CHAPTER VI. 



SANTAREM AND MONTEALEGRE. 



Leave Para — Enter the Amazon — Its Peculiar Features — Arrive at San- 

 tarem — The Town and its Inhabitants — Voyage to Montealcgre — 

 Mosquito Plague and its Remedy — Journey to the Serras — A Cattle 

 Estate — Rocks, Picture Writings, and Cave — The Victoria regia — 

 Mandiocca Fields — A Festa — Return to Santarem — Beautiful Insects 

 — Curious Tidal Phenomenon — Leave Santarem — Obydos — Villa 

 Nova — A Kind Priest— Serpa — Christmas Day on the Amazon. 



We now prepared for our voyage up the Amazon ; and, from 

 information we obtained of the country, determined first to go 

 as far as Santarem, a town about five hundred miles up the 

 river, and the seat of a considerable trade. We had to wait a 

 long time to procure a passage, but at length with some 

 difficulty agreed to go in a small empty canoe returning to 

 Santarem. 



We were to have the hold to ourselves, and found it very 

 redolent of salt-fish, and some hides which still remained in it 

 did not improve the odour. But voyagers on the Amazon 

 must not be fastidious, so we got our things on board, and 

 hung up our hammocks as conveniently as we could for the 

 journey. 



Our canoe had a very uneven deck, and, we soon found, a 

 very leaky one, which annoyed us much by wetting our clothes 

 and hammocks ; and there were no bulwarks, which, in the 

 quiet waters of the Amazon, are not necessary. We laid in a 

 good stock of provisions for the voyage, and borrowed some 

 books from our English and American friends, to help to pass 

 away the time ; and in the beginning of August, left Para with 

 a fine wind, which soon carried us beyond the islands opposite 

 the city into the wide river beyond. The next day we crossed 



