152 



A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 



CHAPTER V. 



FROM PARA TO MANAOS. 



First Sunday on the Amazons. — Geographical Question. — Convenient 

 Arrangements of Steamer. — Vast Dimensions of the River. — Aspect 

 of Shores. — Village of Breves. — Letter about Collections. — Vege- 

 tation. — Variety of Palms. — Settlement of Tajapuru. — Enormous 

 Size of Leaves of the Miriti Palm. — Walk on Shore. — Indian Houses. 

 — Courtesy of Indians. — Row in the Forest. — Town of Gurupa. — 

 River Xingu. — Color of Water. — Town of Porto do Moz. — Flat- 

 topped Hills of Almeyrim. — Beautiful Sunset. — Monte Alegre. — 

 Character of Scenery and Soil. — Santarem. — Send off Party on 

 the River Tapajos. — Continue up the Amazons. — Pastoral Scenes on 

 THE Banks. — Town of Villa Bella. — Canoe Journey at Night to the 

 Lake of Jos^: Assu. — Esperan9a's Cottage. — Picturesque Scene at 

 Night. — Success in Collecting. — Indian Life. — Making Farinha. — 

 Dance in the Evening. — Howling Monkeys. — Religious Impressions 

 of Indians. — Cottage of Maia the Fisherman. — His Interest in edu- 

 cating his Children. — Return to Steamer. — Scientific Results of 

 the Excursion. 



August 20th. — On board the " Icamiaba." Our first 

 Sunday on the Amazons ; for, notwithstanding the warm 

 dispute as to whether both the rivers enclosing the island 

 of Marajo must be considered as parts of the great river, 

 it is impossible not to feel from the moment you leave 

 Pard that you have entered upon the Amazons. Geology 

 must settle this knotty question. If it should be seen 

 that the continent once presented an unbroken line, as 

 Mr. Agassiz believes, from Cape St. Eoque to Cayenne, 

 the sea having encroached upon it so as to give it its 

 present limits, the Amazons must originally have entered 

 the ocean far to the east of its present mouth, at a time 

 when the Island of Maraj6 divided the river in two channels 

 flowing on either side of it and uniting again beyond it. 



