f>78 THE INDIA-RUBBER TREE. 



upper portion of the foliage, while a solemn gloom reigns 

 among the dark columns which support this wondrous roof of 

 verdure. 



In truth, in these woods a thousand objects attract the 

 eye, each a world of varied vegetation in itself; while the 

 ear listens to the quick rustling breeze moving the palm- 

 leaves fifty feet or more above the head, not like the slow 

 gathering, rushing wind among the pine-trees in northern 

 climes, but like rapidly running water. Now an immense 

 butterfly of the most vivid blue comes sailing by to alight 

 on a neighbouring shrub, when, suddenly folding his azure 

 wings out of sight, it looks merely like some brown moth 

 spotted with white. 



As evening comes on, in some districts a strange confusion 

 of sounds is heard, as from a crowd of men shouting loudly 

 at a distance. Now it seems like the barking of dogs, then 

 like that of many voices calling in different keys, but all loud, 

 varied, excited, full of emphasis ; and yet, after all, the rioters 

 are but the frogs and toads uttering their usual notes. 



THE SERINGA OR INDIA-RUBBER TREE. 



Along the whole extent of the submerged region on the 

 banks of the Amazon, beginning at a distance of about fifty 

 miles from Para, as well as on the shores of many of its 

 tributaries, grows a tree with bark and foliage not unlike that 

 of the European ash. The trunk, however, shoots up to an 

 immense height before throwing off branches. It is the valu- 

 able seringa-tree (Siphonia elastica), belonging to the family 

 Euphorbia, which produces india-rubber. As soon as the 

 waters after the rainy season have subsided, the natives go 

 forth in parties to procure the sap with large bowls, clay 



