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CARIPI 



they have not that feathery appearance which those of 

 some palms have, but still they possess their own pecuHar 

 beauty. My guide put me ashore in one place to show 

 me the roots of the Pashiuba. These grow above ground, 

 radiating from the trunk many feet above the surface, 

 so that the tree looks as if supported on stilts ; and a 

 person can, in old trees, stand upright amongst the roots 

 with the perpendicular stem wholly above his head. It 

 adds to the singularity of their appearance, that these 

 roots, which have the form of straight rods, are studded 

 with stout thorns, whilst the trunk of the tree is quite 

 smooth. The purpose of this curious arrangement is, 

 perhaps, similar to that of the buttress roots already de- 

 scribed ; namely, to recompense the tree by root-growth 

 above the soil for its inability, in consequence of the 

 competition of neighbouring roots, to extend it under- 

 ground. The great amount of moisture and nutriment 

 contained in the atmosphere, may also favour these 

 growths. 



On returning to the house, I found Petzell had been 

 well occupied during the hot hours of the day collecting 

 insects in a neighbouring clearing. He had obtained 

 no less than six species new to me of the beautiful family 

 of Longicornes belonging to the order Coleoptera. Our 

 kind hosts gave us a cup of coffee about five o'clock, and 

 we then started for home. The last mile of our walk 

 was performed in the dark. The forest in this part is 

 obscure even in broad daylight, but I was scarcely pre- 

 pared for the intense opacity of darkness which reigned 

 here on this night, and which prevented us from seeing 

 each other, although walking side by side. Nothing 

 occurred of a nature to alarm us, except that now and 

 then a sudden rush was heard amongst the trees, and 

 once a dismal shriek startled us. Petzell tripped at one 

 place and fell all his length into the thicket. With this 

 exception, we kept well to the pathway, and in due time 

 arrived safely at Caripi. 



One of my neighbours at Murucupi was a hunter of 

 reputation in these parts. He was a civilized Indian, 

 married and settled, named Raimundo, whose habit was 

 to sally forth at intervals to certain productive hunting 

 grounds, whose situation he kept secret, and procure 

 fresh provisions for his family. I had found out by this 



