CHAPTER III. 



PAEA — concluded. 



Religious liolidays— Marmoset monkeys — Serpents— Insects of the 

 forest— Relations of the Fauna of the Para district , 



Before leaving the subject of Para, where I resided, 

 as aheady stated, in all eighteen months, it will be 

 necessary to give a more detailed account of several 

 matters connected with the customs of the people and 

 the Natural History of the neighbourhood, which have 

 hitherto been only briefly mentioned. I reserve an 

 account of the trade and improved condition of Para 

 in 1859 for the end of this narrative. 



During the first few weeks of our stay many of those 

 religious festivals took place, which occupied so -large a 

 share of the time and thoughts of the people. These 

 were splendid affairs, wherein artistically-planned pro- 

 cessions through the streets, accompanied by thousands 

 of people ; military displays ; the clatter of fireworks, 

 and the clang of military music, were superadded to 

 pompous religious services in the churches. To those 

 who had witnessed similar ceremonies in the Southern 

 countries of Europe, there would be nothing remarkable 

 perhaps in these doings, except their taking place 



