EXCURSION TO MAUHES AND ITS NEIGHBORHOOD. 305 



in his interesting account of his journey on the Rio Ma- 

 deira, has not been adopted. He says that a road carried 

 along the shore of the river for a distance of forty leagues 

 would obviate all the difficulty and danger of this ardu- 

 ous journey. 



Mauhes is not a cluster of houses, but is built in line 

 along a broad, grass-grown street running the length of 

 the terrace formed by the top of the river-bank. In an 

 open space, at one end of this village street, stands the 

 church, a small but neat-looking building, with a wooden 

 cross in front. Most of the houses are low and straw- 

 thatched, but here and there a more substantial house, 

 with tiled roof, like that of Mr. Michelis, breaks the 

 ordinary level of the buildings. Notwithstanding the mod- 

 est appearance of this little town, all who know some- 

 thing of its history speak of it as one of the most prom- 

 ising of the Amazonian settlements, and as having a 

 better moral tone than usually prevails. One of its great 

 staples is the Guarana. This shrub, or rather vine, 

 for it is a trailing plant somewhat like our high-bush 

 blackberry, is about eight feet high when full grown, 

 and bears a bean the size of a coffee-bean, two being en- 

 closed in each envelope. This bean, after being roasted, 

 is pounded in a small quantity of water, until it becomes, 

 when thoroughly ground, a compact paste, and when dry 

 is about the color of chocolate, though much harder. 

 In this state it is grated, (the grater being always the 

 rough tongue of the Pirarucu,) and when mixed with 

 sugar and water it makes a very pleasant, refreshing 

 drink. It is said to have medicinal properties also, and 

 is administered witli excellent effect in cases of diarrhoea. 

 In certain parts of Brazil it is very extensively used as 



