ii6 



CARIPI 



He could never forget, however, the free river life, and 

 perpetual summer of the banks of the Amazons, so he 

 persuaded his wife to consent to break up their home in 

 North America, and migrate to Para. No one can ima- 

 gine the difficulties the poor fellow had to go through 

 before reaching the land of his choice. He first descended 

 the Mississippi, feeling sure that a passage to Para could 

 be got at New Orleans. He was there told that the only- 

 port in North America he could start from was New 

 York, so away he sailed for New York ; but there was 

 no chance of a vessel sailing thence to Para, so he took 

 a passage to Demerara, as bringing him, at any rate, 

 near to the desired land. There is no communication 

 whatever between Demerara and Para, and he was forced 

 to remain here with his family four or five months, during 

 which they all caught the yellow fever, and one of his 

 children died. At length he heard of a small coasting 

 vessel going to Cayenne, so he embarked and got thereby 

 another stage nearer the end of his journey. A short 

 time after reaching Cayenne he shipped in a schooner 

 that was going to Para, or rather the island of Mara jo, 

 for a cargo of cattle. He had now fixed himself, after 

 all his wanderings, in a healthy and fertile little nook 

 on the banks of a rivulet near Caripi, built himself a log 

 hut, and planted a large patch of mandioca and Indian 

 corn. He seemed to be quite happy, but his wife com- 

 plained much of the want of wholesome food, meat and 

 wheaten bread. I asked the children whether they liked 

 the country ; they shook their heads, and said they 

 would rather be in Illinois. Petzell told me that his 

 Indian neighbours treated him very kindly ; one or 

 other of them called almost every day to see how he was 

 getting on, and they had helped him in many ways. He 

 had a high opinion of the Tapuyos, and said * If you treat 

 them well, they will go through fire to serve you.' 



Petzell and his family were expert insect collectors, 

 so I employed them at this work during my stay at 

 Caripi. The daily occurrences here were after a uniform 

 fashion. I rose with the dawn, took a cup of coffee, and 

 then sallied forth after birds. At ten I breakfasted, and 

 devoted the hours from ten until three to entomology. 

 The evening was occupied in preserving and storing my 

 captures. Petzell and I sometimes undertook long ex- 

 cursions, occupying the whole day. Our neighbours used 



