FROM PARA TO MANAOS. 165 



August 23c?. Yesterday morning, before reaching the 

 little town of Gurupa, we passed a forest of Miriti palms ; 

 it is the first time we have seen a palm wood exclusive of 

 other trees. In the afternoon we stopped at Gurupa and 

 went on shore ; but just as we landed, a violent thunder- 

 storm burst upon us with sheets of rain, and we saw little 

 of the town except the inside of the house where we took 

 shelter. Mr. Agassiz obtained a most valuable collection of 

 " forest fishes," containing a number of new species ; the 

 Indians enumerate, however, some seventy distinct species 

 of forest fishes in this vicinity, so that, notwithstanding his 

 success, he leaves much to be done by those who shall come 

 after him. We left during the night, and this morning we 

 entered the river Xingu, stopping at Porto do Moz. The 

 water is very blue and dark as compared with the muddy 

 waters of the main river. Here Mr. Agassiz found two 

 collections, one of forest fishes, the other of river fishes, 

 awaiting him, Mr. Pimenta Bueno having sent messengers 

 by the last steamer to a number of ports, desiring that 

 collections should be in readiness for him. The harvest 

 of this morning, however, was such an one as makes an era 

 in the life of a naturalist, for it contained forty-eight new 

 species, more, Mr. Agassiz said, than it had ever fallen 

 to his lot to find in the course of a single day. Ever since 

 we entered the Amazons the forest seems to me, though 

 more luxuriant, less sombre than it did about Rio. It 

 is more transparent and more smiling ; one sees into it, 



species of fish at Gurupa and this morning fifty-seven at Porto do Moz, 

 eighty-four species in all, in less than twelve hours, and of this number fifty-one 

 are new. It is wonderful. I can no longer put in order what is brought to 

 me as fast as it arrives, and as to obtaining colored drawings of all, it is no 

 longer possible, unless we pass a whole week here on our return. 



Wholly yours, 



L AGASSIZ. 



