VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. 



335 



The number of inhabited houses was two thousand four hundred and 

 eighteen; of births, seven hundred and eighty-five; of marriages, ninety- 

 eight ; of deaths, three hundred and seventy-five ; and of resident for- 

 eigners, seven hundred and eighty-four. 



Para was a remarkably healthy place, and entirely free from epidemics 

 of any kind, until February, 1850, when the yellow fever was taken 

 there by a vessel from Pernambuco. It was originally brought from 

 the coast of Africa to Bahia, and spread thence along the coast. The 

 greatest malignancy of the disease was during the month of April, when 

 it carried off from twenty to twenty -five a day. 



About the same time the next year, (the fever being much diminished,) 

 the small pox broke out with great violence. About twenty five per 

 cent, of the population died from the two diseases. I imagine that the 

 city will now never be entirely free from either ; and the filthy condition 

 in which the low tide leaves the slips, in which lie the small trading 

 craft, must be a fruitful source of malaria, and an ever-exciting cause of 

 epidemic. 



The crews of these vessels, with their families, generally live in them. 

 They are consequently crowded ; and, when the tide is out, they lie on 

 their sides, imbedded in a mass of refuse animal and vegetable matter, 

 rotting and festering under a burning sun. 



Para, however, is an agreeable place of residence, and has a delight- 

 ful climate. The sun is hot till about noon, when the sea breeze comes 

 in, bringing clouds with rain, thunder, and lightning, which cool and 

 purify the atmosphere, and wash the streets of the city. The afternoon 

 and evening are then delicious. This was invariable during my stay of 

 a month. 



The rich vegetable productions of the country enhance much the 

 beauty of the city. In nearly all the gardens grow the beautiful miriti 

 palm, the cabbage palm, the cocoa nut, the cinnamon, the bread-fruit 

 tree, and rich green vines of black pepper. The rapidity of vegetable 

 growth here is wonderful. Streets opened six months ago in the suburbs 

 of the city, are now filled up with bushes of the stramonium, or James- 

 town weed, of full six feet in height. There are a number of almond 

 trees in various parts of the town, which are very ornamental. These 

 trees throw out horizontal branches, encircling the trunk at intervals of 

 five or six feet, the lowest circle being the largest, so that they resemble 

 in shape a Norfolk pine. Mr. Norris and I thought it remarkable that, 

 in a row of these trees planted before a house or line of houses, those 

 nearest the door were invariably the farthest advanced in growth. This 

 we particularly remarked in the case of a row planted before the bar- 



