A Woman's Journey Round The World, From Vienna To Brazil, Chili, Tahiti, China, Hindostan, Persia, And Asia Minor By Ida Pfeiffer
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They Have Broad And Somewhat Compressed
Features, And Thick, Coal-Black Hair, Hanging Straight Down, Which
The Women Sometimes Wear In Plaits Fastened To The Back Of The Head,
And Sometimes Falling Down Loose About Them.
Their forehead is
broad and low, the nose somewhat flattened, the eyes long and
narrow, almost like those of the Chinese, and the mouth large, with
rather thick lips.
To give a still greater effect to all these
various charms, a peculiar look of stupidity is spread over the
whole face, and is more especially to be attributed to the way in
which their mouths are always kept opened.
Most of them, both men and women, were tattooed with a reddish or
blue colour, though only round the mouth, in the form of a
moustache. Both sexes are passionately fond of smoking, and prefer
brandy to everything. Their dress was composed of a few rags, which
they had fastened round their loins.
I had already heard, in Novo Friburgo, a few interesting particulars
concerning the Puris, which I will here relate.
The number of the Brazilian Indians at the present time is
calculated at about 500,000, who live scattered about the forests in
the heart of the country. Not more than six or seven families ever
settle on the same spot, which they leave as soon as the game in the
neighbourhood has been killed, and all the fruit and roots consumed.
A large number of these Indians have been christened. They are
always ready, for a little brandy or tobacco, to undergo the
ceremony at the shortest notice, and only regret that it cannot be
repeated more frequently, as it is soon over.
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