650 A VACATION TRIP TO BRAZIL. 
of the mouths of the Amazonas, though apparently it 
receives only a small part of its waters from the main 
stream. 
By and by the opposite bank of the river makes its 
appearance, and we have on each side a long level line of 
trees rising from the water. Looking both up and down 
stream, a water-horizon is seen; still farther up large 
wooded islands come in sight, and these like the shores 
are flat, and only slightly elevated above the water level. 
Looking up among the islands, it appears like looking out 
to sea from a large bay. The banks are very heavily 
wooded. There are no clearings of any size visible, and 
there are only a few little huts seen nestled in among the 
trees. On the projecting points along the southern bank 
of the river are stations from which are displayed signal 
flags, to give notice at Para of our arrival. At length, 
ahead on the water-horizon gleams a white object, which 
seems to be a ship; but the opera glass shows it to be 
the tower of a church, and the pilot tells us that it is the 
cathedral of Para, but it seems out at sea. Soon other 
towers rise above the turbid horizon, and ere long there 
„gleam in the afternoon sun the white buildings of the city 
of Para, the capital of the province of Gras Para. It 
seems like the work of enchantment. With the city in 
view, we run along close to the southern shore, passing a 
few fazendas, some tile-making establishments, a church 
or two, all backed by the dense Amazonian forest, that — 
sheet of vegetation, which, almost unbroken save by 
~ rivers, covers the whole Amazonian valley like a sea, to 
_ the very foot of the Andes. At a distance the forest 
~ Yesembles our own hard-wood forests, only it is denser 
— = more luxuriant. Once in a while a large round- 
oa tree is scen, blushing deeply with blossoms like 
: the topo of ee bathed i in the red evening sun- 
