28 
SANTAREM. 
Chap. I. 
shape out quiet little bays and pools. On the outskirts 
of the town a few scattered huts of Indians and coloured 
people are passed, prettily situated on the margin of the 
white beach, with a background of glorious foliage ; the 
cabin of the pure-blood Indian being distinguished from 
the mud hovels of the free negroes and mulattoes by its 
light construction, half of it being an open shed where 
the dusky tenants are seen at all hours of the day 
lounging in their open-meshed grass hammocks. About 
two miles on the road we come to a series of shallow 
pools, called the Laguinhos, which are connected with 
the river in the wet season, but separated from it by a 
high bank of sand topped with bushes at other times. 
There is a break here in the fringe of wood, and a 
glimpse is obtained of the grassy campo. When the 
waters have risen to the level of the pools this place is 
frequented by many kinds of wading birds. Snow-white 
egrets of two species stand about the margins of the 
4 water, and dusky-striped herons may be seen half hidden 
imder the shade of the bushes. The pools are covered 
with a small kind of water-lily, and surrounded by a 
dense thicket. Amongst the birds which inhabit this 
spot is the rosy-breasted Troupial (Trupialis Guianensis), 
a bird resembling our starling in size and habits, and 
not unlike it in colour, with the exception of the rich 
rosy vest. The water at this time of the j^ear overflows 
a large level tract of campo bordering the pools, and 
the Troupials come to feed on the larvae of insects 
which then abound in the moist soil. 
Beyond the Laguinhos there succeeds a tract of level 
beach covered with trees which form a beautiful grove. 
