6 PAKA. ^ Chap. T. 



to a distance of nearly 200 miles from the mouth of the 

 river. 



On the morning of the 28th of May we arrived at 

 Para. The appearance of the city at sunrise was 

 pleasing in the highest degree. It is built on a low 

 tract of land, having only one small rocky elevation at 

 its southern extremity ; it therefore affords no amphi- 

 theatral view from the river ; but the white buildings 

 roofed with red tiles, the numerous towers and cupolas 

 of churches and convents, the crowns of palm trees 

 reared above the buildings, all sharply defined against 

 the clear blue sky, give an appearance of lightness and 

 cheerfulness which is most exhilarating. The perpetual 

 forest hems the city in on all sides landwards ; and 

 towards the suburbs, picturesque country houses are seen 

 scattered about, half buried in luxuriant foliage. The 

 port was full of native canoes and other vessels, large and 

 small ; and the ringing of bells and firing of rockets, an- 

 nouncing the daAVTi of some Roman Catliolic festival day, 

 showed that the population was astir at that early hour. 



We went ashore in due time, and were kindly 

 received by Mr. Miller, the consignee of the vessel, who 

 invited us to make his house our home until we could 

 obtain a suitable residence. On landing, the hot moist 

 mouldy air, which seemed to strike from the ground and 

 walls, reminded me of the atmosphere of tropical stoves 

 at Kew. In the course of the afternoon a heavy shower 

 fell, and in the evening, the atmosphere having been 

 cooled by the rain, we walked about a mile out of town to 

 the residence of an American gentleman to whom our 

 host wished to introduce us. 



