THE NATURALIST ON THE RIVER AMAZONS. 7*1 



two hours after sunrise, the destruction was should I, a solitary stranger on a strange er- 

 still going on. rand, find a welcome among its people ? 



Our Indians resumed their oars at sunrise 



On the 22d we threaded the Parana-mirim the next morning (May 1st), and after an 

 of Arauana-i, one of the numerous narrow hour's rowing along the narrow channel, 

 by- waters which lie conveniently for canoes which varies in breadth from 100 to 500 

 away from the main river, and often save a yards, we doubled a low wooded point, and 

 considerable circuit round a promontory or emerged suddenly on the so-called Lake of 

 island. We rowed for half a mile through a Ega : a magnificent sheet of water, five miles 

 magnificent bed of Victoria water-lilies, the broad the expanded portion of the Teffe. It 

 flower-buds of which were just beginning to is quite clear of islands, and curves away to 

 expand. "Beyond the mouth of the Catua, a the west and south, so that its full extent is 

 channel leading to one of the great lakes so not visible from this side. To the left, on a 

 numerous in the plains of the Amazons, which gentle grassy slope at the point of junction 

 we passed on the 25th, the river appeared of a broad tributary with the Teffe, lay the 

 greatly increased in breadth. We travelled little settlement : a cluster of a hundred or 

 for three days along a broad reach, which so of palm-thatched cottages and white- 

 both up and down river presented a blank washed red-tiled houses, each with its neatly- 

 horizon of water and sky : this clear view inclosed orchard of orange, lemon, banana, 

 was owing to the absence of islands, but it and guava trees. Groups of palms, with theii 

 renewed one's impressions of the magnitude tall slender shafts and feathery crowns, over- 

 of the stream, which here, 1200 miles from topped the buildings and lower trees. A 

 its mouth, showed so little diminution of broad grass-carpeted street led from the nar- 

 width. Farther westward a series of large row strip of white sandy beach to the rudely- 

 islauds commences, which divides the river built barn-like church, with its wooden cru- 

 into two and sometimes three channels, each cifix on the green before it, in the centre of 

 about a mile in breadth. We kept to the the town. Cattle were grazing before the 

 southernmost of these, travelling all day on houses, and a number of dark-skinned natives 

 the 30th of April along a high and rather were taking their morning bath among the 

 sloping bank. canoes of various sizes which were anchored 



In the evening we arrived at a narrow r moored to stakes in the port. We let off 

 opening, which would betaken, by a stranger rockets and fired salutes, according to cus- 

 navigating the main channel, for the outlet torn, in token of our safe arrival, and shortly 

 of some insignificant stream : it was the afterward went ashore, 

 mouth of the Teffe, on whose banks Ega is I made Ega my headquarters during the 

 situated, the termination of our voyage, whole of the time I remained on the Lpper 

 After having struggled for thirty-five days Ainasons (four years and a half). Myexcur- 

 with the muddy currents and insect pests of sions into the neighboring region extended 

 the Solimoens, it was unspeakably refreshing sometimes as far as 300 and 400 miles from the 

 to find one's self again in a dark-water river, place. An account f these excursions will 

 smooth as a lake, and free from Piurn and be given in subsequent chapters ; in the in- 

 Motuca. The rounded outline, small foliage, tervals between them I led a quiet, unevent- 

 aiid sombre-green of the woods, which seemed ful life in the settlement ; following my pur- 

 to rest on the glassy waters, made a pleasant suit in the same peaceful, regular way as a 

 ooritrast to the tumultuous piles of rank, naturalist might dp in a European village, 

 glaring, light-green vegetation, and torn, tim- For many weeks in succession my journal 

 ber-strewn banks, to which we had been so records little more than the notes made on 

 long accustomed on the main river. The my daily capt ares. I had a dry and spacious 

 men rowed lazily until nightfall, when, hav- cottage, the principal room of which ^ay 

 ing done a laborious day's work, they dis- made a workshop and study ; here a lar^e 

 continued und went to sleep, intending to table was placed, and my little library vf 

 make for Ega in the mornng. It was not reference arranged ou shelves in rough 

 thought worth while to secure the vessel to wooden boxes. Cages for drying specimen.* 

 the trees or cast anchor, as there was no cur- were suspended from the rafters by cords 

 rent. I sat up for two or three hours after we ji anointed, to prevent ants from aescend- 

 my companions had gone to rest, enjoying jng^ w ith a bitter vegetable oil : rats and 

 the solemn calm of the night. Not a breath mice were kept from them by inverted cuyns, 

 of air stirred ; the sky was of a deep blue, placed half way down the cords. I always 

 and the stars seemed to stand forth in sharp kept on hand a large portion of ray private 

 relief ; there was no sound of life in the woods, collection, which contained a pair of ench 

 except the occasional melancholy note of species and variety, for the sake of corapor. 

 some nocturnal bird. I reflected on my own j n g the old with the new acquisitions. My 

 wandering life : I had now reached the end cottage was whitewashed inside and out 

 of the third stage of my journey, and was about once a year by the proprietor, a native 

 now more than half way across the conti trader ; the floor was of earth ; the venuia- 

 nent. It was necessary for me, on many ac- tion was perfect, for the outside air, and 

 counts, to find a rich locality for natural sometimes the rain as well, entered freely 

 history explorations, and settle myself in it through gaps at the top of the walls uedtr 

 for some mouths or years. Would the neigh- me caves, and through wide crevices in th& 

 borhood of Ega turn ut to be suitable t and taorways. Rude as the dwelling was, I look 



