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Updated: May 1, 2025
Petzell told me that his Indian neighbours treated him very kindly; one or other of them called almost every day to see how he was getting on, and they had helped him in many ways. He had a high opinion of the Tapuyos, and said, "If you treat them well, they will go through fire to serve you."
Petzell and his family were expert insect-collectors, so I employed them at this work during my stay at Caripi. The daily occurrences here were after a uniform fashion. I rose with the dawn, took a cup of coffee, and then sallied forth after birds. At ten I breakfasted, and devoted the hours from ten until three to entomology. The evening was occupied in preserving and storing my captures.
They proved to be a German family named Petzell, who were living in the woods, Indian fashion, about a mile from Caripi. Petzell explained to me how he came here. He said that thirteen years ago he came to Brazil with a number of other Germans under engagement to serve in the Brazilian army.
Petzell and I, as already mentioned, made many excursions of long extent in the neighbouring forest. We sometimes went to Murucupi, a creek which passes through the forest, about four miles behind Caripi, the banks of which are inhabited by Indians and half- breeds who have lived there for many generations in perfect seclusion from the rest of the world the place being little known or frequented.
On returning to the house, I found Petzell had been well occupied during the hot hours of the day collecting insects in a neighbouring clearing. Our kind hosts gave us a cup of coffee about five o'clock, and we then started for home. The last mile of our walk was performed in the dark.
On the trunk of a living leguminous tree, Petzell found a number of a very rare and handsome species, the Platysternus hebraeus, which is of a broad shape, coloured ochreous, but spotted and striped with black, so as to resemble a domino. At length, on the 12th of February, I left Caripi, my Negro and Indian neighbours bidding me a warm "adios."
Petzell and I sometimes undertook long excursions, occupying the whole day. Our neighbours used to bring me all the quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, and shells they met with, and so altogether I was enabled to acquire a good collection of the productions of the district. The first few nights I was much troubled by bats.
Petzell tripped at one place and fell all his length into the thicket. With this exception, we kept well to the pathway, and in due time arrived safely at Caripi. One of my neighbours at Murucupi was a hunter of reputation in these parts.
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