I 



Chap. VII. NIGHTS ON THE RIVER. 273 



casha9a, the "abre" or "opening," as it is called, and 

 set to on our mess of stewed pirarucu, beans, and bacon. 

 Once or twice a week we had fowls and rice ; at supper, 

 after sunset, we often had fresh fish caught by our men 

 in the evening. The mornings were cool and pleasant 

 until towards midday ; but in the afternoons the heat 

 became almost intolerable, especially in gieamy, squally 

 weather, such as generally prevailed. We then crouched 

 ' in the shade of the sails, or went down to our hammocks 

 in the cabin, choosing to be half stifled rather than 

 expose ourselves on deck to the sickening heat of the 

 sun. We generally ceased travelling about nine o'clock, 

 fixing upon a safe spot wherein to secure the vessel for 

 the night. The cool evening hours were delicious ; 

 flocks of whistling ducks (Anas autumnalis), parrots, and 

 hoarsely-screaming macaws, pair by pair, flew over from 

 their feeding to their resting places, as the glowing sun 

 plunged abruptly beneath the horizon. The brief even- 

 ing chorus of animals then began, the chief performers 

 being the howling monkeys, whose frightful unearthly 

 roar deepened the feeling of solitude which crept on as 

 darkness closed around us. Soon after, the fireflies in 

 great diversity of species came forth and flitted about 

 the trees. As night advanced, all became silent in the 

 forest, save the occasional hooting of tree-frogs, or the 

 monotonous chirping of wood-crickets and grasshoppers. 

 We made but little progress on the 20th and two 

 following days, on account of the unsteadiness of the 

 wind. The dry season had been of very brief duration 

 this year ; it generally lasts in this part of the Amazons 

 from July to January, with a short interval of showery 



