Chap. X. A GERMAN" FAMILY. 173 



haired boys came up and spoke to me in English, and 

 presently their father made his appearance. They 

 proved to be a German family named Petzell, who were 

 living in the woods, Indian fashion, about a mile from 

 Caripi. Petzell explained to me how he came here. 

 He said that thirteen years ago he came to Brazil with 

 a number of other Germans under engagement to serve 

 in the Brazilian army. When his time had expired he 

 came to Para to see the country, but after a few months' 

 rambling left the place to establish himself in the United 

 States. There he married, went to Illinois, and settled 

 as farmer near St. Louis. He remained on his farm 

 seven or eight years, and had a family of five children. 

 He could never forget, however, the free river life and 

 perpetual summer of the banks of the Amazons, so he 

 persuaded his wife to consent to break up their home in 

 North America, and migrate to Para. No one can ima- 

 gine the difficulties the poor fellow had to go through 

 before reaching the land of his choice. He first descended 

 the Mississippi, feeling sure that a passage to Para could 

 be got at New Orleans. He was there told that the 

 only port in North America he could start from was 

 New York, so away he sailed for New York ; but there 

 was no chance of a vessel sailing thence to Para, so he 

 took a passage to Demerara, as bringing him, at any 

 rate, near to the desired land. There is no communica- 

 tion whatever between Demerara and Para, and he was 

 forced to remain here with his family four or five months, 

 during which they all caught the yellow fever, and one 

 of his children died. At length he heard of a small 

 coasting vessel going to Cayenne, so he embarked and 



