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the Tuira River some fifty or sixty miles from the coast. As we 
ascended the river we found the banks heavily wooded and saw 
numerous birds, and shortly before reaching El Real we passed 
quite a number of alligators swimming or floating along the 
shores, looking much like rough logs well sunken in the water. 
Knowing little about the country, I had intended to go to Ya- 
visa, a small native town well in the interior of Darien, but the 
officers of the boat told me that there I would be farther from 
mountains than at El Real. Accordingly, on the recommenda- 
tion of the captain, the agent of the Darien Gold Mining Com- 
pany agreed to let me stay at their station, called Marraganti, a 
few miles farther up the river, and here I remained for over a 
week, collecting on both sides of the Taira. The region in gen- 
eral was low, there still being six feet of tide in the river, 
with heavy forests covering much of the country. ne tree in 
particular was very conspicuous, growing in groups, with a round, 
smooth trunk seven or eight fect in diameter, and attaining a 
height of probably 150 feet or more. At this season it was 
leafless but bore clusters of winged fruits four or five inches in 
diameter, which, when blown off by the wind, appeared from a 
distance like a flock of birds. Another quite common and very 
large tree was evidently related to the Brazil nut, Berthollettia, 
and bore round, very thick, woody capsules seven or eight inches 
in diameter, packed with triangular nuts. 
I remained at this station nine days, but wished to collect at 
to Marraganti while I was there. He kindly consented not only 
to transport myself and baggage to the mining camp, but to fur- 
nish room and board for a time under the same conditions as 
for an employee of the company. It took me from April 11 to 
April 16 to reach the camp known as “ Cana.” The first day’s 
travel was up the river in a dug-out canoe, or peragua, with two 
skilled natives to pole and paddle the boat, which contained 
not only my own baggage but some 1,200 pounds of iron rails 
as well. The river banks we passed were mostly low and in 
places, for a mile or so at a stretch, showed four of the most per- 
