RETURN TO MANAOS. 251 
CHAPTER VIII. 
RETURN TO MANAOS. AMAZONIAN PICNIC. 
ARRIVAL AT MANAOS. NEW QUARTERS. THE ''IBICUHY." NEWS FROM 
HOME. VISIT TO THE CASCADE. BANHEIKAS IN THE FOREST. EXCUR- 
SION TO LAKE HYANUARY. CHARACTER AND PROSPECTS OF THE AMAZONIAN 
VALLEY. RECEPTION AT THE LAKE. DESCRIPTION OF SITIO. SUCCESSFUL 
FISHING. INDIAN VISITORS. -INDIAN BALL. CHARACTER OF THE DAN- 
CING. DISTURBED NIGHT. CANOE EXCURSION. SCENERY. ANOTHER 
SITIO. MORALS AND MANNERS. TALK WITH THE INDIAN WOMEN. LIFE 
IN THE FOREST. LIFE IN THE TOWNS. DINNER-PARTY. TOASTS. 
EVENING Row ON THE LAKE. NIGHT SCENE. SMOKING AMONG THE 
SENHORAS. RETURN TO MANAOS. 
October 24th. Manaos. We reached Manaos yesterday. 
As we landed in the afternoon, and as our arrival had not 
been expected with any certainty, we had to wait a little 
while for lodgings ; but before night we were fairly estab- 
lished, our corps of assistants and all our scientific appa- 
ratus, in a small house near the shore, Mr. Agassiz and 
myself in an old, rambling edifice, used when we were 
here before for the public treasury, which is now removed 
to another building. Our abode has still rather the air of 
a public establishment, but it is very quaint and pleasant 
inside, and, from its open, spacious character, is especially 
agreeable in this climate. The apartment in which we 
have taken up our quarters, making it serve both as 
drawing-room and chamber, is a long, lofty hall, opening 
by a number of doors and windows on a large, green 
enclosure, called by courtesy a garden, but which is, after 
all, only a ragged space overgrown with grass, and having 
a few trees in it. Nevertheless, it makes a pleasant back- 
ground of shade and verdure. At the upper end of our 
