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The religious priests in the missions have many advantages, which secular priests have not. The convent gives them money, many comforts and books. Not so small was my astonishment, as I found newspapers in the Lisbon priest's hut; but I was painfully surprised when I read the news of the death of the former president of our Academy of Sciences, the venerable Fried. Heinz Jacobi.

In the village of the Mauhes, they live promiscuously like the Mundurucus. These two tribes, perhaps of identical origin, were once enemies; but now, for a long time, they have reconciled. It was a shame to have found only a few Mauhes, at the moment; the others, shortly before, had departed on a great expedition, to harvest salsaparilla on the Maue River,

Rivers of Brazil

where they had not yet returned; and the missionary did not wish me to go through the hamlets of the neighborhood, so that no disturbing rumors would start, which might appear to be true, because of the recent recruitment of indians for field service. I examined innumerable huts, in which women and girls engaged in the preparation of flour and the spinning of cotton.

Everything here had the mark of order and well-being. All the Indians were dressed: the body paintings, which they did not spare themselves and the children, were approved by the missionary. We find two old Mauhes in a corner, who are just busy inserting the powder of parica into their nostrils. They take it much less than the Muras and the powder they used was much thinner; we note also the great care with which they prepare the substance, as finely as they can, by means of a well-prepared grater, and again and again they let dry it on a plate of wood or porcelain before aspirating it, either by means of two long hollow bones, as do the Tecunas , or through a banana leaf, rolled into straw.

Mura

The Mauhes, whom I came to see, were very robust, well-formed Indians, of rather dark complexion, and without disfigurations (1).

Their mentality is inferior to that of the Mundurucus. Those who live far from the missions are not really badly inclined towards the whites, but they approach the whites’ canoes with suspicion, sometimes with a bow, to negotiate. Among these Indians, peculiar customs have been observed.

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(I) The Mauhes are said to use a piece of cane stuck in the lower lip; however, there is no national distinction between them. This tribe is divided into many hordes, who speak the same language and make their war expeditions in common. The following hordes were mentioned: Tatus, Tassiuas, Jurupari pereiras, Mucuins, Xubaras, Uu-tapuias (i.e., children of the land "'), Guaribas, Inambus, Jauaretes, Saucanes, Pira-pereiras, and the Caribunas, who live in the Madeira, seem to be monarchies. The detachment of the fingers of the hand and the toe, was used, among others, by the hordes of Hottentots, Geissiquas and Coraquas (Le Vail, Premiere Voyage, Vol II, page 81.)

The total number of the tribe, which does not live on large huts, as the Munducurus do, is divided into families living in round huts.

Its colonies are scattered far between the Tapajos and the Madeira.