28 SANTAREM. Chap. I. 



shape out quiet little bays and pools. On the outskirts 

 of the town a few scattered huts of Indians and coloured 

 people are passed, prettily situated on the margin of the 

 white beach, with a background of glorious foliage ; the 

 cabin of the pure-blood Indian being distinguished from 

 the mud hovels of the free negroes and mulattoes by its 

 light construction, half of it being an open shed where 

 the dusky tenants are seen at all hours of the day 

 lounging in their open-meshed grass hammocks. About 

 two miles on the road we come to a series of shallow 

 pools, called the Laguinhos, which are connected with 

 the river in the wet season, but separated from it by a 

 high bank of sand topped with bushes at other times. 

 There is a break here in the fringe of wood, and a 

 glimpse is obtained of the grassy campo. When the 

 waters have risen to the level of the pools this place is 

 frequented by many kinds of wading birds. Snow-white 

 egrets of two species stand about the margins of the 

 water, and dusky-striped herons may be seen half hidden 

 under the shade of the bushes. The pools are covered 

 with a small kind of water-lily, and surrounded by a 

 dense thicket. Amongst the birds which inhabit this 

 spot is the rosy-breasted Troupial (Trupialis Guianensis), 

 a bird resembling our starling in size and habits, and 

 not unlike it in colour, with the exception of the rich 

 rosy vest. The water at this time of the year overflows 

 a large level tract of campo bordering the pools, and 

 the Troupials come to feed on the larvae of insects 

 which then abound in the moist soil. 



Beyond the Laguinhos there succeeds a tract of level 

 beach covered with trees which form a beautiful grove. 



