with the young leaves of a
kind of little palm, the same which supplies the excellent hats imported
from Ecuador and Peru, and known in Europe under the name of Chile or
Panama hats. Dexterity at all sorts of wicker-work seems to be innate to
this race; and the prettiest little baskets and the finest mats of
colored palm-leaves are to be bought on the Missions of the Mamore at
the lowest prices.

[Illustration: A SOUTH SEA ISLAND]

But all these occupations are left at the call of the first mate, who
has the proud title of Capitano. The boats' crews crowd round their
pots, each one receives his allotted portion in a calabash or a basin of
horn, and their spoons of the same material are soon in full activity.
If a jacare has lately been shot, or caught in a _laco_ (sling), every
one, after roasting his own piece of it on the spit, proceeds to cut
at the large slices of the white meat (which, though in appearance
like fish, is as tough as india-rubber) with the satisfaction usually
produced by three or four hours of hard rowing on view of anything
eatable. One tribe especially, the Canichanas, from the former Mission
of San Pedro at the Mamore, think roast caiman the finest eating in the
world; while others, the Cayuabas from Exaltacion, and the Mojos from
Trinidad, whose palates are somewhat more refined, prefer beef, fish, or
turtle to the musk-exhaling saurian. Notably the turtles, which are not
found on the Guapore and Mamore (they are not met with above the rapids
of the Madeira), are prized by them, though we grew rather tired of
them, and no wonder. On the lower Madeira, at our fires, there was
almost daily going on the cooking of turtles, of all sizes, from the
full-grown one of a yard in length to the smallest of the size of a
hand; and in every variety of preparation, too,--whole, and chopped up
as for soup; stewed; and roasted in their own shell or on the spit.

Bathing in the river, immediately after meals, is a luxury invariably
indulged in by all the Indians; and I never remarked that it was
attended by any evil consequences to them.

After a rest of two hours' duration, the cooking utensils, the hammocks,
and improvised tents were carried on board again, and the voyage
continued. A second halt was made after rowing for two or three hours,
when we came in sight of a good place for fishing, such as the mouth of
some smaller river, or an extensive mud-bank. Such places were usually
recognizable from afar,