62 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 



contrast to the surrounding verdure. Frequently our path 

 followed the base of such a bank, its deep ochre and ver- 

 milion tints looking all the softer for their framework 

 of green. Among the larger growth, the Candelabra-tree 

 (^Cecropia) was conspicuous. The strangely regular struc- 

 ture of the branches and its silvery-tinted foliage make it 

 stand out in bold relief from the darker background. It 

 is a striking feature of the forest in this neighborhood. 



A wide panoramic prospect always eludes description, but 

 certainly few can combine such rare elements of beauty as 

 the one from the summit of the Corcovado. The immense 

 landlocked harbor, with its gateway open to the sea, the 

 broad ocean beyond, the many islands, the circle of moun- 

 tains with soft fleecy clouds floating about the nearer peaks, 

 all these features make a wonderful picture. One great 

 charm of this landscape consists in the fact, that, though 

 very extensive, it is not so distant as to deprive objects 

 of their individuality. After all, a very distant view is 

 something like an inventory : so many dark, green patches, 

 forests ; so many lighter green patches, fields ; so many 

 white spots, lakes ; so many silver threads, rivers, &c. 

 But here special effects are not lost in the grandeur of 

 the whole. On the extreme peak of the height a wall 

 has been built around the edge, the descent on one side 

 being so vertical that a false step might hurl one to instant 

 destruction. At this wall we dismounted and lingered long, 

 unwilling to leave the beautiful view before sunset. We 

 were, however, anxious to return by daylight, and, to 

 confess the truth, being a timorous and inexperienced 

 rider at best, I was not without some anxiety as to the 

 descent, for the latter part of the slippery road had been 

 a sheer scramble. Putting a bold face on the matter, 



