THE NATURALIST ON THE RIVER AMAZOJNo. 



Shortly afterward we took possession of 

 <*r new residence. The house was a square 

 building, consisting of four equal - sized 

 looms ; the tiled roof projected all round, so 

 as to form a broad veranda, cool and pleas- 

 ant to sit and work in. The cultivated 

 giouiid, which appeared as if newly chared 

 from the forest, was planted with fruit trees 

 and small plots of coffee and mandi ca. The 

 entrance to the grounds was by an iron-grille 

 .gateway from a grassy square, around which 

 were built the few houses and palm-thatched 

 huts which then constituted the village. The 

 most, important building was the chapel of 

 our Lady of Nazareth, wnich stood opposite 

 -our place. The saint here enshiined was a 

 threat favorite with all orthodox Paraenses, 

 who attributed to her the performance of 

 many miracles. The image was to be seen 

 on the altar, a handsome doll about four feet 

 high, wearing a silver crown and a garment 

 of blue silk studded with golden stars. In 

 and about the chapel were the offerings that 

 had been made to her, proofs of the miracles 

 which she had performed. There were models 

 of legs, arms, breasts, and so forth, which 

 she had cured. But most curious of all was 

 a ship's boat, deposited here by the crew of 

 & Portuguese vessel which had foundered, a 

 year or two before our arrival, in a squall off 

 Cayenne ; part of them having been saved in 

 the boat, after invoking the protection of the 

 saint here enshrined The annual festival in 

 honor of our Lady of Nazareth is the great- 

 est of the Para holidays ; many persons come 

 to it from the neighboring city of Maran- 

 ham, 300 miles distant. Once the Piesident 

 ordered the mail steamer to be delayed two 

 days at Para for the convenience of these 

 visitors. The popularity of the festa is partly 

 owing to the beautiful weather that pre- 

 vails when it takes place, namely, in 

 the middle of the fine season, on the ten 

 days preceding the full moon in October 

 or November. Para is then seen at its best. 

 The weather is not too dry, for three weeks 

 Tjever follow in succession without a shower : 

 so that all the glory of verdure and flowers 

 can be enjoyed with clear skies. The moon 

 lit nights are then especially beautiful ; the 

 atmosphere is transparently clear, and the 

 light sea breeze produces an agreeable cool- 

 in ss. 



We now settled ourselves for a few ninths' 

 regular work. We had the forest on three 

 sides of us ; it wae the end of the wet sea- 

 son ; most species of birds had finished 

 moulting, and every day the insects increased 

 in number and variety. Behind therociuha, 

 after several days' exploration, I found a 

 series of pathways through the woods, which 

 Jed to the Una road ; about half way was 

 the house in which the celebrated travellers 

 Spix and Martius resided during their stay at 

 Para, in 1819. It was now in a neglected 

 condition, and the plantations were over- 

 grown with hushes. The paths hereabout 

 were very productive uf insects, and being 

 entirely under shade were very pleasant for 

 strolling. Close to the doors began the main 



forest load. It was broad enough for two 

 horsemen abreast, and branched off in three 

 directions ; the main line going to the village 

 of Ourem. a distance of 50 miles. This road 

 formeily extended to Maranham, but it had 

 been long in disuse, and was now grown up, 

 being scarcely passable between Para and 

 Ourem. 



Our researches were made in various di- 

 rections along these paths, and eveiy day 

 produced us a number of new and interest- 

 ing species. Collecting, preparing our spec- 

 imens, and making notes, kept us well occu- 

 pied. One day was so much like another 

 that a general description of the diurnal 

 round of incidents, including the sequence of 

 natural phenomena, will oe sufficient to give 

 an idea of how days pass to naturalists un- 

 der the equator. 



We used to rise soon after dawn, when 

 Isidoro would go down to the city, after sup- 

 plying us with a cup of coffee, to purchase 

 the fresh provisions for the day. The two 

 hours before breakfast were devoted to orni- 

 thology. At that early period of the day the 

 sky was invariably cloudltss (the thermome- 

 ter marking T2 or 73 Fahr.) ; the heavy dew 

 or the previous night's rain, which lay on the 

 moist foliage, becoming quickly dissipated 

 by the glowing sun, which rising straight out 

 of the east, mounted rapidly toward the 

 zenith. All nature was frtsh, new leaf and 

 flower-ibuds expanding rapidly. Some morn- 

 ings a single tree would appear in flower 

 amid what was the preceding evening a uni- 

 form green mass of forest a dome of blos- 

 som suddenly created as if by magic. The 

 birds were all active ; from the wild-fruit 

 trees, not far off, we often heard the shrill 

 yelping of the Toucans (Ramphastos vitelli- 

 nus). Small flocks of parrots flew over on 

 most mornings, at a great height, appealing 

 in distinct relief against the blue sky, always 

 two by two, chattering to each other, the 

 pairs being separated by regular intervals ; 

 their bright colors, however, were not ap- 

 parent at that height. After breakfast we 

 devoted the hours from 10 A.M. to 2 or 3 P.M. 

 to entomology ; the best time for insects in 

 the forest being a little before the greatest 

 heat of the day. 



The heat increased rapidly toward two 

 o'clock (92 and 93 Fahr.), by which time 

 every voice of bird or mammal was hushed ; 

 only in the trees was heard at intervals the 

 harsh whirr of a cicada. The leaves, which 

 were so moist and fresh in early morning, 

 now become lax and drooping ; the flowers 

 shed their petals. Our neighbors, the Indian 

 and mulatto inhabitants of the open palm- 

 thatched huts, as we returned home fatigued 

 with our ramble, were either asleep in their 

 hammocks or seated on mats in the shade, 

 too languid even to talk. On most days in 

 June and July a heavy shower would fall 

 some time in the afternoon, producing a 

 most welcome coolness. The approach of 

 the rain-clouds was after a uniform fashion 

 very interesting to observe. First, the cool 

 sea-breeze, which commenced to blow about 



