On the western side of the River Yapura, near where it pours its waters
into the Amazon--a forest region inundated during the greater part of
the year--there lives in small troops, high up among the crowns of the
lofty trees,--where it feeds on fruits of various descriptions,--a
small, almost tailless monkey, its face glowing with the most vivid
scarlet hue. Its body, about eighteen inches in height, exclusive of
limbs, is clothed from head to tail with very long, straight, shining,
whitish hair. Its head, nearly bald, is sprinkled over with a short
crop of thin grey hair; whilst round its ruddy countenance, bushy
whiskers, of a sandy colour, meet under the chin. It has reddish-yellow
eyes. It belongs to the Cebidae family. The Indians call it the white
uakari. It inhabits, as far as is known, no other district.
In spite of its want of tail, it is an active little creature, running
up and down the larger branches, but seldom leaping from one to the
other. The mothers, as is the custom with the other monkey orders,
carry their young on their back. They are highly valued as pets; but
being of a delicate constitution, seldom live long when transported from
their native district.
The native hunter, on wishing to obtain one of these creatures alive,
goes forth with his blow-pipe, and arrows tipped with diluted wourali
poison. This poison, though producing so deadly an effect on animals,
as well as human beings who exist without salt, appears to have little
or no effect on salt-consuming Europeans. Salt, indeed, is the great
antidote to the poison. The hunter, in consequence, supplies himself
with a small quantity of salt. As soon as he has shot a monkey, he
follows it through the forest, till, the poison beginning to take
effect, it falls exhausted into his arms. He then immediately puts a
pinch of salt in its mouth, and in a short time the creature revives,
and is led away captive. If old, however, when thus caught, it appears
to be discontented in confinement, and, seldom becoming tame, in a short
time pines away and dies. When a young one is thus caught, it
frequently becomes a playful and interesting pet, and is highly valued
by the Brazilians.
Further to the west, an allied species of this monkey is found, clothed
with red instead of white hair; while, at a still greater distance, a
black-faced and grey-haired species takes the place of the two former.