42 
THE AMAZON AND MADEIIU lilVEiiS. 
Miimord and Itonaina liad struck us already in the streets of IManaos by 
their singular clothing ; straw hats niadc b}" themselves, and long shirts 
Avitliout sleeves, of tlie brown bark of tlie tui'ury-ti’ee ; and by theii‘ 
activity. They were about the only persons Ave saw Avorking in tlie 
streets, eanying turtles and fuel from the short' to the houses, or lending 
a hand at neAv buildings. They here gain about ten times as much as 
they could in their oavu country, Avhere they live in great misery ; and 
so there is an endless cuiTcnt of emigration from Bolivia to Brazil, in 
sijite of all the reclamations of the former. 
After haA'ing secured the boats and creAV, Ave had to set about the 
difficult task of buying provisions for the long voyage before us, — ^I'ather 
a severe trial of our patience, on accoimt of the astonisbing indolence of 
the sparse population, Avhich barely alloAvs it to proA'ide for its oavu 
subsistence. Kot only are the black beans, that “ staff of life ” for the 
greater part of Brazil, brought from Pani, a distance of about three 
hundred leagues ; but even the mandioca Hour is imported from the 
liOAver Amazou in thousands of baskets, though that mealy root woidd 
thrive just as well in the neighbourhood of Manaos. In respect of meat 
it is even Averse. Instead of the charque, or came seca (dried meat) of 
the Southern provinces, Avhich is nutritious enough and easily preserved, 
they have in the North only an abominable dried fish, the pirarucu, that 
becomes completely uneatable after a long A’oyage and in such a moist 
atmosphere; and, as the limited space of the boats does not alloAV' of 
making a largo provision of Iwe tui’tles, which (so to speak) take the 
place of beef in these regions, the traveller must largely rely on liis good 
luck in luiuting and fishing. 
We took proAusions for about four mtniths, the rest of the baggage 
consisting of tools fiir canoe-making and repairing, ropes, tents, arms, 
drugs, and presents for the suAuige and half-saAuige tribes in the valleys of 
the Madeira and Maniore. 
Besides the eighty Indian paddlers, the expedition consisted of my 
father and myself ; a young Brazilian engineer, Joaquim Mauocl da Silva, 
our technical assistant ; the Italian merchant from Bolivia ; and a young 
German, P. v. S., Avhose restless spirit had driven him much about in the 
Avorld, and Avho had before accompanied ns on a similar exploration, as 
boat’s-mate, carpenter, master of the arms, and assistant of surveys. 
Our seven caiioe.s differed greatly in size? and freightage. The largest 
of them Avas fiftoeh tons, and liad si.xleen rou'ors ; Avhile the smallest 
