In the meanwhile, my hosts were preparing the
monkey and the parrots, by sticking them on wooden spits, and
roasting them before the fire. In order to render the meal a
peculiarly dainty one, they also buried some Indian corn and roots
in the cinders. They then gathered a few large fresh leaves off the
trees, tore the roasted ape into several pieces with their hands,
and placing a large portion of it, as well as a parrot, Indian corn,
and some roots upon the leaves, put it before me. My appetite was
tremendous, seeing that I had tasted nothing since the morning. I
therefore immediately fell to on the roasted monkey, which I found
superlatively delicious: the flesh of the parrot was far from being
so tender and palatable.
After our meal, I begged the Indians to perform one of their dances
for me--a request with which they readily complied. As it was
already dark, they brought a quantity of wood, which they formed
into a sort of funeral pile, and set on fire: the men then formed a
circle all round, and began the dance. They threw their bodies from
side to side in a most remarkably awkward fashion, but always moving
the head forwards in a straight line.
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