74 VOYAGE UP THE TAPAJOS. Chap. II. 



were then at their highest point, and my canoe had 

 been anchored close to the back door of our house. The 

 morning was cool and a brisk wind blew, with which 

 we sped rapidly past the white-washed houses and 

 thatched Indian huts of the suburbs. The charming 

 little bay of Mapiri was soon left behind ; we then 

 doubled Point Maria Josepha, a headland formed of 

 high cliffs of Tabatinga clay, capped with forest. This 

 forms the limit of the river view from Santarem, and 

 here we had our last glimpse, at a distance of seven or 

 eight miles, of the city, a bright line of tiny white build- 

 ings resting on the dark water. A stretch of wild rocky 

 uninhabited coast was before us, and we were fairly 

 within the Tapajos. 



Some of my readers may be curious to know how I 

 managed money affairs during these excursions in the 

 interior of the South American continent : it can be 

 explained in a few words. In the first place, I had an 

 agent in London to whom I consigned my collections. 

 During the greater part of the time I drew on him for 

 what sums I wanted, and an English firm at Para (the 

 only one in the country which traded regularly and 

 directly with England) cashed the drafts. I found no 

 difficulty in the interior of the country, for almost any 

 of the larger Portuguese or Brazilian traders, of whom 

 there are one or two in every village of 600 or 700 

 inhabitants, would honour my draft on the English 

 house ; they having each a correspondent at Para who 

 deals with the foreign merchants. Sometimes a Portu- 

 guese trader would hint at discount, or wish me to take 

 part of the amount in goods, but the Brazilians were 



