CONTENTS. 



XV 



up the Magdalena — Ascent to the Plateau.— Bogota and the Bogotdnos.— Traveling at 

 Bogotdi.— Table-Land of Mexico: Its Extent.— The Tierra Calienta.— The Tierra Templada. 

 — The Tierra Fria. — The Valley of Anahuac. — The Volcanoes of Orizaba, Popocatapetl, 

 Iztacihuatl, and Toluca. — The Sikhim Slope: Approach and Ascent. — Dorjiling. — The 

 Sikkim Peaks. — Altitude of Kinchin-junga. — Flight of the Condor, Page 480 



CHAPTER III. 



SAVANNAS AND DESERTS OF THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



Water and Life. — Characteristics of the Savannas. — The Llanos: The Dry Season. — ^Effects 

 upon Vegetable Life. — Effects upon Animal Life. — Approach of the Rainy Season. — Revival 

 of Vegetable and Animal Life. — Vast Migrations of Animals. — The Pampas: Horses and 

 Cattle in the New World. — Effects of their Introduction upon the Character of the Popu- 

 lation. — The Mauritia Palm. — Living in the Tree-tops — The Grand Chaco — Its Indian 

 Inhabitants. — The Guachos. — The Lasso and Bolas. — The Plains of Southern Africa : Thorny 

 Bushes. — Excessive Droughts. — A Great Hunting Ground. — Species of Game. — Vegetation 

 — Watery Tubers. — Esculent Gourds. — Possibility of Wells. — Water-Pits in the Kalahari. — 

 Mode of Pumping Up the Water. — Livingstone's Theory of Water-Making Ants. — More 

 Probable Explanation. — Inhabitants of Southern Africa. — The Lake Region of Equatorial 

 Africa: Little Known. — Explorations of Livingstone and Burton. — Speke's Journey. — His 

 Notices of the Country. — Moderate and Equable Temperature. — The Inhabitants. — Ciiarac- 

 teristics of a Real Desert. — The Atacama of Peru: Its Arid Character. — The Mule the Ship 

 of this Desert. — The Australian Desert : Its Utter Desolation. — Sturt's Exploration. — 

 Leichardt. — Lost Rivers. — The Sahara: Extent and General Characteristics. — The Capital 

 of Fezzan. — Perilous Adventure of Barth. — Plains and Hills. — Oases. — Luxuriant Vegeta- 

 tion of the Oases. — Contrasts of Light and Shade. — The Khamsin or Simoom. — Animals 

 and Reptiles. — The Ostrich and its Chase. — Fluctuations of Animal and Vegetable Life 

 according to the Seasons, 499 



CHAPTER IV. 



TROPICAL FORESTS. — VALLEY OF THE AMAZON. 



Characteristics of the Tropical Forests. — Variety of Trees and Plants. — Aspect During the 

 Rainy Season. — Beauty After the Rainy Season. — A Morning Concert. — Repose at Noon. — 

 Awakening at Evening. — Nocturnal Voices of the Forest. — The Amazon: Course of the 

 River. — Size of its Basin. — The Tide at its Mouth. — Rising of the River. — Igaripes, or Canoe- 

 Paths. — Inundations of the Amazon. — Vast Variety of its Vegetation. — Fishes. — Agassiz's 

 Specimens. — Alligators and Turtles. — Turtle-Hunting. — Insects — Ants. — Butterflies — Spi- 

 ders. — Lizards. — Frogs and Toads. — Snakes. — Paucity of Mammalia. — The Jaguar. — Scan- 

 tiness of Human Population — Indian Tribes. — Mundurcu Tattooing. — Travelers' Accounts 

 of the Tribes. — Men with Tails. — Orton's Summary of their Character. — His Own Expe- 

 rience Favorable. — He finds them Honest and Peaceable. — Agassiz's Notices of the Indians. 

 — Their Familiarity with Animals and Plants. — Whites. — Negroes. — Mixed Breeds. — Agas- 

 siz and Orton on the Capacity of Amazonia, 514 



CHAPTER V. 



CHARACTERISTIC FORMS OF TROPICAL VEGETATION. 



General Features of Tropical Forests. — Number of Species of Plants. — The Baobab. — Its 

 Gigantic Size. — Age of the Great Trees. — Dragon-Trees. — The Great Dragon-Tree of 

 Orotava — The Sycamore. — The Banyan. — The Sacred Bo-Tree. — The Oldest Histori- 

 cal Tree.— The Teak.— The Satin-wood.— The Sandal Tree.— The Ceiba.— The Ma- 

 hogany Tree — The Mora. — The Guadua. — Bamboos. — The Aloe — The Agave. — The 

 Cactus — The Screw Pine. — Mimosas. — Lianas. — Climbing Trees. — Epiphytes. — Water 

 Plants. — ^Buttressed Trees. — Trees with Fantastic Roots. — Mangroves. — Marsh Forests. 

 —Palms.— The Cocoa Palm —The Sago Palm.— The Saguer Palm.— The Areca Palm.— 

 The Palmyra Palm.— The Talipot Palm.— Ratans.— The Date Palm.— Oil Palms.— Variety 

 of Size, Form, Foliage and Fruit — Future Commercial Value of the Palm, , . 525 



