164 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 







surprise he had given us. The creek led by a devour back 

 into the river, a few rods above the landing where our 

 steamer lay. Our friendly boatman left us at the stair- 

 way with a cordial good-by, and many thanks from us at 

 parting. 



We left our landing early this morning, and at about 

 half past ten turned into the main Amazons. Thus far 

 we have been in what is called the Para river, and the 

 branches connecting it with the Amazons proper. The pro- 

 portions of everything in nature amaze one here, however 

 much one may have heard or read about them. For two 

 days and nights we have been following the isle of Marajo, 

 which, though but an island in the mouth of the Amazons, 

 is half as large as Ireland. I add here a second letter from 

 Mr. Agassiz to Mr. Pimenta Bueno, giving a short summary 

 of his scientific progress. 



MON CHER AMI : Je suis extenue de fatigue, mais je ne 

 veux pas aller me reposer avant de vous avoir ecrit un 

 mot. Hier soir nous avons obtenu vingt-sept especes de 

 poissons a Gurupd et ce matin, cinquante-sept a Porto do 

 Moz, en tout quatre-vingt-quatre especes en moins de douze 

 heures et, sur ce nombre, il y en a cinquante et une nou- 

 velles. C'est merveilleux. Je ne puis plus mettre en ordre 

 ce qu'on m'apporte au fur et a mesure que cela arrive ; et 

 quant a obtenir des dessins colories du tout, il n'en est 

 plus question, a moins qu'a notre retour nous ne passions 



une semaine entiere ici. 



Tout a vous, 



L. AGASSIZ.* 



* ON THE XINGU, August 23d, 1865. 



MY DEAR FRIEND : I am worn out with fatigue, but I will not go to rest 

 before writing you a woii. Yesterday evening we obtained twenty-seven 



