276 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
Whilst my men were reposing I was working — 
drying my plants and papers and exploring the 
adjacent forest for flowers. When I found any 
lofty tree in flower I called one of the Indians 
to climb it. They would then continue rowing 
until lo at night, and recommence at 2 or 3 in 
the morning. From the Barra to some distance 
above Barcellos we were much aided by the trade 
winds, and my canoe, though anything but hand- 
some in its cut, went excellently under sail, riding 
out the strongest trovoados (squalls). 
It may be true, as Humboldt says, that "perils 
elevate the poetry of life," but I can bear witness 
that they have a woeful tendency to depress its 
prose. ... In my own case, so long as the river 
was smooth and deep, my little vessel went on 
gallantly and my labours were uninterrupted ; but 
when the bed of the river began to be obstructed 
by rocks and the current to run furiously, anxiety 
took the place of pleasure, and instead of working 
among my plants, I had to watch over the safety of 
my canoe and its contents. Thus from the Barra 
to Sta. Isabel I have much to show and little to tell, 
and from Sta. Isabel upwards, though I can recount 
plenty of perils of waters, I can produce but few 
plants gathered by their margins. ... In many 
places the river spreads out to an enormous width, 
nothing being known with certainty of great part 
of the northern shore. Frequently it is sprinkled 
with islands, and sometimes opens out a lake-like 
expanse, so wide that were it not for the lofty 
skirting forest the opposite coast would be invisible. 
The idea of a river studded with islands no doubt 
suggests to you a variety of pleasant views ; but 
