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Victorian 

913.11 

Ed93v 

1347 
no .  2 


Joseph  Earl  and 
Genevieve  Thornton 

Arrington 

Collection  of  19th 
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Brigham  Young  University  Library 


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4 

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hi 
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A    VOYAGE 

THE    RIVER^AMAZON, 

INCLUDING  /  JT 

A  RESIDENCE  AT  PARA. 


BY 


WILLIAM    H.    EDWARDS. 


Umbrella  Chatterer. — Page  156. 


NEW- YORK: 

D.  APPLETON  &  COMPANY,  200  BROADWAY 

PHILADELPHIA  : 

GEO.  S.  APPLETON,  148  CHESNUT-ST. 

MDCCCXLVII. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1847, 

By  WILLIAM  H    EDWARDS, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern  District  of  New -York. 


m 


TO 


HENRY  LONGFELLOW  NORRIS,  ESQ., 


OF    PARA, 


THIS    VOLUME 


Ks  most  vesjpectfulli)  Knscrtfcetr, 


AUTHOR 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Leave  New- York  for  Para— Sunset— Curiosities  of   the  sea— Luminous   water— Ap- 
proach the   mouth   of   the   Amazon— Salinas— Entrance   of   the  river— Scenery- 
Arrival  at  Para 13 

CHAPTER  II. 

Morning  view  of  the  harbor  and  city— Visit— Land  at  the  Punto  de  Pedras— Novel 
scene— Reception  at  Mr.  Norris's— Garden  and  plants— Electrical  eel— Anaconda- 
Religious  procession 17 

CHAPTER  III. 

Founding  of  Para— Late  disturbances — Site  and  vicinity — Form  of  the  city — Rosinhas — 
Houses— Largo  da  Palacio,  da  Polvora,  da  duartel— Public  buildings— Churches — Palaces 
— Theatre — Cathedral— Rua  da  Mangabeiras— Nazare — Mr.  Henderson's  plantation — 
RosinhaofMr.  Smith,  and  fruit  trees — Coffee— Pine-apples— Oranges — Limes— Man- 
goes— Inga — Alligator  pears — Custard  apple — Flowers 23 

CHAPTER    IV. 

License  of  residence — Officials — Provincial  government — Church  establishment — Troops 
— Enrollment  of  Indians — Drilling  recruits — Absence  of  inns — Foreigners — Citizens — 
Manner  of  living — Public  ball — Mechanics — Obstructions  to  labor — Apprentices  and 
school — Carrying  burdens — Water  jars — Rearing  of  children — Food  of  lower  classes — ■ 
Mandioca  and  preparation  of  farinha — Tapioca — Fish — Beef— Vegetables — Fruits — 
Pacovas — Cocoa-nuts — Assai  palms 33 

CHAPTER   V. 

Leave  Para  for  the  Rice  Mills — Boatmen — Night  scene  upon  the  water — Arrival — Vi- 
cinity of  the  mills — A  Brazilian  forest — Sporting — Toucans — Chatterers — Motmots — 
Manikins— Humming-birds — Snake  stories — Absence  of  flies — Ants — Saiibas — Cupims 
— Little  Ant-eater — Lakes — Nests  ofTroopials — Sloth — Armadillo — Beetles — Puma — 
Monkeys — Indian  boy — Description  of  the  mills — Blacks — Sleeping  in  hammocks — 
Vampire  bats — Wasps'  nests — Visit  Corentiores — Sporting  there — Reception — Bread 
fruit — Larangeira — Cotton  tree — Maseranduba  or  Cow  tree — Walk  through  the  forest 
to  the  city — Spider — Flowers 42 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Start  for  Caripg— Island  scene— Arrival— Vicinity — Tomb  of  Mr.  Graham— Dinner— - 
Shelling  in  the  bay — Varieties  of  shells — Martins — Terns— Nuts  and  fruits— Mode 
of  fishing— Four-eyed  fish — Ant  tracks — Moqueens— Forest— Creeping  plants— Wild 
hogs,  or  Peccaries— Traps— Agoutis— Pacas— Squirrels— Birds— Chapel  and  singing  of 
the  blacks — Andiroba  oil 64 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Leave  for  Taiiaii — Indians — Arrival  at  midnight — Morning  view — The  estate — Tuaria 
or  Pottery — Lime  kiln — Slaves — Castanha  tree — Cuya  or  Gourd  tree — Ant  hills — 
An  ant  battle — Forest — Macaws — Doves — Other  birds — Sloth — Coati — Macura — 
Butterflies — Return  to  the  city — Festival  of  Judas— Visit  Sr.  Angelico,  upon  the 
Guama — Brazilian  country  house — Curious  air-plant — Seringa  or  Rubber  trees — 
Harpy  Eagle — Monkeys 73 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Leave  Para  for  Vigia — Boatmen — Inland  passage — Egrets  and  herons — Stop  at  sugar 
plantation — Cupuassu — Mangroves — Insolence  of  pilot — Vigia — Arrival  at  Sr.  Godin- 
ho's — Reception — The  Campinha  and  its  scenery — Sporting — Parrots— Employes— Sun- 
bird — Boat-bill — Tinami — Iguana  lizard — Sugar  cane — Mill — Slaves — Leave  the  Cam- 
pinha— Kingfishers — Go  below  for  Ibises — Sand-flies — Return  to  Para — A  pet  ani- 
mal   86 

CHAPTER  IX. 

First  discovery  of  the  Amazon  by  Pinzon — Expedition  of  Gonzalo  Pizarro — Descent  of 
Orellaua — Settlement  of  Para — Second  descent — Ascent  of  Teixera,  and  arrival  at 
Quito — He  descends  with  Acufia — Indian  tribes — Rivers,  etc. — Their  report  of  the 
country — Number  of  tribes — Indian  customs — Languages — Lingoa  Geral — Canni- 
bals— System  of  the  Jesuits — Their  banishment — Present  system,  and  condition  of 
the  Indians — Their  government — Compulsory  labor 98 

CHAPTER  X. 

Preparations  for  ascending  the  Amazon — Our  companions — The  galliota — Indians — Pro- 
visions— Difficulties  at  starting — Detained  at  Sr.  Lima's — Incident — An  afternoon 
upon  the  beach — Another  sitio — Marajo — The  Tocantins — Islands — Ciganas  and  other 
birds — Wood  scene — Habits  of  our  Indians — Arrive  at  Braves — Pottery  painting — 
Water-jars — Filing  the  teeth — Funeral  of  a  child — A  palm  swamp — Seringa  trees  and 
gum  collectors — Sloth — Howling  monkeys — An  adventure — Enter  the  Amazon — A 
macaw  hunt 106 

CHAPTER    XI. 

Arrive  at  Gurupa — Situation  of  the  town — Reception  by  the  Commandante — An  egg 
hunt — Storm — Cross  the  Xingu — Carapanas — Cedar  logs — Harpy  Eagle — Birds — 
Mountains— Indian  cooking — Forest  trees— Snake  birds — A  Toucan's  nest — Mut.ucas — 
Indian  improvidence — Grass  fields — Enter  an  Igaripe — Hyacinthine  Macaws — Passion 
flowers — Pass  Pryinha — Monte  Alegre — Arrive  at  Sitios — Thrush — Campo — Incident 
— Enter  the  Tapajos — White  Herons — Flowering  trees — Arrival  at  Santarem — Capt. 
Hislop — Morning  calls — Beef — River  Tapajos — Feather  dresses — Embalmed  heads — 
Description  of  Santarem — Departure — A  slight  difficulty 119 

CHAPTER   XII. 

The  Amazon  thus  far — A  cacao  sitio — Politeness — Runaways — Growing  of  cacao — An 
alligator — High  bank — Deserted  sitio — Kingfishers — Romances — Water  birds — Arrive 
at.Obidos — Rio  des  Trombetas — Incidents  upon  leaving — Manner  of  ascending  the 
river — Shells — Stop  at  a  sitio — High  bluff— Water  plants — Capitan  des  Trabalhadores 
— Arrive  at  Villa  Nova — Festa  of  St.  Juan — Water  scene — A  Villa  Nova  house — 
Turtles — Stroll  in  the  woods — Lakes 133 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Leave  Villa  Nova — Our  manner  of  living— Shells— Jacamars— Paroquets— Monkeys — 
Scorpion— Enter  an  igaripe— A  deserted  sitio— Wild  duck — Scarlet  Tanagers— A 
deserted  sitio — Tobacco — Shells — A  colony  of  monkeys — A  turtle's  revenge — Im- 
mense trees — Albino  monkey — A  self-caught  fish — Porpoises — Curassows  and  nests — 
A  turtle  feast— Squirrel — Wild  Indians— White  herons— Shells — Umbrella  chatterer 
— Cross  to  the  northern  shore — Periecu  and  Tambaki — Arrive  at  Serpa — Sr.  Manoel 
Jochin — An  Indian  dance 147 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Fourth  of  July  at  Serpa — Lake  Saraca — An  accession — Pic-nic — An  opossum — Narrow 
passage — Swallow-tailed  hawks — Sitio  of  the  Delegarde — River  Madeira — Village  of 
our Taugha — Appearance  of  his  party  on  arriving  at  home — The  old  rascal — Bell- 
bird — Stop  at  a  sitio,  and  reception — Orioles — A  cattle  sitio — Swift  current — Enter 
the  Rio  Negro — Arrive  at  Barra 161 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Rio  Negro  at  Barra — The  town — Old  fort — Sr.  Henriquez  and  family— Manner  of  liv- 
ing— Venezuelans — Piassaba  rope — Grass  hammocks — Feather  work — Descent  of  the 
Negro — Gallos  de  Serra — Chili  hats — Woods  in  the  vicinity — Trogons — Chatterers — 
Curassows — Guans — Parrots  and  Toucans — Humming  Birds — Tiger  Cats — Squirrels — 
A  Tiger  story — The  Casueris — A  Yankee  saw-mill — Mode  of  obtaining  logs — A 
Pic-nic — Cross  the  river  to  a  campo — Cattle  and  horses — A  select  ball      .        .      172 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

A  new  river — Rio  Branco — Turtle  wood — Unexplored  region — Traditions — Peixe  boi  or 
Cow  Fish — Turtles — Influences  at  Barra — Indians — Foreigners — Indian  articles — 
Poison  used  upon  arrows — Traffic — Balsam  Copaivi — Salsa — Q,uinia — Vanilla — Ton- 
ga beans — Indigo — Guarana — Pixiri  or  nutmeg — Seringa — Wild  cotton — Rock  salt — 
The  Amazon  above  the  Rio  Negro — The  Rio  Negro 185 

CHAPTER  XVII. ' 

Prepare  to  leave  Barra — Difficulty  in  obtaining  men — The  mail — Kindness  of  our 
friends — Re-enter  the  Amazon — Arrive  at  Serpa — A  desertion — Working  one's 
passage — Disorderly  birds — Pass  Tabocal — Snake-bird — Marakong  Geese — Breeding 
place  of  Herons — Arrive  at  Villa  Nova — The  commandante — Visit  to  the  Lake — 
Boat  building — Military  authorities — School — King  of  the  Vultures — Parting  with 
Sr.  Bentos — Pass  Obidos — Caracara  Eagle — Our  crew — Indian  name  of  the  Ama- 
zon   199 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Arrive  at  Santarem— Negro  stealing— Pass  Monte  Alegre — Strong  winds— Usefulness  of 
the  Sun-bird — Family  government — Reformation  in  the  Paroquets — Low  shore — A 
Congress — Otters — Enter  the  Xingu— Guru  pa— Leave  the  Amazon— Assai  palms — 
A  friend  lost  and  a  friend  gained— Braves— Our  water  jars— Crossing  the  bay  of 
Limoeiro— Seringa  trees — A  lost  day — Town  of  Santa  Anna— Igaripe  Merim— Enter 
the  Moju— Manufacture  of  rubber  shoes— Anatto— Arrival  at  Para  .         .        .      211 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Our  Lady  of  Nazareth — Nazare  legend — Procession — Commencement  of  the  festa— A 
walk  to  Nazare— Gambling— Services  in  the  chapel— An  interesting  incident  .      223 


10  CONTENTS. 


CEIAPTER  XX. 

Leave  Para  for  Marajo — Voyage — Cape  Magoary — Islands — A  morning  scene — Arrive 
at  Juugcal — A  breakfast — Birds — Vicinity  of  Jungcal       .....       229 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Description  of  Marajo — Cattle — Tigers — Alligators — Snakes — Antas — Wild  ducks — Scar- 
let Ibises — Roseate  Spoonbills — Wood  Ibises — Other  birds — Island  of  Mixiana — Indian 
burial  places — Caviana — Macapa — Bore  or  Pororoca — Leave  Jungcal  for  the  rookery 
— A  sail  among  the  trees — Alligators — The  rookery — Return — An  alligator's  nest — 
Adieu  to  Jungcal — Violence  of  the  tide — Loading  cattle — Voyage  to  Para        .       234 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Want  of  emigrants  and  laborers — Inducements  to  settlers,  and  disadvantages — Citizen- 
ship— Import  and  export  duties  and  taxes — Want  of  circulating  medium — Embarrass- 
ments of  government — Capabilities  of  the  Province — Effect  of  climate  on  the  whites — 
The  blacks — Inducements  to  the  formation  of  a  steamboat  company — Seasons — Tem- 
perature— Health — Superior  advantages  to  invalids — Farewell  to  Para — Voyage 
home 246 


PREFACE. 

In  these  stirring  times,  when  all  Anglo-Saxondom  is  on  the 
qui-vive  for  novelty,  and  the  discovery  of  a  new  watering- 
place  is  hailed  with  more  enthusiasm  than  the  discovery  of  a 
new  planet; — when  the  "universal  Yankee  nation"  has  so 
nearly  exhausted  all  the  whereabouts  which  modern  facilities 
for  locomotion  have  brought  so  conveniently  within  its  reach; 
—when  the  Old  World  has  become  also  an  old  story,  and 
Summer  excursions  to  St.  Petersburg  and  Tornea,  and  Winter 
sojourns  in  Australia  and  Typee,  have  afforded  amusement, 
not  only  to  travelers  themselves,  but  to  those  who,  at  their 
own  fire-sides,  like  equally  wTell  to  take  a  trip  to  the  ends  of 
the  Earth  in  their  comfortable  arm-chairs  ;  it  has  been  a  mat- 
ter of  surprise  to  me,  that  those  who  live  upon  the  excitement 
of  seeing  and  telling  some  new  thing,  have  so  seldom  betaken 
themselves  to  our  Southern  continent. 

Promising  indeed  to  lovers  of  the  marvelous  is  that  land, 
where  the  highest  of  Earth's  mountains  seek  her  brightest 
skies,  as  though  their  tall  peaks  sought  a  nearer  acquaintance 
with  the  most  glorious  of  stars;  where  the  mightiest  of  rivers 
roll  majestically  through  primeval  forests  of  boundless  extent, 
concealing,  yet  bringing  forth  the  most  beautiful  and  varied 
forms  of  animal  and  vegetable  existence ;  where  Peruvian 
gold  has  tempted,  and  Amazonian  women  have  repulsed,  the 
unprincipled  adventurer ;  and  where  Jesuit  missionaries,  and 
luckless  traders,  have  fallen  victims  to  cannibal  Indians,  and 
epicurean  anacondas. 

With  a  curiosity  excited  by  such  wonders,  and  heightened 
by  the  graphic  illustrations  in  school  geographies,  where  men 
riding  rebellious  alligators  form  a  foreground  to  tigers  bound- 


12  PREFACE. 

ing  over  tall  canes,  and  huge  snakes  embrace  whole  boats' 
crews  in  their  ample  folds ;  the  writer  of  this  unpretending 
volume,  in  company  with  his  relative,  Amory  Edwards,  Esq., 
late  U.  S.  Consul  at  Buenos  Ayres,  visited  Northern  Brazil, 
and  ascended  the  Amazon  to  a  higher  point  than,  to  his  know- 
ledge, any  American  had  ever  before  gone. 

As  an  amusement,  and  by  way  of  compensation  to  himself 
for  the  absence  of  some  of  the  monsters  which  did  not  meet 
his  curious  eye,  he  collected  as  many  specimens  in  different 
departments  of  Natural  History  as  were  in  his  power,  at  the 
same  time  chronicling  the  result  of  his  observations,  in  the  hope 
that  they  might  not  be  unacceptable  to  the  naturalist  or  to  the 
general  reader. 

To  the  science  of  a  naturalist  he  makes  no  pretensions,  but 
as  a  lover,  and  devout  worshiper  of  Nature,  he  has  sought 
her  in  some  of  her  most  secret  hiding-places,  and  from  these 
comparatively  unexplored  retreats,  has  brought  the  little  which 
she  deigned  to  reveal  to  him. 

The  country  of  the  Amazon  is  the  garden  of  the  world, 
possessing  every  requisite  for  a  vast  population  and  an  ex- 
tended commerce.  It  is,  also,  one  of  the  healthiest  of  regions; 
and  thousands  who  annually  die  of  diseases  incident  to  the 
climates  of  the  North,  might  here  find  health  and  long  life. 

If  this  little  book  shall  contribute  to  a  more  general  know- 
ledge of  the  advantages  of  such  a  country,  the  labor  of  its 
preparation  will  be  amply  repaid. 

New-  York,  May,  1847. 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Leave  New- York  for  Para — Sunset — Curiosities  of  the  sea— Luminous  water — Ap- 
proach the  mouth  of  the  Amazon — Salinas — Entrance  of  the  river— Scenery- 
Arrival   at  Para. 

It  was  a  cold  morning,  the  9th  of  February,  1846,  that  we 
left  New- York,  in  the  bark  Undine,  Capt.  Appieton,  for  Para. 
Our  fellow-passengers  were  Mr.  Smith,  the  U.  S.  Consul  of 
that  port,  his  lady,  and  two  young  gentlemen,  in  quest,  like 
ourselves,  of  adventures.  Scarcely  out  of  sight  of  Sandy 
Hook,  a  furious  northwester  burst  upon  us,  and.  for  a  week,  we 
dashed  on  before  it,  at  a  rate  to  startle  a  landsman,  had  not 
the  accompanying  motion  speedily  induced  that  peculiar  state, 
in  which  one  would  as  lief  not  be,  as  be,  and  inclined  to  consider 
a  bed  beneath  the  waters  as  preferable  to  present  torture.  But 
the  golden-haired  spirit  at  the  prow  always  smiled  hopefully, 
and  gallantly  the  noble  bark  sped  onward  to  calmer  waters 
and  warmer  skies.  Here  the  sea  was  all  loveliness,  and,  night 
by  night,  the  scantily  appareled  sky  of  the  north  was  disap- 
pearing before  the  as  steadily  advancing  brilliance  of  the  tropics. 
We  watched  the  gradual  descending  of  the  north  star ;  and 
when  at  last  it  sank  below  the  horizon,  it  seemed  as  though  an 
old  and  familiar  friend  had  deserted  us, — one  whose  place  was 
not  to  be  supplied  even  by  the  splendor  of  the  southern  cross. 

By  the  twentieth  day,  we  were  near  land,  to  the  eastward 

2 


14  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RTVER    AMAZON. 

of  Salinas,  having  seen  and  enjoyed  the  usual  sea-sights. 
Most  memorable  of  these  was  a  sunset,  as  we  lay  becalmed. 
The  few  snow-piled  clouds  that  rested  upon  the  water,  gra- 
dually became  suffused  with  flame,  and  the  sea's  surface  was 
a  sheen  of  green  and  gold,  varying  from  one  color  to  the  other, 
as  the  rolling  of  the  vessel  changed  our  angle  of  view.  A 
vapor  fringe  of  rainbow  hues  circled  the  horizon,  more  lovely 
because  rapidly  changing,  and  beheld,  as  it  were,  through  an 
atmosphere  of  floating  golden  particles.  One  by  one  the  stars 
peeped  out,  and  we  fancied  that  we  could  detect  a  shade  of 
sadness  over  their  beautiful  faces  at  having  come  too  late. 

We  had  seen  sharks  and  brilliant-robed  dolphins.  A 
grampus  had  risen  under  the  bow,  and  flying-fish  had  repeat- 
edly flown  on  board.  Many  an  hour  we  had  whiled  in  fishing 
up  gulf  weed,  and  in  observing  the  different  species  of  animals 
with  which  it  was  filled. 

As  we  neared  the  equator,  the  water  became  luminous; 
the  waves  were  crested  with  fire ;  the  vessel's  path  was  one 
broad  track  of  light,  and  as  we  took  our  shower  bath  under  the 
pump,  liquid  flames  dashed  over  us,  and  every  drop  was  a 
splendor.  To  heighten  our  interest  in  the  phenomenon,  a 
score  of  porpoises  were  playing  about  in  every  direction,  their 
tracks  a  living  flame,  contorted,  zigzag,  like  fiery  serpents. 
Now  they  would  shoot  out,  rocket-like,  leaving  trains  of  thirty 
feet;  now,  darting  back,  pursue  each  other  round  and  round, 
till  their  path  appeared  a  tangled  skein  of  light. 

The  blue  had  changed  to  green;  and  long  before  land  was 
visible,  the  green  had  lost  itself  in  the  muddy  brown  of  the 
Amazon.  Every  where  were  discernible  currents,  known  from 
afar,  by  their  different  hues,  and  by  the  furious  boiling  of  their 
surfaces.  Old  Ocean  was  battling  with  the  King  of  Rivers. 
Tossed  about  in  the  commotion  were  vast  quantities  of  drift 
wood,  fruits  and  plants.  Huge  fish-hawks  were  lazily  flapping 
along.     Gulls  and  terns  were  screaming. 

In  the  night,  a  number  of  beautifully  marked  moths,  at- 
tracted by  our  lights,  visited  us,  and  soon  after  daybreak,  an 
inquisitive  humming-bird  came  for  a  peep  at  the  strangers, 
flitted  about  us  a  little  time,  then  darted  away  to  his  home. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  15 

Salinas  is  an  island  at  the  month  of  the  river,  conspicuous 
from  a  distance,  owing  to  its  broad,  white  beach.  It  is  prin- 
cipally inhabited  by  fishermen.  We  observed  a  few  red-tiled, 
houses,  and  an  ancient  white  church.  Here,  vessels  bound  to 
Para  usually  take  a  pilot;  but  owing  to  the  vexatious  delays 
often  experienced,  American  captains  prefer  trusting  to  their 
own  skill.  Directly  at  the  entrance  of  the  river  are  two  banks, 
Braganza  and  Tigoca,  dreaded  by  sailors ;  beyond  these,  the 
navigation  is  easy.  Para  is  situated  about  eighty  miles  above  ; 
but  such  is  the  force  of  the  descending  tide  and  current,  that 
from  twenty-four  to  thirty  hours  are  frequently  required  to 
overcome  the  short  distance. 

It  was  delightful  to  find  ourselves  once  more  in  quiet 
water,  and  a  luxury  only  appreciable  by  those  who  have  been 
rolled  and  pitched  about,  until  every  bone  seems  rheumatic, 
and  every  muscle  jelly-like,  to  sleep  as  stilly  as  on  land.  We 
had  anchored  inside  the  banks :  before  daybreak,  we  were 
again  advancing  ;  and,  that  morning,  every  passenger  was 
early  upon  the  look-out.  The  speedy  termination  of  the  voyage 
put  us  all  in  high  spirits,  and  impatiently  we  snuffed  the  per- 
fumed air  that  came  wafted  from  the  yet  scarce  visible  shore. 
The  island  of  Marajo  gradually  became  distinguishable  on 
the  right,  its  tree  tops  but  just  fringing  the  water.  To  the  left, 
long,  low  islands  extended  to  within  a  few  miles  of  the  city. 
All  day,  our  course  was  near  these,  and  to  one  never  before 
conusant  of  tropical  luxuriance,  and  a  truant  from  the  wintry 
skies  of  the  north,  every  thing  was  enchanting. 

Impervious  as  a  hedge,  tall  trees  shot  up  their  arrow-like 
stems;  broad  palm  leaves  undulated  with  every  breath.  A 
thousand  shades  of  green  were  enameled  with  flowers,  in  red, 
and  white,  and  gold.  The  loud  notes  of  the  toucans,  the  shrill 
cries  of  parrots  greeted  our  welcome ;  and  about  the  vessel, 
twittered  delightedly  numbers  of  martins,  the  same  old  friends 
who  used,  at  home,  to  disturb  us  in  the  early  morning.  Here  and 
there,  little  patches  of  clearing,  and  haystack-shaped  huts,  in- 
dicated the  home  of  some  ease-loving  Indian.  Some  of  these 
huts  consisted  merely  of  a  few  poles,  covered  with  palm  thatch, 
but  occasionally,  a  delicious  little  retreat  would  peep  at  us 


16  A   VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

through  the  almost  concealing  shrubbery,  surrounded  by  a 
grass-plot,  and  overshadowed  by  the  huge  leaves  of  the  bana- 
na, or  the  feathery  tufts  of  the  cocoa  tree.  In  front  of  one  hut, 
upon  a  grassy  knoll  facing  the  river,  stood  a  large  cross,  de- 
signed to  warn  away  any  evil  spirit  that  should  venture  there. 
Happy  ones  !  none  but  fairies,  and  good  angels,  should  be  wel- 
come to  such  a  paradise. 

Often  we  saw  men  and  women,  walking  upon  the  beach,  or 
variously  employed,  and  it  was  amusing  to  observe  their  pan- 
tomimic movements.  Huge  canoes,  hollowed  from  single  trees, 
and  with  mat  sails,  crept  along  shore :  and  the  first  strange 
voice  that  we  had  heard  since  leaving  New-York,  hailed  us  from 
one  of  these,  with  the  friendly  "  O  Amigo." 

Twenty  miles  below  the  city,  a  number  of  islands  are  sprin- 
kled about  the  channel,  one  of  which  was  pointed  out  as  the  last 
resort  of  the  inhabitants  of  Para,  when  the  city  was  sacked  by 
the  rebel  Indians,  a  few  years  since.  Upon  that  lovely  spot  of 
green,  five  thousand  persons  died  of  exposure  and  starvation. 

Para  is  situated  upon  a  little  bay,  forming  a  safe  anchorage, 
and  is  visible,  from  below,  a  little  more  than  ten  miles.  At 
about  that  distance,  is  the  Quarantine,  not  now  a  terror  to  trav- 
ellers. Here,  a  little  boat,  rigged  with  two  antique  triangular 
sails,  and  manned  by  negroes  bare  to  the  waist,  pulled  along- 
side, and  left  with  us  a  custom-house  guard,  who  was  to  pre- 
vent intercourse  with  the  shore. 

Night  was  coming  on,  but  still  there  was  light  enough  to 
display  to  our  eager  eyes,  the  position  of  the  city,  nestled  in  its 
bed  of  green,  and  smiled  upon  by  an  archipelago  of  islands. 
Rain  commenced  pouring,  and  we  were  fain  to  go  below.  The 
guard  at  the  fort  bid  us  pass  on,  and,  by  eight,  we  were  anchor- 
ed off  the  custom-house.  It  was  too  late  for  a  visit,  and  we 
turned  in,  impatient  for  the  morning.  All  night  long,  church 
bells  were  ringing,  and  clocks  striking,  and,  at  intervals,  we 
could  distinguish  the  notes  of  a  bugle,  or  the  loud  cry  of  the 
patrol ;  all  doubly  cheerful,  after  the  mournful  wailing  of  the 
wind  through  the  rigging,  and  the  monotonous  dashing  of  the 
sea,  which  had  been  our  melancholy  lullaby,  for  so  many  weeks. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Morning  view  of  the  harbor  and  city — Visit — Land  at  the  Punto  de  Pedras — Novel 
scene — Reception  at  Mr.  Norris's — Garden  and  plants — Electrical  eel — Anaconda — 
Religious  procession.  « 

We  had  arrived  in  the  midst  of  the  wet  season,  and,  all 
night,  the  rain  poured  incessantly.  But,  as  the  sun  rose,  the 
clouds  broke  away,  and  our  first  view  was  rendered  still  more 
agreeable  by  the  roseate  mist  that  draped  the  tree  tops  and 
lingered  over  the  city.  Anchored  about  us,  were  vessels  of 
various  nations  and  strange  looking  river  craft,  under  whose 
thatched  roofs,  whole  families  seemed  to  be  living,  and,  upon 
which,  green  parrots  and  macaws  were  clambering  and 
screaming. 

Canoes,  bound  to  the  market,  were  constantly  passing, 
loaded  with  all  kinds  of  produce.  Fine  looking  buildings,  of 
three  and  four  stories  height,  faced  the  water,  all  yellow  in 
color,  and  roofed  with  red  tiles.  Vast  cathedrals  and  churches, 
covered  with  the  mould  of  age,  shot  up  their  tall  spires,  their 
walls  and  roofs  affording  sustenance  and  support  to  venerable 
mosses  and  shrubs  of  goodly  size.  Garden  walls  were  over- 
hung with  creeping  vines,  like  ancient  ruins.  Vultures  were 
leisurely  wheeling  over  the  city,  or,  in  clusters,  upon  the  house- 
tops, spreading  their  wings  to  the  sun.  Mid  the  ringing  of 
bells  and  the  discharge  of  rockets,  a  long  procession  was  issu- 
ing from  the  church  of  San  Antonio  ;  and  a  Babel  of  sounds, 
from  dogs  and  parrots,  and  strange  tongues,  came  over  the 
water. 

At  about  nine  o'clock,  the  doctor  of  the  port  visited  us; 
and  soon  after,  an  official  of  the  custom-house  examined  our 
passports,  and  left  with  each  of  us  a  notification  to  present 


18  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


ourselves,  within  three  days,  to  the  chief  of  police,  and  to 
obtain  from  him  a  license  of  residence.  We  were  then  pro- 
nounced at  liberty  to  go  on  shore. 

It  was  low  tide,  and  as  no  wharves  run  out  for  the  con- 
venience of  vessels,  we  were  obliged  to  land  at  the  market- 
place, the  Punto  de  Pedras,  a  long,  narrow  pier.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  conceive  a  more  utterly  novel  tableau  than  here 
broke  upon  us.  It  was  an  introduction,  at  once,  to  half  that 
was  curious  in  the  city.  Files  of  canoes  skirt  the  whole 
length  of  the  pier,  high  and  dry  above  the  water.  The  more 
fortunate  occupants,  who  have  sold  their  wares,  are  variously 
engaged:  some,  sleeping;  others,  preparing  their  morning 
meal ;  others,  combing  and  arranging  their  luxuriant  tresses 
— for  even  an  Indian  woman  has  a  little  vanity ;  and  others, 
the  most  of  all,  chattering  with  their  neighbors,  or  screaming 
in  shrill  tones  to  friends  on  shore.  Here  are  negroes  of  every 
shade  of  color,  from  the  pure  Congo,  to  the  almost  pure 
white ;  some  buying,  some  selling.  There  stands  one,  with 
his  basket  of  coarse  cotton  cloth  and  his  yard-stick ;  and  close 
by,  an  old  wench  is  squatted  by  a  pot  of  yellow  soup,  the  ex- 
tract of  some  palm  nut.  Here  are  strings  of  inviting  fish,  and 
piles  of  less  captivating  terrapins  ;  coarse  baskets,  filled  with 
Vigia  crabs,  the  best  in  the  world ;  and  others  of  palm  leaves, 
fashioned  like  a  straw  reticule,  are  swelled  out  with  the  deli- 
cious snails.  Monkeys,  fastened  to  clogs,  entice  you  to  pur- 
chase them  by  their  antics ;  and  white  herons,  and  various 
other  wild  birds,  by  their  beauty.  Every  where,  and  most 
numerous  of  all,  are  the  fruit-dealers;  and  for  a  mere  nothing, 
all  the  luxuries  of  this  fruit-prolific  clime  are  yours.  Beau- 
tiful bouquets  of  flowers  invite  a  purchaser  ;  and  now,  for  the 
first  time,  you  observe  the  singularly  neat  appearance  of  the 
women,  each  dressed  in  white,  and  with  a  flower  in  her  hair, 
and  you  remember  that  it  is  a  holiday.  Oddly-dressed  soldiers 
mingle  among  the  crowd ;  inquisitive  officials  peer  about  for 
untaxed  produce ;  sailors,  from  vessels  in  the  harbor,  are 
constantly  landing ;  gentlemen  of  the  city  are  down  for  their 
morning  stroll ;  beautiful  Indian  girls  flit  by,  like  visions ; 
and  scores  of  boys  and  girls,  in  all  the  freedom  of  nakedness, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  19 

contend  with  an  equal  number  of  impudent  goats,  for  the  pri- 
vilege of  running  over  you. 

Through  this  motley  assemblage  we  picked  our  way,  ac- 
companied by  Captain  Appleton,  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Norris, 
the  consignee  of  the  Undine.  Mr.  Norris  received  us  with  all 
the  warmth  of  an  old  friend,  and  immediately  insisted  upon 
our  making  his  house  our  home.  It  was  a  home  to  us  during 
our  stay  at  Para ;  and  the  generosity  of  Mr.  N.  has  placed  us 
under  obligations  easily  understood  by  those,  who,  like  our- 
selves, have  found  a  home  and  a  friend  among  strangers. 

Our  first  excursion  extended  no  further  than  the  garden, 
at  the  rear  of  the  house;  but  even  that  little  distance  opened 
to  us  a  new  world.  It  was  laid  out  in  home  style,  with  neat 
walks  and  raised  flower-beds.  A  number  of  curious  birds 
were  skulking  among  the  shrubbery,  or  stalking  along  the 
path  with  the  dignity  and  self-possession  of  birds  at  home. 
This  domestication  of  wild  birds,  we  afterwards  found  to  be 
common  throughout  the  province.  They  are  restrained  from 
truancy  Dy  the  high  fences  that  surround  the  gardens  :  and 
ibises  and  spoonbills,  varieties  of  herons,  rails,  et  tnulti  alii, 
are  as  frequently  seen  as  domestic  fowls.  But  ihe  legitimate 
occupants  were  of  greater  interest  than  these  strangers  :  and 
here  grew  in  perfection,  the  banana,  the  orange,  the  fig,  the 
tamarind,  the  cotton  tree,  the  sugar  cane ;  and  over  the  fence, 
on  the  soil  of  a  neighbor,  a  lofty  cocoa  tree  displayed  its  clusters 
of  ripening  nuts.  Instead  of  the  puny  sensitive-plant,  that  in 
the  north,  struggles  almost  hopelessly  for  frail  existence,  a 
giant  shrub  threw  out  its  nervous  arms,  all  flowering,  and  the 
attraction  of  passing  butterflies. 

Amid  this  profusion,  there  was  nothing  to  remind  us  of  the 
home  that  we  had  left ;  but,  afar  off,  in  one  lone  corner,  stood 
a  solitary  stalk  of  Indian  corn,  lank  and  lean,  an  eight  feet 
spindling,  clasped  nervously  by  one  sorry  ear.  Poor  thing,  it 
spoke  touchingly  of  exile. 

Passing  out  of  the  garden,  our  next  visit  was  compliment- 
ary to  an  eel:  not  one  of  the  unhallowed  denizens  of  muddy 
ponds,  or  stagnant  waters;  but  an  electrical  eel,  large  and 
handsome,  swimming  about  in  his  tub  of  clear  rain  water,  with 


20  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER   AMAZON. 

the  grace  of  a  water  king.  This  fellow  was  about  four  feet  in 
length,  and  along  his  whole  lower  part  extended  a  wide  fin, 
by  whose  curvings  he  appeared  to  propel  himself.  We  often, 
afterwards,  amused  our  leisure  in  observing  this  eel,  and  in  ex- 
perimenting upon  his  electrical  power.  This  did  not  seem  to 
be  concentrated  in  any  particular  part,  or  organ,  for  touch  him 
where  we  would,  the  violence  of  the  shock  seemed  the  same, 
and  equalled  an  ordinary  shock  from  a  machine.  When  very 
hungry,  or  particularly  spiteful,  he  would  transmit  his  power 
through  the  water  to  a  considerable  distance.  His  usual  food 
was  crabs,  and  when  these  were  thrown  in  to  him,  he  swam  to- 
wards them,  stunned  them  by  a  touch  of  his  head,  and  either 
caught  them  immediately,  or  allowed  them  to  fall  to  the  bottom 
of  the  tub,  to  be  devoured  at  leisure. 

These  eels  are  common  in  the  small  streams  about  Para, 
and,  indeed,  throughout  the  whole  northern  part  of  the  conti- 
nent, and  they  often  attain  great  size.  One  that  we  afterwards 
saw  at  Senhor  Pombo's,  was  about  six  feet  long,  and  five  or  six 
inches  in  diameter.  We  heard  frequent  accounts  of  their  pow- 
er over  large  animals  in  the  water.  The  negroes  catch  them  by 
first  teazing  them,  until  they  have  exhausted  the  electrical 
power.  We  ate  of  them,  at  different  times,  but  they  were  too 
fishy  in  taste  to  be  agreeable,  without  strong  correctives. 

Near  by,  was  disclosed  to  us  a  young  anaconda,  nicely  coiled 
up  in  the  bottom  of  a  barrel,  and  looking  as  innocent  as  a  dove. 
This  fellow  was  pointed  out  as  something  rather  diminutive, 
but  to  our  unfamiliar  eyes,  a  snake  of  ten  feet  length  seemed 
very  like  a  monster.  His  customary  food  was  rats.  These 
snakes  are  kept  about  many  houses  in  Para  for  protection 
against  rats,  and  two  who  had  escaped  from  Mr.  Norris's  barrels, 
now  prowled  at  large,  and  effectually  cleared  the  premises  of 
these  vermin.  They  are  perfectly  harmless,  and  never  molest 
domestic  fowls  or  animals  upon  the  premises,  excepting,  now 
and  then,  a  young  chicken. 

This  day  was  a  festival.  The  saint  was  popular,  business 
was  suspended,  public  offices  were  closed,  and  the  whole  city 
was  preparing  to  do  him  honor.  Such  days,  in  Para,  always 
end  in  processions,  and  when,  late  in  the  afternoon,  the  crack- 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  21 

ling  of  rockets,  and  the  sounds  of  martial  music,  proclaimed  the 
procession  already  formed,  we  walked  to  the  Rua  da  Cadeira, 
the  Broadway  of  Para,  and  took  our  stand  among  crowds  of 
citizens,  all,  apparently,  as  much  interested  as  ourselves  in  the 
coming  events.  The  balconies  above  were  filled  with  gayly 
dressed  ladies,  and  bright  eyes  were  impatient  to  pay  their 
homage  to  the  benignant  saint,  or  to  exact  a  homage,  more  sin- 
cere, perhaps,  from  their  own  admirers  below. 

Immediately  succeeding  a  fine  military  band,  walked  a  num- 
ber of  penitents,  wearing  crowns  of  thorns,  and  almost  en- 
shrouded in  long,  black  veils.  It  was  evident  enough  that  pec- 
cadilloes were  not  all  confined  to  the  whites,  for,  below  the  veils, 
bared  feet  displayed  as  many  hues  as  we  had  seen  in  the  mar- 
ket-place. These  penitents  surrounded  a  tall  banner,  borne  by 
one  of  their  number,  who  staggered  beneath  its  weight ;  a  fair 
penance  for  many  a  hearty  sin. 

Friars,  with  corded  waists  and  shaven  crowns,  and  priests, 
in  long  black  robes,  came  next.  Little  angels  followed,  bright, 
happy  things,  and  beautiful,  as  though  they  had  come  down  to 
cheer  the  present  sufferings  of  the  weary  one,  who  bore  his 
cross  behind.  Each  wore  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  flowers, 
and  exquisite  devices  decked  her  white  gauze  dress.  Wings 
of  a  butterfly,  or  some  shorn  Cupid,  told  how  she  came  ;  she 
bore  a  wine  cup  in  her  hand,  and  as  she  stepped,  tiny  bells 
sent  out  low  music.  She  was  unaccustomed  to  our  rough 
walks  here,  and,  at  her  side,  a  seraph  boy  guided  her  faltering 
steps. 

Then  came  the  Christ,  bending  beneath  the  heavy  cross. 
The  crowd  was  stilled,  the  Host  passed  by,  and  respect,  or  ado- 
ration, were  testified  by  raised  hat,  or  bended  knee. 

A  number  of  other  figures  succeeded,  and  the  line  was 
closed  by  the  troops.  A  few  whites  followed,  curious  as  our- 
selves ;  but  the  whole  negro  and  Indian  population  were  drawn 
along,  as  a  matter  of  course.  Nearly  all  the  negro  women 
were  profusely  ornamented  with  gold,  partly  the  fruit  of  their 
own  savings,  and  often,  the  riches  of  their  lady  mistresses,  who 
lend  them  willingly  upon  such  occasions.  Some  wore  chains  of 
gold  beads,  passing  several  times  about  the  neck,  and  sustain- 

2* 


22  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVEH    AMAZON. 

ing  a  heavy  golden  cross.  All  wore  ear-rings,  and  the  elder 
women,  both  black  and  Indian,  overtopped  their  heads  by  huge 
tortoise-shell  combs.  The  Indian  girls,  who  were  in  large  num- 
bers, were  almost  always  beautiful,  with  regular  features,  fine 
forms,  black,  lustrous  eyes,  and  luxuriant  locks,  that  fell  over 
their  shoulders.  Many  women  carried  upon  their  heads  trays, 
covered  with  a  neat  towel,  and  well  provided  with  temptations 
to  errant  coin. 

At  intervals  along  the  street,  were  little  buildings,  in  which 
temporary  altars  were  fitted  up  in  all  the  glare  and  gaudiness 
of  wax  candles  and  tinsel.  Every  one  raised  his  hat  upon 
passing  these,  and  the  more  devout  knelt  before  them,  deposit- 
ing some  coin  at  their  departure. 

In  the  evening,  the  churches  were  brilliantly  lighted,  and 
in  the  alcoves,  before  the  images  of  the  saint,  knelt  crowds  of 
ladies,  the  elite  of  Para.  At  each  altar  priests  officiated,  their 
attention  much  distracted  between  the  fair  penitents  at  their 
side,  and  the  dulcet  tones  in  the  money  plate  before  them. 

Another  procession,  by  torch-light,  closed  the  exercises, 
and  at  last,  wearied  with  sight-seeing,  we  wended  our  way 
homeward,  to  the  embrace  of  luxurious  hammocks,  that  gently 
received  us,  without  the  usual  misadventure  of  the  uninitiated 
and  uncautioned. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Founding  of  Para — Late  disturbances — Site  and  vicinity — Form  of  the  city — Rosinhas — 
Houses— Largo  da  Palacio,  da  Polvora,  da  Quartel  —  Public  buildings— Churches — Palaces 
— Theatre — Cathedral — Rua  da  Mangabeiras — Nazare — Mr.  Henderson's  plantation — 
Rosinha  of  Mr.  Smith,  and  fruit  trees — Coffee — Pine-apples — Oranges — Limes — Man- 
goes— Inga — Alligator  pears — Custard  apple — Flowers. 

The  popular  name  of  this  city,  Para,  is  derived  from  the 
river,  its  proper  designation  being  Belem,  or  Bethlehem.  Cal- 
deira,  in  1615,  entered  what  he  supposed  to  be  the  main 
Amazon,  and  learning  from  the  natives  that  this  was,  in  their 
language,  the  King  of  Waters,  called  it,  appropriately,  Para; 
or  rather,  to  hallow  it  by  a  Christian  baptism,  the  Gram  Para. 
Continuing  up  the  river,  this  adventurer  at  last  fixed  upon  a 
site,  near  the  junction  of  several  streams,  now  known  as  the 
Guama,  the  Acara,  and  the  Moju,  for  a  city,  that  should  there- 
after be  a  glory  to  our  Lady  of  Belem.  Our  Lady  is  still  the 
patron  saint,  but  the  name  of  her  city  is  almost  entirely  for- 
gotten in  that  of  Para. 

We  will  not  recount  the  long  series  of  events  that  have 
transpired  since  Caldeira  here  first  planted  the  cross.  They 
would  be  of  little  interest  to  the  general  reader,  and  we  prefer 
to  look  at  the  city  as  it  now  is,  merely  making  such  allusions 
to  the  past,  as  shall  serve  to  render  description  more  intelli- 
gible. 

The  only  event  that  requires  particular  mention,  is  the 
Revolution  of  1835,  and  the  following  year.  The  President  of 
the  province  was  assassinated,  as  were  very  many  private  indi- 
viduals of  respectability,  and  the  city  was  in  possession  of  the 
insurgent  troops,  assisted  by  designing  whites  and  Indians.  All 
the  citizens  who  could,  fled  for  their  lives;  many  to  Portugal, 
and  many  to  the  United  States  and  England.     The  whole 


24  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

province,  with  the  exception  of  the  town  of  Cameta,  upon  the 
Tocantins,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  rebels,  and  every  where, 
the  towns  were  sacked,  cities  despoiled,  cattle  destroyed,  and 
slaves  carried  away.  The  rebels  were  constantly  quarreling 
among  themselves,  and  several  Presidents  succeeded  each 
other.  At  last,  after  this  state  of  anarchy  had  continued 
nearly  eighteen  months,  President  Andrea  arrived  from  Rio 
Janeiro  with  a  sufficient  force,  and  succeeded,  without  much 
difficulty,  in  recovering  possession  of  the  city.  One  by  one,  the 
inland  towns  returned  to  their  allegiance.  The  disastrous 
effect  of  these  disturbances  is  still  felt,  and  a  feeling  of  present 
insecurity  is  very  general,  but  still,  Para  has  fully  recovered  her 
former  position,  and  may  retain  it,  if  the  provincial  govern- 
ment guides  itself  with  sufficient  discretion. 

The  whole  Amazonian  region  is  low,  and  the  site  of  the 
city  boasts  no  advantage  in  this  respect,  being,  at  most,  but  a 
few  feeV  above  the  level  of  the  river  at  flood  tide.  Every 
where,  nature  displays  the  most  exuberant  fertility,  and  this, 
which,  in  most  countries  between  the  tropics,  is  a  prolific 
source  of  pestilence  and  death,  is  here  so  modified  by  other 
elements  as  to  be  a  blessing.  During  the  rainy  season,  when, 
for  several  months,  rain  falls  daily,  and  for  several  weeks,  almost 
incessantly,  the  surface  of  the  ground  is  never  long  covered 
with  water ;  for,  so  sandy  is  the  soil,  that,  no  sooner  have  the 
clouds  broken  away,  than  the  waters  have  disappeared,  and 
excepting  the  bright  jewels  that  sparkle  profusely  upon  every 
leaf,  little  else  remains  to  tell  of  the  furious  outpourings  of  the 
previous  hour.  During  what  is  termed  the  dry  season,  from 
June  to  December,  more  or  less  rain  falls  weekly,  and  vegeta- 
tion is  never  disrobed  of  her  perennial  green.  The  steady 
trade  winds  from  the  East  come  fraught  with  invigorating  sea 
air,  tempering  the  fierce  sun-heat,  making  the  nights  of  a  de- 
lightful coolness,  and  preventing  that  languor  of  feeling  so  in- 
separable from  the  equatorial  climes  of  the  East. 

Old  traditions,  handed  down  as  applicable  to  modern  times, 
by  all-knowing  Encyclopedists,  represent  the  climate  of  Para 
as  having  been  unhealthy,  but  in  some  respects  improved  of 
late  years.     These  reports  probably  arose  from  the  injudicious 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  25 

method  of  living  introduced  by  the  earlier  colonists,  and  perse- 
vered in,  until  experience  taught  them  to  accommodate  their 
habits  to  the  clime.  But,  of  late  years,  they  have  been  studi- 
ously detailed  and  exaggerated  by  monopolizing  mercantile 
houses;  and  when  we  desired  to  venture  to  the  country  of  the 
Amazon,  it  was  next  to  impossible  to  obtain  any  sort  of  infor- 
mation relative  to  Para,  except  a  general  report  of  heat  and 
unhealthiness.  1  shall  speak  more  of  this  hereafter,  with  ref- 
erence to  the  singularly  superior  advantages  which  Para  pre- 
sents to  invalids. 

The  whole  city  is  laid  out  in  squares,  and,  from  the  peculiar 
manner  in  which  it  is  built,  covers  a  much  larger  area,  than, 
from  its  population  of  fifteen  thousand,  one  would  suppose. 
Near  the  river,  and  in  the  part  more  especially  devoted  to  bu- 
siness, the  houses  adjoin,  upon  streets  of  convenient  width  ;  but 
elsewhere,  each  square  is  usually  the  residence  of  but  one  pro- 
prietor, who  here  enjoys  all  the  advantages  of  both  city  and 
country.  These  residences  are  termed  rosinhas.  Fruit  trees, 
of  every  variety  common  to  the  clime,  mingle  with  beautiful 
flowers,  and  it  requires  but  little  taste  in  the  master  or  ladies  of 
the  mansion  to  embower  themselves  in  a  paradise.  Most  of 
these  houses  are  but  of  one  story,  built  upon  two  or  three  sides 
of  a  square,  covering  a  great  area,  and  containing  numerous 
lofty  and  well  ventilated  rooms.  Very  often,  the  entire  flooring 
is  of  neat,  square  tiles.  A  broad  verandah  offers  both  shel- 
ter and  shade,  and  here,  in  delicious  coolness,  the  meals  of  the 
day  are  enjoyed. 

The  city  proper  consists  of  houses  of  every  height,  from 
one  to  four  stories,  strongly  resembling  each  other  in  external 
appearance.  All  are  yellow-washed  or  white-washed,  and  or- 
namented by  mouldings  about  doors  and  windows.  The  build- 
ing materials  are  small  stones  cemented  in  mortar,  and  such  is 
the  durability  of  construction,  that  unfinished  walls,  in  different 
parts  of  the  city,  exposed,  for  years,  to  the  action  of  the  ele- 
ments, show  no  sign  of  crumbling  or  decay.  Of  course,  cool- 
ness is  the  great  object  aimed  at,  and  therefore,  in  the  centre 
of  the  house  is  usually  an  open  square  from  top  to  bottom, 
serving  to  keep  up  a  constant  current  of  air.     Doors  are  all 


26  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


wide,  and  windows  rarely  glazed.  Generally,  near  the  river, 
the  lower  part  of  the  house  is  occupied  as  a  store  or  ware- 
room,  the  upper  stories  being  the  residence  of  the  family. 

In  front  of  upper  windows  opening  upon  the  street  are  iron 
balconies,  favorite  stands  of  the  inmates,  who  here  spend  hours, 
in  the  cooler  parts  of  the  day,  in  observing  the  passers  below, 
and  sometimes,  it  is  to  be  feared,  coquetting  with  correspond- 
ents over  the  way.  It  strikes  one  strangely  that  necessity  has 
not  introduced  the  fashion  of  shaded  balconies  as  a  protection 
from  the  sun  ;  but  there  are  none  such,  and  in  positions  shel- 
tered from  the  sea  breeze,  the  mid-day  heat  is  excessive. 

The  lower  houses,  in  the  more  retired  streets,  are  mostly  dwell- 
ings, and  the  windows  of  these  are  always  covered  by  a  close 
lattice,  or  jalousie,  through  whose  bars  dark  eyes  may  flash  upon 
passers-by  unblushingly. 

The  streets  are  without  sidewalks,  and  are  badly  paved 
with  irregular  stones,  which  render  walking  excessively  fa- 
tiguing, and  rapid  riding  perilous. 

In  different  parts  of  the  city,  are  public  squares,  called  Lar- 
gos.    The  more  prominent  are  the  Largo  da  Palacio  (of  the 
palace);   da   Polvora  (of  powder);  and  da   Quarte!   (of  the 
barracks).     The  first  of  these  is  very  spacious,  and  might  be 
made  an  ornament  to  the  palace  and  the  city.     As  it  is,  it  is 
neither  more  nor  less  than  a  dirty  common,  uneven  in  surface, 
spotted,  in  the  wet  season,  with  puddles  of  water,  and  unshaded 
by  a  single  tree.     Miserable,  half-starved  sheep,  parti-colored 
as  goats,  and  libels  on  the  ovine  race,  glean  a  poor  subsistence 
from  the  coarse  rank  grass.     The  walk  across  this  Largo  to 
the  palace  was  of  rough  stone,  and  when  we  first  crossed  it, 
both  daylight  and  dexterity  were  requisite  ;  but  I  am  happy  to 
say,  that,  before  we  bade  adieu  to  Para,  preparations  were 
making  for  an  avenue  more  consistent  wtih  the  dignity  of  the 
Government. 

Upon  the  Largo  da  Polvora  formerly  stood  the  powder-house, 
now  removed  to  a  distance  from  the  city.  Here  trees  were 
once  planted  by  President  Andrea,  but  with  merely  exceptions 
enough  to  show  what  a  public  blessing  their  preservation  would 
have  proved,  they  have  now  disappeared.     Near  this  Largo, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  27 

are  the  principal  wells,  whence  is  supplied  the  water  for  the 
city,  and  about  which,  may  be  seen,  at  any  time,  scores  of  ne- 
gro women,  engaged  in  washing  and  bleaching  clothes. 

The  Largo  da  Quartel  is  of  small  extent,  fronting  the  bar- 
racks, a  long,  low  building,  where  Indian  recruits  are  drilled 
into  civilization  and  shape.  In  the  centre  of  this  Largo,  is  a 
well,  about  the  curb  of  which,  numbers  of  considerate  wenches 
rest  their  weary  water-jars,  and  with  a  painful  self-denial,  gos- 
sip and  gesticulate,  all  day  long,  upon  the  affairs  of  the  town. 

The  public  buildings  of  Para  are  conspicuous  objects,  both 
in  number  and  size  far  beyond  the  present  wants  of  the  city ; 
but  wisely  built  for  posterity,  and  the  future  inevitable  magni- 
tude of  the  depot  of  the  Amazon.  Even  so  long  ago  as  1685, 
when  the  population  numbered  but  five  hundred,  there  existed 
"a  Mother  Church,  a  Jesuit  College,  a  Franciscan,  a  Carme- 
lite, and  a  Mercenario  Convent,  two  Churches,  a  Chapel,  and 
a  Misericordia  or  Hospital."  The  cherished  hopes  of  the  Je- 
suits have  not  yet  been  fulfilled,  but  "  already  is  heard  the 
sound  of  the  multitude  that  is  coming  to  take  possession  of  the 
valley." 

The  Jesuit  college  has  now  become  an  ecclesiastical  semi- 
nary; and  the  convents,  long  since  deserted  of  friars,  save  two 
or  three  old  Franciscans,  have  been  turned  to  profaner  uses. 
That  of  the  Carmelites,  is  now  the  palace  of  the  assembly ; 
the  vast  pile  of  the  Mercenaries  has  become  the  custom- 
house ;  and  still  another  is  the  arsenal.  All  these  edifices 
are  in  good  preservation,  and  the  bright  green  moss,  which 
every  where  has  climbed  the  roofs,  and  traced  the  facings,  in 
no  wise  detracts  from  their  picturesque  appearance. 

The  palace,  built  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  when 
Portugal  looked  to  the  Amazon  as  the  scene  of  her  future 
glory,  is  commensurate,  in  size  and  massiveness,  with  the 
anticipated  necessities  of  the  empire.  It  is  of  the  same  style 
of  architecture  as  the  Portuguese  houses  generally,  and  can 
scarcely  be  called  either  grand  or  beautiful. 

In  the  rear  of  the  palace,  stands  the  unfinished  theatre, 
now  overgrown  with  shrubs  and  close  embracing  vines ;  a  far 
greater  ornament  to  the  city,  than  it  could  have  been  in  its 
finished  state. 


28 


A    VOYAGE    TIP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


The  cathedral  stands  near  the  palace,  upon  the  southern 
side  of  the  Largo  ;  the  vastest  edifice  of  the  kind  in  Brazil. 
Twin  steeples  tower  aloft,  from  whose  many  bells  issue  most 
of  those  chimes,  that  may  be  heard  at  almost  any  hour. 

Near  the  arsenal,  and  sufficiently  removed  to  be  no  nui- 
sance to  the  city,  is  the  public  slaughter-house,  where  are 
received  all  the  cattle  destined  for  the  Para  market.  Strangers 
usually  walk  in  that  direction,  to  observe  the  immense  con- 
gregation of  vultures  that  are  here  to  be  seen,  laboring  lustily 
for  the  public  health. 

There  are  a  number  of  pleasant  walks,  within  and  around 
the  city.    The  most  agreeable,  by  far,  of  the  former,  is  the  Rua 
da  Mangabeiras,  a  long  avenue,  crossed,  at  right  angles,  by  a 
similar   rua,  and  both   thickly  skirted    by  mangabeira   trees. 
This  tree  attains  a  vast  size,  and  throws  out  a  more  widely 
spreading  top  than  most  Brazilian  forest  trees.     Its  bark  is  a 
singular  combination  of  colors,  between  green  and  gray;  and 
is  of  a  lustrous  smoothness.     The  ripened  fruit  hangs  over  the 
branches ;  large  red  pods,  the  size  of  a  cocoa-nut,  and  con- 
taining a  yellowish,  silky  cotton.     In  the  months  of  March 
and  April,  these  trees  are  divested  of  their  leaves;  and  every- 
where mingle  in  profusion,  the  ripened  fruit,   and  the  large, 
white,  crown-like  flowers.     Later  in   the  season,  the  flowers 
have  given  place,  in  turn,  to  a  most  luxuriant  foliage  ;  and 
when  the  sun  strikes  mercilessly  upon  every  spot  else,  here, 
all  is  coolness  and  repose.     Paroquets,  ravenously  fond  of  the 
cotton  seeds,  are  every  where  chattering  among  the  branches ; 
and   the  brilliant   cicadas  chirp  grateful  thanks  to  him  who 
planted  for  them  this  delightful  home.    From  adjacent  thickets, 
come  the  warblings  of  many  birds;  and  the  stranger,  haply 
unacquainted  with   the   Brazilian   melodists,    startles,    as   he 
hears  the  liquid  trill  of  the  blue  bird,  the  joyful  song  of  the 
robin,  and  the  oriole's  mellow  whistle.     'Tie  a  delusion ;  but 
the  familiar  tones  sound  none  the  less  delightfully,  from  the 
throats  of  these  southern  cousins,  than  when  uttered  amid  the 
groves  and  by  the  streams,  of  our  own  home. 

The  Rua  da  Mangabeiras  is  deservedly  a  favorite  walk  in 
summer,  and  in  the  early  morning,  or  after  sunset,  it  is  con- 
stantly thronged  with  groups  of  joyous  citizens. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  29 

Another  delightful  walk,  as  well  as  the  usual  route  for  eques- 
trians, is  towards  Nazare,  distant  about  two  miles  from  the  pal- 
ace, and  one  mile  from  the  city.  Here  is  a  little  chapel  dedica- 
ted to  the  service  of  our  Lady  of  Nazareth,  and  looking  like  some 
fairy's  palace,  on  its  spot  of  green,  embowered  in  the  native  for- 
est. Our  Lady  of  Nazareth  is  the  peculiar  patroness  of  the  sick, 
the  afflicted,  and  the  desolate  ;  and  here,  the  soul-saddened  peni- 
tent may  find  quiet,  far  away  from  the  crowded  shrines  of  the 
city.  At  the  entrance  of  the  square,  a  number  of  seats  invite 
the  weary.  A  tall,  white  pillar,  standing  near,  records,  proba- 
bly, some  event  connected  with  the  place,  but  the  inscription  is 
nearly  illegible. 

With  our  friend  Captain  Appleton,  who  is  a  most  zealous 
conchologist,  and  well  acquainted  with  all  the  shell-haunts  in 
the  vicinity,  we  used  often  to  take  this  route,  and,  upon  the  trees, 
in  various  localities,  found  as  many  specimens  as  we  cared  for. 
These  were  principally  of  three  varieties  :  the  Bulimus  regius, 
Bulimus  glabra,  and  the  Auricula  clausa.  Continuing  on 
through  the  forest,  at  about  a  mile  beyond  Nazare,  is  the  plan- 
tation of  Mr.  Henderson,  a  Scotch  gentleman,  who,  having  a 
taste  for  agricultural  pursuits,  is  endeavoring  to  show  the  plant- 
ers of  the  country  the  difference  between  a  scientific  cultiva- 
tion, and  their  own  slovenly  and  inefficient  mode  of  farming. 
Amongst  other  novelties,  Mr.  H.  has  introduced  a  plough,  the 
only  one  in  the  province  of  Para.  He  has  devoted  particular 
attention  to  the  cultivation  of  grasses  for  hay,  and  his  meadows 
looked  as  freshly,  and  produced  as  fine  grass  as  those  of  New 
England.  What  with  the  delightful  reception  of  Mr.  Hender- 
son, and  the  lesser  attractions  of  scenery  and  flowers,  butter- 
flies and  shells,  we  took  many  a  stroll  this  way. 

But  there  was  no  pleasanter  place,  wherein  to  while  an 
hour,  than  a  rosinha,  and  as  our  friend,  Mr.  Smith,  was  propri- 
etor of  one  of  the  most  extensive,  within  a  ten  minutes'  walk  of 
our  residence,  we  used  often  to  visit  him,  and  amuse  ourselves 
among  his  trees.  This  rosinha  was  of  about  an  acre's  extent. 
Down  the  middle  ran  a  broad  walk,  covered  by  an  arbor,  which 
was  profusely  overrun  by  the  Grenadilla  passion-flower.  This 
produces  a  yellow  fruit,  about  the  size  and  shape  of  an  egg^ 
within  which  is  a  pleasant  acid  pulp. 


30  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

On  either  side  the  arbor  were  coffee  trees.  These  are 
planted  at  a  distance  of  about  ten  feet  apart,  and  being 
prevented  from  growing  more  than  five  feet  high,  by  constant 
trimming  of  their  tops,  they  throw  out  very  many  lateral 
branches.  The  flowers  are  white,  and,  at  the  flowering  season, 
ornament  the  plant  beautifully.  The  leaves  are  about  six  inch- 
es in  length,  broad,  and  of  a  rich  and  glossy  green.  The  ber- 
ries growupon  the  under  side  of  the  limbs,  and  at  first,  are 
green,  but  when  matured,  of  a  deep  red.  Within  each  are  two 
kernels,  and  the  whole  is  surrounded  by  a  sweet,  thin  pulp. 
When  the  ripe  berries  are  exposed  to  the  sun,  this  pulp  dries, 
and  is  then  removed  by  hand,  or  by  a  mill.  The  trees  produce 
in  two  or  three  years  after  being  planted.  Formerly  the  quan- 
tity of  coffee  raised  in  the  vicinity  of  Para  was  sufficient  for  a 
large  exportation,  and  it  was  celebrated  for  its  superior  flavor. 
Now  it  is  imported,  so  many  planters  having  turned  their  at- 
tention to  other  produce,  or  to  the  collecting  of  rubber. 

There  were  also  large  patches  of  ananas,  or  pine-apples, 
which  plant  is  two  well  known  to  require  description.  This 
fruit  is  often  raised  in  these  rosinhas,  of  great  size.  One  which 
we  saw  upon  the  table  of  the  British  Consul,  soon  after  our  land- 
ing, weighed  nineteen  pounds,  and  was  considered  nothing  ex- 
traordinary, although,  at  that  time,  out.  of  the  season. 

A  number  of  large  orange  trees  were  always  interesting  to 
us,  inasmuch  as,  at  every  season,  they  clustered  with  ripe  fruit, 
not  the  shrivelled  or  sour  specimens  seen  in  New-York,  but  of 
great  size  and  luscious  sweetness.  Oranges,  in  this  climate, 
are  to  be  considered  rather  as  a  necessity,  than  a  luxury. 
Their  cooling  nature  renders  them  unspeakably  grateful,  and 
they  are,  without  doubt,  an  antidote  to  many  diseases  incident 
to  a  torrid  clime.  Every  one  uses  them  unstintingly,  and  when 
an  old  gentleman,  upon  the  Upper  Amazon,  told  us  that  he  al- 
ways settled  his  breakfast  with  a  dozen  oranges,  he  described, 
with  little  hyperbole,  the  custom  of  the  country. 

There  were  also  many  lime  trees;  and  these  resemble,  in 
general  appearance,  the  orange,  excepting  that  they  are  of 
smaller  growth.  The  acid  of  limes  is  more  pleasant  than 
vinegar,  and  they  are  always  used  as  a  substitute  for  this  upon 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  31 

the  table.     They  are  much  used  in  composing  a  drink,  and 
make  the  best  of  preserves. 

The  most  beautiful  trees  were  the  mango  and  the  ochee, 
whose  densely  leaved  tops  much  resemble  each  other.  Their 
leaves  are  very  long  and  narrow,  and  of  a  dark,  glossy  green ; 
but  when  young  they  are  of  several  shades,  dull  white,  pink, 
and  red,  and  the  commingling  of  hues  is  very  beautiful.  The 
mango  is  esteemed  one  of  the  finest  fruits.  It  is  the  size  of  a 
large  lemon,  and  of  a  green  color.  Beneath  the  skin  is  a  yel- 
low pulp,  which  surrounds  a  large  stone.  During  our  stay 
mangoes  were  temporarily  unpopular  among  the  lower  classes, 
from  a  belief  that  to  tbem  was  owing  the  appearance  of  a  dis- 
ease called  the  leprosy. 

The  ochee  is  smaller  than  the  mango,  and  of  a  yellow  color  . 
It  contains  a  sweet,  pleasant  pulp. 

Another  interesting  tree  was  the  inga,  although  for  a  very 
different  reason  than  its  beauty.  It  bears  a  profusion  of  small, 
white  flowers,  very  fragrant ;  and  the  attraction  of  humming- 
birds, who  might,  at  any  time;  be  seen  rifling  their  sweets,  in  a 
great  variety  of  species.  The  fruit  of  the  inga  is  a  pod,  of  a 
foot  or  more  in  length,  and  an  inch  in  diameter.  It  contains  a 
sweet,  white  pulp,  imbedded  in  which  are  long  seeds.  The 
paroquets  are  very  fond  of  this  pulp,  and  they  come  to  the 
trees  in  great  flocks,  clustering  upon  the  pods,  and'tearing 
them  open  with  their  strong  beaks. 

There  were  trees  bearing  another  esteemed  fruit,  the  alli- 
gator pear,  or  mangaba.  Of  these  there  are  two  varieties,  one, 
the  more  common,  green  in  color,  and  shaped  like  a  crook- 
necked  squash,  but  of  greatly  reduced  size.  The  other,  con- 
sidered the  better  species,  is  called  the  mangaba  da  Cayenne' 
and  is  of  the  ordinary  pear  shape,  and  of  a  purplish  red  color. 
In  the  centre  is  a  large  stone,  and  the  substance  about  this  is 
soft  and  marrow-like.  It  is  eaten  with  wine  and  sugar,  and  to 
our  taste  was  the  finest  fruit  in  the  province.  It  is  said  to  be 
the  only  fruit  that  cats  will  eat,  and  they  are  extremely  fond 
of  it. 

The  biraba,  or  custard-apple,  is  no  bad  representative  of 
the  delicacy  of  which  its  name  is  suggestive.     It  is  about  the 


32  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

size  of  a  cocoa-nut,  covered  by  a  thin,  rough  skin,  and  contains 
a  white  pulp,  which  is  eaten  with  a  spoon. 

Here  was  growing  a  cactus,  in  size  a  tree ;  and  numerous 
flowering  shrubs,  some  known  to  us  as  green-house  plants, 
and  others  entirely  new,  were  scattered  over  the  premises. 
Cape  jessamines  grew  to  large  shrubs  and  filled  the  air  with 
fragrance.  Oleanders  shot  up  to  a  height  of  twenty  feet, 
loaded  with  flowers;  and  altheas,  in  like  manner,  presented 
clusters  of  immense  size  and  singular  beauty.  Here,  also,  was 
a  tree  covered  with  large,  white  flowers,  shaped  like  so  many 
butterflies  ;  and  there  were  a  host  of  others,  of  which  we  could 
admire  the  beauty,  although  not  knowing  the  names. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

License  of  residence — Officials — Provincial  government — Church  establishment — Troops 
— Enrollment  of  Indians — Drilling  recruits — Absence  of  inns — Foreigners — Citizens — ■ 
Manner  of  living — Public  ball — Mechanics — Obstructions  to  labor — Apprentices  and 
school — Carrying  burdens — Water  jars — Rearing  of  children — Food  of  lower  classes — 
Mandioca  and  preparation  of  farinha — Tapioca — Fish — Beef— Vegetables — Fruits — 
Pacovas — Cocoa-nuts — Assai  palms 

Within  the  three  days  limited  in  our  notification,  we  had 
called  upon  the  chief  of  police  for  a  license  of  residence,  which 
was  furnished  us  gratuitously.  This  officer  was  one  of  the 
many  examples  that  we  met  with,  of  the  disregard  paid  to 
color,  in  public  or  private  life,  throughout  the  country.  He  is 
considered  the  second  officer  of  the  Provincial  Government, 
and,  like  the  President,  receives  his  appointment  directly  from 
Rio  Janeiro. 

In  passing  our  chattels  through  the  custom-house,  also,  we 
had  not  experienced  the  least  difficulty  or  annoyance,  the  offi- 
cers discharging  their  duties  in  the  most  gentlemanly  manner. 
And,  at  all  times,  in  our  intercourse  with  officers  of  the  Govern- 
ment, we  found  them  extremely  polite  and  obliging,  and  gene- 
rally, they  were  men  of  intelligence  and  education. 

The  President,  with  three  Vice-Presidents,  constitute  the 
Executive  of  the  Province.  Assemblies  of  deputies,  chosen  by 
the  people,  meet  at  stated  seasons  at  Para,  to  regulate  provin- 
cial matters.  They  have  a  greater  license,  in  some  respects, 
than  the  corresponding  branches  of  our  State  Governments, 
such  as  the  imposing  of  tariffs,  and  the  like,  but  their  acts  are 
referred  to  Rio  Janeiro  for  confirmation. 

The  Judges  of  the  various  districts,  who  are  also  chiefs 
of  police,  are  appointed  at  Rio,  but  the  Justices  of  the  Peace 
are  chosen  by  the  people. 


34  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

The  church  establishment  of  Para  is  not  very  large,  when 
the  wants  of  the  whole  province  are  considered  ;  but,  as  by  far 
the  larger  portion  of  the  padres  never  go  beyond  the  city,  their 
number  seems  disproportionate.  One  meets  them  at  every 
step,  and  probably  five  hundred  is  not  an  exaggeration.  Of 
these,  many  are  novitiates  in  different  stages  of  preparation, 
and  the  grades  are  readily  distinguished  by  their  differences 
of  dress.  Since  convents  have  become  unpopular,  the  old 
race  of  friars  have  almost  disappeared ;  still,  a  few  are  seen, 
and  a  small  number  of  others  are  among  the  Indians  of  the 
interior.  The  clergy  are,  of  coarse,  very  efficient  patrons  of 
the  three-and-thirty  holidays,  besides  divers  festivals  extraor- 
dinary, that  diversify  the  Brazilian  year. 

Near  the  Ecclesiastical  Seminary  is  the  school  for  young 
ladies,  under  the  supervision  of  the  sisters  of  some  of  the  reli- 
gious societies.  Here  a  great  number  of  young  ladies  from 
various  parts  of  the  province  receive  education  in  the  simpler 
branches,  and  in  what  would  be  called  "the  finishing"  of  a 
New-York  boarding-school. 

The  Catholic  is  the  established  religion  of  the  state,  but 
all  religions  are  tolerated.  There  is  no  other  sect  in  Para,  and 
probably  within  the  province,  out  of  the  city,  preaching  of  any 
other  denomination  was  never  heard. 

The  regular  troops  of  the  empire  are  collected  in  this  pro- 
vince in  great  strength,  on  account  of  the  revolutionary  spirit 
of  the  people.  Every  morning  they  are  paraded  upon  the 
Largo  da  Palacio  until  eight  o'clock,  and  then  marched  down 
the  Rua  da  Cadeira  to  the  music  of  a  fine  band.  They  are 
out  upon  every  public  occasion,  taking  part  in  every  procession. 
They  are,  moreover,  the  police  of  the  city,  and  in  discharge  of 
their  duties,  are  seen  scattered,  throughout  the  day,  along  the 
pier  and  streets,  and  guarding  the  doors  of  all  public  offices. 
Night  police,  as  well  as  day  police,  they  take  their  stations,  in 
the  early  evening,  about  the  city,  and,  at  every  hour,  their  loud 
cries  disturb  the  sleepers. 

Upon  Sundays,  these  troops  are  freed  from  duty,  and  the  Na- 
tional Guard  take  their  places,  on  parade  or  at  the  sentry.  This 
Guard,  one  would  suppose,  formed  a  far  more  efficient  force 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.  35 

than  the  regular  army ;  the  one,  composed,  as  it  is.  of  native 
Brazilians,  the  other,  a  heterogeneous  compounding  of  white 
and  black,  yellow,  red,  and  brown.  The  Indian  seems  to  pre- 
dominate, however,  and  it  might  be  questionable  how  far  his 
courage  would  carry  him,  once  led  into  action. 

During  the  last  few  years,  the  enrollment  of  Indians  has 
been  carried  to  an  unprecedented  extent,  through  apprehension 
of  renewed  disturbances.  Since  1836,  ten  thousand  young  men 
are  said  to  have  been  carried  to  the  south,  to  the  incalculable 
injury  of  the  agricultural  interest.  As  might  be  supposed,  all 
this  enlistment  has  not  been  voluntary.  The  police  are  con- 
stantly upon  the  alert  for  recruits,  and,  the  instant  that  a  poor  fel- 
low sets  foot  within  the  city,  he  is  spirited  away,  unless  some 
protecting  white  is  thereto  intercede  in  his  behalf.  We  frequent- 
ly fell  in  with  cottages  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city,  whose  only 
occupants  were  women  and  children,  the  men  having,  in  this 
way,  disappeared.  Most  of  the  market  boats,  also,  are  managed 
by  women,  the  men  often  stopping  at  some  convenient  place 
above,  and  there  awaiting  the  boat's  return. 

It  is  an  amusing  sight,  to  watch  these  Indian  recruits, 
during  their  earlier  drillings,  upon  the  Largo  ;  encumbered 
with  oppressive  clothes,  high  leathern  stocks  beneath  their 
chins,  and  a  wilderness  of  annoying  straps  about  their  bodies. 
Their  countenances  are  models  of  resignation,  or  of  apathetic 
indifference,  when  the  drill-officer  has  his  eye  upon  them ;  but 
when  that  eye  is  averted,  the  nervous  twitching,  and  the  half- 
suppressed  curses,  with  which  they  wipe  the  beaded  sweat 
from  their  brows,  would  be  ludicrous  enough,  could  one  over- 
come a  feeling  of  pity  at  the  predicament  of  the  poor  devils. 

Free  negroes  are  very  apt  to  be  caught  in  the  same  trap; 
and  then,  negroes  and  Indians,  together,  spend  their  leisure 
hours,  off"  drill,  in  the  lock-up  ;  until,  between  the  principles  of 
honor  therein  imbibed,  and  the  ardor  of  military  glory  excited, 
they  can  be  considered  trustworthy,  and  suffered  to  go  at 
large.  Most  free  negroes  avoid  this  career  of  greatness,  by 
nominally  still  belonging  to  their  old  master,  or  some  other 
willing  protector. 

There   are   no  inns,  at   Para,  for  public   accommodation. 


36  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

The  people  from  the  country  do  not  require  them ;  each 
having  friends  in  the  city,  or  conveniences  for  living  on  board 
his  vessel.  Strangers  visiting  the  port  are  usually  provided 
with  introductory  letters  to  some  of  the  citizens,  and  are  re- 
ceived with  the  most  generous  hospitality.  There  are  various 
cafes,  where  a  good  cup  of  coffee  or  chocolate  may  always  be 
obtained ;  but  these  are  not  very  much  patronized.  Both 
natives  and  foreigners,  engaged  in  business,  provide  at  their 
own  tables,  for  their  clerks,  or  others  connected  with  them  in 
business  ;  a  system  productive  of  mutual  advantages. 

A  great  proportion  of  the  foreigners  in  the  city,  are  from 
the  United  States  and  Great  Britain ;  and  these  form  among 
themselves  a  delightful  little  society. 

The  people  of  the  town  are  native  born  Brazilians  and 
Portuguese  ;  often  well  educated,  generally  intelligent,  and 
always  polite.  Of  the  lower  classes,  very  many  are  Portu- 
guese or  Moorish  Jews,  who  obtain  a  livelihood  by  trafficking 
with  the  smaller  river  craft,  by  adulterating  produce,  and  by 
various  other  expedients  in  which  the  people  of  that  nation 
are  expert. 

Most  gentlemen  residing  in  the  city,  have  also  estates  in 
the  country,  to  which  they  retire  during  summer.  Their 
mode  of  living  is  very  simple,  and  in  congeniality  with  the 
clime.  Two  meals  a  day,  are  considered  quite  sufficient;  and 
late  suppers  are  entirely  avoided. 

Most  of  the  business  of  the  day  is  transacted  in  the  early 
morning;  and  when  the  noon's  heat  is  beating,  "all,"  as  they 
say,  "  but  Englishmen  and  dogs,"  are  taking  a  siesta  in  their 
hammocks.  The  cool  evening,  lovely  and  brilliant,  calls  out 
every  one ;  and  a  round  of  pleasure  encroaches  far  into  the 
night.  Parties  and  balls  are  constantly  being  given ;  and  all 
over  the  city  is  heard  the  light  music  of  the  guitar,  and  the 
sounds  of  the  joyous  dance.  Upon  the  last  Saturday  evening 
of  each  month,  is  a  public  subscription  ball,  and  Para's 
beauties  are  there,  in  all  the  fascination  of  flashing  eyes,  and 
raven  hair,  and  airy  movements.  Sometimes  a  theatrical  com- 
pany ventures  into  this  remote  region,  and,  for  a  while,  the  new 
prima  donna  is  all  the  rage. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  37 


The  mechanics  of  the  city  are  mostly  Portuguese,  and  have 
all  the  proverbial  industry  of  their  nation.  A  shoemaker,  who 
lived  opposite  us,  used  to  be  rather  annoying  in  this  respect; 
pegging  away  at  all  hours  of  the  night,  and  not  sparing  time 
to  breathe,  even  on  Sundays. 

Owing  to  the  imperfection,  or  entire  absence  of  machinery, 
the  labor  of  an  artisan  is  far  more  toilsome  than  with  us,  and 
he  compensates  the  difference,  by  something  more  than  pro- 
portionate slowness.  The  cabinet  maker  has  to  saw  his  mate- 
rials from  the  log,  in  his  own  shop,  and  two  or  more  boys,  la- 
zily pulling  away  at  a  pit-saw,  are  always  a  part  of  his  fix- 
tures. So  with  other  trades.  Such  a  state  of  things  would  be 
excessively  annoying,  anywhere  else,  but  these  people  are  ac- 
customed to  it,  probably  dream  of  nothing  better,  and  are  well 
content  to  jog  on  in  the  safe  and  sure  path,  by  which  their  an- 
cestors, God  rest  them,  moved  forward  to  glory. 

There  is  this  deficiency,  throughout  the  province,  with  re- 
spect to  every  sort  of  labor-saving  machinery ;  and  although, 
now  and  then,  some  individual  of  extraordinary  enterprise  has 
introduced  improvements  from  other  countries,  and  although 
the  government  allows  new  patents  of  machinery  to  be  entered 
without  a  duty,  yet  the  mass  of  proprietors  know  nothing  of 
them.  The  introduction  of  machinery  would  compensate,  in  a 
great  degree,  the  depressing  scarcity  of  laborers,  for  want  of 
whom,  this  garden  of  the  world  lies  desolate. 

Very  many  of  the  apprentices  in  the  shops  are  Indian  boys, 
and  to  facilitate  the  acquisition  of  trades  by  these,  the  govern- 
ment supports  a  school,  where,  in  addition  to  the  common 
branches  of  education,  fifty  Indian  boys  are  instructed  in  vari- 
ous trades.  This  institution  owes  its  existence  to  President 
Andrea,  who  seems  to  have  had  concentrated  in  him,  more  be- 
nevolence and  public  spirit,  than  a  score  of  those  who  preceded 
or  succeeded  him  in  office.  It  is  to  him,  that  the  city  is  indebt- 
ed for  the  Rua  da  Mangabeiras,  and  this  alone  should  immor- 
talize a  man  in  Para. 

The  absence  of  horses  and  carts,  together  with  the  univer- 
sal custom  of  carrying  burdens  upon  the  head,  seem,  at  first,  an 
oddity  to  a  stranger.     In  this  manner,  the  heaviest  as  well  as 

3 


38  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

the  lightest,  the  most  fragile  as  well  as  any  other,  travels  with 
equal  safety  to  its  destination.  For  the  convenience  of  vessels, 
there  are  two  companies  of  blacks,  each  numbering  thirty  men, 
who  are  regular  carriers ;  and  their  noisy  cries  are  heard 
every  morning,  as  in  the  full  tide  of  some  wild  song,  they  trot 
off  beneath  incredible  burdens. 

Every  where,  are  seen  about  the  streets,  young  women, 
blacks  or  Indians,  bearing  upon  their  heads  large  trays  ofdoces, 
or  sweetmeats  and  cakes,  for  sale.  These  things  are  made  by 
their  mistresses,  and  are  thus  marketed.  Nor  do  the  first  la- 
dies of  the  dity  consider  it  beneath  their  dignity  thus  to  traffic, 
and  we  heard  of  some  notable  examples,  where  the  money  re- 
ceived for  the  doces  had  accumulated  to  independent  fortunes. 
From  similar  large  trays,  other  women  are  huckstering  every 
variety  of  vegetables  or  fruits  ;  and  not  unfrequently  meets  the 
ear  the  cry  of  as-sy-ee,  the  last  syllable  prolonged  to  a  shrill 
scream.     What  assai  may  be.  we  shall  soon  explain. 

In  a  morning  walk,  in  any  direction,  one  encounters  scores 
of  blacks,  men  and  women,  bearing  huge  water  jars  to  and 
from  the  different  wells,  which  are  the  supply  of  the  city. 
These  jars  are  porous,  and  being  placed  in  a  current  of  air,  the 
water  attains  a  delightful  coolness.  This  custom  was  borrow- 
ed by  the  early  settlers  from  the  Indians,  and  is  universal.  In 
various  parts  of  the  house  are  smaller  jars,  called  bilhas  (beel- 
yas),  by  the  side  of  which  stands  a  large  tumbler,  for  the  gen- 
eral convenience. 

The  habit  of  carrying  burdens  upon  the  head,  contributes 
to  that  remarkable  straightness  and  perfection  of  form,  ob- 
served in  all  these  blacks  and  Indians.  Malformation,  or  dis- 
tortion of  any  kind,  is  rarely  encountered.  This  is  doubtless 
owing,  in  a  great  degree,  to  the  manner  of  rearing  children. 
Every  where,  are  to  be  seen  swarms  of  little  boys  and  girls,  un- 
restrained by  any  clothing  whatever,  and  playing  in  the  dirt 
with  goats  and  dogs.  This  exposure  to  the  sun  produces  its 
natural  effect,  and  these  little  people,  blacks  and  whites,  are 
burned  into  pretty  nearly  the  same  tint ;  but  they  grow  up  with 
vigor  of  constitution  and  beauty  of  form.  The  latter,  howev- 
er, is  sometimes  ludicrously  modified  by  a  great  abdominal  pro- 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  39 

trudence,  the  effect  of  constant  stuffing  with  farinha.  It  is  very- 
unusual  to  hear  a  child  cry.  The  higher  classes,  in  the  city, 
are  more  careful  of  their  children  ;  but,  in  the  country,  the  fash- 
ion of  slight  investment  prevails,  and,  at  the  Barra  of  the  Rio 
Negro,  the  litile  son  and  heir  of  the  chief  official  dignitary  was 
in  full  costume,  with  a  pair  of  shoes  and  a  cane. 

The  food  of  all  the  lower  classes,  throughout  the  province, 
consists  principally  of  fish  and  farinha.  The  former  is  the  dried 
and  salted  Periecu,  of  the  Amazon  ;  the  latter,  a  preparation 
from  the  Mandioca  root.  This  plant,  botanically,  is  the  Jatro- 
pha  Manihot,  known  in  the  West  Indies  as  Cassava.  The  stalk 
is  tall  and  slender,  and  is  divided  into  short  joints,  each  one  of 
which,  when  placed  in  the  ground,  takes  root,  and  becomes  a 
separate  plant.  The  leaves  are  palmated,  with  six  and  seven 
lobes.  The  tubers  are  shaped  much  like  sweet  potatoes,  and 
are  a  foot  or  more  in  length.  They  are  divested  of  their  thick 
rind,  and  grated  upon  stones  ;  after  which,  the  mass  is  placed 
in  a  slender  bag  of  rattan,  six  feet  in  length.  To  this,  a  large 
stone  is  appended,  and  the  consequent  extension  producing  a 
contraction  of  the  sides,  the  juice  is  expressed.  The  juice  is 
said  to  be  poisonous,  but  is  highly  volatile.  The  last  opera- 
tion is  the  drying,  which  is  effected  in  large  iron  pans,  the  pre- 
paration being  constantly  stirred.  When  finished,  it  is  called 
farinha,  or  flour,  and  is  of  a  white  or  brown  color,  according  to 
the  care  taken.  In  appearance  it  resembles  dried  crumbs  of 
bread.  It  is  packed  in  loose  baskets,  lined  with  palm  leaves, 
and  in  the  bulk  of  eighty  pounds,  or  an  alquier.  Farinha  is  the 
substitute  for  bread  and  for  vegetables.  The  Indians  and 
blacks  eat  vast  quantities  of  it,  and  its  swelling  in  the  stomach 
produces  that  distention  noticed  in  the  children. 

Tapioca  is  made  from  the  same  plant,  and  is  the  starchy 
matter  deposited  by  the  standing  juice. 

The  rivers  are  filled  with  varieties  of  fine  fish,  but,  in  the 
city,  many  other  articles  of  diet  are  considered  preferable. 
From  Vigia,  and  below,  towards  the  coast,  crabs  and  oysters 
are  brought,  at  certain  seasons,  in  great  abundance.  The  for- 
mer, particularly,  are  noticeable  for  their  large  size  and  supe- 
rior flavor;  but  the  oysters,  though  of  prodigious  size,  can.  in 


40  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

no  way,  be  compared  with  their  relatives  of  the  north.     They 
are  found,  in  large  clusters,  about  the  roots  of  the  mangroves. 

The  great  dependence  of  the  Para  market  is  beef.  Upon 
Marajo,  and  neighboring  islands,  vast  herds  of  cattle  roam  the 
campo,  and  large  canoes  are  constantly  engaged  in  transport- 
ing them  to  the  city.  But  often,  they  are  poor  when  taken,  and 
the  passage  from  the  islands  averaging  from  four  days  to  a 
week,  during  which  time,  they  have  little  to  drink,  and  nothing 
at  all  to  eat,  those  who  survive  are  but  skin  and  bone.  Killed 
in  this  state,  it  may  readily  be  imagined  that  Para  beef  is  defi- 
cient in  some  points,  considered  as  excellencies  in  the  Fulton 
market.  It  is  cut  up  in  shapeless  pieces,  without  any  pretence 
at  skill.  The  usual  method  of  preparing  it  for  the  table  is  to 
boil  it,  such  a  dish  as  legitimate  roast  beef  or  steak  being  un- 
heard of. 

Very  few  potatoes,  of  any  sort,  are  seen ;  the  principal  vege- 
tables for  the  table  being  rice,  fried  plantains,  and  an  excellent 
variety  of  squash,  called  jurumu. 

It  is  in  fruits  that  Para  excels ;  and  here  is  a  long  cata- 
logue, many  of  which  are  common  to  adjacent  countries,  with- 
in the  tropics,  and  many  others  peculiar  to  this  province.  Of 
many  of  these,  we  have  already  spoken  ;  but  there  are  two  or 
three  others,  which  deserve  mention :  and  first  of  these  are  the 
plantain,  and  pacova,  or  banana.  These  fruits  resemble  each 
other,  excepting  in  size ;  the  former  being  of  about  eight 
inches  length,  the  latter,  in  its  varieties,  from  three  to  five  or 
six.  The  producing  tree  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the 
palms,  the  coronal  leaves  being  six  feet  in  length,  by  two 
broad,  and  gracefully  drooping  around  the  trunk.  The  fruit 
hangs  in  clusters  about  a  stalk,  depending  from  the  top  of  the 
plant.  While  still  green,  the  stalk  is  cut  off,  and  the  fruit  is 
suffered  to  ripen  in  the  shade.  The  plantains  are  generally 
prepared  for  eating,  by  being  cut  in  longitudinal  slices,  and 
fried  in  fat ;  but  when  roasted  in  the  ashes,  are  extremely  plea- 
sant, and  reminded  us  strongly  of  roasted  apples.  The  pacovas 
are  eaten  raw,  and  are  agreeable  and  nutritious.  They  are 
raised  without  difficulty,  from  cuttings,  and  are  the  ever-pre- 
sent attendant  of  the  gentleman's  garden  or  the  Indian's  hut. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  41 

Their  yield,  when  compared  with  other  plants,  is  prodigious, 
being,  according  to  Humboldt,  to  wheat,  as  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  to  one,  and  to  potatoes,  as  forty-four  to  one. 

Cocoa  palms  are  abundant  upon  the  plantations,  and  are 
conspicuous  from  their  long,  feather-like  leaves,  and  the  large 
clusters  of  nuts  which  surround  their  tops.  The  nuts  are  ge- 
nerally eaten  when  young,  before  the  pulp  has  attained  hard- 
ness. 

From  various  palm  fruits  are  prepared  substances  in  great 
request  among  different  classes  of  people  ;  but,  most  delightful 
of  all,  is  that  from  the  Euterpe  edulis,  known  as  assai,  or  more 
familiarly,  as,  was-sy-ee.  This  palm  grows  to  a  height  of 
from  thirty  to  forty  feet,  with  a  stem  scarcely  larger  than  one's 
arm.  From  the  top,  a  number  of  long  leaves,  their  webs  cut, 
as  it  were,  into  narrow  ribbons,  are  waving  in  the  wind.  Be- 
low the  leaves,  one,  two,  and  rarely,  three  stems  put  forth,  at 
first  enclosed  in  a  spatha,  or  sheath,  resembling  woven  bark. 
This  falling  off,  there  is  disclosed  a  tree-like  stalk,  with  diver- 
gent limbs,  in  every  direction,  covered  with  green  berries,  the 
size  of  marbles ;  these  soon  turn  purple,  and  are  fully  ripe. 
Flocks  of  toucans,  parrots,  and  other  fruit-loving  birds,  are  first 
to  discover  them  ;  but  there  are  too  many  for  even  the  birds. 
The  fruit  is  covered  by  a  thick  skin,  beneath  which,  imbedded 
in  a  very  slight  pulp,  is  the  stone.  Warm  water  is  poured  on, 
to  loosen  the  skin,  and  the  berries  are  briskly  rolled  together 
in  a  large  vessel.  The  stones  are  thrown  out,  the  liquid  is 
strained  off  the  skins,  and  there  is  left  a  thick,  cream-like  sub- 
stance, of  a  purple  color.  Sugar  is  added,  and  farinha  to 
slightly  thicken  it.  To  a  stranger,  the  taste  is,  usually,  disagree- 
able, but  soon,  it  becomes  more  prized  than  all  fruits  beside, 
and  is  as  much  a  necessity  as  one's  dinner. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Leave  Para  for  the  Rice  Mills — Boatmen — Night  scene  upon  the  water — Arrival — Vi- 
cinity of  the  mills — A  Brazilian  forest — Sporting — Toucans — Chatterers- -Motmots — 
Manikms--Humming-birds — Snake  stories — Absence  of  flies — Ants — Saiibas — Cupims 
— Little  Ant-eater — Lakes — Nests  of  Troopials — Sloth — Armadillo — Beetles — Puma — 
Monkeys — Indian  boy — Description  of  the  mills — Blacks — Sleeping  in  hammocks — 
Vampire  bats — Wasps'  nests — Visit  Corentiores — Sporting  there — Reception-  Bread 
fruit — Larangeira — Cotton  tree — Maseranduba  or  Cow  tree — Walk  through  the  forest 
to  the  city — Spider — Flowers. 

Our  first  excursion,  to  any  distance,  was  to  the  Rice  Mills, 
at  Magoary,  only  twelve  miles  from  Para  by  land,  and  two 
tides,  or  about  ten  hours  by  water.  The  overland  route  being, 
in  many  respects,  inconvenient,  we  determined  to  venture  in 
one  of  the  canoes,  always  in  readiness  for  such  excursions,  near 
thePunto  daPedras  ;  and  for  this  purpose,  engaged  a  fair  look- 
ing craft,  with  a  covered  and  roomy  cabin,  and  manned  by  two 
whites  and  a  negro.  Leaving  the  city  in  the  middle  of  the 
afternoon,  we  took  advantage  of  the  ebbing  tide,  and,  by  dark, 
had  entered  the  stream,  which  was  to  carry  us  to  our  destina- 
tion. But  our  two  white  sailors  were  lazy  scoundrels,  and  we 
did  not  feel  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  language,  or  ac- 
customed to  the  ways  of  the  country,  to  give  them  the  scolding 
they  deserved.  This  they  knew  enough  to  comprehend,  and 
the  consequence  was,  that  we  lost  the  flood  tide  which  should 
have  carried  us  up,  and  were  obliged  to  anchor  and  spend  the 
night  on  board.  One  of  these  men  was  an  old  salt,  battered 
and  worn,  the  other  was  a  young  fellow  of  twenty,  with  a 
good-looking  face  and  nut-brown  skin,  wearing  upon  his  head 
a  slouched  felt  hat,  and,  altogether,  the  very  image  of  peasant 
figures  seen  in  Spanish  paintings.  Not  at  all  disturbed  by  our 
dissatisfied  looks,  and  ominous  grumblings,  they  coolly  stretched 
themselves  out  upon  the  seats,  and  started  up  a  wild  song,  the 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  43 


burden  of  which  was  of  love,  and  the  dark-eyed  girls  they  had 
left  behind  them  in  the  city.  It  was  a  lovely  night,  and  the 
music,  and  other  gentle  influences,  soon  restored  our  good  hu- 
mor, and  we  felt,  at  last,  inclined  to  forgive  the  laziness  that 
had  left  us  here.  No  clouds  obscured  the  sky,  and  the  millions 
of  starry  lights,  that,  in  this  clime,  render  the  moon's  absence  of 
little  consequence,  were  shining  upon  us  in  their  calm,  still 
beauty.  The  stream,  where  we  were  anchored,  was  narrow ; 
tall  trees  drooped  over  the  water,  or  mangroves  shot  out  their 
long  finger-like  branches  into  the  mud  below.  Huge  bats  were 
skimming  past,  night-birds  were  calling  in  strange  voices  from 
the  tree-tops,  fire-flies  darted  their  mimic  lightnings,  fishes 
leaped  above  the  surface,  flashing  in  the  starlight,  the  deep, 
sonorous  baying  of  frogs  came  up  from  distant  marshes,  and 
loud  plashings  in  shore,  suggested  all  sorts  of  nocturnal  mon- 
sters. 'Twas  our  first  night  upon  the  water,  and  we  enjoyed 
the  scene,  in  silence,  long  after  our  boatmen  had  ceased  their 
song,  until  nature's  wants  were  too  much  for  our  withstanding, 
and  we  sank  upon  the  hard  floor  to  dream  of  scenes  far  different. 

It  was  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  turning  an  angle 
of  the  stream,  we  came  full  in  view  of  the  mill,  the  proximity 
of  which  we  had  been  made  sensibly  aware  of,  for  the  last 
half  hour,  by  the  noisy  clamor  of  the  machinery.  It  was  a 
lofty  stone  structure,  standing  forth  in  this  retirement,  like  some 
antique  erection.  Mr.  Leavens  was  expecting  us,  and  we  were 
delighted  once  more  to  shake  the  hand  of  a  warm-hearted  coun- 
tryman. Breakfast  was  upon  the  table,  and  here,  for  the  first 
time,  we  ventured  to  test  our  capacities  for  fish  and  farinha. 
The  fish  was  a  hard  case,  coarser  than  shark  meat,  and  requir- 
ing an  intimacy  with  vinegar  and  oil  to  remove  its  unpleasant 
rankness.  Farinha  was  not  so  disagreeable,  and  we  soon  came 
to  love  it  as  do  the  natives.  Indeed,  long  before  our  Amazo- 
nian experience  had  ended,  we  could  relish  the  fish,  also,  as 
well  as  any  Indian. 

The  scenery  about  the  mill  is  very  fine.  In  front,  the 
stream,  a  broad  lake  at  high  ivater,  and  a  tiny  brook  at  other 
times,  skirting  a  low  meadow,  at  the  distance  of  a  hundred  rods, 
is  lost  in  the  embowering  shrubbery.     All  beyond  is  a  dense 


44  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


forest.     Upon  the  meadow,  a  number  of  large,  fat  cattle  are 
browsing  on  the  coarse  grass,  and  flocks  of  Jacanas,  a  family 
of  water-birds  remarkable  for   their  long  toes,  which  enable 
them  to  step  upon  the  leaves  of  lilies  and  other  aquatic  plants, 
are  flying  with  loud  cries  from  one  knoll  to  another.      Back  of 
the  mill,  the  road  leads  towards  the  city,  and  to  the  right  and 
left  are  well-beaten  paths,  leading  to  small,  clear  lakes,  from 
which  the   mill   derives  its  water.     The  whole  vicinity  was 
formerly  a  cultivated  estate,  but  the  grounds  are  now  densely 
overgrown.     At  the  distance  of  a  mile,  the  road  crosses  what 
is  called  the  first  bridge,  which  spans  a  little  stream  that  runs 
sporting  through  the  woodland.     The  color  of  the  water  of 
this,  and  other  small  streams,  is  of  a  reddish  cast,  owing,  doubt- 
less,  to  the  decomposing  vegetation.      It   is,   however,   very 
clear,  and  fishes,  and  eels,  may  at  any  time  be  seen  playing 
among  the  logs  and  sticks  which  strew  the  bottom.     Beyond 
this   bridge  is  the  primeval  forest.     Trees   of  incredible  girt 
tower  aloft,  and  from  their  tops  one  in  vain  endeavors  to  bring 
down  the  desired  bird  with  a  fowling-piece.     The  trunks  are 
of  every  variety  of  form,  round,  angular,  and  sometimes,  re- 
sembling an  open  net-work,  through  which  the  light  passes  in 
any  direction.     Amid  these  giants,  very  few  low  trees  or  little 
underbrush  interferes  with  one's  movements,  and  very  rarely  is 
the  path  intercepted  by  a  fallen  log.     But  about,  the  trees  cling 
huge  snake-like  vines,  winding  round  and  round  the  trunks^ 
and  through  the  branches  sending  their  long  arms,  binding 
tree  to  tree.     Sometimes  they  throw  down  long  feelers,  which 
swing  in  mid  air,  until  they  reach  the  ground,  when,  taking 
root,  they,  in  their  turn,  throw  out  arms  that  cling  to  the  first 
support.     In  this  way,  the  whole  forest  is  linked  together,  and 
a  cut  tree  rarely  falls  without  involving  the  destruction  of  many 
3-  others.     This  creeping  vine  is  called  sepaw,  and,  having  the 
strength  and  flexibility  of  rope,  is  of  inestimable  value  in  the 
construction  of  houses,  and  for  various  other  purposes. 

Around  the  tree  trunks  clasp  those  curious  anomalies, 
parasitic  plants,  sometimes  throwing  down  long,  slender  roots 
to  the  ground,  but  generally  deriving  sustenance  only  from 
the  tree  itself,  and  from  the  air;  called  hence,  appropriately 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  45 

enough,  air-plants.  These  are  in  vast  numbers,  and  of  every 
form,  now  resembling  lilies,  now  grasses,  or  other  familiar 
plants.  Often,  a  dozen  varieties  cluster  upon  a  single  tree. 
Towards  the  close  of  the  rainy  season,  they  are  in  blossom, 
and  their  exquisite  appearance,  as  they  encircle  the  mossy 
and  leafed  trunk,  with  flowers  of  every  hue,  can  scarcely  be 
imagined.  At  this  period,  too,  vast  numbers  of  trees  add  their 
tribute  of  beauty,  and  the  flower-domed  forest,  from  its  many 
colored  altars,  ever  sends  heavenward  worshipful  incense. 
Nor  is  this  wild  luxuriance  unseen  or  unenlivened.  Monkeys 
are  frolicking  through  festooned  bowers,  or  chasing  in  revelry 
over  the  wood  arches.  Squirrels  scamper  in  ecstasy  from  limb 
to  limb,  unable  to  contain  themselves  for  joyousness.  Coatis 
are  gamboling  among  the  fallen  leaves,  or  vieing  with  monkeys 
in  nimble  climbing.  Pacas  and  agoutis  chase  wildly  about, 
ready  to  scud  away  at  the  least  noise.  The  sloth,  enlivened 
by  the  general  inspiration,  climbs  more  rapidly  over  the 
branches,  and  seeks  a  spot  where,  in  quiet  and  repose,  he  may 
rest  him.  The  exquisite,  tiny  deer,  scarcely  larger  than  a  lamb, 
snuff's  exultingly  the  air,  and  bounds  fearlessly,  knowing  that  he 
has  no  enemy  here. 

Birds  of  gaudiest  plumage,  flit  through  the  trees.  The 
trogon,  lonely  sitting  in  her  leaf-encircled  home,  calls  plain- 
tively to  her  long  absent  mate.  The  motmot  utters  his  name 
in  rapid  tones.  Tucano,  tucano,  comes  loudly  from  some  fruit- 
covered  tree,  where  the  great  toucans  are  rioting.  "  Noiseless 
chatterers"  flash  through  the  branches.  The  loud  rattling  of 
the  woodpecker  comes  from  some  topmost  limb ;  and  tiny 
creepers,  in  livery  the  gayest  of  the  gay,  are  running  up  the 
tree  trunks,  stopping,  now  and  then,  their  busy  search,  to  gaze 
inquisitively  at  the  strangers.  Pairs  of  chiming-thrushes  are 
ringing  their  alternate  notes,  like  the  voice  of  a  single  bird. 
Parrots  are  chattering ;  paroquets  screaming.  Manakins  are 
piping  in  every  low  tree,  restless,  never  still.  Woodpigeons, 
the  "birds  of  the  painted  breasts,"  fly  startled ;  and  pheasants, 
of  a  dozen  varieties,  go  whirring  off.  But,  most  beautiful  of  all, 
humming  birds,  living  gems,  and  surpassing  aught  that's 
brilliant  save  the  diamond,  are  constantly  darting  by;  now, 

3* 


46  A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 


stopping  an  instant,  to  kiss  the  gentle  flower,  and  now,  furiously 
battling  some  rival  humble-bee.  Beijar  flor,  kiss-flower,  'tis  the 
Brazilian  name  for  the  humming  bird,  beautifully  appropriate. 
Large  butterflies  float  past,  the  bigness  of  a  hand,  .and  of  the 
richest  metallic  blue ;  and  from  the  flowers  above,  comes  the 
distant  hum  of  myriads  of  gayly  coated  insects.  From  his 
hole  in  the  sandy  road,  the  harmless  lizard,  in  his  gorgeous 
covering  of  green  and  gold,  starts  nimbly  forth,  stopping,  every 
instant,  with  raised  head  and  quick  eye,  for  the  appearance  of 
danger ;  and  armies  of  ants,  in  their  busy  toil,  are  incessantly 
marching  by. 

How  changed  from  all  this,  is  a  night  scene.  The  flowers, 
that  bloomed  by  day,  have  closed  their  petals,  and  nestled  in 
their  leafy  beds,  are  dreaming  of  their  loves.  A  sister  host  now 
take  their  place,  making  the  breezes  to  .intoxicate  with  per- 
fume, and  exacting  homage  from  bright,  starry  eyes.  A 
murmur,  as  of  gentle  voices,  floats  upon  the  air.  The  moon 
darts  down  her  glittering  rays,  till  the  flower-enameled  plain 
glistens  like  a  shield :  but  in  vain  she  strives  to  penetrate  the 
denseness,  except  some  fallen  tree  betrays  a  passage.  Below, 
the  tall  tree  trunk  rises  dimly  through  the  darkness.  Huge 
moths,  those  fairest  of  the  insect  world,  have  taken  the  places 
of  the  butterflies,  and  myriads  of  fire-flies  never  weary  in  their 
torch-light  dance.  Far  down  the  road,  comes  on  a  blaze, 
steady,  streaming  like  a  meteor.  It  whizzes  past,  and,  for 
an  instant,  the  space  is  illumined,  and  dewy  jewels  from  the 
leaves  throw  back  the  radiance.  'Tis  the  lantern-fly,  seeking 
what  he  himself  knows  best,  by  the  fiery  guide  upon  his  head. 
The  air  of  the  night  bird's  wing  fans  your  cheek,  or  you  are 
startled  by  his  mournful  note,  wac-o-row,  wac-o-row,  sounding 
dolefully,  by  no  means  so  pleasantly  as  our  whippoorwill.  The 
armadillo  creeps  carelessly  from  his  hole,  and,  at  slow  pace, 
makes  for  his  feeding  ground;  the  opossum  climbs  stealthily 
up  the  tree,  and  the  little  ant-eater  is  out  pitilessly  marauding. 

All  this  supposes  pleasant  weather ;  but  a  storm  in  these 
forests  has  an  interest,  though  of  a  very  different  kind.  Heavy 
clouds  come  drifting  from  the  east,  preceded  by  a  low, 
ominous  murmur,  as  the  big  drops  beat  upon  the  roof  of  leaves. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  47 

Rapidly  this  deepens  into  a  terrific  roar;  the  forest  rocks 
beneath  the  fury  of  the  blast,  and  the  crashing  fall  of  trees 
resounds  fearfully.  Tornadoes  are  unfrequent ;  but  one,  while 
we  were  at  the  mills,  swept  through  the  forest ,  now,  hurling 
aside  the  massive  trees  like  weightless  things,  and  now, 
tripping  carelessly,  only  taking  tribute  of  the  topmost  boughs — 
sportive  in  its  fierceness.  We  were  struck  by  the  absence  of 
thunder  and  lightning  in  the  furious  pourings  of  the  rainy 
season.  The  clouds  came  to  their  daily  task  gloomily,  as 
though  pining  for  a  holiday,  and,  in  the  weariness  of  forced  toil, 
forgot  their  wantonness. 

Our  first  gunning  expeditions  were  between  the  mill  and  the 
bridge,  and  the  nature  of  the  woods  rendered  it  a  toilsome 
matter,  until  experience  had  made  us  acquainted  with  the 
most  convenient  paths,  and  the  notes  and  habits  of  the  birds. 
Every  one  venturing  into  the  forest  is  armed  with  a  long, 
curved  knife,  called  a  tresddo,  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  his 
way  through  the  entangling  vines,  that  especially  obstruct  the 
woods  of  second  growth.  In  such  a  section,  also,  the  foliage 
is  so  dense,  that  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  discover  the  birds 
who  are  uttering  their  notes  all  about — and  when  they  are  shot, 
it  is  often  a  puzzle  to  the  keen  eyes  of  an  Indian  to  find  them, 
amid  the  vines.  But  one  soon  learns  that  most  of  the  families 
have  peculiar  haunts,  where,  early  in  the  morning,  or  late  in 
afternoon,  they  congregate  in  flocks.  The  trees  in  these 
places,  are  usually  thickly  covered  with  berries  of  some  sort. 
and  until  these  are  entirely  exhausted,  the  concealed  sports- 
man may  shoot  at  the  perpetually  returning  flocks,  until  he  is 
loaded  with  his  game.  Berries  succeed  berries,  so  constantly, 
.throughout  the  year,  that,  in  some  spot,  the  birds'  food  is  never 
wanting. 

Most  noticeable  of  all  these  birds,  both  for  size  and  pecu- 
liarity of  form,  are  the  Toucans.  There  are  many  varieties, 
appearing  at  different  seasons  ;  but  the  Red-billed,  R.  ery- 
throrynchos,  and  the  Ariel,  R.  ariel  (Vig.)  are  the  largest 
and  most  abundant,  seen  at  every  season,  but  towards  autumn, 
particularly,  in  vast  numbers  throughout  the  forest.  Their 
large  beaks  give  them   a  very  awkward   appearance,   more 


48  A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

especially  when  flying  ;  yet,  in  the  trees,  they  use  them  with  as 
much  apparent  ease,  as  though  they  were,  to  our  eyes,  of  a 
more  convenient  form.  Alighted  on  a  tree,  one  usually  acts 
the  part  of  sentinel,  uttering  constantly  the  loud  cry,  Tucano, 
whence  they  derive  their  name.  The  others  disperse  over  the 
branches,  climbing  about  by  aid  of  their  beaks,  and  seize  the 
fruit.  We  had  been  told  that  these  birds  were  in  the  habit  of 
tossing  up  their  food  to  a  considerable  distance,  and  catching 
it,  as  it  fell ;  but,  as  far  as  we  could  observe,  they  merely  threw 
back  the  head,  allowing  the  fruit  to  fall  down  the  throat.  We 
saw,  at  different  times,  tamed  toucans,  and  they  never  were 
seen  to  toss  their  food,  although  almost  invariably  throwing 
back  the  head.  This  habit  is  rendered  necessary,  by  the  length 
of  the  bill,  and  the  stiffness  of  the  tongue,  which  prevents  their 
eating  as  do  other  birds.  All  the  time,  while  feeding,  a  hoarse 
chattering  is  kept  up ;  and,  at  intervals,  they  unite  with  the 
noisy  sentry,  and  scream  a  concert  that  may  be  heard  a  mile. 
Having  appeased  their  appetites,  they  fly  towards  the  deeper 
forest,  and  quietly  doze  away  the  noon.  Often  in  the  very 
early  morning,  a  few  of  them  may  be  seen  sitting  silently  upon 
the  branches  of  some  dead  tree,  apparently,  awaiting  the  com- 
ing sunlight  before  starting  for  their  feeding  trees. 

The  nests  of  the  toucans  are  represented  in  works  of  Natu- 
ral History,  as  being  constructed  in  the  hollows  of  trees.  It 
may  be  so  in  many  cases,  and  with  some  species.  The  only 
nest  that  we  ever  saw,  which  was  of  the  Toco  toucan,  was  in 
the  fork  of  a  large  tree,  over  the  water,  upon  the  Amazon. 

Toucans,  when  tamed,  are  exceedingly  familiar,  playful 
birds,  capable  of  learning  as  many  feats  as  any  of  the  parrots, 
with  the  exception  of  talking.  When  turning  about,  on  their, 
perch,  they  effect  their  object  by  one  sudden  jump.  They  eat 
any  thing,  but  are  particularly  fond  of  meat.  When  roosting, 
they  have  a  habit  of  elevating  their  tails  over  their  backs.  The 
beaks  of  the  Red-billed  toucans  are  richly  marked  with  red, 
yellow,  and  black ;  but  preserved  specimens  soon  lose  this 
beauty.  The  other  varieties  found  near  Para  are  the  Ptero- 
glossus  maculirostris  (Licht)  ;  the  P.  bitorquatis  (Vig.)  ;  and 
the  C.  viridis.     The  family  of  birds  most  sought  after  by  col- 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  49 

lectors,  and  the  most  gaudy  of  the  Brazilian  forests,  is  that  of* 
the  Chatterers.  There  are  several  species,  four  of  which  are 
not  uncommon  in  the  vicinity  of  Para,  each  about  the  size  of 
the  blue-bird  of  the  United  States.  One  of  these,  Ampelis 
Cayana,  the  Purple-throated  chatterer,  is  of  an  ultramarine 
blue  color,  having  a  bright  metallic  lustre,  and  with  a  throat 
of  purple  velvet.  Another,  A.  cotinga,  the  Purple-breasted, 
is  of  a  deep  blue,  similarly  metallic,  and  ornamented  both  upon 
throat  and  breast  with  purple.  A  third,  the  White-winged,  A. 
lamellipennis,  is  of  a  lustrous  black,  with  wings  and  tail  a 
snowy  white.  The  fourth,  A.  carnifex,  is  with  us  called  the 
Cardinal ;  in  the  language  of  Brazil,  Passaro  do  sol,  bird  of  the 
sun  ;  and  well  he  deserves  the  name.  The  crest  upon  his  head 
is  of  scarlet,  resembling  the  finest  silk ;  his  back  and  wings  are 
of  a  golden  bronze,  and  his  tail  and  breast  of  the  most  delicate 
vermilion.  All  these  birds  may  be  seen  at  Mr.  Bell's,  our 
prince  of  taxidermists,  and  even  when  dimmed  of  their  glories 
and  encaged  in  glass,  are  pre-eminently  beautiful.  But  when, 
in  large  flocks,  they  cluster  in  the  tree-tops,  dazzlingly  lustrous 
in  the  sunlight,  even  the  kiss-flower  might  be  envious.  These 
birds  have  no  song.  That  charm,  impartial  nature  has  con- 
ferred upon  others  outwardly  less  attractive ;  and  these  must 
be  content  with  a  simple  note.  The  Cardinal  is  less  common 
than  the  others,  and  is  more  generally  seen  in  pairs,  breeding 
in  the  months  of  August  and  September,  near  the  mills.  The 
other  species  seem  transient  visitors,  generally  abundant  in 
May  and  June,  and,  at  that  season,  associating  in  large  flocks. 
There  is  another  variety,  the  Carunculated  chatterer,  some- 
times called  the  Bell-bird,  occasionally  seen  near  Para.  Mr. 
Leavens  seems  to  be  the  only  person  who  has  met  with  them, 
having  obtained  a  pair  in  the  deep  forest.  This  bird  is  the 
size  of  a  small  dove,  and  of  a  pure  white  color,  when  mature. 
On  the  bill  is  a  fleshy  caruncle,  about  an  inch  in  length,  some- 
what like  a  turkey's  comb.  Of  its  habits  or  its  note,  we  could 
learn  nothing.  The  more  common  Chatterers  are  inactive 
birds,  and  great  gluttons,  often  eating  until  quite  stupified.  In 
this,  they  resemble  their  relative,  the  Cedar-bird  of  the  north. 
The  Motmot,  Momotus  Brasiliensis,  is  another  of  these  cu- 


50  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


rious  residents.  This  bird  is  about  the  size  of  a  robin,  having 
a  back  of  a  dark,  rich  green,  and  a  long  wedge-shaped  tail, 
two  feathers  of  which  extend  some  inches  beyond  the  others. 
The  shafts  of  these  are  stripped  of  their  webs  near  the  extre- 
mities, giving  the  bird  a  very  singular  appearance.  One 
would  suppose  that  these  birds  trimmed  their  feathers  thus 
themselves,  for  many  are  found  with  quills  perfect,  and  others, 
partly  denuded.  The  Motmots  are  generally  in  pairs  in  the 
deep  woods,  and  are  easily  recognized  by  their  note,  motmot, 
slowly  repeated. 

The  Manikins,  in  their  different  varieties,  form  a  beautiful 
family ;  the  most  numerous  of  any,  and  corresponding  much 
in  their  habits  to  our  warblers.  They  are  tiny  things,  gene- 
rally having  black  bodies,  and  heads  of  yellow,  red,  white,  and 
other  colors.  Like  perpetual  motion  personified,  they  move 
about  the  branches  and  low  shrubs,  always  piping  their  sharp 
notes  ;  and  unless  upon  a  feeding-tree,  almost  defying  shot. 

The  common  varieties  are  the  White-capped,  Pipra  leuco- 
cilla;  Red-headed.  P.  erythrocephala ;  Blue-backed,  P.  pareo- 
la;  and  Puff-throated,  P.  manacus.  Of  these,  the  first  is  most 
abundant.  A  nest  of  the  Red-he*aded  was  composed  of  ten- 
drils of  vines;  and  was  scarcely  larger  than  a  dollar,  and  very 
shallow.  It  was  affixed  to  one  of  the  outermost  forks  of  a  low 
limb,  beyond  reach  of  any  enemy  but  one.  The  eggs  were 
cream-colored,  and  speckled  with  brown.  A  nest  of  the  Blue- 
backed  was  composed  of  leaves,  fibres,  and  moss,  and  much 
resembled  in  shape  a  watch-case.  A  nest  of  the  Puff-throated 
was  also  pensile,  but  not  so  ingeniously  composed  as  either  of 
the  others.  The  eggs  of  the  two  latter  species  were  cream- 
colored  and  much  spotted,  particularly  at  the  larger  end. 

Many  other  remarkable  species  of  birds  I  shall  have  occa- 
sion to  speak  of  hereafter ;  at  present,  I  will  mention  but  the 
humming-birds.  Wherever  a  creeping  vine  opens  its  fragrant 
clusters,  or  wherever  a  tree  flower  blooms,  may  these  little 
things  be  seen.  In  the  garden,  or  in  the  woods,  over  the 
water,  every  where,  they  are  darting  about,  of  all  sizes,  from 
one  that  might  easily  be  mistaken  for  a  different  variety  of 
bird,  to  the  tiny  Hermit,  T.  rufigaster,  whose  body  is  not  half 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  51 

the  size  of  the  bees  buzzino-  about  the  same  sweets.  The 
blossoms  of  the  inga  tree,  as  before  remarked,  brings  them  in 
great  numbers  about  the  rosinhas  of  the  city,  and  the  collector 
may  shoot,  as  fast  as  he  can  load,  the  day  long.  Sometimes, 
they  are  seen  chasing  each  other  in  sport,  with  a  rapidity  of 
flight  and  intricacy  of  path,  the  eye  is  puzzled  to  follow. 
Again,  circling  round  and  round,  they  rise  high  in  mid  air; 
then  dart  off  like  light  to  some  distant  attraction.  Perched 
upon  a  little  limb,  they  smooth  their  plumes,  and  seem  to 
delight  in  their  dazzling  hues  ;  then,  starting  off,  leisurely 
they  skim  along,  stopping  capriciously  to  kiss  the  coquetting 
flowerets.  Often,  two  meet  in  mid  air  and  furiously  fight,  their 
crests,  and  the  feathers  upon  their  throats,  all  erected,  and 
blazing,  and  altogether  pictures  of  the  most  violent  rage. 
Several  times,  we  saw  them  battling  with  large  black  bees 
who  frequent  the  same  flowers,  and  may  be  supposed  often 
to  interfere  provokingly.  Like  lightning  our  little  heroes 
would  come  down,  but  the  coat  of  shining  mail  would  ward 
their  furious  strokes.  Again  and  again  would  they  renew  the 
attack,  until  their  anger  had  expended  itself  by  its  own  fury, 
or  until  the  apathetic  bee,  once  roused,  had  put  forth  powers, 
that  drove  the  invader  from  the  field. 

A  boy  in  the  city,  several  times,  brought  us  humming-birds 
alive,  in  a  glass  cage.  He  had  brought  them  down,  while, 
standing  motionless  in  the  air,  they  rifled  the  flowers,  by  balls 
of  clay,  blown  from  a  hollowed  tube. 

The  varieties  found  about  Para  are,  principally,  the  White- 
collared,  T.  mellivorus;  Hermit,  T.  rufigaster;  Topaz-throat- 
ed, T.pella;  Tufted- necked,  T.  ornatus  ;  Magnificent,  T.  mag- 
nificus  ;  Scaly-back,  T.  eurynomus  ;  Even-tailed  amethyst,  T. 
orthusa;  Emerald,  T.  bicolor  ;  Eared,  T.  auritus  ;  Rough-leg- 
ged racket-tail,  T.  Underwoodi ;  Sapphire-throated,  T.  sapphi- 
rinus;  Violet  fork-tail,  T.  furcatus;  Sable  wing,  T.  latipennis ; 
Blue  green,  T.  cyaneus.  We  received  from  Mr.  Leavens  a 
nest  of  the  Hermit.  It  was  formed  upon  the  under  side  of  a 
broad  grass  leaf,  which  drooped  in  a  manner  to  protect  it  en- 
tirely from  sun  and  rain.  The  material  of  which  it  was  com- 
posed was  a  fine  moss.     Day  after  day,  Mr.  L.  had  watched  its 


52  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

formation,  but  before  the  little  architect  had  completed  it,  the 
ants  appeared,  and  she  sought  a  safer  spot  for  her  home. 

At  first,  we  were  somewhat  nervous  about  venturing  far 
into  the  woods,  and  anxiously  careful  to  protect  our  feet  from 
vicious  reptiles  by  redoubtable  boots.  A  little  experience  served 
to  disabuse  us  of  this  error,  and  we  were  soon  content  to  go  in 
slippers.  Old  bugbear  stories  of  snakes  began  to  lose  their 
force,  when  day  after  day  passed  without  meeting  even  a  harm- 
less grass-snake.  Not  that  there  really  are  no  such  animals, 
for  sometimes,  huge  specimens  have  been  seen  about  the  mills, 
and  one,  not  many  months  before,  had  been  surprised,  who  in 
his  fright  disgorged  a  fine  musk-duck.  Bat  such  cases  are  of 
extreme  rarity,  and  only  occur  near  the  water.  In  the  forest, 
snakes  are  not  seen,  and  no  one  thinks  of  fearing  them. 

The  absence  of  flies  seems  still  more  strange  to  a  person 
from  the  North,  who  has  always  been  accustomed  to  associate 
flies  with  warm  weather,  and  who,  mayhap,  has  been  torment- 
ed by  black  swarms,  in  our  woods.  Their  place,  in  Brazil,  is 
well  supplied  by  ants,  who  are  seen  every  where,  in  the  houses 
and  in  the  fields.  But  as  the  main  efforts  of  these  insects  are 
directed  to  the  removal  of  whatever  is  noxious,  most  species 
are  not  merely  tolerated,  but  looked  upon  as  sincere  and  wor- 
thy friends.  They  are  of  all  sizes  and  colors,  from  the  little 
red  fire-ant,  who  generally  minds  his  own  business,  but  who, 
occasionally,  gets  upon  one's  flesh,  making  all  tingle,  to  the  huge 
black  species,  an  inch  or  more  in  length,  who  labors  zealously 
in  the  woods  for  the  removal  of  decaying  vegetation.  In  this 
work,  this  ant  is  assisted  by  a  smaller  variety,  also  black  ;  and 
armies,  two  and  three  feet  wide,  and  of  interminable  length,  are 
frequently  encountered  in  the  woods.  It  well  becomes  one  to 
stand  aside  from  their  line  of  march,  for  they  turn  neither  to 
the  right  nor  to  the  left,  and,  in  a  moment,  one  may  be  covered 
to  his  dismay,  if  not  sorrow. 

But  there  is  one  variety  of  ant  which  must  be  excluded 
from  all  commendation.  This  a  small  species,  called  Sauba, 
and  they  are  a  terrible  annoyance  to  the  proprietors  of  rosinhas, 
inasmuch  as  they  strip  the  fruit  trees  of  their  leaves.  An  army 
of  these  will  march  to  the  tree,  part  ascending,  and  the  others 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  53 

remaining  below.  Those  above  commence  their  devasta- 
tion, clipping  off  the  leaves  by  large  pieces,  and  those  below 
shoulder  them  as  they  fall,  and  march  away  to  their  rendez- 
vous. It  is  surprising  what  a  load  one  of  these  little  things  will 
carry,  as  disproportionate  to  its  size,  as  if  a  man  should  stalk 
off  beneath  an  oak.  Before  morning,  not  a  leaf  is  left  upon  the 
tree,  and  the  unfortunate  proprietor  has  the  consolation  of 
knowing,  that  unless  he  can  discover  the  retreat  of  the  saubas, 
and  unhole  them,  one  by  one,  every  tree  upon  his  premises 
will  be  stripped. 

There  is  a  small  white  ant  called  Cupim,  that  builds  its 
nest  in  the  trees,  at  the  junction  of  a  limb,  or  often,  about  the 
trunk.  These  are  sometimes  of  great  size,  and,  at  a  distance, 
resemble  black  knurls.  Upon  this  variety  the  little  Ant-eater 
lives.  Climbing  up  some  convenient  tree,  he  twists  his  long, 
prehensile  tail  about  the  trunk,  or  some  favoring  limb,  and 
resting  upon  this,  commences  operations.  Making  an  incision 
in  the  exterior  of  the  nest,  by  means  of  the  sharp,  hook-like 
claws,  with  which  his  arms  are  furnished,  he  intrudes  his  slen- 
der snout,  and  long,  glutinous  tongue.  So  well  protected  by 
wool  is  he,  that  the  ants  have  no  power  over  him,  but  abide 
their  fate.  I  kept  one  of  these  animals  for  some  days,  but  he 
refused  all  nourishment.  During  the  day,  he  sat  with  his  tail 
twisted  around  a  limb  appropriated  to  his  use,  his  head  buried 
in  his  fore  paws.  But  when  the  dusk  of  evening  came  on,  he 
was  wide  awake,  and  passed  half  the  night  in  walking  pretty 
rapidly  about  the  room,  seeking  some  egress,  and  in  climbing 
about  the  furniture.  The  negroes  have  a  belief  that  if  the  Ant- 
eater  is  shut  up  in  a  tight  box,  and  secured  by  every  possible 
means,  he  will  be  spirited  away  before  morning.  The  most 
intelligent  black  about  the  mills  came  to  me,  desiring  I  would 
try  the  experiment.  "  He  is  a  devil,"  said  Larry,  and  I  con- 
sented, shutting  his  impship  in  a  wooden  chest.  Next  morn- 
ing, Larry's  eyes  opened,  as  he  saw  the  test  had  failed,  and 
he  signified  his  intention  to  believe  no  more  lies,  for  the  future. 

The  lakes,  in  the  vicinity,  were  interesting  places  of  resort 
to  us,  and  several  times  we  pushed  the  little  canoe,  or  montaria, 
up  the  raceways,  and  paddled  about  amid  the  bushes,  or  along 


54  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON, 

the  shores,  in  search  of  birds  or  nests.  The  latter  were  very- 
common,  and  it  was  interesting  to  observe  the  care  with  which 
the  building  spot  was  chosen,  to  keep  it  from  the  reach  of  liz- 
ards, or  other  reptiles,  but  above  all,  from  the  ever-present  ants. 
And  yet  the  ants  were  always  there ;  they  had  passed  from 
shore,  upon  leaves  and  floating  shrubs,  and  every  tree  was  in- 
fested by  them.  Most  of  the  nests  were  arched  over  above,  to 
keep  out  the  sun's  heat;  and  particularly  those  of  the  Fly- 
catcher family,  who,  in  the  north,  build  open  nests. 

The  most  singular  nests,  and  most  worthy  description,  were 
those  of  the  Troopials,  Cassicus  icteronotus  (Swain),  a  large, 
black  bird,  much  marked  with  yellow,  and  frequently  seen  in 
cages.  Their  native  name  is  Japim.  They  build,  in  colonies, 
pensile  nests  of  grass,  nearly  two  feet  in  length,  having  an 
opening  for  entrance  near  the  top.  Upon  one  tree,  standing  in 
the  middle  of  the  lake,  not  more  than  ten  feet  high,  and  the 
thickness  of  a  man's  arm,  were  forty-five  nests  of  these  birds, 
built  one  upon  another,  often  one  depending  from  another,  and 
completely  concealing  all  the  tree-top,  except  a  few  outermost 
leaves.  At  a  distance,  the  whole  resembled  a  huge  basket. 
Part  of  these  nests  belonged  to  the  Red-rumped  Troopial — C. 
haemorrhous — and  a  singular  variety  of  oriole,  the  Ruff-necked 
of  Latham,  called  Araona,  or  Rice-bird,  after  the  fashion  of  our 
Cow-bird,  deposits  its  eggs  in  the  Troopials'  nests,  leaving  the 
young  to  the  care  of  their  foster-mothers.  Upon  this  tree,  was 
a  small  hornets'  nest,  and  the  Indian  whom  we  employed, 
asserted  that  these  were  the  protectors  of  the  birds  from  in- 
truders. It  may  be  so ;  we  saw  the  same  fellowship  at  other 
places.  Usually,  Troopials  build  nearer  houses,  and  are  always 
welcome,  being  friendly,  sociable  birds,  ever  ready  to  repay 
man's  protection  by  a  song.  Often,  in  such  situations,  large 
trees  are  seen  with  hundreds  of  these  nests  dependent  from  the 
limbs,  and  swaying  in  the  wind.  A  colony  which  had  settled 
upon  a  tall  palm,  near  the  mill,  was,  one  night,  entirely  robbed  of 
eggs  by  a  lizard.  Snakes  are  sometimes  the  depredators,  and 
between  all  their  enemies,  the  poor  birds,  of  every  species,  are 
robbed  repeatedly.  Probably  owing  to  this  cause,  it  is  very 
unusual  to  find  more  than  two  eggs  in  one  nest. 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.  55 

The  Red-rumped  troopials  shot  in  this  place,  were  of  different 
sizes,  some  being  several  inches  longer  than  others,  although 
all  were  in  mature  plumage.  Their  nests  were  perhaps  larger 
than  those  of  the  Japim's,  but  differed  in  no  other  respect. 
The  eggs  were  white,  spotted  with  brown,  and  particularly  on 
the  larger  end.  The  Japim's  eggs  were  cream-colored,  and 
similarly  spotted  ;  and  the  eggs  of  the  Ruff-necked  orioles  were 
large  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  bird — bluish  in  color,  and 
much  spotted,  and  lined  with  dark-brown. 

We  employed  an  Indian  who  lived  near  by,  by  name 
Alexandro,  and  a  notable  hunter,  to  obtain  us  specimens 
and  to  serve  as  guide,  upon  occasions.  He  never  could  be 
induced  to  shoot  small  birds,  but  always  made  his  appearance 
with  something  that  he  considered  legitimate  game — often  a 
live  animal.  One  of  these  captives  was  a  Sloth,  and  this  fellow 
we  kept  for  several  days,  trying  to  see  what  could  be  made  of 
him.  He  was  a  pretty  intractable  subject,  and  poorly  repaid 
our  trouble.  In  face  he  resembled  somewhat  a  monkey,  and 
the  corners  of  his  mouth  curving  upward,  gave  him  a  very 
odd  appearance,  making  him  look,  as  one  would  suppose  a 
monkey  toper  might  look,  if  monkeys  ever  dissipated.  His 
long  arms  were  each  terminated  by  three  large  claws,  and  his 
tough  skin  was  well  protected  by  a  shaggy  coat  of  coarse, 
grisly  hair.  Placed  upon  the  ground,  he  would  first  recon- 
noitre, turning  his  head  slowly  about,  then  leisurely  stretch  forth 
one  arm,  endeavoring  to  hook  his  claw  in  something  that  might 
aid  him  in  pulling  himself  onward :  this  found,  the  other  claws 
would  slowly  follow,  in  turn.  He  uttered  no  noise  of  any  kind. 
But  put  him  where  there  was  opportunity  to  climb,  and  his  ap- 
pearance was  different  enough :  that  dulled  eye  would  glisten, 
and  an  idea  seem  to  have  struck  him ;  rapidly  his  arms  would 
begin  to  move,  and  sailor-like,  hand  over  hand,  he  would 
speedily  have  climbed  beyond  recovery,  had  not  a  restraining 
rope  encircled  him.  These  animals  are  very  common  through 
this  forest ;  but  upon  the  Amazon,  far  more  numerous.  There 
are  certainly  two  very  distinct  varieties,  and  the  Indians  say 
three.  Usually,  they  are  seen  upon  the  lower  side  of  a  hori- 
zontal limb,  hanging  by  their  curved  claws.     They  sometimes 


56  A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

eat  fruit,  but  principally  live  upon  leaves  ;  and  when  these  are 
stripped  from  one  tree,  betake  themselves  to  another,  which 
they  in  turn  denude. 

At  another  time,  Alexander  brought  in  a  young  Armadillo,  or 
Tatu,  which  he  had  dug  from  its  burrow  in  the  ground.  There 
are  several  varieties  about  Para.  They  are  easily  tamed,  eat- 
ing all  sorts  of  vegetables,  and  insects,  particularly  beetles, 
which  they  unhole  from  their  hiding-places  in  the  earth.  I 
went,  one  day,  with  Alexander,  to  the  margin  of  one  of  the 
lakes  in  the  woods,  to  obtain  specimens  of  a  coveted  beetle, 
(Phanseus  lancifer).  We  found  a  number  of  their  holes,  reach- 
ing down  to  the  level  of  the  water,  rather  more  than  two  feet. 
Fragments  of  wing-cases  of  the  beetles  were  strewed  about, 
and  many  holes,  of  a  larger  size,  explained  that  the  Tatu  had 
been  before  us. 

In  one  of  Alexander's  excursions,  he  had  the  good  fortune  to 
discover  a  full-grown  Puma,  in  the  act  of  devouring  a  deer, 
which  it  had  just  killed.  Nothing  daunted,  although  armed 
with  but  a  single-barreled  gun,  and  that  loaded  with  BB  shot,  he 
gave  the  animal  a  discharge,  which  made  him  leave  the  deer, 
and  spring  to  a  tree.  Six  several  times  our  hunter  fired,  until, 
at  last,  the  Puma  was  dead  at  his  feet.  Formerly,  these 
animals  were  not  uncommon,  but  now,  are  very  rarely  met, 
except  upon  Marajo. 

Not  unfrequently  the  fruit  of  our  hunting  excursions  was  a 
Monkey,  and  we  considered  this  most  acceptable,  as  it  furnish- 
ed our  table  with  a  meal,  delicious,  though  not  laid  down  in  the 
cookery  books.  These  animals  are  eaten  throughout  the  prov- 
ince, and  are  in  esteem  beyond  any  wild  game.  Whatever 
repugnance  we  felt  at  first,  was  speedily  dissipated,  and  often,  in 
regard  to  this  as  well  as  other  dishes,  we  had  reason  to  con- 
gratulate ourselves,  that  our  determination  of  partaking  of 
whatever  was  set  before  us,  discovered  to  our  acquaintance 
many  agreeable  dishes,  and  never  brought  us  into  trouble. 

Somewhere  in  these   precincts.  A picked  up  a  little 

naked  Indian,  with  eyes  like  a  hawk,  and  most  amusingly  ex- 
pressive features.  Squatted  upon  a  bench,  with  his  knees 
drawn  up  to   his  chin,  he  would  watch  every  motion  with  the 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  57 

curiosity  of  a  wild  man  of  the  woods.      A denominated 

him  his  tiger,  but  the  black  servitors  shook  their  heads,  and 
muttered  "  un  poco  diabo,"  a  little  devil.  It  was  the  tiger's 
business  to  follow  in  the  woods,  and  pick  up  game,  and  in  the 
intricacy  of  a  thicket,  rarely  could  even  a  hummer  escape  him. 
Here  he  was  at  home  ;  but  in  the  house,  the  indistinctness  of 
his  conceptions  of  meum  and  tuuro,  and  his  ignorance  of  the 
usages  of  even  a  tolerably  decent  society,  made  him  very  an- 
noying.   One  day,  being  rated  for  not  having  dried  A 's  shirt, 

he  was  discovered,  soon  after,  with  the  shirt  upon  his  back,  and 
standing  over  the  fire. 

The  building,  a  part  of  which  is  now  used  as  a  rice  mill, 
was  formerly  appropriated  to  different  purposes,  and  was  the 
manor  house  of  a  vast  estate,  now  mostly  unproductive.  It 
was  in  the  days  of  Para's  glory,  under  the  old  regime,  and 
here,  upon  the  finishing  of  the  structure,  were  gathered  all  the 
beauty  and  aristocracy  of  the  city — coming  down  in  barges, 
with  music  and  flying  streamers,  to  a  three  days'  revel.  Every 
Sunday,  the  old  proprietor  rode  through  the  forest  to  the  city, 
with  coach  and  four.  Those  days  have  passed,  and  the  bound- 
less wealth  and  the  proud  aristocracy  that  surrounded  the 
viceroy's  court,  have  passed  with  them.  An  American  com- 
pany, formed  at  Northampton,  Mass.,  purchased  the  estate,  and, 
for  many  years,  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Upton,  the 
agent  and  main  proprietor,  have  carried  on  a  large  and  profit- 
able business.  There  are  two  mills,  one  propelled  by  steam, 
the  other  by  water.  The  rice  is  brought  in  canoes  from  the 
city,  and  being  hulled,  is  returned,  to  be  reshipped,  in  great 
part,  to  Portugal.  In  this  level  country,  it  is  extremely  diffi- 
cult to  find  a  sufficient  fall  of  water  for  a  mill  seat,  but  still 
more  so,  to  find  a  fall  so  conveniently  situated  as  to  be  acces- 
sible by  tide  water.  Both  these  requisites  are  here;  the  fall 
of  water  being  twelve  feet,  and  the  flood  tide  filling  a  deep 
basin  directly  by  the  side  of  the  mill.  About  twenty  blacks  are 
employed  upon  the  place,  and  the  more  intelligent  are  found 
every  way  competent  to  attend  the  different  departments. 
Larry,  particularly,  was  a  general  favorite  with  visitors,  and  had 
showed  his  appreciation  of  their  favor,  by  picking  up  a  few  words 


58  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

of  English.  His  province  was  filling  and  marking  the  sacks,  and 
being  paid  a  price  for  all  above  a  certain  number,  he  earned,  reg- 
ularly, between  two  and  three  dollars  a  week.  We  thought, 
of  course,  that  Larry  was  in  a  fair  way  to  be  a  freeman,  and,  in 
our  innocence,  suggested  that  he  was  laying  up  money  to  buy  his 
papers.  But  he  dispersed  all  such  notions  by  the  sententious 
reply,  "  I  do  not  buy  my  freedom,  because  I  am  not  a  fool."  He 
had  a  good  master ,  he  had  a  wife,  and  he  did  not  have  care 
or  trouble.  Thus  he  was  contented.  The  aspirations  of 
another  of  these  blacks,  were  more  exalted;  for  one  day,  as  he 
sat  ruminating  upon  air  castles,  his  soul  fired,  perhaps,  with 
the  glorious  "  excelsior,"  he  burst  out  with,  "  I  wish  I  was  a 
rich  man,  I  would  eat  nothing  but  fresh  fish."  The  wood 
used  in  the  steam  mill  was  brought  up  by  canoes,  and  ex- 
changed for  broken  rice.  It  was  handsome  split  wood,  tough 
as  hickory,  and  of  varieties  generally  capable  of  a  fine  polish. 
Most  of  those  who  brought  it  were  women,  and  they  threw  it 
out  and  piled  it,  as  though  they  were  not  unaccustomed  to  the 
labor.  There  was  one  little  boy,  of  not  more  than  nine  years, 
who  used  to  paddle,  alone,  a  small  montaria,  unload  his  wood, 
buy  his  rice,  and  return  with  the  tide.  This  was  nothing 
unusual,  but  it  serves  to  show  the  confidence  reposed  in  chil- 
dren, who,  at  an  early  age,  are  often  seen  in  situations  thought 
to  require  double  the  years  elsewhere. 

It  was  at  the  mills,  that  we  first  appreciated  the  real  luxury 
of  sleeping  in  hammocks.  One  lays  peacefully  down  without 
the  annoying  consciousness  that  he  is  beset  with  marauding, 
bloodthirsty  enemies.  Throughout  the  whole  province  of  Para, 
hammocks  are  universally  used,  and  never,  but  on  one  occasion, 
while  we  were  in  the  country,  were  we  annoyed  by  flea  or  bug. 
The  hammock  is  a  pleasant  lounge  by  day,  as  well  as  resting 
place  by  night,  and  the  uncomfortable  heat  that  might  be  felt 
in  a  bed,  is  entirely  avoided.  In  the  centre  of  the  walls  of 
rooms  appropriated  as  sleeping  apartments,  are  staples  and 
rings,  or  suspension  hooks,  and  the  hammocks  are  swung 
across  the  corners.  Sometimes,  a  post  placed  in  the  middle  of 
the  room,  answers  as  a  point  of  divergence,  and  thus,  a  great 
number  of  guests  may  be  accommodated,  in  little  space,  and 
with  no  inconvenience. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  59 


There  is  one  enemy,  who,  sometimes,  approaches  even  a 
hammock,  and  takes  a  tribute  from  the  unconscious  sleeper,  and 
that  is  the  vampire  bat.  They  are  common  enough  any  where, 
but  about  the  mill,  seem  to  have  concentrated  in  dispropor- 
tionate numbers.  During  the  day,  they  are  sleeping  in  the 
tiles  of  the  roof,  but  no  sooner  has  the  declining  sun  unloosed 
the  eve,  than  they  may  be  seen  issuing  in  long,  black  streams. 
Usually,  we  avoided  all  their  intimacies  by  closing  the  shutters 
at  sunset;  but  occasionally,  some  of  them  would  find  entrance 
through  the  tiles,  and  we  went  forth  to  battle  them  with  all  the 
doughty  arms  within  our  reach,  nor  stopped  the  slaughter  until 
every  presumptuous  intruder  had  bit  the  dust — or,  less  meta- 
phorically, had  sprawled  upon  the  floor.  Several  thus  cap- 
tured, measured,  each,  upwards  of  two  feet  across  the  wings  ; 
but  most  were  smaller.  Of  their  fondness  for  human  blood, 
and  especially  that  particular  portion  which  constitutes  the 
animus  of  the  great  toe,  from  personal  experience,  I  am  unable 
to  vouch ;  but  every  one  in  the  country  is  confident  of  it,  and 
a  number  of  gentlemen,  at  different  times,  assured  us,  that 
they  themselves  had  been  phlebotomized  in  that  member,  nor 
knew  of  the  operation,  until  a  bloody  hammock  afforded  indu- 
bitable evidence.  They  spoke  of  it  as  a  slight  affair,  and,  pro- 
bably, the  little  blood  that  is  extracted  is  rarely  an  injury.  If 
the  foot  is  covered,  there  is  no  danger,  or  it'  a  light  is  kept 
burning  in  the  room  ;  and  often,  we  have  slept  unharmed,  thus 
guarded,  where  bats  were  flitting  about,  and  squeaking,  the 
night  long.  Cattle  and  horses  are  not  so  easily  protected,  and 
a  wound  once  made,  the  bat  returns  to  it  every  night,  until 
proper  precautions  are  taken,  or  the  animal  is  killed  by  loss  of 
blood. 

In  different  parts  of  the  mill,  were  the  nests  of  a  species  of 
wasp,  made  of  clay,  and  generally  fastened  upon  the  wall. 
But,  several  times,  upon  our  boxes,  books,  or  plants,  they  com- 
menced their  labors,  constructing  so  neat  a  little  edifice;  that  it 
was  hard  to  consider  them  intruders. 

Another  incident  was  more  home-like.  Within  the  noisiest 
part  of  the  building,  and  in  an  unused  piece  of  machinery,  a 
little  house-wren  had  constructed  her  home,  and  would  have 


60  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

reared  her  pretty  brood,  but,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  some  egg- 
collecting  stranger  chanced  that  way. 

One  morning,  we  took  the  montaria,  and  started  for  Corien- 
tiores,  a  plantation,  or  rather,  what,  once  was  a  plantation,  some 
three  miles  below.  The  sun  was  rising  unclouded — the  tide 
fell  swiftly,  and  we  skimmed,  arrow-like,  in  our  little  craft,  past 
leafy  banks  and  flowery  festoonings,  and  in  a  course  more  tor- 
tuous than  that  of  a  meadow  brook.  The  kingfisher  sat  perch- 
ed upon  his  overhanging  branch,  scarcely  big  enough  to  carry 
off  the  minnows  he  so  intently  watched  for,  and  a  jewel  in  the 
sunlight,  with  his  back  of  golden  green,  and  satin  breast. 
Sandpipers  flew,  startled,  across  the  stream,  and  the  shrilly- 
cackling  rail  skulked  away  at  our  approach.  A  duck-hawk 
sat  upon  the  summit  of  a  leafless  tree,  fearlessly  eyeing  us. 
Huge  fish  leaped  out  of  the  water,  in  all  the  ecstasy  of  pisca- 
torial bliss ;  and  we  drew  from  the  general  joyousness,  good 
omens  of  a  successful  morning's  work.  Arrived  at  our  desti- 
nation, nought  appeared  but  a  house  in  the  distance,  almost 
concealed  by  shrubbery,  and  every  where  else,  a  tangled  bush, 
with  a  few  tall  trees,  from  whose  tops,  numbers  of  large  fly- 
catchers were  calling  "  Bentivee — Bentivee."  Through  this 
labyrinth,  we  toiled  a  couple  of  hours,  shooting  few  birds,  run- 
ning heedlessly,  and  to  our  peril,  into  bees'  nests,  and  leaving  rags 
of  clothes,  and  shreds  of  flesh,  among  the  prickly  sword-grass ; 
until,  at  length,  we  were  fain  to  give  it  up  as  a  bad  job,  and. 
coming  near  the  house,  sat  us  down  under  the  orange-trees, 
whose  abundant  fruit  served  somewhat  to  stay  our  longings  for 
breakfast.  A  white,  man  came  to  the  door,  and  seemed  dis- 
posed to  be  communicative  ;  so  we  mustered  our  forlorn  stock 
of  Portuguese,  and  soon  made  considerable  advances  in  his 
graces.  He  insisted  upon  our  taking  a  cup  of  coffee,  and,  after 
a  little  more  nodding  and  comprehending,  on  both  sides,  nothing 
would  do,  but  we  must  add  to  coffee,  fish  and  farinha ;  fresh 
fish,  too,  and  of  his  own  catching,  and  none  the  less  agreeable, 
doubtless,  for  being  presented  us  by  his  pretty  wife.  After 
breakfast,  our  friend  sent  out  to  the  orange-tree,  and  soon 
brought  us  a  brimming  goblet  of  orangeade  ;  and  finally,  before 
our  departure,  he  had  a  number  of  breadfruits  brought  in,  and 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  61 

the  extracted  seeds,  much  like  chesnuts,  roasted,  with  which 
he  crammed  our  pockets.  Verily,  thought  we,  if  this  is  the 
custom  of  the  country,  and  the  mere  fact  of  one's  being  a 
stranger  is  a  passport  to  such  hospitality,  and  a  sufficient 
apology  for  powder-smutted  faces,  and  ragged  garments,  there 
is  some  little  good  left  in  the  world  yet.  Here  was  this  man, 
with  so  generous  a  heart,  really  one  of  the  laziest  squatters  in 
the  neighborhood,  without  a  vestige  of  any  sort  of  cultivation 
upon  his  premises,  and,  evidently  enough,  dependent  for  his 
support  upon  the  fish  he  might  catch  in  the  stream :  he  would 
have  felt  offended,  had  we  offered  to  pay  for  our  entertainment, 
so  we  did  what  we  could,  by  slipping  some  mementoes  into  the 
hand  of  a  bright-eyed  young  Apollo,  who  was  trotting  about 
with  the  freedom  of  a  wild  colt. 

The  breadfruit  tree,  which  we  saw  growing  upon  this 
place,  sprang  from  a  plant  originally  introduced  into  the  Bo- 
tanical Garden  of  Para  by  the  Government.  A  few  of  these 
trees  are  scattered  over  the  province,  but  they  are  considered 
rather  as  ornamental  than  useful.  In  appearance,  it  is  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  of  trees  ;  having  a  large,  wide-spreading  top, 
profusely  hung  with  many-lobed  leaves,  nearly  two  feet  in 
length,  and  of  a  bright  green.  The  fruit  is  nearly  spherical, 
six  inches  in  diameter,  green  in  color,  and  curiously  warted 
upon  the  surface.  Within,  it  is  yellowish,  and  fibrous,  and  con- 
tains a  number  of  seeds,  which  are  eaten  roasted.  There  is  a 
superior  variety,  that  is  seedless,  and  the  whole  of  which  is 
eaten. 

Another  common  visiting  place  from  the  Mills  was  the 
Larangeira,  or  Orange  Grove,  a  little  settlement  not  far  below 
Corientiores,  where  a  lazy  commandant  mustered  a  few  beg- 
garly troops,  for  the  security  of  this  pant  of  the  province.  The 
most  remarkable  object  here,  was  a  cotton  tree,  measuring 
thirty-two  feet  in  circumference,  two  feet  above  the  ground. 
The  height  corresponded  to  this  vastness,  and  we  left  it  with  a 
very  lively  impression  of  what  Nature  might  do  here,  only  give 
her  the  opportunity.  Fortunately  for  settlers,  her  powers  are 
somewhat  restricted,  and  for  one  such  monster,  there  are  a 
hundred,  little  formidable,  else  were  clearing  the  land  out  of 

4 


62  A    VOYAGE    TJP    THE  -RIVER    AMAZON. 


the  question.  From  the  Larangeira,  we  received  a  variety  of 
shells,  the  Helix  pellis-serpentis,  Anastoma  globosa,  Bulimus 
regius,  and  Helix  comboides  (Ferr.)  One  of  the  largest  trees 
of  the  forest  is  the  Masseranduba,  or  Cow  tree,  and,  about  Para, 
they  are  exceedingly  common.  One,  in  particular,  stands 
directly  on  the  road,  beyond  the  first  bridge  from  the  mill,  and 
cutting  into  this,  with  our  tresado,  the  milk  issued  at  every 
pore.  It  much  resembled  cream  in  appearance  and  taste,  and 
might  be  used  as  a  substitute  for  milk  in  coffee ;  or,  diluted 
with  water,  as  a  drink.  It  is,  however,  little  used,  except  as  a 
medicine,  or  for  the  adulteration  of  rubber.  The  wood  of  this 
tree  is  red,  like  mahogany,  very  durable,  and  used  much  for 
purposes  where  such  timber  is  required.  There  are  said  to  be 
eight  varieties  of  trees  known  at  Para,  and  more  or  less  com- 
mon, which  yield  a  milky  sap.  Other  trees  yield  fragrant 
gums,  and  nearly  or  quite  all  these  products  are  used  for  medi- 
cinal purposes. 

At  length,  we  prepared  to  leave  the  Mills,  having  enjoyed 
ourselves  to  the  utmost  in  this  our  first  experience  of  Brazilian 
country  life.  We  had  seen  every  thing  that  we  could  have 
seen,  and  had  made  a  beautiful  collection  of  birds  and  other 
objects.  It  was  with  regret  that  we  bade  adieu  to  Mr.  Lea- 
vens, who  had  contributed  so  much  to  our  comfort  and  pleasure. 
The  sun  had  not  risen,  when,  guns  upon  our  shoulders,  and 
accompanied  by  a  black,  with  a  basket  for  the  carriage  of  any 
interesting  plants,  or  other  objects  that  we  might  desire  to  ap- 
propriate upon  the  road,we  set  forth.  We  passed  several  bridges, 
spanning  little  streams,  and  for  ten  miles,  walked  through  the 
deep  forest.  The  cries  of  monkeys  resounded  about  us,  and 
every  now  and  then,  there  came  a  shrill  sound,  like  that  pro- 
duced by  whistling  with  the  finger  in  the  mouth.  We  fre- 
quently afterwards  heard  this  same  whistle,  in  different  parts 
of  the  country,  but  never  were  able  to  ascertain  from  what  it 
proceeded.  Most  likely  a  squirrel,  but  we  were  assured  it  was 
the  note  of  a  bird.  We  encountered  a  spider,  leisurely  cross- 
ing the  road,  that  might  rival  the  tarantula  in  bigness.  A 
sharpened  stick  pinned  him  to  the  earth,  and  we  bore  him  in 
triumph  to  town.     Across  his  outstretched  legs  none  of  us  could 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  63 

span,  and  his  sharp  teeth  were  like  hawk's  claws.  This  spe- 
cies spins  no  web,  but  lives  in  hollow  logs,  and  probably  feeds 
upon  huge  insects,  perhaps  small  animals,  or  birds.  We  col- 
lected specimens  of  a  great  variety  of  Ferns,  Calandrias,  Te- 
lanzias,  and  Maxillarias,  and  observed  many  rich  flowers  of 
which  we  know  not  the  names.  But  we  did  recognize  a  Pas- 
sion-flower, with  its  stars  of  crimson,  as  it  wound  around  a 
small  tree,  and  mingled  its  beauties  with  the  overshading 
leaves. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Start  for  Carip6 — Island  scene — Arrival — Vicinity — Tomb  of  Mr.  Graham — Dinner — 
Shelling  in  the  bay — Varieties  of  shells — Martins — Terns — Nuts  and  fruits — Mode 
of  fishing — Four-eyed  fish — Ant  tracks — Moqueens — Forest — Creeping  plants — Wild 
hogs,  or  Peccaries — Traps — Agoutis — Pacas — Squirrels — Birds — Chapel  and  singing  of 
the  blacks — Andiroba  oil. 


Our  delightful  visit  at  Magoary  had  incited  a  desire  for 
further  adventure,  and  ere  a  week  had  elapsed  after  our 
return,  we  were  preparing  to  visit  Caripe.  Profiting  by  past 
experience,  we  secured  a  small  canoe,  having  instead  of  a 
cabin,  merely  an  arched  covering  towards  the  stern,  denomi- 
nated a  iolda,  and  affording  sufficient  shelter  for  short  voyages. 
This  was  manned  by  two  stout  negroes.  Caripe  is  nearly 
opposite  Para,  distant  about  thirty  miles,  but  separated  by 
many  intervening  islands.  Among  these,  thirty  miles  may  be 
a  short  distance  or  a  very  long  one,  as  the  tides  favor ;  for 
there  are  so  many  cross  currents  running  in  every  direction, 
that  it  requires  great  care  to  avoid  being  compelled  to  anchor, 
and  lose  much  time.  As  to  pulling  against  the  tide,  which 
rushes  along  with  a  six  mile  velocity,  it  is  next  to  impossible. 

We  left  Para  at  midnight,  two  hours  before  low  tide  ;  and 
falling  down  about  eight  miles,  received  the  advancing  flood, 
which  swiftly  bore  us  on  its  bosom.     There  were  two  others 

of  our  party,  besides  A and  myself;  and  one  taking  the 

helm,  the  rest  of  us  stretched  our  toughening  bodies  upon  the 
platform,  under  the  tolda,  determined  to  make  a  night  of  it. 

Morning  dawned,  and  we  were  winding  in  a  narrow 
channel,  among  the  loveliest  islands  that  eye  ever  rested  on. 
They  sat  upon  the  water  like  living  things ;  their  green  dra- 
pery dipping  beneath  the  surface,  and  entirely  concealing  the 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  65 


shore.  Upon  the  main-land,  we  had  seen  huge  forests,  that 
much  resembled  those  of  the  North  magnified  ;  but  here,  all 
was  different,  and  our  preconceptions  of  a  forest  in  the  tropics 
were  more  fully  realized.  Vast  numbers  of  palms  shot  up 
their  tall  stems,  and  threw  out  their  coronal  beauties  in  a  pro- 
fusion of  fantastic  forms.  Sometimes,  the  long  leaves  assumed 
the  shape  of  a  feather-encircling  crest,  at  others,  of  an  opened 
•fan  ;  now,  long  and  broad,  they  drooped  languidly  in  the  sun- 
light, and  again,  like  ribbon  streamers  they  were  floating 
upon  every  breath  of  air.  Some  of  these  palms  were  in  blos- 
som, the  tall  sprigs  of  yellow  flowers  conspicuous  among  the 
leaves  ;  from  others,  depended  masses  of  large  fruits  ripening 
in  the  sun,  or  attracting  flocks  of  noisy  parrots.  At  other 
spots,  the  palms  had  disappeared,  and  the  dense  foliage  of  the 
tree  tops  resembled  piles  of  green.  Along  the  shore,  creeping 
vines  so  overran  the  whole,  as  to  form  an  impervious  hedge, 
concealing  every  thing  within,  and  clustering  with  flowers. 
Very  rarely,  a  tall  reed  was  seen,  and  by  the  leaves  which 
encircled  every  joint,  and  hung  like  tassels  from  its  bended 
head,  we  recognized  the  bamboo.  Frequently  we  passed 
plantations,  generally  of  sugar  cane,  and  looking,  at  a  dis- 
tance, like  fields  of  waving  corn ;  in  beautiful  contrast  with 
the  whole  landscape  beside.  We  lost  the  tide,  and  were 
obliged  to  creep  along  shore,  for  some  distance,  at  the  rate  of 
about  a  mile  an  hour.  At  length,  towards  noon,  turning  a 
point,  we  opened  at  once  into  a  vast  expanse  of  water,  upon 
the  farther  side  of  which  the  tree  tops  of  Marajo  were  just 
visible.  Immediately  to  our  left,  distant  about  a  mile,  and  in 
a  small  circular  bay,  the  broad  white  beach  and  glistening 
house  upon  its  margin,  told  us  we  had  arrived  at  Caripe. 
We  were  all  enthusiasm  with  the  beautiful  spot,  heightened 
doubtless  by  the  approaching  termination  of  our  voyage;  for 
in  our  cooped-up  quarters,  we  were  any  thing  but  comfortable 
or  satisfied.  Moreover,  a  sail  in  the  hot  sun,  unfortified  by 
breakfast,  tendeth  not  to  good  humor. 

Landing  upon  the  beach,  and  having  the  canoe  dragged 
up  high  and  dry,  we  proceeded  to  the  house,  and  soon  made 
the  acquaintance  of  the  old  negroes,  who  had  charge  of  the 


66  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

premises.  They  set  about  preparing  dinner,  and  we,  mean- 
while, slung  our  hammocks  in  the  vacant  apartments,  and 
reconnoitred  our  position.  The  house  was  remarkably  well 
constructed,  for  the  country,  covering  a  large  area,  with  high 
and  neatly  plastered  rooms,  and  all  else  conveniently  ar- 
ranged. In  front  was  a  fine  view  of  the  bay,  and  Marajo  in 
the  distance.  Upon  either  side,  the  forest  formed  a  hedge 
close  by.  Behind,  was  a  space  of  a  few  acres,  dotted  with 
fruit  trees  of  various  kinds,  and  containing  two  or  three 
thatched  structures,  used  for  various  purposes ;  one  of  which 
particularly,  was  a  kiln  for  mandioca.  Here  a  black,  shaggy 
goat,  with  horns  a  yard  in  length,  lay  enjoying  himself  in  the 
drying  pan.  A  number  of  young  Scarlet  Ibises  were  running 
tamely  about.  A  flock  of  Troopiais  had  draped  a  tree,  near  the 
house,  with  their  nests,  and  were  loudly  chattering  and  scold- 
ing. But  amid  these  beauties,  was  one  object  that  inspired 
very  different  feelings.  Close  under  our  window,  surrounded 
by  a  little  wooden  enclosure,  and  unmarked  by  any  stone, 
was  the  tomb  of  Mr.  Graham,  his  wife,  and  child.  He  was 
an  English  naturalist,  and  with  his  family  had  spent  a  long 
time  in  the  vicinity  of  Para,  laboring  with  all  a  naturalist's 
enthusiasm  to  make  known  to  the  world  the  treasures  of  the 
country.  He  left  this  beach,  in  a  small  montaria,  to  go  to  a 
large  canoe,  anchored  at  a  little  distance ;  and  just  as  he  had 
arrived,  by  some  strange  mishap,  the  little  boat  was  over- 
turned, and  himself,  his  wife,  and  his  child  were  buried  be- 
neath the  surf.  The  bodies  were  recovered  and  deposited  in 
this  enclosure.  Mr.  Graham  had  been  a  manufacturer,  and 
was  a  man  of  wealth.  His  family  suffer  his  remains  to  lie 
mouldering  here,  unmarked,  although  several  years  have 
elapsed  since  the  catastrophe. 

We  were  standing  here,  when  a  smiling  wench  announc- 
ed dinner  upon  the  table,  and  all  reflections  upon  aught  else 
were  dissipated. 

It  is  customary  for  persons  visiting  these  solitary  planta- 
tions to  provide  themselves  with  such  provisions  as  they  may 
want ;  but  we  were  as  yet  uninitiated,  and  had  secured  nothing 
but  a  few  bottles  of  oil  and  vinegar.     But  fish  and  farinha  are 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  67 

the  never  failing  resort,  and  to  this  we  were  now  introduced 
with  raging  appetites.  Here  a  slight  difficulty  occurred  at  the 
outset.  The  old  woman  had  a  store  of  dishes,  but  neither 
knife  nor  fork.  We  had  penknives,  but  they  were  inconve- 
nient, and  tresados,  but  they  were  unwieldy ;  so,  sending  eti- 
quette to  the  parlor,  we  took  counsel  of  our  fingers  in  this  em- 
barrassing emergency,  and  by  their  active  co-operation,  suc- 
ceeded in  disposing,  individually,  of  a  large  platter  of  a  well 
mixed  compound,  in  which  oil  and  vinegar,  onions,  pepper  and 
salt,  materially  assisted  to  disguise  the  flavor  of  the  other  two 
ingredients.  There  have  been  more  costly  meals,  and  perhaps, 
of  a  more  miscellaneous  character,  than  our  first  at  Caripe  ;  but 
I  doubt  if  any  were  ever  more  enjoyed.  After  this  dinner,  we 
got  on  more  genteelly,  for  we  heard  of  a  store  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  by  as  frequent  visitations  as  our  necessities  rendered 
expedient,  provided  ourselves  with  every  thing  requisite. 
Fresh  fish  were  abundant;  and  frequently  some  Indian  in  the 
vicinity  would  bring  eggs,  in  exchange  for  powder  and  shot. 
Add  to  these  a  daily  dish  of  muscles,  or,  more  conchologically 
speaking,  of  Hyrias  and  Castalias,  and  our  ways  and  means  are 
explained. 

We  had  come  to  Caripe  more  particularly  for  shells,  inas- 
much as  it  was  the  most  celebrated  locality  for  them  in  the 
vicinity  of  Para.  The  bay  so  faces  the  channel,  that  the  tides 
create  a  great  surf  and  collect  large  numbers  of  various  shells. 
We  were  just  in  time  for  the  spring  tides,  when  the  water  rises 
and  falls  fifteen  feet ;  now,  foaming  almost  to  the  top  of  the 
bank,  now,  leaving  exposed  a  broad  flat  of  sand,  beyond  which, 
in  shallow  water,  is  a  muddy  bottom.  This  latter  was  our 
shelling  ground  ;  and  whenever  the  water  would  permit,  all  of 
our  party,  and  the  boatmen,  were  wading  neck  deep  about  the 
bajr.  Each  carried  a  basket  upon  his  arm,  and  upon  feeling 
out  the  shell  with  his  toes,  either  ducked  to  pick  it  up,  or  fished 
it  out  with  scoop-nets  made  for  the  purpose.  In  a  good  morn- 
ing's work  we  would,  in  this  way,  collect  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  shells.  Those  in  the  deeper  water  were  of  three 
varieties,  the  Hyria  corrugata  (Sow.),  the  Hyria  avicularis 
(Lam.),  and  the  Anadonta  esula  (D'Orbigny),  the  latter  of 


68 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


which  was  extremely  uncommon.  Nearer  the  shore,  and  in 
pools  left  standing  in  the  sand,  were  the  Castalia  ambigua 
(Lam.),  always  discoverable  by  the  long  trails  produced  by 
their  walking.  Of  three  other  small  species  we  found  single 
specimens,  all  hitherto  undescribed  by  conchologists.  Two  of 
these  were  of  the  genus  Cyrena,  and  the  third  an  Anadonta.  In 
the  crevices  of  the  uncovered  rocks  were  great  numbers  of  the 
Neritina  zebra  (Lam.),  which  variety  is  often  seen  in  the 
market  of  Para,  and  is  eaten  by  the  negroes.  About  one  hun- 
dred yards  east  of  the  house,  was  a  tide  stream  extending  into 
the  woods,  and  called  in  the  country,  igaripe.  Here,  and  in 
similar  igaripes  in  the  neighborhood,  were  numbers  of  a  red- 
lipped  Ampullaria. 

The  water  was  so  delightfully  tempered,  that  we  expe- 
rienced no  inconvenience  from  our  long  wadings,  beyond  blis- 
tered backs,  and  this  we  guarded  against  somewhat  by  wear- 
ing flannel.  A  kind  of  small  fish,  that  bites  disagreeably,  was 
said  to  be  common  in  these  waters,  and  though  we  never  met 
them,  we  thought  it  as  well  to  encounter  them,  if  at  all,  in 
drawers  and  stockings.  The  tide  here  fell  with  very  great 
slowness  ;  but,  at  the  instant  of  turning,  it  rushed  in  with  a 
heavy  swell,  immediately  flooding  the  flat,  and  breaking  with 
loud  roarings  upon  the  shore.  Besides  the  shells  above  enu- 
merated, the  Bulimus  haemastoma  was  extremely  common 
upon  the  land.  Frequently  we  found  their  eggs.  They  were 
nearly  an  inch  long,  white,  and  within,  was  generally  the  fully 
formed  snail,  shell  and  all,  awaiting  his  egress. 

At  low  water,  upon  the  bushes  in  some  parts  springing 
plentifully  from  the  sand,  large  flocks  of  Martins,  Hirundo 
purpurea,  were  congregated,  like  swallows  in  August.  They 
seemed  preparing  for  a  migration,  but  as  we  saw  them  fre- 
quently throughout  our  journeyings,  at  different  seasons,  they 
probably  remain  and  breed  there.  Flocks  of  Terns  were  skim- 
ming every  morning  along  the  beach,  and  as  we  shot  one  of 
their  number,  the  others  would  fly  circling  about,  screaming, 
and  utterly  regardless  of  danger. 

The  tides  here  collected  great  quantities  of  nuts  and  fruits, 
and  along  high-water  mark,  was  a  deep  ridge  of  them,  some, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  69 

dried  in  the  sun,  others,  throwing  out  their  roots  and  clinging  to 
the  soil.  We  picked  up  an  interesting  variety  of  the  palm 
fruits,  and  large  beans  of  various  sorts.  One  kind  of  the  lat- 
ter, in  particular,  was  in  profusion,  and  we  soon  discovered 
the  tree  whence  they  came,  growing  near  by.  It  was  tall 
and  nobly  branching,  and  overhung  with  long  pods.  Several 
varieties  of  acacias  also  ornamented  the  shore,  conspicuous 
everywhere,  from  the  dark  rich  green  of  their  leaves.  These, 
also,  bore  a  bean  in  a  broad  pod,  and  the  Indians  asserted  it  a 
useful  remedy  for  the  colic.  Here,  also,  we  discovered  a  new 
fruit.  It  resembled  much  a  strawberry,  in  shape,  color,  and  fla- 
vor, except  that  its  red  skin  was  smooth,  and  its  size  that  of  a 
large  plum.  It  covered  in  profusion  the  top  of  a  large  tree, 
and  its  appearance  then  was  most  beautiful.  The  negroes  ate 
large  quantities  of  it.  We  were  told,  afterwards,  in  the  city, 
that  it  was  a  useful  and  agreeable  medicine,  having  upon  the 
system  some  of  the  beneficial  effects  of  calomel. 

Caripe  is  famous  for  its  fishery,  and  we  observed,  with 
interest,  the  manner  of  taking  fish  in  these  igaripes.  A  mat- 
ting is  made  of  light  reeds,  six  feet  in  length,  and  half  an  inch 
in  diameter,  fastened  together  by  strings  of  grass.  This,  being 
rolled  up,  is  easily  transported  upon  the  shoulder,  to  a  conveni- 
ent spot,  either  the  entrance  of  a  small  igaripe,  or  some  little 
bay,  flooded  by  the  tide.  The  mat  net  is  set  and  properly  se- 
cured, and  the  retiring  tide  leaves  within  it  the  unlucky  fish. 
This  mode  is  very  simple,  yet  a  montaria  is  frequently  filled 
with  the  fish,  mostly,  of  course,  small  in  size.  We  saw  a  great 
many  varieties  thus  daily  taken,  and  much  we  regretted  that 
our  ignorance  of  ichthyology  rendered  it  impossible  for  us  to  dis- 
tinguish them,  and  that  our  want  of  facilities  made  it  equally  im- 
possible to  preserve  them.  One  curious  species,  the  Anableps 
tetrophthalmus,  was  very  common.  It  is  called  by  the  people,  the 
four-eyed  fish,  and  is  always  seen  swimming  with  nose  above  the 
surface  of  the  water,  and  propelling  itself  by  sudden  starts. 
The  eye  of  this  fish  has  two  pupils,  although  but  one  crystal- 
line and  one  vitreous  humor,  and  but  one  retina.  It  is  the 
popular  belief,  that  as  it  swims,  two  of  its  eyes  are  adapted  to 
the  water,  and  two  to  the  air. 

4* 


70  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


It  was  curious  to  observe  the  tracks  of  the  Sauba  ants  about 
the  grass,  in  some  parts  near  the  house.  By  constant  passing, 
they  had  worn  roads  two  inches  wide,  and  one  or  more  deep, 
crossing  each  other  at  every  angle.  These  paths  usually  ran 
towards  the  beach,  where  quantities  of  food  were  daily  de- 
posited for  the  ants.  A  far  greater  nuisance  than  ants  were 
Moqueens,  little  insects  that  live  in  the  grass,  and  delight  to  at- 
tach themselves  to  any  passer-by.  They  are  red  in  color,  and 
so  small,  as  to  be  scarcely  distinguishable.  But  there  is  no 
mistaking  their  bite,  and,  for  a  little  time,  it  produces  an  intol- 
erable itching.  We  had  known  something  of  them  at  the  Mills, 
but  the  dwellers  there  were  nothing  to  those  at  Caripe. 

The  forest  around  us  was  mostly  of  second  growth,  and 
difficult  of  ingress,  except  along  the  road,  which  extended  back, 
about  two  miles,  to  an  old  ruin.  At  this  place,  we  noticed,  in 
the  doorway,  a  tree,  nearly  a  foot  in  diameter,  and  yet,  but  a 
very  few  years  had  elapsed  since  the  house  was  inhabited. 

The  creeping  vines  were  of  a  different  variety  from  any 
that  we  had  before  seen,  contorted  into  strange  shapes.  One, 
particularly,  with  its  broad  stalk,  resembled  a  shrivelled  bean 
pod. 

Paths  of  wild  hogs,  or  Peccaries,  crossed  the  woods  every 
where,  these  animals  associating  in  droves.  They  much  re- 
semble the  domestic  hog,  but  never  attain  a  large  size.  At 
various  places,  in  these  paths,  were  traps  set  by  the  negroes 
for  Pacas  and  Agoutis,  or  other  small  animals.  A  thick  hedge 
of  limbs,  and  prickly  palm  leaves,  is  laid  along,  and  any  ani- 
mal encountering  this,  will  prefer  following  its  course  to  making 
forcible  passage,  until  his  mortal  career  is  probably  terminated 
in  a  figure-four  trap. 

The  Agoutis  are  small  animals  of  the  Rodentia  family,  of  a 
reddish  color,  very  common,  and  esteemed  as  food.  They  are 
much  inferior  in  this  respect,  however,  as  well  as  in  size,  to  the 
Pacas.  These  somewhat  resemble  Guinea  pigs  in  form,  and 
are  the  size  of  a  young  porker,  living  in  burrows  in  the  ground. 
They  are  very  prettily  spotted,  and  are  a  beautiful  species. 

In  these  woods,  we  saw  a  number  of  Squirrels,  the  same 
nimble  things  as  squirrels  elsewhere-     There  seems  to  be  but 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  71 


one  variety  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city,  something  smaller  than 
our  red  squirrel,  and  of  a  color  between  red  and  gray.  The 
place  of  this  family  is  fully  supplied  by  monkeys,  which  are 
seen  and  heard  every  where. 

In  the  denser  thicket  we  encountered  a  curious  species  of 
bird,  which,  afterwards,  we  found  to  be  common  throughout 
the  province,  in  like  situations.  This  was  the  White-bearded 
Puff-bird,  Tamatialeucops.  By  collectors,  at  Para,  it  is  known 
by  the  name  of  Waxbill,  from  its  long,  red  beak.  This  bird  is 
the  size  of  a  jay,  and  almost  wholly  a  lead  color,  approaching 
to  black.  It  receives  its  name  from  the  loose  feathers  upon  the 
throat,  which  it  has  the  habit  of  puffing  out  until  its  neck  ap- 
pears as  large  as  its  body.  Owing  to  the  secluded  situations 
in  which  we  found  this  bird,  we  could  observe  little  of  its  hab- 
its, but  another  variety  of  the  same  family  was  common  about 
the  rice-mill,  at  Magoary,  where,  at  any  time,  numbers  of  them 
might  be  seen  sitting  upon  the  top  of  some  dead  tree,  whence 
they  sallied  out  for  insects,  after  the  manner  of  the  fly-catchers. 
They  were  very  tame,  and  only  learned  caution  after  sad  thin- 
ning of  their  numbers.  This  species  is  the  Swallow  Puff-bird, 
L.  tenebrosa,  and  is  nearly  the  size  of  a  Martin.  We  discov- 
ered a  nest  of  this  bird.  It  was  built  in  the  fork  of  a  limb,  and 
both  the  nest  itself,  and  the  eggs  which  it  contained,  strikingly 
resembled  those  of  our  Wood-pewee,  Muscicapa  virens.  A 
third  small  variety  of  this  family  is  the  Spotted,  T.  macularia, 
seen  only  in  the  deeper  woods. 

Connected  with  our  house  was  a  little  chapel,  upon  the  al- 
tar of  which,  was  a  rude  representation  of  the  Virgin,  and  every 
morning  and  evening,  the  blacks  knelt  in  devotion.  Upon  cer- 
tain evenings,  all  of  them,  and  some  of  the  neighbors,  would 
come  together,  and,  for  an  hour,  chant  the  Portuguese  hymn, 
in  wild  tones,  but  very  pleasing.  A  lamp  was  constantly  kept 
burning  in  this  chapel.  Similar  customs  prevail  at  most  of  the 
country  sitios,  and  by  many  of  the  planters,  the  blacks  are 
trained  up  rigidly  to  the  performance  of  these  observances. 

The  oil  universally  used  for  burning  is  obtained  from  the 
nuts  of  a  tree  known  as  the  Andiroba.  This  tree  is  lofty  and 
its  wide-spreading  top  is  overhung  with  large  round  pericarps, 


72  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

each  of  which  contains  eight  nuts,  of  a  triangular  shape.  These 
are  mashed  between  stones,  and  placed  in  the  sun,  which  soon 
causes  the  oil  to  exude.  It  is  dark  in  color,  and  burns  with  a 
dim  light.  Its  taste  is  intensely  bitter.  It  is  considered  a  val- 
uable remedy  for  wounds. 

The  torches  used  by  the  blacks,  at  Caripe,  consisted  merely 
of  a  few  small  nuts  of  a  species  of  palm,  strung  upon  a  stick. 
They  were  full  of  oil,  and  burned  clearly,  answering  their  pur- 
pose admirably 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Leave  for  Tatiait— Indians— Arrival  at  midnight— Morning  view — The  estate — THaria 
or  Pottery — Lime  kiln — Slaves — Castanha  tree — Cuya  or  Gourd  tree — Ant  hills — 
An  ant  battle — Forest — Macaws— Doves — Other  birds — Sloth — Coati— Macura — 
Butterflies — Return  to  the  city — Festival  of  Judas— Visit  Sr.  Angelico,  upon  the 
Guama — Brazilian  country  house — Curious  air-plant — Seringa  or  Rubber  trees — 
Harpy  Eagle — Monkeys. 

Tauau  is  one  of  the  estates  of  Archibald  Campbell,  Esq., 
and  by  his  invitation,  we  made  arrangements  for  spending  a 
few  days  there,  in  company  with  Mr.  Norris.  The  distance 
from  Para  is  one  tide,  or  about  thirty  miles,  nearly  south,  and 
upon  the  river  Acara.  We  left  the  city  late  in  the  afternoon, 
in  the  same  canoe,  and  with  the  same  boatmen,  who  accompa- 
nied us  to  Caripe.  Just  above  the  city,  the  Guama  flows  in 
with  a  powerful  current,  setting  far  over  towards  the  opposite 
islands.  Passing  this,  we  entered  the  stream  formed  by  the 
united  waters  of  the  Moju  and  Acara,  and  a  few  miles  above, 
turned  eastward,  into  the  latter ;  a  quiet,  narrow  river,  winding 
among  comparatively  lofty  banks,  and  through  large  and  well 
cultivated  plantations.  The  clear  moonlight  added  inexpressi- 
bly to  the  charm  of  this  voyage,  silvering  the  trees,  and  cast- 
ing long  shadows  over  the  water.  The  blacks  struck  up  a  song, 
and  the  wild  chorus  floated  through  the  air,  startling  the  still- 
ness. Frequently  the  same  song  came  echoed  back,  and  soon 
was  heard  the  measured  sound  of  paddles,  as  some  night  voy- 
ager like  ourselves,  was  on  his  way  to  the  city. 

One  cannot  sail  upon  these  streams,  where  unreclaimed  na- 
ture still  revels  in  freedom  and  beauty,  without  feeling  power- 
fully the  thickly  clustering  associations  connected  with  them, 
and  having  often  before  his  mind  the  scenes  that  have  here 
transpired,  since  white  men  made  this  the  theatre  of  their  ava- 


74  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

rice  and  ambition.  The  great  race  who  inhabited  this  part  of 
the  continent  were  the  Tapuyas,  whose  name  is  now  the  gen- 
eral name  for  Indian.  They  were  a  kindly,  hospitable  race, 
the  least  cruel  of  all  the  Brazilian  Indians,  and  received  the 
whites  with  open  arms.  The  whole  main,  and  all  these  lovely 
islands,  were  their  homes,  and  here,  in  peaceful  security,  they 
whiled  away  their  lives  like  a  summer's  day.  Henceforth  their 
story  is  soon  told.  They  were  seized  as  slaves,  mercilessly 
treated,  their  lives  of  no  more  value  than  the  beasts  of  the  wood. 
Countless  numbers  perished  beneath  their  toil.  Millions  died 
from  epidemic  diseases,  and  many.fledfar  into  the  interior,  hoping 
to  find  some  spot  that  the  white  man  could  never  reach.  The 
whole  Tapuya  race  have  disappeared,  except  here  and  there  a 
solitary  one,  less  fortunate,  perhaps,  than  his  nation. 

As  we  approached  Tauaii,  the  bank  increased  in  height, 
and  from  some  distance,  the  glistening  tiles  of  a  long  building 
were  conspicuous.  At  length,  the  large  plantation  house  ap- 
peared upon  the  brow  of  the  hill,  almost  concealed  by  the  trees 
and  shrubbery,  and  a  light  descending  the  steps  betokened  that 
our  approach  was  observed.  The  overseer  himself  had  come 
down  to  bid  us  welcome,  and  landing  at  the  nicely  sheltered 
wharf  that  projected  into  the  stream,  we  followed  him  up  the 
flight  of  stone  steps  to  the  house.  A  room  in  the  upper  story 
was  ready  to  receive  our  hammocks,  and  here,  we  turned  in,  to 
await  the  morning.  It  was  scarcely  daybreak,  when  Ave  were 
aroused  by  the  entrance  of  a  servant  bringing  coffee,  and  no 
farther  inducement  was  necessary  to  our  early  rising.  The 
sky  was  unclouded,  and  the  drops  which  had  fallen  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  night,  covered  the  trees  with  brilliants,  as  the 
sun  broke  upon  them.  Every  thing  smiled  with  the  morning, 
the  distant  woods,  the  lake-like  stream,  the  hill  slope  covered 
by  orange  and  cocoa  trees.  Below,  and  a  little  to  the  right, 
was  the  tilaria,  whose  glistening  roof  had  attracted  us  the 
night  before,  and  numbers  of  blacks  were  already  within,  en- 
gaged at  their  work. 

This  estate  was  laid  out  by  the  Jesuits,  and  bears  the 
marks  of  their  good  taste.  The  land,  for  a  long  distance  from 
the  river,  is  rolling,  sometimes  rising  one  hundred  feet  above 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  75 

the  water  level.  The  soil  is  of  a  fine  red  clay,  and  from  this  the 
estate  derives  its  name,  Taliaii  signifying  in  the  native  tongue, 
red  clay.  Mr.  Campbell  is  one  of  the  largest  manufacturers  of 
pottery  in  the  province.  He  labored  hard  to  have  fine  earthen 
ware  made,  and  was  at  expense  in  getting  out  a  workman, and  the 
requisite  additional  material.  But  the  workman  was  unskilful, 
and  the  scheme,  for  the  time,  proved  abortive,  though  probably 
practicable.  The  articles  of  ware  most  in  demand,  are  water 
jars,  and  floor  and  roof  tiles.  The  former  are  made  upon  the 
wheel,  as  elsewhere.  The  tiles  are  made  by  the  women,  floor 
tiles  being  about  six  inches  square,  by  two  thick,  and  roof  tiles 
about  fifteen  inches  long,  six  wide  and  one  half  inch  thick, 
curved,  longitudinally,  into  half  a  scroll.  Near  the  house,  was 
a  kiln  for  burning  lime.  This  was  just  finished,  and  being  still 
unblackened  by  fire  or  smoke,  was  of  singularly  elegant  ap- 
pearance, with  its  dazzling  white  walls,  and  yellow  mouldings. 
The  lime  here  burned  is  shell  lime,  and  for  this  purpose,  vast 
quantities  of  small  shells  are  collected  at  Salinas,  and  other 
localities  upon  the  sea  shore.  Upon  the  hill,  and  west  of  the 
house,  stood  a  small  chapel,  and  beyond  this,  extending  a  long 
distance  upon  the  brow,  were  the  houses  of  the  blacks,  struc- 
tures made  by  plastering  mud  upon  latticed  frames  of  wood, 
and  thatched  with  palm  leaves.  There  were  about  eighty 
slaves  connected  with  this  plantation,  some  engaged  in  culti- 
vating the  ground,  or  laboring  in  the  forest,  others  at  the 
tilaria  or  the  kiln.  They  were  summoned  to  labor  about  five 
in  the  morning,  by  the  bell,  and  were  at  work  about  two  hours 
after  dark ;  but  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  they  were  allowed 
a  long  interval  of  rest.  The  chief  overseer,  or  fator,  was  in 
the  city,  where,  at  this  season,  most  whites  throughout  this 
vicinity  were  attending  the  festivals,  but  his  place  was  sup- 
plied by  a  very  intelligent  mulatto.  Upon  Saturday  afternoon, 
all  the  blacks  collected  around  the  store-room  to  receive  their 
rations  of  fish  and  farinha,  for  the  ensuing  week.  About 
twenty  pounds  of  the  latter  was  the  allowance  for  an  adult, 
and  a  proportionate  quantity  of  fish ;  the  whole  expense 
averaging  a  fraction  less  than  three  cents  per  diem,  for  each 
person.     Many  of  these  blacks  had  fowls,  and  small  cultivated 


76  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

patches,  and  from  these  sources,  as  well  as  from  wood,  and 
river,  obtained  much  of  their  support. 

Beyond  the  tilaria,  was  a  long  swamp,  and  here,  a  number 
of  jacanas,  snipes,  and  plovers,  were  constantly  flying  about, 
and  screaming  their  call  notes.  Back  of  the  house,  was  a 
grove  of  fine  trees,  some,  apparently,  having  been  planted  for 
ornament,  others,  bearing  profusion  of  various  sorts  of  fruits. 
The  one  of  all  these  most  attractive,  was  that  which  produces 
the  Brazil  nut,  called  in  the  country  castanhas.  Botanically, 
it  is  the  Bertholletia  excelsa.  This  tree  was  upwards  of  one 
hundred  feet  in  height,  and  between  two  and  three  in  diameter. 
From  the  branches  were  depending  the  fruits,  large  as  cocoa- 
nuts.  The  shell  of  these  is  nearly  half  an  inch  in  thickness, 
and  contains  the  triangular  nuts,  so  nicely  packed,  that,  once 
removed,  no  skill  can  replace  them.  It  is  no  easy  matter  to 
break  this  tough  covering,  requiring  some  instrument,  and  the 
exercise  of  considerable  strength :  yet  we  were  assured  by  an 
intelligent  friend,  at  the  Barra  of  the  Rio  Negro,  that  the 
Guaribas,  or  Howling  Monkeys,  are  in  the  habit  of  breaking 
them,  by  striking  them  upon  stones,  or  the  limbs  of  iron-like  trees. 
This  friend  related  an  amusing  incident  of  which  he  had  been 
witness,  where  the  monkey,  forgetful  of  every  thing  else, 
pounding  down  the  nut  with  might  and  main,  in  a  fever  of  ex- 
citement, struck  it  with  tremendous  force  upon  the  tip  of  his 
tail.  Down  dropped  the  nut,  and  away  flew  monkey,  bound- 
ing and  howling  fearfully.  How  long  the  victim  was  laid  up 
by  his  lame  tail,  our  friend  was  unable  to  inform  us  ;  but  we 
thought  one  thing  certain,  that  monkeys  had  changed  since 
Goldsmith's  day,  inasmuch  as,  at  that  time,  as  we  are  informed, 
the  tip  of  a  monkey's  tail  was  so  remote  from  the  centre  of  cir- 
culation as  to  be  destitute  of  feeling.  When  the  castanha  nuts 
are  fresh,  they  much  resemble,  in  taste,  the  cocoa-nut,  and  the 
white  milk,  easily  expressed,  is  no  bad  substitute  for  milk  in 
coffee.  This  soon  becomes  rancid,  and  at  length  turns  to  oil. 
The  nuts  are  exported  largely  from  Para,  and  are  said  to  form 
a  very  important  ingredient  in  the  manufacture  of  sperm  can- 
dles. 

There  is  another  nut;  probably  of  the  pot  tree,  Lecythis 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  77 

ollaria,  mentioned  by  Spix,  much  resembling  the  castanha  in 
appearance  and  growth.  When  this  is  ripe,  an  operculum  falls 
from  the  lower  side  of  the  encasing  pericarp,  and  affords  egress 
to  the  nuts  within.  Monkeys  and  squirrels  are  so  excessively 
fond  of  these,  that  it  is  usually  impossible  to  obtain  more  than 
the  empty  pericarp. 

Next  to  the  castanha  tree,  the  calabash,  or  cuya,  was  most 
attractive.  It  was  low,  its  trunk  overgrown  with  moss  and 
small  parasitic  plants.  Directly  from  the  bark  of  the  trunk,  or 
branches,  without  intervening  stems,  grew  the  gourds,  a  bright 
green  in  color,  and  often  six  inches  in  diameter,  giving  the  tree  a 
very  curious  appearance.  The  smaller  gourds  are  cut  in  halves, 
the  pulp  removed,  and  the  shell  reduced  by  scraping.  This 
being  sufficiently  dried,  is  painted  both  inside  and  out,  by  the 
Indian  women,  with  ingenious  and  sometimes  beautiful  devices. 
They  are  the  universal  drinking  cup,  and  are  known  by  the 
name  of  cuyas. 

The  cleared  space,  round  about,  was  of  great  extent,  much 
being  under  cultivation,  but  a  still  larger  portion  was  thickly 
overgrown  with  tall  weeds.  Here  were  scores  of  ant  hills,  be- 
tween three  and  four  feet  in  height,  conically  shaped,  and  each 
having  two  or  more  entrances  the  bigness  of  one's  arm.  The 
exterior  of  these  hills  was  of  stony  hardness;  within  were 
galleries  and  cells.  The  earth  of  which  they  were  composed 
seemed  always  different  from  that  in  the  vicinity,  and  evidently 
had  been  brought  grain  by  grain.  In  the  woods,  we  frequently 
encountered  a  different  kind  of  ant  hill.  A  space  of  a  rod  square 
would  be  entirely  divested  of  tree  or  bush,  and  every  where, 
the  surface  was  broken  into  little  mounds,  formed  by  the  earth 
brought  up  from  below.  While  upon  this  subject,  I  will  de- 
scribe an  ant  battle,  several  of  which  we  watched,  at  different 
times  and  places.  The  combatants  were  always  a  species  of 
small  black  ant,  and  a  red  variety,  equally  small.  Coming  in 
long  lines  from  different  directions,  it  seemed  as  if  they  had 
previously  passed  a  challenge,  and  had  selected  the  ground  for 
their  deadly  strife.  The  front  ranks  met  and  grappled,  toiling 
like  wrestlers,  biting  and  stinging ;  they  soon  fell,  exhausted 
and  in  the  death  agony.     Others  fought  over  their  bodies  and 


78  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

likewise  fell,  and  still,  continually,  over  the  increasing  pile, 
poured  on  the  legions  of  survivors,  fighting,  for  several  days  in 
succession,  until  a  pile  of  a  peck,  or  more,  lay  like  a  pyramid. 
They  marched  to  certain  death,  and  had  their  size  been  pro- 
portionate to  their  courage,  these  battle  fields  had  mocked 
earth's  bloodiest. 

The  woods  about  Tauaii  were  of  the  loftiest  growth  and 
filled  with  game,  both  birds  and  animals.  Here  we  first  en- 
countered the  gorgeous  Macaws,  climbing  over  the  fruit-cover- 
ed branches  and  hoarsely  crying.  They  were  wiser  than  most 
birds,  however,  having  acquired  something  of  that  faculty  from 
long  experience ;  for  their  brilliant  colors,  and  long  plumes 
render  them  desirable  in  the  eyes  of  every  Indian.  They  were 
not  unwilling  to  allow  us  one  glimpse,  but  beyond  that,  we 
never  attained. 

As  might  be  expected,  Woodpeckers  are  exceedingly  nu- 
merous throughout  these  forests,  and  the  size  of  most  species 
is  in  some  proportion  to  the  labor  they  have  to  perform,  in  gain- 
ing their  livelihood  from  these  enormous  trees.  Every  where 
is  heard  their  loud  rattle,  and  harsh,  peculiar  note.  In  this 
latter  respect,  many  species  so  resembled  those  familiar  to  us  at 
home,  that  we  could  scarcely  believe  that  the  stranger  that  fell 
dead  at  our  feet,  victim  of  a  long,  successful  shot,  ought  not  to 
have  been  one  of  the  Golden-wings,  or  Red-heads,  that  we  had 
so  often  tried  our  skill  upon. 

The  same  varieties  are  found  throughout  the  river  country ; 
as  common  upon  the  Rio  Negro  as  at  Para.  The  most  gaudy 
of  all,  and  the  especial  favorite  of  the  Indians,  is  the  Picus 
rubricollis,  whose  crested  head,  neck,  and  breast,  are  of  a  bril- 
liant red.  Another  finely  crested  species  is  the  P.  lineatus. 
There  is  also  the  P.  fulvus,  nearly  the  size  of  our  Golden-wing, 
and  of  a  deep  brown  color.  Another,  as  large,  is  almost  wholly 
of  a  light  yellow.  Of  lesser  species,  there  seemed  no  end,  and 
some  of  them  were  singularly  diminutive. 

The  Tree-creepers  were  a  more  eagerly  sought  family,  and 
two  beautiful  little  species  are  quite  common  in  the  vicinity  of 
Para.  One  of  these  is  of  a  deep  indigo  blue,  with  a  black 
throat,  Certhia  coerulea;  the  other,  C.  Cayana,  is  conspicuous 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  79 

for  the  brilliant  ultramarine  blue  that  caps  his  head.  Other- 
wise he  is  marked  with  blue,  and  black,  and  yellow.  These 
little  things  are  usually  seen  running  up  and  down  the  tree 
trunks,  or  flitting  hurriedly  from  branch  to  branch,  busied  in 
searching  for  insects  upon  the  bark.  They  are  extremely  fa- 
miliar, and  allow  of  near  approach.  At  intervals,  they  emit 
slight,  whispering  notes,  but  their  anxious  haste  leaves  one 
with  the  impression  that  they  might  do  themselves  much  more 
credit  as  songsters,  at  their  leisure.  We  never  fell  in  with  these 
species  up  the  river,  their  place  there  being  supplied  by  other 
varieties. 

In  the  lower  woods,  were  great  numbers  of  Doves,  of  many 
species,  but  similar  to  those  we  had  elsewhere  met.  Most 
beautiful  of  all  is  the  Pombo  troucal — Columba  speciosa 
(Linn.),  the  "  bird  of  the  painted  breast."  They  are  of  large 
size,  and  usually  are  seen  in  pairs,  within  the  shade  of  some 
dense  tree,  but,  early  in  the  morning,  are  often  discovered,  in 
large  numbers,  upon  the  limbs  of  leafless  trees,  of  which,  at 
every  season,  there  are  very  many  throughout  the  forest. 

The  smallest  and  most  graceful  of  all  these  doves,  is  the 
Rola,  the  Ground  Dove — C.  passerina — of  our  Southern  States, 
not  larger  in  size  than  many  sparrows.  They  are  seen,  about 
cleared  fields  and  houses,  in  large  flocks,  and  when  unmolested, 
become  extremely  familiar. 

About  every  plantation,  are  two  varieties  of  Tanagers,  domes- 
tic as  our  robin,  resting  in  the  orange  trees  under  the  windows, 
and  constantly  flitting  among  the  branches,  uttering  their  few 
notes,  which,  though  pleasing,  can  scarcely  be  called  a  song. 
One  of  these,  the  Silver-bill,  Tanagra  jacapa.  has  a  crimson- 
velvet  livery,  and  silvery  bill ;  the  other,  Tanagra  cana,  is, 
mostly,  a  sky-blue.  The  former  is  called  Pipira,  from  its  note. 
Its  nest  is  neatly  formed  of  leaves  and  tendrils  of  vines,  and 
the  eggs  are  usually  three  and  four,  of  a  light-blue  color,  and 
much  marked,  at  the  larger  end,  with  spots  of  brown. 

Upon  one  occasion,  A brought  in  a  sloth  which  he  had 

shot,  and  I  skinned  him,  with  the  intention  of  preserving  his 
body  for  some  anatomical  friend,  at  home,  to  whom  sloths  might 
be  a  novelty.     But  our  cook  was  too  alert  for  us,  and  before 


80  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

we  were  aware,  she  had  him  from  the  peg  where  he  hung 
dripping,  and  into  the  stew-pan,  whence  he  made  his  debut 
upon  our  dinner-table.  We  dissembled  our  disappointment, 
and  did  our  best  to  look  with  favor  upon  the  beast,  but  his 
lean  and  tough  flesh,  nevertheless,  could  not  compare  with 
monkey. 

There  are  animals  much  resembling  the  racoon,  called 
Coatis.  They  are  extremely  playful,  and  may  occasionally  be 
seen  gamboling,  in  parties  of  two  or  more,  among  the  dry 
leaves.  When  tame,  they  possess  all  a  racoon's  mischievous- 
ness.  These,  as  well  as  monkeys,  according  to  Goldsmith, 
were  wont,  of  old,  to  live  upon  their  own  tails. 

One  6f  the  negroes  brought  us  a  little  animal  of  the  opos- 
sum kind,  called  the  Macura  chec^ega.  It  was  scarcely  larger 
than  a  small  squirrel,  and  its  hair  was  of  silky  softness.  We 
could  probably  have  preserved  it  alive,  but  its  captor  had 
broken  both  its  hinder  legs,  to  prevent  its  running  away.  This 
is  the  common  custom  of  the  blacks  and  Indians,  when  they 
desire  to  preserve  an  animal  for  a  time,  before  it  is  eaten. 

About  the  flowers  in  wood  and  field,  was  a  profusion  of 
butterflies,  almost  all  gaudy  beyond  any  thing  we  have  at  the 
North.  The  most  showy  of  all,  was  a  large  variety,  of  a  sky- 
blue  color,  and  brilliant  metallic  lustre.  We  observed  but  one 
species  seen  also  in  the  Northern  States,  the  common  red  butter- 
fly of  our  meadows,  in  August.  In  this  clime,  the  insects  of  all 
kinds  are  nimble,  beyond  comparison  with  those  elsewhere, 
and  often,  the  collector  is  disappointed  in  his  chase.  He  has  a 
more  embarrassing  difficulty  than  that,  however,  for  without 
the  most  unceasing  care,  the  ever-present  ants  will,  in  a  few 
moments,  destroy  the  labor  of  a  month. 

A  week  passed  rapidly  and  delightfully.  The  fator  return- 
ed, and  urgently  pressed  our  longer  stay,  but  reported  letters 
from  home,  hastened  us  back  to  the  city.  The  past  week  had 
been  the  close  of  Lent,  and  during  our  absence,  the  city  had 
been  alive  with  rejoicings.  Festas  and  celebrations  had  taken 
place  daily,  and  hundreds  of  proprietors,  with  their  families 
and  servants,  had  collected,  from  every  part,  to  share  the  gene- 
ral joyousness.     Of  all  these  festival  days,  that  of  Judas  was 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  81 

the  favorite,  and  the  one  especially  devoted  to  uproariousness. 
That  unlucky  disciple,  by  every  sort  of  penance,  atoned  for 
the  deeds  done  in  the  flesh.  He  was  drowned,  he  was  burned, 
he  was  hung  in  chains,  and  quartered,  and  was  dragged  by  the 
neck  over  the  rough  pavements,  amid  the  execrations  of  the 
rabble. 

A  few  days  after  our  return  from  Taiiaii,  in  company  with 
Messrs.  Smith  and  Norris,  we  visited  the  plantation  of  Sr. 
Angelico,  upon  the  river  Guama,  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  the 
manufacture  of  rubber.  A  few  hours'  pull  brought  us,  by  sun- 
rise, to  a  sitio  upon  the  southern  side,  standing  upon  a  lofty 
bank,  and  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  river.  Here  we 
exchanged  our  canoe  for  a  montaria,  as  we  were  soon  to  ascend 
a  narrow  igaripe,  where  a  few  inches  of  width,  more  or  less, 
might  be  material ;  after  which,  we  continued  a  little  distance 
further  up  the  river.  The  Guama  is  a  larger  stream  than 
the  Acara,  but  much  like  that  river  in  the  appearance  of  its 
banks,  these  often  being  high,  and,  in  parts,  well  settled.  By 
some  of  the  eastern  branches  of  the  Guama,  easy  communica- 
tion is  had  with  streams  flowing  towards  Maranham,  and  this 
route  is  occasionally  taken  by  carriers.  Suddenly  the  boat 
turned,  and  we  shot  into  a  little  igaripe  so  embowered  in  the 
trees,  that  we  might  have  passed,  unsuspecting  its  existence. 
The  water  was  at  its  height,  calm  as  a  lake.  Threading  our 
narrow  path  between  the  immense  tree  trunks,  a  dozen  times, 
we  seemed  to  have  reached  the  terminus,  brought  up  by  the 
opposing  bank  ;  but  as  often,  a  turn  would  discover  itself,  and 
we  appeared  as  far  from  the  end  as  ever.  Standing  in  this 
water  were  many  seringa,  or  rubber  trees,  their  light-gray  bark 
all  scarred  by  former  wounds.  We  gave  passing  cuts  at  some 
of  them,  and  saw  the  white  gum  trickle  down.  When,  at  last, 
we  landed,  it  was  to  pick  our  way,  as  best  we  could,  over  a 
precarious  footing  of  logs  and  broken  boards,  from  which  a 
false  step  might  have  precipitated  us  into  mud,  rich  and  deep. 
Once  upon  terra  firma,  a  short  walk  brought  us  to  the  house, 
concealed  among  an  orchard  of  cocoa  trees.  A  loud  viva 
announced  our  approach,  and  immediately,  Senhor  Angelico 
bustled  out  of  his  hammock,  where  he  lay  swinging  in  the 


82  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


verandah,  and,  in  his  night-gown,  bade  us  welcome.  He  was 
a  confidence-inspiring  old  gentleman,  with  his  short,  stout  body, 
and  twinkling  eyes,  and  a  chuckling  laugh  that  kept  his  fat 
sides  in  perpetual  motion,  belying,  somewhat,  his  tell-tale  gray 
hairs,  and  his  high-sounding  title  of  Justicia  de  Paz. 

The  Senhor  did  not  forget  the  necessities  of  early  travel- 
lers. A  little  black  boy  brought  around  fresh  water  for  wash- 
ing, and,  in  a  trice,  breakfast  was  smoking  on  the  table,  our  host 
doing  the  honors  with  beaming  face,  and  night-gown  doffed. 

This  was  the  first  decidedly  Brazilian  country  house  that  we 
had  visited,  and  a  description  of  it  may  not  be  uninteresting. 
It  was  of  one  story,  covering  a  large  area,  and  distinguished, 
in  front,  by  a  deep  verandah.  The  frame  of  the  house,  was  of 
upright  beams,  crossed  by  small  poles,  well  fastened  together 
by  withes  of  sepaw.  A  thick  coat  of  clay,  entirely  covered 
this,  both  within  and  without,  hardened  by  exposure  into 
stone.  The  floors  were  of  the  same  hard  material,  and  in  front 
of  the  hammocks,  were  spread  broad  reed  mats,  answering  well 
the  purpose  of  carpets.  Few  and  small  windows  were  neces- 
sary, as  the  inmates  of  the  house  passed  most  of  the  day  in  the 
open  air,  or  in  the  verandah,  where  hammocks  were  suspended 
for  lounging,  or  for  the  daily  siesta.  The  roof  was  of  palm 
thatch,  beautifully  made,  like  basket  work  in  neatness,  and 
enduring  for  years.  The  dining  table  stood  in  the  back  veran- 
dah, and  long  benches  were  placed  by  its  sides,  as  sears. 
Back  of  the  house,  and  entirely  distinct,  was  a  covered  shed, 
used  for  the  kitchen  and  other  purposes.  Any  number  of  little 
negroes,  of  all  ages  and  sizes,  and  all  naked,  were  running 
about,  clustering  around  the  table  as  we  ate,  watching  every 
motion  with  eyes  expressive  of  fun  and  frolic,  and  as  comfort- 
ably at  home  as  could  well  be  imagined.  Pigs,  dogs,  chickens 
and  ducks  assumed  the  same  privilege,  notwithstanding  the 
zealous  efforts  of  one  little  ebony,  who  seemed  to  have  them  in 
his  especial  charge.  Do  his  best,  he  could  not  clear  them  all 
out  from  under  the  table  at  the  same  time.  They  knew  their 
rights.  But  these  little  inconveniences  one  soon  becomes  ac- 
customed to,  and  regards  them  as  matters  of  course.  The 
house  stood  in  a  grove,  and  round  about,  for  some  distance, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  83 


what  had  been  a  cultivated  plantation  was  growing  up  to 
forest,  the  Senhor  having  turned  his  attention  to  the  seringa. 
Scattered  here  and  there,  were  neat  looking  houses  of  the 
blacks,  many  of  whom  were  about,  and  all  as  fat  and  happy  as 
their  master.  It  was  amusing  to  see  the  little  fellows,  cram- 
med full  of  farinha,  and  up  to  any  mischief,  come  capering 
about  the  Senhor,  evidently  considering  him  the  best  playmate 
on  the  premises.  He  enjoyed  their  frolics  exceedingly,  and 
with  a  word  or  a  motion  would  set  them  wild  with  glee.  It  is 
this  universally  kind  relation  between  master  and  slaves  in 
Brazil,  that  robs  slavery  of  its  horrors,  and  changes  it  into  a 
system  of  mutual  dependence  and  good  will. 

We  strolled  about  the  woods  several  hours,  shooting  birds 
and  squirrels,  or  collecting  plants.  Some  of  the  air  plants 
found  here  produced  flowers  of  more  exquisite  beauty  than  we 
ever  met  elsewhere,  particularly,  a  variety  of  Stanhopea, 
which  bore  a  large,  white,  bell-shaped  flower.  This  we  suc- 
ceeded in  transporting  to  New- York,  and  it  is  now  in  the 
green-house  of  Mr.  Hogg,  together  with  many  other  plants  of 
our  collecting.  Under  his  care,  they  promise  to  renew  the 
beauty  of  their  native  woods.  We  engaged  a  score  of  little 
hands  to  pick  up  the  shells  of  the  B.  haemastoma,  which  in 
some  places  strewed  the  ground.  Why  so  many  empty  shells 
were  there,  it  was  impossible   to  understand.     The    Senhor 

asserted  that  the  animals  vacated  their  shells  yearly.     A 

shot  an  armadillo  in  the  path,  which  was  served  up  for  our 
dinner.  The  flesh  resembled,  in  appearance  and  taste,  young 
pork. 

In  the  afternoon,  rain  commenced  pouring,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  take  to  our  hammocks  in  the  verandah,  amusing 
ourselves  as  we  might.  All  night  long,  the  rain  continued,  and 
to  such  a  degree,  that  it  was  found  impossible  to  collect  the 
sap  of  the  seringa.  Greatly  to  our  disappointment,  therefore, 
we  were  obliged  to  return  ungratified  in  the  main  object  of  our 
visit,  although  in  every  other  sense,  we  had  been  richly  repaid. 
We  had,  afterwards,  opportunities  of  observing  the  manufac- 
ture of  shoes,   which,  in  its  proper  place,  will  be  described. 


84  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

Why  rubber  should  be  designated  by  the  barbarous  name  of 
caoutchouc,  I  cannot  tell.  Throughout  the  province  of  Para, 
its  home,  it  is  universally  called  seringa,  a  far  more  elegant, 
and  pronounceable  appellation,  certainly. 

On  our  way  down  the  river,  we  saw  the  nose  of  an  alliga- 
tor protruding  from  the  water,  as  he  swam  up  the  current. 
These  animals  very  rarely  are  met  in  these  streams,  and  in- 
deed, throughout  the  whole  lower  Amazon  region,  excepting  in 
the  islands  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where  they  abound. 

While  absent  upon  this  excursion,  Mr.  Bradley,  an  Irish- 
man, who  trades  upon  the  upper  Amazon,  arrived  at  Mr.  Nor- 
ris's,  bringing  many  singular  birds  and  curiosities  of  various 
kinds.  One  of  the  former,  was  a  young  Harpy  Eagle,  a  most 
ferocious  looking  character,  with  a  harpy's  crest,  and  a  beak 
and  talons  in  correspondence.  He  was  turned  loose  into  the 
garden,  and  before  long,  gave  us  a  sample  of  his  powers. 
With  erected  crest,  and  flashing  eyes,  uttering  a  frightful  shriek, 
he  pounced  upon  a  young  ibis,  and,  quicker  than  thought,  had 
torn  his  reeking  liver  from  his  body.  The  whole  animal  world 
below  there,  was  wild  with  fear.  The  monkeys  scudded  to  a 
hiding-place,  and  parrots,  herons,  ibises,  and  mutuns,  with  all 
the  hen  tribe  that  could  muster  the  requisite  feathers,  sprang 
helter-skelter  over  the  fences,  some  of  them  never  to  be  re- 
claimed. 

A  less  formidable  venture  was  a  white  monkey,  pretty 
nearly  equal,  in  his  master's  estimation,  to  most  children,  and 
some  adults.  Nick  had  not  been  with  us  long,  before  he  was 
upon  the  top  of  the  house,  and  refused  all  solicitations  to  come 
down.  It  was  of  no  use  to  pursue  him.  Moving  slowly  off, 
as  though  he  appreciated  the  joke,  he  would  at  last  perch  upon 
some  inaccessible  point,  and  to  the  moving  entreaties  of  his 
masler,  would  reply  by  the  applied  thumb  to  nose,  and  the 
monkey  jabber  of  "  no,  you  don't."  At  other  times,  when  there 
was  no  danger  of  sudden  surprises,  he  amused  his  leisure  by 
running  over  all  the  roofs  in  the  block,  raising  the  tiles,  and 
peering  down  into  the  chambers,  to  the  general  dismay.  At 
length,  as  fair  means  would  not  do,  foul  must ;  and  Nick  re- 


A    VOYAGE    UP   THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  85 

ceived  a  discharge  from  a  gun  loaded  with  corn.  But  some- 
where upon  the  roof,  he  obtained  a  rag  of  cloth,  and  holding  it 
before  him,  he  would  peep  over  the  top,  ready  to  dodge  the 
flash.  It  would  not  do ;  we  gave  Nick  up  as  lost ;  but  of 
his  own  accord,  he,  at  last,  descended,  and  submitted  to  du- 
rance. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Leave  Para  for  Vigia — Boatmen — Inland  passage — Egrets  and  herons — Stop  at  sugar 
plantation — Cupuassu — Mangroves — Insolence  of  pilot — Vigia — Arrival  at  Sr.  Godin- 
ho's — Reception— The  Campinha  and  its  scenery— Sporting— Parrots— Employes— Sun- 
bird — Boat-bill — Tinami — Iguana  lizard — Sugar  cane — Mill — Slaves — Leave  the  Cam- 
pinha— Kingfishers — Go  below  for  Ibises — Sand-flies — Return  to  Para — A  pet  animal. 

Soon  after  Mr.  Bradley's  arrival,  Dr.  Costa,  the  chief  judge 
of  the  district  of  the  Rio  Negro,  also  arrived  in  Para,  upon  his 
way  to  Rio  Janeiro,  and  learning^  that  we  desired  to  visit  the 
towns  upon  the  Amazon,  very  kindly  offered  us  his  galliota  and 
Indians  for  that  purpose.  So  tempting  an  offer  allowed  of  no 
hesitation,  but  as  Mr.  Bradley  was  to  be  in  readiness  to  make 
the  same  journey,  in  a  few  days,  we  determined  to  await  his 
convenience,  and  meanwhile,  to  make  a  short  excursion  to  Vigia. 
This  town  is  about  fifty  miles  below,  near  the  junction  of  a  small 
tide  stream  with  the  Grand  Para.  As  the  direct  passage  down 
the  river  offered  little  of  interest,  and,  moreover,  at  this  still 
squally  season,  was  somewhat  hazardous  in  a  small  canoe,  we 
determined  on  the  inland  eourse,  winding  about  among  the 
islands,  and  requiring,  perhaps,  double  the  time. 

We  left  Para,  on  the  first  of  May,  in  the  same  canoe  that 
carried  us  to  Magoary,  and  with  the  same  negroes  whom  we 
had  heretofore  employed.  These  fellows,  by  long  acquaint- 
ance, assisted  by  a  modicum  of  their  own  good  nature,  and  a 
due  sense  of  our  generosity,  had  moulded  themselves  pretty 
much  to  our  wishes.  Unmerited  oblivion  ought  not  yet  to  over- 
take these  good  companions  of  our  wanderings,  and  who  knows 
but  that  a  charcoal  sketch  of  their  lineaments  and  character- 
istics, may  discover  them  to  the  notice  of  some  other  travelers, 
who  may  hereafter  have  like  necessities  with  ourselves.    And 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  87 

first,  our  round-faced,  jolly-looking,  well-conditioned  Faustino  ; 
somewhat  less  a  beauty,  perhaps,  than  Nature  intended,  by 
reason  of  undisguisable  tracings  of  small-pox.  Yet  many  a 
worse  failing  might  be  amply  redeemed  by  the  happy  smile 
that  ever  lightened  up  his  coal-black  countenance,  particu- 
larly, when  enlivened  by  the  slightest  possible  infusion  of  ca- 
shaca,  which,  as  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stiggins,  is  his  weakness. 
Faustino  is  a  famous  story-teller,  and  enacts  his  own  heroes 
with  a  dramatic  effect  that  is  often  very  amusing.  He  is 
gifted  in  song  too ;  and  many  a  night,  have  his  sweet  catches 
softened  our  hard  couch,  and  hushed  us  to  sleep. 

Faustino's  companero,  doubtless,  once  claimed  a  name 
proper ;  but  long  since,  it  seems  to  have  been  absorbed  by 
the  more  distinguishing  and  emphatic  designation  of  Checo, 
which  in  this  country,  signifies  "  small,"  a  name  by  no  means 
inapt.  A  Greek  proverb  says,  "  there  is  grace  in  the  small ;" 
but  Checo  has  been  a  soldier,  and  now  Checo's  right  eye  is 
cocked  for  the  enemy,  and  his  left  has  an  expressive  squint 
toward  the  remote  thicket.  Nor  do  his  eyes  belie  him,  doubt- 
less, for  though  he  can  wear  out  the  night  with  his  adventures 
in  the  southern  provinces,  no  scar  disfigures  his  anteriors  or 
posteriors,  as  he  sits  glistening  in  the  sun,  naked  as  the  day 
he  was  born.     But  Checo  is  faithful,  and  abhors  Cashaca. 

Besides  these  two,  we  were  forced  to  take  a  pilot,  on 
account  of  the  intricacy  of  the  passage,  and,  therefore,  a  lazy, 
villainous-looking  mixture  of  Brazilian  and  Indian,  sat  at  the 
helm  ;  while  a  boy,  like  a  monkey,  whom  he  brought  on  board 
for  what  he  could  steal,  was  annoying  us  jDerpetually. 

As  there  were  no  occupants  of  the  cabin  but  A and 

myself,  we  had  a  comfortable  allowance  of  room,  wherein  to 
stretch  ourselves  :  and  about  us,  in  ship-shape  order,  upon  the 
cabin  sides,  were  piled  our  baggage,  implements,  and  provi- 
sions ;  among  which  latter,  farinha,  bread,  and  molasses  pre- 
dominated. Knives  and  forks,  spoons  and  plates,  completed 
the  furniture  of  our  cuisine  ;  and  our  table-cloth  was  a  Turkish 
rug,  whose  more  legitimate  office  it  was  to  "  feather  our  nests" 
at  night. 

Before  dark,  we  had  left  the  river,  and  starlight  found  us 


88  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


ascending  a  stream,  in  no  wise  distinguished  in  the  character 
of  its  scenery  from  those  which  I  have  heretofore  described ; 
and  yet,  perpetually  interesting  from  the  ever  new  views  that 
constant  windings  presented,  and  which  required  neither  sun- 
light nor  moonlight  to  cause  us  to  appreciate  their  loveliness. 
With  the  changing  tide,  we  anchored,  and  turned  in  for  the 
night.     It  was  amusing  always  to  observe  with  what   indif- 
ference our  boatmen  would  stretch  themselves  out  upon  the 
seats,  unprotected,  in  any  way,  from  rain  or  dew,  and  drop  at 
once  into  a  profound  sleep,  ready,  at  an  instant's  warning,  to 
start  again  to  the  oars.     The  pilot  had  brought  along  a  ham- 
mock, which  he  swung  between   the  masts,  high  above  the 
others'  heads ;  thus  obtaining  a  situation  that  might  have  been 
envied  by  his  masters,  had  not  frequent  acquaintance  with 
hard  resting-places  somewhat  weakened  their  sensibilities. 

Some  hours  before  daybreak,  we  were  again  under  way ; 
and  the  first  glimpse  of  light  found  us  exchanging  the  cabin 
for  the  deck,  where,  guns  in  hand,  we  planted  ourselves,  ready 
to  take  advantage  of  any  unsuspicious  Egrets  that  might  be 
feeding  upon  the  muddy  bank.     These  Egrets,  or  Garcas,  as 
they  term  them  in  Brazil,  are  small,  and  of  a  snowy  white,  the 
Ardea  candidissima ;   and  are  a  very  interesting  addition  to 
the  river  beauties,  as  they  stalk  along  the  banks,  or  sit  perched 
upon  the  bushes,  in  the  distance,  resembling  so  many  flowers. 
The  stream  was  narrow,  and  the  canoe  was   steered  to  one 
side  or  the  other,  as  we  saw  these  birds  5  and  thus,  until  by 
repeated  alarms,  and  much  thinning  of  their  ranks,  they  had 
become  shy  of  our  approach,  they  afforded  us  constant  sport. 
Sometimes,  far  in  the  distance,  the  keen  eyes  of  the  men  would 
descry  the  Great  Blue  Heron,  the  Ardea  herodias  ;   and  with 
silent  oars    and   beating   hearts,  we  crept   along   the   shore, 
hoping  to  take  him  unawares.     But  it  was  of  no  avail.     His 
quick  ear  detected  the  approaching  danger ;  and  long  before 
we  could  attain  shooting  distance,  he  had  slowly  raised  him- 
self and  flown  further  on,  only  to  excite  us  still  more  in  his 

pursuit. 

About  nine  o'clock,  we  stopped  at  a  small  sugar  estate, 
where  we  proposed  to  remain  over  the  tide.    In  landing,  I  inad- 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  89 

vertently  stepped  off  the  blind  stepping-stones,  and  brought  up 
ail  standing  with  my  knees  in  the  mud,  and  slippers  almost  be- 
yond redemption.  However,  I  contrived  to  hook  these  out, 
and  marched,  in  stocking  feet,  the  remainder  of  the  distance  to 
the  house,  presenting,  doubtless,  an  appearance  as  diverting  as 
pitiful.  But  the  whites  and  negroes  who  crowded  the  veran- 
dah, and  awaited  our  approach,  seemed  too  much  accustomed 
to  such  mishaps  to  mind  them,  and  a  quickly  applied  liniment 
of  agua  fresca  soon  put  all  to  rights  again.  We  strolled  into 
the  woods,  and  after  chasing  about  until  we  were  weary,  re- 
turned with  several  birds,  mostly  motmots  and  doves,  and  a 
number  of  the  fruits  called  cupuassu.  These  are  of  the  size 
and  shape  of  a  cocoa-nut  in  the  husk,  and  within  the  shell  is  a 
fibrous,  acid  pulp,  of  which  a  delightful  drink  is  made,  much 
like  lemonade.  The  producing  tree  is  common  in  the  forest, 
and  of  great  size  and  beauty.  The  afternoon  was  rainy,  and 
we  were  confined  below.  But  the  time  passed  not  at  all  te- 
diously, for  beside  the  preserving  of  the  birds,  we  had  store  of 
books  wherewith  to  beguile  our  leisure.  Next  morning,  we 
shot  some  rail,  skulking  among  the  mangrove  roots  by  the  wa- 
ter's edge.  These  birds  are  called  from  their  notes  Cyracuras, 
and  are  heard  upon  all  these  streams,  in  the  early  morning,  or 
the  dusk  of  evening,  loudly  cackling.  It  is  unusual  to  observe 
more  than  one  in  a  place,  but  at  considerable  distances,  they 
call  and  answer  each  other.  This  is  one  of  the  birds  that  the 
citizens  delight  to  domesticate.  We  heard  also  the  sharp, 
quickly  repeated  notes  of  the  Sun-bird,  the  Ardea  helias,  and 
the  most  beautiful  of  the  heron  tribe.  Almost  every  bird  is 
named  in  this  part  of  Brazil,  from  its  note,  but  this,  by  way  of 
distinction,  is  called  the  pavon,  or  peacock.  These  birds  were 
shy  and  we  yet  were  ungratified  by  seeing  one. 

The  mangroves  that  skirt  all  these  streams  are  a  curious 
feature.  The  tree  itself  is  low,  and  has  a  small  stem  ;  but  from 
this,  radiate  in  every  direction  towards  the  water,  long,  finger- 
like branches.  These  take  root  in  the  mud,  and  are  really  the 
roots  of  the  tree,  supporting  the  stem  at  some  distance  above 
the  water.  When  they  are  small,  they  serve  for  arrows  to  the 
Indians,  being  very  light,  and  often  perfectly  straight.     They 


90  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RTVER    AMAZON. 

not  only  so  bind  the  soil  as  to  prevent  its  wearing  away  by  the 
constant  flowings  of  the  tide,  but  catch  all  sorts  of  drift,  which 
in  this  way,  contributes  to  the  body  of  the  island.  Indeed, 
whole  islands  are  thus  formed  ;  and  within  the  memory  of  res- 
idents, an  island  of  considerable  size  has  sprung  up  within  sight 
of  the  city  of  Para.  In  a  similar  way,  the  thousands  of  islands 
that  dot  the  whole  Amazon  have  been  formed. 

Ever  since  we  left  Para,  our  pilot  had  been  inclined  to  inso- 
lence, but  this  afternoon,  from  the  effects  of  casha9a  which  he 
had   obtained   at   some  of  our  landings,  became  intolerable. 

A ,  at  last,  took  his  jug  from  him  and  pitched  it  overboard, 

giving  him  to  understand  that  its  owner  would  speedily  follow, 
unless  he  changed  his  tone.     This  cowed  the  fellow  into  better 

manners,  and  A sent  him  forward,  taking  the  helm  himself. 

No  traveller  will  care  to  employ  a  second  time  one  of  these  low 
whites  or  half  breeds. 

Towards  evening,  as  we  approached  Vigia,  we  came  upon 
a  bank,  where  a  large  flock  of  Garcas,  mixed  with  Herons, 
Spoonbills,  and  Scarlet  Ibises  were  feeding.  This  was  the  first 
time  we  had  seen  the  latter,  but  the  sun  was  too  low  to  dis- 
cover all  their  beauty.  By  eight  o'clock  we  had  anchored  off 
Vigia.  This  town  had  once  been  populous,  and  even  contained 
a  Jesuit  college  ;  but  long  since,  the  houses  had  gone  to  decay, 
and  the  forest  encroached  upon  the  streets.  It  is  now  princi- 
pally inhabited  by  fishermen,  and  in  the  distant  view,  appears 
like  Para,  the  same  building  material  being  used.  We  were 
not  to  stop  here,  as  our  letters  were  to  Senhor  Godinho,  who 
lived  upon  a  small  igaripe  opposite  the  town,  distant  a  few 
miles ;  therefore  we  were  early  under  way,  although  the  tide 
was  against  us.  In  a  high  bank  which  we  passed,  were  seve- 
ral holes  of  Kingfishers,  and  numbers  of  the  birds,  some  very 
small,  others,  twice  the  size  of  our  Kingfisher  of  the  North,  were 
flying  about.  At  length,  we  turned  into  the  desired  igaripe, 
and  by  dint  of  hard  rowing  and  poling,  advanced  as  far  as  the 
shell  of  a  house  stuck  upon  the  bank,  whither  our  pilot  went 
for  directions.  The  fellow  kept  us  waiting  a  half  hour,  and  we 
pushed  off  without  him,  pleased  enough  to  repay  his  villanies 
by  a  long  walk  through  the  mud  and  bushes.     But  the  tide  was 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  91 

out,  and  we  lodged  immovably  in  the  mud.  and  for  an  hour's 
space,  were  fain  to  keep  ourselves  in  as  good  humor  as  we 
might  under  a  burning  sun,  until  the  tide  came  to  our  relief. 
A  beautiful  red  hawk  sat  near  by,  eyeing  our  movements,  and 
a  flock  of  buzzards  were  eating  the  crabs  along  the  exposed 
mud.  Numbers  of  little  Sandpipers,  the  Totanus  solitarius,  were 
running  about,  hasting  to  get  their  breakfasts  before  the 
flooding  waters  should  return.  There  were  man)'-  dead  fish 
lying  about,  often  of  large  size.  We  afterwards  learned  that 
these  had  been  killed  by  poison  thrown  into  the  holes  which 
they  frequent  at  low  water. 

As  the  tide  rose,  we  pushed  slowly  on,  and  soon  opened  into 
a  large  clear  space,  at  the  remote  end  of  which  appeared  the 
plantation  house.  Senhor  Godinho  met  us  upon  the  dock 
which  ran  directly  by  the  side  o£  his  mill,  and  welcomed  us  in 
good  English  with  the  greatest  warmth  and  politeness.  We 
at  once,  felt  ourselves  at  home.  Forthwith,  our  luggage  was 
unstored,  a  room  was  opened  to  the  light,  very  much  to  the 
astonishment  of  the  bats  and  cockroaches,  and  the  blacksmith 
made  his  appearance  with  hooks  and  staples  for  our  hammocks. 
We  followed  the  Senhor  to  the  verandah  above,  and  under  the 
cool  breeze,  soon  lost  all  thoughts  of  our  morning's  broiling. 
Every  thing  about  indicated  opulence  and  plenty.  Black- 
smiths, carpenters  and  masons  were  at  work  in  their  different 
vocations  ;  the  negroes  and  oxen  were  driving  the  sugar  mills  ; 
the  steam  pipe  of  the  distillery  was  in  full  blast;  and  stacks 
of  demijohns  and  jars  were  piled  in  the  rooms,  or  standing  ready 
to  receive  the  cashaca  or  molasses. 

The  house  was  surrounded  by  woods,  some  nearer,  some 
farther ;  and  directly  in  front  of  the  verandah,  was  an  inter- 
vening swamp,  along  whose  edges,  cyracuras  were  feeding, 
and  in  the  middle  of  which,  pigs  and  goats  disputed  empire 
with  various  small  water  birds,  and  a  tame  white  heron. 
Beyond,,  to  the  left,  and  extending  several  miles,  was  a  prairie 
or  campo,  crossed  by  parallel  strips  of  woods,  and  the  loud 
cries  of  parrots  and  toucans  came  swelling  on  the  breeze. 
This  was  irresistible,  and  as  soon  as  we  could  dispatch  a 
hearty  dinner,  guns  in  hand,  we  sallied  on  a  tour  of  explora- 


92  A   VOYAGE    UP   THE   RIVER   AMAZON. 

tion.  The  trees  were  all  low,  and  the  ground  was  crossed  in 
every  direction  by  the  paths  of  the  hogs,  who  roamed  over 
these  campos,  half  tamed,  in  immense  numbers.  Water  lay 
upon  the  surface  of  the  ground,  often  to  considerable  depth, 
but  that  we  little  cared  for.  We  soon  discovered  the  palms 
upon  which  the  parrots  were  feeding,  and  in  a  short  time,  the 
boy  who  accompanied  us,. was  loaded  with  as  many  of  these 
birds  as  he  could  carry.  The  large  parrots,  as  they  fly  slowly 
along,  have  a  very  conjugal  appearance;  always  moving  in 
pairs,  side  by  side,  and  each  and  all  discoursing  with  a  noisy 
volubility  that  must  destroy  the  effect  of  what  they  have  to 
say.  When  one  from  a  pair  is  brought  down,  it  is  amusing  to 
see  the  survivor  continue  chattering  on,  without  missing  a 
word,  or  altering  his  course ;  altogether  exhibiting  a  cool  self- 
possession  most  anti-conjugal.  Returning  to  the  house,  we 
busied  ourselves  in  preserving  such  specimens  as  we  wanted, 
the  Senhor  looking  on  with  great  interest,  and  relating  anec- 
dotes and  histories  of  different  animals  and  birds  thereabout, 
and  which,  in  his  solitude,  he  had  both  time  and'inclination  for 
observing.  In  the  morning,  we  were  out  again,  and  indeed, 
were  thus  occupied  every  morning  for  a  week,  constantly  ob- 
taining something  new  and  curious,  besides  keeping  the  table 
well  supplied  with  game.  It  seems  as  heterodox  to  eat  parrot 
as  monkey,  yet  fricasseed  parrot  might  rank  favorably  with 
most  kinds  of  wild  game.  In  a  day  or  two,  one  of  the  Senhor's 
men,  a  free  mulatto,  six  feet  in  height,  straight  as  an  arrow, 
and  with  an  eye  like  a  hawk,  was  enlisted  in  our  service, 
through  his  masters  kindness.  Gregorio  had  a  companero,  an 
Indian,  of  like  characteristics  and  propensities,  called  Fran- 
cisco, and  between  the  two,  we  were  under  a  press  of  business. 
One  of  the  birds  which  they  procured  for  us,  was  the  much 
desired  Sun-bird.  It  was  small,  and  exquisitely  marked,  "  its 
plumage  being  shaded  in  bands  and  lines  with  brown,  fawn 
color,  red,  gray  and  black,  recalling  to  our  minds  the  most 
beautiful  of  the  nocturnal  Lepidoptera."  We  frequently  saw 
this  bird  domesticated  in  other  parts  of  the  province,  and  in 
this  state  it  becomes  exceedingly  familiar,  living  entirely  on  flies 
and  other  insects.     Another  species  as  curious  as  the  last, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  93 

though  not  for  its  beauty,  was  the  Boat-bill,  Cancroma  cochlea- 
ria.  It  is  of  the  heron  kind,  but  unlike  its  congeners,  each 
mandible  is  shaped  like  half  a  keeled  boat,  short  and  broad. 
From  the  head,  long  plumes  extend  far  down  the  back. 
One  would  think  that  nature  delighted  to  give  the  most  fan- 
tastic shapes  to  her  handiwork  in  these  climes.  Besides  these 
dwellers  of  the  water,  were  Herons  of  various  sorts,  Snowy, 
White,  Blue,  et  alii,  in  profusion.  The  woods  afforded  us  most 
of  the  species  we  had  observed  elsewhere,  and  many  others 
entirely  new.  Here,  a  singular  family  was  the  Tinamus, 
gallinaceous  birds,  resembling  pheasants  in  their  habits,  but 
shaped  more  like  rails  than  any  other  bird,  having  long,  slender 
necks,  and  scarcely  any  tails.  They  are  universally  known 
by  the  name  of  Inambu,  and  different  species  of  the  family 
are  found  throughout  northern  Brazil.  The  eggs  of  these 
birds  are  of  the  deepest  green,  and  are  superior  to  those  of 
domestic  fowls  in  taste.  Here  also  were  large,  reddish-brown, 
Cuckoos,  moving  stealthily  about  the  low  trees,  uttering,  at 
intervals,  the  note,  which,  so  generally,  characterizes  the 
family,  and  searching  for  caterpillars,  and,  it  may  be,  the  eggs 
of  the  little  and  defenceless  birds.  The  common  species  is  the 
Cuculus  Cayanus,  rather  larger  than  our  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo, 
but  of  inferior  beauty.  Another  species  much  resembling  this 
in  color,  but  of  half  the  size,  is  often  seen,  and  with  far  greater 
familiarity  than  the  Cayanus,  comes  into  the  orange  and  cuya 
trees,  about  the  houses,  in  search  of  worms'  nests. 

Upon  the  campo,  were  flocks  of  Red-breasted  Orioles,  Icte- 
rus militaris,  of  a  deep  brown  color,  except  upon  the  breast  and 
throat,  which  glow  with  a  rich  red.  These  birds  have  rather 
the  habits  of  starlings  than  orioles,  being  usually  seen  upon 
the  ground,  or  upon  the  low  bushes,  which,  here  and  there, 
diversify  the  campo. 

Here  was  also  a  large  variety  of  Lapwing,  called  Terra- 
terra,  from  its  loud  and  constantly  repeated  note. 

By  the  brooks,  which  crossed  the  paths  through  the  trees, 
numbers  of  pretty  Doves,  of  all  sizes,  were  congregated,  now, 
proudly  strutting  with  outspread  tails  and  drooping  wings, 
now,  chasing  each  other  about  the   sandy  margin,  and  now, 

5* 


94  A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

with  ruffled  feathers,  bathing  themselves  in  the  limpid  water, 
and  tossing  the  cooling  drops  over  their  shoulders. 

Among  the  low  shrubs,  and  about  the  cocoa  trees,  near  the 
house,  were  many  small  species  of  birds,  none  prettier  than 
the  Tingtings,  Tanagra  violacea  and  T.  chlorotica,  two  spe- 
cies of  small  Tanagers  with  steel-blue  backs,  and  yellow  breasts, 
frequently  seen  in  cages  in  Para.  There  was  one  other  cage 
bird  we  sometimes  met,  called  the  Rossignol,  or  Nightingale, 
neither  more  nor  less  than  a  yellow- shouldered  black  oriole. 
It  sings  well,  but  scarcely  deserves  its  honored  name. 

Besides  the  birds,  we  had  a  constant  supply  of  monkeys  and 
other  animals  for  the  table.  Our  pilot  labored  zealously  to  re- 
instate himself  in  our  good  graces,  and  brought  in  various 
articles  which  he  thought  would  assist  him  in  effecting  his 
purpose.  One  of  his  captures  was  a  live  Iguana,  called,  in 
Brazil,  a  Chameleon,  a  lizard  of  four  feet  length.  He  had  shaken 
the  beast  from  a  tree,  upon  the  leaves  of  which  it  was  feeding, 
and  seizing  it  by  the  neck  and  the  small  of  the  back,  made  it 
his  prize.  This  fellow  was  of  a  greenish  color,  and  spotted. 
Upon  his  back  were  spines  which  he  could  erect  at  pleasure. 
Upon  the  ground,  the  iguanas  move  slowly,  and  their  tail  is  then 
a  powerful  defensive  weapon  against  their  enemies,  capable  of 
inflicting  a  terrible  lash,  as  this  specimen  showed  us,  after  its 
arrival  in  the  city.  They  are  much  esteemed  as  food,  and 
their  eggs  are  sought  after  with  avidity  for  the  same  purpose. 
Although  their  food  consists  mostly  of  leaves  and  fruits,  yet 
they  rob  the  nests  of  birds,  as  do  other  lizards. 

Senhor  Godinho  was  one  of  the  most  extensive  planters  of 
the  province,  and  interested  us  greatly  by  his  agricultural  and 
other  information.  The  cane  used  in  his  mills  was  grown 
upon  the  borders  of  the  igaripes,  in  different  localities  ;  and  so 
inexhaustible  is  this  rich  alluvium,  that  it  requires  replanting 
but  once  in  from  sixteen  to  twenty  years.  Two  mills  constantly 
employed  were  insufficient  to  dispose  of  his  yearly  crop,  and  a 
large  outhouse  was  filled  with  cane,  half  ruined  in  conse- 
quence. Most  of  the  syrup  was  converted  into  cashaca,  that 
being  considered  more  profitable  than  sugar  or  molasses.  In- 
stead of  tuns  for  the  liquor,  in  the  distillery,  hollowed  tree 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  95 

trunks  were  used,  one  alone  of  which  contained  twenty-five 
pipes'  bulk.  In  the  troubles  of  '35,  the  Senhor  was  compelled 
to  flee  the  country,  as  were  all  other  planters  who  could,  and 
in  the  sacking  of  his  place,  sustained  great  loss.  He  was  a 
self-made  Portuguese,  formerly  a  merchant  in  Para,  and  his 
ideas  were  more  liberal  than  those  of  his  countrymen  gene- 
rally, as  was  evident  enough,  from  his  adaption  of  improved 
machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  his  sugar,  instead  of  the 
methods  in*  use  at  the  time  of  the  conquest.  There  were  about 
one  hundred  slaves  employed  upon  the  plantation,  and  they 
seemed  to  look  up  to  the  Senhor  with  a  pride  and  affection, 
which  he  fully  reciprocated.  He  told  us  that,  for  months 
together,  he  was  not  obliged  to  punish  one  of  them.  They  all 
had  ways  of  earning  money  for  themselves,  and  upon  holidays 
or  other  times,  received  regular  wages  for  their  extra  labor. 
There  was  a  novel  custom  here,  usual  upon  these  retired 
plantations.  Soon  after  sunset,  all  the  house  servants,  and  the 
children  of  the  estate,  came  in  form  to  ask  the  Senhor's  bless- 
ing, which  was  bestowed  by  the  motion  of  the  cross,  and  some 
little  phrase,  as  "  adeos." 

It  was  with  regret  that  we  were  compelled  by  time  to  leave 
the  Campinha.  In  collecting,  we  had  been  more  than  usually 
successful.  The  hospitality  of  the  Senhor  had  exceeded  what 
we  had  seen,  even  in  this  hospitable  country.  His  kindness 
followed  us  to  the  last  moment,  for  we  found  that,  without  our 
knowledge,  he  had  sent  to  the  boat  a  store  of  roasted  fowls, 
and  other  provisions,  not  the  most  lightly  esteemed  of  which, 
were,  some  bottles  of  choice  old  Port,  that  had  not  seen  the 
light  for  many  a  long  year. 

We  left,  intending  to  go  below  Vigia  a  few  miles,  and  shoot 
Ibises,  and  for  this  purpose  took  one  or  two  hunters  with  us  in 

a  montaria.     As  we  passed  the  kingfisher  bank,   A took 

the  montaria  with  Francisco,  and  upon  overtaking  us,  an 
hour  after,  brought  five  of  the  larger  and  one  of  the  small 
birds. 

Six  or  seven  miles  below  Vigia,  we  anchored  at  the  en- 
trance of  a  small  igaripe,  beyond  which,  the  retiring  tide  had 
left  exposed  a  broad  sand  beach.   Here  we  anticipated  finding 


96  A   VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

plenty  of  Ibises,  and  forthwith,  started  A and  the  hunters, 

with  as  great  expedition  as  though  a  flock  of  those  birds  were 
in  full  sight  and  waiting  to  be  shot.  I  took  the  matter  more 
leisurely,  and  sans  ceremonie,  plunged  into  the  surf,  enjoying 
a  luxurious  bath,  and  finding  plenty  of  amusement  in  netting 
Four-eyed  Fish,  that  were  in  abundance  along  the  edge  of  the 
wTater.  Thereafter,  I  strolled  along  the  beach  for  shells,  but 
an  hour's  search  gave  me  but  one  worth  picking  up.  The 
water  at  this  place  is  fresh  during  the  rainy  season,  and  salt  in 
summer,  and  probably,  shell-fish  of  either  salt  or  fresh  water 
do  not  flourish  amid  these  changes.  The  blacks,  meanwhile, 
were  filling  a  basket  with  large  crabs,  which  they  found  in  deep 
holes  in  the  mud,  near  shore.  All  the  hunters  returned  unsuc- 
cessful, but  reported  Ibises,  or  Guerras,  further  down ;  and 
therefore,  we  prepared  to  go  below  in  the  canoe.  During  the  day 
several  Ibises  had  passed  by,  their  scarlet  livery,  of  dazzling 
beauty,  glittering  in  the  sunlight.  As  we  coasted  along  in  the 
dusk  of  evening,  we  could  discover  the  beach,  in  many  parts, 
black  with  sand-birds,  that  had  collected  for  the  night. 

We  were  terribly  annoyed,  this  night,  by  the  sand-fiies  and 
small  gnats,  swarms  of  which  seemed  to  have  scented  us  out, 
and  caused  an  intolerable  itching.  Morning  found  us  anchored 
in  an  igaripe,  and  as  soon  as  the  tide  would  allow,  we  dropped 
below  to  the  beach.  The  men  again  were  unsuccessful,  bring- 
ing in  nothing  but  a  young  Spoonbill.  It  was  now  so  late  and 
we  had  lost  so  much  time,  that  we  determined  not  to  return  to 
Vigia,  where  we  had  intended  to  pass  a  day  or  two ;  therefore 
we  bade  adieu  to  our  faithful  hunters,  feeling  as  much  regret 
as  if  they  had  been  friends  of  long  acquaintance.  A  fair  wind 
was  blowing  up  the  river,  and  the  tide  was  favorable.  The 
former  soon  became  a  tremendous  gale,  and  the  black  clouds 
battled  fearfully.  The  foresail  was  carried  away,  the  blacks 
began  to  call  on  the  Virgin,  the  frightened  pilot  forgot  his 
helm,  and  nothing  but  the  breadth  of  the  canoe  kept  us  from 

going  under.     A sprung  to  the  helm,  and  in  a  moment, 

consternation  gave  place  ta  effective  alacrity,  and  we  were 
safe.     By  ten  o'clock,  next  morning,  we  were  in  Para. 

A  letter  from  Senhor  Godinho  to  his  wife,  requested  her  to 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  97 

send  us  a  singular  pet  animal,  which  the  Senhor  described  as 
small,  having  a  broad  tail,  with  which,  umbrella-like,  it  shield- 
ed itself  from  the  rain,  and  a  lightning-like  capacity  for  mov- 
ing among  the  trees,  now  at  the  bottom,  and,  quicker  than 
thought,  at  the  top.  But  most  curious  of  all,  and  most  posi- 
tively certain,  this  little  quadruped  was  hatched  from  an  egg. 
We  suggested  to  the  Senhor  various  animals,  but  our  descrip- 
tion of  none  answered.  Of  course,  curiosity  was  at  boiling 
point.  We  had  heard  of  furred  animals  with  ducks'  bills,  and 
hairy  fish  that  chewed  the  cud;  of  other  fishes  that  went  on 
shore  and  climbed  trees ;  of  two-headed  calves,  and  Siamese 
twins  ;  but  here,  at  last,  was  something  unique — an  animal 
hatched  from  an  egg — more  wonderful  than  Hydrargoses,  and 
a  speculation  to  make  the  fortunes  of  young  men  of  enter- 
prise. All  day  we  waited,  and  nothing  came  ;  the  next  morning 
dawned,  the  noon  bell  tolled,  and  we,  at  last,  concluded  that  the 
Senhora  had  been  loth  to  part  with  so  singular  a  pet,  and  that 
the  instructions  of  her  honored  lord  were  to  be  unheeded.  Din- 
ner came,  soup  was  on  our  plates,  spoons  were  in  our  hands, 
and  curiosity  had  expended  itself  by  its  own  lashings,  when  a 
strange  footstep  was  heard  at  the  door-way,  and  a  well-dressed, 
dusky  Rachel  appeared,  bearing  a  carefully  covered  cuya  intui- 
tively to  A .     Here  was  the  wonder.     What 'is  it?     What 

can  it  be  ?  What  is  it  like  ?  Down  went  soup  spoons ;  suspense 
was  painful.  First,  unrolled  a  clean,  little  white  sheet — second, 
another  of  the  same, — the  slightest  possible  end  of  a  tail  pro- 
truded from  under  a  third,  a  little  round  nose  and  a  whisker 
peeped  from  the  remaining  cotton, — and  up  leaped  one  of  the 
prettiest  little  squirrels  in  the  world.  The  little  darling ! 
Every  body  wanted  him;  every  body  played  with  him  ;  and 
for  a  long  time,  he  was  the  pet  of  the  family,  running  about 
the  house  as  he  listed. 

The  Indians  all  believe  that  if  they  shoot  at  a  squirrel,  the 
gun  is  crooked  ever  after.  Such  superstitions  are  common 
with  respect  to  other  animals,  and  as  they  are  harmless,  de- 
serve to  be  encouraged. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

First  discovery  of  the  Amazon  by  Pinzon — Expedition  of  Gonzalo  Pizano — Descent  of 
Orellana — Settlement  of  Para — Second  descent — Ascent  of  Teixera,  and  arrival  at 
Quito — He  descends  with  Acnfla — Indian  tribes — Rivers,  etc. — Their  report  of  the 
country — Number  of  tribes — Indian  customs — Languages — Lingoa  Geral — Canni- 
bals— System  of  the  Jesuits — Their  banishment — Present  system,  and  condition  of 
the  Indians — Their  government — Compulsory  labor. 

Before  commencing  the  narrative  of  our  Amazon  expedi- 
tion, a  few  particulars  relating  to  the  early  history  of  this  river 
may  not  be  uninteresting.  For  these,  I  am  in  great  part  in- 
debted to  Southey,  whose  extensive  work  upon  Brazil  is  the 
only  one  of  authority  readily  accessible. 

Seven  years  after  the  discovery  of  America,  Vincente  Ya- 
nez  Pinzon,  who,  under  Columbus,  had  commanded  the  Nina, 
obtained  a  commission  from  the  Spanish  sovereigns  to  go  in 
search  of  new  countries.  The  first  point  at  which  he  arrived, 
is  now  called  Cape  St.  Augustine,  and  here  he  landed,  and 
took  formal  possession  of  the  country.  Coasting  thence  north- 
ward, the  Spaniards  came  to  what  they  called  a  sea  of  fresh 
water,  and  they  supposed  themselves  in  the  mouth  of  some 
great  river  or  rivers.  It  was  the  mouth  of  the  Amazon. 
Without  effecting  further  discovery,  beyond  landing  at  one  of 
the  islands,  Pinzon  continued  on  to  the  Orinoco,  and  thence 
returned  to  Spain.  He  believed  that  the  land  which  he  had- 
visited  was  India  beyond  the  Ganges,  and  that  he  had  sailed 
beyond  the  great  city  of  Cathay.  This  expedition  carried 
many  curious  productions  of  the  country,  but  none  excited  so 
much  astonishment  as  an  opossum,  an  animal  unknown  in  the 
old  world.  It  was  described  as  having  the  fore  part  of  a  fox, 
the  hind  part  of  a  monkey,  the  feet  of  an  ape,  and  the  ears  of 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  99 

a  bat;  and  was  sent  to  Seville,  and  then  to  Grenada,  that  the 
King  and  Queen  might  see  it.  One  or  two  other  attempts 
were  made  to  explore  the  vicinity  of  the  entrance  of  the  Am- 
azon, within  the  next  forty  years,  but  without  much  success. 

About  the  year  1541,  Gonzalo  Pizarro  heard  of  a  country 
rich  in  spices,  to  the  eastward  of  Peru,  and  resolved  to  secure 
its  possession.  For  this  purpose,  he  set  out  from  Quito,  with 
about  two  hundred  foot  soldiers,  one  hundred  horse,  and  four 
thousand  Indians.  Before  they  had  advanced  thirty  leagues, 
they  suffered  extremely  from  earthquakes  and  storms,  hunger 
and  cold.  At  this  distance,  Pizarro  was  joined  by  the  knight 
Francisco  de  Orellana,  with  a  small  reinforcement.  Continu- 
ing on,  the  Spaniards  suffered  terrible  hardships.  The  Indians 
died,  or  deserted,  the  soldiers  wasted  away,  and,  at  last,  upon 
the  river  Coca,  they  were  in  an  excessive  famine. 

The  Dorado  of  which  they  were  in  search,  was  as  distant 
as  ever,  but  still  their  hopes  were  fed  by  the  delusive  reports 
of  the  natives.  To  obtain  relief,  Pizarro  sent  forward  Orellana, 
in  a  brigantine  which  they  had  built,  with  fifty  men,  and  with 
orders  to  proceed  to  a  fertile  country,  and  to  return  as  speedily 
as  possible  with  provisions.  Amid  perils  and  disasters,  the 
knight  continued  down  about  one  hundred  leagues,  unto  the 
river  Napo.  The  country,  through  which  he  had  passed,  was 
uninhabited,  nor  was  there  any  sign  of  culture  or  of  population 
there.  It  was  impossible  to  return,  and  if  they  waited  for  the 
army,  they  should  perish  with  famine.  Orellana  conceived  the 
adventurous  hope  of  being  himself  the  explorer  of  the  great 
river,  and  his  men  were  easily  persuaded  to  acquiesce  in  his 
purpose.  It  was  upon  the  last  day  of  December,  1541,  that  the 
little  band  set  forth.  Sometimes,  they  met  friendly  Indians,  at 
others,  they  were  obliged  to  fight  their  way,  sword  in  hand, 
through  swarms  of  enemies.  Famine  and  sickness  thinned 
them.  The  river  seemed  interminable  ;  still  on,  on.  Hostile 
Indians  increased  in  number ;  they  were  hardly  ever  out  of 
sight  of  their  villages.  It  was  the  8th  of  August,  1542,  when 
they  sailed  out  of  the  river.  They  had  built  another  brigan- 
tine upon  their  way,  and  now,  the  two  were  carried  towards 
the  West  Indies  by  the  current.     Landing  upon   one  of  the 


100  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


islands,  our  adventurers  proceeded  thence  to  Spain.  They  had 
accomplished  one  of  the  most  wonderful  voyages  ever  made, 
and  were  received  with  distinguished  honors.  The  account 
published  by  Orellana  and  the  friar,  who  accompanied  him,* 
contained  so  many  fabulous  inventions,  as  to  utterly  destroy  the 
authenticity  of  the  whole.  Not  the  least  of  these,  was  their 
account  of  a  nation  of  Amazons  which  they  had  encountered, 
and  which  thereafter  gave  the  river  its  name.  Orellana  re- 
ceived permission  to  repeat  his  discoveries,  with  a  grant  of  do- 
minion. Returning,  he  was  unable  to  find  the  entrance  of  the 
river  among  the  islands,  and  died  worn  out  by  vexation. 

In  1615,  Caldeira  founded  the  city  of  Para,  and  this  was 
the  first  attempt  by  the  Portuguese  to  colonize  the  river.  The 
Dutch  had  previously  formed  a  settlement  upon  the  northern 
bank,  some  leagues  above ;  but  being  soon  driven  out,  the  Por- 
tugese remained  sole  masters. 

In  1637.  the  Amazon  was  descended,  a  second  time,  by  two 
ecclesiastics  and  six  soldiers.  They  had  formed  part  of  a  large 
deputation  sent  to  Christianize  the  Indians,  upon  the  frontiers 
of  Peru,  and  meeting  nothing  but  danger  in  their  undertaking, 
had  preferred  the  descent  to  the  prospect  of  certain  death  in 
returning. 

These  fathers  were  so  stupified  with  fear,  as  to  be  unable 
to  give  any  intelligible  account  of  what  they  had  seen,  except 
horrible  narrations  of  cannibal  Indians.  They  were  treated 
most  courteously  by  the  Governor  of  Para,  and  in  sending  them 
home,  that  officer  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  cover 
his  usurpation  of  the  magistracy  of  the  province,  by  an  offer  to 
do  the  State  service  in  exploring  the  river.  His  proposition 
was  approved,  and  Pedro  Teixera  was  appointed  commander 
of  the  expedition.  He  left  Para,  the  28th  of  October,  1637,  with 
seventy  soldiers,  and  twelve  hundred  natiye  bowmen  and  row- 
ers, making  with  their  women  and  slaves,  two  thousand  per- 
sons in  all,  and  embarked  in  forty-five  canoes.  The  adventu- 
rers arrived,  late  in  the  succeeding  year,  at  Quito,  and  their 
advent  was  celebrated  by  processions  and  bull  fights. 

The  journal  and  map  of  Teixera  were  dispatched  to  the 
Viceroy  of  Peru,  and  this  officer  ordered  Teixera  to  return, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  101 

taking  competent  companions,  who  should  survey  the  river, 
and  prepare  a  report  of  its  wonders  for  the  Court  at  Madrid. 
Two  professors  were  chosen  for  the  purpose,  Acuila  and  Ar- 
tieda,  and  from  their  published  narrative,  we  have  the  first 
authentic  accounts  of  the  Amazon.  Embarking  upon  one  of 
the  small  streams  near  Quito,  the  party  soon  arrived  at  the 
Napo.  Here  they  encountered  a  tribe  of  Indians,  called  En- 
cabellados,  or  long  haired  ;  so  called  from  the  custom  with  both 
sexes,  of  suffering  their  hair  to  reach  below  the  knees.  They 
were  formidable  enemies,  and  were  constantly  at  war  with 
neighboring  tribes.  They  were  cannibals  ;  and  in  battle,  their 
weapon  was  the  dart.  Further  down,  was  the  country  of  the 
Omaguas,  or  flat-heads  ;  whose  peculiar  custom  resembled  that 
of  certain  tribes  of  North  American  Indians.  This  was  the 
most  civilized,  rational,  and  docile  tribe  upon  the  whole  river. 
They  grew  and  manufactured  cotton,  and  made  it  an  article  of 
traffic  with  their  neighbors.  From  this  tribe  was  first  learned 
the  use  of  the  seringa  or  rubber.  They  possessed  the  islands 
in  the  river  for  an  extent  of  two  hundred  leagues,  and  were 
constantly  warring  with  the  Urinas  on  the  south  side,  and  the 
Tucunas  on  the  north.  The  latter  of  these  believed  in  me- 
tempsychosis, and  worshipped  a  household  idol.  They  were 
clothed  about  the  loins  with  the  bark  of  a  tree  ;  and  were  re- 
markable for  their  skill  in  stuffing  birds,  which  they  shot  with 
the  blow-gun.  The  Urinas  were  cannibals  ;  shaved  the  crown 
of  the  head;  and  wore  feathers  of  macaws  in  the  corners  of 
their  mouths,  besides  strings  of  shells  pendent  from  ears,  nos- 
trils, and  under-lip. 

Passing  many  other  curious  tribes,  differing  in  customs  and 
character,  our  adventurers  came  to  the  country  of  the  great 
tribe  called  Curiciraris,  who  possessed  an  extent  of  eighty 
leagues,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  river  now  called  Juma.  Their 
settlements  were  almost  continuous.  They  were  the  shyest 
tribe  upon  the  river,  but  among  the  most  improved.  They 
were  excellent  potters,  making  not  only  jars  and  pans,  but 
even  ovens  and  frying-pans,  and  in  these  they  trafficked  with 
other  tribes.     Here  were  first  perceived  golden  ornaments,  and 


102  A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

Teixera   was   assured  of  a   river  of  gold,  running  from  the 
mountains,  some  days' journey  to  the  northward.     * 

Not  far  below,  was  the  great  river  Jupura,  so  called  from 
a  tribe  of  Indians  thus  denominated  from  a  fruit  of  which  they 
made  a  black  paste  for  food.  This  river  is  one  of  the  greatest 
tributaries  of  the  Amazon. 

The  next  considerable  rivet  was  the  Puros,  named  also 
from  the  tribe  upon  its  banks.  Here  Teixera  heard  of  a  tribe 
of  enormous  giants,  dwelling  two  months'  voyage  up  the  river. 
The  Puros  were  remarkable  for  their  expiatory  fasts,  during 
which  no  state  of  infirmity  or  disease  was  admitted  as  a  relax- 
ation, and  numbers  actually  died  of  abstinence  from  food. 

Below  the  mouth  of  the  Puros,  upon  the  southern  side, 
were  the  Caripunas  and  Zurinas,  tribes  remarkable  for  their 
skill  in  carving. 

The  next  river,  of  note,  was  the  Rio  Negro.  Here  were 
rumors  of  remote  people  wearing  hats  and  garments,  and  the 
voyagers  concluded  that  this  fashion  was  learned  in  conse- 
quence of  their  vicinity  to  some  Spanish  city.  They  also 
heard  of  a  great  river  to  the  north,  communicating,  by  a 
branch,  with  the  Rio  Negro.  This  was  the  Orinoco,  but  geo- 
graphers were  long  incredulous  as  to  the  existence  of  such  a 
connection. 

The  next  great  river,  was  the  Madeira ;  so  named  from 
the  great  quantities  of  wood  floating  down  its  current.  Twen- 
ty-eight leagues  below,  was  a  great  island,  possessed  by  the 
Tupinambas,  and  called  after  their  name.  This  tribe  re- 
ported their  ancestors  to  have  emigrated  from  the  region  of 
Pernambuco,  to  escape  the  Portuguese.  They  were  expert 
archers.  They  reported  two  remarkable  races  upon  the  south- 
ern shore ;  one  of  whom,  were  dwarfs,  not  bigger  than  little 
children ;  and  the  others,  singular  from  their  feet,  which  grew 
backwards.  They  also  reported  the  existence  of  a  nation  of 
Amazons,  and  gave  minute  details  of  their  appearance  and 
habits.  Whether  such  a  nation  ever  existed  or  not,  can  never 
be  ascertained ;  but  it  is  most  remarkable,  that  almost  every 
tribe  throughout  Brazil,  even  those  most  separated,  and  speak- 
ing entirely  different  languages,  should  have  believed  in  their 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  103 

existence.  When  Condamine  descended  the  river,  in  1743,  he 
omitted  no  opportunity  of  inquiring  after  the  Amazons,  and 
invariably  received  the  same  reports. 

Below  the  island  of  the  Tupinambas,  about  eighty  leagues, 
was  the  river  Topajos,  named  from  the  tribe  so  denominated. 
These  Indians  were  dreaded  by  the  Portuguese  ;  for  their 
arrows  were  venomed  with  so  powerful  a  poison,  that  the 
slightest  puncture  occasioned  inevitable  death.  Here  were 
Portuguese  settlers,  and  a  fort  on  the  present  site  of  San- 
tarem.  Continuing  on,  our  voyagers  passed  many  lesser 
rivers ;  and  heard  rumors  of  gold  and  diamonds,  far  in  the 
interior. 

They  arrived  in  Para,  upon  the  12th  of  December,  1639 ; 
having  scarcely  met  with  an  accident,  and  having  enjoyed 
a  most  delightful  voyage.  They  represented  the  country, 
through  which  they  had  passed,  as  rich  beyond  belief,  capa- 
ble of  yielding  all  tropical  productions ;  the  forests,  filled  with 
wild  animals  and  game ;  and  the  river,  teeming  with  fish  and 
turtle.  Every  where,  were  inestimable  gums  and  drugs  ;  and 
for  ship-building,  there  were  timbers  of  the  greatest  strength 
and  beauty. 

The  number  of  tribes,  were  estimated  at  one  hundred  and 
fifty,  speaking  different  languages  ;  and  bordering  so  closely, 
that  the  sound  of  an  axe  in  the  villages  of  one,  might  be  heard 
in  the  villages  of  another.  Their  arms,  were  bows  and  arrows ; 
their  shields,  of  the  skin  of  the  cow-fish,  or  of  plaited  cane. 
Their  canoes,  were  of  cedars,  caught  floating  in  the  stream ; 
their  hatchets,  were  of  turtle-shell;  their  mallets,  the  jaw-bone 
of  the  cow-fish;  and  with  these,  they  made  tables,  seats,  and 
other  articles,  of  beautiful  workmanship.  They  had  idols  of 
their  own  making,  each  distinguished  by  some  fit  symbol ;  and 
they  had  priests,  or  conjurers.  They  were  of  a  less  dark  com- 
plexion, than  other  Brazilian  nations ;  were  well  made,  and  of 
good  stature,  of  quick  understanding,  docile,  disposed  to  re- 
ceive any  instruction  from  their  guests,  and  to  render  them 
any  assistance. 

The  Amazon,  in  its  natural  features,  is  the  same  now, 
as  when  Acufia  descended ;   and  the  rapturous  descriptions 


104  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

which  he  has  given  of  these  wild  forests,  and  mighty  streams, 
might  have  been  written  to-day.  But  where  are  the  one 
hundred  and  fifty  tribes,  who  then  skirted  its  borders,  and  the 
villages  so  thickly  populated  ? 

Most  of  the  Brazilian  Indians,  spoke  languages  somewhat 
resembling  each  other.  The  Tupi,  in  its  dialects,  prevailed  in 
Brazil;  as  the  Guarani,  in  Paraguay;  and  the  Omagua,  in 
Peru.  Of  these  three,  the  second  is  the  parent,  as  the  Greek 
is  of  the  Latin.  The  Jesuits,  in  Brazil,  adopted  the  Tupi ; 
and  this,  under  the  present  name  of  the  Lingoa  Geral,  or 
general  language,  is  understood  by  every  Indian.  Still,  each 
tribe  has  its  own  peculiar  dialect ;  and  those,  in  contact  with 
the  whites,  speak  also  the  Portuguese. 

The  Tupi  races  were  cannibals ;  and  it  was  only  after 
long  and  unwearied  exertion,  that  the  Jesuits  could  succeed 
in  abolishing  that  practice.  Rumor  speaks  still  of  cannibal 
Indians ;  but  we  never  were  able  to  obtain  any  account  of 
such  tribes,  as  deserved  a  moment's  credence. 

The  Jesuits  were  always  the  firm  friends  of  the  Indians, 
and  entertained  the  noble  conception  of  civilizing  and  chris- 
tianizing those  unnumbered  millions  of  wild  men,  and  of  ele- 
vating them,  within  a  very  few  generations,  to  a  rank  with 
other  nations  of  the  earth.  They  gathered  them  in  villages, 
taught  them  the  lingoa  geral,  and  instructed  them  in  arts  and 
agriculture.  They  opposed,  most  determinedly,  the  enslaving 
of  the  Indians,  and  the  cruelties  of  the  whites.  The  Carme- 
lites as  resolutely  defended  the  colonists,  and  the  history  of  this 
province,  for  a  long  course  of  years,  is  little  more  than  the  de- 
tail of  the  struggle  between  these  rival  orders.  The  Monks 
were  victorious ;  the  Jesuits  were  forced  to  leave  the  country, 
and  were  transported  like  felons  to  the  dungeons  of  Portugal. 
Their  property  in  Brazil  was  confiscated,  and  at  this  moment, 
there  is  scarcely  a  public  edifice  in  the  province  of  Para,  but 
that  belonged  to  them.  The  Government  undertook  to  carry 
out  the  beneficent  plan  of  the  Jesuits,  and,  for  this  purpose, 
sent  Friars  through  the  wilderness,  to  collect  together  the  In- 
dians, and  offered  them  the  rights  of  freemen.  But  partly  ow- 
ing to  the  inefficiency  of  the  means,  and  partly  to  obstructions 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  105 

thrown  in  the  way  by  the  colonists,  the  system  introduced  by 
the  Government  proved  ineffectual  in  preventing  the  diminu- 
tion of  the  tribes,  or  in  materially  bettering  the  condition  of 
the  few  who  were  willing  to  embrace  its  offers.  Although 
nominally  freemen,  they  are  really  the  slaves  of  any  white  man 
who  settles  among  them,  and  this  must  be  the  case,  so  long  as 
they  feel  their  real  inferiority.  The  only  hope  for  them  is,  that, 
in  course  of  a  few  generations,  their  race  will  be  so  amalga- 
mated with  that  of  the  whites  as  to  remove  all  distinction. 
But,  as  far  as  our  observations  extended,  their  condition  was 
superior,  morally,  to  that  of  the  frontier  Indians  in  North 
America. 

The  head  men,  or  chiefs,  of  the  different  settlements  are 
denominated  Taucjias,  and  have  the  rank,  and  wear  the  uniform 
of,  Colonels  in  the  Brazilian  service.  In  each  district  is  also  a 
Capitan  des  Trabalhadores,  or  Captain  of  the  Laborers,  and  to 
him  belongs  the  general  supervision  of  the  Indians  and  free 
negroes.  If  a  certain  number  of  men  are  required  to  navigate 
a  vessel,  or  for  any  other  purpose,  the  Capitan  sends  a  requisi- 
tion to  the  Taucha,  and  the  men  must  be  forthcoming,  no  mat- 
ter what  may  be  their  private  engagements.  This  looks  very 
like  compulsion,  but  it  is  really  no  more  so  than  jury  duty. 
The  men  make  a  voyage  to  the  city  and  back,  and  are  then 
discharged,  perhaps  not  to  be  recalled,  for  several  months. 
They  are  paid  stipulated  wages,  and  rations,  and  are  sure  of 
good  treatment ;  for,  besides  that  they  have  their  own  remedy, 
by  running  away,  which  they  will  do  upon  the  least  affront, 
the  law  throws  over  them  strong  protections.  While  we  were 
at  the  Barra  of  the  Rio  Negro,  a  white  man  was  lingering  out 
a  three  years'  imprisonment,  for  merely  striking  an  Indian  in 
his  employ.  The  Government  has  been  sometimes  severely 
strictured  for  its  conduct  towards  the  Indians,  but  it  is  difficult 
to  see  what  more  it  could  do  for  them  than  it  has  done. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Preparations  for  ascending  the  Amazon — Our  companions — The  galliota — Indians — Pro- 
visions— Difficulties  at  starting — Detained  at  Sr.  Lima's — Incident — An  afternoon 
upon  the  beach — Another  sitio — Marajo — The  Tocantins — Islands — Ciganas  and  other 
birds — Wood  scene — Habits  of  our  Indians — Arrive  at  Braves — Pottery  painting — 
Water-jars — Filing  the  teeth — Funeral  of  a  child — A  palm  swamp — Seringa  trees  and 
gum  collectors — Sloth — Howling  monkeys — An  adventure — Enter  the  Amazon — A 
macaw  hunt. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  to  put  all  things  in  readiness  for  an 
expedition  up  the  river.  It  was  like  preparing  for  a  family 
movement  to  the  Oregon.  In  addition  to  Mr.  Bradley,  two 
other  gentlemen  were  to  accompany  us :  Mr.  McCulloch,  the 
proprietor  of  a  saw-mill  at  the  Barra  de  Rio  Negro,  who  had 
lately  come  down,  with  a  raft  of  cedar  boards,  to  within  a  few 
days'  sail  of  the  city ;  and  Mr.  Williams,  a  young  gentleman 
from  Newark,  New  Jersey,  staying  like  ourselves  at  Mr.  Nor- 
ris's,  and  who  desired  a  further  acquaintance  with  the  wonders 
of  the  interior. 

The  boat  in  which  we  were  to  make  our  cruise  was  called 
a  galliota,  a  sort  of  pleasure  craft,  but  well  adapted  to  such  ex- 
cursions. It  was  thirty  feet  in  length,  having  a  round,  canoe 
bottom,  and  without  a  keel.  Its  greatest  width  was  seven  feet. 
The  after  part  was  a  cabin,  lined  on  either  side,  and  at  the  re- 
mote end,  with  lockers,  for  provisions  and  other  matters.  Upon 
each  locker  was  scanty  room  for  one  sleeper,  and  two  could 
lie  comfortably  upon  the  floor,  while  another  swung  above 
them  in  a  hammock.  In  front  of  the  cabin  door  was  a  tiny 
deck,  and  beyond  this,  covering  the  hold,  and  extending  to 
within  two  feet  of  the  extreme  bow,  was  the  tolda,  covered  with 
canvass,  and  intended  for  the  stowage  of  goods  or  baggage. 
On  either  side  of  this  tolda  was  a  space,  a  foot  in  width,  and 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  107 

Jevel.  Here,  in  most  awkward  positions,  were  to  sit  the  pad- 
dlers. 

These  were  Indians,  mostly  of  the  Mura  tribe,  heretofore 
spoken  of  as  the  worst  upon  the  river.  They  were  from  a  lit- 
tle village  below  the  Rio  Negro,  and  consisted  of  a  Taucha 
and  five  of  his  sons,  the  eldest  of  whom,  the  heir  apparent, 
had  his  wife  and  two  small  children,  in  the  bow.  Beside  these, 
was  a  pilot,  and  three  others,  making  altogether  eighteen  per- 
sons. 

The  after  part  of  the  cabin,  and  the  whole  tolda,  with  barely 
room  enough  for  our  trunks,  and  the  fish  and  farinha  for 
the  crew,  were  crammed  with  Bradley's  goods,  bringing  the 
deck  within  a  few  inches  of  the  water. 

Oar  main  stock  of  provisions  was  to  be  laid  in  at  Para,  and 
the  lockers,  and  every  spare  corner  was  occupied  in  their 
stowage.  We  had  a  couple  of  hams,  great  store  of  ground 
coffee,  tea,  sugar,  coarse  salt,  onions,  sardines,  oil,  vinegar,  mo- 
lasses, candles,  tin  cases  of  cheese,  and  two  large  bags  of 
oven-dried  bread.  Sundry  demijohns  of  wine  and  casha9a 
comprised  the  stock  of  drinkables,  the  former  being  for  home 
consumption,  the  latter  for  rations  to  the  crew.  In  addition  to 
these  things,  several  of  our  lady  friends  had  contributed  huge 
loaves  of  cake,  and  Yankee  dough-nuts,  and  jars  of  doces,  not 
a  few.  Not  the  least  acceptable,  were  some  pots  of  New-York 
oysters,  from  a  clever  captain  in  the  harbor. 

We  did  not  anticipate  that  a  forty  days'  passage  in  this 
overloaded  boat  would  be  without  all  sorts  of  inconveniences; 
but  such  an  adventure  had  charms  enough,  and  we  were  de- 
termined to  have  a  jolly  cruise,  the  household  gods  nolentes 
volentes,  as  General  Taylor  would  say. 

No  vessel  can  pass  the  fort  at  Gurupa  without  a  permit  from 
the  authorities  at  Para,  and  all  voyagers  on  the  river  must  pro- 
vide themselves  with  passports.  These  we  obtained  without 
difficulty,  and  at  slight  expense.  Doctor  Costa,  Mr.  Campbell, 
and  other  friends,  furnished  us  with  letters  to  persons  of  note 
in  the  different  towns  which  we  were  to  pass. 

At  last,  upon  the  23d  of  May,  we  were  fairly  on  board,  and 
ready  to  start  with  the  tide.     But  here  occurred  a  difficulty, 


108  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AB1AZON. 

and  an  ominous  one,  at  the  outset.  Six  of  the  Indians  had 
given  us  the  slip,  not  caring  to  return  thus  soon  to  the  Rio  Ne- 
gro. Our  remedies  were  patience  and  police,  and  we  resigned 
ourselves  to  the  one,  hunting  the  runaways  with  the  other. 
Towards  night,  they  were  brought,  in,  and  now,  going  on  board 
again,  we  moored  outside  of  a  large  canoe,  to  prevent  a  like 
disaster,  and  waited  the  midnight  tide.  Rain  poured  furiously, 
but  we  gathered  ourselves  around  a  trunk-table,  and  ate  and 
drank  long  life  to  our  friends,  and  a  pleasant  passage  to  our- 
selves. The  Indians  huddled  about  the  door,  feasting  their  eyes, 
and  muttering  their  criticisms,  but  their  envy  was  speedily  dis- 
sipated by  a  distribution  of  cashaca,  and  biscuit,  with  a  plate 
of  oysters  to  the  Taucha.  The  old  fellow  bore  his  honor  king- 
like, and  I  fancy,  was  the  first  South  American  potentate  that 
ever  tasted  Downing's  best. 

There  was  still  opportunity  for  a  short  nap  before  the  tide 
would  serve,  and  we  awaked  just  in  time  ;  but  now  was  another 
trouble.  The  Indians,  having  no  fear  of  wholesome  disci- 
pline before  their  eyes,  were  desperately  determined  not  to  be 
awaked,  and  but  for  the  ruse  of  calling  them  toa"  nip "  of 
cashaca,  we  might  have  lost  the  tide  again.  The  effect  was 
electrical,  and  they  started  from  their  deep  slumbers,  each 
striving  to  be  foremost.  There  was  one  boy,  however,  who 
skulked  into  a  montaria  behind  the  large  canoe,  and  would 
only  be  induced  to  come  on  board  again  by  the  capture  of  his 
trunk.  Five  on  a  side,  they  took  their  places.  The  Taucha 
planted  himself  on  the  top,  having  a  proper  idea  of  preroga- 
tive, the  children  hid  themselves  away  among  the  farinha 
baskets,  and  the  princess  covered  herself  in  the  bow,  and  pre- 
pared  to  sleep. 

Our  course  was  the  same  that  we  had  formerly  taken  to- 
wards Caripe,  and,  by  noon,  we  had  arrived  at  the  house  of 
Sr.  Lima,  a  trader,  within  two  miles  of  that  place.  Here  we 
stopped,  not  caring  to  pass  the  bay  of  Marajo  by  night,  and 
improved  the  opportunity  to  make  a  sail.  As  the  tide  rose, 
towards*  night,  word  was  brought  that  the  galliota  was  leaking 
at  such  a  rate  as  to  endanger  the  goods.  No  alternative  was 
left  but  to  unload  her  with  all  speed,  and  it  was  only  by  the 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  109 


most  active  exertions  that  she  was  kept  from  swamping.  All 
the  goods  were  piled  in  the  verandah,  and  the  lady  of  the  house 
allowed  us  the  small  chapel,  in  which  to  dry  some  of  the  ar- 
ticles. We  sent  her  a  box  of  sardines,  in  token  of  our  grati- 
tude, and  it  seemed  to  unlock  her  heart  chambers,  for  forthwith 
appeared  a  servant  to  attend  our  table,  bringing  a  silver  tea- 
pot, and  various  other  appliances  for  our  comfort.  Slinging 
our  hammocks  in  the  verandah,  about  the  goods,  we  slept  in  the 
open  air.  During  the  night,  we  were  startled  by  a  singular 
incident,  trivial  enough  in  itself,  but  one  that  carried  us  back 
to  home  scenes.  Some  voyager  passed  us,  singing  an  air  fre- 
quently sung  in  Sunday  schools,  at  home,  and  known  as  the 
"  Parting  Hymn."  We  little  thought,  when  last  we  heard  it 
hymned  by  a  congregation  of  children,  that  we  were  next  to 
listen  to  it  upon  the  far  distant  waters  of  the  Amazon.  The 
words  were  not  distinguishable.  We  started  the  same  tune  in 
return,  but  the  voyager  was  already  beyond  the  reach  of  our 
voices,  and  lost  behind  a  point  of  the  island.  Who  this  could 
have  been,  we  were  unable  to  ascertain  at  Para,  upon  our  re- 
turn.    It  was  not  an  American. 

Repairing  the  galliota  detained  us  two  days,  but  every 
thing  being  carefully  repacked,  and  the  boat  cleansed,  we  were 
amply  repaid.  Starting  again,  on  the  25th,  we  hoisted  our 
new  lug-sail,  and  a  fine  breeze  soon  swept  us  past  Caripe,  our 
old  shelling  ground.  Full  tide  forced  us  to  lie  by  at  noon,  and 
we  brought  up  under  a  high  bank,  upon  which  was  a  sideless 
hut,  containing  a  woman  and  children.  The  rest  of  the  family, 
it  being  Sunday,  had  gone  off  to  a  festa  in  the  neighborhood. 
The  first  impulse  of  the  Indians,  upon  reaching  shore,  was  to 
look  out  for  some  shade  where  they  might  stretch  themselves 
to  sleep.  One  or  two  of  the  more  active,  however,  started  out 
with  a  gun,  and,  before  long,  returned  with  a  live  sloth,  which 
they  had  obtained  by  climbing  the  tree  upon  which  he  was 
suspended.  This  was  of  a  different  species  from  those  we  had 
seen  near  Para.  The  beach  was  broad  and  sandy,  and  we 
amused  ourselves  with  bathing,  and  searching  for  flowers,  and 
seeds  thrown  up  by  the  tide.  Among  the  flowers  was  one 
most  conspicuous,  of  the  Bignonia  family,  large,  yellow,  and 

6 


110         A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

sprinkling  in  profusion  the  dark  green  of  the  tree  which  it  had 
climbed.  Wandering  on  some  distance,  we  found  ourselves  in 
a  little  cove,  secluded  from  the  sunlight  by  a  high,  rocky  bank, 
and  so  dark  that  bats  were  clustering  about  the  tree  trunks 
in  numbers.  The  temptation  was  too  strong,  and  we  imitated 
the  good  example  of  the  Indians. 

By  sunset,  we  were  again  pressing  on,  and,  in  the  early  eve- 
ning, coasted  along  several  miles.  The  shore  hereabouts  was 
lined  with  ragged  sand  rocks,  and  in  case  of  squalls,  which  oc- 
cur almost  daily,  during  the  rainy  season,  the  navigation  is 
hazardous.  Our  own  situation  began  to  cause  us  some  anxie- 
ty. Several  times  the  bottom  of  the  galliota  had  scraped  upon 
the  rocks,  and  we  were  only  forced  off  by  the  Indians 
springing  into  the  water,  and  dragging  us  free.  A  storm  was 
gathering,  and  vivid  lightning  and  low  growling  thunder  be- 
tokened its  near  approach.  A  man,  at  the  bow,  constantly 
reported  the  water  more  and  more  shallow,  and  the  rising 
waves  dashed  hoarsely  upon  the  near  rocks.  But  just  then 
a  little  igaripe  opened  its  friendly  arms,  and.  almost  in  a  mo- 
ment, we  were  beyond  harm's  reach,  in  water  calm  as  a  lake. 

The  morning  dawned  pleasantly,  and  a  fine  breeze  spring- 
ing up,  we  soon  crossed  the  bay,  and,  by  noon,  had  arrived  at  a 
nice  beach,  upon  which  was  a  grove  of  assai  palms  loaded 
with  fruit.  Here  we  stopped  to  fill  our  panellas.  Continuing 
on  a  few  miles,  we  struck  into  a  narrow  channel,  and  came  to 
an  inviting-looking  house,  where  we  concluded  to  await  the 
gathering  storm.  The  occupants'  were  two  Brazilians,  of  a 
better  class  than  we  had  seen  since  leaving  the  city,  and  we 
were  received  with  warmth.  The  frame  of  the  house  was 
covered  entirely,  even  to  the  room-partitions,  by  the  narrow 
leaves  of  a  species  of  palm,  plaited  with  the  regularity  of 
basket  work.  A  quantity  of  cacao  lay  drying  upon  elevated 
platforms,  and  around  the  house  hung  much  dried  venison. 
Deer  were  abundant  here,  and  one  had  been  killed  that 
morning.  But  what  gratified  us  most  was  a  goodly  flock  of 
hens,  and  we  at  once  commenced  a  parley  for  a  pair,  for  we  had 
become  somewhat  tired  of  ham.  Meanwhile  the  women  had 
been  preparing  our  assai. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  Ill 

The  region  of  country  that  we  were  now  in,  was  exceed- 
ingly low,  mostly  overflowed  at  high  water.  The  waters  had 
fallen  about  a  foot,  but  still,  everything  around  this  house  was 
wet,  and  we  had  only  gained  access  to  it  by  walking  from  the 
boat  on  logs. 

The  next  day,  the  27th,  we  coasted  along  Marajo,  observ- 
ing many  novel  plants  and  birds.  One  species  of  palm,  par- 
ticularly attracted  attention  ;  its  long  feather-like  leaves  grow- 
ing directly  out  of  the  ground,  and  arranged  in  the  form  of  a 
shuttlecock.  There  now  began  to  be  great  numbers  of  ma- 
caws, red  and  blue,  flying  always  in  pairs,  and  keeping  up  a 
hoarse,  disagreeable  screaming.  We  passed  what  was  for- 
merly a  large  and  valuable  estate,  still  having  fine-looking 
buildings  and  a  chapel.  It  had  belonged  to  Mr.  Campbell, 
and  like  many  an  other,  had  been  ruined  during  the  revolu- 
tion of  '35. 

We  crossed  the  mouth  of  the  Tocantins,  but  without  being 
able  to  discern  either  shore  of  that  river.  It  appeared  abroad 
sea,  every  where  dotted  with  islands.  The  Tocantins  is  one  of 
the  largest  Amazon  branches,  and  pours  a  vast  volume  of  water 
into  Marajo  Bay.  This  particular  portion  of  that  Bay  is  called 
the  Bay  of  Limoeiro,  and  is  crossed  by  vessels  bound  to  Para 
from  the  Amazn,  in  preference  to  the  route  which  we  had 
taken.  The  Tocantins,  and  a  few  small  streams  nearer  the 
city,  are  often  considered  the  legitimate  formers  of  Para 
river.  But,  through  numerous  channels,  a  wide  body  of  water 
from  the  Amazon  sweeps  round  Marajo,  and  the  Gram  Para  is 
a  fair  claimant  to  all  the  honors  of  the  King  of  Waters. 

The  Tocantins  is  bordered  by  many  towns,  and  is  the 
channel  of  a  large  trade.  The  upper  country  is  a  mineral 
region,  and  diversified  by  beautiful  mountain  scenery.  The 
banks  yield  fustic,  and  numerous  other  woods  valuable  as  dyes, 
or  for  cabinet  work,  and  if  the  efforts  to  establish  a  sawmill, 
now  in  contemplation,  be  successful,  these  beautiful  woods 
will  soon  be  known  as  they  deserve.  Great  quantities  of 
castanha  nuts  also  come  down  the  river.  The  town  of  Cameta, 
between  thirty  and  forty  miles  from  its  mouth,  contains  about 
twenty-five   hundred  inhabitants,   and  is  in  the  midst  of  an 


112  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

extensive  cacao-growing  region.  This  was  the  only  town 
upon  the  Amazon  that  successfully  resisted  the  rebels  in  1835. 
The  Tocantins  is  navigable  for  steamboats  or  large  vessels  for 
a  great  distance. 

Since  the  26th,  we  had  been  sailing  among  islands,  often 
very  near  together,  and  again,  several  miles  apart.  Upon  the 
28th,  we  were  unable  to  effect  a  landing  until  noon,  so  densely 
was  the  shore  lined  with  low  shrubs.  Upon  these  sat  hundreds 
of  a  large  reddish  bird,  known  by  the  name  of  Cigana,  and  com- 
mon upon  the  whole  Amazon,  the  Opisthocomus  cristatus 
(Lath). 

Among  them,  were  numbers  of  bitterns,  and  a  large,  black 
bird,  the  Crotophaga  major.  This  bird  is  often  seen  in  flocks 
among  the  bushes  which  skirt  the  river,  and  is  conspicuous  for 
its  long,  fan-like  tail,  and  graceful  movements.  Sometimes 
it  is  seen  domesticated.  There  is  another  species,  the  C.  ani, 
seen  about  the  cattle,  on  the  plantations ;  of  smaller  size,  and 
inferior  beauty.  We  afterwards  obtained  the  eggs  of  the 
former,  among  the  bamboos,  at  Jungcal.  They  were  large,  al- 
most spherical,  of  a  deep  blue  color,  but  covered  entirely  with 
a  calcareous  deposit,  as  are  the  eggs  of  many  of  the  cormo- 
rants. 

Having  reached  a  spot  where  the  bank  was  a  little  higher 
than  elsewhere,  we  landed.  A  small  opening  between  the 
trees  allowed  ingress,  and  we  found  ourselves  in  a  fairy  bower. 
How  much  we  longed  for  the  ability  of  sketching  these  places, 
so  common  here,  so  rare  elsewhere.  Not  the  least  interesting 
feature  was  the  group  of  Indians  about  the  blazing  fire,  some 
attending  to  their  fish,  which  was  roasting  on  sticks,  inclined 
over  the  flame  ;  others  sitting  listlessly  by,  or  catching  a  hasty 
nap  upon  their  palm  leaves.  A  tree  bearing  superb  crimson 
flowers  shaded  the  boat,  and  a  large  blue  butterfly  was  contin- 
ually flitting  in  and  out  among  the  trees,  as  if  sporting  with  our 
vain  attempts  to  entrap  him.  Not  far  off,  macaws  were 
screaming,  and  the  shrill  whistle,  observed  in  the  woods  near 
Para,  sounded  from  every  direction. 

We  had  now  been  nearly  a  week  in  the  galliota,  and  al- 
though somewhat  crowded,  had  got  along  very  comfortably. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  113 

The  only  inconvenience  was  the  sultry  heat  of  the  afternoon  ; 
for,  in  these  narrow  channels,  the  wind  had  little  scope.  But 
no  matter  how  severe  the  heat,  the  Indians  seemed  not  to  mind 
it,  although  their  heads  were  uncovered,  and  their  bodies 
naked.  Every  day,  about  noon,  they  would  pull  up  to  the 
bank  for  the  purpose  of  bathing,  of  which  they  were  extrava- 
gantly fond.  Even  the  little  boys  would  swim  about  like  ducks. 
Their  mother,  the  princess,  had  quite  won  our  esteem,  by  her 
quiet,  modest  demeanor.  Her  principal  care  was  to  look  after 
the  children,  but  she  spent  her  spare  hours  in  making  cuyas 
from  gourds,  or  in  sewing  for  herself  or  her  husband.  He,  good 
man,  seemed  very  fond  of  her,  which  would  not  have  been  sur- 
prising, except  in  an  Indian ;  and  always  paddled  at  her  side. 
He  might  have  been  proud  of  her,  even  had  his  potentacy  ex- 
pectant been  more  elevated,  for  she  was  very  pretty,  and  her 
hands  and  arms  might  have  excited  the  envy  of  many  a  whiter 
belle. 

Early  upon  the  29th,  we  arrived  at  Braves,  a  little  settle- 
ment, where  was  lying  Mr.  McCulloch's  raft.  Upon  this  was 
stationed  a  "  down  east "  lumberman,  by  name  Sawtelle,  who 
was  to  add  another  to  our  full  cabin.  We  were  to  remain  at 
Braves  until  the  arrival  of  a  large  vessel,  or  battalon,  which  was 
engaged  in  the  transportation  of  the  boards ;  and  as  this  was 
likely  to  be  some  days,  we  unloaded  upon  the  raft,  slung  our 
hammocks  under  the  thatched  cabin,  and  sent  the  galliota, 
again  badly  leaking,  to  be  recalked. 

Braves  is  one  of  the  little  towns  that  have  grown  up  since 
the  active  demand  for  rubber,  of  which  the  surrounding  dis- 
trict yields  vast  quantities.  It  is  a  small  collection  of  houses, 
partly  thatched,  and  partly  of  mud,  stationed  any  where,  re- 
gardless of  streets  or  right  lines.  Bradley  and  I  started  to  ex- 
plore for  eggs  whereon  to  breakfast.  We  found  our  way  to  a 
little  affair  called  a  store,  or  venda,  in  front  of  which,  a  number 
of  leisurely  gentlemen  were  rolling  balls  at  a  one-pin.  We 
were  politely  greeted  with  the  raised  hat,  and  the  customary 
"  viva,"  and  a  chance  at  the  pin  was  as  politely  offered,  which, 
with  many  thanks,  we  were  obliged  to  decline.  Our  errand 
was  not  very  successful,  for  upon  the  next  Sunday  was  to  be  a 


114  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

festa  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  hens  were  all  engaged  for  that 
occasion.  At  one  of  the  houses,  an  old  Indian  woman  was 
painting  pottery,  that  is,  plates,  and  what  she  called  "  pombos" 
and  "  gallos,"  or  doves  and  cocks,  but  bearing  a  very  slight 
resemblance  to  those  birds.  Another  was  painting  bilhas,  or 
small  water  jars,  of  white  clay,  and  beautiful  workmanship. 
She  promised  to  glaze  any  thing  I  would  paint,  giving  me  the 
use  of  her  colors.  So  I  chose  a  pair  of  the  prettiest  bilhas,  and 
after  a  consultation  on  the  raft,  we  concluded  to  commemorate 
our  travels  by  a  sketch  of  the  galliota.  It  was  a  novel  busi- 
ness, but  after  several  trials  I  made  a  very  fair  picture,  with 
the  aid  of  contemporary  criticisms.  The  old  Tauqha  was  might- 
ily pleased  to  see  himself  so  honored,  as  were  the  others,  who 
gathered  round,  watching  every  movement  of  the  pencil,  and 
expressing  their  astonishment.  The  figure  of  the  princess  es- 
pecially excited  uproarious  applause.  Beside  these,  were  sev- 
eral other  devices,  and  at  last,  all  complete,  I  took  my  adven- 
ture to  the  old  woman.  But  she  was  provoked  at  something, 
and  would  not  be  persuaded  to  apply  the  glazing.  However, 
after  much  coaxing  and  many  promises,  she  assured  us  that 
we  should  have  them  on  our  return  down  the  river.  The  col- 
ors she  used  were  all  simple.  The  blue  was  indigo  ;  black,  the 
juice  of  the  mandioca;  green,  the  juice  of  some  other  plant ; 
and  red,  and  yellow,  were  of  clay.  The  brushes  were  small 
spines  of  palms,  and  the  coloring  was  applied  in  squares  or  cir- 
cles; or,  if  any  thing  imitative  was  intended,  in  the  rudest  out- 
line. The  ware  was  glazed  by  a  resinous  gum  found  in  the 
forest.  This  was  rubbed  gently  over,  the  vessel  previously 
having  been  warmed  over  a  bed  of  coals. 

The  stream  opposite  Braves,  was  one-fourth  of  a  mile  wide; 
and  beyond,  was  an  island  heavily  wooded.  Thither  we  sent 
a  hunter  every  day,  and  he  usually  brought  in  some  kind  of 
game ;  a  Howling  Monkey  or  macaw.  For  ourselves,  we  were 
confined  pretty  much  to  the  raft ;  the  region  about  the  town 
being  nothing  but  swamp.  Yet  still,  we  found  opportunity  to 
increase  our  collection  of  birds  by  a  few  specimens  hitherto 
unknown  to  us,  particularly  the  Cayenne  Manikin,  and  the 
Picus  Cayanensis.      The   Indians,   meanwhile,  had  found  a 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  115 

quantity  of  rattan,  and  were  busily  engaged  in  weaving  a 
sort  of  covering,  or  protection  from  the  rain.  Two  long,  cra- 
dle-shaped baskets  were  made,  one  fitting  within  the  other, 
the  broad  banana  leaves  being  laid  between ;  and  under  this, 
they  could  sleep  securely. 

We  were  struck,  at  Braves,  by  the  appearance  of  some 
Portuguese  boys,  whose  teeth  had  been  sharpened  in  the 
Indian  manner.  The  custom  is  quite  fashionable  among  that 
class,  who  come  over  seeking  their  fortunes ;  they  evidently 
considering  it  as  a  sort  of  naturalization.  The  blade  of  a 
knife,  or  razor,  is  laid  across  the  edge  of  the  tooth,  and  by  a 
slight  blow  and  dexterous  turn,  a  piece  is  chipped  off  on  either 
side.  All  the  front  teeth,  above  and  below,  are  thus  served; 
and  they  give  a  person  a  very  odd,  and  to  a  stranger,  a  very 
disagreeable  appearance.  For  some  days,  after  the  operation 
is  performed,  the  patient  is  unable  to  eat  or  drink  without 
severe  pain-;  but  soon,  the  teeth  lose  their  sensitiveness,  and 
then  seem  to  decay  no  faster  than  the  others. 

One  day,  there  was  a  funeral  of  a  child.  For  some  time 
previous  to  the  burial,  the  little  thing  was  laid  out  upon  a 
table,  prettily  dressed,  and  crowned  with  flowers.  The  mother 
sat  cheerfully  by  its  side,  and  received  the  congratulations  of 
her  friends,  that  her  little  one  was  now  an  angel. 

On  the  morning  of  June  1st,  we  were  delighted  to  see  the 
battalon  come  swiftly  up  with  the  tide,  and  made  immediate 
preparations  for  departure.  Now,  was  trouble  again  with  the 
Indians.  Some  of  the  Taucha's  boys  wanted  to  return  to 
Para,  and  the  old  fellow  evidently  did  not  care  whether  they 
did  or  no,  notwithstanding  his  oft-repeated  assurances,  that 
he  would  keep  them  in  order.  His  authority  was  very  ques- 
tionable, and  we  were  getting  tired  of  his  lazy  inefficiency. 
The  old  remedy  was  tried,  and  again  we  were  conquerors. 
These  difficulties  are  incident  to  every  navigator  upon  the 
river ;  for,  upon  the  slightest  whim,  an  Indian  is  ready  to  de- 
sert, and  often,  the  detention  of  their  little  baggage,  or  the 
wages  accruing  to  them,  is  matter  of  perfect  indifference. 

The  morning  of  the  2d,  found  us  in  a  narrow  stream,  wind- 
ing  among  small  islands,  which  were  densely  covered  with 


116         A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

palms.  Landing,  in  what  was  almost  entirely  a  palm  swamp, 
we  amused  ourselves  a  long  time,  by  observing  the  different 
varieties,  of  which  we  had  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  name, 
and  in  collecting  the  fruits.  Here  were  numbers  of  the  shut- 
tlecock palms ;  and  their  large  leaves,  spread  upon  the  wet 
ground,  made  the  Indians  a  comfortable  bed.  There  are 
more  than  one  hundred  described  species  of  palms,  in  Brazil ; 
growing,  to  some  extent,  almost  every  where.  But,  within 
the  province  of  Para,  by  far  the  larger  portion  are  upon  the 
islands,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Upon  the  islands  above, 
and  upon  the  main-land,  they  are  comparatively  rare. 

Leaving  the  palms,  we  came  to  a  region  abounding  in  huge 
trees,  where  the  shore  was  every  where  easy  of  access.  Here 
were  numbers  of  seringa  trees,  and  we  passed  many  habita- 
tions of  the  gum  collectors.  These  were  merely  roofed,  or 
thatched  on  one  side,  and  very  often  the  water  rose  to  the  very 
door.  No  fruit  trees  of  any  sort  were  there,  nor  was  there  sign 
of  cultivation.  The  forest  around  was  just  sufficiently  cleared 
to  avoid  danger  from  falling  trees,  or  to  let  in  a  glimpse  of  the 
sun.  In  these  miserable  places  were  always  families,  and  thus 
they  live  all  the  year  round,  eating  nothing  but  fish  and 
farinha,  and  their  situation  only  bettered  in  summer  by  less 
dampness. 

We  now  entered  one  of  the  direct  channels  from  the  Ama- 
zon, called  the  Tapajani.  It  was  half  a  mile  in  width,  and 
through  it  poured  a  furious  current.  Here  we  saw  a  Sloth, 
climbing,  hand  over  hand,  up  an  assai  palm,  by  the  water;  and 
here,  also,  we  first  heard  in  perfection  the  Guariba,  or  Howl- 
ing Monkey.  There  were  a  number  of  them,  some,  near  by, 
and  others,  at  a  great  distance ;  all  contributing  to  an  infernal 
noise,  not  comparable  to  any  thing,  unless  a  commingling  of 
the  roaring  of  mad  bulls,  and  the  squealing  of  mad  pigs.  This 
roaring  power  is  owing  to  the  peculiar  conformation  of  the 
bones  of  the  mouth,  by  which  they  are  distinguished  from  all 
others  of  the  family.  We  got  quite  up  to  a  pair  of  these  fel- 
lows, as  they  were  making  all  ring,  deafening  even  themselves. 
They  were  in  a  tree-top  close  by  the  water,  and  a  shot  from 
A brought  down  one  of  them.    But  recovering  himself,  he 


A   VOYAGE   UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  117 

made  off,  as  fast  as  he  was  able  through  the  bushes.  Imme- 
diately the  boat  was  stopped,  and  A ,  with  several  of  the 

Indians,  sprang  on  shore  in  pursuit,  but  without  success. 
There  were  still  some  young  ones  in  the  tree,  and  another  shot 
sent  tumbling  one  of  these.  But  he  too  saved  himself,  twisting 
his  tail  about  a  limb  as  he  fell,  and,  in  a  twinkling,  he  was 
snug  in  a  corner,  safe  from  our  eyes.  Monkey  hunts  often 
end  so. 

Leaving  the  Tapajani,  we  were  still  separated  from  the 
main  current  of  the  Amazon,  by  a  long  island,  two  or  three 
miles  distant,  and  it  was  noon  of  the  5th,  before,  through  the 
space  intervening  between  this  and  an  island  above,  we  were 
able  to  distinguish  the  northern  shore,  twenty  miles  away. 
The  bank  near  us  was  bold,  and  evidently  the  force  of  the  cur- 
rent was  continually  wearing  upon  it,  and  undermining  the 
enormous  trees,  that  towered  with  a  grandeur  befitting  the 
dwellers  by  this  unequaled  river.  Often,  the  boat  struck  upon 
some  concealed  limb  or  trunk,  usually  only  requiring  us  to 
back  off,  but  sometimes,  making  us  stick  fast.  In  such  cases, 
several  of  the  boys  would  jump  into  the  water,  and  in  a  great 
frolic,  drag  us  free. 

Towards  evening,  we  came  to  a  place  where  the  macaws 
were  assembling  to  roost.  Disturbed  by  our  approach,  they 
circled  over  our  heads  in  great  numbers,  screaming  outrage- 
ously.    A caught  a  gun,  and  as  one  of  them  came  plump 

into  the  water,  winged,  Tau9ha,  men,  women  and  children  set 
up  a  shout  of  admiration.  Two  of  the  boys  were  instantly  in 
the  stream,  in  chase  of  the  bird,  who  was  making  rapid 
strokes  towards  a  clump  of  bushes.  Macaw  arrived  first,  and 
for  joy  at  his  deliverance,  laughed  in  exultation  ;  but  a  blow 
of  a  pole  knocked  him  into  the  water  again,  and  a  towel  over 
his  nose  soon  made  him  prisoner  upon  our  own  terms.  The 
poor  fellow  struggled  lustily,  roaring,  and  using  bill  and  toes 
to  good  purpose.  His  sympathizing  brethren  flew  round  and 
round,  screaming  in  concert,  and  it  was  not  until  another  shot 
had  cut  off  the  tail  of  one  of  the  most  noisy,  that  they  began  to 
credit  us  for  being  in  earnest.  Our  specimen  was  of  the  Blue 
and  Yellow  variety.   During  the  night,  we  repeatedly  sailed 

6* 


118  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

by  trees  where  these  birds  were  roosting,  and  upon  one  dry- 
branch,  A ,  whose  watch  it  was,  counted  eighteen.     The 

opportunity  was  tempting,  but  we  were  under  press  for  Guru- 
pa,  and  could  not  delay.  The  Indians  were  as  anxious  for  a 
rest  as  ourselves,  and  all  night,  pulled,  with  scarcely  an  inter- 
mission. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Arrive  at  Gurupa — Situation  of  *he  town — Reception  by  the  Commandante — An  egg 
hunt — Storm — Cross  the  Xingu — Carapanas — Cedar  logs — Harpy  Eagle — Birds — 
Mountains— Indian  cooking — Forest  trees— Snake  birds — A  Toucan's  nest — Mutucas — 
Indian  improvidence — Grass  fields — Enter  an  Igaripe — Hyacinthine  Macaws — Passion 
flowers — Pass  Pryinha — Monte  Alegre — Arrive  at  Sitios — Thrush — Campo — Incident 
-  -Enter  the  Tapajos — White  Herons — Flowering  trees — Arrival  at  Santarem — Capt. 
Hislop — Morning  calls — Beef — River  Tapajos — Feather  dresses — Embalmed  heads — 
Description  of  Santarem — Departure — A  slight  difficulty. 

Early  on  the  6th,  Gurupa  was  in  sight.  As  we  drew  near, 
we  were  hailed  from  the  fort  in  some  outlandish  tongue,  in- 
quiring, probably,  if  we  intended  to  storm  the  town.  Our 
answer  was  in  English,  and  they  seemed  as  well  satisfied  as 
though  they  had  comprehended  it,  bidding  us  pass  on.  The 
town  does  not  present  a  very  striking  appearance  from  the 
water,  merely  the  tops  of  half  a  dozen  houses  being  visible. 
The  landing  was  at  the  upper  end,  and  there  we  moored, 
among  numbers  of  little  craft  which  had  collected  from  the 
vicinity,  for  the  day  was  a  festa. 

Gurupa  was  formerly  considered  the  key  to  the  river,  and 
was  of  great  service  to  the  early  colonists  in  preventing  the  en- 
croachments of  other  nations.  Now,  it  is  of  little  consequence, 
and  has  but  a  scanty  trade.  Its  population  numbers  a  few 
hundred.  Superior  sarsaparilla,  or  salsa,  is  taken  to  Para  from 
this  vicinity,  The  situation  of  the  town  is  fine.  In  front,  a 
long  island  stretches  far  down  the  river,  called  the  Isle  of 
Paroquets.  Above,  and  within  a  few  miles,  are  two  other 
islands,  both  small,  and  beautiful  from  their  circular  shape. 
Upon  the  Isle  of  Paroquets,  all  kinds  of  parrots  and  macaws 
were  now  preparing  to  breed,  in  vast  flocks,  and  this  accounted 


120  A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

for  the  unusual  numbers  which  we  had  seen,  within  a  few 
days. 

We  had  a  letter  from  Doctor  Costa  to  the  Commandante, 
and  suitable  respect,  moreover,  demanded  a  display  of  pass- 
ports ;  so  after  breakfasling  on  the  beach,  A and  Bradley 

went  up  to  his  Excellency's  house.  The  Commandante  was 
very  polite  in  his  attentions,  and  pressed  us  strongly  to  remain 
to  a  dance,  which  he  was  to  give  in  the  evening.  But  if  we 
could  only  wait  until  afternoon,  he  would  send  us  some  fresh 
beef;  and,  at  any  rate,  upon  our  return,  we  must  stay  with  him 
at  least  a  fortnight.  While  our  two  diplomatists  were  thus 
engaged,  Sawtelle  undertook  the  customary  search  for  eggs ; 
and  the  first  person  he  made  inquiry  of  for  these  indispensa- 
bles,  was  the  schoolmaster,  who  with  his  dignity  all  upon  him, 
and  his  scholars  about  him,  was  discharging  his  usual  duties. 
Yes,  the  schoolmaster  had  eggs,  and  at  once  started  to  bring 
them,  careless  of  dignity,  duties  and  all.  In  his  absence,  our 
messenger  despatched  the  scholars  to  their  respective  homes, 
on  a  like  errand,  and  soon,  they  returned  with  one,  two,  and 
three  apiece,  until  our  cuya  was  filled.  There  are  no  County 
Superintendents,  or  Boards  of  Trustees,  in  Brazil. 

A  fresh  breeze  had  sprung  up,  and  we  hastened  away.  A 
few  miles  above  Gurupa,  the  clouds  began  to  darken,  the  waves 
were  rising  ominously,  and  there  was  every  appearance  of  a 
squall :  several  canoes,  which  had  been  on  the  same  course, 
had  hauled  in  shore,  and  their  crews  seemed  to  look  upon  us 

with  astonishment,  as  we  swept  by  them.    A was  on  deck 

as  usual,  watching  the  sail,  and  the  Indians,  half  frightened  at 
our  speed,  kept  every  eye  on  him.  Suddenly  a  halyard  parted, 
the  sail  flaunted  out,  the  boat  tipped,  and  there  was  not  an  In- 
dian on  board  but  crossed  himself,  and  called  on  Nossa  Sen- 
hora.  Perhaps  Nossa  Senhora  heard  them,  and  was  willing  to 
do  them  a  good  turn,  for  very  soon  the  wind  died  away,  and 
the  bright  sun  made  all  smile  again. 

Soon  after  dark,  we  crossed  the  mouth  of  the  Xingu, 
(Shingu),  much  to  the  displeasure  of  the  Indians,  who  wished 
to  stop  upon  the  lower  side.  And  they  were  very  right ;  for 
scarcely  had  we  crossed,  when  we  were  beset  by  such  swarms 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.         121 

of  carapanas,  or  musquitoes,  as  put  all  sleep  at  defiance. 
Nets  were  of  no  avail,  even  would  the  oppressive  heat  allow 
them,  for  those  who  could  not  creep  through  the  meshes,  would 
in  some  other  way  find  entrance,  in  spite  of  every  precaution. 
Thick  breeches  they  laughed  at,  and  the  cabin  seemed  the  in- 
terior of  a  bee-hive.  This  would  not  do.  so  we  tried  the  deck ; 
but  fresh  swarms  continually  poured  over  us,  and  all  night 
long,  we  were  foaming  with  vexation  and  rage.  The  Indians 
fared  little  better,  and  preferred  paddling  on,  to  anchoring  near 
shore.  The  English  consul  at  Para  had  told  us,  "  Ye'll  be 
ate  up  alive  intirely."  and  certainly  this  began  to  look  much 
like  it.  Moreover,  we  were  told  for  consolation,  that  this  was 
but  the  advanced  guard.  It  is  very  remarkable  that  carapa- 
nas are  not  found  to  any  troublesome  extent  below  the  Xingu. 
The  country  is  low,  and  much  of  it  wet,  yet.  from  some  cause, 
does  not  favor  these  little  pests. 

The  Xingu  is  a  noble  river,  in  length  nearly  equal  to  the 
Tocantins.  At  its  mouth,  it  expands  to  a  width  of  several  miles, 
and  is  there  profusely  dotted  with  islands.  From  the  Xingu, 
the  best  rubber  is  brought,  and  a  number  of  small  settlements, 
along  the  banks,  are  supported  by  that  trade. 

Soon  after  sunrise,  upon  the  7th,  we  brought  up  along  side 
of  a  large  cedar  log,  the  land  being  inaccessible,  or  rather, 
being  entirely  overflowed,  and  speedily,  we  had  a  rousing  fire 
kindled  between  two  of  the  roots.  This  cedar  is  a  beautiful 
wood,  light  as  pine,  and,  when  polished,  of  fine  color.  ■  Most 
of  the  woods  of  the  country  are  protected  against  the  ravages 
of  insects,  by  their  hardness,  but  the  cedar  is  filled  with  a 
fragrant  resinous  gum,  which  every  insect  detests.  It  grows 
mostly  upon  the  Japura,  and  other  upper  branches  of  the 
Amazon,  and  is  almost  the  only  wood  seen  floating  in  the  river. 
At  certain  points,  along  the  shores,  vast  numbers  of  the  logs 
are' collected,  and  were  mill  streams  common,  might  be  turned 
to  profitable  purpose. 

Just  before  we  had  reached  our  mooring,  a  full-sized  Harpy 
Eagle  perched  upon  a  tree  near  the  water,  his  crest  erect,  and 
his  appearance  noble  beyond  description.  We  gave  him  a 
charge  of  our  largest  shot,  but  he  seemed  not  to  notice  it. 


122 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


Before  we  could  fire  again,  he  slowly  gathered  himself  up, 
and  flew  majestically  off.  This  bird  is  called  the  Gavion  Real, 
or  Royal  Eagle,  and  is  not  uncommon  throughout  the  interior. 
Its  favorite  food  is  said  to  be  sloths,  and  other  large  sized 
animals. 

After  breakfast  we  sailed  by  a  broad  marsh,  upon  which 
hundreds  of  herons  were  stalking  through  the  tall  grass. 
Upon  logs,  and  stumps  projecting  from  the  water,  sat  great 
flocks  of  terns,  ducks  and  cormorants,  who,  at  our  approach, 
left  their  resting  places,  some,  circling  about  us  with  loud  cries, 
others,  diving  beneath  the  water,  or  flying  hurriedly  to  some 
safer  spot. 

We  proceeded  very  slowly.  The  current  had  a  rapidity 
of  about  three  miles  an  hour,  and  it  was  only  by  keeping  close 
in  shore,  that  we  could  make  headway.  The  water  of  the 
Amazon  is  yellowish,  and  deposits  a  slight  sediment.  It  is 
extremely  pleasant  to  the  taste,  and  causes  none  of  that  sick- 
ness, upon  first  acquaintance,  that  river  waters  often  do.  For 
bathing,  it  is  luxurious. 

Upon  the  morning  of  the  8th,  a  range  of  hills,  or  moun- 
tains, as  they  may  properly  enough  be  called,  was  visible  upon 
the  northern  shore  ;  and  after  passing  such  an  extent  of  low 
country,  the  sight  was  refreshing.  They  had  none  of  the 
ruggedness  of  mountains  elsewhere,  but  rose  gently  above  the 
surrounding  level,  like  some  first  attempt  of  nature  at  moun- 
tain makings 


MOUNTAINS  ON  THE  NORTHERN  SHORE. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  123 


We  saw  a  number  of  Darters  upon  the  branches  over  the 
water,  but  were  unable  to  shoot  them.  A  pair  of  red  macaws 
fared  differently,  and  we  laid  them  by  for  breakfast.  During 
the  morning  we  passed  about  a  dozen  sloths.  They  were 
favorite  food  of  the  Indians,  and  their  eyes  were  always  quick 
to  discover  them  among  the  branches,  upon  the  lower  side  of 
which  they  usually  hung,  looking  like  so  many  wasp's  nests. 
We  observed  a  large  lily,  of  deep  crimson  color,  and  numerous 
richly  flowered  creepers,  but  without  being  able  to  obtain  them. 
It  was  impossible  to  effect  a  landing,  and  we  moored  again  by 
the  side  of  a  cedar  log,  eight  feet  in  diameter.  Upon  this  was 
growing  a  cactus,  which  we  preserved.  Our  macaws,  fricasseed 
with  rice,  made  a  very  respectable  meal ;  somewhat  tough ; 
but  what  then,  many  a  more  reputable  fowl  has  that  disadvan- 
tage. The  Indians  shot  a  small  monkey,  and  before  life  was 
out  of  him,  threw  him  upon  the  fire.  Scarcely  warmed  through, 
he  was  torn  in  pieces,  and  devoured  with  a  sort  of  cannibal 
greediness,  that  made  one  shudder. 

Palm  trees  had  entirely  disappeared,  but  cotton  trees,  of 
prodigious  height  and  spreading  tops,  were  seen  every  where. 
So  also  were  mangabeira  trees,  conspicuous  from  their  leafless 
limbs,  and  the  large  red  seed  pods  which  ornamented  them. 
There  was  another  tree,  more  beautiful  than  either,  called  from 
its  yellowish  brown  bark,  the  mulatto  tree.  It  was  tall  and 
slim,  its  leaves  of  a  dark  green,  and  its  elegantly  spreading  top 
was  covered  with  clusters  of  small  white  flowers.  The  yellow 
limbs,  as  they  threaded  among  the  leaves  and  flowers,  pro- 
duced a  doubly  pleasing  effect.  This  tree  is  common  upon 
the  river,  but  its  wood  is  esteemed  of  no  value. 

We  made  little  advance,  the  wind  not  favoring,  and  the 
current  being  strong.  Late  in  the  evening,  we  threw  a  rope 
over  a  stump,  at  some  distance  from  the  shore,  beyond  reach 
of  carapanas,  and  spread  ourselves  upon  the  cabin  top,  in  the 
clear  moonlight,  hoping  for  a  quiet  sleep.  But  the  breeze 
freshened,  and  off  we  started  again,  to  our  great  misfortune  ; 
for,  the  wind  soon  dying  away,  we  got  entangled  in  the  cross 
currents,  and  were  hurled  with  violence  among  bushes  and 
trees.     And  now  a  pelting  storm  came  up,  and  the  gaping 


124  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

seams  of  the  cabin  top  admitted  floods  of  water.  To  crown 
the  whole,  we  were  at  last  obliged  to  stop  in  shore,  and  sun- 
rise found  us  half  devoured. 

We  were  always  out  as  early  as  possible  in  the  morning, 
for  besides  that  it  was  far  the  pleasantest  part  of  the  day,  there 
were  always  birds  enough  by  the  water  side  to  attract  one 
fond  of  a  gun.  The  morning  of  the  9th  was  ushered  in  by  a 
brace  of  discharges  at  a  flock  of  parrots,  and  immediately 
after,  down  dropped  a  Darter.  We  had  seen  several  of  these 
within  a  few  days,  and  they  were  always  conspicuous  from 
their  long,  snake-like  necks,  and  outspread  tails.  They  were 
very  tame,  and  easily  shot ;  but,  if  not  instantly  killed,  would 
dive  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  with  nothing  but  the  tip 
of  their  bill  protruding.  In  this  manner,  they  would  swim 
under  the  grass,  and  were  beyond  detection.  The  Indians 
called  them  Cararas.  This  family  is  remarkable  for  the  ab- 
sence of  any  tongue,  save  the  slightest  rudiment,  and  for  hav- 
ing no  external  nostril.  This  specimen  was  a  young  male  of 
the  Plotus  Anhinga. 

We  here  saw  another  Harpy  Eagle,  and  a  variety  of 
hawks ;  and  in  a  large  tree,  directly  over  the  river,  was  the 
nest  of  the  Toco  Toucan. 

The  land  was  still  swampy,  but  we  contrived  to  find  a  stop- 
ping place,  where  we  were  terribly  persecuted  by  carapanas. 
The  hills,  on  our  right,  were  increasing  in  number  and  size. 
Several  canoes  passed  on  their  way  down,  but  as  these  always 
keep  in  the  current,  one  may  sail  the  whole  length  of  the  Ama- 
zon, without  hailing  a  fellow  voyager.  We  were  here  annoy- 
ed by  a  large  black  fly,  called  mutuca,  who  seemed  determined 
to  suck  from  us  what  little  blood  the  carapanas  had  left. 

The  men  rowed  with  a  slight  increase  of  unction,  attributa- 
ble to  our  being  out  offish,  which  they  had  wasted  in  the  most 
reckless  manner.  It  was  impossible  to  serve  them  with  daily 
rations  ;  no  independent  Indian  would  submit  to  that.  No  mat- 
ler  how  large  the  piece  they  cut  off,  if  it  was  more  than  enough 
for  their  present  want,  over  it  went  into  the  stream.  Of  farin- 
ha  too,  they  were  most  enormous  gluttons,  ready  to  eat,  at  any 
time,  a  quart,  which  swelling  in  water,  becomes  of  three  times 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  125 

that  bulk.  And  they  not  only  ate  it,  but  drank  it,  mixing  ifl 
with  water,  and  constantly  stirring  it  as  they  swallowed.  This 
drink  they  called  shibe. 

The  morning  of  the  10th,  discovered  the  northern  hills 
much  broken  into  peaks,  resembling  a  bed  of  craters.  Many 
of  the  hills,  however,  were  extremely  regular,  often  shaped  like 
the  frustrum  of  a  cone,  and  apparently  crowned  with  table 
land. 

We  coasted,  for  some  hours,  along  a  shoal  bank,  covered 
with  willows,  and  other  shrubs  standing  in  the  water.  Such 
banks  are  generally  lined  with  a  species  of  coarse  grass,  which 
often  extends  into  fields  of  great  size.  Large  masses  of  this 
are  constantly  breaking  off  by  wind  and  current,  and  float  down 
with  the  appearance  of  tiny  islets.  A  nice  little  cove  invited 
us  to  breakfast,  and  the  open  forest  allowed  a  delightful  ram- 
ble. Soon  after  leaving  this  place,  the  channel  was  divided  by 
a  large  island,  and  taking  the  narrower  passage,  all  day  we 
sailed  southward,  in  what  seemed  rather  an  igaripe  than  a  part 
of  the  Amazon.  Here  were  thousands  of  small  green,  white- 
breasted  swallows  ;  and  the  bushes  were  alive  with  the  Croto- 
phagas,  spoken  of  before.  Here  also  we  saw  a  pair  of  Hyacin- 
thine  Macaws,  entirely  blue,  the  rarest  variety  upon  the  river; 
and  numbers  of  a  new  Passion  flower,  of  a  deep  scarlet  color. 
'•  In  the  lanceolate  leaves  of  the  Passion  flower,  our  catholic 
ancestors  saw  the  spear  that  pierced  our  Saviour's  side  ;  in 
the  tendrils,  the  whip  ;  the  five  wounds  in  the  five  stamens  ; 
and  the  three  nails,  in  the  three  clavate  styles.  There  were 
but  ten  divisions  of  the  floral  covering,  and  so  they  limited  the 
number  of  the  apostles  ;  excluding  Judas,  the  betrayer,  and 
Peter,  the  denier." 

Re-entering  the  main  stream,  early  upon  the  11th,  we  pass- 
ed the  little  town  of  Pryinha,  upon  the  northern  shore.  The 
bank  was  still  skirted  by  willows  and  grass,  and  the  only  land- 
ing we  could  discover,  was  in  a  swamp  of  tall  callas.  Upon 
the  stems  of  these  plants  was  a  species  of  shell,  the  Bulimus 
picturata  (Fer).  There  was  here  a  large  tree  bearing  pink 
flowers,  of  the  size  and  appearance  of  hollyhocks;  and  crimson 
Passion  vines  were  twined  about  the  callas.      During  the  day, 


126  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

we  passed  a  number  of  trees  formed  by  clusters  of  many  sepa- 
rate trunks,  which  all  united  in  one,  just  below  the  branches. 

Upon  the  12th,  we  passed  Monte  Alegre,  a  little  town,  like- 
wise upon  the  northern  shore,  and  noted  above  other  river  towns 
for  its  manufacture  of  cuyas,  some  of  which  are  of  exquisite 
form  and  coloring.  Just  below  the  town,  a  fine  peak  rises,  con- 
spicuous for  many  miles.  The  shore,  near  us,  was  densely 
overhung  with  vines  of  the  convolvolus  major,  or  morning- 
glory,  plentifully  sprinkled  with  flowers  of  pink  and  blue.  We 
passed  a  brood  of  little  ducks,  apparently  just  from  the  shell. 
As  we  came  near,  the  old  one  uttered  a  note  of  warning  and 
scuttled  away;  and  the  little  tails  of  her  brood  twinkled  under 
the  water. 

About  noon,  discovering  a  sitio,  we  turned  in,  hoping  to  ob- 
tain some  fish  for  our  men,  who  grumbled  mightily  at  their  fa- 
rinha  diet.  There  were  a  couple  of  girls  and  some  children  in 
the  house  ;  and  they  seemed  somewhat  surprised  at  our  errand, 
for  they  had  not  enough  to  eat  for  themselves.  The  poor  girls 
did  look  miserably,  but  poverty  in  such  a  country  was  absurd. 

Proceeding  on,  an  hour  brought  us  to  another  sitio,  where 
the  confused  noises  of  dogs,  and  pigs,  and  hens,  seemed  indica- 
tive of  better  quarters.  Here  were  three  women  only,  engaged 
in  painting  cuyas.  At  first,  they  declined  parting  with  any 
thing  in  the  absence  of  their  men  ;  but  a  distribution  of  casha- 
9a  and  cigars  effected  a  wonderful  change,  and  at  last,  they 
sold  us  a  pig  for  one  milree,  or  fifty  cents,  and  a  hen  for  two 
patacs,  or  thirty-two  cents.  Soon  after,  an  old  man  from  a 
neighboring  sitio  brought  in  a  Musk  Duck  for  one  patac.  We 
gave  the  pig  to  the  men,  and,  in  a  few  moments  he  was  over 
their  fire.  Meanwhile,  they  caught  a  fish,  weighing  some  do- 
zen pounds,  and  with  customary  improvidence,  put  him  also 
into  the  kettle.  Finally,  the  half  eaten  fragments  of  both  were 
tossed  into  the  river.  The  old  man,  of  whom  we  had  bought 
the  duck,  was  very  strenuous  for  cashaca,  and  brought  us  a 
peck  of  coffee  in  exchange  for  a  pint.  Not  content  with  that, 
he,  at  last,  pursued  us  more  than  a  mile,  in  a  montaria,  bring- 
ing eight  coppers  for  more,  and  seemed  to  take  it  much  to  heart 
that  we  had  none  to  sell. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  127 

Upon  the  13th,  we  left  the  southern  shore,  in  order  to  avoid 
a  deep  curve,  and  crossed  to  a  large  island.  Coasting  along 
this,  we  discovered  a  number  of  birds  new  to  us,  the  most  in- 
teresting of  which  was  a  small  species  of  the  Thrush  family, 
the  Donacobius  vociferans  (Swain).  This  bird  we  often,  af- 
terwards, saw  in  the  grass  by  the  water,  and  his  delightful 
notes  reminded  us  of  his  cousin,  the  Mocking-bird,  at  home. 
He  was  incomparably  the  finest  singer  that  we  heard  upon  the 
river,  and  there,  where  singing  birds  are  unusual,  maybe  con- 
sidered as  one  of  the  river  attractions.  Upon  either  side  his 
neck,  was  a  yellow  wattle,  by  the  swelling  of  which  he  pro- 
duced his  rich  tones. 

There  was  high  land  upon  the  southern  shore,  but  upon 
our  island  we  could  find  no  place  to  rest.  The  Amazon,  in 
this  part  of  its  course,  expands  to  a  width  of  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  miles. 

Towards  night  we  bought  a  supply  of  dried  peixe  boi,  at 
a  sitio.  It  was  inconceivably  worse  than  the  periecu.  or  com- 
mon fish,  in  rankness  and  toughness. 

We  passed  a  campo  extending  back  for  several  leagues, 
and  covered  with  the  coarse  grass  mentioned  before,  and 
mostly  overflowed.  This  was  said  to  be  a  place  of  resort  for 
ducks,  who  breed  there  in  the  months  of  August  and  Septem- 
ber, in  inconceivable  numbers.  There  were  evidently  many 
now  feeding  upon  the  grass-seed,  and  occasionally,  a  few  would 
start  up  at  the  noise  of  our  approach.  Our  pilot  suggested  that 
there  were  plenty  of  cattle  and  sheep  upon  this  campo,  and 
that  they  belonged  to  no  one.  The  Indians  were  longing  for 
fresh  meat,  and  had  they  been  alone  would  have  carried  off 
one  of  the  "  cow  cattle,"  as  Bradley  termed  them,  without  in- 
quiring for  ownership. 

During  the  morning  of  the  14th,  we  stopped  at  a  cacao  sitio, 
where  was  a  fine  house,  and  a  number  of  blacks.  While  here, 
a  montaria  arrived,  containing  a  sour-looking  old  fellow,  and 
a  young  girl  seated  between  two  slaves.  She  had  eloped  from 
some  town  above  with  her  lover,  and  her  father  had  overtaken 
her  at  Monte  Alegre,  and  was  now  conveying  her  home.  She 
was  very  beautiful,  and  her  expression  was  so  touchingly  dis- 


128  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

consolate,  that  we  were  half  tempted  to  consider  ourselves  six 
centuries  in  the  past,  toss  the  old  gentleman  into  the  river,  and 
cry  St.  Denis  to  the  rescue.  Poor  girl,  she  had  reason  enough 
for  sadness,  as  she  thought  of  her  unpleasant  widowhood,  and 
of  the  merciless  cowhide  in  waiting  for  her  at  home.  Some 
one  asked  her  if  she  would  like  to  go  with  us.  Her  eyes  glis- 
tened an  instant,  but  the  thought  of  her  father  so  near,  soon 
dimmed  them  with  tears. 

All  day  we  continued  along  the  islands.  Upon  the  south- 
ern shore,  a  range  of  regular  highlands  extended  up  and  down, 
and  along  them,  we  could  distinguish  houses,  and  groves  of 
cacao  trees. 

Towards  evening,  we  passed  a  campo  of  small  extent,  hav- 
ing a  forest  background,  and  lined,  along  the  shore,  with  low 
trees  and  bushes.  These  were  completely  embowered  in  run- 
ning vines,  forming  columns,  arches,  and  fantastic  grottoes. 

The  sun  of  the  15th  had  not  risen,  when  an  exclamation  of 
some  one  called  us  all  out  for  the  first  glimpse  of  Santarem. 
Surely  enough,  a  white  steeple  was  peeping  through  the  gray 
mist,  bidding  us  good  cheer,  for  here,  at  last,  we  should  rest 
awhile  from  our  labors.  The  steeple  was  still  some  miles 
ahead,  but  the  spontaneous  song  of  the  men,  and  the  hearty 
pulls  at  the  paddle,  told  us  that  these  miles  would  be  very 
short. 

Crossing  to  the  southern  side,  we  soon  entered  the  current 
of  the  Tapajos.  This  river  is  often  called  the  Preto,  or  Black, 
from  the  color  of  its  waters ;  and,  for  a  long  distance,  its  deep 
black  runs  side  by  side  with  the  yellow  of  the  Amazon,  as 
though  this  king  of  rivers  disdained  the  contribution  of  so  in- 
significant and  dingy  a  tributary.  And  yet,  the  Tapajos  is  a 
mighty  stream.  The  shore  was  deeply  indented  by  successive 
grassy  bays,  with  open  lagoons  in  their  centres,  about  the  mar- 
gins of  which  various  water-fowl  were  feeding.  Most  con- 
spicuous in  such  places  is,  always,  the  Great  White  Egret, 
Ardea  alba,  who  raises  his  long  neck  above  the  grass  as  ihe 
suspicious  object  approaches.  With  an  intuitive  perception  of 
the  range  of  a  fowling-piece,  he  either  quietly  resumes  his 
feeding,  or  deliberately  removes  to  some  spot  near  by,  where 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  129 

he  knows  he  is  beyond  harm.  The  Heron  is  sometimes  spo- 
ken of  as  a  melancholy  bird,  but  whether  stalking  over  the 
meadows,  or  perched  upon  the  green  bush,  he  seems  to  me  one 
of  the  most  beautiful,  graceful  beings  in  nature.  The  Lady 
of  the  Waters,  a  name  elsewhere  given  to  a  single  species, 
might,  without  flattery,  be  bestowed  upon  the  whole. 

The  trees  beyond  these  bays  were  many  of  them  in  full 
bloom,  some  covered  with  glories  of  golden  yellow ;  others,  of 
bright  blue ;  and  others  still,  of  pure  white.  Many  had  lost 
their  leaves,  and  presented  sombre  Autumn  in  the  embrace  of 
joyous  Spring;  thus  tempering  the  sadness  which  irresistibly 
steals  over  one  when  witnessing  nature's  decay,  with  the  joy 
that  lightens  every  feeling,  when  witnessing  her  renovation. 

Leaving  these  pretty  spots,  low  trees  covered  the  shore, 
and  in  their  branches,  we  noticed  many  new  and  beautiful 
birds,  that  made  us  long  for  a  montaria. 

When  near  the  town,  part  of  our  company  left  the  galliota, 
and  walked  up  along  the  beach.  Our  letters  were  to  Captain 
Hislop,  an  old  Scotch  settler,  and  directly  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  at  the  nearer  end  of  the  town,  we  found  his  house.  The 
old  gentleman  received  us  as  was  usual,  placing  his  house  at 
once  "  a  suas  ordens,"  and  making  us  feel  entirely  at  home. 
We  walked  out,  before  dinner,  to  show  our  passports  to  the 
proper  officers,  although  we  understood  this  to  be  rather  mat- 
ter of  compliment  than  of  necessity,  as  formerly.  Not  finding 
the  officers,  we  made  several  other  calls,  the  most  agreeable  of 
which  was  to  Senhor  Louis,  a  French  baker,  and  a  genuine 
Frenchman.  He  was  passionately  fond  of  sporting,  and  al- 
though he  had  been  for  several  days  unable  to  attend  his  busi- 
ness from  illness,  he  at  once  offered  to  disclose  to  us  the  hiding 
places  of  the  birds,  and  to  be  at  our  disposal,  from  sunrise  to 
sunset,  as  long  as  we  should  stay. 

After  our  galliota  habits,  it  seemed  odd  enough  to  sit  once 
more  at  a  civilized  table  ;  but  that  feeling  was  soon  absorbed 
in  astonishment  at  Santarem  beef,  so  tender,  so  fat,  so  eatable. 
How  could  we  ever  return  to  the  starved  subjects  of  Para 
market? 

The  captain  had  been  a  navigator  upon  all  these  rivers, 


130  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

and  particularly  the  Tapajos;  having  ascended  to  Cuyaba, 
far  amongst  its  head  waters.  At  Santarem,  the  Tapajos  is 
about  one  mile  and  a  half  wide,  at  high  water.  Above,  it 
greatly  widens,  and,  for  several  days'  journey,  is  bordered  by 
plantations  of  cacao.  At  about  twelve  days'  journey,  or  not 
far  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  the  mountains  appear, 
and  the  banks  are  uneven,  and  of  great  beauty.  The  region 
thence  above,  is  a  rich  mineral  region,  and  rare  birds,  animals, 
and  flowers  are  calling  loudly  for  some  adventurous  naturalist, 
who  shall  give  them  immortality.  Here  are  found  the  Hyacin- 
thine  Macaws,  M.  hyacinthinus,  and  the  Trumpeters,  Psophia 
crepitans.  At  certain  points,  the  navigation  is  obstructed  by 
rapids,  and  to  pass  these,  the  canoes  are  unloaded  and  dragged 
over  the  land.  The  journey  from  Para  to  Cuyaba  requires 
about  five  months,  owing  to  the  absence  of  regular  winds,  and 
the  swiftness  of  the  current.  Canoes  occasionally  come  down, 
bringing  little  except  gold,  and  in  returning,  they  carry  prin- 
cipally salt  and  guarana,  a  substance  from  which  a  drink  is 
prepared.  At  a  distance  of  several  hundred  miles  above  San- 
tarem, is  a  large  settlement  of  Indians,  and  from  them,  come 
the  feather  dresses  seen  sometimes  in  Para.  These  are  worn 
by  the  Tauchas.  A  cap,  tightly  fitting  the  head,  is  woven 
of  wild  cotton,  and  this  is  covered  with  the  smaller  feathers  of 
macaws.  To  this  is  attached  a  gaudy  cape  reaching  far  down 
the  back,  and  formed  by  the  long  tail  feathers  of  the  same 
birds,  of  which  they  also  make  sceptres  that  are  borne  in  the 
hand.  Besides  these,  are  pieces  for  the  shoulders,  elbows, 
wrists,  waist,  neck  and  knees ;  and  often,  a  richly  worked  sash 
is  thrown  round  the  body.  These  dresses  are  the  result  of 
prodigious  labor,  and  far  surpass,  in  richness  and  effect,  those 
sometimes  brought  from  the  South  Sea  Islands. 

From  the  Tapajos  Indians,  come  also,  the  embalmed  heads, 
frequently  seen  at  Para.  These  are  the  heads  of  enemies 
killed  in  war,  and  retain  wonderfully  their  natural  appearance. 
The  hair  is  well  preserved,  and  the  eye-sockets  are  filled  with 
clay,  and  painted.  The  Indians  are  said  to  guard  these  heads 
with  great  care,  being  obliged,  by  some  superstition,  to  carry 
them  upon  any  important  expedition,  and  even  when  clearing 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  131 

ground  for  a  new  sitio.  In  this  case,  the  head,  stuck  upon  a 
pole  in  one  corner  of  the  field,  watches  benignly  the  proceed- 
ings, and  may  be  supposed  to  distil  over  the  whole  a  shower  of 
blessings. 

The  river,  below  the  falls,  is  not  subject  to  fever  and  ague; 
and  above,  only  at  some  seasons. 

Santarem  is  the  second  town  to  Para,  in  size,  upon  the 
Amazon,  and  has  every  facility,  from  its  situation,  for  an  exten- 
sive trade  with  the  interior.  It  is  in  the  centre  of  the  cacao 
region,  and  retains  almost  entire  control  of  that  article. 
Vast  quantities  of  castanha  nuts  also  arrive  at  its  wharves 
from  the  interior.  The  campos  in  the  vicinity  support  large 
herds  of  fat  cattle,  in  every  way  superior  to  those  of  Marajo; 
and  were  steamboats  plying  upon  the  river,  Santarem  beef 
would  be  in  great  demand  at  Para.  Its  population  is  about 
four  thousand.  It  stands  upon  ground  inclining  back  from  the 
river.  Its  streets  are  regular,  and  the  houses  pleasant  looking, 
usually  but  of  one  story,  and  built  as  in  Para.  It  contains  a 
very  pretty  church,  above  which  tower  two  steeples.  The 
fort  is  very  conspicuous,  standing  upon  a  high  point,  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  town,  and  commanding  the  river. 

The  morning  after  our  arrival,  we  called  upon  the  com- 
mandante  and  the  chief  of  police.  Both  were  gentlemanly, 
educated  men;  and,  very  kindly,  expressed  themselves  happy 
to  do  us  any  favor,  or  assist  us  in  any  way.  At  one  of  these 
houses,  was  a  very  curious  species  of  monkey ;  being  long- 
haired, gray  in  color,  and  sporting  an  enormous  pair  of  white 
whiskers. 

Another  monkey,  of  a  larger  species,  shaggy,  with  black 
hair,  was  given  us  as  a  present.  This,  we  left  until  our 
return. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Santarem,  the  scarcity  of  laborers  is  most 
severely  felt ;  slaves  being  few,  and  Indians  not  only  being 
difficult  to  catch,  but  slippery  when  caught.  We  suspected 
some  persons  of  tampering  with  our  men,  and  therefore,  judged 
it  better  to  proceed  at  once,  although  we  had  intended  to 
remain  several  days.  Our  suspicions  proved  true,  for  upon 
leaving,  two  of  the  boys  were  determined  to  remain  behind, 


132  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

and  were  only  prevented  from  so  doing  by  our  summoning  an 
officer,  and  the  threat  of  the  calaboose.  A  detention  in  the 
calaboose,  would  in  itself  be  sl%ht;  but  when.it  involves,  at 
least,  three  hundred  lashes  from  the  cat,  a  most  detestable 
animal  to  the  Indian,  it  becomes  something  to  be  considered. 
Desertion  is  so  common,  and  so  annoying,  that  it  receives  no 
mercy  from  the  authorities. 

Leaving  Santarem,  we  crossed  to  an  igaripe,  leading  into 
the  Amazon.  Seen  from  this  distance,  the  town  presents  a 
fine  appearance,  to  which  the  irregular  hills  in  the  back- 
ground much  contribute.  The  highest  of  these  hills  ap- 
proaches pretty  nearly  our  idea  of  a  mountain.  It  is  of  pyra- 
midal form,  and  is  known  by  the  name  of  Irira.  The  igaripe 
was  narrow ;  lined,  upon  one  side,  by  sitios,  upon  the  other,  by 
an  open  campo.  While  coasting  along  this,  one  of  the  boys, 
who  had  attempted  desertion,  threw  himself  on  the  cabin  top, 
in  a  fit  of  sulks,  and  commenced  talking  impudently  with  the 

pilot.     A told  him  to  take  a  paddle,  which  he  refused ; 

and,  quicker  than  thought,  he  found  himself  overboard,  and 
swimming  against  the  current.  He  roared  lustily  for  help; 
and  after  a  few  moments,  we  drew  up  by  the  grass,  and 
allowed  him  to  climb  in,  considerably  humbled,  and  ready 
enough  to  take  a  paddle.  This  had  a  good  effect  upon  all ; 
and  the  alacrity  with  which  they  afterwards  pulled,  was  quite 
surprising. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Amazon  thus  far — A  cacao  sitio — Politeness — Runaways — Growing  of  cacao — An 
alligator — High  bank — Deserted  sitio — Kingfishers — Romancas — Water  birds — Arrive 
at  Obidos — Rio  des  Trombetas — Incidents  upon  leaving — Manner  of  ascending  the 
river — Shells — Stop  at  a  sitio — High  bluff — Water  plants — Capitan  des  Trabalhadores 
— Arrive  at  Villa  Nova — Festa  of  St.  Juan — Water  scene — A  Villa  Nova  house — 
Turtles — Stroll  in  the  woods — Lakes. 

The  river,  above  the  junction  of  the  Tapajos,  was  sensibly 
narrower.  Between  Garupa  and  Santarem,  its  width  had 
averaged  from  eight  to  twelve,  and  sometimes  fifteen  miles. 
From  the  mouth  of  the  river  to  Santarem,  a  distance  of  six 
hundred  miles,  twelve  hundred  islands  are  sown  broad-cast 
over  the  water;  many  of  large  size,  and  but  few  ver^  small. 
These  have  been  accurately  surveyed,  and  their  places  laid 
down  upon  charts,  by  the  officers  of  a  French  brig  of  war, 
within  a  few  years.  Owing  to  this  multitude  of  islands,  we 
rarely  had  the  opportunity  of  distinguishing  the  northern 
shore. 

The  waters  now  were  decreasing,  having  fallen  between 
one  and  two  feet.  Their  annual  subsidence,  at  Santarem,  is 
twenty-five  feet;  and  they  do  not  reach  that  point,  until  late 
in  December.  At  that  time,  the  tides  are  observable  for  a 
distance  of  several  hundred  miles,  above  the  Tapajos.  Even 
at  the  height  of  water,  they  cause  a  slight  flowing  and  ebbing 
at  Santarem. 

We  had  been  advised,  that  the  carapanas  were  more 
bloodthirsty  above  the  Tapajos;  and  our  first  night's  expe- 
rience, made  us  tremble  for  the  future. 

Early  in  the  morning,  June  17th,  we  drew  up  by  a  cacao 
sitio.  The  only  residents  here,  were  four  women ;  two,  rather 
passe,  and  the  others,  pretty,  as  Indians  girls  almost  always 

7 


]34  A    VOVAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

are.  They  were  seated  upon  the  ground,  in  front  of  the 
house,  engaged  in  plaiting  palm  leaves:  and  to  our  salutation 
of  "muito  bem  dias,"  or  "  very  good  morning,"  and  "  licencia, 
Senhoras,"  or,  "  permission  to  land,  ladies,"  they  answered 
courteously,  and  as  we  desired.  This  was  rather  more  agree- 
able, than  an  affected  shyness,  a  scudding  into  the  house,  and 
peeping  at  us  through  the  cracks,  as  would  have  been,  our 
reception  in  some  other  countries  I  wot  of.  Politeness  is  one 
of  the  cardinal  virtues  in  Brazil;  and  high  or  low,  whites, 
blacks,  or  Indians,  are  equally  under  its  influence.  One  never 
passes  another,  without  a  touch  of  the  hat  and  a  salutation, 
either,  good  morning  or  afternoon ;  or  more  likely  still,  "  viva 
Senhor,"  "  long  life,  sir:"  and  frequently,  when  we  have  been 
rambling  in  the  fields,  a  passing  stranger  has  called  out  to  us 
a  greeting  from  a  distance,  that  might  readily  have  excused 
the  formality.  An  affirmative  or  negative,  even  between  two 
negroes,  is  "si,  Senhor,"  or  "nao,  Senhor."  Two  acquaint- 
ances, who  may  meet  the  next  hour,  part  with  "  ate  logo," 
or  "until  soon,"  "ate  manhaa,"  "until  to-morrow."  When 
friends  meet,  after  an  absence,  they  rush  into  each  other's 
arms ;  and  a  parting  is  often  with  tears.  "  Passa  bem,  se 
Deos  quiere,"  "  may  you  go  happily,  God  willing,"  is  the  last 
salutation  to  even  a  transient  visitor,  as  he  pushes  from  the 
shore ;  and  very  often,  one  discovers,  that  the  unostentatious 
kindness  of  his  entertainer  has  preceded  him,  even  into  the 
boat. 

But  to  return  to  our  ladies.  A  distribution  of  cashaca  and 
cigars,  quite  completed  our  good  understanding ;  and  with  the 
more  particularly  interesting  ones,  the  popularity  of  the  uni- 
versal Yankee  nation  certainly  suffered  no  diminution.  They 
understood  the  arts  of  the  cuisine  too,  and  assisted  us  mightily 
in  the  preparation  of  our  viands.  As  a  parting  gift,  they  sent 
on  board  a  jar  of  fresh  cacao  wine,  the  expressed  juice  of  the  pulp 
which  envelops  the  seed,  a  drink  delightfully  acid,  and  re- 
freshing. 

While  here,  our  two  boys  embraced  the  opportunity  to  run 
away,  leaving  all  their  traps  behind  them.  It  was  embarrass- 
ing, but  there  was  no  remedy,  and  we  consoled  ourselves  with 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  135 

the  suggestion,  that  after  all,  they  were  lazy  fellows,  not  worth 
having. 

We  were  now  in  the  great  cacao  region,  which,  for  an  ex- 
tent of  several  hundred  square  miles,  borders  the  river.  The 
cacao  trees  are  low,  not.  rising  above  fifteen  or  twenty  feet,  and 
are  distinguishable  from  a  distance  by  the  yellowish  green  of 
their  leaves,  so  different  from  aught  else  around  them.  They 
are  planted  at  intervals  of  about  twelve  feet,  and,  at  first,  are 
protected  from  the  sun's  fierceness  by  banana  palms,  which, 
with  their  broad  leaves,  form  a  complete  shelter.  Three  years 
after  planting,  the  trees  yield,  and  thereafter  require  little  at- 
tention, or  rather,  receive  not  any.  From  an  idea  that  the  sun 
is  injurious  to  the  berry,  the  tree  tops  are  suffered  to  mat 
together,  until  the  whole  becomes  dense  as  thatchwork.  The 
sun  never  penetrates  this,  and  the  ground  below  is  constantly 
wet.  The  trunk  of  the  tree  grows  irregularly,  without  beauty, 
although  perhaps,  by  careful  training,  it  might  be  made  as 
graceful  as  an  apple  tree.  The  leaf  is  thin,  much  resembling 
our  beech,  excepting  that  it  is  smooth-edged.  The  flower  is 
very  smali,  and  the  berry  grows  directly  from  the  trunk  or 
branches.  It  is  eight  inches  in  length,  five  in  diameter,  and 
shaped  much  like  a  rounded  double  cone.  When  ripe,  it  turns 
from  light  green  to  a  deep  yellow,  and  at  that  time,  ornaments 
the  tree  finely.  Within  the  berry,  is  a  white,  acid  pulp,  and, 
embedded  in  this,  are  from  thirty  to  forty  seeds,  an  inch  in 
length,  narrow,  and  flat.  These  seeds  are  the  cacao  of  com- 
merce. When  the  berries  are  ripe,  they  are  collected  into 
great  piles  near  the  house,  are  cut  open  with  a  tresado,  and 
the  seeds,  squeezed  carelessly  from  the  pulp,  are  spread  upon 
mats  to  dry  in  the  sun.  Before  being  half  dried,  they  are 
loaded  into  canoes  in  bulk,  and  transmitted  to  Para.  Some  of 
these  vessels  will  carry  four  thousand  arrobas,  of  thirty-two 
pounds  each,  and  as  if  such  a  bulk  of  damp  produce  would  not 
sufficiently  spoil  itself  by  its  own  steaming,  during  a  twenty 
days'  voyage,  the  captains  are  in  the  habit  of  throwing  upon 
it  great  quantities  of  water,  to  prevent  its  loss  of  weight.  As 
might  be  expected,  when  arrived  at  Para,  it  is  little  more  than 
a  heap  of  mould,  and  it  is  then  little  wonder  that  Para  cacao  is 


136  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

considered  the  most  inferior  in  foreign  markets.  Cacao  is  very 
little  drank  throughout  the  province,  and,  in  the  city,  we  never 
saw  it  except  at  the  cafes.  It  is  a  delicious  drink,  when  properly 
prepared,  and  one  soon  loses  relish  for  that  nasty  com- 
pound, known  in  the  States  as  chocolate,  whose  main  ingre- 
dients are  damaged  rice,  and  soap  fat.  The  cacao  trees  yield 
two  crops  annually,  and  excepting  in  harvest  time,  the  pro- 
prietors have  nothing  to  do  but  lounge  in  their  hammocks. 
Most  of  these  people  are  in  debt  to  traders  in  Santarem,  who 
trust  them  to  an  unlimited  extent,  taking  a  lien  upon  their 
crops.  Sometimes  the  plantations  are  of  vast  extent,  and  one 
can  walk  for  miles  along  the  river,  from  one  to  the  other,  as 
freely  as  through  an  orchard.  No  doubt,  a  scientific  cultivator 
could  make  the  raising  of  cacao  very  profitable,  and  elevate 
its  quality  to  that  of  Guyaquil. 

Towards  evening,  a  little  alligator  was  seen  upon  a  log 
near  shore,  and  we  made  for  him  silently,  hoping  for  a  novel 
sport.  One  of  the  men  struck  him  over  the  head  with  a  pole, 
but  his  casque  protected  him,  and  plumping  into  the  water,  we 
saw  him  no  more. 

The  morning  of  the  18th,  found  us  boiling  our  kettle  under 
a  high  clay  bank,  which  was  thoroughly  perforated  by  the 
holes  of  kingfishers,  who,  great  and  small,  were  flying  back 
and  forth,  uttering  their  harsh,  rapid  notes,  and  excessively 
alarmed  at  the  curiosity  with  which  we  inspected  their  labors. 
We  tried  hard  to  discover  some  eggs,  but  the  holes  extended 
into  the  bank  several  feet,  and  we  were  rather  afraid  that  some 
ugly  snake  might  resent  our  intrusion.  Various  sorts  of  hornets, 
bees,  and  ants,  had  also  their  habitat  in  the  same  bank, 
and  so  completely  had  they  made  use  of  what  space  the  birds 
had  left  them,  that  the  broken  clay  resembled  the  bored  wood 
that  we  sometimes  observed  in  the  river  below.  This  clay 
was  of  sufficient  fineness  to  be  used  as  paint,  and,  in  color,  was 
yellow  and  red.  When  fairly  exposed  to  the  sun,  it  seemed 
rapidly  hardening  into  stone. 

Upon  the  hill  were  two  houses,  one  neatly  plastered,  the 
other  of  rough  mud,  with  a  thatched  roof.  Both  were  deserted, 
and  evidently  had  been  for  a  long  time.     Traces  of  former  cul- 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.         137 

tivation  were  every  where  in  the  vicinity,  lime  and  orange  trees 
being  in  abundance,  and  the  vines  of  the  juramu,  a  sort  of 
squash,  running  over  every  thing.  No  one  knew  to  whom  this 
had  formerly  belonged;  but  probably,  to  some  sufferer  by  the 
revolution.  Near  by  the  houses,  we  observed  a  number  of 
new  flowers,  one  of  which  was  a  large  white  convolvolus,  that 
thereafter  we  frequently  saw  upon  the  shore. 

During  the  morning,  we  sailed  some  miles  under  a  bank  of 
one  hundred  feet  in  height,  usually  entirely  wooded  to  the 
water's  edge.  But  wherever  the  sliding  earth  had  left  exposed 
a  cliff,  it  was  drilled  by  the  kingfishers  to  such  a  degree,  that 
we  often  counted  a  dozen  holes  within  a  square  yard.  It 
seemed  to  be  the  general  breeding  place  for  all  the  varieties 
of  this  family  from  hundreds  of  miles  below. 

We  saw  many  fine  looking  houses,  and  large  plantations 
upon  the  hill,  and  the  table  land  seemed  to  run  back  a  long 
distance.  Here  the  fortunate  proprietors  lived,  beyond  reach 
of  carapanas,  a  most  enviable  superiority. 

The  river  took  a  long  sweep  to  the  north,  describing  nearly 
two-thirds  of  a  circle,  and  indented  by  small  bays.  In  these, 
the  water  was  almost  always  still,  and  often  flowed  back. 
These  latter  aids  to  poor  travellers  are  called  romances,  and 
the  prospect  of  one  ahead  was  exceedingly  comfortable.  Great 
quantities  of  grass  are  caught  in  these  romances,  and  spend  a 
great  part  of  their  natural  lives  in  moving,  with  a  discour- 
aging motion,  now  up,  now  down,  as  wind  or  current  proves 
stronger. 

About  noon,  we  passed  the  outlet  of  a  large  lake,  or  rather 
of  what  seemed  to  be  a  wide  expansion  of  the  waters  of  the 
river,  between  a  long  island  and  the  southern  shore.  Here 
were  numerous  fishing  canoes,  and  hundreds  of  terns  were 
flying  about  as  though  they,  too,  considered  this  good  fishing 
ground.  There  were  also  many  of  the  small  duck,  called  the 
Maraca.  Both  these  varieties  of  birds  were  seen  in  large 
flocks,  wherever  logs,  projecting  from  the  water,  allowed  their 
gathering,  and  often,  hundreds  were  floating  down  upon  some 
vagrant  cedar.     The  fields  of  grass  were  now  a  constant 


138  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

feature,  and  often  lined  the  shore  to  such  an  extent  as  ren- 
dered landing  impracticable. 

Our  route,  upon  the  19th,  was  extremely  uninteresting, 
passing  nothing  but  cacao  trees,  whose  monotonous  sameness 
was  terribly  tiresome.  By  three  o'clock,  we  had  arrived  at 
Obidos.  Two  high  hills  had,  for  some  hours,  indicated  the 
position  of  the  town,  but  so  concealed  it,  that  we  were  unable 
to  distinguish  more  than  two  or  three  houses,  until  we  were 
close  upon  it.  In  crossing  the  current,  for  Obidos  is  upon  the 
northern  side,  our  galiiota  was  furiously  tossed  about,  and 
carried  some  miles  below.  The  main  channel  of  the  Amazon 
is  here  contracted  into  a  space  of  not  more  than  a  mile  and  a 
half,  and  dashing  through  this  narrow  passage,  the  waters  boil 
and  foam  like  some  great  whirlpool.  The  depth  of  the  chan- 
nel had  never  been  ascertained  until  the  French  survey,  when 
it  was  measured  as  one  hundred  fathoms,  or  six  hundred  feet. 
The  position  of  Obidos  is  very  fine,  thus  commanding  the 
river,  and  being  also  at  the  mouth  of  a  large  tributary,  the 
Rio  de  Trombetas.  It  was  upon  this  river,  that  Orellana 
placed  his  nation  of  Amazons.  The  friar,  who  accompanied 
him,  affirmed,  that  they  had  fought  their  way  through  a  tribe 
of  Indians,  who  were  commanded  by  a  deputation  of  these 
warlike  ladies  in  person,  and  described  them  as  tall,  and  of  a 
white  complexion,  wearing  their  luxuriant  hair  in  plaits  about 
the  head.  Their  only  dress  was  a  cincture,  and  they  were 
armed  with  bows  and  arrows.  Expeditions  have,  at  different 
times,  been  sent  to  explore  the  Trombetas,  but,  from  one  cause 
or  another,  have  failed ;  and  numerous  accounts  are  credited 
of  single  adventurers,  who  have  lost  their  lives  by  the  can- 
nibals upon  its  banks.  But,  no  doubt,  the  country,  through 
which  the  river  passes,  is  well  worthy  exploration,  rich  in 
soil  and  productions,  if  not  in  minerals. 

Obidos  contains,  perhaps,  one  thousand  people,  and  is  built 
in  the  customary,  orthodox  manner  of  the  country.  It  has 
considerable  trade,  if  we  might  judge  by  the  number  of  its 
stores,  and  the  good  assortments  therein  contained. 

We  walked  about,  visiting  one  and  another,  until  evening, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  139 

the  observed  of  all  observers.  It  was  not  often  that  so  many- 
foreigners  perambulated  one  of  these  towns  together,  and 
every  one  seemed  disposed  to  gaze,  as  though  the  opportunity 
occurred  but  once  in  a  lifetime. 

It  was  delightful  to  see  a  horse  once  more,  for  we  had  not 
enjoyed  that  privilege  since  leaving  Para.  Here  also  was  an 
Indian  Hog,  or  Peccary,  running  about  the  streets,  and  ap- 
pearing in  his  motions  and  habits,  as  any  other  hog. 

We  were  under  some  apprehension  of  losing  more  of  our 
crew,  and  made  preparations  for  leaving  immediately.  But 
considering  that  our  circumstances  afforded  as  fair  an  excuse 
as  those  of  our  neighbors,  we  offered  the  pilot  a  patac  for 
every  "  good  and  able-bodied  seaman  "  that  he  would  enlist. 
This  put  him  upon  his  mettle,  and,  as  soon  as  dark  set  in, 
he  was  up  and  down  the  beach,  surrounded  by  several  ac- 
quaintances whom  he  had  picked  up,  and  eloquently  depict- 
ing the  advantages  of  regular  wages,  and  rations  of  coffee 
and  cashaca'. 

Eloquence  is  "the  art  of  persuasion,"  and  our  pilot  was  a 
gifted  man  ;  for,  in  a  short  time,  he  had  engaged  five  men,  and 
more  were  waiting  his  approaches.  But  we  had  now  our  com- 
plement, and,  by  midnight,  were  under  way,  the  whole  crew 
in  a  most  glorious  state  of  jollification.  The  old  Taucha,  quiet 
old  man  as  he  usually  was,  lay  sprawled  upon  the  top,  sput- 
tering unknown  tongues,  and  singing  with  vigor  enough  to 
arouse  the  garrison.  In  one  of  his  activities,  he  rolled  off,  and 
this  seemed  to  freshen  him  a  little,  for  after  we  had  given  him 
a  lift  out  of  the  shallow  water  into  which  he  had  kicked  and 
plunged  himself,  he  became  comparatively  decent.  The  men, 
most  of  them,  rowed  with  a  fervor  quite  delightful,  and  we  had 
crossed  the  river,  and  were  proceeding  rapidly,  when,  souse 
went  another,  dead  drunk,  from  the  cabin  top.  Strange  that 
cold  water  should  have  had  so  instantaneous  an  effect,  but, 
log-like  as  he  was,  he  revived  at  once  and  pulled  for  the  grass, 
from  which  we  took  him  in.  It  was  scarcely  worth  while  to 
advance  in  this  manner,  so  to  prevent  further  mishaps,  we  ran 
the  bow  into  the  grass,  and  waited  a  more  propitious  morning. 

The  next  morning,  the  men  were  in  more  sensible  order, 


140         A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

and  a  pull  of  a  few  hours,  before  breakfast,  made  them  once 
more  themselves.  The  Taucjia  was  as  kingly  as  ever,  and 
placid  as  a  summer's  morning.  It  was  amusing  to  hear  him 
joke  with  the  pilot,  about  the  man  who  fell  overboard,  and  as 
often  as  he  thought  of  it,  his  fat  sides  would  shake  with  inau- 
dible laughter.  Evidently,  he  had  entirely  forgotten  his  own 
bad  plight. 

The  wind  was  fair,  and  we  sped  rapidly.  We  passed  a 
long,  low  flat,  covered  with  grass,  interesting  to  us  as  these 
campos  always  were,  from  the  great  variety  of  birds  that  con- 
gregated upon  them.  Here  we  first  observed  a  small  bird  of  the 
Tody  species,  with  head  and  shoulders  of  white,  the  body  be- 
ing black.  It  was  the  T.  leucocephalus,  and  was  usually  seen  in 
the  grass,  rather  than  on  bushes  or  trees.  Here,  also,  were  many 
Red-throated  Tanagers,  T.  gularis,  a  very  common  species,  but 
striking,  from  its  contrasted  colors  of  red,  white,  and  black. 
Beyond  this  campo,  long  lines  of  willow  trees  skirted  the  shore, 
their  leaves  mostly  fallen ;  and  the  whole  tableau  looked  any 
other  than  a  tropical  one.  We  passed  one  of  the  arms  of  the 
river.  Heavy  waves  dashed  over  our  sides,  and  we  felt  what 
a  slight  protection  our  overloaded  craft  would  be,  if  overtaken 
by  one  of  the  squalls,  so  common  at  this  season,  but  which  we, 
fortunately,  had  not  yet  experienced. 

We  had  now  left  the  cacao  plantations,  and  again  welcomed 
the  wild  beauty  of  the  forest  border,  where  the  birds  might 
sing,  and  the  monkeys  gambol  for  our  amusement,  as  merrily 
as  though  white  men  had  never  passed  these  waters. 

Towards  night,  we  saw  a  large  vessel,  which  was  breasting 
the  current  in  an  altogether  novel  way  to  us.  A  montaria 
went  ahead,  dragging  a  long  rope,  one  end  of  which  was  fas- 
tened to  the  bow.  This  rope  was  tied  to  some  convenient  ob- 
ject on  shore,  and  hand  over  hand,  those  in  the  vessel  pulled 
her  up ;  when  the  same  process  was  repeated.  In  this  man- 
ner, she  advanced  about  one  mile  an  hour,  and  this  is  the  cus- 
tom with  all  large  craft,  when  wind  does  not  favor. 

During  the  night,  thd  breeze  died  away,  and  for  several 
days  thereafter,  was,  if  blowing  at  all,  dead  ahead,  so  that  our 
progress  was  discouragingly  slow.    Upon  the  21st,  the  heat 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.         141 

was  most  oppressive,  and,  to  add  to  our  discomfort,  the  current 
ran  so  furiously,  that  the  utmost  exertions  of  the  men,  could, 
at  times,  scarcely  propel  the  boat.  About  noon,  we  passed  a 
large  house,  upon  a  small  bluff,  adjoining  which  was  a  chapel 
and  a  number  of  small  cottages.  Altogether,  it  was  the  finest 
establishment  that  we  had  seen,  since  entering  the  Amazon. 
Not  far  above,  we  stopped  to  breathe  a  while  at  a  sitio,  and  in 
wandering  about  the  mandioca  plantation,  we  discovered  a 
number  of  shells,  but  of  similar  varieties  to  those  found  below. 
Growing  upon  this  place,  were  pepper  plants,  in  abundance, 
and  the  Indians  had  soon  stripped  them  of  their  berries.  One 
could  not  but  wonder  what  the  stomachs  of  these  men  were 
lined  with,  when,  with  every  mouthful  of  farinha,  they  threw  in 
a  fiery  red  pepper,  the  very  sight  of  which  was  almost  enough 
to  season  a  dinner.  Yet,  the  whites  also  acquire  this  habit, 
and  eat  the  article  with  as  much  relish  as  the  Indians. 

Upon  the  22d,  the  course  of  the  river  was  very  tortuous,  so 
that,  at  no  time,  could  we  discover  the  channel  far  in  advance. 
High  lands  towards  Villa  Nova  began  to  skirt  the  horizon  to  the 
westward.  We  gathered  a  new  variety  of  cactus,  running 
over  the  tree-tops  like  a  vine  ;  and  a  lofty  tree  which  we  passed, 
was  draped  with  the  nests  of  the  large  Crested  Troopial,  Cas- 
sicus  cristatus,  three  feet  in  length.  There  is  another  variety, 
more  common  below,  the  Cassicus  viridis,  or  Jacu,  and  usu- 
ally encountered  in  the  deep  forest.  Both  these  species  are 
nearly  the  size  of  crows.  We  saw,  during  the  morning,  an 
unusual  number  of  our  favorite  Thrush,  D.  vociferans.  Wher- 
ever a  grassy  spot  was  seen,  his  song  was  sure  to  come  trilling 
out  of  it,  and  with  very  little  shyness,  he  would  allow  us  a  fair 
sight  of  his  beautyship,  as  he  sat  perched  upon  some  tail  spear, 
or  chased  his  mate  sportingly  through  his  mimic  forest.  Just 
before  dark,  we  arrived  at  the  house  of  a  Villa  Nova  padre. 
He  was  not  at  home,  but  a  number  of  Indian  women  seemed 
to  be  the  managers,  and  from  them,  we  obtained  a  pair  of  Tam- 
baki,  a  fish  much  esteemed  upon  this  part  of  the  river,  and  a 
turtle.  These  turtles  were  now  ascending  the  river  to  their 
breeding  places  upon  the  upper  tributaries,  and  upon  several 

7* 


142  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


occasions  we  had  observed  them  floating  upon  the  water,  near 
our  boat. 

Early  upon  the  23d,  we  passed  a  high  bluff,  which  marks 
the  Upper  from  the  Lower  Amazon.  Below,  we  had  been  in 
the  district  of  Para ;  now,  we  had  entered  that  of  the  Rio 
Negro. 

We  saw  increasing  quantities  of  a  very  pretty  water  plant, 
whose  flowers  were  blue  and  white,  and  about  the  basis  of 
whose  leaf-stems  were  spongy  expansions,  always  filled  with 
air — natural  swimming  corks. 

The  sun  was  just  setting,  as  we  drew  up  at  the  sitio  of  the 
Capitan  des  Trabalhadores,  to  whom  we  had  letters  from  Doc- 
tor Costa,  desiring  him  to  arrange  men  for  our  further  advance. 
He  promised  to  go  to  town  in  the  morning,  and  filling  one  of 
our  lockers  from  his  orange  trees,  we  proceeded  on.  Villa 
Nova  is  not  upon  so  high  land  as  some  of  the  towns  below, 
and  is  not  conspicuous  from  a  distance.  But  its  situation  is 
marked  by  an  opposite  island,  the  upper  point  of  which  ex- 
tends two  or  three  miles  beyond  the  town.  This  was  watched 
by  many  eager  eyes,  for  it  was  the  eve  of  the  Festa  of  St. 
Juan,  one  of  their  most  popular  of  saints  ;  and  our  men,  if  pos- 
sible, were  more  anxious  than  we,  and  strained  every  nerve 
to  arrive  in  time  for  the  evening's  festivities.  With  such  a 
will,  it  was  not  long  before  the  roaring  of.  the  muskets,  depu- 
tized as  cannon,  and  the  bright  light  of  bonfires,  burst  upon 
us.  Suddenly,  the  whole  illuminated  town  was  before  us,  bon- 
fires glaring  before  every  door,  and  an  especially  large  one  at 
the  upper  end,  where  the  Delegarde  resided. 

We  came  in  among  a  crowd  of  montarias  and  large  canoes, 
mostly  filled  with  women,  whom  their  husbands  and  fathers 
had  deserted  for  the  more  attractive  cashaca  shops,  and  who 
were  patiently  awaiting  the  hour  of  the  danca.  Upon  the 
bank  a  procession  was  passing,  the  front  rank  noisy  in  the 
plenitude  of  drums  and  fifes.  Succeeding  them  were  ingen- 
iously preposterous  angels  ;  some,  overtopped  by  plumes 
several  feet  in  length  ;  others,  winged  with  a  pair  of  huge 
appendages,  looking  like  brown  paper  kites ;  and  others  still, 
in  parti-colored  gauds,  suggestive  of  scape-angels  from  Pande- 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  143 


monium.  Behind  these  loitered  the  tag,  rag,  and  bobtail,  or 
the  black,  red,  and  yellow,  in  the  most  orthodox  Tammany 
style. 

Some  of  our  party  went  on  shore  to  look  up  old  acquaint- 
ances. I  remained  on  board,  preferring  to  make  observations 
by  daylight,  ft  was  late  before  the  noise  in  the  town  sub- 
sided, what  with  muskets  and  rockets,  singing  and  fiddling;  so 
late,  that  I  must  have  been  dreaming  hours  before ;  but  the 
first  thing  that  awoke  me  in  the  morning,  was  a  splashing,  and 
laughing,  and  screaming  all  around  the  gaiiiota,  where  the  sex, 
par  excellence,  was  washing  away  the  fatigues  of  the  dance 
in  a  manner  to  rival  a  school  of  mermaids.  And  these  Indian 
girls,  with  their  long  floating  hair,  and  merry  laugh,  would  be 
no  bad  representations  of  that  species  not  found  in  Cuvier; 
darting  through  the  surf  like  born  sea-nymphs. 

We  were  invited  to  the  house  of  Senhor  Bentos,  a  warm- 
hearted old  bachelor,  and  his  little  reception  room,  of,  perhaps, 
twelve  feet  square,  was  soon  festooned  with  our  hammocks. 
Here  we  spread  ourselves  at  ease,  as  if  no  such  vanities  as 
Amazon  voyages  existed,  and  waited  for  the  turtle  that  was 
undergoing  a  process  in  the  Senhor's  kitchen. 

Meanwhile  we  took  the  bearings  of  the  Senhor's  house, 
and  as  it  was  much  like  the  other  buildings  of  the  town,  its 
description  will  answer  for  all.  Its  framework  was  of  rough 
poles  from  the  forest,  and  these,  within  and  without,  were 
plastered  with  brown  clay.  The  floor  was  of  the  same  mate- 
rial, and  the  roof  was  of  palm  leaves,  instead  of  tiles.  From 
the  outer  door,  a  broad  hall  crossed  the  house,  and  this,  being 
used  as  a  dining-room,  was  occupied  by  a  long  table,  upon 
either  side  of  which  was  a  four-legged  bench.  From  the  hall, 
upon  each  side,  opened  a  small  chamber,  one  used  as  the 
sleeping  apartment  of  the  family,  and  the  other,  in  which  we 
were  swinging,  the  Senhor's  especial  parlor,  or  bedroom,  as  the 
case  might  be.  In  this  was  a  large  window,  closed  entirely 
by  a  shutter.  The  whole  structure,  to  our  ideas,  was  rather 
comfortless  ;  but,  under  the  equator,  that  is  of  small  conse- 
quence, and  sufficient  comfort  is  centred  in  a  hammock,  to 
atone  for  its  absence  in  every  thing  else.     Back  of  the  house 


144  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

was    a   covered  kitchen,    and  around   this  was  a  yard  well 
stocked  with  poultry,  and  shaded  by  orange  trees. 

The  dinner  came  oft'  in  good  style,  and  turtle  in  every 
variety  of  preparation,  from  the  soup  to  the  roasted  in  the 
shell,  tempted  us.  It  was  the  first  time  we  had  seen  the 
turtle  of  the  Amazon,  and  in  our  enthusiasm,  we  pronounced 
it  equal  to  the  very  best  of  varieties  seen  at  the  North,  nor 
wondered,  that  at  civic  dinners,  aldermen  must,  perforce,  make 
gluttons  of  themselves. 

After  dinner  I  strolled  into  the  woods  back  of  the  town,  and 
soon  discovered  a  delightful  path,  where  a  coach  and  four 
might  have  driven. 

At  no  great  distance  was  a  burying-ground,  marked  by  a 
lofty  cross,  but  as  yet,  apparently,  without  a  grave.  As  I 
loitered  along,  picking  here  and  there  a  flower,  or  startling  the 
lizard  from  his  afternoon  nap,  a  number  of  Indians  in  their 
gala  dresses,  the  women  with  bright  flowers  in  their  hair, 
passed,  all  greeting  me  with  the  musical  "  viva,"  or  u  como 
esta,  Senhor." 

Towards  evening,  the  festivities  of  the  day  being  over,  one 
after  another,  the  canoes  about  the  galliota  pushed  off,  leaving 
the  town  almost  deserted.  Some  of  our  men  endeavored  to 
take  French  leave  of  us,  for  which  they  enjoyed  the  night  in 
the  calaboose. 

There  were  some  cattle  about  Villa  Nova,  and  next 
morning,  the  25th,  was  rendered  memorable  by  the  acquisition 
of  a  goodly  quantity  of  milk,  the  first  real  cow's  milk  that  we 
had  seen,  since  New-York  milkmen  used  to  disturb  our  early 
dreaming.  And  even  this  good  milk  tasted  all  the  more 
natural  for  a  dash  of  water. 

We  were  very  desirous  to  see  the  lake  that  lies  about  a 
mile  in  the  rear  of  the  town,  but  were  prevented  by  the 
weather.  In  this  vicinity,  a  chain  of  lakes  extends  along 
the  river,  upon  both  shores,  and  far  into  the  interior.  This 
lake  region  is  generally  high  land,  and  uninfested  by  carapanas. 
Multitudes  of  Indians  are  scattered  over  it,  obtaining  an  easy 
subsistence  from  the  vast  numbers  of  Periecu,  and  other  fish, 
which  frequent  the  lakes.     At  this  season  also,  turtle  resort 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  145 

to  the  same  places,  and  were  beginning  to  be  taken  in  great 
numbers. 

Since  leaving  Para,  our  movements  had  been  pretty  much 
restricted  to  the  galliota,  for  want  of  a  montaria  in  which  we 
might  visit  the  shore  at  our  inclination.  At  Villa  Nova,  we 
were  fortunate  enough  to  purchase  one  convenient  for  our  pur- 
poses, and  now  anticipated  a  great  increase  to  our  means  of 
amusement.  And  yet,  our  time  heretofore  had  passed  most 
pleasantly.  The  skies  had  favored,  and  those  of  us  who  were 
inclined,  spent  our  days  upon  the  cabin  top,  shielded  from  the 
boards  by  a  comfortable  rug,  and  shaded  from  the  sun,  if  need 
were,  by  umbrellas.  But  the  sun's  heat  was  rarely  inconve- 
nient, and  tempered  by  fresh  breezes.  Coasting  close  in  shore, 
there  was  always  matter  for  amusement;  in  the  morning  and 
evening,  multitudes  of  birds,  and,  at  all  hours,  enchanting 
forests  or  beautiful  flowers.  At  night,  we  preferred  the  open 
air  to  the  confinement  of  the  cabin,  and  never  wearied  in  ad- 
miring the  magnificence  of  the  skies,  or  in  tracing  the  fantastic 
shapes  that  were  mapped  out  upon  them  in  a  profusion  incon- 
ceivable to  those  who  are  only  acquainted  with  the  skies  of 
the  northern  hemisphere.  I  have  alluded  to  this  before;  but 
so  interesting  a  phenomenon  deserves  further  notice.  This 
increased  brilliance  of  the  tropical  skies  is  owing  to  the  purity 
of  the  atmosphere,  which  is  absolutely  free  from  those  obscur- 
ing, murky  vapors,  that  deaden  light  in  other  latitudes.  The 
sky  itself  is  of  the  intensest  blue,  and  the  moon  seems  of  in- 
creased size  and  kindlier  effulgence.  For  one  star  at  the 
North,  myriads  look  down  with  a  calm,  clear  light,  and  great 
part  of  the  vault  is  as  inexplicable  as  the  milky-way.  Most 
beautiful  in  appearance,  and  interesting  from  association,  is  the 
Southern  Cross,  corresponding  with  the  Great  Bear  of  the 
North.  This  constellation  is  of  four  stars,  of  superior  brilliance, 
arranged  in  the  form  of  an  oblique  angled  cross.  Just  above 
these,  and  seeming  to  form  part  of  the  same  constellation,  is 
the  Centaur.  Orion  is  in  all  his  glory,  and  the  Scorpion  trails 
his  length,  most  easily  recognized  of  all.  All  the  other  zodiacal 
clusters  are  conspicuous,  and  a  kindred  host  we  do  not  care  to 
name. 


146  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

As  the  sun  always  set  about  six  o'clock,  we  had  long 
evenings,  and  it  was  our  custom  to  gather  upon  the  cabin,  and 
while  away  the  hours  in  singing  all  the  psalms,  and  hymns, 
and  social  songs,  that  memory  could  suggest.  Old  Amazon 
was  never  so  startled  before ;  and  along  his  banks,  the  echoes 
of  Old  Hundred  and  Lucy  Long  may  be  travelling  still. 

The  carapanas  had  not  been  so  troublesome  as  we  had 
feared,  and  we  had  often  avoided  all  their  intimacies  by  tying 
to  some  tree  removed  from  shore,  or  by  favor  of  the  fresh 
breezes. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Leave  Villa  Nova — Our  manner  of  living — Shells — Jaeamars — Paroquets — Monkeys — 
Scorpion — Enter  an  igaripe — A  deserted  sitio — Wild  duck — Scarlet  Tanagers — A 
deserted  sitio — Tobacco — Shells — A  colony  of  monkeys — A  turtle's  revenge — Im- 
mense trees — Albino  monkey — A  self-caught  fish — Porpoises — Curassows  and  nests — 
A  turtle  feast — Squirrel — Wild  Indians — White  herons — Shells — Umbrella  chatterer 
— Cross  to  the  northern  shore — Periecu  andTambaki — Arrive  at  Serpa — Sr.  Manoel 
Jochin — An  Indian  dance. 

The  sun  of  the  26th  June  was  just  relighting  the  water  as  we 
left  Villa  Nova.  Continuing  on  a  few  miles,  we  stopped  in  the 
woods  to  breakfast.  Our  friends  had  loaded  us  with  provisions 
offish,  fowl,  and  turtle,  and  this  morning's  pic-nic  was  pecu- 
liarly delightful  after  the  Spartan  fare  of  the  last  fortnight. 
And  here,  perhaps,  a  description  of  our  doings  at  these  break- 
fast hours  may  not  be  without  interest,  to  those  who  care  to 
know  the  romance  of  a  voyager's  life.  Landing  at  a  conve- 
nient spot,  the  first  point  was  to  clear  a  space  sufficient  for 
operations,  and  this  was  speedily  effected  by  some  of  the  In- 
dians, with  their  tresados.  Others  wandered  about  collecting 
materials,  wherewith  to  make  a  blaze,  and  there  was  rarely 
difficulty  in  finding  an  abundance  of  such.  The  flint  and  steel 
were  put  in  requisition,  and  soon  all  was  ready.  Some  of  the 
party  cut  off  strips  of  fish,  washing  it  to  extract  the  saltness ; 
others  cut  sticks  of  proper  length,  into  the  cleft  end  of  which 
they  fastened  the  fish.  These  were  then  stuck  in  the  ground, 
inclining  over  the  fire,  and  one  of  the  men  was  always  sta- 
tioned near  to  give  it  the  requisite  turning.  One  of  the  Indians 
was  the  particular  attendant  upon  the  cabin,  receiving  sundry 
perquisites  for  his  services ;  and  upon  him  devolved  the  care 
of  our  tea-kettle.   Above  the  fire,  a  cross-bar  was  supported 


148  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

by  a  forked  stick  at  either  end,  and  on  this,  the  boiling  was 
accomplished  in  the  most  civilized  style.  The  coffee  bag  was 
all  in  waiting,  a  flannel  affair,  which,  whilom,  had  done  duty 
as  a  shirt  sleeve ;  and  into  this  was  put  about  two  tea-cups  of 
coffee.  The  boiling  water  was  poured  in,  and  our  wash-bowl, 
washed,  received  the  beverage,  fragrant  and  strong.  A  quart 
was  the  allowance  for  each,  and  this,  properly  attempered  by 
sugar,  and  unspoiled  by  milk,  was  our  greatest  luxury.  As  to 
the  more  substantial  moiety  of  breakfast,  the  fish,  rank  and 
tough,  we  stood  not  upon  ceremony,  but  pulling  it  in  pieces 
with  our  fingers,  and  slightly  dipping  it  in  a  nicely  prepared 
mixture  of  oil  and  vinegar,  we  thereafter  received  it  as  became 
hungry  men. 

At  times,  our  fare  was  varied  by  the  articles  obtained  at 
some  sitio,  but  this  was  the  general  rule.  Two  of  us  had  left 
the  North  dyspeptics.  Sufficient  was  cooked  in  the  morning 
to  serve  us  through  the  day,  and  therefore  we  usually  made 
but  one  stoppage. 

About  the  roots  of  the  trees  at  this  place,  we  found  a  beau- 
tiful variety  of  shell,  the  Bulimus  papyracea,  in  considerable 
numbers,  and  here  also  we  obtained  a  richly  plumaged  Jacamar, 
the  Galbula  viridis.  This  species  we  afterwards  frequently 
encountered  both  in  the  forest  and  about  plantations.  There 
was  one  other  species  common  at  Para,  but  less  beautiful,  the 
G.  paradisea.  These  birds  resembled  the  humming  birds  so 
much  in  shape,  that  the  people  of  the  country,  universally  call 
them  "  beijar  flor  grande,"  or  the  great  kiss-flower.  Their 
lustrous  plumage  assists  the  deception.  They  live  upon  insects, 
which  they  are  very  expert  at  catching,  with  their  long,  slen- 
der bills. 

During  the  morning,  we  tested  the  capabilities  of  our  new 
montaria,  and  starting  in  advance  of  the  galliota,  found  fine 
sporting,  principally  among  the  paroquets  and  herons.  The 
former  family  of  birds  had  not  been  very  plentiful  since  leaving 
Gurupa,  near  which  place  they  had  collected  in  vast  flocks, 
from  a  large  extent  of  country,  for  the  breeding  season.  But 
now  again,  we  were  in  the  vicinity  of  some  other  haunt,  and 
they  were  scarcely  ever  out  of  sight,  or  hearing.     Their  notes 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  149 

were  not  extremely  agreeable,  being  little  more  than  a  shrill 
chatter,  but  for  beauty  of  appearance,  and  motion,  when  clus- 
tered around  some  tree  top.  busily  engaged  in  stripping  off  the 
berries,  they  were  great  favorites  with  us.  There  is  no  enu- 
merating the  different  varieties  we  observed,  some  little  larger 
than  canaries,  others  approximating  in  size  to  their  cousins,  the 
parrots.  In  general,  their  plumage  was  green,  but  they  differ- 
ed in  their  markings,  the  green  being  beautified  by  various 
shades  of  yellow,  of  blue;  and  of  pink,  or  roseate. 

Our  advance  was  not  very  great,  for  the  wind  did  not  favor 
us,  and  all  day  we  were  coasting  about  the  greater  part  of  a 
circle,  with  the  situation  of  Villa  Nova  scarcely  ever  out  of 
sight.  We  observed  very  few  houses  ;  the  land  was  low,  and 
palms  again  were  numerous.  Frequently,  turning  some 
point,  we  came  upon  little  squads  of  monkeys,  who  scampered 
in  terrible  alarm,  at  the  first  glimpse  of  us.  Excepting  on  these 
sudden  surprisals,  it  always  was  exceedingly  difficult  to  catch 
a  sight  of  these  animals.  Even  when  one  is  positive  that  some 
of  them  are  in  his  immediate  vicinity,  none  but  the  keen  and 
practised  eyes  of  an  Indian  can  discover  their  retreat.  For  any 
other  than  an  Indian,  therefore,  to  venture  upon  a  monkey  hunt 
is  almost  useless,  and  they  only  succeed  by  stripping  off  their 
clothes,  and  creeping  cat-like  among  the  bushes,  or  patiently 
waiting  their  opportunity  in  some  concealment. 

From  a  passing  montaria,  we  purchased  a  fish  weighing 
about  fifteen  pounds,  for  four  vintens,  or  four  cents.  We  had 
noticed  that  most  of  the  fish  that  we  had  seen  had  broad,  flat 
heads,  and  corresponding  mouths  ;  and  this  specimen  showed 
us  the  utility  of  such  a  shovel-like  apparatus;  for,  in  his  stom- 
ach, were  at  least  a  quart  of  crabs,  as  good  as  new,  which  he 
had  gathered  from  the  bottom  of  the  river.  When  the  refuse 
parts  of  this  fish  were  thrown  into  the  water  near  shore,  they 
attracted  great  numbers  of  a  small  white  fish,  which  strongly 
resembled  eels  in  their  habits,  burying  themselves  in  the  mud 
at  any  attempt  made  to  catch  them.  We  succeeded  in  obtain- 
ing as  many  as  we  wanted  of  these,  at  another  time,  by  letting 
down  a  basket  in  which  was  a  bait  of  meat.  Upon  pulling  this 
out  half  a  dozen  of  these  fish  were  always  inside.     The  Indi- 


150  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE     RIVER    AMAZON. 

ans   would  not   eat  them,  but  pronounced  them  "devils"  of 
fishes. 

While  clearing  out  one  of  the  lockers  this  afternoon,  we 
started  a  brood  of  scorpions,  a  kind  of  reptile  more  formidable 
in  ancient  story  that  in  modern  reality.  Still,  I  should  prefer 
not  to  be  stung  by  one  of  them.  We  saw  them  frequently  in 
different  parts  of  the  country,  and  occasionally,  several  inches 
in  length.  They  abound  in  all  canoes  and  vessels,  and  once, 
as  I  opened  a  letter,  brought  from  Para  in  one  of  these  craft,  a 
nice  little  specimen  dropped  from  the  folds. 

Soon  after  dark,  a  tremendous  storm  of  wind  and  rain  set 
in,  which  twice  broke  us  from  our  moorings,  and  deluged  the 
cabin.  Rain  had  no  sooner  ceased,  than  swarms  of  carapanas 
hurried  to  our  attack,  and  for  the  remainder  of  the  night,  sleep 
was  out  of  the  question. 

The  river,  upon  the  morning  of  the  27th,  made  a  wide 
bend  to  the  northward,  around  an  immense  island ;  and  to 
shorten  the  distance,  we  took  the  smaller  channel,  which,  in 
narrowness,  resembled  an  igaripe.  Here,  we  again  heard  the 
Guaribas,  who  almost  deafened  us  by  their  howling. 

Towards  night,  we  stopped  a  few  moments  at  a  deserted 
plantation.  The  house  was  in  ruins;  but  the  fruit  trees,  and 
the  garden,  were  still  productive.  In  a  trice,  the  whole  were 
stripped,  as  though  a  party  of  licensed  foragers  had  chanced 
that  way ;  and  plantains,  squashes,  sugar-cane,  and  peppers, 
were  handed  into  our  boat. 

Proceeding,  we  passed  a  clump  of  grass,  where  a  duck 
was  setting  upon  her  nest.  Starting  off",  she  fluttered  along 
the  water,  as  if  badly  wounded,  and  some  one  sprung  to  follow 
her  in  the  montaria  ;  but,  before  that  could  be  got  ready,  she 
had  fluttered  beyond  harm's  reach,  and  then  had  vigorously 
flown  out  of  sight. 

During  the  day,  we  had  seen  a  number  of  birds  new  to  us ; 
but  most  attractive  of  all,  was  a  Scarlet  Tanager,  the  Rham- 
phopis  nigri  gularis  (Swain),  or  Black-masked,  whose  bril- 
liant metallic  scarlet  and  black  livery,  was  like  a  jewel  in  the 
sunlight.  We  had  seen  nothing  comparable  to  it  upon  the 
river.     These  birds  were  always  seen  about  low  bushes,  by 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  151 

the  water-side,  catching  their  favorite  insects,  and  uttering  a 
slight  note,  or  whistle,  but  no  song. 

The  morning  of  the  28th,  found  us  still  in  the  igaripe, 
which  had  become  extremely  narrow.  The  shore,  upon  one 
side,  was  two  feet  above  the  water;  upon  the  other,  it  was 
overflowed.  This  contrast  is  observable  upon  the  main  stream, 
and  between  almost  all  the  islands;  high  banks  being  generally 
opposed  by  low  swamps. 

By  ten  o'clock,  we  had  re-entered  the  river ;  and  stopped 
at  a  sitio,  directly  upon  the  point  of  the  island,  to  prepare  our 
breakfast.  This  plantation  evidently  belonged  to  a  more  in- 
dustrious planter,  than  was  usual.  There  was  a  fine  orchard  of 
young  cacao  trees,  and  a  large  field  of  tobacco,  nicely  cleared 
of  weeds.  The  tobacco,  grown  in  this  district,  is  of  superior 
quality,  and  vastly  preferred  to  any  American  tobacco  im- 
ported. When  put  up  for  use,  it  is  in  long,  slender  rolls, 
wound  about  with  rattan,  and  is  cut  off  by  the  foot.  Some- 
times, these  rolls  are  ornamented  by  the  Indians,  with  feathers. 
All  persons,  men  and  women,  use  tobacco  in  smoking;  and, 
for  this  purpose,  have  pipes  of  clay,  the  stems  of  which  are 
ornamented  reeds,  three  or  four  feet  in  length.  In  the  towns, 
very  good  cigars  are  made.  We  never  observed  the  practice 
of  chewing  the  weed,  among  our  Indians;  but  they  were 
always  furnished  by  us  with  as  regular  rations  of  tobacco,  as 
of  casha9a.  When  pipes  were  wanting,  they  made  cigarillos 
of  the  fine  tobacco,  wrapped  in  a  paper-like  bark,  called 
toware ;  and  one  of  these  was  passed  around  the  deck,  each 
person,  even  to  the  little  boys,  taking  two  or  three  puffs  in 
his  turn,  with  which  he  was  content  for  an  hour  or  two,  when 
the  process  was  repeated. 

Wandering  about  this  plantation,  we  discovered  a  number 
of  shells  of  three  species ;  two  of  which  were  Helices,  and 
hitherto  undescribed.  The  third  was  the  Achatina  octona 
(Des),  and  observed  at  Para. 

The  Senhor  had  a  large  quantity  of  fish  to  sell,  and  we 
bartered  cloth  for  enough  to  last  us  the  remainder  of  our 
journey.  To  show  the  obstructions  to  profitable  labor,  the 
prices  received  by  this  man,  is  a  good  illustration.     Fish,  at 


152  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

Villa  Nova,  was  worth  two  milrees  and  a  half,  an  arroba ;  and 
tobacco,  being  just  then  scarce,  much  more.  But,  although 
he  might  have  reached  Villa  Nova  in  a  few  hours,  yet  the 
return  passage  was  so  difficult,  that  he  preferred  to  receive 
one  milree  an  arroba  for  each,  and  that  in  barter.  In  the 
same  way,  we  bought  of  him,  for  about  forty  cents,  a  turtle, 
weighing,  at  least,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds, 
which  he  had  lanced  the  day  before.  There  was  a  Red  and 
Yellow  Macaw,  Macrocercus  Aracanga,  in  singularly  fine 
plumage,  climbing  about  the  trees  by  the  house;  and  we 
longed  to  possess  him,  but  our  boat  was  too  crowded. 

Leaving  this  place,  we  coasted  along  the  northern  bank, 
and  for  a  long  time  were  passing  high  cliffs  of  red  clay  ;  some- 
times perpendicular  and  overhanging  the  water,  at  others, 
running  far  back  among  the  trees,  and  presenting  a  beautiful 
contrast  of  colors.  These  banks  might  well  be  mistaken  for 
stone,  were  it  not  for  the  tell-tale  kingfishers. 

Suddenly  we  came  upon  a  colony  of  large,  bushy-tailed 
Monkeys,  who,  to  the  number  of,  perhaps,  a  hundred  were 
gamboling  about  the  tops  of  a  few  tall  trees.  The  first  glimpse 
of  us,  put  an  end  to  their  sport,  and  away  they  scampered, 
helter-skelter,  old  ones  snatching  up  young  ones,  and  young  and 
old  possessed  with  but  one  idea.  Those  who  could,  made  pro- 
digious leaps  into  the  trees  below,  catching  the  branches  with 
their  long  tails,  and  swinging  out,  plunged  yet  again,  and  were 
lost  to  view.  Others  scrambled  down  the  trunks,  or  concealed 
themselves  in  forks  and  crevices ;  and  in  far  less  time  than  I 
have  taken  to  describe  the  scene,  not  a  monkey  was  visible. 
We  passed  on ;  some  bold  veteran  ventured  a  whistle,  another 
and  another  returned  it,  and  shortly,  we  could  see  the  tree  tops 
bending,  and  hear  the  rustling  of  the  leaves,  as  the  .whole 
troop  hastened  back  to  their  unfinished  games. 

ToAvards  evening,  the  wind  freshening,  we  crossed  the 
channel,  and  now  understood  ourselves  to  be  upon  the  shore  of 
the  great  Island  of  Tupirambira,  the  Tupinamba  of  early 
voyagers,  which,  formed  by  the  outlets  of  the  River  Madeira, 
stretches  along  many  leagues. 

During  the  night,  we  were  awakened  by  a  groaning  among 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER   AMAZON.  153 

the  men.  One  of  them  had  gone  down  to  bale  out  the  hold, 
and  having  to  do  so  by  the  side  of  the  turtle,  had  thought  it 
would  be  as  well  to  ascertain  upon  which  end  was  the  animal's 
head.  The  first  feel  was  both  satisfactory  and  unfortunate ;  for 
turtle,  not  comprehending  the  intentions  of  these  inquisitive 
fingers,  seized  a  thumb  in  his  mouth,  and  squeezed  it,  rather 
gently  for  a  turtle,  but  still,  forcibly  enough  to  hint  his  dis- 
pleasure. Had  he  been  one  of  the  denizens  of  our  Yankee 
ponds,  the  victimized  boy  would  have  had  a  serious  search  for 
his  old  member  j  as  it  was,  he  was  disabled,  and  we  thereafter 
promoted  him  to  the  helm. 

Not  finding  a  sitio,  we  stopped  upon  the  29th,  in  a  forest  of 
magnificent  growth,  where  the  open  space  allowed  a  free 
ramble.  The  bank  was  three  feet  above  the  water,  and  the 
fronting  trees  and  shrubs  were  densely  overrun  by  a  vine,  pro- 
ducing a  profusion  of  small  white  flowers,  much  resembling 
the  Clematis.  Many  of  the  trees  here,  were  of  enormous 
size,  and  had  we  measured  the  girt  near  the  ground,  would 
have  given  us  from  forty  to  fifty  feet.  This  seems  wonderful, 
but  the  explanation  is  simple.  Ten  or  fifteen  feet  above  the 
ground,  these  trunks  are  round,  and  not  often  more  than  four 
or  five  feet  in  diameter ;  but,  at  about  that  elevation,  set  out 
thin  supports  diverging  in  every  direction,  presenting  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  column,  supported  by  a  circle  of  triangles  around 
its  base.  Of  all  these  trees,  the  most  conspicuous  for  beauty, 
was  the  mulatto  tree,  mentioned  before,  and  which  grew  here 
in  abundance. 

To-day  we  obtained  a  specimenof  the  Least  Bittern,  Ardea 
exilis,  and  saw  a  number  of  Crested  Curassows,  or  Mutuns,  as 
they  are  called,  but  were  unable  to  shoot  them.  We  saw,  also, 
many  iguanas,  who,  at  our  approach,  would  drop  into  the 
water,  from  the  branches  upon  which  they  were  feeding.  But 
a  greater  oddity,  was  a  small  monkey,  white  as  snow,  and  un- 
doubtedly an  albino.  We  drew  up  to  the  shore,  and  endea- 
vored to  find  his  hiding  place,  but  unsuccessfully. 

Upon  the  flowers,  this  day,  we  observed  great  swarms  of 
butterflies,  of  every  size  and  color.  A  large  one  of  a  rich  green, 


154  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

was  new  to  us,  and  most  curious,  but  the  brilliant  blue  ones, 
seen  so  often  near  Para,  still  bore  the  palm  for  splendor. 

Towards  evening,  a  piece  of  floating  grass  passed  by  us, 
upon  which  laid  the  remains  of  a  fish,  about  five  feet  in  length. 
He  had  thrown  himself  from  the  water,  and  there  had  died.  A 
great  variety  of  the  river  fish  have  this  habit  of  leaping  above 
the  surface,  and  not  unfrequently,  fall  into  a  passsing  montaria. 
Our  Indians  alleged  this  as  a  reason  for  not  sleeping  in  the 
montaria,  which  would  have  accommodated  two  or  three  of 
them  with  far  more  comfort  than  the  galliota,  where,  part  of 
them  slept,  slung  across  the  tolda  like  so  many  sacks,  and  the 
rest,  along  their  narrow  seats,  as  they  could  find  room. 

Upon  the  morning  of  the  30th,  we  were  called  out  to  ob- 
serve a  school  of  porpoises,  that  were  blowing  and  leaping 
all  around  us.  This  fish  resembles  much  the  sea-porpoise  in 
its  motions,  and  is  common  from  Para  up.  Its  color  is  pinkish, 
upon  the  belly,  and  a  number  of  them  gamboling  about  is  an 
exceedingly  beautiful  sight.  They  are  not  eaten,  and  are  val- 
uable only  for  their  oil. 

A  party  went  out  in  the  montaria,  and  returned  with  a  pair 
of  White  Herons,  A.  alba,  and  in  the  tree  tops,  in  the  vicinity, 
were  a  large  number  of  these  birds,  evidently  just  commencing 
their  nesting. 

As  we  drew  up  by  the  bank  for  breakfast,  a  Crested  Curas- 
sow,  or  Mutun,  Crax  alector,  flew  from  the  top  of  a  low  tree 
near  us,  and  one  of  the  Indians  darted  up  for  her  nest.  There 
were  two  eggs,  and  tying  them  in  his  handkerchief,  he  brought 
them  down  in  his  teeth.  These  eggs  were  much  larger  than 
a  turkey's  egg,  white,  and  granulated  all  over.  The  Crested 
Curassow  is  a  bird  about  the  size  of  a  small  turkey.  Its  gen- 
eral plumage  is  black,  the  belly  only  being  white,  and  upon  its 
head,  is  a  crest  of  curled  feathers.  This  species  has  a  yellow 
bill.  It  is  called  the  Royal  Mutun  by  the  Brazilians,  and,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  River  Negro,  is  not  uncommon.  With  several 
other  varieties  of  its  family,  it  is  frequently  seen  domesticated, 
and  is  a  graceful  and  singularly  familiar  bird  in  its  habits. 
According  to  some  authors,  this  bird  lays  numerous  eggs,  but 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.         155 

each  of  the  three  nests  which  we  found,  during  this  day,  con- 
tained but  two,  and  the  Taucha  assured  us  that  this  was  the 
complement.  The  nest  was,  in  every  case,  about  fifteen  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  was  composed  of  good-sized  sticks,  lined 
with  leaves  and  small  pieces  of  bark. 

We  determined  on  the  immolation  of  our  monster  turtle, 
and  all  hands,  kettles,  and  pots  were  in  requisition.  About  a 
peck  of  eggs  were  taken  from  her,  and  reserving  these,  with 
the  hind  quarters,  and  the  parts  attached  to  the  lower  half  of 
the  shell,  we  turned  the  remainder  over  to  the  Indians,  who 
very  soon  had  every  part,  even  to  the  entrails,  stewing  in  their 
earthen  vessels.  The  eggs,  mixed  with  farinha,  were  very  de- 
licious, but  in  my  case,  at  least,  they  caused  an  awful  reckon- 
ing, and  for  a  long  time,  I  could  scarcely  think  of  turtle  with- 
out a  shiver. 

Soon  after  starting,  we  found  two  other  Mutuns'  nests,  and 
as  the  boy  climbed  to  the  last,  there  was  a  crash  and  a  fall,  and 
we  thought  his  Indian  skill  had,  for  once,  deserted  him.  But 
the  commotion  was  caused  by  a  pair  of  iguanas,  who,  from  a 
good  height,  had  precipitated  themselves  into  the  water.  The 
rascals,  no  doubt,  had  been  calculating  on  an  omelette  break- 
fast. This  afternoon,  we  shot  a  gray  hawk,  and  on  picking  him 
up,  we  found  a  large  red  squirrel,  of  a  species  new  to  us,  by  his 
side,  upon  which  he  had  but  just  commenced  dining.  This 
squirrel  had  legs  and  tail  greatly  disproportioned  to  his  body, 
and  we  concluded  with  an  acute  theorist,  that  his  ancestry 
had  lived  so  long  among  the  monkeys,  as  to  have  become 
assimilated. 

Upon  the  morning  of  July  1st,  we  stopped  at  a  sitio,  where 
was  an  extensive  plantation  of  mandioca,  and  another  of  ca- 
cao, and  in  the  vicinity  we  shot  a  number  of  Jacamars  and  Ta- 
nagers,  as  well  as  a  squirrel  of  large  size  and  better  propor- 
tions than  our  acquisition  of  the  day  before. 

Near  this  place  was  a  sideless  shantee,  where  a  party  of 
wild  Indians  had  squatted.  There  was  an  old  crone,  two  young 
girls,  and  a  boy  of  sixteen,  all  looking  miserably  enough.  The 
only  articles  they  seemed  to  possess,  were  a  couple  of  ham- 
mocks, and  a  large  fish  roasting  on  some  coals  told  how  they 


156  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

subsisted.  These  Indians  were  of  the  Muras,  the  same  as  our 
Taucha,  and  he  went  over  to  have  a  talk  with  them.  Gipsy- 
like,  they  often  come  out  in  this  way,  and  remain,  until  some 
depredation  obliges  them  to  decamp.  This  tribe,  in  particular, 
are  arrant  thieves,  and  semi-civilization  did  not  seem  to  have 
eradicated  much  of  the  propensity  in  those  of  our  party,  for  sev- 
eral times,  we  had  missed  little  articles,  as  knives,  which,  we 
had  no  doubt,  were  carefully  preserved  in  some  of  the  trunks 
in  the  tolda. 

All  day,  the  shore  continued  low,  but  just  above  the  pres- 
ent height  of  the  river,  and  a  few  weeks  before,  evidently'they 
had  been  entirely  flooded.  Of  course,  there  were  but  few 
sitios. 

Just  at  night,  we  came  upon  an  immense  flock  of  herons, 

roosting  in  the  trees  upon  a  small  island.     A went  towards 

them  with  the  montaria,  and  brought  down  enough  of  them  for 
the  morrow's  breakfast.  The  survivors  flew  round  and  round 
in  puzzled  confusion,  then  wheeled  towards  another  island, 
where  darkness  prevented  his  following  them. 

Stopped  in  the  woods,  upon  the  2d,  and  upon  the  roots  of 
the  large  trees,  we  collected  a  number  of  shells,  the  Bulimus 
piperitus  (Sowerby),  entirely  new  to  us.  There  were  also 
many  shells,  three  varieties  common  throughout  the  river  re- 
gion, Ampullaria  crassa  (Swain)  ;  Ampullaria  scalaris  (D'Or- 
bigny),  and  Ampullaria  zonata  (Wagner),  and  usually  found 
just  above  high-water  mark.  They  crawl  up  there  adventu- 
rously and  are  left  by  the  retiring  flood.  Occasionally,  in  these 
forests,  we  discovered  dead  shells  of  the  Achatina  flaminea. 
Here  we  saw  a  pair  of  the  Umbrella  Chatterers. Cephalopeterus 
ornatus,  among  the  rarest  and  most  curious  of  Brazilian  birds. 
They  were  sitting  near  together,  upon  the  lower  branches  of  a 
large  tree,  and  a  shot  brought  down  the  female.  Unfortunate- 
ly, the  gun  had  been  loaded  but  in  one  barrel,  and  before  am- 
munition could  be  obtained  from  the  boat,  the  male,  who  lin- 
gered about  for  some  moments,  had  disappeared.  We  after- 
wards obtained  a  fine  male  upon  the  Rio  Negro.  These  birds 
are  of  the  size  of  small  crows,  and  the  color  of  their  plumage 
is  a  glossy  blue-black.     Upon  the  head,  is  a  tall  crest  of  slen- 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  157 

der  feathers,  whence  it  derives  its  name,  and  upon  the  breast, 
of  both  male  and  female,  is  a  pendant  of  feathers,  hanging  to 
the  length  of  three  inches.  They  are,  like  all  the  Chatterers, 
fruit  eaters.  They  are  pretty  common  upon  an  island  a  few 
days'  sail  above  the  Barra  of  the  Rio  Negro,  but  they  are  not 
found  any  where  in  that  region  in  such  flocks  as  others  of  the 
Chatterer  family.  The  Indian  name  for  these  birds  is  Urumu- 
imbu,  and  the  Taucha  informed  us,  that  they  built  in  trees,  and 
laid  white  eggs. 

During  the  day,  we  crossed  from  one  island  to  another,  and 
at  last,  were  again  upon  the  northern  side. 

Early  the  next  morning,  the  3rd,  we  were  overtaken  by  a 
small  canoe  pulled  by  eight  men,  and  some  of  our  party  were 
delighted  to  discover  in  the  proprietor  an  old  acquaintance. 
After  mutual  compliments  and  inquiries,  the  canoe  shot  past, 
and  we  soon  lost  sight  of  her.  While  we  were  looking  out  for 
a  place  whereon  to  build  our  customary  fire,  the  smoke  of  some 
encampment  ahead  caught  our  eyes,  and  directing  our  course 
thither,  we  found  our  friend  of  daybreak,  nicely  settled  upon  a 
little  clearing  which  he  had  made,  under  the  cacao  trees  of  a 
deserted  plantation.  He  politely  made  room  for  us,  and  sent  us 
coffee  from  his  own  boat. 

Not  long  after  noon,  we  stopped  at  a  house,  where  a  num- 
ber of  Indians  were  collected  about  a  Periecu,  which  they  had 
just  caught.  This  was  the  fish  whose  dried  slabs  had  been  our 
main  diet  for  the  last  few  weeks,  and  we  embraced  the  oppor- 
tunity to  take  a  good  look  at  so  useful  a  species.  He  was  about 
six  feet  long,  with  a  large  head  and  wide  mouth,  and  his  thick 
scales,  large  as  dollars,  were  beautifully  shaded  with  flesh  color. 
These  fish  often  attain  greater  size,  and,  at  certain  seasons,  are 
very  abundant,  especially  in  the  lakes.  They  are  taken  with 
lances,  cut  into  slabs  of  half  an  inch  thickness,  and  dried  in  the 
sun,  after  being  properly  salted.  It  is  as  great  a  blessing  to 
the  Province  of  Para,  as  cod  or  herring  to  other  countries, 
constituting  the  main  diet  of  three-fourths  of  the  people.  We 
bought,  for  eight  cents,  half  this  fish,  and  for  six  more,  a  Tam- 
baki,  weighing  about  ten  pounds.     This  is  considered  the  finest 


158  A    VOYAGE    UP   THE    RITEE    AMAZON. 

fish  in  this  part  of  the  river,  and  resembles,  in  shape,  the  Black 
Fish  of  the  North. 

Not  far  above  this  sitio,  was  the  village  of  Serpa,  and  a  turn 
of  the  river  presented  it  to  us  in  all  the  glory  of  half  a  dozen 
thatched  houses.  So  aristocratic  an  establishment  as  our  gal- 
liota  was  not  to  come  up  without  causing  a  proper  excitement, 
and,  one  after  another,  the  leisurely  villagers  made  their  ap- 
pearance upon  the  hill,  until  a  respectable  crowd  stood  waiting 
to  usher  us.  Hardly  had  we  touched  the  shore,  when  a  depu- 
tation boarded  us  for  the  news,  and  we  were  forced  to  spend 
half  an  hour  in  detailing  the  city  values  of  cacao,  and  fish,  and 
tobacco,  and  the  hundred  other  articles  of  traffic.  Indeed,  this 
had  been  our  catechism  ever  since  we  entered  the  river,  and 
as  we  were  profoundly  ignorant  of  ''he  state  of  the  Para  mar- 
ket, we  had  been  obliged  to  invent  a  list  of  prices  for  the  gen- 
eral circulation. 

The  bank,  upon  which  the  village  stands,  rises  abruptly 
about  fifty  feet  above  high  water  mark,  but  fortunately,  in  one 
point,  a  broad,  natural  gully  allows  easier  ascent,  and,  up  this, 
we  made  our  way.  Our  principal  business  in  stopping  here, 
was  to  obtain  men,  if  possible,  part  of  ours  being  lazy,  and 
part  disabled  from  one  cause  or  another.  Moreover,  the  river 
current  above  Serpa  flows  with  a  vastly  accelerated  swiftness,, 
rendering  more  men  almost  indispensable.  We  directed  our 
way  to  the  house  of  Senhor  Manoel  Jochin,  the  most  influen- 
tial man  of  the  village,  although  not  a  public  officer.  Nor  had 
we  far  to  go,  for  Serpa  has  been  shorn  of  its  glory,  and  dilapi- 
dation and  decay  meet  one  at  every  turn.  The  Senhor  was 
sitting  at  his  door,  in  earnest  conversation  with  the  Colonel 
and  the  Juiz  de  Paz,  and  received  us  not  cavalierly,  but  as 
became  a  cavalier.  For  Senhor  Manoel  had  been  a  soldier  in 
his  day,  and,  although  on  the  shady  side  of  sixty,  still  looked 
a  noble  representative  of  those  hardy  old  Brazilians  who  have 
spent  their  lives  on  the  frontiers.  We  had  heard  of  him  be- 
low, as  the  captor  of  Edoardo,  one  of  the  rebel  Presidents  of 
the  Revolution,  and  looked  upon  him  with  interest.  For  this 
exploit  he  had  been  offered  a  high  commission  in  the  army, 
but  he  preferred  living  in  retirement  here. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  159 

In  the  evening,  we  sat  down  to  turtle  and  tambaki  with 
the  dignitaries  before  mentioned,  and  as  our  style  of  supper 
varied  somewhat  from  our  former  experience,  I  trust  I  shall  be 
excused  for  entering  a  little  more  into  particulars.  By  the 
side  of  each  plate,  was  a  pile  of  farinha  upon  the  table,  and  in 
the  centre,  stood  a  large  bowl  of  caldo,  or  gravy.  Upon  sit- 
ting down,  each  one,  in  turn,  took  up  a  handful  of  his  farinha, 
and  dropped  it  into  the  bowl.  This,  afterwards,  was  the  gen- 
eral store,  from  which  each  helped  himself  with  his  own  spoon, 
as  he  listed.  Water  was  not  absolutely  interdicted,  but  it  was 
looked  upon  with  scarcely  concealed  disapprobation,  and  its 
absence  was  compensated  by  casha9a.  There  was  no  limit 
to  hob-nobbing  and  toasting,  and  our  jolly  Colonel  at  last  con- 
cluded with  a  stentorian  song. 

The  Senhor  had  been  a  frequent  voyager  upon  the  Madeira, 
and  gave  us  interesting  accounts  of  his  adventures  upon  that 
river.  What  was  quite  as  agreeable,  however,  was  a  collec- 
tion of  shells  which  he  had  picked  up  along  its  shores,  and  of 
which  he  begged  our  acceptance.  One  of  these  was  a  re- 
markably large  one  of  the  Ampullaria  canaliculata  (Lam.), 
which  was  used  as  a  family  cashaga  goblet.  The  others 
were  Hyria  avicularis,  and  Anadonta  esula.  The  valves  of 
the  Anadontas  had  been  used  as  skimmers,  in  the  Senhor's 
kitchen. 

We  were  told  that  there  was  to  be  a  dance,  to  which  our 
company  would  be  acceptable,  particularly  if  we  brought 
along  a  few  bottles  of  cashaga.  Now  an  Indian  dance  was  a 
novelty,  and  the  insinuating  invitation  worked  its  effect.  Taking 
each  a  quart  bottle  under  his  arm,  we  strolled  to  the  scene  of 
action,  and  were  politely  ushered  into  one  of  the  larger  houses, 
where  a  crowd  of  men  and  girls  had  collected.  The  room 
was  illuminated  by  burning  wicks  of  cotton,  which  were 
twisted  about  small  sticks,  and  set  into  pots  of  andiroba  oil. 
Around  the  walls,  were  benches,  upon  which  sat  a  score  of 
Indian  girls,  dressed  in  white,  with  the  ever  accompanying 
flowers,  and  vanilla  perfume.  The  men  were  standing  about, 
in  groups,  awaiting  the  commencement  of  the  exercises,  and 
dressed  in  shirts  and  trousers.     One,  distinguished  beyond  the 


160  A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

rest  by  a  pair  of  shoes,  and  a  colored  handkerchief  over  his 
shoulders,  was  the  major  domo,  and  kindly  relieved  us  of  our 
bottles,  allowing  us  to  stand  ourselves  among  the  others,  as 
we  might.  A  one-sticked  drum  soon  opened  the  ball,  assisted 
by  a  wire-stringed  guitar,  and  for  a  little  time,  they  divinised 
on  their  own  account,  until  they  were  pronounced  safe  for  the 
evening.  Two  gentlemen  then  stepped  up  to  their  selected 
partners,  and  gracefully  intimated  a  desire  for  their  assistance, 
which  was  favorably  responded  to.  The  partners  stood  oppo- 
site each  other,  and  carelessly  shuffled  their  feet,  each  keeping 
slow  time,  by  the  snapping  of  their  fingers.  The  man  ad- 
vanced, then  retreated,  now  moved  to  one  side,  and  then  to  the 
other.  Now  approaching  close  to  the  fair  one,  he  made  a  low 
bow,  looking  all  sorts  of  expressions,  as  though  he  was  acting 
a  love  pantomime ;  to  which  his  partner  responded  by  vio- 
lently snapping  her  fingers,  and  shuffling  away  as  for  dear 
life.  Away  goes  the  lover  two  or  three  yards  to  the  right, 
profoundly  bowing ;  then  as  far  to  the  left,  and  another  bow. 
Getting  visibly  excited,  up  again  he  advances,  going  through 
spasmodic  operations  to  get  louder  snaps  from  his  fingers. 
The  fair  inamorata  is  evidently  rising.  Around  she  whirls 
two  or  three  times;  he  spins  in  the  opposite  direction,  and  just 
as  he  is  getting  up  an  attitude  of  advance,  out  steps  another 
lady,  taking  his  partner's  place.  This  is  paralyzing,  but  the 
lover  is  too  polite  not  to  do  a  little  for  civility,  when  some  gen- 
tleman steps  belbre  him,  taking  the  burden  from  his  feet,  and 
leaving  him  to  follow  his  partner  to  the  well  earned  seat,  where 
he  solaces  his  feelings  by  a  long  pull  at  the  bottle,  and  then 
passes  it  to  the  lady,  who  requires  sympathy  similar  in  degree 
and  quantity.  The  dancing  continued,  with  no  variation  of 
time  or  figure,  until  the  cashaqa  gave  out,  which  was  the 
signal  for  a  breaking  up,  all  who  could  preserve  their  equili- 
brium, escorting  their  equally  fortunate  partners,  and  those 
who  could  not,  remaining  until  a  little  sleep  restored  their 
ailing  faculties. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Fourth  of  July  at  Serpa — Lake  Saraca — An  accession — Pic-nic — An  opossum — Narrow 
passage — Swallow-tailed  hawks — Sitio  of  the  Delegarde — River  Madeira — Village  of 
our  Taugha — Appearance  of  his  party  on  arriving  at  home — The  old  rascal — Bell- 
bird — Stop  at  a  sitio,  and  reception — Orioles — A  cattle  sitio — Swift  current — Enter 
the  Rio  Negro — Arrive  at  Barra. 

An  unclouded  sky  was  awaiting  the  sun  of  the  4th,  as  we 
strolled  along  the  river  bank,  at  Serpa,  recalling  the  cluster- 
ing associations  connected  with  the  day,  and  thinking  of  the 
present  occupations  of  friends,  at  home.  It  was  a  magnificent 
place  for  fire-works  and  tar  barrels,  and  that  beautiful  island 
opposite,  was  the  very  spot  for  a  pic-nic.  We  had  quite  a 
mind  to  have  a  celebration  on  our  own  account,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  demonstrating  to  the  benighted  Amazonians  how  glo- 
rious a  thing  it  is  to  call  one's  self  free  and  independent;  but, 
alas  !  our  powder  was  precious,  and  barrels  of  tar  not  to  be  had 
for  love  or  money.  The  sun  peeped  over  the  tree  tops,  flood- 
ing in  beauty  the  wild  forest,  and  gilding  ihe  waters  that 
rushed  and  foamed  like  maddened  steeds.  The  birds  were 
making  the  air  vocal  with  a  hundred  different  notes,  and  fishes 
were  constantly  bouncing  above  the  water  in  glee.  And  was 
it  a  fancy,  that  one  red-coated  fellow,  as  he  tossed  himself  up, 
greeted  us  with  a  "viva"  to  the  Independence  of  America? 

Serpa  was  a  pretty  place,  after  all ;  and  our  impressions  of 
the  night  before,  had  been  formed  after  a  long  day  and  a 
scorching  sun.  And  the  people  of  Serpa  were  a  happy  people, 
and  we  almost  wished  that  our  names  were  in  their  parish 
register.  The  river  teemed  with  the  best  of  fish,  and  half  an 
hour's  pleasure  would  supply  the  wants  of  a  week.  Farinha 
grew  almost  spontaneously,  and  fruits  quite  so.     The  people 


162  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

bartered  with  passing  boats  for  whatever  else  they  might  re- 
quire, and  lived  their  lives  out  like  a  summer's  day,  knowing 
nothing  of  the  care  and  trouble  so  busy  in  the  world  around 
them,  and  happy  as  language  could  express.  With  an  income 
of  one  hundred  dollars,  a  man  would  be  a  nabob  in  Serpa,  as 
rich  as  with  a  hundred  thousand  elsewhere. 

Not  far  back  of  the  village,  is  a  large  lake,  the  Saraca,  and 
at  one  of  the  outlets  of  this,  Mr.  McCulloch  had,  a  few  years 
since,  made  arrangements  for  a  saw-mill.  But  after  several 
months'  labor,  when  the  timbers  were  all  ready  to  be  put  to- 
gether, he  was  ordered  by  the  authorities  at  Para  to  desist, 
upon  some  frivolous  pretext."  From  here,  he  removed  to 
Barra. 

SenhorManoel  had  been  on  the  point  of  leaving  for  Barra, 
as  we  arrived,  and  he  concluded  to  go  with  us,  putting  two  of 
his  men  upon  the  galliota.  Besides  these,  we  had  been  unable 
to  find  any  others.  The  Colonel  and  Juiz  were  also  to  go  in 
their  own  canoes,  keeping  us  company.  These  gentlemen 
were  all  going  up  to  Barra  to  attend  a  jury,  one  of  the  inflic- 
tions of  civilization  in  Brazil,  as  elsewhere.  But,  although  a 
week's  voyaging  among  the  carapanas  is  no  sport,  they  did  not 
grumble  half  so  much  at  the  obligation,  as  many  a  man,  at 
home,  for  the  loss  of  his  afternoon  by  similar  necessity. 

Leaving  Serpa,  about  seven  o'clock,  we  continued  on  an 
hour,  until  we  arrived  at  a  spot,  whither  the  Senhors  had  pre- 
ceded us,  and  made  ready  breakfast.  We  were  to  have  a  pic- 
nic after  all.  Each  canoe  had  brought  store  of  good  things, 
and  we  circled  around  a  little  knoll  under  the  trees,  to  the 
enjoyment  of  a  greater  variety  than  we  had  seen  for  the  last 
two  months. 

At  this  place,  we  shot  an  Opossum,  of  a  smaller  variety 
than  that  of  the  States.  It  emitted  a  very  disagreeable  odor, 
and  even  our  Indians  expressed  their  disgust  at  the  idea  of 
eating  it.  I  intended  to  have  preserved  it,  and  laid  it  in  the 
montaria  for  that  purpose,  but  soon  after,  it  was  missing,  some 
one  having  thrown  it  into  the  stream. 

Nearly  all  day,  our  course  was  through  a  passage,  of  not 
more  than  fifty  yards  width,  between  the  northern  shore  and 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  163 

an  island.  At  low  water,  this  channel  was  entirely  dry.  In 
one  part  of  our  way,  a  large  flock  of  Swallow-tailed  Hawks, 
Falco  furcatus,  a  variety  found  also  in  the  Southern  States, 
circled  about  us  in  graceful  motion,  like  so  many  swallows. 
We  brought  down  one,  a  fine  specimen,  greatly  to  our  delight ; 
for  although  we  had  frequently  seen  them  before,  we  never  had 
been  able  to  reach  them,  on  account  of  their  lofty  flight. 

It  was  nearly  midnight  when  we  reached  the  sitio  of  the 
Delegarde  of  Serpa,  directly  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Madeira.  The  Colonel  had  arrived  before  us,  and  we  found 
prepared  a  substantial  supper.  The  Delegarde  of  Serpa,  has 
not  a  very  lucrative  office,  and  matters  about,  the  house  looked 
rather  poverty-stricken ;  but  we  cared  little  for  that,  on  our 
own  account,  and  slinging  our  hammocks  under  an  open 
cacao-shed,  slept  as  well  as  the  carapanas  would  allow. 

The  river  Madeira  is  the  greatest  tributary  of  the  Ama- 
zon; having  a  length  of  more  than  two  thousand  miles.  Rising 
far  down  among  the  mountains  of  Southern  Bolivia,  it  drains 
a  vast  extent  of  country,  receiving  constant  accessions.  Its 
current  is  not  swift,  and  its  waters  are  comparatively  clear. 
When  the  Amazon  is  lowest,  in  the  month  of  December,  the 
Madeira  is  at  its  height;  and  at  that  season,  very  many  fallen 
trees  are  floated  down.  Much  of  the  country,  about  its  mouth, 
is  low  and  uninhabitable ;  and  at  certain  seasons,  the  whole 
region,  below  the  falls,  is  visited  by  intermittent  fevers.  This 
scourge  to  man,  is  a  blessing  to  the  turtles,  who  congregate 
upon  the  upper  islands,  and  deposit  their  eggs,  without  mo- 
lestation. The  first  falls  are  at  the  distance  of  two  months' 
journey  from  Serpa ;  and,  thereafter,  a  succession  of  similar 
falls  and  rapids  obstructs  the  navigation  for  a  long  distance. 
Yet  canoes  of  considerable  burden,  ascend  the  river  passing 
these  falls  by  aid  of  the  Indians,  who  are  settled  about  these 
places  in  large  numbers.  By  the  upper  branches  of  the  Ma- 
deira, easy  communication  is  had  with  the  head-waters  of  the 
La  Plata ;  and  in  the  earlier  days  of  Brazilian  settlement,  the 
enterprising  colonists  had  discovered  and  taken  advantage  of 
this  connection.  To  the  interior  province  of  Matto  Grosso, 
communication  is  had  by  the  Tocantins,   Tapajos,  and  Ma- 


164  A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

deira,  from  Para.  The  latter  river  is  preferred,  on  account 
of  the  fewer  obstructions,  although  the  distance  is  greatly  in- 
creased. Not  unfrequently,  one  of  these  canoes  arrives  at  the 
city,  loaded  with  the  products  of  Matto  Grosso,  among  which 
gold  is  one  of  the  principal.  The  Indians,  accompanying  such 
craft,  are  of  a  very  different  race  from  those  usually  seen ;  and 
in  strange  dresses,  wander  about  the  streets,  staring  at  every 
sight. 

There  are  but  few  settlements  upon  the  lower  waters  of  the 
Madeira.  The  chief  of  them  is  Borda,  upon  the  southern 
bank,  two  days'  voyage  from  Serpa.  The  country  is  rich  in 
woods,  cacao,  salsa,  and  gums.  A  greater  obstruction  to  its 
settlement  than  unhealthiness,  was  the  obstinate  ferocity  of  the 
Indian  tribes  upon  the  river  banks,  especially  the  Muras  and 
Mundrucus.  But  both  these  have  yielded  in  some  degree  to 
the  effects  of  civilization,  and  the  latter  are  now  considered 
one  of  the  most  friendly  races  in  the  province. 

Resuming  our  journey  before  daybreak  of  the  5th,  we  ar- 
rived, about  seven  o'clock,  at  the  most  orderly  looking  sitio 
which  we  had  yet  seen.  There  were  a  number  of  slaves,  and 
the  fields  of  mandioca  and  tobacco  were  as  neat  as  gardens. 
The  houses  were  well  built,  and  arranged  in  the  form  of  a 
quadrangle ;  and,  being  upon  a  lofty  bank,  commanded  a 
beautiful  view  of  the  river,  and  the  remote  shore.  A  grove 
of  orange  trees  hung  loaded  with  fruit,  and  we  readily  ob- 
tained permission  to  fill  our  lockers.  The  orange  season  was 
just  commencing,  and  thereafter  we  found  them  every  where 
in  profusion. 

Here  also  we  obtained  a  shell  new  to  us,  the  Achatina 
regina. 

Three  miles  above  this  place,  was  the  village  of  our 
Taucha,  and  as  himself  and  his  party  had  been  absent  several 
months,  we  observed  their  demeanor  with  some  curiosity,  as 
we  drew  near  their  home.  The  old  man  looked  sharply,  as 
though  he  would  see  if  any  changes  had  occurred  in  his  do- 
main ;  the  boys  scarcely  looked  at  all,  and  seemed  as  apathetic 
as  blocks ;  but  the  princess  was  all  smiles,  pointing  out  to  her 
children  this  and  that  object,  or  her  recognized  friends  upon 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  165 

the  bank.  The  village  did  not  present  a  very  distinguished 
appearance,  although  upon  a  singularly  fine  site ;  the  bank 
being  fifty  feet  above  the  water,  and  fronted  by  a  small  island, 
at  the  distance  of  a  mile.  As  we  touched  the  shore,  a  number 
of  women  and  children  were  looking  on  from  above,  as  though 
we  were  perfect  strangers ;  only  two  of  the  little  girls  coming 
down  to  meet  their  brothers  and  cousins.  With  the  same  in- 
difference, the  boys,  as  they  met  their  mothers  and  sisters, 
scarcely  exchanged  a  salutation.  To  give  them  all  the  credit 
they  deserved,  however,  their  first  steps  were  to  the  rude 
chapel,  where,  before  the  altar,  on  bended  knees,  they  thanked 
our  Lady  for  their  safe  return.  There  was  one  poor  boy,  the 
best  of  the  band,  who  had  been  sick  with  jaundice  during  the 
whole  passage.  The  others  had  been  perfectly  indifferent  to 
him,  not  caring  whether  he  lived  or  died  ;  but  we  had  done 
every  thing  for  his  comfort  that  circumstances  would  allow, 
and  in  return,  although  he  could  not  speak  a  word  of  Por- 
tuguese, he  had  testified  his  gratitnde  in  a  hundred  little  in- 
stances. He  lingered  about  us  a  long  time,  as  if  loth  to  part ; 
and  when,  at  last,  he  went  upon  the  hill,  where  the  others  were 
collected  together,  detailing  the  wonders  of  their  travels,  he 
slunk  away,  unnoticed  by  any  ;  nor  did  we  see  the  least  re- 
cognition of  him  while  we  remained. 

When  Lieutenant  Mawe  descended  this  river,  in  1831,  these 
people  had  just  been  gathered  out  of  the  woods  by  an  old 
Padre  who  had  converted  them,  and  taught  them  something 
of  civilization.  Mr.  Mawe  particularly  observes,  that  they 
would  drink  no  cashaca,  nor  exchange  fish  for  that  article. 

But  the  old  Padre  had  gone ;  the  houses,  far  better  framed 
than  usual,  were  almost  all  in  ruins ;  and  there  did  not  seem 
to  be  a  dozen  adults  in  the  place.  A  large  piece  of  ground 
had,  at  one  time,  been  cultivated,  but  now,  the  grass  and 
bushes  had  overgrown  the  whole  ;  and  excepting  where  a  few 
squash  vines  had  found  a  home  upon  the  side-hill,  not  a  trace 
of  agriculture  remained.  With  this  outward  decay,  the  Pa- 
dre's instructions  had  gone  likewise,  and  these  Muras  were 
noted  as  arrant  thieves,  and  lazy  vagabonds.     The  little  civi- 

8* 


166         A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

lization  once  acquired,  had  left  behind  just  enough  of  its  dregs, 
to  make  them  worse  than  their  brethren  of  the  woods. 

We  wandered  some  hours  in  the  vicinity,  shell  hunting  and 
sporting,  with  very  little  success  j  but  the  exercise  was  delight- 
ful, for  long  confinement  in  the  galliota  had  stiffened  our  joints, 
and  well  nigh  put  us  upon  the  sick  list. 

Senhor  Manoel  Jochin  waited  until  afternoon  for  the  return 
of  some  men,  who  were  said  to  be  absent  upon  a  fishing  expe- 
dition ;  but,  at  last  he  left,  after  making  the  Taucha  promise  to 
forward  us  with  our  fall  complement,  when  the  absentees  re- 
turned. The  Senhor,  very  kindly,  left  with  us  his  two  men, 
whom  we  had  employed  since  leaving  Serpa.  No  sooner  was 
he  gone,  than  the  fishermen  appeared  from  the  woods,  where 
they  had  been  skulking  ;  and  now,  the  Taugha,  having  received 
payment,  refused  to  do  any  thing  further.  There  was  no  help ; 
we  could  only  threaten  Doctor  Costa's  vengeance,  and,  there- 
fore, prepared  to  depart  as  speedily  as  possible. 

The  price  to  be  paid  this  party  of  six,  had  been  stipulated 
by  Doctor  Costa,  before  their  descent.  Their  wages  had  been 
given  them  in  money  at  Para,  and  for  the  forty-five  days,  dur- 
ing which  they  had  been  in  our  employ,  each  received  three 
shirts  of  factory  cotton,  three  pairs  of  pantaloons  of  blue  drill- 
ing, and  two  balls  of  thread.  In  addition,  the  Taugha  was  to 
receive  at  Barra,  two  whole  pieces  of  drilling ;  but  this,  of 
course,  he  forfeited  by  not  fulfilling  his  engagement. 

We  had  still  seven  men  besides  the  pilot,  although  we  had 
left  eight  persons  at  the  village,  and  were,  after  all,  not  so  badly 
off  as  we  might  have  been. 

Bidding;  adieu  to  the  Muras  with  uncourteous  blessings,  we 
coasted  for  some  hours  under  the  same  lofty  bank,  passing  a 
number  of  fine  sitios.  The  current  was  often  so  swift  that  the 
utmost  exertions  of  the  men  were  unable  to  propel  the  boat, 
and  they  showed  great  glee  at  the  alacrity  with  which  the 
Senhors  sprang  to  the  paddles  for  their  relief. 

During  the  night,  we  fancied  we  heard  the  far-famed  Bell- 
bird.  The  note  was  that  of  a  muffled  tea-bell,  and  several  of 
these  ringers  were  performing,  at  the  same  time ;  some,  with 
one  gentle  tinkle,  others,  with  a  ring  of  several  notes.    I  asked 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER.   AMAZON.  167 

the  pilot,  what  was  "  gritando ;"  he  replied,  "  a  toad."  I  had 
no  idea  of  having  my  musician  thus  calumniated,  and  remon- 
strated thereupon;  but  he  cut  me  short  with,  "it  must  be  a 
toad,  every  thing  that  sings  at  night  is  a  toad."  From  ac- 
counts of  travellers,  we  had  been  expecting,  ever  since  we  had 
entered  the  Amazon,  to  have  been  nightly  lulled  to  sleep  by 
the  song  of  this  mysterious  bird  ;  and  we  used,  at  first,  to  strain 
our  perceptions  to  the  recognition  of  something  that  was  bell- 
like,  now,  starting  at  the  hooting  ding-dong  of  an  owl.  and  now 
at  the  slightest  twitter  of  a  tree-toad.  But  it  was  all  in  vain  ; 
the  illusion  would  not  last,  and  unless,  when  heart-saddened, 
his  note,  which  is  usually  compared  to  the  "  pounding  of  a 
hammer  upon  an  anvil,"  comes  within  the  compass  of  a  little 
bell  of  silver,  we  never  heard  the  Bell-bird. 

During  the  whole  of  the  6th,  we  were  passing  through  a 
narrow  passage,  under  a  melting  sun.  and  unenlivened  by  a 
single  bird,  or  other  enticement.  An  Amazonian  sun  can  be 
fierce,  and  upon  such  days,  the  birds  fly  panting  into  the  thick- 
ets, and  trees  and  flowers  look  sorrowfully  after  them,  as  though 
they  would  gladly  follow.  The  river  bank  was  often  high,  and 
occasionally  we  saw  a  real  rock — no  clay  fiction. 

The  carapanas  gave,  us  no  rest  during  the  night,  and  early 
upon  the  7th  we  were  advancing,  hoping  to  arrive  at  a  sitio  by 
breakfast  time. 

Daybreak  found  us  emerging  from  our  narrow  passage,  and 
we  saw  but  a  short  distance  ahead  the  embarcagoen,  in  which 
most  of  Bradley's  goods  had  been  shipped,  and  which  had  left 
the  city,  a  few  days  before  ourselves.  The  men  pulled  lustily 
to  overtake  her,  for  we  were  out  of  cashaca,  and  now  should 
be  able  to  obtain  a  supply. 

It  Avas  ten  o'clock  before  we  came  in  sight  of  the  sitio,  situ- 
ated upon  a  high,  projecting  bluff.  The  embarcacoen  was 
anchored  in  a  little  bay  upon  the  upper  side.  We  drew  up  in 
a  convenient  spot  below,  and  walked  in  procession  to  the  house. 
The  reception  chamber  in  this  case,  was  a  raised  platform, 
about  two  feet  high,  covered  with  slats,  upon  which  mats  were 
spread,  and  over  which  two  hammocks  were  hanging.  We 
found  the  Senhor  and  his  lady,  with  the  Captain  just  arrived 


< 


163  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

engaged  with  their  coffee,  and  the  invitation  to  us  was  not 
"  entra."  but  "  sobre,"  that,  is,  "mount."  This  direction  we 
accurately  followed,  and  squatted  ourselves,  Turkish  fashion, 
upon  the  mats.  Coffee  was  presented  us,  and  after  our  now 
tasteless  galliota  preparation,  was  a  luxury. 

This  house  was  large  enough,  and  had  its  proprietor  thought 
fit  to  limit  the  circulation  of  air,  by  an  outer  wall  or  two.  or  to 
fetter  the  grass  upon  the  floor  by  tiles,  would  have  been  one  of 
the  finest  houses  upon  the  river.  But  such  innovations,  proba- 
bly, never  occurred  to  him.  Under  the  same  roof,  and  within 
six  feet  from  the  platform,  was  a  furnace  and  anvil,  at  which, 
a  black  Cyclops  was  officiating,  with  an  earnestness  that  made 
our  ears  a  burden,  and  that  puzzled  us  to  comprehend  how  the 
good  couple  could  endure  their  hammocks. 

A  number  of  pretty  children  were  playing  about,  and  one 

of  them  speedily  formed  an  intimacy  with  A .     She  brought 

him  acuya  of  eggs,  and  seemed  happy  as  a  lark,  with  some  tri- 
fling present  which  he  made  her  in  return.  How  often  had  we 
wished  for  some  of  these  pretty  toys  or  books,  which  children 
at  home  value  so  lightly,  but  which  those  upon  the  Amazon 
would  regard  as  priceless  treasures.  Upon  leaving,  the  Sen- 
hora  sent  down  half  a  dozen  fowls,  and  some  vegetables  for 
our  acceptance. 

The  proprietor  of  this  establishment  was  counted  one  of 
the  wealthiest  men  upon  the  river,  and  we  saw  numerous  slaves, 
and  large  fields  of  tobacco  and  mandioca.  In  front  of  the 
house,  an  Indian,  and  his  boy,  were  weaving  a  grass  hammock, 
twisting  the  cord  from  the  raw  material  as  they  required  it,  a 
few  yards  at  a  time. 

Soon  after  starting,  we  passed  the  embarcacoen,  obtaining 
our  indispensable.  This  vessel  had  large  schooner  sails,  but 
as  wind  did  not  always  favor,  eight  men  stood  upon  her  deck, 
with  long  sweeps,  made  by  fastening  the  blades  of  paddles  upon 
the  ends  of  poles,  and  pulled  her  onward.  Besides  these,  two 
men  were  in  the  montaria  with  a  rope,  tying  and  pulling,  as  be- 
fore described.  In  this  manner,  she  advanced  nearly  as  rap- 
idly, or  rather,  as  slowly,  as  ourselves. 

We  had  been  disappointed  in  our  expectation  of  obtaining 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  169 


some  additional  men  at  this  sitio.  The  riddance  of  the  Tauc;ha's 
party  was  an  inconceivable  relief;  for  the  men,  having  no  bad 
example  constantly  before  them,  required  no  urging,  but  pulled 
steadily  and  contentedly  from  four  in  the  morning  until  eight 
at  night,  frequently  cheering  their  labor  by  songs.  Many  of 
their  songs  are  Portuguese,  and  the  airs  are  very  sweet ;  but 
the  real  Indian  is  usually  unburdened  with  words,  and  is  little 
more  than  a  loud,  shrill  scream,  with  something  of  measure  ; 
a  sort  of  link  between  the  howl  of  the  performer  at  the  Chi- 
nese Museum,  and  a  civilized  tone.  We  never  could  catch 
these  wild  tunes,  but  they  were  as  natural  to  every  Indian,  as 
his  bow  and  arrow. 

We  saw  a  number  of  beautifully  marked  Orioles,  in  orange 
and  black  livery,  Icterus  guttulatus  (Lafresnaye),  as  well  as 
another  variety,  which  we  afterwards  found  to  be  extremely 
abundant  upon  Marajo,  Icterus  jububa  ;  and  the  notes  of  a  new 
variety  of  Toucan,  Pteroglossus  aracari,  sounded  noisily  along 
the  shore. 

Late  at  night,  we  stopped  at  a  cattle  sitio.  The  master 
was  absent,  but  the  slaves  had  a  number  of  fine  Tambaki,  and 
we  purchased  enough,  already  roasted,  to  last  us  to  Barra. 
Habitual  travellers  upon  the  Amazon,  make  it  a  point  to  stop 
during  the  night  at  sitios,  whenever  possible,  thus  avoid- 
ing the  carapanas,  and  greatly  relieving  the  tedium  of  their 
voyage. 

At  seven  o'clock,  upon  the  8th,  we  were  in  the  swiftest 
current  below  the  Rio  Negro.  A  rocky  shore,  dry  at  low 
water,  at  this  season,  formed  a  rapid,  down  which  the  waters 
rushed  with  a  furious  velocity.  Two  of  us  went  ahead  in  the 
montaria  ;  some  used  the  pole  ;  while  others,  with  the  sail  rope, 
jumped  upon  shore  and  pulled.  By  these  means,  after  a  hard 
tug,  we  passed. 

We  breakfasted  in  a  lovely  spot,  where  the  open  woods,  and 
the  moss-covered  rocks,  so  different  from  any  we  had  seen 
before,  reminded  us  strongly  of  well-loved  scenes  at  home. 
Here  we  gathered  several  species  of  Ferns,  and  from  a  mound 
of  soft  red  clay,  cut  out  cakes,  like  soap,  for  some  soil-inquisi- 
tive friend. 


170  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

The  remote  bank  of  the  Rio  Negro  now  began  to  rise 
boldly,  exhilarating  us  all.  The  water  of  the  Amazon  gradu- 
ally lost  its  muddy  hue,  and  the  black  water  of  the  Negro  as 
gradually  assumed  its  proper  color;  until,  at  last,  intensely 
dark,  but  clear  and  limpid,  every  ripple  sparkling  like  crystals, 
it  bade  us  throw  back  a  joyful  adeos  to  the  majestic  old  friend 
we  were  leaving,  and  hail  with  loud  vivas  the  beautiful  newly- 
found. 

At  its  junction  with  the  Negro,  the  Amazon  bends  widely 
to  the  south;  so  that,  from  the  northern  shore,  the  former 
seems  the  main  stream.  Directly  at  the  junction,  lies  a  large, 
triangular  island,  and  Mr.  McCulloch  informed  us,  that  he 
himself  had  found  soundings  here,  at  thirty-two  fathoms,  or 
one  hundred  and  ninety-two  feet.  Upon  either  side,  the  shore 
rises  abruptly  and  loftily,  and  the  river  is  contracted  into  much 
narrower,  limits  than  above. 

We  sailed  under  noble  bluffs,  passing  many  fine-looking 
houses  ;  and  the  effect  of  these,  with  the  dark  water,  the  cloudy 
sky,  and  the  rich  green  festooning,  made  that  few  hours'  sail 
intensely  interesting.  The  current  moved  sluggishly,  and  the 
only  signs  of  life  which  we  met.  were  in  correspondence ;  a 
swarthy  white,  in  one  end  of  a  montaria.  listlessly  holding  a 
fish-line,  while  in  the  other,  sat,  curled  up,  a  little  boy,  in  blue 
shirt  and  red  cap,  both  pictures  of  luxurious  laziness. 

It  was  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  as  we  moored  to  the  shore, 
at  Barra.  A  furious  rain  was  pouring,  and  thus,  we  ended  our 
voyage  as  we  had  begun  it.  We  had  left  Para,  expecting  to 
see  but  thirty  days  pass  upon  the  Amazon,  but  the  thirty  had 
flown  long  since,  and  here  we  were,  upon  the  eve  of  the  fiftieth. 

Yet  our  time  had  passed  pleasantly,  in  spite  of  every 
inconvenience ;  and  now  that  the  memory  of  the  carapanas 
began  to  fade  into  indistinctness,  and  the  big  flies  could  no  longer 
trouble  us,  we  could  have  looked  fo-  ard  to  another  fifty  days 
towards  the  Peruvian  frontier,  without  trembling. 

The  distance  from  Para  to  the  Barra  of  the  Rio  Negro,  in 
a  straight  line,  is  rather  more  than  eight  hundred  miles,  but  as 
we  had  come,  following  all  the  windings  of  the  channel,  the 
distance  was  more  than  a  thousand. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  17  \ 

Early  in  the  morning,  a  number  of  gentlemen  visited  us  at 
the  galiiota.  some  to  inquire  of  the  market  and  news  below, 
others  to  make  offers  of  friendly  service.  Of  these  latter  was 
Senhor  Henriquez  Antonio,  an  Italian  by  birth,  and  the  most 
prominent  trader  upon  these  upper  rivers.  He  immediately 
offered  us  a  vacant  house  next  his  own,  and  in  a  brief  time,  we 
were  fairly  installed  in  our  new  quarters.  The  building  was 
of  one  story,  containing  several  rooms,  most  of  which  were 
ceiled  by  roof  tiles,  and  floored  by  sand.  Bradley  took 
possession  of  the  large  parlor  for  his  goods,  and  he  and  Mr. 
Williams  were  domiciled  in  one  of  the  little  twelve-by-twelve 
sanctums,  and  A and  I  in  the  other. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Rio  Negro  at  Barra — The  town-— Old  fort — Sr.  Henriquez  and  family — Manner  of  liv- 
ing— Venezuelans — Piassaba  rope — Grass  hammocks — Feather  work — Descent  of  the 
Negro — Gallos  de  Serra — Chili  hats — Woods  in  the  vicinity — Trogons — Chatterers — 
Curassows — Guans — Parrots  and  Toucans — Humming  Birds — Tiger  Cats — Squirrels — 
A  Tiger  story — The  Casueris — A  Yankee  saw-mill — Mode  of  obtaining  logs — A 
Pic-nic — Cross  the  river  to  a  campo — Cattle  and  horses — A  select  ball. 

The  Rio  Negro,  at  Barra,  is  about  four  miles  in  width,  at 
high  water,  but  much  Jess  during  the  dry  season,  when  the 
flood  has  fallen  thirty  feet.  The  channel  deepens,  at  once, 
from  the  shore,  forming  a  safe  and  convenient  anchorage. 
The  shore,  in  some  parts,  is  bold,  rising  in  almost  perpendicular 
bluffs;  in  others,  gently  sloping  to  the  water's  edge.  Upon 
land  thus  irregular,  the  town  is  built,  numbering  rather  more 
than  three  thousand  inhabitants,  a  large  proportion  of  which 
are  Indians.  The  houses  are  generally  of  one  story,  but  oc- 
casionally of  two  and  three,  and  resemble,  in  form  and  struc- 
ture, those  of  the  better  towns  below. 

There  was  something  very  attractive  in  the  appearance  of 
the  Barra.  The  broad,  lake-like  river  in  front,  smooth  as  a 
mirror;  the  little  bay,  protected  by  two  out-jutting  points  ;  the 
narrow  inlet,  that  circled  around  the  upper  part  of  the  town, 
and  beyond  which  sloped  a  lofty  hill,  green  with  the  freshness 
of  perpetual  spring ;  the  finely  rolling  land  upon  which  the 
town  itself  stood ;  and  back  of  all,  and  overtopping  all,  the 
flat  table,  where,  at  one  glance,  we  could  take  in  a  combina- 
tion of  beauties,  far  superior  to  any  thing  we  had  yet  seen  upon 
the  Amazon.  Here  the  secluded  inhabitants  live,  scarcely 
knowing  of  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  as  oblivious  of  outward 
vanities  as  our  Dutch  ancestors,  who,  in  by-gone  centuries, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  173 

vegetated  upon  the  banks  of  the  Hudson.  Here  is  no  rumbling- 
of  carts,  or  trampling  of  horses.  Serenity,  as  of  a  Sabbath 
morning,  reigns  perpetual ;  broken  only  by  the  rub-a-dub  of 
the  evening  patrol,  or  by  the  sweet,  wild  strains  from  some 
distant  cottage,  where  the  Indian  girls  are  dancing  to  the 
music  of  their  own  voices. 

Directly  upon  the  river  bank,  and  frowning  over  the  waters, 
once  stood  a  fort,  known  as  San  Jose.  The  Portuguese  word 
for  fort,  is  barra,  and  this  name  was  applied  to  the  town  which 
sprung  up  in  the  vicinity.  Therefore  it  is,  that  the  town  is 
usually  spoken  of  as  the.  Barra  de  Rio  Negro.  Whether  peace 
has  been  unfavorable,  or  the  fortunes  of  war  adverse,  we  were 
not  informed ;  but  there  stands  the  ruin,  with  scarcely  wall 
enough  left  to  call  it  a  ruin,  white  with  lichens,  and  protecting 
nought  but  an  area  of  grass.  Upon  the  top  of  the  ancient 
flag-staff,  is  perched  a  Buzzard,  who  never  seems  to  move,  the 
livelong  day,  but  to  turn  his  wings  to  the  sun-light,  or  to  nod 
sympathetically  to  a  party  of  his  brethren,  who,  upon  upright 
poles  and  crossbeams,  that  indicate  still  further  ruin,  sit  droop- 
ing in  the  "  luxury  of  woe." 

Near  by,  an  antique  church  shoots  up  to  the  loftiness  of 
some  thirty  feet,  and  at  its  side,  is  a  quaint  adjunct  of  a  tower, 
square,  and  short,  and  thick,  from  whose  top  sounds  the  church- 
going  bell.  Beyond  this,  is  a  square  or  Largo,  facing  which 
are  the  Barracks  and  the  Room  of  the  Assembly,  for  Barra  is 
the  chief  town  of  the  district  of  the  Rio  Negro. 

Upon  this  Largo,  stood  also  the  house  of  Senhor  Henri- 
quez,  in  which  we  were  half  domiciled,  for  being  all  bachelors, 
and  weary  of  bachelor  cooking,  we  accepted  with  pleasure  the 
invitation  of  Sr.  H.  to  his  table.  His  house  was  always  open 
to  passing  strangers,  and  others  beside  ourselves  were  con- 
stantly there,  enjoying  his  hospitality.  Both  the  Senhor  and 
his  lady,  showed  us  every  attention,  and  seemed  particularly 
anxious  that  we  should  see  all  that  was  interesting  or  curious 
in  the  vicinity,  while  they  constantly  kept  some  Indian  in  the 
woods  for  our  benefit.  The  Senhora  was  an  exceedingly 
pretty  woman,  about  twenty-two,  and  delighted  us  by  her 
frank  intercourse  with  strangers;  always  sitting  with  them  at 


174         A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

the  table,  and  conversing  as  a  lady  would  do  at  home.  This 
would  not  be  noticeable,  except  in  Brazil,  and,  perhaps,  not 
universally  there ;  but  we  had  ever  found  the  ladies  shy  and 
reserved,  and,  although  often  at  the  table  of  married  men,  the 
lady  of  the  house  had  never  before  sat  down  with  us.  The 
Senhora  surprised  and  gratified  us,  also,  by  her  knowledge  of 
the  United  States,  which  she  had  obtained  from  occasional  trav- 
ellers. She  had  three  little  girls,  Paulina,  Pepita,  and  Lina,with 
a  little  boy  of  four  years.  Juan.  All  these  children  had  light 
hair  and  fair  complexions,  and  the  blue-eyed  baby,  Lina,  espe- 
cially, was  as  beautifully  fair,  as  though  her  home  had  been 
under  northern  skies.  Juan  was  a  brave  little  fellow,  and  was 
a  frequent  visitor  of  ours,  delighting  to  be  with,  a  Gentio  In- 
dian, who  was  employed  in  our  back  yard.  This  Indian  had 
been  out  of  the  woods  but  a  i"ew  weeks,  and  could  not  speak 
Portuguese,  but  Juan  could  talk  with  him  in  the  Lingoa  Geral, 
as  though  it  had  been  his  native  tongue. 

Each  of  the  children  had  an  attendant ;  the  girls,  pretty 
little  Indians  of  nine  or  ten  years,  and  Juan,  a  boy,  of  about  the 
same  age.  It  was  the  business  of  these  attendants,  to  obey 
implicitly  the  orders  of  their  little  mistresses  and  master,  and 
never  to  leave  them.  Juan  and  his  boy  spent  much  of  their  time 
in  the  river,  taking  as  naturally  to  the  water  as  young  ducks. 

At  six  in  the  morning,  coffee  was  brought  into  our  room, 
and  the  day  was  considered  as  fairly  commenced.  We  then 
took  our  guns,  and  found  amusement  in  the  woods  until  nearly 
eleven,  which  was  the  hour  for  breakfast.  At  this  meal  we 
never  had  coffee  or  tea ;  and  rarely  any  vegetable  excepting 
rice.  But  rich  soups  and  dishes  of  turtle,  meat,  fish,  and  peixe 
boi,  in  several  forms  of  preparation,  loaded  the  table.  The 
Brazilian  method  of  cooking  becomes  very  agreeable,  when 
one  has  conquered  his  repugnance  to  a  slight  flavor  of  garlic, 
and  the  turtle  oil,  used  in  every  dish.  The  dessert  consisted  of 
oranges,  pacovas  and  preserves.  Puddings,  unless  of  tapioca, 
are  seldom  seen,  and  pastry  never,  out  of  the  city.  Water  was 
brought,  if  we  asked  for  it,  but  the  usual  drink  was  a  light  Lis- 
bon wine.  The  first  movement  upon  taking  our  places  at  the 
table,  was,  for  each  to  make  a  pile  of  salt  and  peppers  upon  his 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.         175 

plate,  which,  mashed,  and  liquified  by  a  little  caldo  or  gravy, 
was  in  a  condition  to  receive  the  meat.  A  bowl  of  caldo,  in 
the  centre,  filled  with  farinha,  whence  every  one  could  help 
himself  with  his  own  spoon,  was  always  present. 

The  remainder  of  the  day  we  spent  in  preserving  our  birds, 
or  if  convenient,  in  again  visiting  the  forest.  The  dinner  hour 
was  between  six  and  seven,  and  that  meal  was  substantially 
the  same  as  breakfast. 

We  found  at  the  house,  upon  our  arrival,  two  gentlemen 
who  had  lately  came  from  Venezuela,  forty  days'  distance  up 
the  Rio  Negro.  One  of  them  was  a  young  German,  William 
Berchenbrinck,  who  had  come  down  merely  as  passenger,  and 
who  had  been  in  the  employment  of  a  Spanish  naturalist.  The 
other  was  a  regular  trader,  Senhor  Antonio  Dias,  from  San 
Carlos,  and  he  had  brought  down  a  cargo  of  rope,  made  from 
the  fibres  of  the  Piassaba  palm,  and  a  quantity  of  grass  ham- 
mocks. The  piassaba  rope  is  in  great  demand  throughout  the 
province,  and  is  remarkable  for  its  strength  and  elasticity, 
which  qualities  render  it  admirable  for  cables.  The  only  ob- 
jection to  it  is  its  roughness,  for  the  palm  fibres  are.  unavoid- 
ably, of  large  size. 

The  hammocks  were,  in  general,  of  cheap  manufacture,  va- 
lued at  half  a  milree  each.  The  grass  of  which  they  were 
made  is  yellow  in  color,  and  of  a  strength  and  durability  supe- 
rior to  Manilla  hemp.  It  grows  in  very  great  abundance 
throughout  the  country  of  the  Rio  Negro,  and  could  be  supplied 
to  an  unlimited  extent.  Senhor  Antonio  was  a  genius  in  his 
way,  and  some  of  his  hammocks  were  exquisitely  ornamented, 
by  himself,  with  feather  work.  One,  in  particular,  was  com- 
posed of  cord,  twisted  by  hand,  scarcely  larger  than  linen 
thread ;  and  in  its  manufacture,  a  family  of  four  persons  had 
been  employed  more  than  a  year.  Its  borders,  at  the  sides, 
were  one  foot  in  width,  and  completely  covered  with  embroid- 
ery in  the  most  gaudy  feathers.  Upon  one  side  were  the  arms 
of  Brazil,  upon  the  other,  those  of  Portugal,  and  the  remaining 
space  was  occupied  by  flowers,  and  devices  ingenious  as 
ever  seen  in  needle-work.  The  feathers  were  attached  to  the 
frame  of  the  borders  by  a  resinous  gum.     Such  hammocks 


176  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

are  rather  for  ornament  than  use.  and  they  are  sought  with 
avidity  at  Rio  Janeiro,  by  the  curiosity  collectors  of  foreign 
courts.  This  one  was  valued  at  thirty  silver  dollars,  which,  in 
the  country  of  the  Rio  Negro,  is  equal  to  one  hundred,  in  other 
parts  of  the  empire. 

Sr.  Antonio  was  something  of  a  wag  as  well  as  a  genius ; 
and  as  the  blacks  came  to  him,  at  sunset,  for  the  customary 
blessing,  making  the  sign  of  the  cross  upon  their  foreheads,  his 
usual  benediction  was,  "  God  make  you  white." 

Berchenbrinck  could  speak  English  fluently,  and  was  a 
very  agreeable  companion  to  us,  besides  being  enabled,  from 
his  own  experience,  to  contribute  much  to  our  information  re- 
garding the  natural  curiosities  of  the  country.  He  had  crossed 
from  the  Orinoco  to  the  Rio  Negro,  by  the  Casiquiari.  and  in 
coming  down  with  Sr.  Antonio,  had  been  well  nigh  drowned 
in  descending  one  of  the  many  rapids  that  obstruct  this 
latter  river.  Their  cargo  had  been  sent  round  by  land,  but 
through  some  carelessness,  the  vessel  had  been  overturned, 
and  both  our  friends  precipitated  into  the  whirling  flood,  whence 
they  were,  some  time  after,  drawn  out,  almost  insensible,  by 
their  crew,  who  from  the  shore  had  watched  the  catastrophe. 
Mr.  B.  informed  us,  that  in  the  highlands  between  the  two 
rivers,  the  Gallo  de  Serra,  or  Cock  of  the  Rock,  was  abundant, 
and  frequently  seen  domesticated.  This  bird  is  the  size  of  a 
large  dove,  and  wholly  of  a  deep  orange  color.  Upon  its  head, 
is  a  vertical  crest  of  the  same.  The  Indians  shoot  the  Cocks 
of  the  Rock  with  poisoned  arrows,  and  stripping  off  the  skins, 
sell  them  to  travellers,  or  traders,  who  purchase  them  for 
feather  work.  We  obtained  a  number  of  them  at  Barra,  and 
had  we  arrived  a  short  time  sooner,  could  have  seen  a  living 
specimen,  which  was  in  the  garden  of  Sr.  Henriquez. 

The  Indians,  who  accompanied  Sr.  Antonio,  were  of  a  dif- 
ferent race  from  any  we  had  seen,  and  looked  very  oddly,  from 
the  manner  in  which  they  suffered  their  hair  to  grow;  shaving 
it  close,  except  just  above  the  forehead,  from  which,  long  locks 
hung  about  their  cheeks. 

One  day,  an  old  Spaniard  arrived,  with  a  cargo  of  Chili 
hats.     He  was  from  Grenada,  and  had  come  down  the  River 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  177 

Napo,  and  the  Solemoen.  Beside  his  hats,  which  he  was  in- 
tending to  take  to  the  United  States,  he  brought  a  quantity  of 
pictures,  or  rather,  caricatures  of  saints,  as  small  change  for 
his  river  expenses.  Chili  hats  are  a  great  article  of  trade  at 
Barra.  They  are  made  of  small  strips  of  a  species  of  palm, 
twisted  more  or  less  finely.  This  palm  was  growing  in  the 
garden  of  Sr.  Henriquez,  and  he  gave  us  a  bundle  of  the  raw 
material.  The  leaf  was  of  the  palmetto  form,  and  looked 
much  like  the  leaf  of  which  Chinese  fans  are  made.  The 
value  of  the  hats  varies  greatly,  some  being  worth,  even  at  the 
Barra,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  dollars.  But  the  average  price 
is  from  two  to  three  dollars.  We  saw  one  of  remarkable 
fineness,  which  was  sent  to  Doctor  Costa  in  a  letter. 

The  old  Spaniard  told  us  that  much  of  the  country  upon 
the  Napo  was  still  wild,  and  that,  in  repeated  instances,  the 
Indians  there  brought  him  beautiful  birds  for  sale,  which  they 
had  shot  with  poisoned  arrows.  Two  hundred  years  ago,  Acuna 
described  the  Tucuna  tribe  as  remarkable  for  their  similar  habit. 

The  woods  in  the  vicinity  of  Barra  were  a  delightful  resort 
to  us,  and  more  attractive  than  we  had  seen  upon  the  Amazon. 
The  land  was  not  one  dead  level,  swampy,  or  intersected  by 
impassable  igaripes ;  but  there  were  gentle  hills,  and  tiny 
brooks  of  clearest  water,  and  here,  when  weary  of  rambling, 
we  could  recline  ourselves  in  the  delicious  shade,  unmolested 
by  carapanas,  or  the  scarcely  less  vexatious  wood-flies.  The 
ground  was  often  covered  by  evergreens  of  different  varieties, 
and  exquisite  forms,  and  many  species  of  ferns  were  growing 
in  the  valleys.  There  were  no  sepaws,  or  other  climbing  ob- 
structions to  our  free  passage,  but  a  thousand  lesser  vines 
draped  the  low  tree  tops  with  myriads  of  flowers,  new  and  at- 
tractive. Every  where  were  paths,  some  made  by  the  inhab- 
itants, in  their  frequent  rambles,  others,  by  wild  animals  that 
come  to  the  water ;  and  along  these,  we  could  pass  quietly,  to 
the  feeding  trees  of  beautiful  birds. 

Here  were  wont  to  haunt  many  varieties  of  Trogons,  un- 
known to  us ;  and,  at  any  hour,  their  plaintive  tones  could  be 
heard  from  the  lofty  limb,  upon  which  they  sat  concealed. 

Cuckoos  of  several  species,  their  plumage  glancing  red  in 


178  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

the  light,  flitted  noiselessly  through  the  branches,  busied  in 
searching  for  the  worms,  which  were  their  favorite  food. 

Purple  Jays,  Garrulus  Cayanus,  in  large  flocks,  like  their 
blue  cousins  of  North  America,  would  be  alighted  on  some 
fruit  tree,  chattering  and  gesticulating;  but  shy.  ready  to  start 
at  the  breaking  of  a  twig. 

Motmots,  and  Chatterers,  were  abundant  as  at  Para ;  the 
latter,  in  greater  variety,  and  still,  most  gaudy  of  all. 

Goatsuckers,  in  plumage  more  exquisitely  blended,  than 
any  of  the  species  we  had  ever  seen,  would  start  from  some 
shade  where  they  had  been  dozing  the  day  hours,  and  flying 
a  little  distance,  were  an  easy  prey. 

Manikins  were  in  great  variety,  and  in  every  bush ;  Tana- 
gers  whistled,  and  Warblers  faintly  lisped  their  notes  in  the 
trees. 

Flycatchers,  in  endless  variety,  were  moving  nimbly  over 
the  branches,  or  sallying  out  from  their  sentry  stations,  upon 
their  passing  prey. 

Pigeons,  some  of  varieties  common  at  Para ;  others,  new 
to  us,  were  cooing  in  the  thicket,  or  flying  affrighted  off. 

Tinami,  of  all  sizes,  were  feeding  along  the  path,  or  sport- 
ing in  parties  of  half  a  dozen,  among  the  dry  leaves. 

Curassows  moved  on  with  stately  step,  like  our  Wild 
Turkey,  picking  here  and  there  some  delicate  morsel,  and 
uttering  a  loud,  peeping  note ;  or  ran,  with  outstretched  neck, 
and  rapid  strides,  as  they  detected  approaching  danger. 

Guans  were  stripping  the  fruits  from  the  low  trees,  in 
parties  of  two  and  three ;  and  constantly  repeating  a  loud, 
harsh  note,  that  proved  their  betrayal. 

Of  all  these  birds,  the  most  beautiful,  after  the  Chatterers, 
were  the  Trogons.  There  were  half  a  dozen  varieties,  differ- 
ing in  size,  from  the  T.  viridis,  a  small  species,  whose  body 
was  scarcely  larger  than  many  of  our  Sparrows,  to  the  Cu- 
ruqua  grande,  Calurus  auriceps  (Gould),  twice  the  size  of  a 
Jay.  All  have  long,  spreading  tails;  and  their  dense  plumage 
makes  them  appear  of  greater  size  than  the  reality.  They 
are  solitary  birds,  and,  early  in  the  morning,  or  late  in  the 
afternoon,  may  be  observed  sitting,  singly  or  in  pairs ;  some 


A    VOYAGE    UP   THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  179 

species,  upon  the  tallest  trees,  and  others,  but  a  few  feet 
above  the  ground,  with  tails  outspread  and  drooping,  watch- 
ing for  passing  insects.  Their  appetites  appeased,  they 
spend  the  remainder  of  the  day  in  the  shade,  uttering,  at  in- 
tervals, a  mournful  note,  well  imitated  by  their  common  name, 
Curuqua.  This  would  serve  to  betray  them  to  the  hunter ; 
but  they  are  great  ventriloquists,  and  it  is  often  impossible  to 
discover  them,  although  they  are  directly  above  one's  head. 
The  species  vary  in  coloring,  as  in  size ;  but  the  backs  of  all 
are  of  a  lustrous  green,  or  blue,  and  bellies  of  red,  or  pink,  or 
yellow.  The  Curuqua  grande  is  occasionally  seen  at  Barra ; 
but  frequenting  the  tallest  forest,  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to 
be  obtained.  We  offered  a  high  price  for  a  specimen,  and 
employed  half  the  garrison  for  this  single  bird,  without  suc- 
cess. They  reported,  that  they,  every  day,  saw  them,  and 
frequently  shot  at  them;  but  that  they  never  would  come 
down.  We  were  fortunate  in  obtaining  a  skin  of  this  bird, 
preserved  by  an  Indian.  The  other  species  were  the  Red- 
bellied,  T.  c;urucui;  Cinerous,  T.  strigilatus ;  T.  melanop- 
terus;  and  one  other  species,  much  resembling  the  last,  except 
that  the  outer  tail-feathers,  instead  of  being  merely  tipped 
*vith  white,  as  in  the  Melanopterus,  were  crossed  by  numerous 
white  bars. 

Their  feathers  were  so  loose,  that,  in  falling,  when  shot, 
they,  almost  invariably,  lost  many  ;  and  this,  together  with  the 
tenderness  of  their  skins,  made  them  the  most  difficult  of  birds 
to  preserve. 

Of  the  Chatterers,  besides  the  Cardinal,  and  other  Para 
varieties,  which  were  beginning  to  be  abundant,  were  the 
Pompadour,  Ampelis  pompadora,  whose  wings  were  white, 
and  body  of  a  lustrous  carmine;  and  another  variety,  the 
Silky,  A.  Maynana,  whose  body  was  of  a  sky-blue.  At  this 
season,  all  these  birds  were  in  perfect  plumage  ;  and  seemed 
to  be  just  returning  from  their  migration,  perhaps  towards 
Para,  as  they  were  there  during  the  month  of  May. 

Of  Curassows,  or  Mutuns,  we  never  shot  but  one  variety, 
the  Crested,  of  which  we  had  found  the  nests,  near  Serpa.  But 
other  species  were  common  about  the  forests,  and  these,  with 


180         A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

others  still,  brought  from  the  upper  country,  were  frequently 
seen  domesticated.  They  are  all  familiar  birds,  and  readily  al- 
low themselves  to  be  caressed.  At  night,  they  often  come  into 
the  house  to  roost,  seeming  to  like  the  company  of  the  parrots 
and  other  birds.  They  might  easily  be  bred,  when  thus  do- 
mesticated, but  the  facility  with  which  their  nests  are  found, 
renders  this  no  object  at  Barra.  They  feed  upon  seeds  and 
fruits,  and  are  considered  superior,  for  the  table,  to  any  game 
of  the  country.  For  one  patac,  or  sixteen  cents,  each,  we  pur- 
chased a  pair  of  the  Razor-billed  Curassow,  Ourax  mitu,  one  of 
which  we  succeeded  in  bringing  safely  home  ;  a  pair  of  (judg- 
ing from  recollection)  the  Red-knobbed  Curassow,  Crax  Yar- 
rellii;  and  a  male  of  the  Red  Curassow,  (Crax  rubra),  said  to 
have  been  brought  from  Peru.  This  variety  was  called  Uru- 
mutun.  The  second  species  is  the  most  common,  and  is  found 
throughout  the  country,  towards  Para.  The  Parraqua  Guan, 
Phasianus  parraqua,  was  common,  but  not  domesticated.  It 
resembled  the  Mutuns  in  its  habits,  but  in  form,  had  a  larger 
neck  and  tail,  in  proportion.  A  specimen  which  we  shot,  ex- 
hibited a  very  curious  formation  of  the  wind-pipe,  that  organ 
passing  beneath  the  skin,  upon  the  outside  of  the  body,  to  the 
extremity  of  the  breast-bone,  where  it  was  attached  by  a  liga- 
ment. Then  re-curving,  it  passed  back,  and  entered  the  body 
as  in  other  birds.  Probably,  the  loud  trumpet  note  of  this  bird 
is  owing  to  this  formation. 

Of  Parrots  and  Toucans  there  were  many  new  varieties,  be- 
sides some  of  those  common  at  Para.  One  species  of  Parro- 
quet  was  scarcely  larger  than  a  canary  bird. 

Of  Hawks  there  were  many  varieties,  not  known  at  Para, 
and  a  large  long-eared  Owl,  the  first  owl  we  had  met,  was 
brought  in  by  our  hunters. 

Humming  birds  were  abundant  as  elsewhere,  but  mostly  of 
species  observed  at  Para.  The  Amethystine,  T.  amethysti- 
nus ;  and  the  Black-breasted,  T.  gramineus,  were  all  the  new 
varieties  that  we  obtained. 

Our  hunters  were  mostly  soldiers  of  the  garrison,  and  for 
their  labor  we  paid  them  ten  cents  per  diem,  and  found  them 
in  powder  and  shot.     When,  towards  night,  they  made  their 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  181 

appearance  with  the  fruits  of  their  excursions,  our  table  was 
richly  loaded,  and  a  long  evening's  work  spread  before  us. 

Sometimes,  they  would  bring  in  animals,  and  upon  one  oc- 
casion, we  received  a  pair  of  small  Tiger  Cats,  called  Mara- 
cajas. 

Some  varieties  of  Squirrels  were  also  brought  in,  but  as  we 
had  no  leisure  to  attend  to  animals,  we  gave  no  orders  for  pro- 
curing them.  The  same  animals  found  in  other  parts  of  the 
province,  were  common  in  the  vicinity,  and  we  could  learn  of 
nothing  new,  excepting  Monkeys,  who  vary  in  species  with 
every  degree  of  latitude  or  longitude. 

Mr.  McCulloch  gave  us  the  teeth  of  a  Jaguar,  which  he  had 
shot  at  his  mill ;  and  we  heard  of  a  singular  meeting  between 
one  of  these  animals  and  an  Indian,  upon  the  road  towards  the 
mill.  The  Jaguar  was  standing  in  the  road,  as  the  Indian 
came  out  of  the  bushes,  not  ten  paces  distant,  and  was  looking, 
doubtless,  somewhat  fiercely,  as  he  waited  the  unknown  comer. 
The  Indian  was  puzzled  an  instant,  but  summoning  his  pres- 
ence of  mind,  he  took  off  his  broad  brimmed  hat.  and  made  a 
low  bow,  with  "  Muito  bem  dias,  meu  Senhor,"  or  u  a  very 
good  morning,  sir."  Such  profound  respect  was  not  lost  upon 
the  Jaguar,  who  turned  slowly,  and  marched  down  the  road, 
with  proper  dignity. 

Several  times,  during  the  latter  part  of  our  stay,  when  our 
names  had  acquired  some  celebrity,  birds,  and  other  curiosities 
were  brought  in  for  sale  ;  and,  upon  one  day  in  particular,  such 
a  zeal  for  vintens  actuated  all  the  little  blackies  and  Indians, 
that  our  big  bellied  bottles  speedily  became  crowded  to  reple- 
tion, with  beetles,  and  lizards,  and  snakes,  et  id  omne  genus. 

Three  miles  back  of  Barra,  is  the  Casueris,  a  water  fall,  of 
which  Mr.  McCulloch  has  taken  advantage  for  his  mill.  The 
water  falls  over  a  ledge  of  yellowish  red  sand  rock,  and, 
during  the  dry  season,  has  a  descent  of  twelve  feet.  But 
during  the  wet  season,  the  waters  of  the  Rio  Negro  set  back 
to  such  an  extent,  that  a  fall  is  scarcely  perceptible.  These 
changes  have  their  conveniences,  for  as,  when  the  water  is  low, 
the  wheel  can  be  constantly  turning,  so,  when  it  is  high,  the 
supply  of  logs  can  be  floated  directly  to  the  mill.     The  greater 

9 


182  A   VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


part  of  the  logs  used,  are  of  cedar,  rafted  up  from  the 
Solimoen.  Coming  from  the  head  waters  of  the  various 
streams,  they  are  precipitated  over  cataracts,  and  rolled  and 
crushed  together,  until  their  limbs  are  entirely  broken  off,  and 
their  roots  require  but  little  trimming.  Logs  of  other  woods 
are  cut  upon  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Negro,  and  from  low  land, 
during  the  dry  season.  When  the  waters  rise,  these  logs  are 
floated  out,  bound  together,  and  rafted  down.  We  saw  a 
variety  of  beautiful  woods ;  some  of  the  most  valuable  of 
which  for  cabinet  purposes,  were  the  Saboyerana,  reddish, 
mottled  with  black,  and  varieties  of  Satin-wood.  These  are 
scarcely  known  down  the  river,  but  through  Mr.  McCulIoch's 
enterprise,  they  are  in  a  fair  way  to  be  made  common.  The 
mill  was  a  perfect  Yankee  mill,  differing,  in  no  respect 
excepting  in  the  materials  of  its  frame ;  woods  beautiful  as 
mahogany  not  being  so  accessible  as  hemlock,  in  the  United 
States. 

Heretofore,  all  the  boards  used  in  the  province  of  Para 
have  been  hewn  in  the  forest,  by  the  Indians,  who  are  remark- 
ably expert  at  this  kind  of  work,  using  a  small  adze,  like  a 
cooper's  hammer,  and  making  the  boards  as  smooth  as 
with  a  plane.  One  log  will  make  but  two  boards,  and  the 
labor  of  reducing  to  the  requisite  thinness  is  so  tedious,  that 
very  few  builders  can  afford  to  use  wood  for  the  flooring  of 
their  houses.  But  these  people  are  so  proverbially  slow  in 
adopting  innovations,  that  some  years  must  elapse,  before  this 
expensive  system  is  changed. 

The  Casueris  being  a  delightful  spot,  shaded  by  densely 
leaved  trees,  is  the  usual  resort  for  Sunday  pic-nic  parties 
which  meet  there  for  the  fresh,  cool  air,  and  the  luxurious  bath! 
The  Senhora  Henriquez  made  a  little  party  of  the  kind  for 
our  entertainment,  which  passed  off  delightfully,  and  much  as 
such  a  party  would  have  done  at  home.  It  was  something 
novel,  to  meet  such  an  evidence  of  refinement  so  far  out  of  the 
world,  where  we  had  expected  to  find  nothing  but  wildness 
But  there  was  one  feature  that  distinguished  it  from  any 
pleasure  party  I  ever  participated  in,  amid  civilivation 
and  refinement,  and   that  was,   the   bathing,  at   the    finale. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  183 

In  this,  there  was  little  fastidiousness  although  perfect 
decorum.  While  the  gentlemen  were  in  the  water,  the 
ladies,  upon  the  bank,  were  applauding,  criticising,  and 
comparing  styles,  for  there  were  almost  as  many  nations  of 
us,  as  individuals  ;  and  when,  in  their  turns,  they  darted 
through  the  water,  or  dove,  like  streaks  of  light,  to  the  very 
bottom,  they  were  in  nowise  distressed  that  we  scrupled  not 
at  the  same  privilege.  They  were  all  practiced  and  graceful 
swimmers,  but  the  Senhora  particularly,  as  she  rose,  with  her 
long  hair,  long  enough  ti  sweep  the  ground  when  walking, 
enshrouding  her  in  its  silken  folds,  might  have  been  taken  for 
the  living,  new-world  Venus. 

For  bathing  purposes,  we  never  saw  water  that  could  com- 
pare with  the  Rio  Negro.  One  came  from  its  sparkling  bosom, 
with  an  exhilaration,  as  if  it  had  been  the  water  of  a  mineral 
spring.  In  it,  the  whole  town,  men,  women,  and  children, 
performed  daily  ablutions,  cleanliness  being  a  part  of  the 
Brazilian  religion.  The  women  were  usually  in  before  sun- 
rise, and  we  never  saw,  as  some  have  asserted  is  the  case,  both 
sexes  promiscuously  in  the  water. 

We  crossed  the  river,  one  day,  in  a  montaria,  with  three 
Indians,  to  visit  a  large  campo.  Our  last  mile  was  through 
woods,  the  low  shrubbery  of  which  was  entirely  overflowed, 
and  as  far  down  as  we  could  see,  were  trees  in  full  leaf,  look- 
ing like  a  bed  of  green.  Many  creeping  plants,  bearing  a 
profusion  of  flowers,  overhung  our  heads,  and  of  the  finest,  a 
Dendrobium,  with  its  clusters  of  pink  and  purple,  we 
obtained  a  specimen,  which  we  were  fortunate  enough 
to  bring  safely  to  the  United  States.  In  this  retreat, 
we  observed  a  great  number  of  Trogons  and  Doves,  as  though 
the  water-side  was  their  favorite  resort.  The  trunks  of  the 
trees  were  all  marked  by  the  waters  of  the  last  year,  full  five 
feet  above  their  ordinary  rise.  That  unprecedented  flood 
poured  over  the  low  lands,  and  caused  great  devastation. 

The  campo  was  some  miles  in  length,  covered  with  grass 
and  low  shrubs.  The  late  dryness  had  deprived  the  grass  of 
all  its  green,  and  the  whole  resembled  more  a  desert  than  a 


184  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RTVER    AMAZON. 

meadow.  There  were  a  number  of  lean  cattle  and  horses 
wandering  about,  looking  for  food,  with  microscopic  eyes. 

Cattle  are  rare  at  Barra,  and  we  saw  no  milk  during  our 
stay.  There  was  said  to  be  one  horse,  but  he  was  altogether 
beyond  our  ken ;  and  the  honors  of  his  genus  were  done  by 
three  asses,  who  were  outrageous  vagabonds,  and  unfair 
proxies. 

A  ball  was  got  up,  for  our  especial  advantage  and  honor, 
one  evening.  Six  ladies,  some  well  dressed,  some  so-so  ;  some 
tolerably  white  and  some  as  tolerably  dark,  composed  the  lively 
part,  and  about  a  dozen  gentlemen,  an  essential  part,  of  the 
gathering.  One  gentleman  volunteered  to  the  guitar,  another 
to  the  violin ;  one  and  another  sent  in  refreshments,  and  an 
old  lady  took  in  charge  the  coffee.  The  ladies  were  very 
agreeable,  differing  mightily  from  the  ladies  at  Para  dancing 
parties,  who  do  not  go  to  talk.  The  dances  were  waltzes, 
cotillions,  and  fandangoes,  and  some  of  the  ladies  danced  with 
extreme  grace.  Those  who  were  deficient  in  grace,  made  up 
in  good  will,  and  until  a  late  hour,  ail  went  on  merrily  and 
delightfully. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A  new  river — Rio  Branco — Turtle  wood — Unexplored  region — Traditions — Peixe  boi  or 
Cow  Fish — Turtles — Influences  at  Barra — Indians — Foreigners — Indian  articles — 
Poison  used  upon  arrows — Traffic — Balsam  Copaivi — Salsa — Guinia — Vanilla — Ton- 
ga beans — Indigo — Guarana — Pixiri  or  nutmeg — Seringa — Wild  cotton — Rock  salt — 
The  Amazon  above  the  Rio  Negro — The  Rio  Negro. 

While  we  were  at  Barra,  Senhor  Gabriel,  one  of  the  dig- 
nitaries of  the  place,  and  a  very  agreeable  gentleman,  returned 
from  an  exploring  expedition,  up  one  of  the  smaller  rivers, 
which  flow  into  the  Rio  Negro,  between  Barra  and  the  Branco. 
Nothing  had  previously  been  known  of  the  region  lying  adja- 
cent to  this  stream,  for  vague  traditions  of  hostile  Indians  had 
deterred  even  the  adventurous  frontiers-men,  from  attempting 
its  exploration.  The  Senhor  described  it  as  a  beautiful,  roll- 
ing country,  in  many  parts  high,  and  covered  by  forests  of 
magnificent  growth.  It  was  uninfested  by  carapanas,  and 
never  visited  by  fevers  ;  nor  were  there  troublesome  Indians  to 
molest  settlers. 

The  Senhor  gave  us  the  skin  of  a  large  black  monkey, 
which  he  had  killed  during  this  excursion,  and  the  nest  and 
eggs  of  a  White-collared  Hummer,  the  Trochilus  melivorus. 
The  nest  was  composed  of  the  light  down  growing  upon  the 
exterior  of  a  small  berry,  and  surpassed  any  thing  we  had  seen 
in  bird  architecture.  The  eggs  were  tiny  things,  white,  with 
a  few  spots  of  red. 

The  Rio  Branco  is  another  interesting  stream,  which  sends 
its  wealth  to  Barra.  Its  head  waters  are  in  the  highlands, 
towards  Guiana,  and  it  flows  through  one  of  the  loveliest  and 
most  desirable  regions  of  tropical  America.     There  are  many 


186  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

settlements  upon  its  banks,  and  an  extensive  traffic  is  carried 
on  in  cattle  and  produce.  Far  up  among  the  mountains,  at  the 
head  of  this  river,  is  found  the  Marapamma,  or  Turtle  wood, 
specimens  of  which  may  sometimes  be  seen  made  into  canes. 
This  is  the  heart  of  a  tree,  and  is  nevermore  than  a  few  inches 
in  diameter.  The  only  person  who  deals  in  it  upon  the  Branco, 
is  a  Friar,  who  obtains  it  from  some  Indian  tribe,  in  the  course 
of  his  mission,  and,  a  few  sticks  at  a  time,  he  sends  it  to  Para, 
where  it  is  in  great  demand  for  canes,  and  other  light  articles. 
In  the  same  district,  are  said  to  be  valuable  minerals,  and  we 
obtained  of  a  canoe  which  had  just  come  down,  a  piece  of  red 
jasper,  susceptible  of  a  fine  polish,  which  was  used  as  a  flint. 
We  saw,  also,  some  large  and  beautiful  crystals,  from  the  same 
highlands. 

The  whole  region,  north  of  the  Amazon,  is  watered  by 
numberless  rivers,  very  many  of  which  are  still  unexplored. 
It  is  a  sort  of  bugbear  country,  where  cannibal  Indians  and 
ferocious  animals  abound  to  the  destruction  of  travellers.  This 
portion  of  Brazil  has  always  been  Fancy's  peculiar  domain, 
and,  even  now,  all  kinds  of  little  El  Dorados  lie  scattered  far, 
far  through  the  forest,  where  the  gold  and  the  diamonds  are 
guarded  by  thrice  horrible  Cerberi.  Upon  the  river  banks  are 
Indians,  watching  the  unwary  stranger,  with  bended  bow,  and 
poisoned  arrow  upon  the  string.  Some  tribes,  most  provident, 
keep  large  pens  akin  to  sheepfolds,  where  the  late  enthusiastic 
traveller  awaits  his  doom,  as  in  the  cave  of  Polyphemus.  As 
if  these  obstructions  were  not  enough,  huge,  nondescript  ani- 
mals add  their  terrors,  and  the  tormented  sufferer,  makes  costly 
vows  that  if  he  ever  escapes,  he  will  not  again  venture  into 
such  an  infernal  country,  even  were  the  ground  plated  with 
gold,  and  the  dew  drops  priceless  diamonds.  Some  naturalist 
Frenchman,  or  unbelieving  German,  long  before  the  memory 
of  the  present  generation,  ventured  up  some  inviting  stream, 
and  you  hear  of  his  undoubted  fate,  as  though  your  informant 
had  seen  the  catastrophe.  In  instances  related  to  us,  no  one 
seemed  to  allow,  that  one  might  die,  in  the  course  of  nature, 
while  upon  an  exploring  expedition,  or  that  he  might  have 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  187 


had  the  good  fortune  to  have  succeeded,  and  to  have  penetrat- 
ed to  the  other  side. 

We  heard,  one  day,  that  a  Peixe  boi,  or  Cow-fish,  had  just 
arrived  in  a  montaria,  and  was  lying  upon  the  beach.  Hurry- 
ing down,  we  were  just  in  time  to  see  the  animal  before  he  was 
cut  up.  He  was  about  ten  feet  in  length,  and  as  he  laid  upon 
his  back,  between  two  and  three  feet  in  height;  presenting 
a  conformation  of  body,  much  like  that  of  a  "  fine  old  English 
gentleman,"  whose  two  legs  were  developed  into  a  broad,  flat 
tail.  His  back  was  covered  sparsely  with  hairs,  and  his  large 
muzzle  was  armed  with  short,  stiff  bristles.  His  smooth  belly 
was  bluish-black  in  color,  and  much  scarred  by  the  bite  of  some 
inimical  fish.  There  was  nothing  corresponding  to  legs,  but  a 
pair  of  flappers,  as  of  a  turtle,  answered  his  purposes  of  loco- 
motion. Both  eyes  and  ears  were  very  small,  but  the  nostrils 
were  each  an  inch  in  diameter.  The  skin  was  one-fourth  of 
an  inch  in  thickness,  and  covered  a  deep  coating  of  blubber, 
the  extracted  oil  of  which  is  used  as  butter  in  cooking.  Un- 
der the  blubber  was  the  meat,  something  between  beef  and 
pork,  in  taste.  These  curious  animals  are  in  great  numbers 
w.pon  the  Solemoen,  and  are  to  the  people,  what  Periecu  is  be- 
low, being,  like  that  fish,  cut  into  slabs  and  salted.  This  form 
is,  however,  very  offensive  to  a  stranger,  and  no  Indian  will 
eat  dried  peixe  boi,  if  he  can  get  any  thing  else.  These  ani- 
mals do  not  venture  upon  land,  but  subsist  upon  the  grass  that 
lines  the  shores.  When  thus  feeding,  they  are  lanced  by  the 
Indians,  who  know  their  places  of  resort,  and  watch  their  ap- 
pearance. Although  from  their  bulk,  several  men  might  be 
puzzled  to  lift  a  cow-fish  from  the  water,  when  dead,  yet  one 
Indian  will  stow  the  largest  in  his  montaria,  without  assistance. 
The  boat  is  sunk  under  the  body,  and  rising,  the  difficult  feat 
is  accomplished 

Not  unfrequently,  a  peixe  boi  is  taken  eighteen  feet  in 
length.  Their  thick  skins  formerly  served  the  Indians  for 
shields,  and  their  jaw-bones  as  hammers. 


188  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


PEIXE  BOI. 

We  would  gladly  have  bought  this  entire  animal,  for  the 
purpose  of  preserving  his  skeleton  and  skin.  But  as  meat  was 
in  request  that  day,  we  were  obliged  to  be  content  with  the 
head,  which  we  bore  off  in  triumph,  and  cleansed  of  its  muscle. 
This  skull  is  now  in  the  collection  of  Dr.  Morton,  and  we  learn 
from  him  that  the  Peixe  boi  of  the  Amazon  is  a  distinct  species 
from  the  Manatus,  sometimes  seen  in  the  districts  adjacent  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

Sometimes  young  cow-fishes  are  brought  to  Para,  and  we 
had  there  previously  seen  one  in  a  cistern,  in  the  palace  gar- 
den. It  was  fed  on  grass,  and  was  very  tame,  seeming  de- 
lighted to  be  handled.  Captain  Appleton,  who  has  taken 
greater  interest  in  the  wonders  of  this  province,  than  almost  any 
person  who  ever  visited  Para,  has  twice  succeeded  in  bringing 
young  cow-fishes  to  New-York,  but  they  died  soon  after  leav- 
ing his  care. 

The  Turtles  are  a  still  greater  blessing  to  the  dwellers  upon 
the  upper  rivers.  In  the  early  part  of  the  dry  season,  these 
animals  ascend  the  Amazon,  probably  from  the  sea,  and  assem- 
ble upon  the  sandy  islands  and  beaches,  left  dry  by  the  retiring 
waters,  in  the  Japiira  and  other  tributaries.  They  deposit 
their  eggs  in  the  sand,  and  at  this  season,  all  the  people,  for 
hundreds  of  miles  round  about,  resort  to  the  river  banks  as 
regularly  as  to  a  fair.  The  eggs  are  collected  into  montarias, 
or  other  proper  receptacles,  and  broken.  The  oil,  floating  upon 
the  surface,  is  skimmed  off,  with  the  valves  of  the  large  shells 
found  in  the  river,  and  is  poured  into  pots,  each  holding  about 
six  gallons.  It  is  computed  that  a  turtle  lays  one  hundred  and 
fifty  eggs  in  a  season.     Twelve  thousand  eggs  make  one  pot 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  189 

of  oil,  and  six  thousand  pots  are  annually  sent  from  the  most 
noted  localities.  Consequently,  seventy-two  millions  of  eggs 
are  destroyed,  which  require  four  hundred  and  eighty  thou- 
sand turtles  to  produce  them.  And  yet  but  a  small  pro- 
portion of  the  whole  number  of  eggs  are  broken.  When  fifty 
days  have  expired,  the  young  cover  the  ground,  and  march  in 
millions  to  the  water,  where  swarms  of  enemies,  more  de- 
structive than  man,  await  their  coming.  Every  branch  of  the 
Amazon  is  resorted  to,  more  or  less,  in  the  same  manner;  and 
the  whole  number  of  turtles  is  beyond  all  conjecture.  As  be- 
fore remarked,  those  upon  the  Madeira  are  little  molested,  on 
account  of  the  unhealthiness  of  the  locality  in  which  they 
breed.  They  are  said  to  be  of  a  different  and  smaller  variety, 
from  those  upon  the  Amazon.  We  received  a  different  variety 
still  from  the  Branco,  and  there  may  be  many  more  yet  undis- 
tinguished. The  turtles  are  turned  upon  their  backs,  when 
found  upon  the  shore,  picked  up  at  leisure,  and  carried  to  dif- 
ferent places  upon  the  river.  Frequently,  they  are  kept  the 
year  round,  in  pens  properly  constructed,  and  one  such,  that 
we  saw  at  Villa  Nova,  contained  nearly  one  hundred.  During 
the  summer  months,  they  constitute  a  great  proportion  of  the 
food  of  the  people  ;  but  when  we  consider  their  vast  numbers, 
a  long  period  must  elapse  before  they  sensibly  diminish. 
Their  average  weight,  when  taken,  is  from  fifty  to  seventy-five 
pounds,  but  many  are  much  larger.  Where  they  go,  after  the 
breeding  season,  no  one  knows,  for  they  are  never  observed 
descending  the  river ;  but,  from  below  Para,  more  or  less  are 
seen  ascending,  every  season.  They  are  mostly  caught,  at  this 
time,  in  the  lakes  of  clear  water,  which  so  plentifully  skirt  either 
shore,  and  generally  are  taken  with  lances,  or  small  harpoons, 
as  they  are  sleeping  on  the  surface.  But  the  Muras  have  a 
way  of  capturing  them,  peculiar  to  themselves  ;  shooting  them 
with  arrows,  from  a  little  distance,  the  arrow  being  so  elevated, 
that  in  falling,  it  strikes,  and  penetrates  the  shell.  In  this,  even 
long  practice  can  scarcely  make  perfect;  and  fifty  arrows  may 
be  shot  at  the  unconscious  sleeper  before  he  is  secured. 

There  are  several  other  small  varieties  of  Turtles  or  Ter- 
rapins, somewhat  esteemed  as  food,  but  in  no  request.     Some 

9* 


190  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER   AMAZON. 

of  them  are  of  curious  form,  and.  one  in  particular,  found  about 
Para,  instead  of  drawing  in  his  head  and  neck,  as  do  most 
others  of  his  family,  finds  sufficient  security  by  laying  them 
round  upon  his  fore  claw,  under  the  projecting  roof  of  shell. 

The  land  turtles,  Jabatis,  attain  a  size  of  from  twenty  to 
thirty  pounds.  They  are  delicious  food,  far  superior,  in  our 
estimation,  to  their  brethren  of  the  water.  Lieutenant  Mawe 
somewhere  remarks  to  this  effect,  that,  in  a  country  where  the 
people  are  cannibals,  and  eat  monkeys,  they  might  enjoy  land 
turtles.  But  the  Lieutenant  suffered  his  prejudices  to  run 
away  with  his  judgment,  in  a  strange  way  for  a  sailor. 

We  saw  at  Senhor  Bentos'  in  Villa  Nova,  turtles  of  this 
species,  which  he  had  in  the  yard  as  pets,  and  who  seemed 
very  well  domesticated,  eating  pacovas,  or  any  sweet  fruit. 
Some  of  these,  the  Senhor  had  kept  for  seven  years,  and  they 
bore  no  proportion  in  size  to  others  seen.  From  this,  we  infer- 
red the  great  number  of  years  that  they  must  require  before 
they  arrive  at  maturity. 

Owing  to  its  remote  frontier  position,  Barra  is  under  differ- 
ent influences  from  other  Brazilian  towns,  and  these  are  ob- 
servable every  where.  The  language  spoken  is  a  patois  of 
Portuguese  and  Spanish,  with  no  very  slight  mixture  of  the 
Lingoa  Geral.  This  latter  language  must  be  spoken,  as  mat- 
ter of  necessity.  The  currency,  too,  is  in  good  part  of  silver,  as 
Spanish  dollars,  the  Brazilian  paper  being  but  in  scanty  supply. 

The  Indian  population  is  vastly  more  numerous  than  below, 
and  from  the  absence  of  the  causes  that  elsewhere  have  driven 
the  Indians  to  the  woods,  the  two  races  live  together  amicably, 
and  will,  to  all  appearance,  in  a  few  generations,  be  entirely 
amalgamated.  Labor,  of  course,  is  very  cheap.  Senhor  Hen- 
riquez  had  one  hundred  Spanish  Indians  in  his  employ,  to  whom 
he  paid  twelve  and  one-half  cents  each  per  diem.  These  were 
hired  of  the  authorities  beyond  the  frontiers,  and  they  were  pro- 
tected, by  contract,  from  being  sent  below  Barra.  They  were 
of  a  darker  color,  and  less  finely  featured  than  most  Brazilian 
Indians,  whom  we  had  seen.  Part  of  them  were  employed  in 
building  houses,  several  of  which  were  in  progress  of  erection ; 
and  part  in  a  tilaria,  within   the  town.    When  Lieutenant 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER   AMAZON.  191 


Smythe  descended  the  Amazon,  rather  more  than  ten  years 
since,  both  houses  and  tilaria  were  in  a  sad  state,  and  the  town 
was  nearly  stripped  of  inhabitants,  on  account  of  recent  politi- 
cal difficulties.  But  better  times  have  come,  and  a  general 
prosperity  is  rapidly  removing  the  appearances  of  decay. 

There  were  a  great  many  pleasant  people,  whose  acquaint- 
ance we  made,  and  who  showed  us  such  attentions  as  strangers 
love  to  receive.  There  are  always,  in  such  towns,  a  few  strange 
wanderers  from  other  countries,  who  have  chanced  along,  no 
one  knows  how.     Such  an  one  was  a  German  we  found  there, 
Senhor  Frederics.      He  had  formerly  belonged  to  a  German 
regiment,  which  was  stationed  at  Para,  and  had  been  lucky 
enough  to  escape  the  fate  of  most  of  his  comrades,  who  had 
been  killed  during  the  revolution.     He  had  found  his  way  to 
the  Barra,  had  married  a  pleasant  lady  of  the  place,  and  now 
practised  his  trade  as  a  blacksmith.     He  was  a  man  of  tremen- 
dous limb,  and  with  a  soul  in  proportion,  and  we  were  always 
glad  to  see  him  at  our  house.     Another  German  was  a  carpen- 
ter ;  and  an  odd  genius,  from  the  north  of  Europe,  but  who  had 
been  a  sailor  in  an  English  vessel,  and  had  picked  up  a  collec- 
tion of  English  phrases,  officiated  as  sail-maker  to  the  public. 
Through  the  kindness  of  Senhor  Henriquez,  we  obtained  a 
great  variety  of  Indian  articles.     The  bows  and  lances  are  of 
some  dark  wood,  and  handsomely  formed  and  finished.     The 
former  are  about  seven  feet  in  length,  and  deeply  grooved  upon 
the  outer  side.     The  bow-string  is  of  hammock  grass.     The 
lances  are  ten  feet  long,  ornamented  with  carvings  at  the  up- 
per extremities,  and  terminated  by  tassels  of  macaw's  feathers. 
The  arrows  are  in  light  sheaves,  six  to  each,  and  are  formed 
of  cane,  the  points  being  of  the  hardest  wood,  and  poisoned. 
These  are  used  in  war  and  hunting,  and  differed  from  the  ar- 
rows used  in  taking  fish,  in  that  the  points  of  the  latter  are  of 
strips  of  bamboo  or  bone.     Those  for  wild  hogs  again,  are  still 
different,  being  terminated  by  a  broad  strip  of  bamboo,  fashion- 
ed in  the  shape  of  a  pen.      This  form  inflicts  a  more  effectual 
wound.     In  the  same  way,  the  javelins  are  pointed,  the  stems 
being  of  hard  wood,  and  much  ornamented  with  feather-work. 
But  the  most  curious,  and  the  most  formidable  weapon,  is 


192  A    VOYAGE   TJP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

the  blowing-cane.  This  is  eight  or  ten  feet  in  length — two 
inches  in  diameter  at  the  larger  end,  and  gradually  tapering  to 
less  than  an  inch  at  the  other  extremity.  It  is  usually  formed 
by  two  grooved  pieces  of  wood,  fastened  together  by  a  winding 
of  rattan,  and  carefully  pitched.  The  bore  is  less  than  half  an 
inch  in  diameter.  The  arrow  for  this  cane,  is  a  splint  of  a  palm, 
one  foot  in  length,  sharpened,  at  one  end,  to  a  delicate  point, 
and,  at  the  other,  wound  with  the  silky  tree-cotton,  to  the  size 
of  the  tube.  The  point  of  this  is  dipped  in  poison,  and  slightly 
cut  around,  that,  when  striking  an  object,  it  may  break  by  its 
own  weight,  leaving  the  point  in  the  wound. 

With  this  instrument,  an  Indian  will,  by  the  mere  force  of 
his  breath,  shoot  with  the  precision  of  a  rifle,  hitting  an  object 
at  a  distance  of  several  rods.  Our  Gentio  Pedro  never  used 
any  other  weapon ;  and  we  saw  him,  one  day,  shoot  at  a  Tur- 
key Buzzard,  upon  a  housetop,  at  a  distance  of  about  eight 
rods.  The  arrow  struck  fairly  in  the  breast,  the  bird  flew  over 
the  house,  and  fell  dead.  Senhor  Henriquez  assured  us  that 
an  Indian  formerly  in  his  employ,  at  one  time  and  another,  had 
brought  in  seven  Harpy  Eagles,  thus  shot. 

The  accounts  we  received  of  the  composition  of  this  poison 
were  not  very  explicit,  and  amounted  principally  to  this  ;  that 
it  was  made  by  the  Indians  at  the  head  waters  of  the  Rio  Bran- 
co,  from  the  sap  of  some  unknown  tree  ;  that  it  was  used  uni- 
versally by  the  tribes  of  Northern  Brazil,  in  killing  game,  be- 
ing equally  efficacious  against  small  birds  and  large  animals  j 
that  the  antidotes  to  its  effect  were  sugar  and  salt,  applied  ex- 
ternally and  internally.  It  comes  in  small  earthen  pots,  each 
holding  about  a  gill,  and  is  hard  and  black,  resembling  pitch. 
It  readily  dissolves  in  water,  and  is  then  of  a  reddish  brown 
color.  Taken  into  the  stomach,  it  produces  no  ill  effects.  We 
brought  home  several  pots  of  this  poison,  and  by  experiments, 
under  the  superintendence  of  Dr.  Trudeau,  fully  satisfied  our- 
selves of  its  efficacy.  The  subjects  were  a  sheep,  a  rabbit,  and 
chickens.  The  latter,  after  the  introduction  of  one  or  two  drops 
of  the  liquid  poison  into  a  slight  wound  in  the  breast  or  neck, 
were  instantly  affected,  and  in  from  two  to  three  minutes  were 
wholly  paralyzed,  although  more  than  ten  minutes  elapsed  be- 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  193 

fore  they  were  dead.  The  rabbit  was  poisoned  in  the  fore 
shoulder,  and  died  in  the  same  manner,  being  seized  Avith 
spasms,  and  wholly  paralyzed  in  eight  minutes.  The  effect 
upon  the  sheep  was  more  speedy,  as  the  poison  was  applied  to 
a  severed  vein  of  the  neck. 

As  M.  Humboldt  witnessed  the  preparation  of  the  poison, 
and  has  given  a  full  account  of  his  observations,  his  recital  will 
here  not  be  out  of  place.  The  Indian  name  is  Curare.  It  is 
made  from  the  juice  of  the  bark  and  the  contiguous  wood  of  a 
creeping  plant,  called  the  Mavacure,  which  is  found  upon  the 
highlands  of  Guiana.  The  wood  is  scraped  and  the  filaments 
mashed.  The  yellowish  mass  resulting  is  placed  in  a  funnel 
of  palm  leaves;  cold  water  is  poured  upon  it,  and  the  poisonous 
liquid  filters  drop  by  drop.  It  is  now  evaporated  in  a  vessel  of 
clay.  There  is  nothing  noxious  in  its  vapor,  nor  until  concen- 
trated, is  the  liquid  considered  as  poisonous.  In  order  to  render 
it  of  sufficient  consistence  to  be  applied  to  the  arrows,  a  con- 
centrated, glutinous  infusion  of  another  plant,  called  Kiraca- 
guero,  is  mixed  with  it,  being  poured  in  while  the  curare  is  in 
a  state  of  ebullition.  The  resulting  mixture  becomes  black, 
and  of  a  tarry  consistence.  When  dry,  it  resembles  opium, 
but  upon  exposure  to  the  air,  absorbs  moisture.  Its  taste  is 
not  disagreeable,  and  unless  there  be  a  wound  upon  the  lips, 
it  may  be  swallowed  with  impunity.  There  are  two  varieties, 
one  prepared  from  the  roots,  the  other  from  the  trunk  and 
branches.  The  latter  is  the  stronger,  and  is  the  kind  used 
upon  the  Amazon.  It  will  cause  the  death  of  large  birds  in 
from  two  to  three  minutes,  of  a  hog  in  from  ten  to  twelve.  The 
symptoms  in  wounded  men  are  the  same  as  those  resulting 
from  serpent  bites,  being  vertigo,  attended  with  nausea, 
vomitings,  and  numbness  in  the  parts  adjacent  to  the  wound. 
It  is  the  general  belief  that  salt  is  an  antidote,  but  upon  the 
Amazon,  sugar  is  preferred. 

The  Indian  stools  were  curious  affairs,  legs  and  all  being 
cut  from  the  solid  block.  The  tops  were  hollowed  to  form  a 
convenient  seat,  and  were  very  prettily  stained  with  some  dye. 

Beside  these  things,  were  various  articles  woven  of  cotton, 
and  of  extreme  beauty ;  sashes,  bags,  and  an  apparatus  worn 


194  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


when  hunting,  being  a  girdle,  to  which  were  suspended  little 
pouches  for  shot  and  flints. 

The  civilized  Indians  rarely  use  their  ancient  weapons, 
except  in  taking  fish.  Cheap  German  guns  are  abundant 
throughout  the  country,  and  it  is  wonderful  that  accidents  do 
not  frequently  occur,  with  their  use.  Unless  a  gun  recoils 
smartly,  an  Indian  thinks  it  is  worth  nothing  to  shoot  with ; 
and  we  knew  of  an  instance,  where  a  gun  was  taken  to  the 
smith's,  and  bored  in  the  breech,  to  produce  this  desirable 
effect. 

Senhor  Henriquez  has  establishments  upon  several  of  the 
upper  rivers.  Coarse  German  and  English  dry  goods,  Lowell 
shirtings,  a  few  descriptions  of  hardware,  Salem  soap,  beads, 
needles,  and  a  few  other  fancy  articles,  constitute  a  trader's 
stock.  In  return,  are  brought  down,  balsam,  gums,  wax, 
drugSj  turtle  oil,  tobacco,  fish,  and  hammocks. 

When  Sr.  H.  goes  to  Ega,  a  distance  of  less  than  four 
hundred  miles,  he  forwards  a  vessel  thirty  days  before  his  own 
departure,  intending  to  overtake  it  before  its  arrival.  So  tedious 
is  navigation. 

The  quantity  of  Balsam  Copaiva  brought  down,  is  prodi- 
gious. There  were  lying  upon  the  beach,  at  Barra,  two 
hollowed  logs,  in  which  balsam  had  been  floated  down  from 
above.  One  had  contained  twenty-five  hundred,  and  the  other 
sixteen  hundred  gallons.  They  had  been  filled,  and  carefully 
sealed  over ;  and  in  this  way,  had  arrived  without  loss, 
whereas,  in  jars,  the  leakage  and  breakage  would  have 
been  considerable.  At  Barra,  the  balsam  is  transferred  to 
jars,  and  shipped  to  the  city.  There,  much  of  it  is  bought  up 
by  the  Jews,  who  adulterate  it  with  other  gums,  and  sell  it  to 
the  exporters.  It  is  then  put  up  in  barrels,  or  in  tin,  or  earthen 
vessels,  according  to  the  market  for  which  it  is  intended. 

The  tree  grows  in  the  vicinity  of  Barra,  and  we  were  very 
desirous  of  obtaining,  at  least,  some  leaves  ;  but  delay  of  one 
day  after  another,  at  last  made  it  impossible.  The  tree  is  of 
large  size,  and  is  tapped  by  a  deep  incision,  often  to  the  heart. 
In  this  latter  case,  the  yield  is  greater,  but  the  tree  dies.  The 
average  yield  is  from  five  to  ten  gallons. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  195 

Sarsaparilla,  is  another  great  article  of  production.  It  is 
found  throughout  the  province  ;  and  when  collected  and  care- 
lessly preserved,  is  packed  in  so  rascally  a  manner,  as  to  de- 
stroy its  own  market.  We  saw  some,  that  was  cultivated  in 
a  garden ;  and  its  large  size  and  increased  strength  showed, 
clearly  enough,  that  by  proper  care,  the  Salsa  of  Para  might 
compete  with  the  best,  in  any  market.  It  is  a  favorite  remedy 
in  the  country ;  and  when  fresh,  an  infusion  of  it,  sweetened 
with  sugar,  forms  an  agreeable  drink. 

Quinia  grows,  also,  pretty  universally.  Happily,  for  in- 
termittent fevers,  opportunities  rarely  occur  of  testing  its 
qualities.  We  never  encountered  but  one  case  of  this  fever, 
which  we  were  enabled  to  relieve  by  a  single  dose  from  our 
medicine  box. 

Vanilla,  grows  every  where;  and  might,  by  cultivation,  be 
elevated  into  a  valuable  product. 

Tonga  beans  are  brought  to  Barra,  from  the  forest. 

Indigo,  of  superior  quality,  is  raised  in  sufficient  quantities 
for  home  consumption  ;  and  might  be,  to  any  extent. 

Not  far  from  Barra,  is  obtained  the  nut  of  which  Guarana 
is  made  ;  which  article  is  extensively  consumed  throughout 
the  greater  part  of  Brazil,  in  the  form  of  a  drink.  The  plant 
is  said  to  produce  a  nut,  shaped  somewhat  like  a  cherry;  and 
this  is  roasted,  pounded  fine,  and  formed  into  balls.  A  tea- 
spoonful,  grated  into  a  tumbler  of  water,  forms  a  pleasant 
beverage;  but  when  drank  to  excess,  as  is  generally  the  case, 
its  narcotic  effects  greatly  injure  the  system.  The  grater, 
used  for  this  and  other  purposes,  is  the  rough  tongue-bone  of 
one  of  the  large  river  fish. 

There  is  another  fruit,  called  Pixiri,  considered  as  an  ad- 
mirable substitute  for  nutmeg.  It  is  covered  with  a  slight 
skin,  and  when  this  is  removed,  falls  into  two  hemispherical 
pieces.     Its  flavor  is  rather  more  like  sassafras,  than  nutmeg. 

Seringa  trees  abound  upon  the  Amazon,  probably,  to  its 
head  waters.  The  demand  for  the  gum  has  not  yet  been  felt 
at  Barra,  where  it  is  only  used  for  medicinal  purposes,  being 
applied,  when  fresh,  to  inflammations.  But  when  it  is  wanted, 
enough  can  be  forthcoming  to  coat  the  civilized  world. 


196  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

The  Sumaumeira  tree,  which  yields  a  long-stapled,  silky, 
white  cotton,  grows  upon  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Negro,  in  great 
abundance  ;  and  could  probably  be  made  of  service,  were  it 
once  known  to  the  cotton-weaving  communities.  It  is  exces- 
sively light,  flying  like  down  ;  but  the  Indians  make  beautiful 
fabrics  of  it. 

Another  article,  which  might  be  made  of  inestimable  value 
to  the  country,  is  Salt.  Upon  the  Huallaca,  and  perhaps  other 
tributaries,  are  hills  of  this  mineral,  in  the  rock;  and  so  fa- 
vorably situated,  as  to  fall,  when  chipped  off,  directly  upon  the 
rafts  of  the  Indians,  who  collect  it,  and  bring  it  as  far  down 
as  Ega.  It  sometimes  finds  its  way  to  Barra,  and  we  were 
fortunate  in  obtaining  a  piece,  weighing  nearly  one  hundred 
pounds.  It  is  of  a  pinkish  color,  and  is  impregnated  with  some 
foreign  substance,  that  needs  to  be  removed.  Some  enter- 
prising Yankee  will  make  his  fortune  by  it  yet.  All  the  salt 
now  used,  throughout  an  area  of  one  million  square  miles,  is 
imported  from  Lisbon,  and  at  an  enormous  expense. 

Before  closing  this  chapter,  a  brief  mention  of  the  principal 
towns,  and  of  the  larger  rivers  above  the  Negro,  may  not  be 
inappropriate.  At  a  distance  of  one  hundred  miles  from  Barra, 
enters  the  river  Perus,  a  mighty  stream,  flowing  from  the 
mountains  of  Bolivia.  We  were  informed  by  individuals,  who 
had  voyaged  upon  this  river,  that  its  course  was  more  winding 
than  any  other;  that  it  was  entirely  unobstructed  by  rapids, 
and,  therefore,  preferable  to  the  Madeira,  as  a  means  of  com- 
munication with  the  countries  upon  the  Pacific.  Its  banks 
abound  in  seringa  trees  ;  and  cacao,  of  good  quality,  is 
brought  down  by  traders. 

Three  hundred  miles  above  Barra,  is  the  town  of  Ega, 
upon  the  southern  side  of  the  Amazon.  It  stands  upon  a  river 
of  clear  water,  which  is  navigable  for  canoes,  to  a  distance  of 
several  hundred  miles;  but  for  larger  vessels,  but  a  few  days' 
journey.  The  town  contains  about  one  thousand  persons. 
Upon  the  northern  side,  comes  in  the  Japilra,  through  many 
channels.  This  river  rises  in  the  mountains  of  New  Grenada, 
and  its  broad  channel  is  sprinkled  with  a  thousand  islands. 
During  the  wet  season,  it  is  one  of  the  greater  branches  of  the 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  197 

Amazon,  and  flows  with  a  furious  current ;  but  during  the  dry- 
season,  it  is  so  filled  with  sandy  shoals,  that  navigation  is  im- 
possible. Here  the  turtles  frequent,  and  down  the  torrent 
come  vast  numbers  of  cedars.  The  Japilra.  is  said  to  have 
communication  with  the  Negro,  by  some  of  its  upper  branches. 
It  forms  the  line  of  boundary  between  the  Spanish  and  Bra- 
zilian territories.  Its  region  is  considered  unhealthy ;  and 
owing  to  this  reputation,  and  the  obstructions  to  navigation,  is 
little  settled  by  whites. 

Opposite  one  of  the  mouths  of  the  Japura,  is  the  little  town 
of  Fonteboa,  one  hundred  miles  above  Ega.  The  rivers  flow- 
ing into  the  Amazon  in  this  vicinity  are  numerous,  and  large, 
but  their  courses  are  said  to  be  laid  down  upon  maps,  with  the 
greatest  inaccuracy. 

The  most  remote  town  is  Tabatinga,  on  the  northern  bank, 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Javari.  This  town  contains  but  a 
few  hundred  inhabitants.  Its  distance  from  Para  is  from  six- 
teen to  eighteen  hundred  miles,  a  six  months'  journey  for  the 
river  craft.  The  country  between  Tabatinga  and  the  Ma- 
deira, was  formerly  inhabited  by  a  tribe  called  Solimoens,  and 
that  part  of  the  river  between  the  Negro  and  Ucayali.  is  called 
by  their  name. 

Beyond  the  Brazilian  frontiers,  enter  many  great  branches, 
the  Napo,  the  Maranon.  or  Tunguragua,  and  the  Ucayali. 
The  latter  is  considered  the  main  stream,  and  down  its  western 
branch,  the  Huallaca,  Messrs.  Smythe  and  Lowe  came  in 
1834.  starting  from  Lima.  They  were  in  search  of  a  naviga- 
ble communication  between  the  two  Oceans,  but  were  unsuc- 
cessful. Whether  such  a  stream  exists,  as,  by  a  few  miles 
portage,  would  answer  this  purpose,  is  problematical.  The 
country  has  never  been  thoroughly  explored.  The  depth  of 
the  Amazon,  for  a  long  distance  up  the  Ucayali,  is  very  great ; 
at  every  season  navigable  for  steamboats,  unobstructed  by 
rapids,  snags,  or  sawyers. 

The  Negro  receives,  in  its  course,  about  forty  tributaries, 
and,  from  the  healthiness  of  the  region  through  which  it  flows, 
has  long  been  a  favorite  resort  of  settlers.  A  greater  number 
of  towns  are  upon  its  banks,  than  upon  any  other  branch  of 


198  A    VOYAGE   UP    THE    RIVER   AMAZON. 

the  Amazon.  At  nine  days'  distance  from  Barra,  is  the  town 
of  Barcellos,  formerly  the  ca;  ital  of  the  District  of  the  Rio 
Negro.  Eight  days  beyond  this,  are  rapids,  and  these  are 
found  in  succession,  for  a  distance  of  twenty  days.  At  forty 
days'  distance  from  Barra,  is  the  Casiquiari,  the  connecting 
stream  with  the  Orinoco.  Its  passage  is  frequently  made,  and. 
we  encountered,  several  persons  who  had  crossed  from  An- 
gostura. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


Prepare  to  leave  Barra — Difficulty  in  obtaining  men — The  mail — Kindness  of  our 
friends — Re-enter  the  Amazon — Arrive  at  Serpa — A  desertion — Working  one's 
passage — Disorderly  birds — Pass  Tabocal — Snake-bird — Marakong  Geese — Breeding 
place  of  Herons — Arrive  at  Villa  Nova — The  commandante — Visit  to  the  Laki — 
Boat  building — Military  authorities — School — King  of  the  Vultures — Parting  wi.h 
Sr.  Bentos — Pass  Obidos — Caracara  Eagle — Our  crew — Indian  name  of  the  Amazon. 

After  twenty  days  had  passed  delightfully,  we  prepared  to 
leave  the  Barra,  upon  the  28th  of  July,  in  the  galliota,  which 
was  to  return  for  Doctor  Costa,  who  was  probably  awaiting  us 
at  Para.  Senhor  Pinto,  the  Delegarde.  had  promised  us  some 
Indians,  arid  another  official  had  assured  us  of  others;  but  it 
was  discovered,  when  upon  the  beach,  at  the  last  moment,  that 
both  had  counted  upon  the  same  men.  These  were  three  of 
the  Villa  Nova  police,  who  happened  to  be  up,  and  with  our 
Gentio,  Pedro,  and  one  other  whom  Senhor  Henriquez  lent  us, 
were  all  we  could  muster.  They  were  less  than  half  our 
complement,  and  none  of  them  were  to  go  below  Villa  Nova. 
We  had  letters  to  the  commandante  of  that  place,  and  he  was 
to  provide  men  for  our  further  advance,  in  consideration  of  our 
being  the  bearers  of  His  Majesty's  mail,  and  of  despatches 
from  Venezuela.  This  mail  proved  a  great  acquisition,  and  I 
would  advise  all  travellers  upon  the  Amazon  to  secure  the 
same  charge. 

It  was  three  o'clock,  in  the  afternoon,  when  our  friends 
gathered  upon  the  beach  to  bid  us  adieu.  From  all  of  them, 
although  our  acquaintance  had  been  so  very  brief,  we  were 
sorry  to  part ;  but  from  Senhor  Henriquez,  to  whom  we  had 
been  under  a  thousand  obligations,  and  from  Mr.  Bradley  and 
Mr.  Williams,  who  had   so  long  been  our  companions,  and  to 


200         A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

whom  we  were  the  more  closely  drawn,  from  our  being  stran- 
gers together,  in  a  strange  land,  the  last  embrace  was 
peculiarly  painful.  Messrs.  McCulIoch  and  Sawtelle  had  left 
some  days  previously,  for  the  upper  waters  of  the  Rio  Negro. 
We  had  said  adeos  to  the  Senhora  Henriquez  an  hour  before, 
and  her  husband  told  us,  that  after  our  departure  from  the 
house,  she  had  sat  down  to  a  quiet  little  weep  on  our  account. 

The  kind  lady  had  sent  down  to  the  galliota,  a  store  of 
meat  and  chickens,  sufficient  for  some  days  to  come,  besides  a 
large  basket  of  cakes  made  of  tapioca,  and  a  turtle.  To 
these,  she  had  added  half  a  dozen  parrots  and  parroquets,  as 
companions  of  our  voyage. 

Senhor  Pinto  had  had  a  large  basket  made,  and  in  it  were 
a  pair  of  the  beautiful  geese  of  the  country.  Chenalopix 
jubatus  (Spix),  called  Marakongs,  and  a  Yacou  Guan,  a  rare 
species,  from  the  country  above.  With  these  was  also  a  Red 
and  Yellow  Macaw,  who  was  unusually  tame,  and  promised 
to  keep  the  parrots  in  subjection.  Most  of  our  mutuns  we 
were  obliged  to  leave  behind,  for  want  of  room ;  and  a  tiny 
monkey,  which  we  had  bought  for  a  lady  friend  at  home,  was 
retained  by  his  rascally  master,  on  the  plea  that  he  was  in  a 
tree  in  the  yard,  and  that  he  could  not  catch  him. 

Barra  quickly  disappeared  from  view,  and  before  dark,  we 
were  floating  down  the  Amazon,  at  the  rate  of  about  four 
miles  an  hour.  There  were  but  two  of  us,  and  we  were  just 
enough  to  fill  the  cabin  comfortably,  reserving  any  spare 
corners  for  our  collections  of  one  article  and  another,  and  for 
any  of  the  respectably  behaved  parrots.  The  geese  and 
their  basket,  were  slung  by  the  side  of  the  cabin ;  and  the 
macaw  wras  elevated  upon  a  cross  in  front  of  the  tolda. 
Below,  were  several  logs  of  beautiful  woods ;  and  a  iew  bags 
of  coffee,  which  some  friend  had  shipped  for  Santarem.  A 
few  turtles  found  space  to  turn  themselves,  among  the  rest, 
and  answered  well  as  ballast.  The  sail  was  left  behind,  as  we 
had  no  further  use  for  it,  the  wind  generally  blowing  strongly 
from  below. 

In  the  middle  of  the  stream,  carapanas  did  not  molest  us, 
and   we  slept  through  the  night   as  quietly,  as  if  at  home 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  201 

There  was  no  danger  of  encountering  snags,  or  floating  logs, 
and  therefore  we  kept  no  watch,  but  let  the  boat  drift  down 
stern  foremost. 

Early  upon  the  29th,  we  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Madeira, 
and  shortly  after,  the  village  of  our  old  Tau^ha.  A  number 
of  people  were  upon  the  hill,  and  seemed  beckoning  us  to  stop, 
but  we  were  not  desirous  of  further  intimacy  with  his 
highness  or  any  of  his  subjects.  When  upon  better  terms, 
the  old  man  had  very  politely  invited  us  to  stop  a  few  days 
with  him,  upon  our  descent,  and  had  promised  us  great  assist- 
ance in  collecting  birds  and  shells. 

Before  daybreak,  upon  the  30th,  we  were  moored  off 
Serpa.  Here  we  had  hoped  to  obtain  additional  men,  but 
Senhor  Manoel  Jochin  was  absent,  upon  the  Madeira,  and 
excepting  one  petty  officer,  and  a  few  soldiers,  not  a  man  was 
left  in  the  place.  Senhora  Jochin  commiserated  our  situation, 
and  offered  to  enlist  a  complement  of  women,  but  this  was  too 
terrible  to  think  of.  She  sent  us  some  roasted  chickens,  eggs, 
and  pacovas ;  and  as  we  had  nothing  further  to  detain  us,  we 
cast  loose  from  Serpa. 

Meanwhile,  two  of  our  policemen  had  taken  their 
montaria  and  deserted,  leaving  us  with  but  three  men.  This 
number  was  hardly  sufficient  to  keep  the  boat  in  its  course, 

but,  fortunately,  there  was  little  wind.     A and  I  took  our 

turns  at  the  helm,  and  we  soon  discovered,  that  however 
romantic  the  working  one's  passage  down  the  Amazon  might 
seem,  at  a  distance,  as  a  hot  reality  it  was  exceedingly  disa- 
greeable. 

The  day  was  delightful,  and  we  floated  with  such  rapidity, 
that  the  quick  succession  of  turns,  and  points,  and  islands, 
made  time  pass  most  pleasantly.  We  could  readily  imagine 
what  a  fairy  scene  the  river  would  be  could  we  pass  with 
steamboat  speed. 

We  longed  to  know  what  sort  of  arrangements  Noah  made 
for  his  .parrots.  Thus  far,  ours  had  been  left  pretty  much  to 
their  own  discretion,  and  the  necessity  for  an  immediate 
''  setting  up  of  family  government,"  was  hourly  more 
urgent.     The  macaw,  no  wise  contented  with  his  elevation, 


202  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

had  climbed  down,  and  was  perpetually  quarreling  with  a 
pair  of  green  parrots,  and,  all  the  time,  so  hoarsely  screaming, 
that  we  were  tempted  to  twist  his  neck.  The  parrots  had  to 
have  a  pitched  battle  over  every  ear  of  corn,  and  both  they, 
and  the  macaw,  had  repeatedly  flown  into  the  water,  where 
they  but  narrowly  escaped  a  grave.  There  were  two  green 
paroquets  and  one  odd  one.  prettiest  of  all,  with  a  yellow 
top,  and  they  could  not  agree  any  better  than  their  elders. 
Yellow-top  prided  himself  on  his  strength,  and  considered 
himself  as  good  as  a  dozen  green  ones,  while  they  resented 
his  impudence,  and  scolded  away,  in  ear-piercing  tones  that 
made  the  cabin  an  inferno.  At  other  times,  they  all  three 
banded  togther,  and  trotting  about  deck,  insulted  the  parrots 
with  their  impertinences.  When  a  flock  of  their  relations 
passed  over,  the  whole  family  set  up  a  scream,  which  might 
have  been  heard  by  all  the  birds  within  a  league ;  and  if  a 
duck  flew  by,  which  was  very  often,  our  geese  would  call  in 
tones  like  a  trumpet,  and  the  guan  would  shrilly  whistle* 
When  we  came  to  the  shore,  we  were  obliged  to  shut  up  our 
protegees  in  the  tolda,  or  they  were  sure  to  scramble  up  the 
nearest  limb,  or  fly  into  the  water,  and  swim  for  the  bank. 
Really,  it  would  have  troubled  a  Job ;  but  we  could  see  no 
relief. 

In  the  afternoon,  instead  of  taking  a  smaller  passage,  by 
which  we  had  ascended,  we  continued  with  the  main  current, 
and  passed  a  collection  of  houses,  known  as  Tabocal.  Each 
house  stood  upon  a  little  point,  overhanging  the  water ;  and 
the  general  appearance  was  neat  and  pleasing.  The  people 
were  all  fishermen,  and  the  river,  aided  by  a  little  patch  of 
mandioca,  supplied  all  their  wants.  There  were,  also,  a  great 
many  orange  trees,  which  indicated  rather  more  providence 
than  usual  in  the  river  settlers. 

We  shot  a  female  Snake-bird,  Plotus  anhinga,  in  full  plu- 
mage. The  Indians  asserted,  very  positively,  that  this  was  a 
different  species  from  that  found  below,  calling  it,  by  way  of 
distinction,  the  Carara  de  Rio  Branco.  We  had  no  opportu- 
nity, afterwards,  of  verifying  their  account,  and  the  only  speci- 
men that  we  had  shot,  upon  our  ascent,  was  a  young  male  of 


A    V07AGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  203 

this  same  species.  But  whether  there  be  one  species  or  two, 
the  Darter  is  common  every  where  upon  the  river,  and  upon 
Marajo.  The  Surinam  Darter  is  probably  quite  as  abundant, 
but  from  its  small  size,  more  easily  overlooked.  We  obtained 
one  of  these  at  Barra,  and,  afterwards,  saw  several  in  a  col- 
lection, at  Jungcal. 

Upon  the  31st,  as  we  were  stopping  in  the  forest  to  break- 
fast, our  geese  called  up  a  kindred  wild  one,  which  we  shot 
and  preserved.  This  species  I  have  before  mentioned  as  the 
Chenalopix  jubatus  (Spix).  It  is  more  elegant  in  its  move- 
ments than  any  of  its  family  with  which  we  are  acquainted, 
being  small,  with  long  neck  and  legs,  and  extremely  active. 
It  walks  with  stately  step,  but  usually  its  motion  approaches  a 
run.  with  outspread  wings,  and  proudly  arching  neck.  It  is 
not  seen  at  Para,  but  is  common  above,  and  is  much  prized,  by 
gentlemen,  as  ornamental  to  their  yards. 

At  about  ten  o'clock,  we  reached  the  place,  where,  in 
ascending,  we  had  seen  a  few  Herons'  nests.  Now,  the  trees 
along  the  shore,  were  white  with  the  birds ;  and  a  boat,  moored 
to  the  bank,  indicated  that  some  persons  were  collecting  eggs. 
Taking  one  of  the  men,  with  the  montaria,  leaving  the  galliota 
to  float  with  the  current,  we  started  for  the  spot.  The  trees 
were  of  the  loftiest  height,  and  in  every  fork  of  the  branches, 
where  a  nest  could  be  formed,  sat  the  female  birds,  some,  with 
their  long  plumes  hanging  down,  like  the  first  curving  of  a 
tiny  cascade  ;  others,  in  the  ragged  plumage  of  the  moulting 
season.  The  male  birds  were  scattered  over  the  tree  tops,  some, 
hoarsely  talking  to  their  mates,  others,  busily  engaged  in  dress- 
ing their  snowy  robes,  and  others,  quietly  dozing.  The  loud 
clamor  of  their  mingled  voices  so  deafened  us,  that  we  were 
obliged  to  speak  to  each  to  each  other  in  screams.  The  re- 
port of  the  gun  made  no  impression  upon  the  thousands  around, 
and  the  marked  bird  fell  unnoticed.  Many  of  the  trees  were 
half  denuded  of  their  bark,  by  the  animals  who  had  climbed 
up,  and  the  tracks  of  tigers,  large  and  small,  exposed  the  ma- 
rauders. We  shot  an  iguana  who  was  sucking  the  eggs  from 
a  nest,  and  the  Indians,  whom  we  found,  assured  us  that  they 
had  seen  large  snakes  in  the  trees  on  like  errands.    Dead  birds 


204  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

strewed  the  ground,  some  partly  devoured,  and  others  nothing 
but  skeletons^  upon  which  the  swarms  of  ants  had  feasted. 
Soiled  plumes  were  in  profusion,  but  ruined  beyond  redemp- 
tion, and  we  did  not  care  to  gather  them.  There  was  to  be 
seen  but  one  pair  of  the  Great  Blue  Herons,  the  rest  were  all 
the  Great  White  Herons,  A.  alba.  We  shot  about  a  dozen  of 
these  in  fullest  plumage,  and  prepared  to  hasten  after  our  boat. 
There  were  two  men  collecting  eggs,  but  owing  to  the  size  and 
loftiness  of  the  trees,  and  the  multitudes  of  stinging  ants  which 
infested  them,  they  had  made  but  little  progress.  They  had 
ascended  but  one  tree,  and  with  a  bag  and  string,  had  let  down 
thirty-four  eggs,  which  we  bought  for  twelve  cents.  They 
were  blue,  and  the  size  of  small  hens'  eggs. 

There  was  another  breeding  place  of  this  kind  opposite 
Serpa,  and  we  had  intended  spending  a  day  within  it,  had  Sr. 
Manoel  Jochin  been  at  home. 

We  arrived  at  Villa  Nova,  about  noon  of  August  1st,  hav- 
ing in  forty-eight  hours  made  a  distance,  which  required  eight 
days  in  ascending.  Senhor  Bentos  invited  us  tj  make  his 
house  our  home  during  our  stay,  and  we,  at  once,  moved  into 
it,  leaving  the  galliota  in  charge  of  Pedro  and  his  comrade. 
The  commandante  was  absent,  and  we  were  likely  to  be  de- 
tained some  days,  as  no  spare  men  were  in  the  place,  and  sev- 
eral other  voyagers  were  in  the  same  predicament  as  ourselves. 
But  there  was  no  use  in  complaining,  and  come  what  might, 
we  were  in  comfortable  quarters. 

When  we  went  up,  the  town  was  crowded  from  the  sitios 
in  the  vicinity,  on  account  of  the  festa  of  St.  Juan ;  but  now, 
many  of  the  houses  were  closed,  their  inmates  being  in  the 
country,  for  the  summer,  and  every  thing  bore  an  aspect  of 
dreariness. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday,  but  there  were  no  services  in 
the  church,  the  Padre  being  absent  on  some  of  his  trading  ex- 
peditions ;  but  in  the  afternoon,  there  was  a  procession  of  the 
women  and  children,  preceded  by  "  that  same  old  "  drum. 

The  commandante  had  returned,  and  we  called  to  pay 
him  our  respects,  and  make  known  our  wants.  He  was  a  very 
young  man,  and  appeared  anxious  to  oblige  us  by  every  means 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  205 


in  his  power.  He  promised  to  forward  us,  with  twelve  men 
and  a  pilot,  if  we  would  only  wait  a  few  days,  until  he  could 
obtain  them  from  the  woods.  Of  course,  we  could  but  choose 
the  only  alternative,  though  our  friend's  promise  enabled  us  to 
bear  the  infliction  with  a  tolerable  grace.  He  was  very  indig- 
nant at  the  recital  of  our  desertion  by  two  of  his  men,  and 
before  he  had  heard  the  story  out,  had  ordered  them  to  the  ca'a- 
boose,  with  the  et  ceteras. 

This  day  was  memorable,  in  that  we  then,  for  the  first 
time  since  we  had  been  in  Brazil,  saw  tomatoes.  They  were 
little  and  Cew,  for  the  climate  is  unfavorable  to  their  growth. 
Ocra  is  much  more  common,  and  is  eaten  both  in  soups  and 
with  boiled  dishes.  It.  seems  strange  that,  directly  under  the 
equator,  the  Brazilians  can  live  as  they  do,  upon  turtle,  and 
meat,  and  fish.  With  all  this,  they  consume  vast  quantities  of 
cashaca,  which  is  as  bad  as  New  England  rum,  and  sleep,  in 
the  interior  towns,  about  sixteen  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four. 
And  yet,  we  saw  very  many  old  men,  of  sixty  and  seventy 
years,  and  scarcely  ever  knew  a  case  of  sickness. 

Next  morning,  a  large  party  of  us  went  to  the  lake.  A  well 
beaten  road  led  to  its  side,  and  we  found  it  a  pretty  sheet  of 
clear  water,  in  a  valley  of  considerable  depression.  Large 
fields  of  grass  were  floating  upon  the  surface,  at  the  will  of  the 
winds,  and  from  them  were  startled  many  ducks,  Anas  autum- 
nalis,  of  which  we  shot  enough  for  a  dinner.  They  were  now 
in  pairs,  just  about  to  commence  their  breeding  season;  at 
which  time,  they  resort  to  inland  lakes,  whither  every  one,  who 
can  raise  a  gun  and  a  montaria,  follows  them*  There  were 
several  Indian  houses  about  this  lake,  and  at  a  distance,  were 
two  men  in  montarias,  engaged  in  taking  Periecu.  Every  man 
of  consequence,  in  Villa  Nova,  employs  an  Indian  or  black  in 
fishing,  selling  the  surplus  of  what  he  himself  wants. 

The  Indians  were  building  one  of  their  largest  vessels  upon 
the  beach  at  Villa  Nova,  and  it  was  a  matter  of  astonishment 
to  us,  that  their  carpenters  could  cut  the  planks  and  timbers 
with  so  great  facility,  and  fit  them  with  such  precision,  using 
only  a  handsaw,  and  the  little  adz  of  the  country ;  while  the 
timber  was  of  almost  iron  hardness,  and  impenetrable  to  worms 

10 


206  A    VOYAGE   UP   THE    RIVER   AMAZON. 

or  insects.  The  shape  of  these  river  embarcagoens  is  calculated 
for  any  thing  but  speed,  they  being  broad,  round-bottomed,  and 
nearly  square-bowed.  A  vessel  after  the  model  of  the  Hudson 
river  sloops,  would  ascend  the  Amazon  in  half  the  time  now 
required. 

The  little  montarias  are  constructed  in  a  different  manner 
from  Indian  canoes  in  other  countries.  A  log  is  selected,  not 
more  than  a  foot  in  diameter,  and  properly  hollowed,  through 
as  narrow  an  aperture  as  will  allow  of  working.  This  finished, 
it  is  laid  over  a  fire,  bottom  side  up,  and  the  aperture  is  thus 
enlarged  as  is  requisite.  The  outside  is  properly  modelled, 
and  upon  either  gunwale  is  fastened  a  strip  of  board,  six  inches 
in  width,  meeting  at,  each  end  of  the  boat.  They  are  usually 
about  fifteen  feet  in  length,  and  a  load  of  Indians  will  cross  the 
river,  when  the  edges  of  their  tottleish  craft  are  scarcely  above 
the  water,  and  when  white  men  would  certainly  be  overturned. 
In  such  labor  as  boat  building,  timber  hewing,  paddling,  and 
making  of  hammocks,  the  Indians  enjoy  an  uncontested  supe- 
riority, although  in  any  other,  they  are  worse  than  useless. 

Our  boatmen  were  to  have  arrived  on  Tuesday  night,  but 
upon  going  to  the  beach,  the  next  morning,  we  saw  the  Com- 
mandante  just  pushing  off,  with  eleven  men  in  two  boats.  His 
sergeant,  he  said,  had  returned  without  a  man,  and  he  had 
ordered  him  to  the  calaboose,  for  disobeying  orders  ;  now  he 
was  going  upon  our  errand  himself,  and  would  have  the  men 
at  any  rate.  This  Commandante  was  a  noble  fellow,  and, 
although  he  was  acting  under  orders,  yet  he  entered  into  our 
plans  with  so  much  good  will,  as  to  make  us  personally  in- 
debted to  him.  He  had  taken  all  the  workmen  from  the  boat, 
and  the  beach  and  town  were  as  still  as  a  New  England 
village  on  a  Sunday. 

The  poor  sergeant,  who  was  in  durance  for  his  misfortune, 
had  the  best  reason  in  the  world  for  not  bringing  the  men,  the 
first  and  most  important  point  being  to  find  them.  This  was 
no  easy  matter,  when  the  hunted  ones  were  unwilling  Indians, 
in  their  own  woods. 

The  military  officers,  in  these  inland  towns,  are  despotic  for 
evil  or  good,  and  according  as  they  are  public  spirited  men, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  207 

does  the  town  prosper.  At  Serpa,  every  thing  appeared  care- 
less and  disorderly ;  at  Villa  Nova,  on  the  contrary,  a  change 
was  evidently  taking  place  for  the  better,  and  even  since  we 
had  passed  up  the  river,  the  vicinity  had  undergone  an  entire 
transformation.  The  soldiers  had  been  employed  in  cutting 
down  the  bushes  that  encroached  upon  the  town,  in  pulling 
down  and  removing  the  crazy  hovels,  in  building  handsome 
fences  about  the  houses  of  the  officers,  and  in  clearing  and  re- 
pairing the  road  leading  to  the  lake. 

Near  our  house,  a  school  was  in  daily  session,  and  as  the 
path  to  the  woods  ran  directly  by  it,  we  took  frequent  peeps  at 
the  little  fellows  within.  The  master  was  a  deputy,  a  boy  of 
sixteen,  and  a  flock  of  children,  of  all  colors,  were  gathered 
around  him,  all  talking  or  studying  at  the  top  of  their  voices. 
Here  these  future  statesmen  learned  reading,  and  writing,  and 
a  little  arithmetic.  The  Brazilians,  generally,  are  very  neat  in 
their  chirography.  The  government  pays  the  salary  of  the 
head  teacher,  or  Professor,  as  he  is  styled.  In  Villa  Nova,  his 
salary  was  one  hundred  and  fifty  milrees  annually,  from  which 
he  deputized  as  cheaply  as  possible.  This  Professor,  Senhor 
Amarelles,  who,  by  the  way,  was  one  of  the  dignitaries  of  the 
place,  concentrating  in  himself  some  half  a  dozen  offices,  chan- 
ced to  be  in  possession  of  a  counterfeit  note  ;  and  this,  he  desired 
the  shopkeeper  of  the  place  to  palm  off  upon  us,  as  we,  being 
strangers,  he  said,  would  not  know  the  difference.  Very  dubi- 
ous morality,  for  a  schoolmaster. 

Apropos,  there  were  an  unusual  number  of  Vultures  about 
Villa  Nova,  the  Cathartes  atratus  of  Wilson  ;  and  indeed,  this 
species  is  seen  more  or  less,  every  where  upon  the  river.  At 
Para,  particularly,  they  are  seen  by  hundreds,  about  the  slaugh- 
ter yard,  and  with  them  may  occasionally  be  seen  a  red-headed 
species,  which  we  supposed  to  be  the  common  Turkey  Buzzard 
of  the  North,  C  aura,  but  which,  it  has  been  suggested,  may 
more  probably  be  the  Cathartes  Burrovianus  of  Cassin.  Un- 
fortunately, we  did  not  preserve  specimens  of  this  bird.  There 
is  a  third  species,  the  King  of  the  Vultures,  Sarcoramphus  pa- 
pa, or  as  it  is  called  in  Brazil,  Urubu-tinga.  The  termination 
tinga,  in  the  Lingoa  Geral,  means  king,  and  this  bird  well  de- 


208  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

serves  the  name,  from  its  beauty  and  superior  strength.  If  a 
King  Vulture  makes  its  appearance  where  a  number  of  the 
other  species  are  collected  about  carrion,  the  latter  instinctively 
give  way,  and  stand  meekly  around,  while  their  sovereign  lei- 
surely gorges  himself.  These  birds  are  not  very  common  upon 
the  Amazon,  and  we  never  had  an  opportunity  of  shooting 
them,  but  several  times,  we  observed  them  circling,  in  pairs, 
over  the  forest.  Senhor  Henriquez  informed  us,  at  the  Barra, 
that  they  were  not  unfrequently  taken  alive,  particularly  if  a 
putrid  snake,  of  which  they  are  fond,  be  exposed  to  them.  A 
noose  is  arranged  to  fall  over  their  heads,  and  the  caught  bird  is 
transformed  from  a  wild  marauder,  into  a  peaceable  citizen. 
At  Para,  they  are  highly  valued.  We  saw  a  pair  in  perfect 
plumage,  which  were  presented  to  Mr.  Norris,  and  felt  nothing 
of  the  disgust  inspired  by  the  other,  common  species.  Their 
bare  necks  were  beautifully  marked  with  red  and  black,  orange 
and  yellow,  and  were  surrounded  near  the  base  by  a  ruffle  of 
feathers.  Their  breasts  were  white,  and  the  general  color  of 
the  upper  parts,  was  a  light  ashy  gray.  These  birds  were 
very  active,  moving  about  the  yard  with  a  leap  rather  than  a 
step. 

At  last,  upon  Saturday,  the  8th,  the  Commandante  returned 
successful,  and  by  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  were  ready  to 
bid  a  glad  adieu  to  Villa  Nova.  During  our  stay,  Senhor  Ben- 
tos  had  been  perpetually  studying  ways  of  obliging  us,  and,  at 
last,  he  overwhelmed  us  with  all  kinds  of  gifts,  even  to  a  ham- 
mock and  towels.  He  killed  a  cow  for  us,  packed  up  two  bas- 
kets of  chickens,  sent  down  a  pair  of  his  pet  land  turtles,  a 
supply  of  farinha  and  oranges,  bought  or  begged  a  curious  par- 
rot from  the  Rio  Tapajos,  and  added  to  it  all  the  parrots  which 
he  had  about  the  house,  and  even  a  basket  of  half-fledged 
doves.  Moreover,  after  we  had  pushed  from  the  shore,  and 
descended  several  miles,  a  montaria  overtook  us  with  one  of 
the  Senhor's  house  servants,  whom  he  had  sent  with  orders  to 
accompany  us,  as  far  as  we  wished,  and  1o  attend  to  our  cook- 
ing. When  the  hour  for  parting  came,  we  found  the  good  old 
man  in  his  hammock,  the  tears  coursing  down  his  cheeks,  and 
apparently  in  great  distress.     He  threw  his  arms  about  our 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  209 

necks,  and  sobbed  like  a  child,  and  it  was  only  after  an  interval 
of  several  minutes,  that  he  let  us  go,  loaded  with  a  hundred 
blessings. 

Our  men  were  nearly  all  of  the  tribe  of  Gentios,  the  best 
upon  the  river.  Among  them  were  two  free  negroes,  who 
had  been  admitted  to  the  rights  of  tribeship.  To  look  after 
them,  the  Commandante  sent  also  a  corporal  and  a  sergeant ; 
the  former  of  whom  was  to  be  pilot,  and  the  latter,  a  gentle- 
man of  leisure. 

During  the  preceding  night,  Pedro  had  been  seduced  away 
by  a  white  man,  who  was  engaged  in  fishing,  in  some  of  the 
lakes.  Pedro  had  seen  quite  enough  of  civilization,  and  longed 
for  his  woods  and  freedom  again.  We  had  found  him  one  of 
the  best  natured  fellows  in  the  world,  and  there  was  no  fault 
in  him,  except  his  inquisitiveness,  which  was  natural  enough. 
He  was  always  for  trying  on  our  hats,  or  using  our  brushes 
and  combs,  or  some  similar  liberty,  and  there  was  no  use  in 
attempting  to  explain  the  impropriety  of  the  thing. 

Our  load  was  now  considerably  increased.  The  few  turtle 
with  which  Ave  had  started  from  Barra,  were  reinforced  to  the 
number  of  fifteen,  and  filled  all  the  space  beneath  the  cabin 
floor,  and  a  good  share  of  the  tolda.  In  the  bow,  some  trader 
had  stowed  several  pots  of  balsam,  and  had  had  the  assurance 
to  further  impose  upon  our  good  will,  by  demanding  a  receipt 
for  the  same,  which  he  did  not  get. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  10th,  we  passed  Obidos.  Sail- 
ing as  we  did,  in  the  middle  of  the  channel,  the  shores  appear- 
ed to  fine  advantage,  and  yet,  we  could  obtain  but  a  very  indif- 
ferent idea  of  the  country,  or  of  its  productions,  at  such  a  dis- 
tance. We  had  hoped  to  collect  a  number  of  birds  and  plants, 
whose  localities  we  had  marked  in  ascending,  but  we  found  it 
impossible  to  stop,  even  could  we  have  recognized  the  proper 
places.  We  could  only  take  counsel  for  the  future,  and  re- 
solve, that  if  ever  we  enjoyed  another  similar  opportunity,  we 
would  not  thus  defer  increasing  our  collection  to  a  more  con- 
venient season. 

Towards  night,  we  stopped  at  the  same  high  point,  at  which 
we  had  breakfasted,  the  second  morning  from  Santarem.   Now 


210  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

we  were  distant  but  six  hours  from  that  place.  Here,  by  the 
deserted  house,  we  found  an  abundance  of  oranges  and  limes. 
We  shot  a  Caracara  Eagle,  Polyborus  Braziliensis,  a  bird  in- 
teresting to  us,  from  its  being  also  a  resident  of  the  United 
States.  The  Indians  called  it  the  Caracara  Gavion.  It  is  one 
of  the  smaller  eagles,  and  somewhat,  allied  to  the  vultures.  We 
had  often  seen  them,  sitting  upon  trees  not  far  from  the  water, 
and  they  seemed  little  shy  at  our  advance.  We  afterwards  saw 
them  on  Marajo,  and,  undoubtedly,  they  are  common  through- 
out the  whole  country.  The  Hawk  tribe  of  birds  was  always 
exceedingly  numerous,  many  being  beautifully  marked,  and  of 
all  sizes,  down  to  a  species  smaller  than  our  Sparrow-hawk. 
We  had  shot  many  varieties,  and  shot  at  as  many  more. 

Our  men  required  no  urging,  and  we  found  a  vast  change 
from  the  lazy  Muras.  The  sergeant  regulated  their  hours  of 
labor,  and  we  were  unconcerned  passengers.  They  were  all 
young,  and  more  inclined  to  frolic  than  other  Indians  that  we 
had  seen. 

The  sergeant  had  with  him  a  curious  musical  instrument. 
It  consisted  of  a  hollow  reed  six  feet  in  length,  in  one  end  of 
which  was  fitted  a  smaller  joint,  extending  a  few  inches.  In 
this  was  a  blowing  hole  ;  and  from  the  whole  affair,  our  ama- 
teur produced  sounds  much  like  those  of  a  bugle,  playing  a 
number  of  simple  tunes.  The  men  passed  half  their  time  in 
singing,  and  two  of  them,  who  seemed  to  be  leaders,  often 
composed  a  burden  of  their  own,  of  the  wonders  they  expected 
to  see  in  the  city,  to  which  the  others  joined  in  chorus. 

We  inquired  of  them  the  name  of  the  Amazon  in  the  In- 
dian tongue.     It  was  Para-na-tinga,  King  of  Waters. 


CHAPTER  XVHL 

Arrive  at  Santarem — Negro  stealing — Pass  Monte  Alegre — Strong  winds — Usefulness  of 
the  Sun-bird — Family  government — Reformation  in  the  Paroquets — Low  shore — A 
Congress — Otters — Enter  the  Xingu — Gurupa — Leave  the  Amazon — Assai  palms — 
A  friend  lost  and  a  friend  gained — Braves — Our  water  jars — Crossing  the  bay  of 
Limoeiro — Seringa  trees — A  lost  day — Town  of  Santa  Anna — Igaripe  Merim — Enter 
the  Moju — Manufacture  of  rubber  shoes — Anatto — Arrival  at  Para. 

We  arrived  at  Santarem  about  midnight,  and  anchored  off 
the  house  of  Captain  Hislop,  waiting  for  the  morning.  The 
Captain  was  absent,  but  had  left  orders  to  place  his  house  at 
our  disposal.  Therefore,  without  further  ceremony,  we  took 
possession,  and  breakfasted,  once  more,  upon  the  delightful 
Santarem  beef.  We  called  upon  our  friend  Senhor  Louis,  and 
were  gratified  to  find  that  he  had  not  forgotten  us,  in  our  ab- 
sence, but  had  made  for  us  a  good  collection  of  insects,  and 
other  matters,  in  which  we  were  interested.  .He  pressed  us 
much  to  protract  our  stay,  as  did  Mr.  William  Goiding,  an 
English  resident,  who  called  upon  us;  but  our  loss  of  time  at 
Villa  Nova  obliged  us  to  make  all  speed  to  Para. 

The  large  black  monkey,  which  had  been  given  us  two 
months  before,  and  whose  society  we  had  anticipated  with 
mingled  emotions,  had  gone  by  the  board,  about  a  week  pre- 
vious, "  laying  down  and  dying  like  a  man,"  as  the  old  lady 
said.  To  console  our  bereavement  somewhat,  she  sent  down 
to  the  galliota,  a  pair  of  young,  noisy,  half-fledged  parrots, 
and  a  Pavon,  or  Sun-bird.  Senhor  Louis  added  a  basket  of 
young  paroquets,  and  a  pair  of  land  turtles,  and  Mr.  Goiding 
a  pretty  maraca  duck.  Thus  we  were  to  have  no  lack  of  ob- 
jects for  sympathy  or  entertainment,  for  the  remainder  of  our 
voyage. 


212  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

We  do  not  know  how  near  we  came  to  getting  into  diffi- 
culty with  some  of  Santarem's  officials,  although  innocent  of 
all  intention  of  offending.  Senhor  Bentos'  servant  had  gone  i 
ashore,  and  called  upon  the  sister  of  the  Senhor ;  and,  proba- 
bly, not  exactly  understanding,  herself,  why  she  had  been  for- 
warded in  our  boat,  had"  made  an  unintelligible  story  of  the 
whole  matter.  The  Senhora  sent  us  a  polite  request  to  visit 
her.  which  we  did  ;  and  to  her  inquiries,  we  answered  as  we 
could.  She  was  anxious  that  we  should  see  her  brother-in- 
law,  who  could  not  call  upon  us,  she  observed,  "  because  his 
neck  was  so  short,  and  his  belly  so  big.*'  and  offered  to  send  a 
servant  with  us  to  the  gentleman's  house.  We  could  not  re- 
fuse, and  went  accordingly.  The  Senhor  was  in  his  hammock, 
and  it  was  evident  enough,  that  his  sister's  expression  was 
truthful,  at  least,  for  he  was  sorely  afflicted  with  dropsy.  He 
was  a  lawyer,  and  after  thanking  us  for  our  attention,  com- 
menced a  legal  cross-examination  of  the  whys  and  wherefores 
of  the  wench's  case.  It  was  no  joke  to  be  suspected  of  negro 
stealing ;  but  we  replied  according  to  our  ability,  that  we  had 
received  no  instructions  from  Senhor  Bentos,  that  the  woman 
had  come  on  board  without  our  wishing  it,  that  she  had  stayed 
on  board  without  our  needing  her  services,  and  that  we  had 
brought  her  to  Santarem,  because  we  had  not  stopped  else- 
where. Just  at  this  time,  came  in  a  gentleman  whom  we  had 
known  at  Para,  and  after  a  few  words  of  explanation,  we  were 
bowed  out  of  the  house  with  the  profoundest  civility.  And  we 
would  advise  no  Amazon  voyager  to  receive  in  charge  negro 
cooks,  unless  their  master  comes  with  them. 

We  left  Santarem  as  the  sun  was  setting,  and  the  men 
being  favorably  inclined,  we  made  rapid  speed  during  the 
night. 

We  passed  Monte  Alegre  upon  the  afternoon  of  the  next 
day,  the  12th.  It  had  been  our  intention  to  stop,  for  a  few 
hours,  at  this  town,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  specimens  of 
the  beautiful  cuyas  there  made,  and  for  a  ramble  upon  the 
mountain  in  the  vicinity.  But  a  strong  breeze  drove,  us  into 
the  remoter  channel,  at  least  fifteen  miles  from  the  town,  and 
we  could  not  cross. 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.         213 


During  the  night,  a  furious  wind,  accompanied  by  rain, 
prevented  our  advance.  Early  upon  the  13th,  we  stopped  in  a 
small  bay,  for  a  few  hours,  until  the  sea  should  abate.  The 
men  slung  their  hammocks  under  the  trees,  or  stretched  them- 
selves on  logs,  as  they  could  find  opportunity.  For  ourselves, 
we  got  out  the  lines,  and  fished  with  decided  success.  We 
also  shot  a  pair  of  geese,  which  were  called  up  by  our  decoys. 

At  this  spot,  our  cabin  was  filled  with  a  large  fly,  the  Mu- 
tuca,  which,  in  the  dry  season,  is  almost  as  great  a  pest,  by 
day,  as  the  carapana  by  night.  But  here  our  Pavon  showed 
himself  useful,  walking  stealthily  about  the  floor,  and  picking 
off  fly  after  fly,  with  inevitable  aim.  Not  many  days  after, 
we  discovered  that  he  was  as  fond  of  cockroaches  as  of  flies ; 
and  it  was  then  a  regular  pastime  to  put  him  in  one  of  the 
lockers,  and  stir  up  the  game,  which  we  had  no  difficulty  in 
finding,  nor  he  in  catching. 

.  Our  noisy  additions  from  Santarem  made  longer  endurance 
out  of  the  question,  and  after  long  threatening,  at  last  we  suc- 
ceeded in  "  setting  up  the  family  government."  A  s  the  first  over- 
ture thereto,  a  rope  was  crossed  a  few  times  in  the  tolda.  Upon 
this,  the  arara  and  the  parrots  were  placed,  with  the  under- 
standing that  they  might  look  out  of  the  door  as  much  as  they 
pleased,  and  be  invited  thence,  at  regular  hours,  to  their  meals; 
but  that  further  liberties  were  inadmissible  and  unattainable. 
So  there  they  sat,  scarcely  knowing  whether  to  laugh  or  cry. 
The  paroquets  were  stationed  at  the  afterpart  of  the  cabin,  and 
the  change,  which  had  come  over  one  of  the  green  ones,  from 
Barra,  was  amusing.  She  had  been  the  wildest,  and  crossest 
little  body  on  board,  always  resenting  favors,  and  biting  kindly 
hands.  But  since  the  lately  received  young  ones  had  been 
put  with  her,  she  had  assumed  all  the  watchfulness  of  a 
mother,  feeding  them,  taking  hold  of  their  bills  and  shaking 
them  up,  to  promote  digestion,  and  generally  keeping  them  in 
decent  order.  She  had  no  more  time  to  gad  about  deck,  but 
soberly  inclined,  with  the  feathers  of  her  head  erect  and  ma- 
tronly, she  stuck  to  her  corner,  and  minded  her  own  business. 
Meanwhile,  Yellow- top  looked  on  with  the  calm  dignity  of  a 
gentleman  of  family. 

10* 


214  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


When  opposite  Pryinha,  we  took  an  igaripe,  to  avoid  the 
long  circuit  and  the  rough  channel,  and  sailed  many  miles 
upon  water,  still  as  a  lake.  Here  were  vast  numbers  of  ducks 
and  ciganas,  Opisthocomus  cristatus.  These  latter  had  lately 
nested,  and  the  young  birds  were  in  half  plumage.  They 
seemed  to  be  feeding  upon  pacovas,  which  grow  in  abundance 
upon  the  grounds  of  a  deserted  sitio  ;  and  as  we  startled  them, 
they  flew  with  a  loud  rustling  of  their  wings,  like  a  commotion 
of  leaves,  hoarsely  crying,  era,  era.  The  nests  of  these  birds, 
are  built  in  low  bushes ;  and  are  compactly  formed  of  sticks, 
with  a  lining  of  leaves.  The  eggs  are  three  or  four,  almost 
oblong,  and  of  a  cream  color,  marked  with  blotches  of  red  and 
faint  brown. 

During  the  night,  the  wind  blew  with  such  strength,  as  to 
drive  us  towards  shore ;  and  several  times,  we  were  among 
the  carapanas,  or  running  up  stream  in  the  romancas,  almost 
equally  disagreeable. 

Where  we  stopped,  next  morning,  the  14th,  the  whole 
region  had  been  overflowed,  upon  our  ascent.  Now,  the 
waters  had  fallen  three  feet;  and  the  land  was  high  and  dry, 
and  covered  by  a  beautiful  forest.  While  at  this  place,  extra- 
ordinary noises  from  a  flock  of  parrots,  at  a  little  distance, 
attracted  our  attention.  At  one  instant,  all  was  hushed ;  then 
broke  forth  a  perfect  babel  of  screams,  suggestive  of  the 
clamor  of  a  flock  of  crows  and  jays  about  a  helpless  owl. 
It  might  be,  that  the  parrots  had  beleaguered  one  of  these 
sun-blinded  enemies ;  or,  perhaps,  the  assembly  had  met  to 
canvass  some  momentous  point,  the  overbearing  conduct  of 
the  araras,  or  the  growing  insolence  of  the  paroquets.  Guns 
in  hand,  we  crept  silently  towards  them,  and  soon  discovered 
the  cause  of  the  excitement.  Conspicuously  mounted  upon  a 
tree  top,  stood  a  large  green  parrot,  while  around  him,  upon 
adjacent  branches,  were  collected   a   host   of  his   compeers. 

There  was  a  pause.     "  O  Jesu u,"  came  down  from  the 

tree  top ;  and  a  burst  of  imitative  shrieks  and  vociferous  ap- 
plause followed.     "  Ha,  ha,  ha  a,"   and  Poll   rolled  his 

head,  and  doubled  up  his  body,  quite  beside  himself  with 
laughter.     Tumultuous  applause,  and  encores.     "  Ha,  ha,  ha, 


A   VOYAGE   TJP   THE    RIVER   AMAZON.  215 


Papaguyri a,"  and  he  spread  his  wings  and  began  to 

dance  on  his  perch  with  emphasis.  The  effect  upon  the  audi- 
tory was  prodigious,  and  all  sorts  of  rapturous  contortions 
were  testifying  their  intelligence,  when  some  suspicious  eye 
spied  our  hiding  place ;  and  the  affrighted  birds  hurried  off, 
their  borrowed  notes  of  joy  ludicrously  changed  to  natural 
cries  of  alarm.  Complacent  Poll !  he  had  escaped  from  con- 
finement; and  with  his  stock  of  Portuguese,  was  founding  a 
new  school  among  the  parrots. 

In  the  afternoon,  we  entered  the  igaripe,  through  which 
we  had  sailed  upon  the  11th  of  June,  occupying  then,  the 
entire  day;  but  which  now  required  but  two  hours.  Here 
we  saw  a  number  of  Otters.  The  men  called  them  by  some 
wild  note ;  and,  immediately,  the  animals  raised  their  heads 
and  shoulders  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  listened 
without  the  least  apparent  fear.  It  was  almost  too  bad  to 
spoil  their  sport;  but  the  opportunity  was  too  tempting,  and 
straightway,  amongst  them  whizzed  a  ball.  They  dived 
below,  and  we  saw  them  no  more. 

When  ascending,  we  had  seen  the  mountains,  upon  the 
northern  side  of  the  river,  for  several  days ;  but,  as  we  left 
this  igaripe,  they  broke  upon  us,  in  one  full  view,  seemingly  of 
twice  the  height,  and  tenfold  the  beauty,  of  the  mountains  we 
had  seen  before. 

Next  morning,  the  shore  was  very  low ;  scarcely  dry  from 
the  receding  waters.  A  mud  flat  extended  for  more  than  a 
mile  into  the  river;  and  the  top  of  the  water  was  spotted  by 
roots  and  stumps  of  trees. 

Towards  night,  we  left  the  Amazon,  for  a  narrow  passage, 
which  led  into  the  River  Xingu ;  and,  for  several  hours,  our 
course  was  in  the  clear  waters  of  that  river,  among  islands  of 
small  size  and  surpassing  beauty.  Just  at  sunset,  as  we  were 
proceeding  silently,  there  came  floating  over  the  water,  the 
rich,  flute-like  notes  of  some  evening  bird.  It  was  exactly  the 
song  of  the  Wood  Thrush,  so  favorite  a  bird  at  the  North ;  and 
every  intonation  came  freighted  with  memories  of  home,  of 
dear  ones,  far,  far  away.  Even  the  Indians  seemed  struck  with 
an  unusual  interest,  and  rested  upon  their  paddles  to  listen. 


216  A    VOYAGE   UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


We  never  had  heard  it  before ;  and  so  strangely  in  unison 
was  the  melody  with  the  hour  and  the  scene,  that  it  might 
well  have  seemed  to  them  the  voice  of  the  "  spirit  bird." 
We  passed  the  small  town  of  Boa  Vista.  At  first,  there 
seemed  to  be  but  one  house,  from  the  light  j  but  the  noise  of 
our  singing  attracted  attention,  and  a  dozen  torches  welcomed 
us  to  shore,  if  we  would. 

Here  we  had  first  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  carapanas, 
and  here  we  left  them  for  ever.  They  had  clustered  around  us 
in  prosperity  and  adversity,  with  a  constancy  that  might  have 
won  the  hearts  of  those,  who  were  stronger  nerved,  or  whose 
sympathies  were  more  expanded  than  ours;  but  we  parted 
from  them  in  ungrateful  exultation. 

We  reached  Gurupa,  about  noon,  of  the  16th.  Here  we 
first  received  tidings  of  the  war  between  the  United  States 
and  Mexico.  Seventy  thousand  volunteers^  our  informant  said, 
had  passed  over  the  Mexican  frontiers,  and  were  advancing, 
by  rapid  marches,  to  the  borders  of  Guatemala  ! 

It  was  three  o'clock,  the  next  afternoon,  when  we  stood 
upon  the  cabin-top,  for  a  last  look  at  the  main  Amazon ;  and 
as  a  turn  of  the  Tajipuru,  into  which  we  had  now  entered, 
shut  it  suddenly  from  our  view,  we  could  not  but  feel  a  sad- 
ness, as  when  one  parts  from  a  loved  friend,  whom  he  may 
never  see  more.     The  months  that  we  had  passed  upon  its 
waters,  were  bright  spots  in  our  lives.     Familiarity  with  the 
vastness  of  its  size,  the  majesty,  and  the  beauty  of  its  borders, 
the  loveliness  of  its  islands,  had  not  weakened  our  first  im- 
pressions.    He  was  always  the  King  of  Rivers,  stretching  his 
dominions  over  remotest  territories,  and  receiving  tribute  from 
countless  streams;   moving  onward  with   solemn  and  awful 
slowness,  and  going  forth  to  battle  with  the  Sea,  in  a  manner 
befitting  the  loftiness  of  his  designation,  and  the  dignity  of  his 
claims. 

We  were  now  sailing,  in  narrow  channels,  towards  Braves; 
but  by  a  different  route  from  that  of  our  ascent.  A  great 
number  of  channels,  from  the  Amazon,  intersected  our  course 
through  which  the  water  poured  furiously.  The  shores  again 
bristled  with  palm  trees ;  or  forests  of  seringa,  and  the  huts 
of  the  gum-collectors,  skirted  the  stream. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  217 

We  gathered  grent  quantities  of  assai,  and,  ourselves 
turning  artists,  we  could  have  it  in  Para  perfection,  and  could 
bid  adieu  without  a  thought,  to  our  stores  of  coffee  and  other 
former  indispensables,  which  were  disappearing,  one  after 
another;  a  sure  token,  that,  by  this  time,  our  voyage  should 
have  ended. 

Our  motherly  Paroquet  came  upon  deck,  for  an  airing,  and 
embraced  the  opportunity  of  a  high  starting  point,  and  a  near 
shore,  to  give  us  French  leave;  but,  a  few  hours  after,  as  if  to 
supply  her  loss,  we  picked  up  a  little  Musk  Duck,  not  more 
than  a  day  or  two  from  the  shell.  The  little  fellow  was  all 
alone,  his  mother  having  taken  flight,  at  our  approach,  and  his 
brothers  and  sisters,  very  likely,  having  fallen  prey  to  some 
water  enemy.  He  was  wild  enough  at  first,  but  soon  became 
extremely  familiar,  and  was  the  pet  of  the  cabin.  Now,  he 
swims,  in  matured  and  beautiful  plumage,  in  one  of  our  New- 
York  ponds,  and,  we  trust,  that  when  his  flesh  returns  its  dust 
to  dust,  it  will  be  when  his  head  is  gray,  and  his  years  honored, 
and  without  the  intervention  of  Thanksgiving  epicure,  or 
Christmas  knife. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  18th,  we  reached  Braves,  the 
same  little  old  town  that  we  had  left  it.  We  went  on  shore  for 
our  much  desired  water-jars,  and  found  that  the  old  woman 
had  fulfilled  her  promise,  for  there  they  stood,  glazed  and  fin- 
ished, amongst  a  row  of  gaudy  brothers,  that  quite  looked  them 
out  of  countenance.  We  offered  to  pay  for  them  in  two  milree 
notes,  which,  being  at  a  slight  discount,  were  not  received. 
Then  we  offered  Spanish  dollars,  but  the  jackass  of  a  store- 
keeper did  not  exactly  like  the  appearance  of  those  bright- 
looking  things,  and  refused  to  receive  any  thing  but  copper. 
We  had  no  copper,  and  came  away,  with  a  hearty,  and  heartily 
expressed  wish  that  the  jars  might  stand  upon  his  shelves  till 
his  head  was  gray. 

Leaving  Braves,  with  the  morning  tide  in  a  few  hours,  we 
had  passed  out  of  the  narrow  channels,  and  were  fairly  crossing 
the  Bay  of  Limoeiro,  taking  what  is  called  the  Cameta  route, 
the  usual  one  for  vessels  bound  down.  For  three  days  we 
were  crossing  from  one  island  to  another,  often  twelve  and  fit- 


218  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

teen  miles  apart,  and  in  what  looked  more  like  a  sea,  than  the 
mouth  of  a  river.  The  channel  was  not  very  distinct,  and  our 
pilot  knew  little  of  his  business.  Every  where  were  shoal 
banks,  exposed  at  low  tide,  and,  many  times,  we  struck  upon 
the  bottom,  which,  fortunately,  was  no  harder  than  mud. 

The  men  were  growing  eager  for  the  city,  and  soon  after 
midnight,  upon  the  morning  of  the  22d,  they  started,  of  their 
own  accord,  and  for  a  couple  of  hours,  we  went  on  swimmingly. 
But  a  strong  wind  arose,  and  the  rising  waves  tossed  our  frail 
boat  somewhat  uncomfortably.  For  some  hours,  we  coasted 
along  a  sand  bank,  in  vain  endeavoring  to  attain  a  passage  to 
the  island,  an  hundred  yards  within,  frequently  striking  with 
such  violence  as  to  make  us  fearful  that  the  bottom  of  the  boat 
would  be  stove  in.  At  last,  about  daybreak,  we  contrived  to 
set  two  poles  firmly  in  the  mud,  and  tying  our  boat  to  them, 
we  were  pitched  and  rolled  about,  as  if  in  an  ocean  storm. 
The  men  swam  to  shore,  and  caught  a  breakfast  of  shrimps, 
in  pools  left  by  the  tide.  Towards  noon,  as  the  flood  came  in, 
we  were  able  to  moor  nearer  the  trees,  and  beyond  reach  of 
the  wind. 

This  island  was  covered  by  a  fine  forest,  in  which  were 
abundance  of  Seringa  trees,  all  scarred  with  wounds.  We 
made  some  incisions,  with  our  tresados,  and  the  milk,  at  once, 
oozed  out,  and  dripped  in  little  streams.  Its  taste  was  agreea- 
ble, much  like  sweetened  cream,  which  it  resembled  in  color. 
These  trees  were,  often,  of  great  height,  and  from  two  to  three 
feet  in  diameter.  The  trunks  were  round  and  straight,  and  the 
bark  of  a  light  color,  and  not  very  smooth.  The  wood  was 
soft,  and  we  easily  cut  off  a  large  root,  which  we  brought  away 
with  us.  The  top  of  the  Seringa  is  not  very  wide  spreading, 
but  beautiful  from  its  long  leaves,  which  grow  in  clusters  of 
three  together,  and  are  of  oblong-ovate  shape,  the  centre  one 
rather  more  than  a  foot  in  length,  the  others  a  little  shorter. 
These  leaves  are  thin,  and  resemble,  in  no  respect,  the  leaves 
of  an  East-Indian  plant,  often  seen  in  our  green-houses,  and 
called  the  Caoutchouc.  There  is  not,  probably,  a  true  Seringa 
in  the  United  States.  Around  these  trees  were  many  of  the 
shells  (Ampullarias),  used  in  dipping  the  gum,  and  also,  some 


A   VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  219 

of  the  mud  cups,  holding  about  half  a  gill  each,  which  are  fast- 
ened to  the  tree,  for  the  purpose  of  catching  the  gum,  as  it 
oozes  from  the  wound.  We  found  also  the  fruit  of  the  Seringa. 
It  is  ligneous,  the  size  of  a  large  peach,  divided  into  three 
lobes,  each  of  which  contains  a  small  black  nut.  These  are 
eagerly  sought  by  animals,  and  although  the  ground  was 
strewed  with  fragments,  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  we 
found  a  pair  in  good  preservation.  Specimens  of  all  these 
things,  wood,  leaves,  shells,  cups,  and  seeds,  we  secured.  The 
manufacture  of  the  gum  we  had  not  yet  seen,  but  shall  describe 
shortly. 

The  waves  somewhat  subsiding,  and  the  wind  being  more 
favorable,  we  started  again  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  this  being 
our  last  crossing.  The  point,  at  which  we  aimed,  was  about 
fifteen  miles  distant,  and  we  arrived  near  the  shore,  soon  after 
sundown.  But  here,  we  were  again  entangled  in  shoals,  and 
for  a  long  time,  were  obliged  to  beat  backwards  and  forwards, 
endeavoring  to  find  the  channel,  with  the  comfortable  feeling 
to  incite  us,  that  the  tide  was  rapidly  running  out,  and  that  we 
bade  fair  to  be  left  high  and  dry  in  the  mud.  At  last,  we 
found  the  right  course,  and  were  soon  stopping  at  a  house,  at 
the  entrance  of  an  igaripe.  Here,  we  were  told  that  our  pas- 
sage had  been  very  perilous,  and  that,  only  the  day  before,  a 
vessel,  loaded  with  cacao,  had  gone  to  pieces,  upon  these  same 
shoals.  We  engaged  a  man  to  go  with  us,  to  pilot  our  pilot, 
and  starting  once  more,  pulled  all  night. 

The  morning  of  the  23rd,  found  us  in  a  narrow  stream,  and 
soon  after  sunrise,  we  stopped  at  a  deserted  sitio  to  breakfast. 
Here  our  guide  left  us,  returning  in  his  montaria,  as  our  pilot 
declared,  that  now  he  perfectly  remembered  the  way.  We 
sailed  on,  the  streams  winding  about  in  every  direction,  and 
passed  many  sitios,  and  sugar  engenhos,  upon  the  banks.  At 
eleven  o'clock,  we  came  to  a  very  large  house,  which  our  pilot 
said  was  that  of  the  Delegarde  of  Santa  Anna,  and  that  now 
thattown  wasbuttwo  turns  ahead.  We  continued  on  two  turns, 
and  twenty-two  turns,  but  without  seeing  the  lost  town,  although 
our  necks  were  strained,  and  eyes  weak,  with  the  search.  As 
fortune  would  have  it,  a  montaria  came  down  the  stream,  and 


220 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


we  learned,  to  our  dismay,  that  we  were  in  the  river  Murue 
altogether  the  wrong  stream,  and  that  we  had  deviated  from 
the  main  and  evident  course,  soon  after  breakfast.  Moreover 
that,  had  we  not  chanced  to  meet  this  montaria,  we  might  have 
gone  on,  all  night,  through  the  forest,  without  seeing  a  house, 
or  a  man.  Here  was  the  time  for  all  our  philosophy.  Turn- 
ing back,  after  a  few  hours,  we  struck  into  a  cross  stream,  and 
at  last,  were  in  the  Kixi,  the  river  upon  which  Santa  Anna 
stands.  It  was  midnight,  when  we  arrived  at  this  town.  It  is 
an  excise  port,  and  every  vessel  passing,  pays  a  toll  often  vin- 
tens.  We  were  hailed  by  a  guard  and  ordered  to  stop.  Our 
sergeant  had  put  on  his  uniform,  and  now  went  on  shore  to  ad- 
just matters;  while  we  remained,  viewing  the  town,  as  we 
could  by  starlight.  Starlight  undoubtedly  flatters ;  still,  Santa 
Anna  is  considered  the  prettiest  little  town  in  the  province.  A 
large  church,  of  fine  proportions,  stands  directly  by  the  shore  ; 
the  houses  are  well  proportioned,  and  good  looking;  and,  front- 
ing the  stores,  are  wharves  built  out  into  the  water.  The  town 
derives  much  of  its  importance  from  its  being  a  port  of  excise; 
but  all  the  surrounding  country  is  thickly  settled  by  sugar  plant- 
ers and  growers  of  cotton. 

The  sergeant,  returning,  reported  no  duties,  as  he  had  told 
the  officer  that  we  were  upon  public  business,  bearing  his  ma- 
jesty's mail. 

Between  Santa  Anna  and  the  river  Mojd,  is  the  igaripe  Me- 
rim.  a  short  canal  cut  through  by  government,  for  the  purpose 
of  enabling  vessels  to  reach  Para  more  readily,  and  to  avoid  a 
tedious  circuit.  Striking  into  this,  we  continued  down  with  the 
tide,  and  daybreak  of  the  24th  found  us  far  advanced  upon  the 
Mojil.  This  is  a  small  stream,  and  its  banks  are  covered  with 
flourishing  plantations.  We  passed  what  appeared  to  be  the 
ruins  of  a  village,  consisting  of  a  large  church,  and  a  few 
houses. 

At  ten  o'clock,  we  stopped  at  an  anatto  plantation,  await- 
ing the  tide,  and  here  we  saw  the  manufacture  of  rubber. 
The  man  of  the  house  returned  from  the  forest  about  noon, 
bringing  in  nearly  two  gallons  of  milk,  which  he  had  been  en- 
gaged, since  daylight,  in  collecting  from  one  hundred  and  twen- 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  221 

ty  trees,  that  had  been  tapped  upon  the  previous  morning.  This 
quantity  of  milk,  he  said,  would  suffice  for  ten  pairs  of  shoes, 
and  when  he  himself  attended  to  the  trees,  he  could  collect  the 
same  quantity,  every  morning,  for  several  months.     But  his 
girls  could  only  collect  from  seventy  trees.     The  Seringa  trees 
do  not  usually  grow  thickly,  and  such  a  number  may  require  a 
circuit  of  several  miles.     In  making  the  shoes,  two  girls  were 
the  artistes,  in  a  little  thatched  hut,  which  had  no  opening  but 
the  door.     From  an  inverted  water  jar,  the  bottom  of  which  had 
been  broken  out  for  the  purpose,   issued  a  column  of  dense, 
white  smoke,  from  the  burning  of  a  species  of  palm  nut,  and 
which  so  filled  the  hut,  that  we  could  scarcely  see  the  inmates. 
The  lasts  used  were  of  wood,  exported  from  the  United  States, 
and  were  smeared  with  clay,  to  prevent  adhesion.     In  the  leg 
of  each,  was  a  long  stick,   serving  as  a  handle.     The  last  was 
dipped  into  the  milk,   and  immediately  held  over  the   smoke, 
which,  without  much  discoloring,  dried  the  surface  at  once.    It 
was  then  re-dipped,   and  the  process  was  repeated  a  dozen 
times,  until  the  shoe  was  of  sufficient  thickness,  care  being  ta- 
ken to  give  a  greater  number  of  coatings  to  the  bottom.     The 
whole  operation  from  the  smearing  of  the  last,  to  placing  the 
finished  shoe  in  the  sun,  required  less  than  five  minutes.     The 
shoe  was  now  of  a  slightly  more  yellowish  hue  than  the  liquid 
milk,  but  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours,  it  became  of  a  reddish 
brown.     After  an  exposure  of  twenty-four  hours,  it  is  figured, 
as  we  see  upon  the  imported  shoes.     This  is  done  by  the  girls, 
with  small  sticks  of  hard  wood,   or  the  needle-like   spines  of 
some  of  the  palms.     Stamping  has  been  tried,  but  without  suc- 
cess.    The  shoe  is  now  cut  from  the  last,  and  is  ready  for  sale  : 
bringing  a  price  of  from  ten  to  twelve  vintens,  or  cents,  per 
pair.     It  is  a  long  time  before  they  assume  the   black  hue- 
Brought  to  the  city,  they  are  assorted,  the  best  being  laid  aside 
for  exportation  as  shoes,  the  others  as  waste  rubber.     The  pro- 
per designation  for  this  latter,  in  which  are  included  bottles, 
sheets,  and  any  other  form  excepting  selected  shoes,  is  boragha, 
and  this  is  shipped  in  bulk.     There  are  a  number  ofpersonsin 
the  city,  who  make  a  business  of  filling  shoes  with  rice  chaff  and 
hay,  previous  to  their  being  packed  in  boxes.      They  are  gen- 


222  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


erally  fashioned  into  better  shape  by  being  stretched  upon  lasts 
after  they  arrive  at  their  final  destination.  By  far  the  greater 
part  of  the  rubber  exported  from  Para,  goes  to  the  United 
States,  the  European  consumption  being  comparatively  very 
small. 

At  this  place,  we  found  the  largest  and  finest  oranges  that 
we  had  ever  seen,  and,  for  about  twelve  cents,  purchased  a 
bushel. 

Anatto  is  a  common  product  in  the  vicinity  of  Para,  but  in 
no  place  is  it  cultivated  to  much  extent.  The  plant  is  the 
Bixa  Orellana.  It  is  a  shrub,  growing  much  like  the  lilac,  and 
bears  a  dark  leaf,  similarly  shaped,  but  much  larger.  The 
clusters  of  fruit  pods  contain  numerous  small  red  seeds,  which 
yield  the  substance  known  as  the  anatto  of  commerce,  and 
which  is  used  extensively  in  coloring  cheese.  It  is  difficult  to 
obtain  the  anatto  in  a  pure  state.  Its  color  so  much  resembles 
that  of  red  clay,  as  to  render  adulteration  easy  and  profitable. 

Late  in  the  evening  we  arrived  at  Jaguary,  the  place  of 
the  late  Baron  Pombo,  who  was  the  greatest  proprietor  in  the 
province,  owning  more  than  one  thousand  slaves,  and  cultiva- 
ting an  immense  territory.  The  village  consists  almost  entirely 
of  the  residences  of  those  dependent  upon  the  estate  ;  and  the 
bright  light  of  torches,  and  the  noise  of  various  factories  and 
mills,  indicated  that  labor  was  exerting  itself  by  night  as  well 
as  by  day.  We  moored  close  under  the  Baron's  house,  a 
large,  palace-like  edifice. 

Starting  once  more,  at  two  in  the  morning,  of  the  25th,  by 
three  we  had  crossed  the  Acara,  and  by  daybreak,  were  within 
sight  of  the  city.  The  music  of  the  band,  the  ringing  of  the 
bells,  and  the  distant  hum,  came  towards  us  like  water  to 
thirsty  souls.  The  men  broke  out  into  a  joyous  song,  and  with 
a  lively  striking  of  their  paddles,  beating  time  to  their  quick 
music,  they  sped  us  past  canoe  after  canoe,  that,  in  easy  indo- 
lence, was  coursing  like  ourselves. 

At  eight  o'clock,  we  were  once  more  upon  the  Punto  da 
Pedras,  the  spot  we  had  left  one  hundred  days  before,  receiv- 
ing the  warm  congratulations  of  friends,  and  the  curious  atten- 
tions of  a  motley  crowd,  who  had  collected  to  gaze  at  the  stran- 
gers from  the  Sertoen. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Our  Lady  of  Nazareth — Nazare  legend — Procession — Commencement  of  the  festa — A 
walk  to  Nazare — Gambling — Services  in  the  chapel — An  interesting  incident. 

Shortly  after  our  return,  commenced  the  festival  of  Na- 
zare. 

This  is  the  grand  holiday  of  Para,  when  business  is  sus- 
pended, and  citizens  have  no  care  but  pleasure.  Our  Lady  of 
Nazareth  seems  to  have  received  proper  honors  of  old,  in  the 
mother  country,  and  the  faithful  colonists  still  acknowledged 
her  maternal  kindness  by  enshrining  her  as  their  most  popular 
tutelary.  Did  trouble  afflict,  or  sorrow  bow  down ;  did  danger 
menace,  or  were  dangers  escaped,  our  blessed  Lady  was  ever 
considered  the  friend  and  benefactress.  Many  are  the  tradi- 
tions of  her  miraculous  interpositions  and  wonderful  cures,  all 
tending  to  prove  how  well  she  deserves  the  exalted  place  she 
holds  in  the  hearts  of  all  good  citizens. 

Befitting  so  beneficent  a  Saint  is  the  beautiful  spot  de- 
voted to  her  worship ;  a  neat  chapel  within  an  ever  ver- 
dant forest-embowered  meadow.  Quite  lately,  a  number  of 
graceful  cottages  have  been  erected  about  the  area,  mostly  by 
wealthy  persons  in  the  city,  who  prefer  to  live  here  during  the 
festa.  At  this  time,  numerous  temporary  constructions  also 
line  the  adjacent  road  on  either  side,  or  find  room  about  the 
square.  The  time  usually  chosen,  by  long  custom,  is  the  last 
of  September,  or  early  in  October,  when  the  increasing  moon 
throws  her  splendors  over  the  scene,  and  the  dry  season  has 
fairly  ushered  in  the  unclouded,  brilliant  nights;  when  the  air 
is  redolent  of  perfume,  and  delicious  coolness  invites  from  the 
closeness  of  the  city. 


224  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


Associated  with  the  kind  offices  of  our  Lady  is  an  ancient 
legend,  deemed  worthy  an  annual  recollection.  It  is  of  a  knight, 
who,  when  rushing  over  an  unnoticed  precipice  in  pursuit  of  a 
deer,  was  saved  from  destruction  by  the  timely  apparition  of 
our  Lady,  which  caused  the  deflection  of  his  affrighted  horse. 

It  was  about  four  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  fierce  sun's 
heat  began  to  lose  its  power,  that  the  procession  which  was 
to  commence  the  festa  by  escorting  our  Lady  to  her  chapel, 
formed  in  the  Largo  da  Palacio.  Amid  the  din  of  music,  the 
discharge  of  rockets,  and  the  vociferous  applause  of  a  vast 
crowd  of  blacks,  it  set  forth.  We  had  accepted  the  kind  offer 
of  a  friend,  and  were  watching  from  a  balcony  in  the  Rua  da 
Cadeira.  As  the  line  approached,  first  and  most  conspicuous 
was  a  car  drawn  by  oxen,  in  whieh  were  stationed  boys  having 
a  supply  of  rockets,  which  at  little  intervals  they  discharged. 
Nothing  so  pleases  a  Brazilian  as  noise,  especially  the  noise  of 
gunpowder;  and  not  only  are  rockets  crackling  night  and  day 
upon  every  public  occasion,  but  the  citizens  are  wont  to  cele- 
brate their  own  private  rejoicings  by  the  same  token. 

Directly  behind  this  car  came  another,  similarly  drawn, 
upon  which  was  a  rude  representation  of  the  before  mentioned 
legend  ;— a  monster  of  a  man  upon  a  caricature  of  a  horse, 
being  about  to  leap  into  space,  while  a  canvass  virgin  upon  the 
edge  of  the  rock,  or  rather  in  the  middle  of  the  cart,  prevented 
the  catastrophe.  Behind  her  was  an  exquisite  little  deer,  no 
canvass  abomination,  but  a  darling  of  a  thing,  just  from  the 
forest,  wild  and  startled.  The  poor  thing  could  not  compre- 
hend the  confusion,  and  would  gladly  have  escaped,  but  the 
cord  in  its  collar  forced  it  back,  and  at  last  seeming  resigned  to 
its  fate,  it  lay  motionless  upon  its  bed  of  hay. 

Next  followed  the  carriages,  and  therein,  the  pictures  of 
complacence,  sat  the  civic  dignitaries  and  civic  worthies.  As 
locomotion  is  the  sole  object,  every  thing  that  can  contribute 
thereto,  from  the  crazy  old  tumble-down  vehicle  of  the  con- 
quest, through  every  description  of  improvement,  until  the 
year  '46,  is  pressed  into  the  service.  Most  noticeable  in  this 
part  of  the  procession  is  the  President,  a  fine  looking  man, 
whose  attention  is  constantly  occupied  by  his  fair  friends  in 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVEK.    AMAZON.  225 

the  balconies.  Here  and  there,  is  a  foreign  consul,  conspicu- 
ous among  whom  is  the  official  of  her  Majesty  of  England,  a 
venerable,  soldierly  figure,  one  of  Wellington's  campaigners  and 
countrymen,  and  occupying  decidedly  the  most  dashing  turn- 
out of  the  day.  Last  of  the  carriages,  comes  a  queer  looking 
vehicle,  known  by  no  conventional  name,  but  four-wheeled, 
and  resembling  the  after  part  of  an  antique  hackney  coach, 
cut  in  two  vertically  and  crosswise.  In  this  sits  a  grave  per- 
sonage, holding  in  his  hand  the  symbol  of  our  Lady,  to  all 
appearance,  a  goodly  sized  wax  doll,  in  full  dress,  magnifi- 
cent in  gaudy  ribbons,  and  glowing  with  tinsel.  Nossa 
Senhora  is  the  darling  of  the  crowd,  and  her  attractions 
have  lost  none  of  their  freshness  during  her  year's  seclusion. 

Now  come  the  equestrians,  whose  chargers  do  credit  to 
their  research,  if  not  to  the  country  which  produced  them  ; 
now  and  then  one  being  a  graceful  animal,  but  the  greater 
number,  raw  boned,  broken-winded,  down-hearted,  and  bat- 
bitten.  After  these,  come  black-robed  priests,  students  in 
uniform,  and  genteel  pedestrians,  and,  last  of  all,  the  military 
in  force,  preceded  by  their  fine  band. 

Passing  through  the  more  important  streets,  the  long  line 
turns  its  course  towards  Nazare,  and  here  our  Lady  is  depo- 
sited upon  the  altar  of  her  chapel,  and  the  festa  has  fairly 
begun. 

The  festa  is  of  nine  days'  duration,  and  service  is  performed 
in  the  chapel  every  evening.  For  the  first  two  or  three  days, 
the  people  are  scarcely  in  the  spirit  of  the  thing,  but  before 
the  novena  is  ended,  the  city  is  deserted,  and  its  crowds  are  at 
home  in  Nazare.  Let  us  take  a  sunset  walk,  and  see  what  is 
curious  in  a  Para  festival.  The  brightness  of  day  has  passed 
with  scarcely  an  interval,  into  the  little  inferior  brilliance  of 
the  full  moon.  The  trades,  that  blow  more  freshly  at  night, 
unite  with  the  imperceptibly  falling  dew  in  exhilarating  after 
the  day's  fatigues.  Lofty  trees,  and  dense  shrubs  throw  over 
us  their  rapidly  varying  shadows,  and  from  their  flower  homes, 
the  cicadas,  and  other  night  insects,  chant  their  homage  to  the 
blessed  Lady,  in  a  vesper  hymn.  Grave  matrons  are  passing 
along,  attended  by  servants  bearing  prayer  books ;  and  com- 


226         A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 


fortable  looking  old  gentlemen,  who  have  forgotten  age  in  the 
universal  gayety,  are  rivalling  young  beaux  in  the  favors  of 
laughing  girls,  whose  uncovered  tresses  are  flashing  in  the 
moonlight,  and  from  whose  lips  the  sweet  tones  of  their  beau- 
tiful language  fall  on  the  ear  like  music.  Indians  move 
silently  about  in  strong  contrast  to  the  groups  of  blacks,  the 
same  noisy,  careless  beings,  as  elsewhere.  Numbers  of 
wenches,  picturesquely  attired,  are  bearing  trays  of  doces  upon 
their  heads  ;  and  children,  of  every  age,  add  their  share  of 
life  and  glee  to  the  scene. 

Suddenly  we  leave  the  road,  and  the  square  is  before  us. 
The  air  is  brilliant  with  torch  lights  ;  crowds  of  indistinct, 
moving  figures  are  crossing  in  every  direction,  and  the  noisy 
rattle,  of  a  hundred  gambling  tables  drowns  all  other  sounds. 
These  tables  are  as  remote  from  the  chapel  as  possible,  and 
are  licensed  by  the  authorities.  Upon  each  table  are  marked 
three  colors,  black,  red,  and  yellow.  The  proprietor  holds  in 
his  hand  a  large  box,  in  which  are  a  number  of  correspond- 
ingly colored  balls.  Whoever  is  inclined,  stakes  his  money 
upon  either  color ;  a  little  door  opens  in  the  side  of  the  box,  a 
ball  comes  forth,  and  he  has  lost  or  won;  probably  the 
former,  for  the  chances  are  two  to  one  against  him.  But 
adverse  chances  make  no  difference,  and  crowds  are  constantly 
collected  about  the  tables,  mostly  of  little  boys  who  have 
staked  their  last  vinten,  and  who  watch  the  exit  of  the  ball 
with  outstretched  necks,  starting  eyes,  and  all  the  excitement 
of  inveterate  gamblers.  It  is  amusing  to  watch  these  scenes. 
The  complacent  proprietor,  very  likely  a  black  boy,  grinning 
so  knowingly  at  the  increasing  pile  before  him,  and  at  the 
eagerness  of  his  dupes,  is  evidently  in  sunshine.  The  poor 
little  fellow  who  has  lost  his  all,  turns  away  silently,  with  de- 
jected look,  and  tearful  eyes.  But  let  him  win.  A  proud  sat- 
isfaction brightens  up  his  face,  he  looks  around  upon  his 
unsuccessful  mates  with  an  air  of  most  provoking  triumph,  and 
slowly  rakes  the  coppers  towards  him,  as  though  they  could 
not  be  long  enough  in  coming.  Sometimes  a  pretty  Indian 
girl  hesitatingly  stakes  her  treasure,  timidly  hoping  that  she 
may  yet  be  the  fortunate  possessor  of  some  coveted  trinket : 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  227 

but,  alas,  the  divinities  here  are  heedless  of  black  eyes  and 
raven  hair,  and  she  turns  away  disappointed.  At  another 
stand,  nothing  less  than  paper  is  the  etiquette,  and  some  of 
Para's  bucks  seem  inclined  to  break  the  bank  or  lose  their  last 
milree. 

Scattered  every  where  over  the  square,  are  the  stands  of 
the  doce  girls,  who  are  doing  a  profitable  business.  Some  of 
the  cottages  round  about  are  fitted  up  with  a  tempting  display 
of  fancy  wares;  others  are  used  as  cafes,  or  as  exhibition 
rooms  for  various  shows ;  and  from  others  come  the  sounds  of 
music  and  dancing.  Ladies  and  gentlemen  are  promenading 
about,  waiting  the  commencement  of  the  ceremonies  in  the 
chapel. 

In  all  this  crowd  there  is  perfect  order,  and  no  drunken 
brawl  or  noisy  tumult  demands  the  police. 

At  eight  o'clock,  service  is  notified  by  the  ascent  of  rockets, 
and  those  who  care,  attend  the  chapel.  Within  are  the  more 
fashionable  ladies,  and  a  few  gentlemen  ;  without,  in  the  large 
open  portico,  are  seated  upon  the  floor  the  black  and  Indian 
women,  dressed  in  white,  with  flowers  in  their  hair,  and 
profusely  scented  with  vanilla.  The  congregation  is  still,  the 
ceremonies  proceed.  Suddenly  a  sweet  chant  is  commenced 
by  the  choir,  one  of  the  beautiful  Portuguese  hymns.  The 
chorus  is  caught  by  the  crowd  in  the  portico.  An  old 
negress  rises  upon  her  knees,  and  acts  the  part  of  chorister 
and  guide  ;  in  a  voice  almost  drowning  the  sweet  tones  about 
her,  calling  successively  upon  all  the  saints  of  the  calendar. 
u  Hail  to  thee,  Santo  Tornasio.  Hail  to  thee,  Santo  Igna- 
cio."  Certainly,  she  has  a  good  memory.  There  is  something 
indescribably  beautiful  in  the  tones  of  these  singers.  Men, 
women,  and  children,  all  join  in  the  same  high  key,  and  the 
effect  is  wild  and  startling. 

The  service  is  over,  and  the  amusements  succeeding 
encroach  far  into  the  small  hours  of  morning.  Balls  and 
parties  are  given  in  the  cottages,  or  beneath  the  broad 
spreading  trees,  and  the  light  hearted  and  happy,  dance,  until 
they  are  weary,  to  the  music  of  the  guitar,  or  their  own  songs. 

While  we  were  in  Para,  an  interesting  incident  occurred 


228  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

to  diversify  the  festival.  A  few  weeks  before,  a  Portuguese 
bark  had  left  Para  for  Lisbon.  One  day  out  of  the  river,  in 
the  early  morning-,  a  squall  struck  her,  threw  her  upon  her 
beam's  end,  and  she  was  capsized  before  a  single  passenger 
could  escape  from  the  cabin.  The  mate  and  seven  seamen 
were  thrown  unhurt  into  the  water.  The  small  boat  was  like- 
wise cast  loose,  and  this  they  succeeded  in  attaining.  They 
were  in  the  ocean,  without  one  morsel  to  eat,  or  one  drop  of 
water.  For  several  weary  days  they  pulled,  and  worn  out  by- 
hunger  and  thirst,  they  laid  them  down  to  die.  They  had 
implored  the  aid  of  our  Lady  of  Nazareth,  had  made  her  a 
thousand  vows,  but  she  would  not  save  them.  One  rises  for 
one  more  last  look  ;  land  is  in  view.  Hope  rouses  their  wasted 
frames,  and  they  reach  Cayenne  in  safety.  The  inhabitants 
succor  them,  and  send  them  to  Para,  with  the  boat,  whither 
they  arrive  during  the  festa,  bringing  the  first  accounts  of  the 
disaster.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  people  was  extreme.  An 
immense  procession  was  formed.  The  boat  was  borne  upon 
the  shoulders  of  the  saved  men,  and  deposited  with  rejoicings 
in  the  portico  of  our  Lady's  chapel,  another  memorial  of  her 
kindly  aid. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Leave  Para  for  Marajo — Voyage — Cape  Magoary — Islands — A  morning  scene— Arrive 
at  Jungcal — A  breakfast — Birds — Vicinity  of  Jungcal. 

The  far  famed  Island  of  Marajo,  a  little  world  of  itself, 
differing  from  aught  else  in  its  appearance,  its  productions,  its 
birds  and  its  animals,  had  long  been  to  us  an  object  of  the 
most  intense  curiosity.  Did  we  inquire  the  whereabouts  of 
any  curious  animal  of  the  dealer  in  the  Rua,  almost  in- 
variably the  answer  was,  Marajo ;  or  the  locum  tenens  of 
some  equally  curious  bird,  of  the  wenches  on  the  Punto  da 
Pedras,  of  course,  it  was  Marajo.  Could  not  we  catch  a 
glimpse  of  an  alligator  1  Yes,  thousands  on  Marajo.  And 
monster  snakes  and  tigers  ?  Always  on  Marajo.  One  would 
have  thought  this  island  a  general  depot,  a  sort  of  Pantologi- 
cal  Institute,  where  any  curiosity  might  be  satisfied  by  the 
going.  Ever  since  we  had  been  in  the  country,  we  had  heard 
of  it,  had  seen,  occasionally,  the  distant  tree  tops,  and  had 
even  coasted  along  its  upper  side  in  the  galliota ;  but  our  long- 
ings for  a  face  to  face  acquaintance,  and  an  exploration  of 
its  wonders,  seemed  likely  to  remain  ungratified.  And  yet,  we 
had  been  upon  the  eve  of  seeing  Marajo  for  the  last  thirty 
days,  thanks  to  Mr.  Campbell's  kindness.  But  the  festa  of  our 
Lady  of  Nazareth,  and  the  slow  and  easy  habits  of  the  people 
had  kept  us  waiting  from  day  to  day,  until  the  Undine's  arrival, 
and  expected  speedy  return,  bade  us  bend  our  thoughts  home- 
ward. 

But  our  intention  was  fulfilled,  after  all.  At  an  hour's 
notice,  we  left  Para,  about  nine  o'clock,  one  pleasant  evening 

11 


230  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

in  September,  dropping  down  with  the  ebbing  tide.  Our  des- 
tination was  Jungcal,  upon  the  remote  north-west  corner  of  the 
island.  The  distance  is  not  very  great;  a  clipper  schooner 
would  call  it  a  holiday  excursion,  and  a  little  steamer,  which 
could  mock  at  the  trades  and  the  flood  tides,  would  run  it  off 
in  a  pleasant  morning.  As  it  is,  and  alas,  that  it  should  be 
so,  the  Jungcal  passengers  think  themselves  fortunate,  if  the 
winds  and  tides  of  a  week  speed  them  to  the  destined  point. 
Our  craft  was  a  cattle  boat,  a  little  schooner  without  a  keel ; 
with  the  least  possible  quarter-deck,  and  scanty  turnings-in  for 
two,  below.  A  year  before,  we  should  have  quarreled  with 
the  rats  and  cockroaches,  but  our  recent  experience  had  endued 
us  with  a  most  comfortable  coolness  in  our  manner  of  taking 
such  small  inconveniences.  The  crew  were  half-breeds,  about 
a  dozen  in  all,  men  and  boys.  The  captain  was  a  mulatto, 
not  over  twenty  years  of  age,  intelligent  and  sufficiently  atten- 
tive. Had  it  not  been  for  these  attractive  qualities,  we  should 
have  grumbled  unconscionably  at  a  speculation  of  his,  where- 
by, to  deposit  an  Indian  woman,  who  had  ventured  on  board 
as  passenger,  in  the  steerage,  he  had  lost  an  entire  day  in 
crossing  to  the  Marajo  side  and  back  again.  One  would 
naturally  suppose,  that  once  upon  the  island  shore,  we  could 
have  coasted  around  Cape  Magoary  without  re-crossing.  But 
the  river  is  beset  with  shoals,  and  no  careful  survey  has  yet 
sufficed  to  put  these  mariners  at  their  ease. 

Early  upon  the  fourth  morning,  we  struck  across  from  Point 
Taipu,  sixty  miles  only  below  Para,  and  soon  were  running 
towards  Cape  Magoary  with  no  guide  but  the  stars,  beyond 
view  of  land  on  either  side.  Our  careful  captain  himself  took 
the  helm,  and  as  we  neared  the  shoals  a  man  was  constantly 
heaving  the  lead.  The  channel  now  was  usually  but  one  and 
two  fathoms  deep,  and  the  brackish  taste  of  the  water  was 
soon  lost  in  the  overpowering  current  which  set  in  from  the 
main  Amazon.  Beyond  Cape  Magoary  are  a  number  of  small 
islands,  the  names  of  three  of  which  are  the  Ship,  the  Bow, 
and  the  Flycatcher,  or  Navio,  Arco,  and  Bentivee ;  all  unin- 
habited by  man,  and  affording  secure  homes  to  countless 
water  birds.     The  isle  of  the  Bow  is  overrun  with  wild  hogs, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  231 

the  increase  of  a  tame  herd  once  wrecked  upon  a  shoal  near 
by.  Here  the  captain  offered  to  land  us  for  an  afternoon's 
sport,  but  the  wind  was  fresh,  and  we  were  too  near  Jungcal 
for  any  such  enticements.  Late  in  the  evening,  we  crossed 
the  bar,  passing  into  a  small  igaripe,  and,  in  a  few  minutes, 
were  moored  off  the  cattle-pen.  Once  more  we  slept  quietly, 
undisturbed  by  surfs  and  tossings. 

The  morning  dawned  in  all  the  splendor  of  a  tropical  sum- 
mer, and  long  before  the  sun's  rays  had  gilded  the  tree  tops, 
we  were  luxuriating  in  the  fresh,  invigorating  breeze,  and  ad- 
miring the  beautiful  vicinity,  that  wanted  not  even  the  sun- 
light to  enchant  us.  The  ebbing  tide  had  left  exposed  a  large 
flat,  extending  an  eighth  of  a  mile  opposite  the  cattle-pen,  and 
lost,  at  perhaps,  twice  that  distance,  in  the  woods  above.  Here 
and  there  a  tiny  stream  crept  slowly  down,  as  if  loth  to  leave 
the  beautiful  quiet  island  for  the  rough  waters  beyond.  Di- 
rectly at  our  side,  an  impervious  cane-brake  shot  up  its  tas- 
seled  spires,  rustling  in  the  wind ;  while  in  every  other 
direction,  was  piled  the  dark,  massive  foliage  of  tropical  shrubs 
and  trees.  Above,  and  beyond  reach  of  harm,  a  number  of 
Great  Blue  Herons  were  stalking  solemnly  about,  and  near 
them,  a  company  of  Spoonbills  and  White  Egrets  displayed  to 
us  their  delicate  tints,  in  the  increasing  light.  Opposite,  a  con- 
stantly gathering  flock  of  large  White  Herons  were  intently 
watching  our  movements,  as  though  balancing  in  their  own 
minds  the  chances  of  danger,  with  the  prospect  of  no  break- 
fast, and  a  hungry  family  at  home. 

But  the  loveliest  views  will  tire,  in  time,  and  despite  the 
interest  we  felt  in  the  position  of  things  about  us,  when  hour 
after  hour  passed  away,  and  the  gentle  twilight  became  the 
fierce  morning  heat,  while  the  scarce  perceptibly  ebbing  tide 
would  in  no  wise  speed  its  movements  in  our  behalf,  we  began 
to  feel  somewhat  like  prisoners,  in  durance.  So,  to  vary  the 
scene,  we  ventured,  by  the  kindly  aid  of  some  tottering  poles, 
to  gain  the  shore,  and  started  to  explore  a  little,  landward. 
But  the  country  soon  opened  out  into  a  campo,  and  the  baked 
clay,  uncovered  with  verdure,  and  deeply  indented  by  the 
hoofs  of  cattle,  made  walking  out  of  the  question.     Therefore, 


232  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

we  were  fain  to  turn  back  again,  and  perched  upon  a  fence 
top,  attempted  resignation. 

When  the  tide  did  turn,  it  made  amends  for  all  sluggish- 
ness ;  dashing  furiously  in.  with  a  seven  mile  velocity,  instantly 
flooding  the  shoals,  and  filling  the  channel.  Quickly  we  were 
in  the  boat,  and  hurrying  towards  Jungcal,  unaided  by  the 
paddle,  save  in  keeping  the  course.  The  birds  which  had  been 
feeding  had  gathered  themselves  hastily  up,  and  now  sat 
perched  upon  the  overhanging  trees,  gazing  down,  as  if  they 
did  not  half  comprehend  the  mystery  of  such  a  sudden  wateri- 
ness,  although  daily,  for  their  lives  long,  they  had  thus  been 
shortened  of  their  morning's  meal.  A  pair  of  King  Vultures, 
Urubutingas,  were  sailing  overhead,  conspicuous  for  their 
white  shoulders  and  glossy  plumage.  Two  miles,  quickly 
sped,  brought  us  to  Jungcal,  a  small  settlement  of  some  half 
dozen  houses,  residences  of  the  overseers  and  cattle  drivers. 
We  were  greeted  as  old  friends,  and  being  just  in  time  for 

breakfast,  sat  down be  not  startled,  companions  of  our 

heretofore  wanderings,  who  have  heard  us  discourse  upon  the 
virtues  of  aboriginal  diet,   and  partaken  with  us   of  monkey 

and  sloth,  parrots,  cow-fishes,  and  land  turtles sat  down 

to  a  steak not  of  the  exquisitely  flavored   victim  of  the 

Fulton  Market,  nor  of  the  delicious  colt-flesh  of  the  Patagonian 
gourmand ;  but  to  one  more  exquisite,  more  delicious.  Ah ! 
ye  young  alligators,  now  comprehended  we  why  chary  Nature 
had  encased  ye  in  triple  mail. 

One  of  our  objects  in  visiting  Jungcal,  was  to  see  a  rookery 
of  Ibises  and  Spoonbills  in  the  neighborhood;  but  as  the  day 
had  so  far  advanced,  we  determined  to  postpone  an  excursion 
thither  until  the  morning.  Meanwhile,  we  amused  ourselves 
in  exploring  the  vicinity,  and  in  looking  over  the  beautiful  col- 
lection of  bird-skins,  belonging  to  Mr.  Hauxwell,  an  English 
collector,  whom  we  were  agreeably  surprised  to  meet  here.  It 
was  interesting  to  find  so  many  of  the  water-birds  of  the  United 
States,  common  here  also,  and  to  recognize  in  the  herons,  the 
rails,  the  gallinules,  the  ibises,  the  shore-birds,  et  multi  alii,  so 
many  old  acquaintances,  in  whose  society  we  had,  long  ago, 
whiled  away  many  a  delighted  hour. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  233 

Upon  one  side  of  the  houses,  the  bamboos  formed  a  dense 
hedge,  but  elsewhere,  in  every  direction,  stretched  a  vast 
campo,  unmarked  by  tree  or  bush,  save  where  the  fringed 
stream  but  partially  redeemed  the  general  character.  A  few 
horses  were  feeding  about,  the  last  remnant  of  vast  herds  that 
once  roamed  the  island,  but  which  have  disappeared,  of  late 
years,  by  a  contagious  pestilence ;  and  which,  judging  from 
the  specimens  we  saw,  were  any  thing  but  the  fiery  coursers, 
described  as  herding  on  the,  perhaps,  more  congenial  plains,  to 
the  North  and  South. 

Upon  the  margin  of  a  small  pond,  close  by,  a  number  of 
Scarlet  Ibises  were  feeding,  so  tame,  from  all  absence  of  molesta- 
tion, as  to  allow  of  near  approach.  Terra-terras  were  scream- 
ing about,  and,  at  a  distance,  stalked  a  pair  of  huge  white 
birds,  known  in  the  island  as  Tuyuyus,  Mycteria  Americana. 
We  were  exceedingly  desirous  to  obtain  one  of  these  birds, 
but  they  were  wary,  and  kept  far  beyond  even  rifle-shot. 
They  are  not  uncommon  upon  the  campos,  and  are  occa- 
sionally seen  domesticated  in  the  city.  A  young  one,  which 
we  had  previously  seen  in  the  garden  of  the  Palace,  stood 
between  four  and  five  feet  from  the  ground.  When  full  grown, 
the  Tuyuyu  is  upwards  of  six  feet  in  height.  Its  neck  is  bare 
of  feathers,  and  for  two  thirds  of  its  length  from  above,  black  : 
the  remainder  is  of  a  dark  red.  Its  bill  is  about  fifteen  inches 
long,  and  by  its  habit  of  striking  the  mandibles  together,  a  loud, 
clattering  noise  is  produced.  About  every  house  were  pens 
in  which  were  scores  of  young  ibises  and  spoonbills,  which 
had  been  brought  from  the  rookery,  for  the  purpose  of  selling 
in  Para.  They  readily  became  tame,  and  well  repaid  the  care 
of  the  negroes.  Brought  up  for  the  same  purpose,  were 
parrots,  paroquets,  blackbirds,  larks,  and  egrets ;  besides  a 
mischievous  coati,  who  was  every  where  but  where  he  should 
have  been.  Towards  night,  vast  flocks  of  various  water-birds 
came  flying  inland,  attracting  attention  by  their  gaudy  coloring 
and  noisy  flight. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Description  of  Marajo — Cattle — Tigers — Alligators — Snakes — Antas — Wild  ducks — 
Scarlet  Ibises — Roseate  Spoonbills — Wood  Ibises — Other  birds — Island  of  Mixiana — 
Indian  burial  places — Caviana — Macapa — Bore  or  Pororoca — Leave  Jungcal  for  the 
rookery — A  sail  among  the  trees — Alligators — The  rookery — Return — An  alligator's 
nest — Adieu  to  Jungcal — Violence  of  the  tide — Loading  cattle — Voyage  to  Para. 

The  length  of  the  Island  of  Marajo  is  about  one  hundred 
and.  twenty  miles ;  its  breadth  averages  from  sixty  to  eighty. 
Much  of  it  is  well  wooded,  but  far  the  larger  part  is  campo, 
covered  during  the  wet  season  with  coarse,  tall  grass.  At  that 
time,  the  whole  island  is  little  more  than  a  labyrinth  of  lakes. 
In  summer,  the  superabundant  waters  are  drained  by  numer- 
ous igaripes,  and,  rain  rarely  falling,  this  watery  surface  is 
exchanged,  for  a  garden  of  beauty,  in  some  parts,  and  into  a 
desert,  upon  the  campos.  The  population  of  the  island  is 
large,  consisting  mostly  of  Indians  and  half-breeds.  Some  of 
the  towns,  however,  are  of  considerable  size,  but  most  of  the 
inhabitants  are  scattered  along  the  coast  and  upon  the  igaripes. 
Four  hundred  thousand  cattle  roam  over  the  campos,  belong- 
ing to  various  proprietors,  the  different  herds  being  dis- 
tinguishable by  peculiar  marks,  or  brands.  The  estate  of 
which  Jungcal  forms  part,  numbers  thirty  thousand  cattle,  and 
a  great  number  of  Indians  and  blacks  are  employed  in  their 
care,  keeping  them  together,  driving  them  up  at  proper  seasons 
to  be  marked,  and  collecting  such  as  are  wanted  for  exporta- 
tion to  the  city.  These  men  become  extremely  attached  to 
this  wild  life,  and  are  a  fearless,  hardy  race,  admirable  horse- 
men, and  expert  with  the  lasso.  When  horses  abounded,  it 
was  customary  to  drive  the  marketable  cattle  towards  the 
Para  side  of  the  island,  whence  transmission  to  the  city  was 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  235 

easy;  bat,  at  present,  they  are  shipped  from  Jungcal,  or  other 
places  still  more  remote,  thus  causing  great  waste  of  time, 
and  ruining  the  quality  of  the  beef.  The  cattle  are  of  good 
size,  but  not  equal  to  those  of  the  South.  Great  numbers  of 
young  cattle,  and  old  ones  unable  to  keep  up  with  the  herd, 
are  destroyed  by  the  "  tigres,"  which  name  is  applied  without 
much  precision  to  different  species.  The  black  tiger  is  seen 
occasionally;  the  Felis  on9a  is  most  common  of  all.  Neither 
of  these  is  known  to  attack  man ;  and  in  their  pursuit,  the 
islanders  exhibit  great  fearlessness  and  address,  never  hesita- 
ting to  attack  them  when  driven  to  a  tree,  armed  with  a 
tresado  fastened  to  a  pole.  At  other  times,  they  overtake 
them  upon  the  campos,  running  them  down  with  horses,  and 
lassoing  them.  Once  thus  caught,  the  tiger  has  no  escape. 
He  is  quickly  strangled,  his  legs  are  tied,  and,  thrown  over  the 
horse's  back  like  a  sack  of  meal,  he  arrives  at  the  hut  of  his 
captor.  Here  a  dash  of  water  revives  him,  but  his  efforts  to 
escape  are  futile.  An  Onca  taken  in  this  manner,  was  brought 
to  Para  for  Mr.  Campbell.  Fie  was  strangled  both  on  being 
taken  on  and  off  the  canoe,  and  after  being  revived,  was 
marched  upon  his  fore  legs  through  the  streets,  two  men  hold- 
ing each  a  hind  leg,  and  others  guiding  him  by  the  collar  upon 
his  neck.  This  animal  was  afterwards  brought  to  New-York 
by  Capt.  Appleton.  Frequently,  young  tigers  are  exposed  for 
sale  in  the  market,  and  one  of  these  was  our  fellow  passenger  in 
the  Undine,  upon  our  return.  We  read  in  works  of  Natural  His- 
tory, most  alarming  accounts  of  the  fierceness  of  the  Brazilian 
felines,  but  as  a  Spanish  gentleman  remarked  to  us,  of  the 
Jaguar,  "  those  were  ancient  Jaguars,  they  are  not  so  bad 
now-a-days." 

The  cattle  have  another  enemy  in  the  alligators,  who  seem 
to  have  concentrated  in  Marajo  from  the  whole  region  of  the 
Amazon,  swarming  in  the  lagoons  and  igaripes.  There  are  two 
species  of  these  animals,  one  having  a  sharp  mouth,  the  other 
a  round  one.  The  former  grow  to  the  length  of  about  seven 
feet  only,  and  are  called  Jacare-tingas,  or  King  Jacares.  This 
is  the  kind  eaten.  The  other  species  is  much  larger,  often  be- 
ing seen  twenty  feet  in  length,  and  we  were  assured  by  Mr, 


236  A    V07AGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


Campbell,  that  skeletons  of  individuals  upwards  of  twenty-five 
feet  in  length  are  sometimes  encountered. 

In  the  inner  lakes,  towards  the  close  of  the  rainy  season, 
myriads  of  ducks  breed  in  the  rushes,  and  here  the  alligators 
swarm  to  the  banquet  of  young  birds.  Should  an  adventurous 
sportsman  succeed  in  arriving  at  one  of  these  places,  he  has 
but  a  poor  chance  of  bagging  many  from  the  flocks  around  him, 
for  the  alligators  are  upon  the  alert,  and  the  instant  a  wounded 
bird  strikes  the  water,  they  rush  en  masse  for  the  poor  victim, 
clambering  over  one  another,  and  crashing  their  huge  jaws 
upon  each  others'  heads  in  their  hasty  seizure.  Late  in  the  wet 
season,  they  lay  their  eggs,  and  soon  after,  instead  of  becoming 
torpid,  as  would  be  the  case  in  a  colder  climate,  bury  themselves 
in  the  mud,  which,  hardening  about  them,  effectually  restrains 
their  locomotion,  until  the  next  rains  allow  their  dislodgment. 
The  inhabitants  universally  believe,  that  the  alligator  is  para- 
lyzed with  fear  at  the  sight  of  a  tiger,  and  will  suffer  that  an- 
imal to  eat  off  its  tail,  without  making  resistance.  The  story 
is  complimentary  to  the  tiger,  at  all  events,  for  the  tail  of  the 
alligator  is  the  only  part  in  esteem  by  epicures. 

Snakes  spend  their  summers  in  the  same  confinement  as  al- 
ligators, and  upon  their  issuing  forth,  are  said  to  be  very  nu- 
merous, and  often  of  great  size.  It  was  from  Marajo,  that  the 
anaconda,  now  or  lately  exhibited  at  the  American  Museum, 
was  brought,  and  this  fellow,  as  well  as  the  "  Twin  Caffres," 
we  frequently  saw  at  Para  before  their  transportation  to  New- 
York.  The  largest  snake  known,  of  late  years,  at  Para,  was 
twenty-two  feet  in  length.  He  was  captured  upon  Fernando's 
Island,  near  the  city,  by  the  negroes,  with  a  lasso,  as  he  laid 
upon  the  shore,  basking  in  the  sun.  He  had  long  infested  the 
estate,  carrying  off,  one  time  with  another,  about  forty  pigs. 
Even  after  being  captured  and  dragged  a  long  way  to  the 
house,  he  coiled  his  tail  around  a  too  curious  pig,  that  we  may 
suppose,  was  gloating  over  his  fallen  enemy,  and  would  have 
made  a  forty-one  of  him,  had  not  the  exertions  of  the  blacks 
forced  him  to  let  go  his  hold. 

We  never  heard  an  instance  of  snakes  attacking  man,  and 
the  negroes  do  not  fear  an  encounter  with  the  largest.     Snake 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  237 

hunts,  doubtless,  have  exciting  interest,  as  well  as  others  less 
ignoble.  As  elsewhere  remarked,  these  reptiles  are  very  fre- 
quently kept  about  houses  in  the  city,  and  may  be  often  pur- 
chased in  the  market,  nicely  coiled  in  earthen  jars.  Southey 
records  an  old  story  to  this  effect:  "  that  when  the  anaconda 
has  swallowed  an  anta,  or  any  of  the  larger  animals,  it  is  una- 
ble to  digest  it,  and  lies  down  in  the  sun  till  the  carcass  putri- 
fies,  and  the  urubus,  or  vultures,  come  and  devour  both  it  and 
the  snake,  picking  the  flesh  of  the  snake  to  the  back-bone,  till 
only  back-bone,  head  and  tail  be  left  ;  then  the  flesh  grows 
again  over  this  living  skeleton,  and  the  snake  becomes  as  active 
as  before."  The  march  of  knowledge  in  this  department  is  cer- 
tainly onward ;  now,  gentlemen  in  Para  believe  no  more,  than 
that  the  whole  belly  and  stomach  fall  out,  trap-door  like,  soon 
to  heal  again,  and  ready  for  a  repetition.  In  either  case,  the 
poor  snake  is  much  to  be  pitied. 

The  Antas,  or  Tapirs,  are  animals  not  often  found  upon  the 
main-land,  but  occasionally  observed  on  Marajo,  along  the  iga- 
ripes.  They  are,  by  many,  considered  as  amphibious,  but  they 
live  upon  the  land,  merely  resorting  to  the  water  for  bathing. 
In  size,  they  resemble  a  calf  of  a  few  months,  and  when  old, 
are  of  a  brown  color.  They  are  remarkable  for  a  proboscis- 
like nose.  When  tamed,  they  are  extremely  docile,  and  are 
allowed  to  roam  freely,  being  taught  to  return  home  regularly. 
One  which  we  saw  in  this  state  was  small,  and  marked  with 
longitudinal  spots  of  a  light  color. 

The  large  Ant  Eater  is  also  a  dweller  on  Marajo. 

The  Ducks  breeding  upon  this  island  are  of  two  kinds, 
the  common  Musk  Duck,  and  the  Maracas  (Anas  autumnalis). 
The  latter  are  most  numerous.  By  the  month  of  September, 
the  young  are  well  grown,  and  the  old  birds  are  debilitated 
from  loss  of  their  wing  quills.  Then,  particularly  upon 
Igaripe  Grande,  on  the  Para  side,  people  collect  the  ducks  in 
great  flocks,  driving  them  to  a  convenient  place,  and,  catching 
them,  salt  them  down  by  the  canoe  load. 

Of  the  water  birds  frequenting  Marajo,  the  Scarlet  Ibis, 
and  the  Roseate  Spoonbill,  excel  all  in  gorgeousness  and 
delicate   coloring.     The   Ibises   are   of  the  brightest  scarlet, 

11* 


238         A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

excepting  the  black  tips  of  the  wings,  and  their  appearance, 
when,  in  serried  ranks,  the  length  of  a  mile,  they  first  come  to 
their  breeding  place,  is  described,  as  one  might  well  imagine 
it,  as  wonderfully  magnificent.  They  appear,  in  this  manner, 
in  the  month  of  June,  and,  at  once,  set  about  the  forming  of 
their  nests.  At  this  time,  they  are  in  perfect  plumage,  but 
soon  commencing  to  moult,  they  lose  somewhat  of  their 
beauty.  The  young  birds  are  ready  to  depart  in  December, 
and  then,  the  whole  family  disappear  from  the  vicinity, 
excepting  a  few  individuals  here  and  there.  In  Maranham, 
the  breeding  season  is  in  February,  and,  in  that  month,  Capt. 
Appleton  found  them  there  in  vast  numbers.  Sometimes,  but 
rarely,  they  are  observed  in  the  Gulf  districts  of  the  United 
States,  but  they  have  never  been  known  to  breed  there.  The 
nests  are  made  of  small  sticks,  loosely  formed.  From  two  to 
three  eggs  are  laid,  greenish  in  color,  and  spotted  with  light 
brown. 

The  Roseate  Spoonbills  do  not  migrate  as  do  the  Ibises, 
being  quite  common  upon  the  whole  coast,  and  sometimes 
being  seen  far  up  the  Amazon  in  summer.  The  delicate 
roseate  of  their  general  coloring,  with  the  rich,  lustrous 
carmine  of  their  shoulders,  and  breast  tufts,  as  well  as  the 
singular  formation  of  their  bills,  render  them  objects  of  great 
interest  as  well  as  beauty.  They  are  seen  fishing  for  shrimps 
and  other  small  matters  along  the  edges  of  the  water,  or  in 
the  mud  left  exposed  by  the  ebbing  tide,  and  as  they  eat, 
grind  the  food  in  their  mandibles  moved  laterally.  As  well  as 
the  Ibis,  they  are  exceedingly  shy  at  every  season,  except 
when  breeding.  They  breed  in  the  same  places  with  the 
Scarlet  Ibises  and  the  Wood  Ibises,  and  the  nests  of  the  three 
resemble  each  other  in  every  respect,  but  in  size.  The  eggs 
of  the  Spoonbill  are  from  three  to  four,  large,  white,  and 
much  spotted  with  brown.  The  birds  are  called  by  the 
Brazilians,  Colhereiros,  meaning  spoonbill.  The  name  of 
the  Ibis  is  Guerra,  signifying  warrior. 

Another  of  the  northern  birds  here  breeding,  is  the  Wood 
Ibis,  Tantalus  loculator,  much  larger  than  either  of  the  above. 
Its  general  plumage  is   white,  the    tips  of   the  wings,   and 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  239 

the  tail,  being  a  purplish  black.  By  the  natives,  it  is  called 
the  Jabiru,  which  name  in  Ornithologies  is  more  generally 
applied  to  the  Tuyuyu.  It  lays  two  or  three  eggs,  of  a  dirty 
white  color. 

Besides  these,  the  Glossy  Ibis,  Ibis  falcinellus  ;  the  Great 
Blue  Heron,  A.  herodias  ;  Night  Heron,  A.  nycticorax  ;  Great 
American  Egret,  A.  alba;  Snowy  Heron.  A.  candidissima; 
Least  Bittern,  A.  exilis ;  Purple  Gallinule,  Black-necked  Stilt, 
and  perhaps  others  common  in  the  United  States  breed  upon 
Marajo ;  as  well  as  a  variety  of  the  same  family  peculiar  to 
the  South. 

We  found  here,  also,  one  of  the  rarer  land-birds  of 
Audubon,  the  Fork-tailed  Fly-catcher,  Muscicapa  forficatus, 
and  were  fortunate  enough  to  discover  its  nest.  This  was 
near  the  water,  in  a  low  tree,  and  was  composed  of  grass 
and  the  down  of  some  plant.  The  eggs  were  two  in  num- 
ber, white,  and  spotted  with  brown,  at  the  larger  end  more 
particularly,  resembling,  except  in  size,  those  of  our  King- 
bird. 

Generally,  the  land-birds  upon  Marajo  are  of  different 
varieties  from  those  found  about  Para,  and  upon  the  Main. 
The  Chatterers  are  not  seen  there ;  the  Toco  Toucan  takes  the 
place  of  the  Red-billed;  the  Cayenne  Manikin,  whose  head  and 
shoulders  are  bright  red,  is  as  common  as  the  White-capped 
elsewhere ;  Black-backed  Yellow  Orioles,  Icterus  jububu,  are 
extremely  abundant;  as  are  also  the  Mango  Humming  Bird, 
T.  mango ;  the  Ruby  and  Topaz,  T.  moschitus ;  Swallow- 
tailed,  T.  forficatus;  Black-breasted,  T.  gramineus;  and  many 
other  varieties  of  this  family. 

Opposite  Jungcai,  and  in  view  from  the  shore,  is  the  Island 
of  Mixiana,  twenty-five  miles  in  length,  and  resembling  Marajo 
in   its  characteristics.     This  is    entirely   the  property  of  Srs. 
Campbell  and  Pombo,  the  proprietors  of  the  Jungcai   estate 
and  here  they  have  many  thousand  cattle. 

Upon  Mixiana  are  Indian  burial  places,  and  from  these 
are  disinterred  urns  of  great  size,  containing  bones  and  va- 
rious trinkets.  Unfortunately,  our  time  would  not  allow  us 
to  visit  that  island,  or  we  should   have  been  at  the  pains  of 


240 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 


exploring  these  interesting  remains.  We  saw,  however,  one 
of  the  jars  at  Jungcal.  Similar  burying  places  are  found  in 
various  parts  of  Brazil  and  j> araguay,  and  the  ancient  method 
of  interment  in  most  of  the  tribes  was  the  same. 

Beyond  Mixiana,  is  the  much  larger  island  of  Caviana, 
and  many  other  islands,  of  considerable  size,  are  strewn  over 
the  mouth  of  the  river. 

Upon  the  opposite  shore   is   the  town  of  Macapa,  said  to 
contain  the  finest  fort  in  Brazil.     The  situation  is  considered 
unhealthy,  and   foreigners   rarely   visit   there.     Sailing   from 
Para  to  Macapa,  one  passes  more  than  forty  islands.     Between 
Macapa   and  Marajo  is   seen   in   its   perfection   the  singular 
phenomenon,  known  as  the   Bore,  or  Pororoca,  when  the  flood 
tide,  at  the  instant  of  its  turning,  rolls  back  the  waters  of  the 
river   in   an   almost    perpendicular   wall.     Condamine,  many 
years   ago,    described   the  sea  as   " coming   in,  in  a  promon- 
tory from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  high,  with  prodigious  rapidity, 
and   sweeping   away   every    thing    in   its   course."     No  one 
knows  of  such  terrible  phenomena  now-a-days.     We  inquired 
of  several  persons  accustomed  to  piloting  in  the  main  channel, 
and  of  others  long  resident  in  the  city  and  familiar  with  the 
wonders  of  the   province,  but   none  of  them  had  known   the 
water  to  rise  above  the  height  of  five  feet,  even  at  the  spring 
tides.     A  canoe  of  any   size   is   in  no  danger,  her  bow  bein^ 
turned  to  the  flood. 

Early  in  the  morning,  we  accompanied  Mr.  Hauxwell  to  a 
tree,  upon  which  a  pair  of  Tuyuyus  were  building  their  nest. 
A  nimble  Indian  climbed  the  tree,  but  the  nest,  was  unfinished. 
It  was  thirty  feet  from  the  ground,  composed  of  large  sticks; 
and  looked  from  below,  big  enough  for  the  man  to  have  curled 
himself  in. 

We  left  Jungcal  for  the  rookery,  about  nine  o'clock,  with  the 
flood  tide,  in  a  montaria,  with  a  couple  of  guides.  They  were 
men  of  the  estate,  and  looked  upon  the  adventure  as  most 
lucky  for  them.  Making  pleasure  subservient  to  business 
they  carried  their  harpoons  for  fish  or  alligators,  and  baskets 
for  young  birds.  Immediately  after  leaving  the  landing,  we 
startled  a  Cigana  from  her  nest,  in   the  low  bushes  by  the 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.         241 

water.  The  stream  grew  more  and  more  narrow,  winding 
in  every  direction.  Tops  of  tall  trees  met  over  our  heads, 
countless  flowers  filled  the  air  with  perfume,  and  the  light  and 
shade  played  beautifully  among  the  green  masses  ofifoliage. 

Upon  the  trees  were  perched  birds  of  every  variety,  who 
flew  before  our  advance,  at  short  distances,  in  constantly 
increasing  numbers,  or  curving,  passed  directly  over  us ;  in 
either  case,  affording  marks  too  tempting  to  be  neglected. 
Upon  some  topmost  limb,  the  Great  Blue  Heron,  elsewhere 
shyest  of  the  shy,  sat  curiously  gazing  at  our  approach.  Near 
him,  but  lower  down,  Herons,  white  as  driven  snow;  some, 
tall  and  majestic  as  river  naiads,  others,  small  and  the  pictures 
of  grace,  were  quietly  dozing  after  their  morning's  meal.  Mul- 
titudes of  Night  Herons,  or  Tacares,  with  a  loud  quack,  flew 
startled  by ;  and,  now  and  then,  but  rarely,  a  Boatbill,  with 
his  long  plumed  crest,  would  scud  before  us.  The  Snake- 
bird  peered  out  his  long  neck,  to  discover  the  cause  of  the 
general  commotion ;  the  Cormorant  dove  from  the  dry  stick, 
where  he  had  slept  away  the  last  hour,  into  the  water  below; 
swimming  with  head  scarcely  visible  above  the  surface,  and 
a  ready  eye  to  a  treacherous  shot.  Ducks  rose  hurriedly,  and 
whistled  away;  Curassows  flew  timidly  to  the  deeper  wood; 
and  fearless  Hawks,  of  many  varieties,  looked  boldly  on  the 
danger. 

With  a  noise  like  a  falling  log,  an  alligator  would  splash 
into  the  water  from  the  bank,  where  she  had  been  sunning 
herself,  or  looking  after  her  nest ;  and  often,  at  once,  half  a 
dozen  huge,  unsightly  heads  were  lifted  above  the  surface, 
offering  a  fair,  but  not  always  practicable  mark  for  a  half- 
ounce  ball.  Occasionally,  a  whole  family  of  little  alligators, 
varying  in  length  from  six  to  eighteen  inches,  would  start  out 
of  the  leaves  instinctively,  some,  plumping  themselves  in,  as 
the  examples  of  their  respected  mammas  had  taught  them ; 
others,  in  their  youthful  innocence,  standing  gazing  at  us, 
from  the  top  of  the  bank ;  but  with  more  than  youthful  cun- 
ning, ready  also  to  plump  in  at  the  least  motion  towards 
raising  a  gun.  At  frequent  intervals,  the  beaten  track  from 
the  water,  disclosed  the  path  of  some  of  these  monsters ;  and 


242  A   VOYAGE    U?    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

a  pile  of  leaves,  just  seen  through  the  trees,  showed  clearly 
the  object  of  their  terrestrial  excursions. 

As  we  neared  the  rookery,  after  a  two  hours'  pull,  the  birds 
were  more*  and  more  abundant;  and  the  alligators  more  and 
more  bold,  scarcely  minding  our  approach,  and  only  learn- 
ing caution,  by  repeated  applications  of  leaden  balls.  The 
frequent  proximity  of  the  King  Jacares,  offered  many  oppor- 
tunities to  the  harpooner  in  the  bow ;  but  we  learned,  by  his 
ill  success,  that  these  autocrats  cared  very  little  for  punches  in 
the  ribs. 

Turning  suddenly,  we  left  the  bordering  forest  for  a  cane- 
brake,  and  instantly  broke  full  upon  the  rookery.  In  this  part, 
the  Scarlet  Ibises,  particularly,  had  nested;  and  the  bended 
tops  of  the  canes  were  covered  by  half-grown  birds  in  their 
black  plumage,  interspersed  with  many  in  all  the  brilliance  of 
age.  They  seemed  little  troubled  at  our  approach,  merely 
flying  a  few  steps  forward,  or  crossing  the  stream.  Continu- 
ing on,  the  flocks  increased  in  size ;  the  red  birds  became 
more  frequent,  the  canes  bent  beneath  their  weight  like  reeds. 
Wood  Ibises  and  Spoonbills,  began  to  be  numerous.  The 
nests  of  all  these,  filled  every  place  where  a  nest  could  be 
placed  ;  and  the  young  Ibises,  covered  with  down,  and  stand- 
ing like  so  many  Storks,  their  heavy  bills  resting  upon  their 
breasts  and  uttering  no  cry,  were  in  strong  contrast  to  the  well- 
feathered  Spoonbills,  beautiful  in  their  slightly  roseate  dress, 
and  noisily  loquacious.  Passing  still  onward,  wre  emerged 
from  the  canes  into  trees ;  and  here  the  White  Herons  had 
made  their  homes,  clouding  the  leaves  with  white.  Inter- 
spersed with  these,  were  all  the  varieties  mentioned  before, 
having  finished  their  nesting,  and  being  actively  engaged  in 
rearing  their  young.  We  had  sailed  above  a  mile,  and  at 
last,  seeming  to  have  approached  the  terminus,  we  turned  and 
went  below  a  short  distance  to  a  convenient  landing,  where 
we  could  pursue  our  objects  at  leisure.  The  boatmen,  at  once, 
made  their  dispositions  for  basketing  the  young  birds;  and 
soon,  by  shaking  them  down  from  the  nests,  and  following 
them  up,  had  collected  as  many  as  they  desired.  We  wan- 
dered a  long  distance  back,  but  the  nests  seemed,  if  any  thing, 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  243 

more  plentiful,  and  the  swarms  of  young  more  dense.  At  the 
sound  of  the  gun,  the  birds  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  rose  in  a 
tumultuous  flock ;  and  the  old  ones  circled  round  and  round, 
as  though  puzzled  to  understand  the  danger  they  instinctively 
feared.  In  this  way,  they  offered  beautiful  marks  to  our  skill ; 
and  the  shore,  near  the  canoe,  was  soon  strewed  with  fine 
specimens.  Evidently,  this  place  had  been  for  many  years, 
the  haunt  of  these  birds.  Not  a  blade  of  grass  could  be  seen; 
the  ground  was  smooth  and  hard,  and  covered  with  excre- 
ment. 

Occasionally,  and  not  very  rarely,  a  young  heedless  would 
topple  into  the  water,  from  which  the  noses  of  alligators  con- 
stantly protruded.  Buzzards,  also,  upon  the  bank,  sunned 
themselves  and  seemed  at  home ;  and  not  unfrequently,  a 
hungry  Hawk  would  swoop  down,  and  away  with  his  prey 
almost  unheeded. 

We  were  amused  by  the  manner  of  feeding  the  young  Scar- 
let Ibises.  In  the  throat  of  the  old  female  bird,  directly  at  the 
base  of  the  lower  mandible,  is  an  enlargement  of  the  skin, 
forming  a  pouch,  which  is  capable  of  containing  about  the 
bulk  of  a  small  hen's  egg.  She  would  return  from  fishing  on 
the  shallows,  with  this  pouch  distended  by  tiny  fish,  and  allowed 
her  young  to  pick  them  out  with  their  bills. 

It  was  late  when  the  tide  turned,  and  we  hastened  away, 
with  the  canoe  loaded  to  overflowing.  The  birds  seemed  now 
collecting  for  the  night.  Squads  of  bright-colored  ones  were 
returning  from  the  shore,  and  old  and  young  were  settling  on 
the  canes,  over  the  water,  like  swallows  in  August.  An  alli- 
gator gave  us  an  opportunity  for  a  last  shot,  and  the  air  was 
black  with  the  clouds  of  birds  that  arose,  shrieking  and  crying. 
I  never  conceived  of  a  cloud  of  birds  before. 

On  our  way  down,  we  discovered  the  nest  of  a  Socco,  the 
Tiger  Bittern,  close  by  the  water.  The  old  bird  observed  our 
motions  for  an  ascent  with  indifference,  when,  up  through  the 
feathers  of  her  wing,  peered  the  long  neck  of  a  little  fellow, 
intimating  that  we  might  as  well  be  off;  for  it  was  of  eggs  we 
were  greedy. 

Soon  after,  we  arrived  at  the  spot,  which  we  had  marked 


244  A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 

in  the  morning,  where  an  alligator  had  made  her  nest,  and  sans 
ceremonie,  proceeded  to  rifle  it  of  its  riches.  The  nest  was  a 
pile  of  leaves  and  rubbish,  nearly  three  feet  in  height,  and 
about  four  in  diameter,  resembling  a  cock  of  hay.  We  could 
not  imagine  how  or  where  the  animal  had  collected  such  a 
heap,  but  so  it  was ;  and,  deep  down,  very  near  the  surface  of 
the  ground,  from  an  even  bed,  came  forth  egg  after  egg,  until 
forty-five  had  tolerably  filled  our  basket.  We  kept  a  good 
look-out  that  the  old  one  did  not  surprise  us  in  our  burglary, 
having  read  divers  authentic  tales  of  the  watchful  assiduity  of 
the  mother.  But  nothing  appeared  to  alarm  us,  and  we  con- 
cluded, that,  like  others  of  the  lizard  family,  alligators  are 
merely  anxious  to  make  their  nests,  and  trust  to  the  fermented 
heat,  and  to  Providence,  for  hatching  and  providing  for  their 
brood  of  monsters.  These  eggs  are  four  inches  in  length,  and 
oblong  ;  being  covered  with  a  crust  rather  than  a  shell.  They 
are  eaten,  and  our  friends  at  the  house  would  have  persuaded 
us  to  test  the  virtues  of  an  alligator  omelette,  but  we  respect- 
fully declined,  deeming  our  reputations  sufficiently  secured  by 
a  breakfast  on  the  beast  itself. 

Ave  Maria  had  sounded  when  we  reached  Jungcal,  and 
the  satisfaction  we  felt  at  the  close  of  this,  the  greatest  day's 
sporting  we  had  ever  known,  amply  compensated  for  all  our 
fatigue.  The  boat  in  which  we  came  being  obliged  to  return 
immediately,  we  were  under  the  necessity  of  leaving  this  de- 
lightful spot,  where  we  could  have  been  content  to  while  away 
a  month.  But  one  such  day  as  we  had  passed,  repaid  us  for 
the  inconveniences  of  a  week  upon  the  water. 

We  bade  adieu  to  our  good  friends  in  the  morning,  taking 
the  last  of  the  ebb  to  arrive  at  the  vessel.  But  when  quite 
near,  the  tide  turned,  the  flood  rushed  in,  and  we  were  very 
likely  to  revisit  Jungcal.  However,  by  running  in  shore,  and 
claiming  assistance  of  the  overhanging  canes,  after  a  weary 
pull,  we  reached  our  goal,  almost  inclined  to  credit  M.  Con- 
damine. 

The  crew  were  loading  with  the  cattle,  which  had  been 
driven  down  the  day  before,  and  were  now  confined  in  the 
Ven.    This  was  enclosed  on  every  side;  but  that  toward  the 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  245 

water.  A  dozen  men  stood  inside  and  out,  some  holding  the 
lasso,  others  ready  to  pull,  the  instant  the  animal  was  caught, 
and  others,  still,  were  armed  with  sharp  goads,  with  which  to 
force  him  onward.  Some  of  the  cattle  showed  good  Castilian 
spirit,  and  their  rage  was  several  times  with  difficulty  eluded 
by  a  leap  to  the  friendly  fence.  Once  in  the  water,  their 
struggles  were  over.  A  rope  was  fastened  about  their  horns, 
and  thus  they  were  hoisted  up  until  they  were  above  the  hole 
in  the  deck  made  to  receive  them.  Below,  they  were  secured 
to  side  beams,  and  were  scarcely  allowed  room  to  move. 

Putting  out  of  the  igaripe.  for  two  days  we  were  beating  to 
windward,  anchoring  half  the  time,  and  being  tossed  about  in 
a  way  to  make  us  curse  all  cattle  boats.  The  poor  victims  in 
the  hold  fared  worse  than  we,  deprived  of  food  and  drink, 
pitched  back  and  forth  with  every  motion,  and  bruised  all  over 
by  repeated  falls  upon  the  rough  floor.  We  lost  all  gusto  for 
Para  beef.  From  Cape  Magoary  we  had  a  fine  run,  reaching 
Para  upon  the  third  night. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


Want  of  emigrants  and  laborers — Inducements  to  settlers,  and  disadvantages — Citizen- 
ship— Import  and  export  duties  and  taxes — Want  of  circulating  medium — Embarrass- 
ments of  government — Capabilities  of  the  Province — Effect  of  climate  on  the  whites 
— The  blacks — Inducements  to  the  formation  of  a  steamboat  company — Seasons — 
Temperature — Health — Superior  advantages  to  invalids — Farewell  to  Para — Voyage 
home. 


The  want  of  emigrants  from  other  countries,  and  of  an  ef- 
ficient laboring  class  among  its  population,  are  the  great  obsta- 
cles to  the  permanent  welfare  of  Northern  Brazil.  It  never 
was  the  policy  of  Portugal  to  encourage  emigration  excepting 
from  her  own  territory,  and  although,  by  the  indomitable  en- 
terprise of  her  sons,  she  secured  to  herself  the  finest  Empire 
in  the  world,  yet  for  want  of  other  assistance,  this  Empire  is 
impoverished,  and  the  millions  of  square  miles  that  should  now 
be  teeming  with  wealth,  are  entirely  unproductive.  With  the 
nobler  qualities  of  the  old  Portuguese,  to  which  popular  his- 
tory has  never  done  justice,  was  mingled  a  narrowness  of  mind, 
that  was  natural  enough  in  the  subjects  of  an  old  and  priest-rid- 
den monarchy.  The  Brazilians  have  not  entirely  thrown  off  this 
prejudice  of  their  ancestors,  and  still  entertain  somewhat  of  the 
old  jealousy  of  foreigners,  but  very  naturally,  in  a  newly  libe- 
rated government,  they  dislike  the  Portuguese  above  all  others. 
Much  of  the  wealth  of  the  country  is  in  the  hands  of  the  Por- 
tuguese, who,  coming  over  when  young,  with  habits  of  shrewd- 
ness, and  economy,  almost  always  accumulate  fortunes.  The 
Brazilians  are  no  match  for  them  in  these  qualities,  and  there- 
fore hate  them  most  cordially.  For  the  same  reason,  this  feel- 
ing is  continually  excited,  although  in  a  lesser  degree,  against 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON.         247 

other  foreigners,  but  more  in  some  parts  of  the  Empire  than 
others,  and  probably,  as  little  in  Para  as  any  where. 

The  Brazilian  government  offers  great  inducements  to  emi- 
grants, and  yet  these  are  more  than  neutralized  by  disabilities 
and  present  disadvantages.  Land  is  free  of  cost,  and  upon 
any  vacant  section,  a  man  may  settle,  with  the  proprietorship 
of,  at  least,  a  square  league,  and  as  much  more  as  he  really 
requires.  Moreover,  any  new  improvement  in  tools,  or  ma- 
chinery, may  be  introduced  free  of  duties. 

The  ground  is  easily  cleared,  as  the  roots  of  the  trees  do 
not  extend  far  beneath  the  surface,  and  the  efforts  of  man  are 
further  aided  by  causes  attendant  upon  the  clime.  The  soil  is 
of  the  greatest  fertility,  and  sugar  cane,  rice,  coffee,  anatto, 
cotton,  cacao,  and  a  hundred  other  products,  richly  repay  the 
labor  bestowed  upon  their  cultivation  ;  while  from  the  forests 
are  obtained  gums  and  drugs,  all  yielding  a  revenue.  Almost 
every  thing  grows  to  hand  that  man  requires  ;  living  is  cheap, 
and  the  climate  delightful. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  counteracting  obstacles  are  very 
great.  Although  the  government  professes  every  desire  for 
the  accession  of  foreigners,  it  denies  them  the  rights  of  citizen- 
ship, excepting  under  peculiar  circumstances,  which,  of  course, 
obliges  them  to  labor  under  legal  disabilities. 

Again,  import  duties  are  extravagantly  high,  and  articles 
of  furniture,  tools,  or  machinery,  which  cannot  be  manufac- 
tured in  the  country  without  great  expense,  if  at  all,  are  taxed 
so  highly  as  to  be  really  prohibited ;  although,  as  before  stated, 
new  inventions  and  improvements,  are  introduced  from  abroad 
without  charge. 

But  a  greater  drawback,  by  far,  is  the  export  duty,  the 
most  stupid,  indefensible  measure  that  could  be  conceived ;  a 
withering  curse  to  all  enterprise,  and  a  more  effectual  hinder- 
ance  to  the  prosperity  of  Brazil,  than  a  weak  government, 
dishonest  officials,  a  debased  currency,  and  all  other  influences 
together.  Brazilian  statesmen  (?)  imagine  that  the  export  tax 
comes  directly  from  the  pocket  of  the  foreign  purchaser, 
whereas,  it  recoils  upon  the  producer,  and  its  effect  is  to  make 
the  price  paid  for  labor  so  low,  as  to  prohibit   cultivation. 


248 


A  VOYAGE  UP  THE  RIVER  AMAZON. 


There  is  scarcely  a  product  raised  in  the  two  countries,  in 
which  Brazil  could  not  undersell  the  United  States  in  every 
market  of  the  world,  were  it  not  for  this  tax.  Its  cotton  and 
rice,  even  during  the  past  year,  have  been  shipped  from  Para 
to  New- York.  Its  tobacco  is  preferable  to  the  best  Virginian, 
and  can  be  raised  in  inexhaustible  quantities. 

The  imposition  upon  the  producer  is  also  increased  by  the 
tithe  required  for  the  church,  and,  between  the  two,  the  lower 
classes  are  under  a  burden,  which  occasionally  becomes  insup- 
portable, and  which  is  the  undoubted  cause  of  the  general  and 
increasing  disaffection  toward  the  government,  and  of  the  revo- 
lutions which  have  heretofore  broken  out,  and  which  are  always 
feared.  Rubber  shoes,  which  are  principally  made  by  the  low 
whites  and  Indians,  pay  three  taxes  to  the  treasury  before  they 
leave  the  country,  until  the  first  price  is  nearly  doubled.  Not 
a  basket  of  oranges,  or  of  assai,  comes  to  market,  untaxed. 

Not  only  do  products  exported  to  foreign  countries  pay  du- 
ties, but  even  from  one  Brazilian  port  to  another,  and  from  one 
inland  town  to  another.  A  few  bags  of  coffee,  which  were 
sent  by  us  from  the  Barra  of  the  Rio  Negro  to  Santarem,  paid 
duties  at  the  latter  place.  .  Chili  hats,  coming  from  Peru,  pay 
duties  at  the  frontier,  again  at  Para,  and  again  at  Rio  Janeiro. 
No  country  in  the  world  could  bear  up  under  such  intolerable 
exactions,  and  Brazilian  statesmen  may  thank  their  own  folly 
if  the  Empire  be  dismembered. 

Another  obstacle,  severely  felt,  is  the  want  of  a  circulating 
medium.  The  Brazilian  currency  consists  almost  entirely  of 
copper,  and  paper  issued  by  the  government.  The  smallest 
value  is  one  ree,  corresponding  to  one  half  mill  in  our  currency, 
and  the  smallest  coin  is  of  ten  rees :  the  largest  of  eighty,  or 
four  vintens.  One  thousand  rees  make  a  milree,  the  smallest 
paper  note,  about  equal  in  value  to  a  half  dollar.  There  are 
various  issues,  from  one  milree  to  one  thousand.  Excepting  in 
the  city,  and  upon  the  remote  frontiers,  gold  and  silver  will  not 
circulate.  The  amount  of  bills,  in  the  province  of  Para,  is 
never  adequate  to  the  wants  of  the  people,  and  their  tendency 
is  always  to  the  city.  Furthermore,  by  the  operations  of  go- 
vernment, even  the  little  currency  that  is  floating,  is  constantly 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  249 

fluctuating  in  value.  Upon  one  pretext  or  another,  they  call 
in  notes  of  a  certain  denomination,  at  short  notice,  and  under 
a  heavy  discount.  Such  was  the  case  with  the  two  milree 
notes,  when  we  were  upon  the  river.  Not  long  since,  it  was 
discovered  that  the  Treasurer  at  Rio  Janeiro,  had  sent  to  the 
provinces  a  vast  amount  of  money  for  the  payment  of  the 
troops,  which  was  certainly  struck  off  the  original  plate,  but 
differed  from  the  true  emission  by  the  absence  of  a  letter  or 
word.  It  was  a  fraud  of  the  Treasurer,  unless,  as  many  be- 
lieved, sanctioned  by  the  government.  These  bills  were  scat- 
tered to  the  remotest  corners  of  the  Empire,  when  suddenly 
appeared  an  order,  recalling  the  whole,  within  a  certain  lim- 
ited time.  If  this  were  a  speculation  of  the  government,  it 
was,  probably,  a  profitable  one,  though  the  country  may  not 
have  received  the  benefit  of  it.  But  a  few  years  since,  one 
milree  was  nearly  or  quite  equivalent  in  value  to  one  dollar  in 
silver. 

The  truth  is,  that  the  Brazilian  government  is  a  weak  gov- 
ernment. It  is  too  republican  to  be  a  monarchy,  and  too  mo- 
narchical to  be  a  republic.  If  it  were  decidedly  one  or  the 
other,  there  would  be  greater  strength  and  greater  freedom ; 
but  now,  it  has  neither  the  bulwark  of  an  aristocracy,  nor  the 
affection  of  the  people.  It  is  forced  to  depend  entirely  upon  a 
regular  army  for  its  existence,  and  is  kept  in  a  state  of  constant 
alarm  by  disturbances  in  its  provinces,  or  invasions  of  its  fron- 
tiers ;  it  is  bowed  beneath  a  heavy  foreign  debt,  and  obliged 
to  use  all  kinds  of  expedients,  not  to  make  advance,  but  to 
retain  its  position. 

Were  Para  a  free  and  independent  State,  its  vast  wilds 
would,  in  a  few  years,  be  peopled  by  millions,  and  its  products 
would  flood  the  world.  It  contains  an  area  of  950,000  square 
miles,  nearly  half  the  area  of  the  United  States  and  all  its  ter- 
ritories. Its  soil  is  every  where  of  exhaustless  fertility,  and 
but  an  exceedingly  small  portion  of  it  is  unfitted  for  cultivation. 
The  noblest  rivers  of  the  world  open  communication  with  its 
remotest  parts,  and  lie  spread  like  net-work  over  its  surface.  It 
is  estimated  that  the  Amazon  and  its  tributaries  present  an  ag- 
gregate navigable  length  of  from  40,000  to  50,000  miles.     The 


250  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

whole  territory  is  as  much  superior,  in  every  respect,  to  the  val- 
ley of  the  Mississippi,  as  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  is  to  that 
of  the  Hudson. 

But  besides  the  hinderances  to  prosperity  on  the  part  of  the 
government,  the  settler  has  other  disadvantages  to  struggle 
against,  one  of  which  being  the  deficiency  of  means  of  trans- 
portation throughout  the  interior,  may  be  but  temporary  ;  the 
other  is  the  effect  of  the  climate.  It  is  not  to  be  denied,  that 
although  the  climate  is  singularly  healthy,  its  constant  heat  is 
enervating,  and  that  natives  of  colder  regions,  after  a  few  years' 
residence,  have  not  that  bodily  strength  requisite  to  daily  and 
protracted  toil.  It  is  only  in  the  early  morning,  and  late  in  the 
afternoon,  that  white  men  can  labor  in  the  open  air  ;  but  where 
a  white  would  inevitably  receive  a  sun-stroke,  a  negro  labors 
with  uncovered  head,  without  injury  or  exhaustion.  The  one 
has  capacity  to  direct,  and  the  other  the  ability  to  perform,  and 
it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  resources  of  Brazil  can  ever 
be  successfully  developed,  without  a  co-operation  of  the  two 
races.  The  blacks  need  not  be  slaves,  they  would  answer 
every  purpose,  in  being  apprentices  after  the  British  West 
India  system. 

Brazilian  slavery,  as  it  is,  is  little  more  than  slavery  in  name. 
Prejudice  against  color  is  scarcely  known,  and  no  white  thinks 
less  of  his  wife  because  her  ancestors  came  from  over  the  wa- 
ter. Half  the  officers  of  the  government  and  of  the  army,  are 
of  mingled  blood  ;  and  padres,  and  lawyers,  and  doctors  of  the 
intensest  hue,  are  none  the  less  esteemed.  The  educated 
blacks  are  just  as  talented,  and  just  as  gentlemanly  as  the 
whites,  and  in  repeated  instances,  we  received  favors  from 
them,  which  we  were  happy  to  acknowledge. 

Efforts  have  been  made  for  the  establishment  of  steamboats 
upon  the  Amazon,  but  from  causes  unforeseen,  and  not  inhe- 
rent in  the  enterprise,  they  have  failed.  A  few  years  since, 
the  government  granted  a  monopoly  of  the  river,  for  a  term  of 
years,  to  a  citizen  of  Para.  A  company  was  formed,  and  a 
small  steamboat  brought  out,  but  from  lack  of  confidence  in  the 
individual  referred  to,  the  enterprise  progressed  no  further.  It 
is  said,  the  government  are  ready  to  renew  their  offers,  and 


A    VOYAGE   UP   THE    RIVER   AMAZON.  251 

there  can  be  no  question  but  that  an  efficient  company  would 
meet  success.  Such  a  company  should  have  sufficient  capital  to 
enable  it  to  purchase  its  own  freight  in  the  interior,  at  least,  in 
the  beginning  of  the  enterprise.  For.  at  first,  the  novelty  of 
the  thing,  and  the  general  dislike  to  innovation,  would  prevent 
the  co-operation  of  the  people  at  large.  Time  and  success 
would  soon  wear  away  their  prejudices.  The  present  method 
of  transportation  is  so  tedious  and  expensive,  that  a  steamboat 
would  destroy  all  opposition  from  the  river  craft,  and  by  ap- 
pointing proper  agents  in  the  several  towns,  and  making  the 
upper  depot  at  the  Barra  of  the  Rio  Negro,  constant  and  profit- 
able freights  would  always  be  secured. 

A  boat  built  of  the  wood  of  the  country,  would  be  prefera- 
ble, on  account  of  its  not  being  affected  by  boring  worms  in  the 
water,  or  by  insects  ;  but  perhaps  the  former  might  be  avoided 
by  copper. 

The  navigation  of  the  river  is  perfectly  clear,  excepting  in 
the  Bays  of  Marajo  and  Limoeiro,  and  surveys  in  these,  would 
no  doubt  discover  convenient  channels.  There  are  neither 
snags,  nor  sawyers ;  the  only  thing  of  the  kind  being  floating 
cedars,  easily  guarded  against. 

If  a  company  were  formed,  much  of  the  stock  would  be  ta- 
ken in  Para,  and  the  enterprise  would  receive  every  encourage- 
ment from  the  citizens.  Sooner  or  later,  the  Amazon  must  be 
the  channel  of  a  vast  commerce,  and  Para  must  be,  from  the 
advantages  of  its  situation,  one  of  the  largest  cities  of  the 
world. 

It  remains  further  to  speak  of  the  climate  of  Para,  and  of 
the  extraordinary  advantages  which  it  presents  to  invalids  and 
travellers. 

The  seasons  are,  properly  speaking,  but  two,  the  rainy 
and  the  dry.  The  former  commences  about  the  1st  of  Jan- 
uary, and  continues  until  July.  During  the  first  part  of  this 
time,  rain  pours  unremittingly ;  then,  for  a  season,  the  greater 
part  of  the  afternoon  and  night,  and,  at  last,  perhaps  only  in  a 
daily  shower.  At  this  time,  also,  the  trade-winds  blow  with 
less  regularity  than  in  summer. 

Throughout  the  dry  season,  more  or  less  rain  falls  weekly, 


252  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 

but  strong  trades  blow,  heavy  dews  distil,  and  the  climate  is 
perfectly  delightful.  This  season  commences,  in  the  interior, 
one  or  two  months  earlier  than  at  Para,  and,  during  its  con- 
tinuance, rain  falls  more  rarely.  At  this  time,  a  passage  up 
the  river  is  speedy,  and  a  descent  exceedingly  tedious.  Senhor 
Henriquez  told  us,  that  he  was  once  sixty  days  in  coming  from 
the  Rio  Negro  to  Para,  in  a  small  boat,  on  account  of  the 
winds.  Thunder  and  lightning  rarely  accompany  the  rains, 
and  any  thing  approaching  a  tornado  is  almost  unknown. 

It  seems  singular,  that  directly  under  the  equator,  where, 
through  a  clear  atmosphere,  the  sun  strikes  vertically  upon 
the  earth,  the  heat  should  be  less  oppressive  than  in  the 
latitude  of  New  York.  This  is  owing  to  several  causes.  The 
days  are  but  twelve  hours  long,  and  the  earth  does  not  become 
so  intensely  heated  as  where  they  are  sixteen.  The  vast 
surface  of  water  constantly  cools  the  air  by  its  evaporation,  and 
removes  the  irksome  dryness,  that  in  temperate  regions,  renders 
a  less  degree  of  heat  insupportable.  And  finally,  the  constant 
winds  blowing  from  the  sea,  refresh  and  invigorate  the  system. 

According  to  observations  made  by  Mr.  Norris,  during  the 
months  of  June,  July  and  August,  at  the  hours  of  6  A.  M.,  3 
P.  M.,  and  8  P.  M.,  the  .mean  temperature  for  June  was  79°  98' 
Far. ;  the  highest  86°,  lowest  77° :  for  July,  the  mean  was  80° 
54' ;  highest  86°  lowest  77°  :  for  August,  the  mean  was  80°  92' ; 
highest  86°,  lowest  77°.  The  mean  for  the  three  months  was 
80°  48',  and  the  variation  but  9°.  I  do  not  believe  that  another 
spot  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  can  show  a  like  result.  This 
heat  we  never  felt  to  be  oppressive,  except  when  dining  in 
state,  in  black  cloth  coats.  Moreover  we  were  never  incom- 
moded by  heat  at  night,  and  invariably  slept  under  a 
blanket.  The  reason  for  this,  and  also  for  wearing  flannel 
next  the  skin,  at  all  times,  is,  that  in  a  very  few  weeks,  a 
person  becomes  so  acclimated  as  to  be  sensitive  to  a  very  slight 
degree  of  variation  in  the  temperature. 

This  equality  of  temperature  renders  the  climate  of  Para 
peculiarly  favorable  to  health.  There  is  no  kind  of  epidemic 
disease;  people  live  to  a  good  old  age,  and  probably  the 
average  of  life  is  as  high  as  in  the  city  of  New- York. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  253 

Such  a  climate  is  invaluable  to  invalids,  particularly  those 
suffering  from  pulmonary  complaints.  Two  hundred  years 
ago,  Sir  William  Temple  wrote  after  this  manner  upon  the 
Brazilian  climate  generally:  "  I  know  not  whether  there  may 
be  anything  in  the  climate  of  Brazil  more  propitious  to  health, 
than  in  other  countries ;  for  besides  what  was  observed  among 
the  natives  upon  the  first  European  discoveries,  I  remember 
Don  Francisco  de  Mello,  a  Portugal  embassador  in  England, 
told  me,  it  was  frequent  in  his  country  for  men  spent  with  age 
or  other  decays,  so  as  they  could  not  hope  for  above  a  year  or 
two  of  life,  to  ship  themselves  away  in  a  Brazil  fleet,  and  upon 
their  arrival  there,  to  go  on  to  a  great  length,  sometimes  of 
twenty  or  thirty  years,  or  more,  by  the  force  of  that  vigor  they 
received  with  that  remove.  Whether  such  an  effect  might 
grow  from  the  air,  or  the  fruits  of  that  climate,  or  by  approach- 
ing nearer  the  sun,  which  is  the  fountain  of  life  and  heat,  when 
their  natural  heat  was  so  far  decayed ;  or  whether  the  piecing 
out  of  an  old  man's  life  were  worth  the  pains,  I  cannot  say." 
This  is  more  true  of  the  climate  of  Para,  than  of  any  other  part 
of  Brazil. 

Multitudes  of  persons  from  the  Northern  States,  now  visit 
the  south,  in  search  of  health,  or  spend  their  winters  in  the 
West  India  Islands,  at  great  expense,  and  little  gain,  who  in 
Para,  could  reside  for  comparatively  nothing,  with  a  certainty 
of  recovery.  The  passage  out  is  low,  from  fifty  to  seventy-five 
dollars,  and  living  in  the  city  is  cheap.  At  present,  there  are 
no  houses  for  public  accommodation,  but  until  the  influx  of 
strangers  imperatively  required  one,  the  citizens  and  the 
foreign  residents  would  receive  the  comers  with  open  arms. 
And  Brazilian  hospitality  is  not  hospitality  only  in  name ;  it  is 
the  outflowing  of  a  noble  and  generous  warmheartedness  that 
would  redeem  a  thousand  failings.  But  if  individuals  prefer, 
houses  are  always  to  be  obtained  and  servants  always  to  be 
hired,  and  they  may  live  as  they  please. 

The  novelty  and  beauty  of  the  country,  as  well  as  the 
luxury  of  the  climate,  afford  sufficient  inducements  to  the  in- 
valid for  seeking  both  health  and  pleasure,  in  Para,  while  its 
trees  and  flowers,  birds,  shells  and  insects,  offer  exhaustless 

12 


254  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RTVER    AMAZON. 

resources  for  diverting  the  mind,  and  promoting  the  bodily  ex- 
ercise necessary  to  a  recovery  of  health. 

Good  medical  care  is  always  present ;  the  physicians  of  the 
city  being  graduates  from  European  universities.  Moreover, 
the  medicines  peculiar  to  the  country  are  of  great  number  and 
efficacy,  and  there  is  scarcely  a  form  of  disease  for  which 
Nature  has  not  a  remedy  at  hand.  An  instance  in  point  came 
directly  under  our  observation,  the  gentleman  who  was  the 
patient  being  for  several  weeks  with  us,  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Norris.  He  had  gone  out  from  the  United  States  with  his 
system  so  filled  with  mercury,  that  his  mouth  was  ulcerated, 
his  teeth  dropping  out,  and  his  joints  so  affected  that  every 
motion  produced  agony.  He  was  recommended,  at  Para,  to 
try  a  remedy  called  by  the  Indians  Mu-lu-re,  which  is  the 
juice  of  a  creeping  plant  found  plentifully  throughout  the 
country.  In  three  weeks,  our  friend  was  perfectly  cured,  and 
is  now  in  the  United  States,  a  well  man.  We  heard  of  similar 
astonishing  cures  from  other  individuals  who  had  been  the 
subjects,  and  every  one  in  Para  is  acquainted  with  the  virtues 
of  the  medicine.  Why  it  has  not  been  known  abroad,  it  is 
difficult  to  say. 

There  is  a  wide  field  for  medical  inquiry  yet  left  in  the 
Brazilian  forests,  and  one  that  demands  to  be  explored. 

It  may  be  that  some  naturalist  or  sportsman  may  be  incited 
by  the  recent  accounts  of  adventures  on  the  Amazon,  to  un- 
dertake an  expedition  thither  for  research  or  pastime,  and  as 
we  ourselves  were  unable  to  gain  proper  information  with 
regard  to  the  articles  necessary  to  an  outfit,  a  few  words  upon 
that  subject  will,  perhaps,  not  be  useless.  In  the  way  of 
clothes,  half  a  dozen  suits  of  light  material,  some  of  which  are 
calculated  for  forest  wear,  are  necessary,  and  may  be  obtained 
ready  made,  and  at  low  prices,  at  any  of  our  Southern  clothing 
stores;  as  well  as  check  and  flannel  shirts.  A  black  dress 
suit  is  required  by  Para  etiquette.  A  naturalist's  implements 
must  also  be  taken  out,  as  well  as  powder,  fine  shot,  arsenic, 
flower  presses,  and  paper  and  wooden  boxes  for  insects  and 
other  objects.  Many  of  these  things  cannot  be  obtained  at 
all,  or  only  at  extravagant  prices  and  of  poor  quality,  at  Para. 


A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON.  255 


As  for  medicines,  we  took  out  a  well  filled  chest,  and  ex- 
cepting for  one  or  two  doses  of  calomel,  never  opened  it  on 
our  own  account.  Hartshorn  is  more  valuable  than  aught 
else,  being  effectual  against  the  stings  of  all  insects. 

Hammocks  are  always  to  be  had,  but  blankets  are  not,  and 
if  a  man  intends  to  stretch  himself  upon  hard  boards,  a  rubber 
pillow  is  rather  softer  than  a  gun-case.  We  also  took  out  a 
variety  of  rubber  articles.  The  clothes'  bags  were  useful,  and 
the  light  cloaks  answered  in  the  absence  of  something  better, 
but  as  a  general  thing,  the  articles  were  all  humbugs.  And  most 
especially  are  rubber  boots,  which  ought  to  have  been  known 
to  the  Inquisition.  A  far  better  article  for  a  cloak  is  the 
Spanish  poncho,  a  square  cloth,  with  a  hole  in  the  middle,  for 
the  neck.  Made  of  heavy  cloth,  and  lined  with  baize,  no  rain 
since  the  deluge  could  wet  it  through,  and  it  always  answers 
for  bed  or  pillow. 

As  to  ignorance  of  the  language,  that  is  a  matter  of  no 
consequence.  The  Portuguese  is  intimately  allied  to  the 
Spanish,  and  is  one  of  the  most  easily  acquired  languages  in 
the  world.  A  stranger  readily  learns  the  necessary  phrases, 
when  he  is  compelled  to  do  so,  and  a  few  weeks'  attention 
renders  him  sufficiently  an  adept  for  all  practical  purposes. 
Not  only  are  there  many  foreigners  in  Para  who  speak  English, 
but  it  is  very  generally  understood  by  the  Brazilian  and  Por- 
tuguese merchants  of  the  city. 

It  was  a  delightful  morning  in  the  latter  part  of  October, 
when,  in  the  good  bark  Undine,  we  bade  adieu  to  Para.  We 
had  come  from  winter  into  summer,  and  were  now  returning 
to  winter  again,  and  although  the  thoughts  of  home  were 
pleasant,  it  was  very  hard  to  part  with  kind  friends,  and  to  say 
a -farewell,  that  was  to  be  perpetual,  to  this  land  of  sunshine, 
of  birds  and  flowers. 

Our  passage  was  long  and  tedious.  For  days,  we  lay  be- 
calmed beneath  torrid  burnings,  and  when  winds  did  come, 
they  blew  in  furious  gales.  But  we  had  wherewithal  to  amuse 
ourselves,  and  upon  sundry  occasions,  enlivened  the  mornings 
by  spearing  a  dolphin,  or  by  hooking  a  shark.  The  parrots 
and  monkeys,  too,  exerted  themselves  in  our  behalf.     Some 


256  A    VOYAGE    UP    THE    RIVER    AMAZON. 


of  the  parrots  died,  and  the  prized  gift  of  Senhor  Bentos  de- 
liberately dove  from  one  of  the  upper  yards,  into  the  deep,  deep 
sea.  The  paroquets  bore  the  voyage  bravely,  housed  in  a 
flannel-covered  basket,  and  yellow-top  now  chatters  as  mer- 
rily as  in  his  far  distant  home,  by  the  Rio  Negro.  The  little 
dnck  that  we  picked  up  from  the  water,  under  the  christian 
designation  of  Paddy,  swims  proudly  in  an  Ulster  lake,  and 
discourses  to  the  marakong  geese  who  keep  him  company,  of 
the  sudden  changes  of  life,  and  the  virtue  of  contentment. 
But  the  poor  macaw,  who  had  been  our  faithful  companion 
from  the  remotest  point  of  our  travels,  and  who  had  made  a 
triumphant  entry  into  New- York  streets,  covered  in  a  blanket, 
and  declaiming  lustily  to  passers-by,  ventured,  one  cold  night, 
to  the  outer  yard,  and  perished  the  victim  of  his  imprudence. 


THE   END. 


WORKS    BY    M.    MICHELET. 

Published  by  D.  Appleton  Sf  Co.,  200  Broadway 

HISTORY    OF    FRANCE, 

FROM  THE  EARLIEST  PERIOD. 

TRANSLATED  BY  G.  H.  SMITH,  F.  G.  S. 

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HISTORY 

OF  THE 

ROMAN      REPUBLIC. 

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state  of  Rome  and  the  surrounding  country,  full  of  grand  ruins,  he  excites  in  the 
reader  the  desire  to  investigate  the  ancient  history  of  this  wonderful  land.  He  next 
imparts  the  results  of  the  latest  investigations,  entire,  deeply  studied  and  clearly 
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and  the  life  of  the  Roman  people  in  a  masterly  manner,  and  he  fascinates  every 
reader,  by  the  brilliant  clearness  and  vivid  freshness  of  his  style,  while  he  shows 
himself  a  good  historian,  by  the  justness  and  impartiality  with  which  he  relates  and 
philosophizes." 

THE    LIFE 

OF 

MARTIN     LUTHER, 

GATHERED  FROM  HIS  OWN  WRITINGS 

By  M.  Michelet:  translated  by  G.  H.  Smith,  F.  G.  S. 

One  handsome  volume,  12mo.    Cloth  75  cts.,  Paper  cover  50  ct9. 

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!.-»'.  is  it  a  history  of  the  establishment  of  Lutheranism.  It  is  simply  a  biography, 
c-««posed  of  a  series  of  translations.  Excepting  that  portion  of  it  which  has  refer- 
er"«w  to  his  childhood,  and  which  Luther  himself  has  left  undescribed,  the  translator 
has  rarely  found  occasion  to  make  his  own  appearance  on  the  scene.  ***** 
It  is  almost  invariably  Luther  himself  who  speaks,  almost  invariably  Luther  related 
by  Luther. — Extract  from  M.  Michelefs  Preface. 

THE  PEOPLE. 

TRANSLATED  BY  G.  H.  SMITH,  F.  G.  S. 

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I  have  made  this  book  out  of  myself,  out  of  my  life,  and  out  of  my  heart  I  have 
derived  it  from  my  observation,  from  my  relations  of  friendship  and  of  neighborhood ; 
have  picked  it  up  upon  the  roads.  Chance  loves  to  favor  thoso  who  follow  out  ono 
continuous  idea.  Above  all,  I  have  found  it  in  the  recollections  of  my  youth.  To 
know  the  life  of  the  people,  their  labor  and  their  sufferings,  I  had  but  to  interrogate 
my  memory. — Extract  from  Jlulhor'a  Preface. 


STANDARD  HISTORICAL  WORKS. 

Published  by  D.  Ajjjpleton  fy  Co 
THE    HISTORY    OF    ROME, 

FROM  THE  EARLIEST  PERIOD. 

BY    THOMAS    ARNOLD,    D.   D., 

Late  Head  Master  of  Rugby  School,  and  Regius  Professor  of  History  in  the  University  of 

Oxford. 
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have  been  devoted  to  the  work.  *  *  *  *  In  his  views  of  history,  he  admired  and 
professedly  imitated  Niebuhr ;  yet  while  he  adopted  many  of  the  theories,  and  followed 
in  the  footsteps  of  that  great  master  of  historical  philosophy,  he  was  not  a  copyist,  nor  a 
mere  compiler,  for  his  own  work  is  replete  with  spirit  and  originality." — Cincinnati  Atlas. 

HISTORY  OF 

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BY    THOMAS    ARNOLD,    D.   D. 
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LECTURES   ONMODERN    HISTORY, 

BY    THOMAS    ARNOLD,  D.  D. 

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"  We  commend  it  with  great  pleasure  to  all  students  of  history,  and  to  the  lovers  of 
education  generally. — Savannah  Republican. 

A  MANUAL  OF  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  HISTORY, 

BY     W.     COOKE     TAYLOR,     LL.    D., 
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HISTORY    OF    GERMANY, 

FROM  THE  EARLIEST  PERIOD  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 

BY  FREDERICK  KOHLRAUSCH, 

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History  in  the  Polytechnic  School. 

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GUIZOT'S  HISTORICAL  WORKS. 


D.  Appleton  fy  Co.,  publish,  complete  in  four  volumes, 

THE  HISTORY   OF    CIVILIZATION, 

FROM  THE  FALL  OF  THE  ROMAN  EMPIRE  TO  THE 

FRENCH  REVOLUTION. 

BY  F.  GUIZOT, 

Prime  Minister  of  France,  etc.     Translated  by  William  Hazlitt.     Price,  neatly  bound  in 
cloth,  $3  50  ;  or  paper  cover,  $3  00. 

n  This  work  is  divided  into  two  Parts.  The  First  contains  a  General 
History,  or  rather  a  profound  Philosophical  Analysis,  of  the  leading  events 
of  the  History  of  the  Nations  of  Europe  from  the  Fall  of  the  Roman 
Empire  to  1789,  and  of  the  principles  that  governed  the  historical  pro- 
gress of  Europe  during  that  period.  The  Second  contains  the  History 
of  Civilization  in  France  in  particular,  with  a  general  glance  at  the  rest 
of  Europe.  The  study  of  the  social  and  political  progress  of  what  is 
called  Modern  Civilization  is  entered  into  more  minutely  in  the  Second 
Fart,  and  hence  it  became  necessary  to  select  one  Nation  as  a  type  and 
to  study  it  particularly.  M.  Guizot  very  properly  made  choice  of  France, 
which,  intellectually,  has  been,  as  she  still  is,  the  Leader  of  Europe  in 
social  and  political  progress. 

We  cannot  speak  in  too  high  terms  of  this  admirable  work.  As  a 
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Nations  that  now  exist  upon  the  earth,  and  as  a  clear  and  comprehensive 
summary  of  the  events  of  the  great  historical  epochs  that  succeeded  each 
other,  we  think  that  this  work  has  no  rival.  Others  have  written  more 
in  detail,  and  introduced  us,  as  Thierry  has  done,  more  intimately  into 
the  daily  life  and  the  manners  of  the  People  ;  but  for  a  study  of  the  prin- 
ciples that  have  lain  at  the  foundation  of  the  historical  life  and  the  work- 
ings  of  Nations,  and  of  the  philosophy  of  the  historical  movements  which 
have  marked  the  progress  of  European  History,  we  think  that  M.  Guizot 
has  not  been  equalled.  His  insight  into,  and  his  dissection  of  the  causes 
that  led  to  the  establishment  of  political  institutions,  and  his  analysis  oi 
the  signification  of  great  political  and  religious  events,  are  clear  and  pro- 
found, and  must  assist  the  student  incalculably  in  obtaining  a  knowledge 
of  the  history  of  which  he  treats.  The  rise  and  constitution  of  the 
Feudal  System,  of  the  Church,  the  Affranchisement  of  the  Cities,  the 
commencement  of  Intellectual  progress  in  Europe,  the  signification  of  the 
Reformation,  are  among  the  topics  luminously  explained  by  the  powerful 
talent  of  M.  Guizot. 

France  has  produced,  within  late  years,  some  remarkable  historians 
and  Appleton  &,  Co.  are  rendering  an  important  service  to  the  public  in 
republishing  their  works.  The  study  of  History  will  be  rendered  more 
attractive,  and  a  clear  view  of  principles  rather  than  a  mere  external 
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work  to  every  reader  of  History  as  one  which  appears  to  us  indispensable." — • 
Tribune. 

By  the  same  Author, 

HISTORY    OF    THE    ENGLISH 
REVOLUTION    OF    1640, 

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TRANSLATED  BY  THE  REV.  HENRY  CARY,  A.  M., 

With  a  Life  of  Dante,  Chronological  View  of  his  Age.  Additional  Notes  and  Index 
Illustrated  with  TWELVE  STEEL  ENGRAVINGS,  from  designs  by  JOHN  FLAX 
MAN,  It.  A.,  and  a  finely  engraved   Portrait.     One  elegant  volume,  lomo.,  $1  f>U. 

This  standard  classic  is  now  for  the  first  ti»>"  resented  to  the  Amencan  public,  i* 
I  style  worthy  of  its  intrinsic  merits 


WORKS  ON  AGRICULTURE,  THE  HORSE,  ETC. 

Published  by  D.  Appleton,  fy  Co. 
THE  FARMER'S  HAND-BOOK: 

Being  a  Full  and  Complete  Guide  for  the  Farmer  and  Emigrant.  Comprising — The 
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vention and  Cure  of  Disease  ;  with  copious  Tables,  Recipes,  Hints,  &c,  &c.  By 
Josiah  T.  Marshall.  One  volume,  12mo.,  illustrated  with  numerous  wood  engravings. 
Neatlv  bound.     Price  $1  ;  paper  cover,  62/6  cents. 

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RURAL  ECONOMY, 

In  its  relations  with  Chemistry,  Physics,  and  Meteorology  ;  or,  Chemistry  applied  to 
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American  Agriculturist. 

THE  FARMER'S  MANUAL  : 

A  Practical  Treatise  on  the  Nature  and  Value  of  Manures,  founded  from  Experiments 
on  various  Crops,  with  a  hrief  account  of  the  most  Recent  Discoveries  in  Agricultural 
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THE  FARMER'S  TREASURE: 

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bound  together.     12mo,  75  cents. 

STABLE  ECONOMY : 

A  Treatise  on  the  Management  of  Horses,  in  relation  to  Stabling,  Grooming,  Feeding, 
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trated  with  23  Engravings,  $1. 

No  one  should  build  a  stable  or  own  a  horse  without  consulting  the  excellent  direc 
lions  for  stabling  and  using  the  horse,  in  this  book  of  Stewart's.     It  is  an  invaluable  vade 
mecum  for  all  who  have  the  luxury  of  a  stable." — Eve.  Mirror. 

THE  HORSE'S  FOOT; 

AND  HOW  TO  KEEP  IT  SOUND. 

With  Illustrations  by  William  Miles,  Esq.,  from  the  Third  London  Edition,  with  23 
plates.     Price  25  cents. 

This  work  has  received  the  unqualified  recommendation  of  the  Quarterly,  the  Edin- 
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"It  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  owner  or  friend  of  the  horse." 

DOGS:  THEIR  ORIGIN  AND  VARIETIES. 

Directions  as  to  their  general  Management.     With  numerous  original  anecdotes.     Also 
Complete  Instructions  as  to  Treatment  under  Disease.     By  II.  D    Richardson.     Illus- 
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my, designed  as  a  compendious  Book  of  Reference  for  the  Manufacturer,  Tradesman, 
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STANDARD  EPISCOPAL  WORKS 

Published   by    D.   Appleton   fy    Co.,  New- York. 
THE  KINGDOM  OF  CHRIST  ; 

Or,  Hints  respecting  the  Principles,  Constitution,  and  Ordinances  of  the  Catholif 
Church.  By  Frederick  Dennison  Maurice,  M.  A.  Chaplain  of  Guy's  Hospital.  Pro- 
fessor of  English  Literature  and  History,  King's  College,  London.  One  elegant  octave 
volume  of  600  pages.     $2  50. 

PALMER'S  TREATISE  ON  THE  CHURCH. 

\  Treatise  on  the  Church  of  Christ.  Designed  chiefly  for  the  use  of  Students  in 
Theology.  By  the  Rev.  Wm.  Palmer,  M.  A.,  of  Worcester  College,  Oxford.  Edited, 
with  Notes,  by  the  Right  Rev.  W.  R.  Whittingham,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  Diocese  of  Maryland.  Two  volumes,  8vo.,  handsomely 
printed.     $5. 

PAROCHIAL  SERMONS. 

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Virgin's,  Oxford.  The  six  volumes  of  the  London  edition  complete  in  two  elegant 
8vo.  volumes  of  upwards  of  GOO  pages  each.    $5. 

PEARSON  ON  THE  CREED. 

An  Exposition  of  the  Creed,  by  John  Pearson,  D.  D.,  late  Bishop  of  Chester.  With 
an  Appendix,  containing  the  principal  Greek  and  Latin  Creeds.  Revised  and  cor- 
rected by  the  Rev.  W.  S.  Dobson,  M.  A.,  Peterhouse,  Cambridge.  One  handsomeSvo. 
volume.     $2. 

MAGEE  ON  ATONEMENT  AND  SACRIFICE. 

Discourses  and  Dissertations  on  the  Scriptural  Doctrines  of  Atonement  and  Sacri- 
fice, and  on  the  principal  Arguments  advanced,  and  the  mode  of  Reasoning  employed 
by  the  Opponents  of  those  Doctrines  as  held  by  the  Established  Church.  By  the  late 
most  Rev.  Wm.  Magee,,  D.  D.,  Archbishop  of  Dublin.  Two  volumes,  royal  8vo.s 
beautifully  p-inted.     $5. 

THE  PRIMITIVE  DOCTRINE  OF  ELECTION; 

Or,  an  Historical  Inquiry  into  the  Ideality  and  Causation  of  Scriptural  Election,  as 
received  and  maintained  in  the  Primitive  Church  of  Christ.  By  George  Stanley  Faber, 
B.  D.,  author  of  •'  Difficulties  of  Romanism,"  "  Difficulties  of  Infidelity,"  &c.  Com- 
plete in  one  volume,  octavo.     $1  75. 

PRACTICAL  SERMONS 

For  every  Sunday  and  Principal  Holyday  in  the  Year.  By  the  Rev.  Charles  Brail- 
ley,  A.  M.     Two  vols,  of  English  edition  in  one.     81  50. 

PAROCHIAL  SERMONS. 

Preached  at  Clapham  and  Glasbury.  By  the  Rev  Charles  Bradley.  From  the 
seventh  English  edition,  two  volumes  in  one.     $1  25. 

The  two  volumes  of  the  American  edition,  containing  four  volumes  of  the  English, 
bound  in  one  volume.     £2  50. 

%*  The  Sermons  of  Bradley  are  highly  recommended  by  eminent  divines  of  various 
denominations. 


D.  AppletorCs    Valuable  Episcopal  Publications. 
BURNET'S  HISTORY  OF  THE  REFORMATION. 

The  History  of  the  Refomartion  of  the  Church  of  England,  by  Gilbert  Burnet  D.  D 
late  Lord  Bishop  of  Salisbury-  with  the  Collection  of  Records  and  a  copious  Index 
revisedand  corrected,  with  additional  Notes  and  a  Preface,  by  the  Rev.E.  NaresL)  , 
D.,  late  Professor  i  f  Modern  History  in  the  Un  versity  of  Oxford.  Illustrated  with 
*  frontispiece  and  twenty-three  portraits,  forming  four  8vo.  volumes.  $8. 
Cheap  edition,  without  the  Records,  3  volumes,  8vo.     $2  50. 

BURNET  ON  THE  XXXIX.  ARTICLES. 

Exposition  of  the  Thirty-Nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  by  Gilbert 
Burnet,  D.  D.,  late  Bishop  of  Salisbury.  With  an  Appendix,  containing  the  Augs- 
burg Confession,  Creed  of  Pope  Pius  IV.,  &.c.  Revised  and  corrected,  with  copious 
Notes  and  additional  References,  by  the  Rev.  James  R.  Page,  A.  M.,  of  Q.ueena 
College,  Cambridge.     One  vol.,  octavo.     $2. 

OGILBYON  LAY  BAPTISM. 

An  outline  of  the  Argument  against  the  Validity  of  Lay  Baptism.  By  John  D 
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CHURCHMAN'S  LIBRARY. 

The  volumes  of  this  series  are  uniform  in   style,  and  highly  recommended  by   the 

Bishops  and  Clergy  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 
HOOK.     The  Cross  of  (Jhiist  ;   Meditations  on  our  Saviour,  16mo.        -        -    $    63 
IVES.  Bishop.     Sermons.     16mo.         -----...-63 
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MARSHALL'S  Notes  on  Episcopacy.     Edited  by  Wainwright,  J2mo.       -        -  1  25 
SPENCER'S  Christian  Instructed  in  the  Ways  of  the  Gospel  and  the  Church. 

16mo. 125 

NEWMAN'S  Sermons  on  Subjects  of  the  Day.     12mo. 1  25 

MANNING  on  the  Unity  of  the  Church.     16mo.    ....  1  00 

A  KEMPIS  of  the  Imitation  of  Christ,  complete.     16mo.        -        -        -        -  1  00 

SHERLOCK'S    Practical    Christian.      16mo 1  00 

SPINCKE'S  Manual  of  Private  Devotion.     16mo.  -  •  1  00 

WILSON  S  Sacra  Privata,  complete.     16mo.  -  1  00 

CHURTON'S  History  of  the   Early  English  Church. 1  00 

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GRESLEY'S  Portrait  of  an  English  Churchman -        -  75 

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THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  RICHARD  HOOKER. 

WITH    AN    ACCOUNT    OF     HI9    LIFE    AND    DEATH,    BY    ISAAC    WALTON. 

Arranged  by  the  Rev.  John  Keble,  A.  M. 
WITH    A    COMPLETE    GENERAL    INDEX, 

To  which  is  appended  an  Index  of  Texts  of  Scripture  prepared  expressly  for  this  edition. 

Three  volumes  of  Oxford  edition  in  two  handsome  8vo.  volumes.     Price  $4. 

*'  Hooker's  was  certainly  the  finest  mind  that  employed  itself  on  Theological 
studies  subsequently  to  the  Reformation  in  England,  and  his  great  work, '  The  Laws 
of  Ecclesiastical  Polity,'  is  likely  to  fulfil  the  prophecy  of  Clement,  and  last  until 
the  final  fire  shall  consume  all  learning." — Howes''  Sketches  of  the  Reformation. 


HEAP   POPULAR   WORKS 

Published  by  D.  Applcton  fy  Co, 


THE  HISTORY  AND  EXTRAORDINARY  ADVENTURES  OP 
MARGARET  CATCHPOLE,  a  Suffolk  Girl.  By  the  Rev. 
Richard  Corbold.  First  American,  from  the  Third  English 
edition,  with  two  illustrations.     Price  25  cents. 

CONTE  NTS'. 
Chapter  1,  Early  Scenes  ;  2,  The  Temptation  ;  3,  Misfortunes;  4,  Deceit;  5,  Wild 
Scenes;  6,  Harvest  Home;  7,  The  Conflict;  8,  Disappointment;  9,  Evil  Ways;  10 
The  Parting;  11,  The  Last  Interview  ;  12,  The  Welcome  Visit ;  13,  Poverty  and  Pride; 
14,  A  Cheerful  Change  ;  15,  A  New  Place  ;  16,  Bright  Hopes  ;  17,  Altercation  and  Ex- 
planation ;  18,  The  Reconciliation;  19,  The  Alteration;  20,  Change  of  Scene  and 
Change  of  Place  ;  21,  Guilt  and  Crime  ;  22,  Preparation  for  Trial  ;  23,  Trial  and  Con- 
demnation to  Death  ;  24,  The  Reprieve  and  Removal ;  25,  The  Escape  ;  26,  Pursuit 
and  Capture  ;  27,  Second  Trial,  and  second  time  Condemned  to  Death  ;  28,  Transporta- 
tion ;  29,  Banishment  ;  30.  Repentance  and  Amendment ;  31,  Conclusion. 

MARGUERITE  DE  VALOIS,  an  Historical  Romance.  By  Alex- 
ander  Dumas.  First  American  edition.  Price  25  cents. 
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INCIDENTS  OF  SOCIAL  LIFE  AMID  THE  EUROPEAN  ALPS 

Translated  fr  m  the  German  of  H.  Zschokke.     1  vol.  12mo.,  pa 

per  cover,  50  cents,  cl:>th  $1. 

This  volume  includes  four  narratives,  thus  entitled  : — 

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MY  UNCLE  HOBSON  AND  I;  or  Slashes  at  Life  with  a  Free  Broad 
Axe.    By  Pascal  Jones.    1  vol   12mo.,  paper  cover,  50  cents,  cloth 
75  cents. 

My  Uncle  Hohson  and  I — Have  you  read  the  book  ?  If  you  have  not,  huy  it.  The 
tale  is  well  told.  There  is  a  vein  of  philosophy  running  through  it  appMcable  to  every- 
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FORTUNES  OF  HECTOR  O'HALLORAN  and  his  man  Mark  An- 
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HANDY  ANDY:  a  Tale  of  Irish  Life,  by  S.  Lover.  Illustrated  with 
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boards,  $1   00.     Cheap  edition,  two  Pla'«^,  paper,  50  cents. 

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