Climate of the Makanon. 379 



pointment to the consulship at this distant and isolated 

 spot mast be regarded by the carpet-baggers of Rio as a 

 literal banishment. 



Here the traveler westward exchanges the Brazilian 

 " Icamiaba" for the Peruvian " Morona." At present the 

 following steamers are afloat on Peruvian waters: "Moro- 

 na," « Pastassa," " Tambo," " Putumayo," " Napo," " May- 

 ro," "Alceste," and " Ucayali," the last two belonging to 

 private individuals. The "Morona" is an iron vessel of 

 150 horse-power, with a tonnage of 500. The running 

 time from Tabatinga to Yurimaguas is ninety hours, dis- 

 tance 728 miles. She leaves Tabatinga the 21st of each 

 month, and Yurimaguas the 9th. The first-class fare is 

 $60, passengers providing their own bedding. There are 

 no accommodations for ladies. Travel on the Maranon 

 exceeds that on the Solimoens; for example, the " Morona" 

 left Iquitos with nineteen first-class passengers and forty- 

 six third-class. Nevertheless, the towns are decaying, ex- 

 cepting Iquitos and Yurimaguas. 



As to climate, I repeat what I have said elsewhere, that 

 the entire main trunk of the Amazons from Para to Bor- 

 ja, but especially the Maranon, is as healthy as any tropic 

 river in the world- The same can be said of the large 

 tributaries to the Maranon, as the Napo, Ucayali, and Hu- 

 allaga ; malarial fevers are almost confined to the small 

 streams. Diarrhea and dysentery, the most common dis- 

 eases in the swamp country, can generally be traced to im- 

 prudent eating and bathing. The most sickly season is 

 the time of falling waters. The annual rise of the Ma- 

 ranon is about thirty feet. The largest amount of rain-fall 

 Occurs in February and March. The maximum rain-fall 

 in twenty -four hours, during 1872-'3,was 4.66 inches. The 

 greatest daily range of temperature noticed was 9°, but this 

 was extraordinary. 



