eS 
708 The Naturalist Brazilian Expedition, (July, 
reminded us strongly of home. This forest belt is a mere screen, 
hiding flat, open meadow, or mimosa thickets, behind. Thickets 
and forest belong to the alluvial land of the river; in dry weather 
they are well above the water, but after heavy rains they are often 
covered to a considerable depth, the Jacuhy sometimes rising 
nearly forty feet. As on other rivers which are subject to heavy 
floods the alluvial lands are highest along the banks, where the 
silt and mud brought down by the water are first deposited. 
These high banks being more favorable to the growth of trees, 
are well wooded; the lower lands behind are often swampy, and 
they support only bushes and grass.’ 
The flood-plain of the Jacuhy is of small extent, generally lit- 
tle more than a mile broad; it is composed almost entirely of 
clays, though islands and banks in the channel are often sandy. 
The river itself, in its lower courses, varies in width from a quat- 
ter to half a mile, and it is generally deep all the way across, the 
current is rather rapid; water clay-stained but not muddy. As 
we advanced we could see low, rounded hills behind the forest 
on each side, and eight or ten miles below Sao Jeronymo the 
main land appeared at the river’s edge on the southern side; 
beyond this it was continued, with little interruption, to the vil- 
lage. These banks are never very high, and they show y 
occasional ledges of soft, clay-like rock, with a pebbly beach = 
low; they comprehend the space between the mouths a : 
small tributaries, called Arroio dos Ratos and Arroio da t0 
teirinha. 
The first large tributary above the Viamão 
which enters from the north; it rises in the i 
important for the German colonies near its banks. : 
pi northern side, is the village of Triumpho, and opposi pn 
on the south bank of the Jacuhy, the village of 540 uate” | 
Triumpho is conspicuous for its handsome church; pie ate : 
there is little to distinguish the two places. They. 2 ga hedges 
enough, the whitewashed and red-tiled houses backed 4 Up the > 
and orange groves, or bright, prairie covered hillsides. ae 
river there are wooded islands, and a rounded grames a 
: ; ; f Triuapt 
pears above the water's edge directly in front O ig ae 
We landed just above São Jeronymo, where vn traction S 
running to the coal mine, about seven miles. Stea 
re Ihave noted 
1 Something similar is seen on the Lower Amazons, whe 
g 
