AN UNEXPLORED CORNER OF BRAZIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2534, 6 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN UNEXPLORED CORNER OF BRAZIL.

It is astonishing to learn that, within 250 miles of the fair city of Rio Janeiro, with its fine buildings and its railways radiating in many directions, there exists hundreds of cannibals. They frequent the valley of the Rio Doee and the adjacent territory, and in spite of missionary and trader still wander about in garblesa simplicity. This we learn from a paper read before the Royal Geographical Society by Mr John Stearns, who, in ISBS, undertook a journey of exploration through this region. It does not appear that tho propensity to cannibalism is very strong at present, for Mr Stearns passed a month among a branch of the Botocudos, and he saw nothing of it, These people seem to be as little hampered by conventionalism as any iu the world. They go stark naked, they sleep when they like, liuut, fish, sing, and dance just when they feel inclined, and eat when they can. They are allowed to liavc as many wives as they choose, but, like more civilised people, one wife and family is generally as many as a man can keep. They have no religious ceremonies or sacrifices, and I tho only time that the supernatural comes home to them is during a thunderstorm, when the bravest throw firebrands into the air to appease the wrath of the Great Spirit. Tho Valley of tho Rio Doco lies just above Santa Cruz, and appears to have been almost entirely neglected by settlers. This is to be accounted for iiy the fuel, that the river is useless for navigation on account, of tic great-, iminher of 'aphis' and fall* in it, and that the country is d'mi forest in w.hi l: vcars the extermination of game has greatly reduced tho strength of some of tho tribes and there now seems not to he any jjro.it. danger to he feared from them, although it is certain that settlors would have to defend themselves against occasional raids, anil sometimes to execute repiisals. The chief product of lh" co:-:n-Irv is limber, pai ticularly rosewood, which is of considerable value. Mr Siearn* spent eight months in his trip and thoroughly explored the river with -oaie of its tributaries, ami from his oV iii, b;< ..«« . xr«sn-\ ''lei ioi rely ir.ioi tn, love of exploration. t