88 INTRODUCTION. 



compared witli Guiana for vigour and luxuriance of 

 vegetation. The fertility of the soil, the humid cli- 

 mate and congenial temperature, insure a succession 

 of flowers and fruits. To a person accustomed to the 

 sleep of Nature during winter in the northern re- 

 gions, that continued luxuriance of vegetation can- 

 not but raise astonishment and admiration; here 

 with bountiful liberality she has clothed it in the 

 richest garments of tropical verdure, and witli a 

 mighty hand has stamped it with a portion of her 

 sublimest features. The majestic scenes which I 

 viewed during my exploring tours, impressed them- 

 selves with indelible characters upon my mind ; 

 which are the more powerfully awakened since my 

 return to Europe, w^ien comparing our vegetation 

 with the magnificent scenes which plain, mountain, 

 dale, or forest present under the tropics. 



On ascending tUe great rivers, which have been 

 so happily called " the veins of the country," we 

 find them covered with verdant isles ; and as we 

 .approach the primitive forests, the landscape as- 

 sumes the features peculiar to the tropics. Gigantic 

 trees raise their lofty crowns to a height unknown 

 in the European forest, and display the greatest 

 contrast in the form and appearance of their foliage. 

 Lianas cling to their trunks, interlace their w^ide- 

 spreading branches, and having reached their sum- 

 mits, their aerial roots descend again towards the 

 ground, and appear like the cordage of a ship. 

 Clusters of palm-trees, of all the vegetable forms 



