ITAITUBA 
The most prominent feature of the place, however, 
was the elevated landing-stage, some thirty feet above the 
level of the river at low water, erected there for loading 
and unloading, when the river rose. The town was 
divided by three longitudinal avenues, the central one also 
with rows of magnificent mango trees, which indeed 
seemed to flourish at that place. I was particularly 
struck by the wonderful tidiness and cleanliness, the good 
drainage of the streets, and the upkeep of the different 
houses, of which the people seemed proud. Everybody 
was well off, owing to the rubber industry, which had 
brought much wealth to the place. Colonel Brazil and 
his family have dedicated much time and energy to em¬ 
bellishing the town, and no doubt some day, when Itaituba 
is connected with proper telegraphic and postal services, 
it will become an important city, being the key, as it were, 
of the Tapajoz River. 
On November fifth I bade good-bye to my good 
friend Colonel Brazil, whose guest I had been since leav¬ 
ing the forest, and for whose thoughtful hospitality I 
feel deeply grateful. I presented him with my best rifle, 
a very handsome weapon, which had accompanied me on 
several previous journeys, and which was the only valu¬ 
able thing remaining in my possession. 
It was a new sensation for me to be steaming down 
comfortably on a beautifully kept steamer, as spick-and- 
span as a private yacht. Her captain and co-proprietor 
with Colonel Brazil was Captain Macedo, a man who had 
spent much time in Europe, and was one of the most 
polished gentlemen I met in Brazil. 
Now that my work was practically over, it was a great 
relief to me to bask in a cane chair upon the deck, and 
look at the wonderful scenery opening up before me as 
we went on. We passed a lovely sand beach, Capitary, 
then the immense bay of Boin, and farther on the great 
rocks of Surucua. Then came in sight the headland called 
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