Many of them were females, and there were not a few that had young ones,
which they carried upon their backs just as the Indian mothers and those
of other savage nations carry their children. Most of the little
monkeys lay along the backs of their mothers, clasping them around the
neck with their fore-arms, while their hind ones girdled the middle of
the body. But it was in their tails the little fellows seemed to place
most reliance. The top parts of these were firmly lapped around the
thick base of the tails of the old ones, and thus not only secured their
seat, but made it quite impossible for them to drop off. No force could
have shaken them from this hold, without dragging out their tails or
tearing their bodies to pieces. Indeed, it was necessary they should be
thus firmly seated, as the exertions of the mothers,--their quick
motions and long springing leaps from tree to tree--would otherwise have
been impossible.

On reaching the bank of the igaripe, the araguatoes were evidently at
fault. Their intention had been to proceed down along the main river,
and the creek now interfered. Its water lay directly across their
course, and how were they to get over it? Swim it, you may say. Ha!
little do you know the dread these creatures have of water. Yes;
strange to say, although many species of them pass their lives upon
trees that overhang water, or even grow out of it, they are as much
afraid of the water beneath them as if it were fire. A cat is not half
so dainty about wetting her feet as some monkeys are; and besides a cat
can swim, which the monkeys cannot--at best so badly that in a few
minutes they would drown. Strange, is it not, that among animals, those
that approach nearest to man, like him are not gifted by nature with the
power of swimming? It is evident, then, that that is an art left to be
discovered by the intellect of man. To fall into the water would be a
sad mishap for a monkey, not only on account of the ducking, but of the
danger. There is not much likelihood of an araguato falling in. Even
though one branch may have broken and failed it, in the great concave
sphere which it can so quickly trace around it by means of its five long
members, it is sure of finding a second. No; the araguatoes might spend
a lifetime in the flooded forest without even wetting a hair farther
than what is wetted by the rain.

From their movements, it was evident the igaripe had puzzled them; and a
consul