34 PARA. Cuap. IL. 
A very remarkable feature in these trees is the growth of buttress- 
shaped projections around the lower part of their stems. ‘The spaces 
between these buttresses, which are generally thin walls of wood, form 
spacious chambers, and may be compared to stalls in a stable : some of 
them are large enough to hold half a dozen persons. The purpose of 
these structures is as obvious, at the first glance, as that of the similar 
props of brickwork which support a high wall. They are not peculiar 
to one species, but are common to most of the larger forest trees. Their 
nature and manner of growth are explained when a series of young trees 
of different ages is examined. It is then seen that they are the roots 
which have raised themselves ridge-like out of the earth; growing 
gradually upwards as the increasing height of the tree required aug- 
mented support. Thus they are plainly intended to sustain the massive 
crown and trunk in these crowded forests, where lateral growth of the 
roots in the earth is rendered difficult by the multitude of competitors. ; 
The other grand forest trees whose native names we learnt, were the 
Moira-tinga (the White or King-tree), probably the same as, or allied to, 
the Mora excelsa, which Sir Robert Schomburgk discovered in British 
Guiana; the Samaiima (Eriodendron Samauma) and the Massaranduba, 
or Cow-tree. The last-mentioned is the most remarkable. We had 
already heard a good deal about this tree, and about its producing from 
its bark a copious supply of milk as pleasant to drink as that of the 
cow. We had also eaten its fruit in Para, where it is sold in the streets 
by negro market women ; and had heard a good deal of the durableness 
in water of its timber. We were glad, therefore, to see this wonderful 
tree growing in its native wilds. It is one of the largest of the forest 
monarchs, and is peculiar in appearance on account of its deeply-scored, 
reddish, and ragged bark. - A decoction of the bark, I was told, is used 
as a red dye for cloth. A few days afterwards we tasted its milk, which 
was drawn from dry logs that had been standing many days in the hot 
sun, at the saw mills. It was pleasant with coffee, but had a slight 
rankness when drunk pure; it soon thickens to a glue, which is ex- 
cessively tenacious, and is often used to cement broken crockery. I 
was told that it was not safe to drink much of it, for a slave had recently 
nearly lost his life through taking it too freely. 
In some parts of the road ferns were conspicuous objects. But I 
afterwards found them much more numerous on the Maranham road, 
especially in one place, where the whole forest glade formed a vast 
fernery ; the ground was covered with terrestrial species, and the tree 
trunks clothed with climbing and epiphytous kinds. I saw no tree ferns 
in the Para district ; they belong to hilly regions ; some occur, however, 
on the Upper Amazons. 
Such were the principal features in the vegetation of the wilderness ; 
but where were the flowers? To our great disappointment we saw 
none, or only such as were insignificant in appearance. Orchids are 
very rare in the dense forests of the low lands. I believe it is now 
tolerably well ascertained that the majority of forest trees in equatorial 
Brazil have small and inconspicuous flowers. Flower-frequenting insects 
are also rare in the forest. Of course they would not be found where 
their favourite food was wanting, but I always noticed that even where 
