l82 



THE LOWER AMAZONS 



torrents which set round them ; and in such cases we had 

 to cross the river, drifting often with the current, a mile 

 or two lower down on the opposite shore. There generally- 

 sprung a light wind as the day advanced, and then we 

 took down our hammocks, hoisted all sail, and bowled 

 away merrily. Penna generally preferred to cook the 

 dinner ashore, when there was little or no wind. About 

 mid-day on these calm days we used to look out for a nice 

 shady nook in the forest, with cleared space sufficient to 

 make a fire upon. I then had an hour's hunting in the 

 neighbouring wilderness, and was always rewarded by the 

 discovery of some new species. During the greater part 

 of our voyage, however, we stopped at the house of some 

 settler, and made our fire in the port. Just before dinner 

 it was our habit to take a bath in the river, and then, 

 according to the universal custom on the Amazons, where 

 it seems to be suitable on account of the weak fish diet, 

 we each took half a tea-cup full of neat casha9a, the 

 * abre ' or * opening as it is called, and set to on our 

 mess of stewed pirarucu, beans, and bacon. Once or 

 twice a week we had fowls and rice ; at supper, after 

 sunset, we often had fresh fish caught by our men in the 

 evening. The mornings were cool and pleasant until to- 

 wards mid-day ; but in the afternoons the heat became 

 almost intolerable, especially in gleamy, squally weather, 

 such as generally prevailed. We then crouched in the 

 shade of the sails, or went down to our hammocks in the 

 cabin, choosing to be half stifled rather than expose our- 

 selves on deck to the sickening heat of the sun. We 

 generally ceased travelling about nine o'clock, fixing upon 

 a safe spot wherein to secure the vessel for the night. 

 The cool evening hours were delicious ; flocks of whistling 

 ducks (Anas autumnalis), parrots, and hoarsely-screaming 

 macaws, pair by pair, flew over from their feeding to their 

 resting places, as the glowing sun plunged abruptly 

 beneath the horizon. The brief evening chorus of animals 

 then began, the chief performers being the hov/ling 

 monkeys, whose frightful unearthly roar deepened the 

 feeling of solitude which crept on as darkness closed 

 around us. Soon after, the fireflies in great diversity 

 of species came forth and flitted about the trees. As 

 night advanced, all became silent in the forest, save the 

 occasional hooting of tree-frogs, or the monotonous chirp- 

 ing of wood-crickets and grasshoppers. 



