AGASSIZ TO SUMNER. 637 



Amazons, I found the Ibicuhy awaiting me 

 with an order from the Minister of Public 

 Works, placing her at my disposal for the 

 remainder of my stay in the waters of the 

 Amazons. 



The Ibicuhy is a pretty little war steamer 

 of 120 horse power, carrying six thirty-two 

 pound guns. On board of her, and in com- 

 pany with the President of the Province, I 

 have already visited that extraordinary net- 

 work of river anastomoses and lakes, stretch- 

 ing between the river Madeira and the Ama- 

 zons to the river Tapajos, and now I am 

 ascending the Rio Negro, with the intention 

 of going up as far as the junction of the Rio 

 Branco with the Rio Negro. That the Brazil- 

 ian government should be able and willing to 

 offer such facilities for the benefit of science, 

 during a time of war, when all the resources 

 of the nation are called upon in order to put 

 an end to the barbarism of Paraguay, is a 

 most significant sign of the tendencies prevail- 

 ing in the administration. There can be no 

 doubt that the emperor is the soul of the 

 whole. This liberaHty has enabled me to de- 

 vote all my resources to the making of collec- 

 tions, and the result of my researches has, of 

 course, been proportionate to the facilities I 



