Cuap. I. TROPICAL FLORA. 5 
forming one of the great charms of tropical vegetation, here grew with 
great luxuriance : its glossy velvety-green leaves, twelve feet in length, 
curving over the roofs of verandahs in the rear of every house. The 
shape of the leaves, the varying shades of green which they present 
when lightly moved by the wind, and especially the contrast they afford 
in colour and form to the more sombre hues and more rounded outline 
of the other trees, are quite sufficient to account for the charm of this 
glorious tree. Strange forms of vegetation drew our attention at almost 
every step. Amongst them were the different kinds of Bromelia, or 
pine-apple plant, with their long, rigid, sword-shaped leaves, in some 
species jagged or toothed along their edges. Then there was the bread- 
fruit tree—an importation, it is true; but remarkable from its large, 
glossy, dark green, strongly digitated foliage, and its interesting history. 
Many other trees and plants, curious in leaf, stem, or manner of growth, 
grew on the borders of the thickets along which Jay our road ; they were 
all attractive to new-comers, whose last country ramble, of quite recent 
date, was over the bleak moors of Derbyshire on a sleety morning in 
April. 
As we continued our walk the brief twilight commenced, and the 
sounds of multifarious life came from the vegetation around. The 
whirring of cicadas ; the shrill stridulation of a vast number and variety 
of field crickets and grasshoppers, each species sounding its peculiar 
note ; the plaintive hooting of tree frogs—all blended together in one 
continuous ringing sound,—the audible expression of the teeming pro- 
fusion of Nature. As night came on, many species of frogs and toads 
in the marshy places joined in the chorus: their croaking and drumming, 
far louder than anything I had before heard in the same line, being 
added to the other noises, created an almost deafening din. ‘This 
uproar of life, I afterwards found, never wholly ceased, night or day: 
in course of time I became, like other residents, accustomed to it. It 
is, however, one of the peculiarities of a tropical—at least a Brazilian— 
climate which is most likely to surprise a stranger. After my return to 
England, the death-like stillness of days in the country appeared to me 
as strange as the ringing uproar did on my first arrival at Parad. The 
object of our visit being accomplished, we returned to the city. The 
fireflies were then out in great numbers, flitting about the sombre woods, 
and even the frequented streets. We turned into our hammocks, well 
pleased with what we had seen, and full of anticipation with regard to 
the wealth of natural objects we had come to explore. 
During the first few days, we were employed in landing our baggage 
and arranging our extensive apparatus. We then accepted the invitation 
of Mr. Miller to make use of his rocinha, or country-house in the 
suburbs, until we finally decided on a residence. Upon this we made 
our first essay in housekeeping. We bought cotton hammocks, the 
universal substitute for beds in this country, cooking utensils and 
crockery, and then engaged a free negro, named Isidoro, as cook and 
servant-of-all-work. Isidoro had served Englishmen in this capacity 
before, and, although he had not picked up two words of English, he 
thought he had a great talent for understanding and making himself 
understood ; in his efforts to do which he was very amusing. Having 
