinha 
ovens, tipitis for squeezing the mandiocca, huge pans 
and earthen vessels for making caxiri, and other large 
articles, which appear to be in common ; while in every 
separate apartment are the small pans, stools, baskets, 
redes, water-pots, weapons, and ornaments of the occu- 
pants. The centre aisle remains unoccupied, and forms 
a fine walk through the house. At the circular end is a 
cross partition or railing about five feet high, cutting off 
rather more than the semicircle, but with a wide open- 
ing in the centre : this forms the residence of the chief 
or head of the malocca, with his wives and children ; the 
more distant relations residing in the other part of the 
house. The door at the gable end is very wide and 
lofty, that at the circular end is smaller, and these are 
the only apertures to admit light and air. The upper 
part of the gable is loosely covered with palm-leaves 
hung vertically, through which the smoke of the nume- 
rous wood fires slowly percolates, giving however in its 
