LIFE AT MANAOS. 



187 



September 9th. — We have passed such quiet days here, so 

 far as any variety of incident is concerned, that there is little 

 to record. Work has gone on as usual ; the whole collec- 

 tion of fishes, made since we left Para, has been so re- 

 packed as to leave it in readiness to be shipped for that port. 

 Our companions have rejoined us on their return from the 

 Tapajoz, bringing with them considerable collections from 

 that river also. They seem to have enjoyed their excursion 

 greatly, and describe the river as scarcely inferior to the 

 Amazons itself in breadth and grandeur, having wide sand- 

 beaches where the waves roll in, when the wind is high, 

 almost as upon a sea-shore. Mr. Agassiz has done nothing 

 in the way of collecting here, with the exception of securing 

 such fishes as are to be had in the immediate neighborhood ; 

 he reserves his voyage on the Rio Negro for our return. 

 And, by the way, we are met here by another practical 

 evidence of the good-will of the Brazilian government. 

 On leaving Rio, the Emperor had offered Mr. Agassiz the 

 use of a small government steamer to make explorations 

 on the Negro and Madeira rivers. On our arrival at Par 4 

 he was told that the steamer had been found to be so much 

 out of repair that she was considered unsafe. Under these 

 circumstances, he supposed that we should be obliged to 

 resort to the small boats generally used. But to-day an 

 official communication informs him that, as the Piraja is 

 found not to be serviceable, another steamer will be fur- 

 nished, which will meet us at Manaos on our return from 

 the Upper Amazons. The following letter, acknowledging 

 this favor, to the President of Par4, through whom it was 

 received, contains some account of the scientific results thus 

 far, and may not be uninteresting. 



