184S.] JOURNEY TO MAGOARY. 27 



met with; but we were rather shy of meddling with them. 

 They are generally attached to the undersides of leaves, espe- 

 cially of the young Tucuma palm, which are broad, and offer 

 a good shelter. Some are little flat domes, with a single small 

 opening ; others have the cells all exposed. Some have only 

 two or three cells, others a great number. These are all of a 

 delicate papery substance; but some have large cylindrical 

 nests, on high trees, of a material like thick cardboard. Then 

 again there are nests in hollow trees, and others among their 

 roots in the earth, while the solitary species make little holes 

 in the paths, and pierce the mud-walls of the houses, till they 

 appear as if riddled with shot. Many of these insects sting 

 very painfully ; and some are so fierce, that on their nests being 

 approached, they will fly out and attack the unwary passer-by. 

 The larger kinds 'of wasps have very long stings, and can so 

 greatly extend their bodies that we were often stung when 

 endeavouring to secure them for our collections. 



I also suffered a little from another of our insect enemies : 

 the celebrated chigoe at length paid us a visit. I found a 

 tender pimple on the side of my foot, which Isidora pronounced 

 to be a " bicho do pe," or chigoe ; so preferring to extract it 

 myself, I set to work' with a needle, but not being used to the 

 operation, could not get it out entire. I then rubbed a little 

 snuff in the wound, and afterwards felt no more of it. The 

 insect is a minute flea, which burrows into the skin of the toes, 

 where it grows into a large bag of eggs as big as a pea, the 

 insect being just distinguishable as a black speck on one side 

 of it. When it first enters it causes a slight irritation, and if 

 found may then be easily extracted ; but when it grows large 

 it is very painful, and if neglected may produce a serious 

 wound. With care and attention, however, this dreaded insect 

 is not so annoying as the mosquito or our own domestic flea. 



Having made arrangements for another and a longer visit 

 to Magoary, we packed up our hammocks, nets, and boxes, 

 and went on board a canoe which trades regularly to the mills, 

 bringing the rice and timber, and taking whatever is required 

 there. We left Para about nine at night, when the tide served, 

 and at five the next morning found the vessel lying at anchor, 

 waiting for the flood. W 7 e were to proceed on to the mills in 

 a montaria, or small Indian canoe, and as we were five with 

 the Negroes who were to paddle, I felt rather nervous on 



