78 TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON. [April, 



well, and gave him a small present whenever he brought a new 

 bird. 



Luiz was an excellent hunter. He would wander in the 

 woods from morning to night, going a great distance, and 

 generally bringing home some handsome bird. He soon got 

 me several fine cardinal chatterers, red-breasted trogons, 

 toucans, etc. He knew the haunts and habits of almost every 

 bird, and could imitate their several notes so as to call them to 

 him. 



In this showery weather the pretty little esmeralda butterfly 

 (Htztera Esmeralda) seemed to delight, for almost every wet 

 day I got one or two specimens in a certain narrow gloomy 

 path in the forest, though I never found but one in any other 

 place. Once or twice I walked over to tne rice-mills, to see 

 my friend Mr. Leavens, and get some of the curious insects 

 which were seldom met with near the city. Several young 

 men in Para were now making collections, and it is a proof of 

 the immense abundance and luxuriance of insect life in this 

 country, that in every collection, however small, I almost 

 always saw something new to me. 



Having heard much of the " Piroroco," or bore, that occurs 

 in the Guama River at spring-tides, I determined to take a 

 little trip in order to see it, and make some variation from my 

 rather monotonous life at Para. I wished to go in a canoe of 

 my own, so as to be able to stop where and when I liked, and 

 I also thought it would be useful afterwards in ascending the 

 Amazon. I therefore agreed to purchase one that I thought 

 would suit me, of a Frenchman in Para, and having paid part 

 of the purchase-money, got it fitted up and laid in a stock of 

 requisites for the voyage. I took a barrel and a quantity of 

 spirits for preserving fish, and everything necessary for collecting 

 and preparing birds and insects. As the canoe was small, I 

 did not want many men, for whom there would not indeed 

 have been room, so determined to manage with only a pilot, 

 and one man or boy besides Luiz. 



I soon found a boy who lived near, and had been accustomed 

 to bring me insects. To all appearance he was an Indian, but 

 his mother had Negro blood in her, and was a slave, so her 

 son of course shared her fate. I had, therefore, to hire him of 

 his master, an officer, and agreed for three milreis (about seven 

 shillings) a month. People said that the boy's master was his 



