MAN ACS AND ITS NEIGHBORHOOD. 281 
and continued till after midnight, when the steamer from 
Para was seen coming into port, throwing up rockets and 
burning blue-lights as she advanced, to announce that she 
was the bearer of good tidings from the war. This, of 
course, gave general satisfaction, and the ball broke up 
in great hilarity. There were some who did not sleep 
at all that night, for many of the gentlemen went from 
the ball-room to the steamer in search of the papers, 
which brought the news of a decided victory over the Para- 
guayans, at Uruguayana, where the Emperor commanded 
in person. It is said that seven thousand prisoners were 
taken. The next night the ball was renewed in honor 
of this victory ; so that Manaos, whose inhabitants com- 
plain of the life as very dull, has had a most unwonted 
rush of gayety this week. 
November 9th. The severity in recruiting, of which we 
heard so much at the Lake of Hyanuary, is beginning to 
bear its fruits in general discontent. Some of the recruits 
have made their escape, and, on Tuesday and Wednesday, 
before the steamer in which they were to go down to Para 
sailed, the disturbance was so great among them that they 
were kept under lock and key. The impression seems 
to be general here that the province of the Amazonas has 
been called upon to bear more than its share of the 
burden, and that the defencelessness of the Indians in 
the scattered settlements has made them especially victims. 
As there was no other armed force here, several of the 
crew of the " Ibicuhy ' were taken to go down to Para 
as guard over the unruly troops. Partly in consequence 
of this, we have resolved to remain at Manaos till the 
end of the month ; a delay which Mr. Agassiz does not 
regret, as it enables him to continue the comparison of 
