30 



PARA 



my first impressions and some remarks on the wonderful 

 vegetation. The forest is very similar on most of the 

 low lands, and therefore one description will do for all. 



On leaving the town we walked along a straight, subur- 

 ban road constructed above the level of the surrounding 

 land. It had low swampy ground on each side, built 

 upon, however, and containing several spacious rocinhas 

 which were embowered in magnificent foliage. Leaving 

 the last of these, we arrived at a part where the lofty 

 forest towered up like a wall five or six yards from the 

 •edge of the path to the height of, probably, loo feet. 

 The tree trunks were only seen partially here and there, 

 nearly the whole frontage from ground to summit being 

 covered with a diversified drapery of creeping plants, all 

 of the most vivid shades of green ; scarcely a flower to 

 be seen, except in some places a solitary scarlet passion- 

 flower set in the green mantle like a star. The low ground 

 on the borders between the forest wall and the road, 

 was encumbered with a tangled mass of bushy and shrubby 

 vegetation, amongst which prickly mimosas were very- 

 numerous, covering the other bushes in the same way 

 as brambles do in England. Other dwarf mimosas trailed 

 along the ground close to the edge of the road, shrinking 

 at the slightest touch of the feet as we passed by. Cassia 

 trees, with their elegant pinnate foliage and conspicuous 

 yellow flowers, formed a great proportion of the lower 

 trees, and arborescent arums grew in groups around the 

 swampy hollows. Over the whole fluttered a larger 

 number of brilliantly-coloured butterflies than we had 

 yet seen ; some wholly orange or yellow (Callidryas), 

 others with excessively elongated wings, sailing horizon- 

 tally through the air, coloured black, and varied with 

 blue, red, and yellow (Heliconii). One magnificent grassy- 

 green species (Colaenis Dido) especially attracted our at- 

 tention. Near the ground hovered many other smaller 

 species very similar in appearance to those found at 

 home, attracted by the flowers of numerous leguminous 

 and other shrubs. Besides butterflies, there were few 

 other insects except dragon-flies, which were in great 

 numbers, similar in shape to English species, but some of 

 them looking conspicuously diflerent on account of their 

 iiery red colours. 



After stopping repeatedly to examine and admire we 

 at length walked onward. The road then ascended 



