The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1855-03-03

able taste, and there are some tribes who will
not eat of it, preferring the flesh of monkeys,
macaws, and the armadillo. But the part
most priced is the thick, tough skin, which
is employed by the Indians in making shields,
sandals, and various other articles. This is
the more valuable in country where the
thick skinned and leather yielding mamma
liza are almost unknown.
Staying the tapir is no easy matter. The
creature is shy; and having the advantage
of the watery element, is often enabled to
dive beyond the reach of pursuit, and thus
escape by concealing itself. Among most
of the native tribes of South America, the
young hunter who has killed tapir is look
ed upon as having achieved something to be
proud of. The tapir is hunted by bow and
arrow, or by the gun. Sometimes the :" gra-
vatana,' or blow tube is employed, with its
poisoned darts. In any case, the hunter
either lies in wait for his prey, or with pack
Iof dogs drives it out Of the underwood, and
takes the chances of flying shot. When
the trail of tapir has been discovered, his
capture becomes easy. 1t is well known to
the hunter that this animal, when proceeding
from his lair to the water and returning al
ways follows his old track until beaten
path is made, which is easily discernible
This path often betrays the tapir and leads
to his destruction. Sometimes the hunter
Iaccomplishes this by means of a pitfall,
covered with branches and palm leaves at
other times, he places himself in ambuscade,
either before twilight or early in the morn
ing, and shoots the unsuspeCting animal, as
he approaches on his daily round. Some
times, when the whereabouts Of tapir has
been discovered, whole tribe sally out, and
take part in the hunt. Such a hunt was
witnessed by Martinhez, an intelligent Bra
lillian trader, who gave me the following
description Of it:
In the year l8-, went TO trade with the
Jumnas up the Xingu. Their maloccas
(palm hut villages,) lie beyond the falls Of
that river. Although classed as wild Indi-
ans, the Jumnas are mild race, friendly to
the traders, and collect during season con-
siderable quantities of Seringa Qndia RUBBER
sarsaparilla, as we'll as rare birds, monkeys
and Brazil nuts-the objects of our trade
had loaded my igarite (large masted ca
noe.) and was about to start for Para, when
nothing would serve the turaua, or chief, Of
one Of the maloccas, but that | should stay
day or two at his village, and take part in
some festivities. He promised tapir hunt.
AS knew that among the Jumnas We're
some skilled hunters, and as / was curious to
witness an affair of this kind, | consented.
The hunt was to come off on the second day
of my stay.
The morning arrived, and the hunters as
sembled, to the number of forty or fifty, in
an open space by the malocca and having
gos their arms and equipments in readiness,
all repaired to the praya, or narrow beach Of
sand, which separated the river from the
thick underwood of the forest Here some
twenty or thirty ubas, Canoes followed out
of tree trunks,) foated on the water ready
to receive the hunters. They were Of differ
ent sizes; some capable Of containing half
dozen, while others were meant to carry
only single person.
| In few minutes the ubas were freighted
with their living cargoes, consisting not on
| ly of the hunters, but most of the women
and boys of the malocca, with score or
two of dogs. These dogs were curious crea-
lures to look at. A stranger, ignorant of the
customs of the Jumnas, would have been at
some loss TO account for the popularity OF
their color. Such dogs had never seen be-
fore. Some were of bright scarlet, others
were yellow, others blue, and some mottled
with variety of tints! What could it
mean? But knew we'll enough. The dogs
were dyed. Yes, it is the custom among
many tribes of South American Indians to
! dye not only their own bodies, but the hairy
coats of their dogs, with brilliant colors
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