382 



THE UPPER AMAZONS 



The inundation progresses gently inch by inch, and is felt 

 everywhere, even in the interior of the forests of the higher 

 lands, miles away from the river ; as these are traversed 

 by numerous gullies, forming in the fine season dry, 

 spacious dells, which become gradually transformed by 

 the pressure of the flood into broad creeks navigable by 

 small boats under the shade of trees. All the countless 

 swarms of turtle of various species then leave the main 

 river for the inland pools : the sand-banks go under water, 

 and the flocks of wading birds migrate northerly to the 

 upper waters of the tributaries which flow from that 

 direction, or to the Orinoco ; which streams during the 

 wet period of the Amazons are enjoying the cloudless skies 

 of their dry season. The families of fishermen who have 

 been employed, during the previous four or five months, 

 in harpooning and salting pirarucu and shooting turtle 

 in the great lakes, now return to the towns and villages ; 

 their temporarily constructed fishing establishments 

 becoming gradually submerged, with the sand islets or 

 beaches on which they were situated. This is the season, 

 however, in which the Brazil nut and wild cacao ripen, 

 and many persons go out to gather these harvests, re- 

 maining absent generally throughout the months of 

 March and April. The rains during this time are not 

 continuous ; they fall very heavily at times, but rarely 

 last so long at a stretch as twenty-four hours, and many 

 days intervene of pleasant, sunny weather. The sky, 

 however, is generally overcast and gloomy, and sometimes 

 a drizzling rain falls. 



About the first week in June the flood is at its highest ; 

 the water being then about forty-five feet above its lowest 

 point ; but it varies in different years to the extent of 

 about fifteen feet. The ' enchente or flow, as it is called 

 by the natives, who believe this great annual movement 

 of the waters to be of the same nature as the tide towards 

 the mouth of the Amazons, is then completed, and all 

 begin to look forward to the ' vasante or ebb. The 

 provision made for the dearth of the wet season is by this 

 time pretty nearly exhausted ; fish is difficult to procure, 

 and many of the less provident inhabitants have become 

 reduced to a diet of fruits and farinha porridge. 



The fine season begins with a few days of brilliant 

 weather — furious, hot sun, with passing clouds. Idle men 

 and women, tired of the dulness and confinement of the 



