THE VEGETATION OF THE VIRGIN-FOREST. 
125 
Plants making Rotes, Coeds, &c. 
Piassaba (Attalea funifora. Ifart,.) | 
Curua (Attalea spectabilis. Mart. ) I 
Murity (Mauritia vinifera. Mart.) \a 
Tucum (Astrocaryum tucuma. Mart.) I 
Carnauba (Gopernicia corifera. Mart.) 
.7 avary (Astrocaryum .7 a vary. Mart. ) ) 
Castaulieira (BerthoUetia excolsa. Hamb.) 
Tatajuba (Msiclura ? ) 
Turury (Couratari learalis. Mart.) 
Tauary ( ? ) 
Curaua (BromoRa), giving a very fine 
and glossy fibre. 
Munguba (Erytlirina). 
Xury ( ? ) 
Saimoaia (Leeytliis oUaria. Vdlom.) 
Mata-matd (Lecytbis eoriaena). 
Aeapurana (Wullschlaegelia. Mart.) 
Eutaeea. 
Ilaicima Guaxima (Urona lobsta). 
Piri(£uita (?) 
Curumioaa (?) 
Carapato (?) 
Beriba (Anona ? ) 
Itua (?) 
Mamao-rana (?) 
Caraiiicho (Urena sinuatu). 
Cipo (liane) ambe (?) 
„ „ pixuna p? ) 
,, ,, timbotitica (Cissus). 
>, ,> page ( ? ) 
„ „ assii ( ? ) 
„ „ proto ( ? ) 
„ >. rei ( ? ) 
„ „ titara ( ? ) 
,, ,, de cerca (?) 
Notwithstanding the fertility of tropical vegetation, I douht whether 
any other part of the world, in the same latitude, can offer as great 
a number of useful iffants as does the Amazon Valley; and now, Avhen 
all-transforming steam is about to open up to us this rich emporium, 
European industry should take advantage of the hitherto neglected 
treasures. What might not be done with the fibres — some of which 
surpass our hemp and flax in all respects ? The curaua, for example, 
a sort of wild pine-apple, gives a delicate transparent flax of a silky 
lustre, such as is used in the Philippine Islands, on a large scale, 
it appears. It is sold under the name of pallia at Eio do Janeiro. 
The tucum and the javary would make excellent ropes, cords, nets, &c., 
well calculated to resist moistime and rot ; and the piassaba, the 
murity, &c., would readily supply solid brushes, brooms, hammocks, 
hats, baskets, mats; while the snow-white bast of others would give 
excellent paper. 
The lianas, or cipos of these countries are, besides their minor uses, 
quite indispensable to the half-civilised natives for the constniction 
of their light cottages ; talcing the place (as they do) of our nails and 
cramp-irons, beams, jiosts, and rafters. The whole palm-leaf roof is 
fastened, and artificially interwoven and intertwined, with tough creepers 
of nearly an inch thickness. 
According to a widespread proverb, the Jesuits, on first settling in 
Brazil, demanded of the Portuguese Government, as a eompensatioir 
If 
