AN EXCURSION TO OBYDOS 8i 
river, along whose northern bank it stretched away 
for a couple of miles. It was composed of vari- 
ously-coloured earths and clays, and in some places 
a coarsely-grained sandstone, like that of Paricatuba, 
peeped out at its foot. On a plateau towards the 
eastern end of this cliff stood the town of Obidos, 
of which we could see nothing from the river 
except the church tower and the roofs of two or 
three houses ; but on climbing up to it we found 
it a considerable place, nearly equal to Santarem, 
although by no means so regularly and neatly 
built. I had letters of recommendation to the 
Commandante Militar, Major Joao da Gama Lobo 
Bentes, who installed us in a room which we 
shared with his son, a dissipated young man, who 
divided his time between his hammock, his viola, 
and his cachimbo or pipe. We had therefore 
scant space for indoor work, and the range of our 
outdoor operations was also rather limited, in 
consequence of there being no broad paths leading 
far into the interior, as there were at Santarem. 
We found, however, a moister climate and a more 
vigorous vegetation, although flowers and fruits 
were, from that very circumstance, less accessible. 
Virgin forest came up to the very skirts of the 
town, and the Guaribas (Howling monkeys) used 
to serenade us from thence about daybreak. 
The small collection of plants made during my 
brief stay at Obidos, and at an unpropitious season 
of the year, represents its vegetation very inade- 
quately. The beach alone was gay with flowers, 
chiefly of annual Phaseoli, Euphorbiads, and Com- 
posites. On the cliff grew a few humble Mela- 
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