114 
THE AMAZON AND MADEHiA RIVERS. 
scorching rays of the sim in the A'icinity of a river or in some 
clearer part of the forest ; some species thriving on the hare rock 
almost, and others clinging fast with their white rootlets to the moist 
rotting bark of a tree. 
As for the temperature in the interior of the forests, it is genera 
lower by several degrees than on tlic river, or (of course) on the 
glowing sandbanks, or the slabs of rock, as in the region of tin' 
raj)ids, for instance, whore the thermometer rises to 104° Fahr. even 
in the shade of a large open tent. The severity of tlris heat is 
felt the mov(! acutely that, in the (-arly hours of the morning, the 
air cools to ti8", and sometimes even to 57°.* Thongh the (L'lference 
of level between the month 
of the Amazon and that of 
the Ttio Xegro is only 6U 
feet in a distance of more 
than 1,000 miles, and 374 
feet till above the ra 2 >ids 
of the Madeii’a (the climate 
remaining, therefore, innch 
the same in spite of the 
higher latitude of the latter), 
there is yet a cousidei'able 
difference observable betM^'en 
the varieties and species of 
V.TOAL strcotuke OP PAi.M-EooT.s ; STILTS OF THE palios, foi' instaiice, within 
pAxiuBA. above-mentioned boun- 
daries. Not to speak of the 
coco da Eahia (the real coco-palm), f that thrivi'S only where the 
salt atmosphere of the sea reaches it, the noble manritia, as Avell 
as the pretty assai’-palins, are much rarer on the higher course of 
the Amazon than on the lower ; while a small slender palm, with 
bifurcated fan, whose name I unfortunately could not learn, is found 
^ The sensation of cold at this latter temperature was about tlie same for ms as at 
1“ or 2« under freezing-point in Europe; and, with oyon my warm c-loak on, I was 
scarcely able to hold the pencil sometimes. 
t In the interior of Rrazil, in the province of Mimis, now and then n coco-iialm or 
two are to bo found in front of tlio liouse of some fazeudeiro (landowner); but they 
iiro planted there, and to thrivo require to be regularly irrigatcal' witli salt water. 
