1849.] 
TRIP IN A MONTARIA. 
147 
i 
II 
to shoot some, but without effect, as these birds are so 
active in the water that even when wounded they dive 
and swim beneath it so rapidly as to render all attempt 
to capture them fruitless. We then entered a narrower 
branch of the stream, which we soon found to be much 
impeded by water-plants growing in large floating masses. 
We had now no wind, and had to paddle, till the weeds 
blocked up the channel so completely that we could get 
on no further. Our Indian then went ashore, and cut 
two long poles with a forked end, and with these we 
commenced pushing on the canoe by means of the great 
masses of weeds, which were so thick and solid as to 
afford a tolerable hold to the fork. Now and then we 
would emerge into clear water, and could row a little 
among pretty Utrimlarias and Pontederias. Then, 
again, we would enter into a mass of weeds and tall 
grass, completely filling up the channel and rising above 
our heads, through which we almost despaired to make 
our way ; the grass, too, cut the hands severely if it 
merely brushed against them. On the banks was now 
to be seen a vast extent of flat, grassy campo, half water 
and half land, and which in the rainy season is a com- 
plete lake. After forcing our way with great labour for 
several miles, we at length reached the cattle estate, 
where we were kindly received by the owner, to whom 
we had a note of introduction. 
The house was situated close to the great marsh which 
extends from the Amazon to the serras. It was built of 
mud, with two or three rooms, and an open shed adjoin- 
ing, used as kitchen and sleeping-place for the Indians. 
A corral— a square enclosed yard for the cattle— was 
li 2 
