Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/345

Rh 11th. The Indians came over again to-day; two that were with us yesterday, and two new ones, whom our old acquaintance introduced to us by their names, one of which was Yaparico. Though we did not yesterday observe it, they all had the septum or inner part of the nose bored through with a very large hole, in which one of them had stuck the bone of a bird as thick as a man's finger, and four or six inches long, an ornament no doubt, though to us it appeared rather an uncouth one. They brought with them a fish which they gave to us, in return I suppose for the fish we had given them yesterday. Their stay was but short, for some of our gentlemen being rather too curious in examining their canoe, they went directly to it, and pushing it off, went away without saying a word.

12th. The Indians came again to-day and ventured down to Tupia's tent, where they were so pleased with their reception that three stayed, while the fourth went with the canoe to fetch two others. They introduced their strangers (which they always made a point of doing) by name, and had some fish given them; they received it with indifference, signed to our people to cook it for them, which was done, ate part and gave the rest to my dog. They stayed the best part of the morning, but never ventured to go above twenty yards from their canoe. The ribbons by which we had tied medals round their necks on the first day we saw them, were covered with smoke; I suppose they lay much in the smoke to keep off the mosquitos.

14th. Our second lieutenant had the good fortune to kill the animal that had so long been the subject of our speculations. To compare it to any European animal would be impossible, as it has not the least resemblance to any one I have seen. Its fore-legs are extremely short, and of no use to it in walking; its hind again as disproportionally long; with these it hops seven or eight feet at a time, in the same manner as the jerboa, to which animal indeed it bears much resemblance, except in size, this being in weight 38 lbs, and the jerboa no larger than a common rat.

15th. The beast which was killed yesterday was to-day