SOUTH AMERICA. 



sending out parallel, oblique, horizontal, and perpendicular j^^^^^l 

 shoots in all directions, put you in mind of what travellers 

 call a matted forest. Oftentimes a tree, above a hundred 

 feet high, uprooted by the whirlwind, is stopped in its 

 fall by these amazing cables of nature ; and hence it is 

 that you account for the phenomenon of seeing trees, 

 not only vegetating, but sending forth vigorous shoots, 

 though far from their perpendicular, and their trunks 

 inclined to every degree from the meridian to the horizon. 



Their heads remain firmly supported by the bush-rope ; 

 many of their roots soon refix themselves in the earth, 

 and frequently a strong shoot will sprout out perpendi- 

 cularly from near the root of the reclined trunk, and in 

 time'become a fine tree. No grass grows under the trees ; 

 and few weeds, except in the swamps. 



The high grounds are pretty clear of underwood, and 

 with a cutlass to sever the small bush-ropes, it is not 

 difficult walking among the trees. 



The soil, chiefly formed by the fallen leaves and de- Soils, 

 cayed trees, is very rich and fertile in the vallies. On 

 the hills, it is little better than sand. The rains seem to 

 have carried away, and swept into the vallies, every 

 particle which nature intended to have formed a mould. 



Four-footed animals are scarce, considering hoAv very Four-footed 



animals. 



thinly these forests are inhabited by men. 



Several species of the animal, commonly called tiger, 

 though in reality it approaches nearer to the leopard, are 



