VII 
AT MANAOS 
245 
tenderness and awe, and I have felt it difficult to 
tear myself from the spot. The first time I climbed 
this hill I carried a compass and an aneroid 
barometer, and took with me an Indian to carry my 
plant-case. I showed and explained to him the 
action of the two instruments. He was filled with 
wonder, and I heard him mutter to himself several 
times, Cariila Jurupari" ("White man is the 
d ^1 " !). Similar exclamations I have frequently 
heard from these people when shown anything 
beyond their comprehension. 
At Manaquiry 
In the month of June I made an excursion up 
the Solimoes. My destination was Manaquiry, a 
group of sitios lying on certain channels and lakes 
a few leagues from the south bank of that river. 
The journey occupies three days under favourable 
circumstances, but the river was at its height and 
we had rarely sufficient wind to enable us to stem 
the rapid current ; the consequence was that our 
voyage lasted a whole week. In all this time we 
did not once see the real bank of the river, only 
islands. My host at Manaquiry was Senhor 
Henrique's father-in-law, a Portuguese, and not 
by any means a modern settler, having come out 
here in 1798. He is still, at above seventy, a hale, 
hearty man and can outwork any of his sons. I 
may remark of him what I have also observed in 
others, that those Europeans who have led the 
most active life in this climate, not fearing either 
summer's sun or winter's rain, invariably enjoy the 
best health ; while those who give themselves up 
