MANAOS. 191 



sel did we have for the day. At 3 r. m. we came to where 

 the Rio Negro narrows to a mile in breadth, the waves 

 breaking in foam upon a wild, rocky coast. The winds 

 were sweeping so violently through the strait that we were 

 obliged to delay several hours, and then with considerable 

 difficulty we made the passage, and entered another great 

 bay of white-capped water. Night at length came on, but 

 our faithful Indians did not cease their labors. Extended 

 playas stretched along the now low and partially-submerged 

 shores, in passing which our natives would lay in their 

 paddles and take to the palancas. Hungry from our fast- 

 ings, we threw ourselves upon the rough poles of our couch. 

 It was three o'clock in the morning when we were awak- 

 ened by our canoe grating the beach. No town could be 

 seen, and we were about to ask the cause of our stopping, 

 Avhen the ringing of a bell was heard, breaking the still- 

 ness of the early morning. It was a welcome sound, for 

 it told us that our long wanderings of jveary months were 

 at length terminated. We looked around and saw that 

 our exhausted Indians had thrown themselves upon the 

 sand. We allowed them to rest until break of day, when 

 arousing them we rounded the point of land in our front, 

 and were at Manaos. 



The town is pleasantly located upon the left bank of 

 the river, ten miles from the Amazons, It contains a 

 mixed population of two thousand, the principal elements 

 being Portuguese, Indian, and Negro. The town is trav- 

 ersed by two ravines, spanned by quite substantial bridges, 

 the first we had seen since leaving Valencia. They lend 

 quite an artistic appearance to the place as viewed from 

 the river. A large cathedral is also in process of erection, 

 and has been for the last dozen years. It seems strangely 

 out of proportion to the present population of Manaos ; 

 but it is probable that some sage padre has had sufficient 

 prevision to see that the town is destined to become, from 



