"MEEEY CHRISTMAS." 305 



upon the Cayliiar-liy, several miles from the Amazons. 

 The naturalist Bates speaks of it as fearfully infested by- 

 mosquitoes, and not without reason ; for, no sooner had 

 our steamer stopped, than these pests hoarded our vessel, 

 and drove us fi-om our hammocks, which arrangements 

 afford admirable facilities for such attacks npon all sides. 

 This village is situated midway between the Atlantic and 

 Pacific civilizations, receiving the influence of neither ; 

 the last not extending beyond Loreto, the most eastern 

 Peruvian town, and the former being felt but little above 

 Manaos, at the mouth of the Kio ISTegro. From Fonto 

 Boa we steamed down all day, without finding the least 

 indication of life, until late in the evening, and then only 

 by leaving the iVmazons and steaming up one of its south- 

 ern tributaries, the Teffe, where we found the town of 

 Ega, containing a mixed Portuguese, Indian, and Negro 

 popiilation of about one thousand. Leaving Ega we 

 again entered the Great River, and steamed on and down 

 between the eternal walls of eternal green. 



We miss xipon the Amazons the slo])ing banks and 

 beautiful villas so characteristic of our northern rivers. 

 As we glided down day after day, there was always the 

 same blank horizon ahead, the same torn and crumbling 

 banks rising but a few feet from the water's edge, and the 

 same giant forest walling the river upon either side. To 

 us, accustomed to northern scenery, there was a strange- 

 ness to that tropical nature, which always produced a feel- 

 ing of loneliness, and constantly reminded us of the dis- 

 tance of our home. "We recall now a little incident illus- 

 trative of this, that occurred upon the morning of the 

 25th of December. We were swinging in our hammocks, 

 which were, as usual, suspended on the deck, when the 

 familiar wish of " Merry Christmas," from one of the more 

 thoughtful members of our party, suggested with unusual 



