ALTAR TO CHAO 



287 



strange flat-topped hills which are so common in this part 

 of the Amazons country, shaped like the high altar in 

 Roman Catholic churches. It is an isolated one and 

 much lower in height than the similarly truncated hills 

 and ridges near Almeyrim, being elevated probably not 

 more than 300 feet above the level of the river. It is bare 

 of trees, but covered in places with a species of fern. At 

 the head of the bay is an inner harbour which communi- 

 cates by a channel with a series of lakes lying in the valleys 

 between hills and stretching far into the interior of the 

 land. The village is peopled almost entirely by semi- 

 civilized Indians to the number of sixty or seventy 

 families, and the scattered houses are arranged in broad 

 streets on a strip of green sward at the foot of a high, 

 gloriously-wooded ridge. 



We stayed here nine days. As soon as we anchored 

 I went ashore and persuaded, by the offer of a handsome 

 reward, two young half-breeds to go in search of my 

 missing boat. The head man of the place, Captain 

 Thomas, a sleepy-looking mameluco, whom I found in 

 his mud-walled cottage in loose shirt and drawers, with 

 a large black rosary round his neck, promised me two 

 Indians to complete my crew, if I would wait a few days 

 until they had finished felling trees for a new plantation. 

 Meantime my men had to make a new sail and repair the 

 rigging, and I explored the rich woods of the vicinity. 



Captain Thomas sent his son one day to show me the 

 best paths. A few steps behind the houses we found our- 

 selves in the virgin forest. The soil was sandy, and the 

 broad path sloped gently up towards the high ridge which 

 forms so beautiful a back-ground to the village. From 

 the top of the hill a glimpse of the bay is obtained through 

 the crowns of the trees. The road then descends, and so 

 continues for many miles over hill and dale. There are 

 no habitations, however, in this direction ; the road having 

 been made by people formerly employed in felling timber. 

 The forest at Altar do Chao is noted for its riches in choice 

 woods, and its large laurel and Itaiiba trees, which are 

 used in building river schooners. The beautiful tortoise- 

 shell wood, Moira pinima, minutely barred and spotted 

 with red and black, which is made into walking-sticks 

 by Brazilian carpenters, and exported as such in some 

 numbers to Portugal, was formerly abundant here ; it is 

 the heart- wood of a tree I believe unknown to science. 



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