DOWN THE AMAZONS. 



361 



Our live-stock is increasing as we descend the river, and 

 we have now quite a menagerie on board ; a number of 

 parrots, half a dozen monkeys, two exquisite little deer from 

 the region of Monte Al^gre, and several Agamis, as tame 

 and gentle as barn-yard fowls, stepping about the deck with 

 graceful, dainty tread, and feeding from the hand. Their 

 voices are singularly harsh, however, and out of keeping 

 with their pretty looks and ways. Every now and then 

 they raise their heads, stretch their long necks, and utter a 

 loud, gurgling sound, more like the roll of a drum than the 

 note of a bird. Last, but not least, we have a sloth on 

 board, the most fascinating of all our pets to me, not cer- 

 tainly for his charms, but for his oddities. I am never tired 

 of watching him, he looks so deliciously lazy. His head 

 sunk in his arms, his whole attitude lax and indifferent, he 

 seems to ask only for rest. If you push him, or if, as 

 often happens, a passer-by gives him a smart tap to arouse 

 him, he lifts his head and drops his arms so slowly, so 

 deliberately, that they hardly seem to move, raises his heavy 

 lids and lets his large eyes rest upon your face for a moment 

 with appealing, hopeless indolence ; then the lids fall softly, 

 the head droops, the arms fold heavily about it, and he col- 

 lapses again into absolute repose. This mute remonstrance 

 is the nearest approach to activity I have seen him make. 

 These live animals are not all a part of the scientific collec- 

 tions ; many of them belong to the captain and officers. The 

 Brazilians are exceedingly fond of pets, and almost every 

 house has its monkeys, its parrots, and other tame animals 

 and birds. 



January 26^A. — Monte Aldgre. Leaving Santarem on 

 Tuesday we arrived here on Wednesday morning, and, as 

 on our former visit, were received most hospitably at the 



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