46 
TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON. 
\July, 
of a regular supply, the merchants are obliged to have 
pine from the States to make their packing-cases. For 
centuries the woodman’s axe has been the pioneer of 
civilization in the gloomy forests of Canada, while the 
treasures of this great and fertile country are still un- 
known. 
Mr. Leavens had been informed that plenty of cedar 
is to found on the Tocantins, the first great tributary of 
the Amazon from the south, and much wished to make 
a trip to examine it, and, if practicable, bring a raft of the 
timber down to Para ; in which case we agreed to go 
with him, for the purpose of investigating the natural 
history of that almost unknown district. We determined 
to start, if at all, in a few weeks ; so having been nearly 
a fortnight at the mills, we returned to Para on foot, 
sending our luggage and collections by the canoe. 
Vessels had arrived from the States and from Rio. 
A law had been lately passed by the Imperial Govern- 
ment, which was expected to produce a very beneficial 
effect on the commerce and tranquillity of the province. 
It had hitherto been the custom to obtain almost all the 
recruits for the Brazilian army from this province. In- 
dians, who came down the rivers with produce, were 
forcibly seized and carried off for soldiers. This was 
called voluntary enlistment, and had gone on for many 
years, till the fear of it kept the natives from coming 
down to Para, and thus seriously checked the trade of 
the province. A law had now been passed (in conse- 
quence of the repeated complaints of the authorities here, 
frightening the Government with the prospect of another 
revolution), forbidding enlistment in the province of Para 
