I found many interesting insects in the cacaoal; the most handsome was the Salamis jucunda,a magnificent butterfly with sickle-shaped wings, which flies with great rapidity, but is readily taken when quietly feeding on decaying cacao fruits. ‘he island was three or four miles long and about a mile broad,and was situated in the central part of the river. The view from Dona Paulina’s house was limited by the western row of islets, this middle channel being about a mile broad; not a glimpse was obtainable of the main land on either side, and each island was a mass of greenery towering to a great height, and seeming to repose on the surface of the water. ‘The house was in a very dilapidated condition; but Dona Paulina, who was a simple, good-natured little woman, with her slaves, tried to make us as comfortable as the circumstances permitted. At night it rained heavily, and the water poured through the broken tiles on to my hammock, so I was obliged to get up and shift my quarters; but this is a common incident in Brazilian houses.

The next day we crossed the river to the main land, to the house of Dona Paulina’s father, where we slept, and on the following morning started to walk to Cameta through the forest, a distance of nine miles. ‘The road was sometimes tolerably good, at others it was a mere track, and twice we had to wade through swamps which crossed the path. We started at six a.m., but did not reach Cameta until nine at night.

In the course of our walk I chanced to verify a fact relating to the habits of a large hairy spider of the genus Mygale, in a manner worth recording. The species was M. avicularia, or one very closely allied to it; the individual was nearly two inches in length of body, but the legs expanded seven inches, and the entire body and legs were covered with coarse grey and reddish hairs. I was attracted by a movement of the monster on a tree-trunk; it was close beneath a deep crevice in the tree, across which was stretched a dense white web. The lower part of the web was broken, and two small birds, finches, were entangled in the pieces; they were about the size of the English siskin, and I judged the two to be male and female. One of them was quite dead, the other

acking Finches, ing Spider (Mygale avicularia Bird-k

lay under the body of the spider not quite dead, and was smeared with the filthy liquor or saliva exuded by the monster. I drove away the spider and took the birds, but the second one soon died. The fact of species of Mygale sallying forth at night, mounting trees, and sucking the eggs and young of humming-birds, has been recorded long ago by Madame Merian and Palisot de Beauvois; but in the absence of any confirmation it has come to be discredited. From the way the fact has been related it would appear that it had been merely derived from the report of natives, and had not been witnessed by the narrators. Count Langsdorff, in his ‘‘ Expedition into the Interior of Brazil,” states that he totally disbelieved the story. I found the circumstance to be quite a novelty to the residents hereabout. The Mygales are quite common insects: some species make their cells under stones, others form artistical tunnels in the earth, and some build their dens in the thatch of houses. ‘The natives call them Aranhas carangueijeiras, or crab-spiders. The hairs with which they are clothed come off when touched, and cause a peculiar and almost maddening irritation. The first specimen that I killed and prepared was handled incautiously, and I suffered terribly for three days afterwards. I think this is not owing to any poisonous quality residing in the hairs, but to their being short and hard, and thus getting into the fine creases of the skin. Some Mygales are of immense size. — One day I saw the children belonging to an Indian family, who collected for me, with one of these monsters secured by a cord round its waist, by which they were leading it about the house as they would a dog.

The only monkeys I observed at Cametd were the Couxio (Pithecia Satanas)—a large species, clothed with long brownish-black hair—and the tiny Midas argentatus. The Couxio has a thick bushy tail; the hair of the head sits on it like a cap, and looks as if it had been carefully combed. It inhabits only the most retired parts of the forest, on the terra firma, and I observed nothing of its habits. The little Midas argentatus is one of the rarest of the American monkeys; I have not heard of its being found anywhere except near Cametad. I once saw three individuals together, running along a branch in a cacao grove near Cameta; they looked like white kittens: in their motions they resembled precisely the Midas ursulus already described. I saw afterwards a pet animal of this species, and heard that there were many so kept, and that they were esteemed as choice treasures. The one I saw was full-grown, but it measured only seven inches in length of body. It was covered with long white silky hairs; the tail was blackish, and the face nearly naked and flesh-coloured. It was a most timid and sensitive little thing. The woman who owned it carried it constantly in her bosom, and no money would induce her to part with her pet. She called it Mico. It fed from her mouth and allowed her to fondle it freely, but the nervous little creature would not permit strangers to touch it. If any one attempted to do so, it shrank back, the whole body trembling with fear, and its teeth chattered whilst it uttered its tremulous frightened tones. ‘The expression of its features was like that of its more robust brother Midas urstlus; the eyes, which were black, were full of curiosity and mistrust, and it always kept them fixed on the person who attempted to advance towards it.

In the orange groves and other parts humming-birds were plentiful, but I did not notice more than three species. I saw a little pigmy belonging to the genus Phaethornis one day in the act of washing itself in a brook; it was perched ona thin branch, whose end was under water. It dipped itself, then fluttered its wings and pruned its feathers, and seemed thoroughly to enjoy itself alone in the shady nook which it had chosen—a place overshadowed by broad leaves of.ferns and Heliconiz. I thought, as I watched it, that there was no need for poets to invent elves and gnomes, whilst Nature furnishes us with such marvellous little sprites ready to hand.

My return journey to Parad afforded many incidents characteristic of Amazonian travelling. I left Cameta on the 16th of July. My luggage was embarked in the morning in the Santa Rosa, a vessel of the kind called cuberta, or covered canoe. The cuberta is very much used on these rivers. It is not decked, but the sides forward are raised and arched over, so as to admit of cargo being piled high above the waterline. At the stern is a neat square cabin, also raised, and between the cabin and covered forepart is a narrow piece decked over, on which are placed the cooking arrangements. This is called the tombadilha or quarterdeck, and when the canoe is heavily laden it goes under water as the vessel heels over to the wind. There are two masts, rigged with fore and aft sails. The foremast has often, besides, a main and top sail. The forepart is planked over at the top, and on this raised deck the crew work the vessel, pulling it along, when there is no wind, by means of the long oars’already described.

As I have just said, my luggage was embarked in the morning. I was informed that we should start with the ebb-tide in the afternoon; so I thought I should have time to pay my respects to Dr. Angelo and other friends, whose extreme courtesy and goodness had made my residence at Cameta so agreeable. After dinner the guests, according to custom at the house of the Correias, walked into the cool verandah which overlooks the river; and there we saw the Santa Rosa, a mere speck in the offing miles away, tacking down river with a fine breeze. I was now in a fix, for it would be useless attempting to overtake the cuberta, and besides the sea ran too high for any montaria. I was then told that I ought to have been aboard hours before the time fixed for starting, because when a breeze springs up, vessels start before the tide turns; the last hour of the flood not being very strong. All my precious collections, my clothes, and other necessaries were on board, and it was indispensable that I should be at Pard when the things were disembarked. I tried to hire a montaria and men, but was told that it would be madness to cross the river ina small boat with this breeze. On going to Senhor Laroque, another of my Cametd friends, I was relieved of my embarrassment; for I found there an English gentleman, Mr. Patchett of Pernambuco, who was visiting Parad and its neighbourhood on his way to England, and who, as he was going back to Parad in a small boat with four paddles, which would start at midnight, kindly offered me a passage. The evening from seven to ten o’clock was very stormy. About seven, the night became intensely dark, and a terrific

84 THE TOCANTINS AND CAMETA. Cuap. IV.

squall of wind burst forth, which made the loose tiles fly over the house-tops; to this succeeded lightning and stupendous claps of thunder, both nearly simultaneous. “We had had several of these short and sharp storms during the past month. At midnight, when we embarked, all was as calm as though a ruffle had never disturbed air, forest, or river. The boat sped along like an arrow to the rhythmic paddling of the four stout youths we had with us, who enlivened the passage with their wild songs. Mr. Patchett and I tried to get a little sleep, but the cabin was so small and encumbered with boxes placed at all sorts of angles, that we found sleep impossible. I was just dozing when the day dawned, and, on awaking, the first object I saw was the Sazfa Rosa, at anchor under a green island in mid-river. I preferred to make the remainder of the voyage in the company of my collections, so bade Mr. Patchett good-day. The owner of the Santa Rosa, Senhor Jacinto Machado, whom I had not seen before, received me aboard, and apologised for having started without me. He was a white man, a planter, and was now taking his year’s produce of cacao, about twenty tons, to Para. The canoe was very heavily laden, and I was rather alarmed to see that it was leaking at all points. The crew were all in the water, diving about to feel for the holes, which they stopped with pieces of rag and clay, and an old negro was baling the water out of the hold. This was a pleasant prospect for a three days’ voyage! Senhor Machado treated it as the most ordinary incident possible: ‘‘ It was always likely to leak, for it was an old vessel that had been left as worthless high and dry on the beach, and he had bought it very cheap.”

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