278 



A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 



even in tropical midday. The bathing here, as we found 

 by experience at a later hour, is most delicious. The 

 shade over the pool is so profound and the current runs 

 through it so swiftly that the water is exceedingly cold, — 

 an unusual thing here, — and it seems very refreshing to 

 those coming from the hot sun outside. At the side of this 

 pool I saw a very large parasitic plant in flower. Since we 

 have been on the Amazons most of these parasites have been 

 out of bloom, and, though we have seen beautiful collections 

 in private gardens, we have not met them in the woods. 

 This one was growing in the lofty notch of a great tree, 

 overhanging the water ; a tuft of dark green leaves with 

 large violet and straw-colored blossoms among them. It 

 was quite out of reach, and the little garden looked so 

 pretty in its airy perch, that I was almost glad we had no 

 power to disturb it. After breakfast some of the guests, 

 and Mr. Agassiz among them, were obliged to return to 

 town on business. They rejoined us in time for a late 

 dinner, arriving in a canoe instead of coming on foot, 

 an experiment which we had been prevented from trying 

 in the morning, because we had been told that, as the 

 igarape was low and the bottom very rocky, it would be 

 impossible to ascend the whole distance in a boat. They 

 came, however, in perfect safety, and were delighted with 

 the picturesque beauty of the row. After a very cheerful 

 dinner, closing with a cup of coffee in the open air, we 

 started at twilight for town, by different roads. Desirous 

 to see the lower course of the igarapd, which Mr. Agassiz 

 reported as so beautiful, and being assured that there was 

 no real danger, I returned in the little canoe with Mr. 

 Honorio. It was thought best not to overload it, so the 

 others took the forest road by which we had come in the 



