32 



TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON. 



{July, 



variety of timber, and much of it of such poor quality as only 

 to be used on account of its cheapness. On the other hand 

 the valley of the Amazon and its countless tributary streams, 

 offers a country where the rivers are open all the year, and are 

 for hundreds and even thousands of miles unobstructed by 

 rapids, and where violent storms at any season seldom occur. 

 The banks of all these streams are clothed with virgin forests, 

 containing timber-trees in inexhaustible quantities, and of such 

 countless varieties that there seems no purpose for which wood 

 is required but one of a fitting quaHty may be found. In 

 particular, there is cedar, said to be so abundant in some 

 localities, that it could, on account of the advantages before 

 mentioned, be sent to England at a less price than even the 

 Canada white pine. It is a wood which works nearly as easy 

 as pine, has a fine aromatic odour, and is equal in appearance 

 to common mahogany, and is therefore well adapted for doors 

 and all internal finishings of houses ; yet, owing to the want 

 of a regular supply, the merchants here are obliged to have pine ^ 

 from the States to make their packing-cases. For centuries 

 the woodman's axe has been the pioneer of civilisation in the 

 gloomy forests of Canada, while the treasures of this great and 

 fertile country are still unknown. 



Mr. Leavens had been informed that plenty of cedar is to 

 be found on the Tocantms, the first great tributary of the 

 Amazon from the south, and much wished to make a trip to 

 examine it, and, if practicable, bring a raft of the timber down 

 to Para ; in which case we agreed to go with him, for the 

 purpose of investigating the natural history of that almost 

 unknown district. We determined to start, if at all, in a few 

 weeks; so having been nearly a fortnight at the mills, we 

 returned to Para on foot, sending our luggage and collections 

 by the canoe. 



Vessels had arrived from the States and from Rio. A law 

 had been lately passed by the Imperial Government, which 

 was expected to produce a very beneficial effect on the 

 commerce and tranquillity of the province. It had hitherto 

 been the custom to obtain almost all the recruits for the 

 Brazilian army from this province. Indians, who came down 

 the rivers ViiXh produce, were forcibly seized and carried off 

 for soldiers. This was called voluntary enlistment, and had 

 gone on for many years, till the fear of it kept the natives from 



