358 The Andes and the Amazons. 



CHAPTER XXYL 



Para : its Situation, Climate, Industry, and Commerce. 



The largest city on the largest river in the world, and 

 the sole commercial outlet of a region equal to the United 

 States east of the Mississippi, but vastly more fertile : such 

 is Para. 



It is a city of strange contrasts. Founded 250 years 

 ago, and having an unparalleled position, it has to-day hut 

 35,000 inhabitants— a slow growth, due mainly to revolu- 

 tions, yellow fever, and absurd legislation. Standing sev- 

 enty miles from the ocean, it is nevertheless approachable 

 by the largest steamers. It is built on a low tract of land, 

 so that at a distance it appears, like Venice, seated on the 

 sea, with beautiful rocinhas nestling in gardens along the 

 shore, and every variety of craft, from frigate to canoe, on 

 the water; hemmed in between the river Guajara and a 

 perpetual forest that stubbornly disputes every inch of 

 ground ; with picturesque avenues of mongubas, graceful 

 palms, and superb bananas in elegant luxuriance; with 

 unpaved streets, neglected plazas, dilapidated houses, som- 

 bre chui'ches with grass and shrubs growing on their tiled 

 roofs ; with screaming parrots and loathsome vultures, yel- 

 low dogs and chattering monkeys ; with wealthy Brazilians 

 in spotless white, noisy Portuguese porters, idle soldiers, 

 merry negresses with trays or water -jars on their heads, 

 sober Indian women with naked children astride on their 

 hips or rolling in the street ; with a mongrel population of 

 amalgamated Portuguese, Indian, and Negro blood — Mu- 

 lattoes, Mamelucos, Cafuzos, Curibocos, and Xibaros ; ev- 



