1865-67.] .MAJOR J. M. COUTINHO. 147 



tongue, after so many years of constant lecturing in 

 the English language, of which he was never a com- 

 plete master. After a visit by railroad to the province 

 of Minas-Geraes, Agassiz sailed from Rio, the 25th of 

 July, for his Amazonian journey. The Emperor had 

 detailed Major Joao M. da Silva Coutinho of the engi- 

 neer corps to accompany Agassiz during his whole 

 exploration, --an admirable selection; for no Brazilian 

 was better acquainted with the region of the Amazons 

 River than he, having been engaged there for several 

 years in scientific surveys. " His assistance was invalu- 

 able to us throughout the journey," says Agassiz ; " and 

 he became my intimate associate in all my scientific 

 undertakings in Brazil. During eleven months of the 

 most intimate companionship I had daily cause to be 

 grateful for the chance which had thrown us together. 

 I found in Major Coutinho an able collaborator, untir- 

 ing in his activity and devotion to scientific aims, an 

 admirable guide, and a friend whose regard I trust I 

 shall ever retain." 



The attachment was reciprocated by Coutinho, who 

 became a great admirer of Agassiz. A Brazilian by 

 birth and education, he was very fond of the wild 

 Indian life of the tropical forests, and acted during all 

 Agassiz's journey on the Amazons as an Indian scout 

 looking after natural history specimens. In one of his 

 rambles he put his foot on a big boa-constrictor, taking 

 it for an old log fallen across the path. An unusual 

 noise above his head put him on his guard and notified 

 him of his mistake, but he did not choose to follow the 

 beast into the swampy thicket. Coutinho was one of 



