So TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON, [May, 



but the flood began running up, instantaneously, and not 

 gradually, as is generally the case. 



The next day we arrived at Sao Domingo, a little village at 

 the junction of the Guama and Capim rivers. I had a letter 

 of introduction to a Brazilian trader residing here, on present- 

 ing which he placed his house at my disposal. I took him at 

 his word, and said I should stay a few days. Luiz went into 

 the woods every day, generally bringing home some birds, and 

 I wandered about in search of insects, which I did not find 

 very abundant, the dry season having scarcely begun ; there 

 were, however, plenty of pleasant paths about the woods to the 

 rice and mandiocca-fields, and abundance of oranges and other 

 fruit. Our food was principally fish from the river and some 

 jerked beef, with beans and rice. The house was little better 

 than a mud hovel, with a bench, a rickety table, and a few 

 hammocks for furniture ; but in this country the people away 

 from the towns never think of expending any great labour or 

 going to any expense to make a comfortable house. 



After staying nearly a week, with not much success in my 

 collections, I proceeded up the west branch of the river, called 

 the Capim. My canoe was a very unsteady and top-heavy 

 one, and soon after leaving the village a sudden squall nearly 

 upset us, the water pouring in over the side, and it was with 

 some difficulty we got the sail down and secured the boat to 

 a bush on the river's bank till the storm had passed over. We 

 went pleasantly along for two or three days, the country being 

 prettily diversified with cane-fields, rice-grounds, and houses 

 built by the early Portuguese settlers, with elegant little chapels 

 attached, and cottages for the Negroes and Indians around, all 

 much superior in appearance and taste to anything erected 

 now. At length we reached Sao Joze, the estate of Senhor 

 Calistro, to whom I brought letters of introduction. He re- 

 ceived me very kindly, and on my telling him the purpose of 

 my visit he invited me to stay with him as long as I liked, and 

 promised to do all he could to assist me. He was a stout, 

 good-humoured looking man, of not much more than thirty. 

 He had recently built a rice-mill and warehouses, one of the 

 best modern buildings I had seen in the country. It was 

 entirely of stone ; the mill was approached by arches in the 

 centre, and the warehouses, offices, and dwelling apartments 

 were at the sides. There was a gallery or verandah on the 



