232 



level-topped summit, and the steep sides and spurs, along whicli 

 run the edges of the horizontal strata like courses of masonry. 



i^gr. 



On the southern side of the serra, at the south-west corner, is an 

 immense, concave, precipitous gulf like one-half of a volcanic cra- 

 ter, and on its sides a great thickness of rocks is exposed. The 

 view on Plate VII. is from a sketch taken from the summit 

 of the serra, just above the precipice, and looking westward across 

 the gulf and the spur by whicli we ascended, out over the Amazo- 

 nian valley. The sloping mass of Tauajuri is distinctly visible on 

 the western horizon, while just to the south are the Monte- Alegre 

 highlands between which and Parauaquara stretch immense plains, 

 more or less completely covered with forest, with the exception of 

 the campos near the Yauari, whicli on the sketch look like a large 

 lake. Far off to the north-ward these same wooded plains are con- 

 tinued to the long line of table-topped hills. They are rarely bro- 

 ken by a hill and there is but one little lake in sight. On the maps 

 a large lake called Urubu-quara,* is represented lying between Tau- 

 ajuri and Parauaquara, but of this nothing is to be seen from the 

 serra, the only lakes visible from this mountain or from Tauajuri 

 being the little lagoon just spoken of, and which I have represented 

 in my sketch, and the long, narrow, crescent-shaped lake lying 

 between Monte-Alegre and Pramha. 



The Amazonas bordered Avith forest, dotted here and there with 

 islands, and enlivened by a Avhite sail or a steamer, runs like a 

 broad belt across the landscape, its reddish waters contrasting 

 strongly with the green of the Avoodlands. We may trace it from 

 the western horizon near Monte-Alegre, to far beyond Almeyrim. 

 Parauaquara lies some ten miles, more or less, back from the river. 



* Uruu, vulture, nd kuAra, hole. 



