34:6 The Andes and the Amazons. 



Negro, which is navigable to San Gabriel ; but at present 

 steamers go only to Santa Isabel, or 546 miles. It is a deep 

 though sluggish river, slower than the Amazons. The depth 

 at Manaos at high water is forty-four fathoms, and the width 

 a mile and a half. Steamers, therefore, do not usually cast 

 anchor, but fasten to buoys. The river is highest the mid- 

 dle of June, and lowest at the end of October. The Rio 

 Branco branch can also be navigated by small steamers 

 for sixty leagues. Above the rapids of San Gabriel the 

 Negro is connected by the Cassiquiare with the Orinoco ; 

 and hence the commerce of this part of the river is natu- 

 rally in the hands of Venezuelans. Ayrao, eighteen hours 

 by steam from Manaos, and the first station of any impor- 

 tance, is the centre of a very fine region for the culture of 

 coffee, but little is raised, Barcellos, once the capital of 

 the province, now nearly deserted, still shows the regular 

 streets, architecture, stone houses and gardens of the old 

 Portuguese settlere. Its climate is delightful, but it is 

 plagued with bats. 



Next in order is the Puriis, one of the most promising 

 tributaries of the Amazons. Recently opened to the world 

 by the daring Chandless, this hitherto mysterious river, 

 possessed by the untamable " Chunchos" (a name given to 

 savages in general), has suddenly become one of the most 

 attractive and valuable streams in the world. Rising in 

 the richest part of the Andes, and entering the Amazons 

 only forty-five leagues above the city of Manaos, it is nav- 

 igable for steamers, the greater part of the year, for over 

 1200 miles. At the distance of 800 miles from its mouth 

 the depth is never less than twelve feet. It is nearly equal 

 to the Madeira in size, and is remarkably free from islands 

 and rapids, but is exceedingly winding in its course. Its 

 affiuents on the right bank are the Paricatuba, Mucubim, 

 Ituxy, Aquiry, Hyuacti, and Araca; and on the left, Ta- 



