FAZENDA LIFE. 117 



appearing to descend from the peaks of the Alps and ex- 

 tending toward the Jura, while from all the tributary 

 valleys similar masses pour down to meet it." It was 

 as if the valley and harbor of Rio had meant to offer us 

 a similar picture of past times, with the image of which 

 our minds had been filled for the last few days in conse- 

 quence of the glacial phenomena constantly presented to us 

 on our journey. 



July Qth. To-morrow was to have been the day of 

 our departure for the Amazons, but private interests must 

 yield to public good, and it seems that the steamer which 

 was to have left for Para to-morrow has been taken by the 

 government to transport troops to the seat of war. The 

 aspect of the war grows daily more serious, and the 

 Emperor goes himself the day after to-morrow to Rio 

 Grande do Sul, accompanied by his son-in-law, the Duke 

 of Saxe, soon to be followed by the Conte d'Eu, who is 

 expected by the French steamer of the 18th of this month. 

 Under these circumstances, not only are we prevented from 

 going at the appointed date, but it seems not improbable 

 that the exigencies of war may cause a still further delay, 

 should other steamers be needed. A very pleasant public 

 dinner, intended to be on the eve of his departure, was 

 given to Mr. Agassiz yesterday by Messrs. Fleiuss and Linde. 

 Germans, Swiss, French, Americans, and Brazilians made 

 up the company, a mingling of nationalities which resulted 

 in a very general harmony. 



July th. For some time Mr. Agassiz has been trying 

 to get living specimens of the insect so injurious to the 

 coffee-tree ; the larva of a little moth akin to those which 

 destroy the vineyards in Europe. Yesterday he succeeded 

 in obtaining some, and among them one ^ust spinring 



