FROM PARA TO MAXAOS. 165 
August 23cZ. Yesterday morning, before reaching the 
little town of Gurupa, we passed a forest of Miriti palms ; 
it is the first time we have seen a palm wood exclusive of 
other trees. In the afternoon we stopped at Gurupa and 
went on shore ; but just as we landed, a violent thunder- 
storm burst upon us with sheets of rain, and we saw little 
of the town except the inside of the house where we took 
shelter. Mr. Agassiz obtained a most valuable collection of 
" forest fishes," containing a number of new species ; the 
Indians enumerate, however, some seventy distinct species 
of forest fishes in this vicinity, so that, notwithstanding his 
success, he leaves much to be done by those who shall come 
after him. We left during the night, and this morning we 
entered the river Xingu, stopping at Porto do Moz. The 
water is very blue and dark as compared with the muddy 
waters of the main river. Here Mr. Agassiz found two 
collections, one of forest fishes, the other of river fishes, 
awaiting him, Mr. Pimenta Bueno having sent messengers 
by the last steamer to a number of ports, desiring that 
collections should be in readiness for him. The harvest 
of this morning, however, was such an one as makes an era 
in the life of a naturalist, for it contained forty-eight new 
species, more, Mr. Agassiz said, than it had ever fallen 
to his lot to find in the course of a single day. Ever since 
we entered the Amazons the forest seems to me, though 
more luxuriant, less sombre than it did about Rio. It 
is more transparent and more smiling ; one sees into it, 
species of fish ut Gurupa and this morning fifty-seven at Porto do Moz, 
eighty-four species in all, in less than twelve hours, and of this number fifty-one 
are new. It is wonderful. I can no longer put in order what is brought to 
me as fast as it arrives, and as to obtaining colored drawings of all, it is no 
longer possible, unless we pass a whole week here on our return. 
Wholly yours, 
L. AGASSIZ. 
