MANAOS AND ITS NEIGHBORHOOD. 281 



and continued till after midnight, when the steamer from 

 Par was seen coming into port, throwing up rockets and 

 burning blue-lights as she advanced, to announce that she 

 was the bearer of good tidings from the war. This, of 

 course, gave general satisfaction, and the ball broke up 

 in great hilarity. There were some who did not sleep 

 at all that night, for many of the gentlemen went from 

 the ball-room to the steamer in search of the papers, 

 which brought the news of a decided victory over the Para- 

 guayans, at Uruguayana, where the Emperor commanded 

 in person. It is said that seven thousand prisoners were 

 taken. The next night the ball was renewed in honor 

 of this victory ; so that Manaos, whose inhabitants com- 

 plain of the life as very dull, has had a most unwonted 

 rush of gayety this week. 



November 9th. The severity in recruiting, of which we 

 heard so much at the Lake of Hyanuary, is beginning to 

 bear its fruits in general discontent. Some of the recruits 

 have made their escape, and, on Tuesday and Wednesday, 

 before the steamer in which they were to go down to Para 

 sailed, the disturbance was so great among them that they 

 were kept under lock and key. The impression seems 

 to be general here that the province of the Amazonas has 

 been called upon to bear more than its share of the 

 burden, and that the defencelessness of the Indians in 

 the scattered settlements has made them especially victims. 

 As there was no other armed force here, several of the 

 crew of the " Ibicuhy ' were taken to go down to Para 

 as guard over the unruly troops. Partly in consequence 

 of this, we have resolved to remain at Manaos till the 

 end of the month ; a delay which Mr. Agassiz does not 

 regret, as it enables him to continue the comparison of 



