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FROM RIO DE JANEIRO TO THE RAPIDS OF THE MADEIRA. 39 
the Belem, after sheltering ns for seven days, is quietly rocking at anchor 
in the port of Manaos, the caj)ital of the province of Amazon. 
The shallow bay on the left shore of the Rio Negro was full of fishing- 
boats, from beneath whose roofs of palm-leaves half a score of brown faces 
popped out to have a look at the strangers, and of large bateldes (barques), 
(!ome from Venezuela, laden brimful Avith hammocks and jjlassaba, the 
har<l fibres of a palm (Leopoldmia Pia^aba), used for ropes and bi'ooms. 
There were also the tAvo little steamers of the Government, besides one of 
the Amazon Company, which was to set out on the moiTOAV, instead of the 
Belem, for the frontiers of Peru, — another seven or eight days’ voyage. 
As tlic shalloAV shore did not admit a du-cet approach even for small 
boats, and as a landing-bridge seemed to be an imhcard-of Inxiuy, there 
THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF LiASD FORMATION. 
Avas no resource but to disembark in two-Avheoled carts, standing uj) to 
the axle-trees in the water, AAdiich took both passengers and luggage 
safely ashore, though certainly in not AA'^hat might bo called an elegant 
Avay. 
The ruins of the little Portuguese fort Sao Jose da Barra do Rio 
bottom of a continental lake, filled by the melted water of icebergs, if we adopt with 
Agassiz the hypothesis of an ice period for the Amazon VaUey. 
A sure vestige of the Terra Firme, besides its greater elevation above the level 
of the river, is the yeUowish-red clay, and the rich vegetation of its irirgin forests. 
There the BerthoUetia excelsa ( Cantanheira) sjn'eads its gigantic crown ; and there also 
are found most of those precious woods which surpass the best of Em’ope both in 
beauty and in durability. 
It may be taken as a rule for the lower course of the aflluents of the Amazon, that 
whenever there is Vargem on the left concave margin of the river, there will bo Jgap6 
on the opposite convex one ; and vice versA at the next curve. 
'The 'J'erra Firme is generally at some distance from the shore ; but sometimes it 
takes the place of the Vargem for a short space. 
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