228 MR. SPRUCE’S BOTANICAL EXCURSION 
alive as they were, and boiling them; then eating them entire, with 
the exception of the shells. 
Our course this morning is generally north—the river narrows— 
sandbanks disappear—rocks peep out right and left, dipping to S.S.E. 
at a small angle, and gradually increasing, as we proceed, to overhanging 
and dripping cliffs, which nourish a few ferns and mosses. Numerous 
little bats, the size of ordinary moths, flit about under these cliffs, or 
stick to them in long lines. From the banks of the river rise abrupt 
hills, thickly wooded, and displaying here and there a noble specimen 
of the Inajá palm (Maximiliana regia, Mart.), which is not very com- 
mon in this region. After traversing a long reach to the north, our 
course turns gradually westward. The current is more rapid—rocks 
stand out of the water here and there, or (still more dangerous) are 
concealed by a thin covering of water, requiring the man at the prow 
to keep a careful look-out. The scenery is beautiful: the slopes of 
the hills are covered with an unbroken mass of foliage in its freshest 
state, the slender white stems and large white leaves of the Imbaiiba 
mixing most agreeably with others of deeper hues; while here and 
there comes rushing down over rocks a slender rivulet, with a sound 
most delightful to my ears, from not having been previously heard 
since my departure from England. 
By midday we arrived at moorings, at the foot of the first cascade, 
in a small still bay on the east side of the river, with two tall Jauarí 
palms exactly in front, and close by a fine sandy praya, skirted by 
. numerous Agara bushes, which, being now covered with their snowy 
blossoms, resembled so many hawthorns, and emitted as delicious a 
perfume. For the last hour our course had been up rapids—two men 
hauling on shore by a strong sipó fastened to the prow, and the third 
with a pole sustaining the canoe from being dashed against the rocks 
at the margin and under the water, but with all his address not 
preventing us from receiving now and then a hard knock. We had 
all been anxious to reach the cataracts: this we had now safely accom- 
plished ; and, as it was Christmas-day, I determined that for the 
remainder of the day we would all rest from our labours. In the 
evening Mr. King and I drank the Yorkshire toast of “A merry 
Christmas and a happy new year" to our absent friends, in cashaca, 
considerably diluted with the water of the cachoeiras. 
I shall here throw together such observations as I was able to 
