A history of the Brazil

by James Henderson

Early in life they become meagre, and their skins, as well as those of the men at an advanced age, are remarkably wrinkled.

The men have no other clothing than a narrow girdle, or cinta of dyed cotton, which they tie round the middle of the body; and after they have had communication with the Europeans, they cover them with beads of divers colours, forming different devices. They ornament the head, arms, and legs, with plumes, or feathers, of various colours. They have the under lip perforated, and a cylinder of wood, almost as thick as a writing pen, and three inches long, introduced, the richer class wearing them of silver; and in their ears, half moons of the same metal. The men are diligent in hunting, fishing, gathering honey and wild fruits, and in the manufacture of arms and canoes, which they call noatek. The women spin, manufacture clothes, and cintas, or girdles of cotton; and make cords, mats, &c. Both sexes occupy themselves equally in culinary affairs.

They breed all the species of domestic European birds and quadrupeds introduced into the country, and some peculiar to this continent, with great attention and care, in consequence of which the whole are particularly tame.

Agriculture is held in contempt by them; and meat is their only aliment, which renders their stock of animals not over abundant, with the exception of horses, which they never eat. They change the colour of a green parrot into yellow, by stripping off the plumage, and applying the dye of the urucu, to its unfeathered skin.

From their custom of incessant riding on horseback, their legs are crooked. They do not use the saddle or stirrups, nor any substitute for them, and their bridles consist of cords. They break their horses in water, in order that the rider may not be dismounted, or that his fall may be less sensibly felt.

Their war-horses are not used for any other purpose, nor do they ever sell them. The women are mounted on horseback between bundles of dried grass upon a cloth which serves at the same time for a housing.

The Guaycurus are dreaded and respected by the surrounding nations, in consequence of the advantage they have in cavalry in their cruel wars, and the arms which they use, consisting of a club, or staff, of four to five spans in length, and an inch in diameter; a lance, somewhat thicker, and twelve feet long; a trassado, or large knife, and the bow and arrow. They are equipped with all those arms, when they proceed upon their war-horses, in the following manner. They encircle themselves with a cord, between which and the body, the club is introduced on the right side, the trassado on the left; with the left hand they govern the horse, and with the right wield the lance, which they do not use when they carry the bow and arrow. They also use the laço in their hunting excursions.

A year does not elapse without their undertaking campaigns against, and making prisoners of the Guatos, Cayapos, Bororos, Xiquitos, Chamococos, (the two last are of the province of St. Cruz de la Sierra,) Guaxis, who dwell about the heads of the Aranhahy, Coroas, Caiavabas, Guannas, and other tribes. The Guannas are the most numerous, and amongst them alone is remarked the cultivation of some hortulans and cotton trees.

They content themselves with one wife; but the law is free to both parties to effect a separation, and contract a new alliance, when one is disgusted with the other; such separations, however, are very rare. The ceremony of marriage consists in a plentiful banquet, accompanied with a rude dance.

They have a general cemetery, which is a large open structure covered with mats, where each family has a part staked off for its use. Above the sepulchres of the men are deposited their bows, arrows, and other arms. Those of distinguished warriors are decked with ornaments. Rich young females are decorated as if for the bridal day. They have no religion; and, in place of doctors or surgeons, there are certain persons denominated Unigenitos, who are pretended diviners and superstitious imposters, absolutely destitute of that knowledge of medicine or cure of diseases, which belongs to other savages less distinguished. They cure their patients by smoking or sucking the part affected, and expectorating into a grave; they do not prescribe any beverages.