FROM PARA TO MANAOS. 171 



shore to-day that it has been easy to make geological 

 observations from the deck. For a considerable distance 

 above Santarem we have followed drift cliffs, resting upon 

 sandstone ; the drift of the same reddish color, and pasty, 

 clayey consistence, and the sandstone seemingly the same 

 in character, as that of Monte Aldgre. 



August 21th, Villa Bella. Last evening we stopped 

 to wood at the town of Obydos, but without landing ; 

 keeping straight on to this port, on the southern side of the 

 river, at the mouth of the river Tupiuambaranas. Here we 

 were very cordially received by Dr. Marcus, an old corre- 

 spondent of Mr. Agassiz, who has several times sent speci- 

 mens from the Amazons to the Cambridge Museum. To- 

 niffht we are to start in canoes on an excursion to some 



^D 



of the lakes in the neighborhood of this port. 



August 28th. In the porch of an Indian house on the 

 lake Jose* Assu. We passed a pleasant day yesterday at 

 the house of Dr. Marcus, keeping the Sabbath rather after 

 the Jewish than the Christian rule, as a veritable day of 

 rest, lounging in hammocks, and the gentlemen smoking. 

 We returned to the steamer at five o'clock, intending to 

 start at six, in order to have the benefit of the night fishing, 

 said to be always the most successful. But a violent thun- 

 der-storm, witli heavy rain, lasting almost till midnight, 

 delayed our departure. We loaded the boats, however, 

 before night, that we might be ready to start whenever 

 the weather should clear. We have two canoes, in one 

 of which Mr. Agassiz, myself, and Mr. Burkhardt have 

 our quarters, while Major Coutinho, Dr. Marcus, who 

 accompanies us, and Mr. Thayer occupy the other. The 

 former, which is rather the larger of the two, has a tiny 

 cabin at one end, some three feet high and six feet long, 



