ON THE AMAZON. 301 
much interested to fall in with a gentleman on his way up the river to 
his residence within the Sapucuá, who informed me that two years ago 
he went up the Aripecurü to seek Salsa, and that he and four com- 
panions resided above a month near the third cachoCira. This was 
in the month of September, when the weather was fine, the mato dry 
and less grown up with rubbish than now. They took only farinha 
with them, for then the woods were full of game, and they fared well ; 
ascended the river much higher than we did—passed (he says) twenty- 
six cachoéiras, in which, however, he includes places where the river 
merely runs rapidly among rocks. The Serra de Carnati is densely 
covered with mato; we therefore probably lost nothing in the way of 
plants by not ascending it. He never heard of the Serra d’Acarai, 
but from the description I gave of its position has no doubt the Serra 
de Carnaú belongs to the same group. The river passes to the west- 
ward of the highest point of the serra, forming some considerable 
falls over the shoulder which I had remarked. At the highest point 
he attained, the river still continued to descend from the north—its 
volume diminished, but its breadth the same. About half-way up the 
cachoéiras enters an igarapé, coming from the east, on the banks of 
which he collected much Salsa. He did not encounter any stream 
running northward. 
This account made me deeply regret that I had not had a more 
favourable season for exploring this interesting river ; but when I left 
Obidos every one seemed confident of my having at least a month of 
dry weather before me; for the dry season had commenced late and 
was expected to be prolonged until the end of January; whereas we 
afterwards learnt that the rainy season set in furiously along the whole 
of the Amazon on the 20th of December, and when we returned to 
Obidos the river had so gained on its banks that we- lenit a 
them again. 
I waited until noon in order to dry our paper and get a isi 
observation of the sun. This gave for latitude 1? 54' S. We started 
with a strong wind in our teeth, but certain on reaching the Amazon 
to have the assistance of a rapid current. 
January 5.—Reached Obidos yesterday at ten P. M. This morning 
went on shore to embark the articles left there, and buy a few eatables, 
for I had Major de Gama's permission to take the canoe and men 
through to Santarem. was so foolish as to give the men money, 
