3IO NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
therefore followed it very much at our ease, for the 
ascent was very slight and the ground was com- 
paratively clear of twiners. The chief vegetation 
was an Ubim-rana, with a few plants of Bactris. 
Senhor Gama thought he saw proofs of habitations 
having formerly existed on this ridge (as there is a 
tradition) in the absence of any trees of larger size ; 
though up to this ridge the forest had been lofty, 
as it also was above it to the summit of the highest 
peak. The peak soon began to show itself quite 
near, looming through the mist, and it shot up so 
abruptly that we had some fear of not being able to 
surmount it. We proceeded, however, with much 
difficulty till we came to a perpendicular wall of 
above 40 feet high, on which were a few scattered 
shrubs and sipos, by the aid of which we contrived 
to climb it with greater ease than I had expected. 
A few minutes of gentle ascent and then came 
another similar wall, which we also climbed in 
safety, though not without some apprehensions of 
finding it much more difficult on our downward 
passage. After this, though the ascent was abrupt, 
we had no more escarpments until we reached the 
very summit — a slightly convex platform of about 
20 yards in diameter, thickly clad with tall trees 
and bushes, mostly of the very same species as 
occurred in the plain below. There were, for 
instance, some Inaja palms — one about 40 feet 
high. I was about to place my barometer on what 
seemed the highest point, when I found that a 
strong colony of wasps had already taken pos- 
session of it, and I was obliged to stand at a 
respectful distance and hold it at the altitude of 
the culminating point. During this ascent of the 
