278 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 
even in tropical midday. The bathing here, as we found 
by experience at a later hoar, is most delicious. The 
shade over the pool is so profound and the current runs 
through it so swiftly that the water is exceedingly cold, 
an unusual thing here, and it seems very refreshing to 
those coming from the hot sun outside. At the side of this 
pool I saw a very large parasitic plant in flower. Since we 
have been on the Amazons most of these parasites have been 
out of bloom, and, though we have seen beautiful collections 
in private gardens, we have not met them in the woods. 
This one was growing in the lofty notch of a great tree, 
overhanging the water ; a tuft of dark green leaves with 
large violet and straw-colored blossoms among them. It 
was quite out of reach, and the little garden looked so 
pretty in its airy perch, that I was almost glad we had no 
power to disturb it. After breakfast some of the guests, 
and Mr. Agassiz among them, were obliged to return to 
town on business. They rejoined us in time for a late 
dinner, arriving in a canoe instead of coming on foot, 
an experiment which we had been prevented from trying 
in the morning, because we had been told that, as the 
igarape was low and the bottom very rocky, it would be 
impossible to ascend the whole distance in a boat. They 
came, however, in perfect safety, and were delighted with 
the picturesque beauty of the row. After a very cheerful 
dinner, closing with a cup of coffee in the open air, we 
started at twilight for town, by different roads. Desirous 
to see the lower course of the igarape, which Mr. Agassiz 
reported as so beautiful, and being assured that there was 
no real danger, I returned in the little canoe with Mr. 
Honorio. It was thought best not to overload it, so the 
others took the forest road by which we had come in the 
