ARRIVAL AT PARA. 



333 



water was brown and clear, and the banks everywhere three or four feet 

 out of the water. I was surprised to see so few houses on its banks. It 

 looked very nearly as desolate as the Maranon in Peru. 



Forty-five miles of descent of the Moju brought us to the junction of 

 the Acara, which comes in from the southeast. The estuary formed 

 by the junction of the two rivers is about two and a half miles wide, 

 and is called the river Guajar-a. 



Five miles of descent of the Guajara brought us to its entrance into 

 the Para river, five miles above the city, where we arrived' at half-past 

 9 p. m. on the 11th of April. 



I was so worn out when we arrived, that, although I had not heard 

 from home, and knew that there must be letters here for me, I would not 

 take the trouble to go to the consul's house to seek them ; but sending 

 Mr. Potter and the Frenchman ashore to their families, I anchored in 

 the stream, and, wrapping myself in my blanket, went sullenly to sleep. 



The charm of Mr. Norris's breakfast table next morning, however, 

 with ladies and children seated around it, conversing in English, might 

 have waked the dead. Under the care and kindness of himself and his 

 family, I improved every hour; and was soon in condition to see what 

 was to be seen, and learn what was to be learned, of the city of Para. 



