Morning journal and courier., 1882-08-19
Canoeing i'm Brazil.


 Emerging from the forest we soon reach the Patawa, and see before us the low maloca of the Muras Indians. We are greeted by chorus of dogs, native Indian dogs, covered with sores, lean, mangy and half-starved. The were not at home. and the house was tenanted only by several women and nu- merous children, the f1thiest-looking people [ ever Everything bespoke laziness and poverty. Tho women are of medium height, but strongly built, with muscles in their arms that would shame blacksmith. They speak a dialect peculiar to their tribe. but I understand many speak Siriguajeral and Portuguese. The men are great fisher men, spending most of their time on the lake, though few work in the rubber forests of the interior. This tribe formerly occupied not only the banks of the lake but the low forests near the mouth of the Negro, oppo- site the city of Manaos Wallace speaks of them as being lazy and indolent. If all ports are true the tribe is fast becoming e X tinct; there now but three houses on or near the lake, and none in the low fo'fests near the Negro. The numerous old aban- doned fields which are found near NIanaca- puru show that this region was inhabited years ago by other tribes than the Muras The remnant of this tribe however, have gone deeper into the forest and have bull t their malocas-low, dark houses-in all t'ae most impenetrable woods During our ,tsv l [ never once saw smile upon the face s of ! the women they talked but little, ar d al- ways in low tone, with frequent gr s4ares. We watched the women busy in r 1ssinp a ! mingon (soup) out of green pacov 4s or ba- nanas. They tore off the skin with their teeth, grated the banana and ti1rew it into n 1 large earthern pot full of hot 'Ss.ter and stir red the bananas with 8 stick, which they oc. ! casionally used to strike a pfcwline dog. We \ were served with this mix '6ure in little wood \ en cups, and while sipptng the unpalatable dish wondered II oans na soup made those 1caln II
 drink mingon, ar d no. matter what Indian tribes you are am ong, you are compelled to live upon these mingons. Some are pala- ! table, but the 1hajority are simply disgusting, many being seasoned with the larvse of in- sets. The sun was low down, almost touch ing the tree tops, when reached the ca noe, and the dark clouds on the horizon told us that we were to pay for this bright day ! by violent night storm. Once in the canoe 1 the Indians took off their shirts and put them under the ''toldy, Tor palm cabin then, l grasping their broad paddles, pushed into the stream. How we did shoot down that | Igarape, the water fairly boiled around our ! canoe. We were anxious to reach the lake, \ for the lgarape was narrow and there was ! danger from falling branches or trees The ! sky wP.s now intensely black, the air full of I hyln5 leaves and often we heard the crash of failing trees in the forest. ''More force," I shouted, and the men dipped their paddles 4n the water. Another roll of thunder and down came the rain. Soon we shot into the lake, where our canoe tossed up and down. I and we ran no little risk of being upset. A
 bright light on the shore was seen, toward ! which started. We pulled the canoe ashore ! climbed the muddy bank to the house and shouted, 'Are we welcome?" We waited a ! moment, the door was opened and were in
 vited to ''Enter with God" Centre con Dios)
 We asked shelter for the night, which was { granted, and while our host a young Indian, \ slung our hammock and his wife pretty In- ! dian girl, made the coffee, we inspected the | dwelling. The floor was clean clean ham
 mocks swung from poles; everything was
 neat and in order. dwell on this because I
 have never found an Indian hut so clean.
 On the wall was drying large jaguar skin,
 the largest I ever saw. After bowl of hot
 coffee I asked the Indian to tell us how he
 killed the tiger. I wish your readers could \ have seen that young Indian he stood, gun
 in hand, and told his story with many ges-
 ture; his wife sitting quietly by sewing, but ! with proud look in her eyes, while over all
 danced the fire light. ''You know the large
 creek below my house, patron,' he said. 'It
 was there killed the onca. While padding
 up this stream in search of palm fruit heard
 noise as if some one was beating the water
 with pole. I listened and heard nothing
 but the wind in the trees. Again I resumed
 my paddle. Again heard the plash of the
 water. paddled to shore, and, taking my
 gun, crept up the bank in the direction of
 the noise. At intervals the noise would stop,
 only to be renewed more violently. After a
 short distance I saw, lying full length on a
 log in the water, an onca, or jaguar, engaged
 in fishing; calling the fish by beating the
 water with it's tail. There are many fruit.
 eating fish in the Amazon waters and it is
 known to us that the jaguar frequently imi
 tates the plashing of palm fruit by striking
 the water with it's tail, hooking the
 fish, as they rise, with their long claws.
 (In fishing for pirantha we always beat the
 water with our poles and then throw in the
 line) He was very big, patron, but crept
 nearer" Did he get any fish said
 "Nemhum' (not one), said our host-"and
 he seemed angry about it. The old tiger
 looked awful cross, and I saw he was tired of
 fishing, for he slowly arose from the log.
 quickly dropped ball on top of the shot,
 and fired. He sprang into the ain>and fell
 into the water nlorte (dead). I tished him
 out with my harpoon. That is all, my white
 man.' The Indian took his seat, rolled a
 bark cigarette, then said Patron there are ! many kinds of oncas they afraid, they
 are towards, but beware of the black tiger
 he never will run from you."' After this ad-
 vice he stretched himself in his hammock
 and was soon asleep. We lay listening to
 the rain on the roof and thinking of our re-
 turn tomorrow to our home down the Ama-
 zon, where we will fatten up a bit, have
 something better to eat than salt meat and
 find that which at times is sweetest of all
 rest.