There was a lake also, whose waters were so clear that a boat floating over them seemed suspended in mid air.
This wonderful section was claimed by King Haffgo, who would permit none but his subjects and the two white men to visit it.

A party of Aryks; presuming upon the friendly relations just established with their masters, ventured to make their way to the enchanted place without permission or knowledge of the Murhapas.
Before they could get away, they were discovered by some of the lookouts, and every one slain with dreadful torture.

The lesson was not lost upon their surviving friends, who never again ventured to repeat the experiment.
The Murhapas were the first to use the spears with the deadly points.
They not only taught the Aryks how to prepare the poison from the venom of several species of serpents and noxious vegetables, but imparted to them the remedy,--a decoction of such marvellous power, that a single swallow would instantly neutralize the effect of any wound received from the dreaded missiles.
Among the tribes named, there was no knowledge of the use of iron though the ore is abundant in that region.

The only objects composed of the metal were the firearms of the white men, and the natives could not comprehend how they were fashioned from the substance which underwent such a change from its native state.
Every implement used by this people is made from stone, which however seems almost the equal of iron and steel.

Spear points, axes and cutting tools are shaped with remarkably keen edges, with which trees are readily felled, and cut into any form desired.
Shells are used in the formation of knives, while the teeth of certain fish, taken from the Xingu, enables them to construct still more delicate implements for cutting and carving.
Indian corn, cotton and tobacco are raised from a soil whose fertility cannot be surpassed, though strangely enough the tribes have no knowledge of the banana, sugar cane and rice, which belong so essentially to the torrid zones.