nner." His advice was followed; and I must say they seemed much
more comfortable in consequence, and did better justice to the good
fare. Although the Indians who live in the neighborhood of the towns
have seen too much of the conventionalities of civilization not to
understand the use of a knife and fork, no Indian will eat with one if
he can help it; and, strange to say, there are many of the whites in the
upper Amazonian settlements who have adopted the same habits. I have
dined with Brazilian senhoras of good class and condition, belonging to
the gentry of the land, who, although they provided a very nice service
for their guests, used themselves only the implements with which Nature
had provided them.

When the dinner was over, the room was cleared of the tables, and swept;
the music, consisting of a guitar, flute, and violin, called in; and the
ball was opened. At first the forest belles were rather shy in the
presence of strangers; but they soon warmed up, and began to dance with
more animation. They were all dressed in calico or muslin skirts, with
loose white cotton waists, finished around the neck with a kind of lace
they make themselves by drawing out the threads from cotton or cambric
so as to form an open pattern, sewing those which remain over and over
to secure them. Much of this lace is quite elaborate, and very fine.
Many of them had their hair dressed either with white jessamine or with
roses stuck into their round combs, and several wore gold beads and
ear-rings. Some of the Indian dances are very pretty; but one thing is
noticeable, at least in all that I have seen. The man makes all the
advances, while the woman is coy and retiring, her movements being very
languid. Her partner throws himself at her feet, but does not elicit a
smile or a gesture; he stoops, and pretends to be fishing, making
motions as if he were drawing her in with a line; he dances around her,
snapping his fingers as though playing on the castanets, and half
encircling her with his arms; but she remains reserved and cold. Now and
then they join together in something like a waltz; but this is only
occasionally, and for a moment. How different from the negro dances, of
which we saw many in the neighborhood of Rio! In those the advances come
chiefly from the women, and are not always of a very modest character.

The moon was shining brightly over lake and forest, and the ball was
gayer than ever, at ten o'clock, when I went to my roo