CHAPTER VII. 



BARRA DO RIO NEGRO AND THE SOLIMOES. 



Appearance of the Rio Negro — The City of Barra, its Trade and its 

 Inhabitants — Journey up the Rio Negro — The Lingoa Geral — 

 The Umbrella Bird — Mode of Life of the Indians — Return to Barra 

 — Strangers in the City — Visit to the Solimoes — The Gapo — Mana- 

 query — Country Life — Curl-crested Aragaris — Vultures and On^as 

 — Tobacco Growing and Manufacture — The Cow- Fish — Senhor Bran- 

 dao — A Fishing Party with Senhor Henrique — Letters from England. 



On the 31st of December, 1849, we arrived at the city of 

 Barra on the Rio Negro. On the evening of the 30th the sun 

 had set on the yellow Amazon, but we continued rowing till 

 late at night, when we reached some rocks at the mouth of the 

 Rio Negro, and caught some fine fish in the shallows. In the 

 morning we looked with surprise at the wonderful change in 

 the water around us. We might have fancied ourselves on the 

 river Styx, for it was black as ink in every direction, except 

 where the white sand^ seen at the depth of a few feet through 

 its dusky wave, appeared of a golden hue. The water itself 

 is of a pale brown colour, the tinge being just perceptible in 

 a glass, while in deep water it appears jet black, and well 

 deserves its name of Rio Negro — " black river." 



We brought letters to Senhor Henrique Antony, an Italian 

 gentleman settled here many years, and the principal merchant 

 in the city ; who received us with such hearty hospitality as at 

 once to make us feel at home. He gave us the use of two 

 large rooms in a new house of his own not quite finished, and 

 invited us to take our meals at his table. 



The city of Barra do Rio Negro is situated on the east bank 

 of that river, about twelve miles above its junction with the 

 Amazon. It is on uneven ground, about thirty feet a,bove the 



