CHAPTER IX.
javita.
Leave Guía — Marabitánas — Serra de Cocoí — Enter Venezuela — Sáo Carlos — Pass the Cassiquiare — Antonio Dias — Indian Shipbuilders — Feather-work — Maróa and Pimichín — A Black Jaguar — Poisonous Serpents — Fishing — Walk to Javita — Residence there — Indian Roadmakers — Language and Customs — A Description of Javita — Runaway Indians — Collections at Javíta — Return to Tómo — A Domestic Broil — Marabitánas, and its Inhabitants — Reach Guía.
When at length our visitors were gone, I commenced arrangements for my voyage further up the country.
Senhor L. lent me a canoe, and I had four Indians to go with me, only one of whom, an old man named Augustinho, could speak a little broken Portuguese. I took with me my watch, sextant, and compass, insect-and bird-boxes, gun and ammunition, with salt, beads, fish-hooks, calico, and coarse cotton cloth for the Indians. My men all had their gravatánas and quivers of poisoned arrows, a pair of trousers, shirt, paddle, knife, tinder-box, and "rédè," which comprise the whole assortment of an Indian's baggage.
On the 27th of January, 185 1, we left Guía, paddling up against the stream. The canoe had been fresh caulked, but still I found it leaking so much, as to keep me constantly baling; and in the afternoon, when we stayed for dinner, I made an examination, and found out the cause of the leakage. The cargo was heavy and was supported on a little stage, or floor, resting upon cross-bearers in the bottom of the canoe; the ends of these bearers had been carelessly placed just on a seam, so that the whole weight of the cargo tended to force out the plank, and thus produce the leak. I was accordingly obliged to unload the boat entirely, and replace the bearers in a better position, after which I was glad to find the leak much diminished.
