CHAPTER VI. 



THE LOWER AMAZONS— PARA TO OBYDOS. 



Modes of Travelling on the Amazons — Historical Sketch of tlie early Ex- 

 plorations of the River — Preparations for Voyage— Life on board a 

 large Trading-vessel — The narrow Channels joining the Para to the 

 Amazons — First Sight of the great River — Gurnpa — The Great 

 Shoal — Flat-topped Mountains — Contraction of the River Valley — 

 Santarem — Obydos — Natural History of Obydos — Origin of Species 

 by Segregation of Local Varieties. 



At the time of my first voyage up the Amazons — 

 namely, in 1849 — nearly all communication with the 

 interior was by means of small sailing vessels, owned 

 by traders' residing in the remote towns and villages, 

 who seldom came to Para themselves, but entrusted 

 vessels and cargoes to the care of half-breeds or Portu- 

 guese cabos. Sometimes, indeed, they risked all in 

 the hands of the Indian crew, making the pilot, who 

 was also steersman, do duty as supercargo. Now and 

 then, Portuofuese and Brazilian merchants at Para fur- 

 nished young Portuguese with merchandise, and des- 

 patched them to the interior to exchange the goods for 

 produce amongst the scattered population. The means 

 of communication, in fact, with the upper parts of the 

 Amazons had been on the decrease for some time, on 

 account of the augmented difficulty of obtaining hands 



