M8 
FESTIVITIES OF THE SAVAGES. 
accompanied (die Indian to the festival of the juvias. The 
harvest of juvias, or fruits of the Bertholletia excelsa,* was 
celebrated by dancing, and by excesses of wild intoxica- 
tion. The hut where the natives were assembled, displayed 
during several days a very singular aspect. There was neither 
table nor bench ; but large roasted monkeys, blackened 
by smoke, were ranged in regular order against the wall. 
These were the marimondes (Ateles belzebuth), and those 
bearded monkeys called capuchins, which must not be con- 
founded with the weeper, or sai (Simia capucina of Button) . 
The manner of roasting these anthropomorphous animals 
contributes to render their appearance extremely disagree- 
able in the eyes of civilized man. A little grating or lattice 
of very hard wood is formed, and raised one foot from the 
ground. The monkey is skinned, and bent into a sitting 
posture ; the head generally resting on the arms, which are 
meagre and long; but sometimes these are crossed behind 
the back. ‘When it is tied on the grating, a very clear fire 
is kindled below. The monkey, enveloped in smoke and 
Same, is broiled and blackened at the same time. On seeing 
the natives devour the arm or leg of a roasted monkey, it is 
difficult not to believe that this habit of eating animals so 
closely resembling man in their physical organization, has, 
to a certain degree, contributed to diminish the horror of 
cannibalism among these people. Boasted monkeys, par- 
ticularly those which have very round heads, display a 
hideous resemblance to a child ; and consequently Europeans 
who are obliged to feed on them prefer separating the head 
and the hands, and serve up only the rest of the animal at 
their tables. The flesh of monkeys is so lean and dry, that 
M. Bonplaud has preserved in his collections at Paris an 
arm and hand, which had been broiled over the lire at 
Esmeralda ; and no smell has arisen from them after the 
lapse of a great number of years. 
AVe saw the Indians dance. The monotony of their dancing 
is increased by the women not daring to take part in it. 
The men, young and old, form a circle, holding each others’ 
hands ; and turn sometimes to the right, sometimes to the 
left, for whole hours, with silent gravity. Most frequently 
* The Brazil* imt. 
