DOWN THE AMAZONS. 361 
Our live-stock is increasing as we descend the river, and 
we have now quite a menagerie on board ; a number of 
parrots, half a dozen monkeys, two exquisite little deer from 
the region of Monte Alegre, and several Agamis, as tame 
and gentle as barn-yard fowls, stepping about the deck with 
graceful, dainty tread, and feeding from the hand. Their 
voices are singularly harsh, however, and out of keeping 
with their pretty looks and ways. Every now and then 
they raise their heads, stretch their long necks, and utter a 
loud, gurgling sound, more like the roll of a drum than the 
note of a bird. Last, but not least, we have a sloth on 
board, the most fascinating of all our pets to me, not cer- 
tainly for his charms, but for his oddities. I am never tired 
of watching him, he looks so deliciously lazy. His head 
sunk in his arms, his whole attitude lax and indifferent, he 
seems to ask only for rest. If you push him, or if, as 
often happens, a passer-by gives him a smart tap to arouse 
him, he lifts his head and drops his arms so slowly, so 
deliberately, that they hardly seem to move, raises his heavy 
lids and lets his large eyes rest upon your face for a moment 
with appealing, hopeless indolence ; then the lids fall softly, 
the head droops, the arms fold heavily about it, and he col- 
lapses again into absolute repose. This mute remonstrance 
is the nearest approach to activity I have seen him make. 
These live animals are not all a part of the scientific collec- 
tions ; many of them belong to the captain and officers. The 
Brazilians are exceedingly fond of pets, and almost every 
house has its monkeys, its parrots, and other tame animals 
and birds. 
January 26th. Monte Alegre. Leaving Santarem on 
Tuesday we arrived here on Wednesday morning, and, as 
on our former visit, were received most hospitably at the 
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