THE JOURNEY TO THE AMAZON 275 



" The inhabitants of Para, as of all Brazil, consist of three 

 distinct races : The Portuguese and their descendants with a 

 few other Europeans, the native Indians, and the Negroes 

 together with a considerable number of mixed descent. The 

 Indians in and near Para are all ' tame Indians,' being 

 Roman Catholics in religion and speaking Portuguese, though 

 many speak also the Lingoa-Geral or common Indian 

 language. They are the chief boatmen, fishermen, hunters, 

 and cultivators in the country, while many of them work as 

 labourers or mechanics in the towns. The negroes were 

 originally all slaves, but a large number are now free, some 

 having purchased their freedom, while others have been freed 

 by their owners by gift or by will. Most of the sugar and 

 cocoa plantations are worked partly by slave and partly by 

 hired labour. The negroes, here as elsewhere, are an exceed- 

 ingly talkative and contented race, as honest as can be 

 expected under the circumstances, and when well treated 

 exceedingly faithful and trustworthy. Generally they are not 

 hard-worked, and are treated with comparative kindness and 

 lenity. 



" The people of all races are universally polite, and are 

 generally temperate and peaceful. The streets of Para are 

 more free from drunkenness and quarrels than any town of 

 like size in England or Wales ; yet in the time of Portuguese 

 rule there were some fearful insurrections, brought on by 

 oppressive government. But now, foreigners of all sorts can 

 live in perfect safety, and on excellent terms with the native 

 residents and officials, though, of course, they have to conform 

 to the customs of the country, and obey all the laws and 

 regulations, which latter are sometimes inconvenient and 

 troublesome." 



Shortly after writing this letter I went on a collecting 

 expedition up the river Guama, and soon after my return, in 

 July, 1849, m y younger brother Herbert came out to join me 

 in order to see if he had sufficient taste for natural history to 

 become a good collector. I had decided to start up the 

 Amazon as soon as I could find an opportunity, and after 



