182 THE UPPER AMAZONS. Chap. III. 



following my pursuit in the same peaceful, regular way 

 as a Naturalist might do in a European village. For 

 many weeks in succession my journal records little more 

 than the notes made on my daily captures. I had a 

 dry and spacious cottage, the principal room of which 

 was made a workshop and study ; here a large table 

 was placed, and my little library of reference arranged 

 on shelves in rough wooden boxes. Cages for drying 

 specimens were suspended from the rafters by cords 

 well anointed, to prevent ants from descending, with 

 a bitter vegetable oil : rats and mice were kept from 

 them by inverted cuyas, placed half-way down the cords. 

 I always kept on hand a large portion of my private 

 collection, which contained a pair of each species and 

 variety, for the sake of comparing the old with the new 

 acquisitions. My cottage was whitewashed inside and 

 out about once a year by the proprietor, a native trader ; 

 the floor was of earth ; the ventilation was perfect, for 

 the outside air, and sometimes the rain as well, entered 

 freely through gaps at the top of the walls under the 

 eaves and through wide crevices in the doorways. Rude 

 as the dwelling was, I look back with pleasure on the 

 many happy months I spent in it. I rose generally 

 with the sun, when the grassy streets were wet with dew, 

 and walked down to the river to bathe : five or six 

 hours of every morning were spent in collecting in 

 the forest, whose borders lay only five minutes' walk 

 from my house : the hot hours of the afternoon, between 

 three and six o'clock, and the rainy days, were occupied 

 in preparing and ticketing the specimens, making notes, 

 dissecting, and drawing. I frequently had short rambles 



