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narrow channel, where a number of beautiful birds, especially parrots, were flying about, and the fine red maccaws produced a singularly striking effect as the setting sun illumined their scarlet plumage. The banks of these islands and of the channel were for the most part thickly overgrown with the high fan-like reed, the sheath of whose flower is used by the Botocudos for their arTows. When evening approached, the soldiers deliberated whether it would be better to pass the night on the Ilha Comprida (long island), or on one of the others. The first was rejected, because it is divided from the shore by only a narrow and shallow channel, and they would not have been secure against a visit from the savages. They therefore proceeded to the Ilha de Gambin, where the governors used formerly to pass the night when they visited the colony on the Rio Doce. The present governor has not continued these visits, and the bushes on the shore were found so thickly grown together, that one of the hunters was obliged to clear a place with his wood-knife, before they could set foot on shore. A large and cheerful fire was soon blazing in an open spot, whence a large owl (curuja) and a Muscovy-duck flew away, affrighted at the unexpected guests. They suffered some inconvenience from the swarms of mosquitoes, but slept quietly till the morning. They left the island very early, proceeded up the river past several other islands, and into a channel between the Ilha Comprida and the north bank of the river. The current was by no means so strong here, but then they met with many fallen trunks of trees and large branches, which they had to clear away, before they could advance farther. The bushes and lofty ancient trees, which border this channel, present the most diversified and magnificent spectacle. Various kinds of cocoas, especially the elegant palmitto, (in other parts called jissara,) with its tall slender stem, and the small bright green, beautiful feathery crown, adorn these dark forests, from the recesses of which the calls of unknown birds strike the ear. Below, close to the water, were some splendid flowers, still new to the Europeans; among which were a convolvulus (or a plant of that genus) with a remarkably large white flower, and a plant resem bling a bean, of the class diadelphia, with a large deep yellow flower, which twined about the bushes in thick close wreaths. A jacaré, (the alligator of this country),

which was quietly basking in the sun, fled at the sound of the oars. They soon came to several islands, upon which the people of Linhares had made plantations; for it is only on these islands that they are quite safe from the savages, who have no canoes, and therefore cannot cross, except where the breadth and depth of the river are inconsiderable. The officer, called Guarda Mor, resides in the Ilha do Boi (Ox Island), and the priest of Linhares on the Ilha do Bom Jesus. Towards noon they came in sight of Linhares, and landed on the north bank, after having with great exertion made their way against the rapid current.

Nearly opposite to the inconsiderable settlement of Linhares on the banks of this river, is the fazenda and sugar-houso of Bomjardin, belonging to Lieutenant Joao Felippe Calmon. When he was going to settle here opposite to Linhares, he took thirty or forty armed men, and attacked the Botocudos, who were assembled in a body, resolved to dispute the ground with him. One of these savages was killed; but it soon appeared that this horde, which numbered 150 bows, could not be driven away by force alone; another mode was therefore adopted; they were threatened in the rear, and by this stratagem induced to retreat. Since that time they have given him no farther molestation during the three years that he has resided here. If this place had any trade, the various valuable kinds of wood, which these forests produce in abundance, might be turned to as good an account as the fertile soil of his fazenda. Peroba, an excellent timber for ship building, is indeed considered as crown property, but Mr. Calmon obtained permission to build, of this timber, some large handsome sea-canoes, which he sends to Capitania and other places laden with the produce of his fazenda, and many other valuable kinds of wood.

In order to protect this settlement in general from the attacks and cruelties of the Botocudos, eight stations have been established, which are pushed forward in different directions into the great forests: they are also at the same time especially destined to protect the commercial intercourse, which it has of late been attempted to open up the river with Minas Geraës. In fact, soldiers have already come down from that province, who were in sufficient numbers, well armed, and provided with the defensive coat called gibuo d'armas. These

coats, some of which are kept at all the stations, are an indispensable covering against the arrows which the savages, discharge with great force. They are wide, made of cotton, and thickly lined with several layers of cotton wadding, have a high stiff collar, which covers the neck, and short sleeves that protect the upper part of the arm; they come down to the knee, but are very inconvenient on account of their weight, especially in hot weather. The strongest arrow, even when discharged near at hand, does not easily penetrate such a coat, and it never has force enough to inflict any. serious wound. The people indeed place too much confidence in these coats, for they assured us that even a ball would not pierce them.

In the woods on the banks of the river St. Matthew, the uncivilised Indians are very numerous, and they all live in constant warfare with the whites in this part of the country. In the course of the last year seventeen persons were killed by them. The northern bank is haunted by the Patachos, Cumanachos, Machacalis (called by the Portuguese Machacaris, they themselves cannot pronounce the r well), and other tribes, as far as Porto Seguro. The Botocudos also are numerous, and said to be chiefly in possession of the south bank; they are feared by the other tribes, and are considered as enemies by the rest, who on account of their inferior numbers make common cause against them. The plantations belonging to a fazenda higher up the river were fre quently robbed by the savages, till the proprietor devised a singular expedient to get rid of these hostile visitors. He loaded an iron cannon, which was at the fazenda, with pieces of old lead and iron, fastened the lock of a musket to it, placed it in the narrow path, by which the savages always used to come in a column, and laid a piece of wood across the path which was connected with the trigger by means of a string. The savages appeared in the dusk of the evening, and trod on the piece of wood, as had been intended. When the people of the fazenda hastened to the spot to see the result, they found the cannon burst, and thirty Indians killed and mutilated, some still on the spot and others scattered in the woods. The cries of the fugitives are said to have been heard far around. Since this terrible destruction the fazenda is said not to have been again disturbed by the savages.

It was at Villa Viçosa that the author first saw these savages, of whom he says, "The sight of the Botocudos astonished us beyond all expression; we had never before seen such strange and singularly ugly beings.. Their original countenances were farther disfigured by large pieces of wood which, they wore in their lower lips and in their ears: the lip is thus made to project very much, and the ears of some of them hang like large wings down to their shoulders: their brown bodies were covered with dirt. They were already very familiar with the ouvidor, who had them always in the room with him, in order to gain their confidence more and more. had some persons who spoke the Botocudo language, and let us hear some specimens of their singing, which (resembles an inarticulate howling, Most of these young Indians had lately had the small-pox: they were still covered all over with marks and scars, which, as their bodies were emaciated by the disease, considerably increased their natural ugliness."

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He

During his stay on the Rio Grande de Belmonte, he became more intimately acquainted with this tribe. On his way to explore a grave for the purpose of getting one of their skulls, he was surprised by the savages.

"It was our intention to complete our examination as speedily as possible, but in the narrow serpentine path, between the lofty trees, appeared many interesting birds, which detained us: we shot some of them, and I was just about to pick one up, when I was suddenly surprised by the short but harsh tone of a rough voice. I instantly turned round, and lo! close behind me were several Botocudos! naked, and brown like the beasts of the forest, they stood with their great plugs of white wood in their ears and lower lips, and their bows and arrows in their hands. My surprise, I confess, was not small: had they been inimically disposed, I should have been pierced by their arrows before I could have suspected they were near. was, I advanced boldly towards them, and repeated what words I knew of their language: they pressed me, after the manner of the Portuguese, to their bosoms; clapped me on the shoulder, and pronounced in a loud tone some harsh words; but particularly on seeing my double-barrelled gun, they repeatedly exclaimed with astonishment, pun uruhú, (several guns).

As it

Some women laden with heavy sacks now came up one after another, sur veyed me with equal curiosity, and communicated their remarks to each other. Both men and women were entirely destitute of clothing: the former were of the middle size, strong, muscular, and well made, yet in general rather slender, but the great plugs of wood in their ears and lips disfigured them much: they carried bundles of bows and arrows under their arms, and some had also water-vessels made of taquarussu. They wore their hair cropped close, except a round tuft on the crown of the head; this was the case even with the young children, a considerable number of whom the mothers carried on their shoulders, or led by the hand.

One of my people, named George, who understood something of the language of these savages, had come up in the mean time and entered into conversation with them, on which they immediately became extremely familiar. They inquired after their countrymen, whom the ouvidor had sent to Rio, and expressed great joy on hearing that they would find them at the post (destacaente). Their impatience was now so great, that they hurried quickly away. I was heartily glad that we had loitered on the way; for if the savages, who had to pass close by the grave, had surprised us when engaged in our intended examination, their resentment might have involved us in great danger.*

I now resolved to defer my purpose till some more favourable opportunity; and had gone but a few steps, when the leader of the party, Captain June, an old man of rough appearance, but of a good disposition, suddenly met me. He saluted us in the same manner as his countrymen; but his appearance was still more extraordinary than that of the others, for he wore plugs in his ears and lip four inches and four lines English, in diameter; he was likewise strong and muscular, but already wrinkled with age. As he had left his wife behind, he carried on his back two heavy sacks, and a great bundle of arrows, and reeds

According to the accounts since re

ceived from Mr. Freyreiss from Brazil, my apprehensions of the consequences of being surprised by the savages, in the act of opening their grave, were ill founded; for he has since opened several graves, in which operation the Botocudos themselves assisted him. -Note of the Author.

for arrows. He panted under his load, and ran quickly away with his body much inclining forwards, His first question likewise was, whether his countrymen had returned from Rio de Janeiro; and the most lively joy was expressed in his whole appearance, when we answered him in the affirmative.

When I soon afterwards returned to the Quartel, I found a great number of Botocudos, lying at their case, in all the rooms of the house. Some were sitting at the fire, and roasting unripe manmao fruit; others were eating our which they had received from the commandant; and a great part of them were contemplating with astonishment, my people, whose appearance was very singular to them. They were not a little surprised at their white skin, light hair, and blue eyes. They crept through every corner of the house, in quest of provisions, and their appetite was always keen: they climbed up all the mammao trees, and where their fruit shewed by its yellowish green colour that it was beginning to ripen, it was immediately plucked; nay, many ate it quite unripe, either roasted on the hot coals, or boiled.

I immediately began to barter with these savages, giving them knives, red handkerchiefs, glass beads, and other trifles, for their arms, sacks, and other utensils. They manifested a decided preference for every thing that was made of iron; and, like all the Tapuyas on the east coast, immediately fastened the knives they had obtained, to a string tied round their necks. A very interesting scene was afforded us, by the reception which they gave to their countrymen and relations, the young Botocudos, who had been with the ouvidor to Rio, and now came in successively. They were welcomed with the greatest cordiality; old Captain June sung a joyful song, and some even affirmed, that they saw him shed tears of joy. It has been asserted that the Botocudos are accustomed, by way of welcome, to smell each others' wrists; Mr. Sellow among others says, he has observed this practice; but though I was long and often among these savages, and frequently witnessed their interviews with of any thing of the kind. new comers, I never observed, or heard

The old Captain and his chief friends had taken up their quarters in a shed, open on all sides, and merely covered with a thatched roof, which was designed for the preparation of mandiocca

flour; here they had kindled a great fire, near the mandiocca wheel and the great stove for drying the flour, and lay around it involved in thick smoke, on the ashes, which gave to their brown skin a grey appearance. The Captain himself frequently rose, roughly demanded an axe, and went to fetch fuel; from time to time too, he ventured an attack upon us or the Portuguese to obtain flour, or shook the melon trees to get their fruit.

These Botocudos, who manifest such irreconcileable hostility on the Rio Doce, are so little feared here on the Belmonte, that people have even ventured to go several days' journey with them into the great woods to hunt, and to sleep with them there in their huts; such experiments however are not yet very frequent, as the distrust entertained of them cannot easily be quite overcome. This mistrust and the fear of putting themselves wholly in their power, are not the only circumstances which make the Europeans averse to such excursions in the woods in company with the savages; to these must be added their great muscular strength, and ability to endure fatigue; for our people always returned quite exhausted from every excursion with the Botocudos. Their muscular strength enables them to go very swiftly in the hottest weather, both up and down hill; they penetrate the thickest and most entangled forests; they wade and swim through every river, if it be not too rapid; perfectly naked, therefore not incommoded by clothing, never getting into perspiration, carrying only their bow and arrows in their hand, they stoop with facility; and with their hardened skin, which fears neither thorns nor other injury, they creep through the smallest gap in the bushes, and can thus pass over a great extent of ground in a day. My hunters had experience of this their bodily superiority, among others, from a young Botocudo, named Jukeräcke: he had learned to be a very good marksman with his gun, and was at the same time uncommonly skilful in the use of the bow. I sometimes sent him with other Botocudos into the wood to kill animals; for a little flour and brandy they willingly hunted a whole day. Jukeräcke in particular was very serviceable, as he was agile and shewed much aptness to all bodily exercises. At first my hunters accompanied these people; but they soon complained that the Bo

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tocudos were too swift of foot, and let them hunt alone.”

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abc. i A combat between two parties of this savage horde is thus described: "One Sunday morning, when the weather was most beautifully serene, we saw all the Botocudos of the Quartel, some with their faces painted black, and others red, suddenly break up, and wade through the river to the north bank, all with bundles of poles on their shoulders. Soon afterwards Captain June, with his people, came out of the wood, where a number of women and children had sought refuge in some large huts. Scarcely had the news of the approach ing combat become known in the Quar tel, when a crowd of spectators, among whom were the soldiers, an ecclesiastic, from Minas, and several strangers, whom I also joined, hastened over to the field. of battle. Each took for his security and pistol or a knife under his coat, in case the combat should be turned against

us.

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When we landed on the opposite bank, we found all the savages standing close together, and formed a half circle about them. The combat was just be ginning. First, the warriors of both parties uttered short rough tones of de-... fiance to each other, walked sullenly round one another like angry dogs, at the same time making ready their poles. Captain Jeparack then came forward, walked about between the men, looked, gloomily and directly before him, with wide staring eyes, and sung, with a tremulous voice, a long song, which probably described the affront that he had received. In this manner the adverse parties became more and more inflamed; suddenly two of them advanced, and pushed one another with the arm on the breast, so that they staggered back, and then began to ply their poles. One first struck with all his might at the other, regardless where the blow fell: his antagonist bore the first attack seriously and calmly, without changing counte-, nance; he then took his turn, and thus they belaboured each other with severe blows, the marks of which long remained visible in the large wheals on their naked bodies. As there were on the poles many sharp stumps of branches which had been cut off, the effect of the blows was not always confined to bruises, but the blood flowed from the heads of many of the combatants. When two of them had thus thrashed each other handsomely, two more came forward;

and several gazed at once to hands on

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were often seen enbut they never laid one another. When these combats had continued for some time, they again walked about with a serious look, uttering tones of defiance, till heLoic enthusiasm again seized them, and set their poles in motion,

Meanwhile, the women also fought valiantly; amidst continual weeping and howling, they seized each other by the hair, struck with their fists, scratched with their nails, tore the plugs of wood out of each other's ears and lips, and scattered them on the field of battle as trophies. If one threw her adversary down, a third, who stood behind, seized her by the legs, and threw her down likewise, and then they pulled each other about on the ground. The men did not degrade themselves so far as to strike the women of the opposite party, but only pushed them with the ends of their poles, or kicked them on the side, so that they rolled over and over. The lamentations and howlings of the women and children likewise resounded from the neighbouring huts, and heightened the effect of this most singular scene.

In this manner the combat continued for about an hour; when all appeared weary, some of the savages showed their courage and perseverance, by walking about among the others, uttering their tones of defiance. Captain Jeparack, as the principal person of the offended party, held out to the last; all seemed fatigued and exhausted, when he, not yet disposed to make peace, continued to sing his tremulous song, and encouraged his people to renew the combat, till we went up to him, clapped him on the shoulder, and told him that he was a valiant warrior, but that it was now time to make peace; upon which he at length suddenly quitted the field, and went over to the Quartel. Captain June had not shown so much energy; being an old man, he had taken no part in the combat, but constantly remained in the back-ground.

All of us then left the field of battle, which was covered with ear-plugs and broken poles, and returned to the Quar

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tel; where we found our old acquaintance Jukericke, Medeann, Aho, and others, sadly covered with braises'; 'but they showed to what a degree man can harden himself, for none of them paid any regard to his swollen limbs; "but they sat or lay down on their open wounds, and ate with a hearty appetite the flour which the commandant gave them. The bows and arrows of all these savages had stood, during the whole combat, leaning against the neighbouring trees, without their touching them'; but it is said sometimes to have happened, on similar occasions, that they have thrown aside the poles, and taken to their arms, for which reason the Portu-P guese do not much like to have such combats in their neighbourhood. It was not till some time afterwards that I heard the cause of the combat, of which we had been spectators. Captain June, with his people, had been hunting on the south bank of the river, in the grounds of Jeparack, and killed some wild swine. This was considered by the latter as a great insult; for the Botocudos always observe, more or less strictly, the boundaries of a certain hunting-district, beyond which they are in general careful not to trespass: such offences are the usual occasions of their quarrels and wars."

The Botocudos, and all the other tribes of Tapuyas, have some religious notions without being idolators. They believe in several mighty supernatural beings, of whom the most potent is the God of Thunder, called by them Tupa, or Tupan. The attempts which have hitherto been made to reclaim these people from their wild and wandering habits have constantly failed, because slavery was proposed to them as the price of civilization. We hope that a more liberal and humane policy will be pursued in future, and have no doubt that if settled independently and engaged in agricultural pursuits, a friendly intercourse with them would be far more profitable to the Portuguese Brazilians, than the labour which might be extorted from them by an unjustifi able invasion of their natural liberty.

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