88 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 
TO MRS. QUINCY A. SHAW 
Manaos, September 8, 1865 
Sometimes when the pictures of home come up so 
vividly it seems as if nothing one could gain in travel- 
ling could make up for the loss of not being with you 
all and with the children. My darling little Louis, 
if I could have him only ten minutes! My success in 
paroquets and parrots has not been good thus far. I 
have had a number given to me on the voyage up the 
Amazons; but they have all met with some ill fate, 
and the last was eaten by the cat in our little garden 
here. I shall try to bring one home alive to Louis, but 
I doubt whether I shall be able to. They say that un- 
less you take them home in a very warm season, they 
are apt to die when they get to our coast. I have not 
yet seen a monkey in the woods. We hear them con- 
stantly, but they are so shy that on the faintest ap- 
proach they are off. 
Our life here is most interesting — full of adven- 
tures, full of experiences, which are to be remembered 
all one’s lifetime for their novelty. Our party is a very 
pleasant one. James, who after his illness in Rio de- 
cided to go home, but afterwards changed his mind, 
is a delightful travelling companion. You know how 
bright, intelligent, cultivated he is — a fellow of vivid, 
keen intellect. He works hard and is ready to turn his 
hand to anything for your father. 
Tell Louis if I don’t have time to write a little let- 
ter today, I shall soon, and that I have his ring on my 
finger all safe and sound. But tell him the little paro- 
