RIO JANEIRO. 75 
They had seen the Mato Virgen, or primeval forest, and instead of 
finding it, as had been represented, beset with difficulties in pene- 
trating it, they were surprised to find it more accessible than some 
of the forests in our Atlantic States. According to the accounts of 
intelligent residents, it is easily traversed in any direction. The 
accounts of difficulties have probably arisen from the second growth 
on spots that have once been cleared, where the bamboos are inter- 
twined so as to render the woods almost impassable, and this has no 
doubt been taken for the primeval forest. 
The nature of the Brazilian forest will account for so little being 
known of its botany. The trees are in fact inaccessible, the trunks 
being from seventy to one hundred feet high, before the branches 
appear, so that the latter can only be got at by felling. The view of 
the forest is truly remarkable. Trees of immense growth inter- 
mingled with others of less size, presenting to the eye the most 
singular and fantastic forms imaginable. The roots of climbing 
plants dangling between their straight trunks resembled the tackling 
of a ship. 
A little incident that occurred to these gentlemen will show the 
difficulties to be encountered in obtaining specimens. They had 
observed for a few days a beautiful yellow flowering tree that was 
very conspicuous in the forest. Believing that it could be easily come 
at, they made the attempt to reach it, but without success, finding it, 
instead of being low, a high and inaccessible tree. They then directed 
their steps to others, but were disappointed again. Determined not 
to be foiled in their pursuit, they again went off in search of others in 
sight ; these, to their surprise, were on the opposite side of a river. 
Nothing daunted, Mr. Brackenridge crossed it, though deep, and 
endeavoured to scale the tree. What had appeared near the ground 
now proved a tree of some sixty feet in height, with a smooth and 
slippery bark, and he returned to his companion empty-handed. Dr. 
Pickering next made the attempt. After crossing the stream with 
difficulty, he reached the desired object, and endeavoured to climb, 
but after reaching some forty feet, was obliged to acknowledge him- 
self vanquished. They continued their return, and when near Padre 
Luiz's house they found a small tree of the same kind they had 
been searching for, which proved to be a species of Caesalpinia. 
At Padre Luiz's they again passed the night, and the next day 
endeavours were made to reach one of the pointed peaks of the Organ 
Mountains. In this Dr. Pickering succeeded, though it did not prove 
