In the neighbourhood of the Lake Parima, the Macusis, as well as other
tribes, have their homes. The former are noted for being the
manufacturers of the celebrated wourali poison described by Waterton.
Numerous other tribes, or sections of tribes with different names, exist
in the far interior,--both westward and to the north and south. Those
inhabiting the Lower Amazon possess some degree of civilisation, and are
known under the general name of Tapuyos--from a once powerful nation of
that name, existing towards the southern part of the Brazilian coast,
and driven northward by still fiercer hordes.
Though less cruel, and frequently sparing the lives of their captives,
they had the strange custom of eating a portion of their dead relatives,
as the last mark of affection. Many of the Brazilian tribes were
reclaimed from their more barbarous practices by the Portuguese
missionaries, who from their numerous dialects formed the language now
generally in use--the Tupi, Guarani, or lingua Geral. The remoter
tribes, however, seeing the way the milder races have been oppressed by
unscrupulous traders, and hunted down by government officials to be
taken as soldiers, resolutely defend their territories from all
strangers, and retain the ferocity and cannibalism of their forefathers.