THE AMAZON 
The population of Para is 192,230 inhabitants. Many 
spacious and handsome edifices, such as the Government 
buildings and the professional Institutes, do great credit 
to the city; while the Peace Theatre is one of the finest 
in Brazil. Many private mansions are of some architec¬ 
tural beauty, and some of the new avenues and the 
municipal gardens are handsome. The slaughter-house, 
the iron market, etc., are quite up to date, and the city 
even boasts of a crematorium. 
My object in coming to Belem (Para) was merely 
to see my men safely on board on their return to the 
Minas Geraes and Goyaz provinces; also to buy some 
new cameras and instruments, so that I could start on 
the second part of my expedition, following the entire 
course of the Amazon almost up to its source, then cross 
over the Andes and reach the Pacific Ocean. 
My English friends in Para tried to dissuade me 
from attempting the journey, as I was in a pitiful con¬ 
dition. What was worse, civilization, instead of making 
me feel better, was smashing me up altogether. Every 
day I was getting weaker and weaker, and more ex¬ 
hausted. I had hardly strength to walk about, less still 
to go up or down stairs. Beri-beri commenced to develop 
in my right foot, and added to my other trials. 
The English Consul told me it was absolute folly to 
try and proceed on such a long journey in such an ex¬ 
hausted state. 
Having bought fresh clothes and cameras for my new 
expedition, I left Para on November twelfth at noon, on 
the excellent ship Anthony of the Booth Line, on my way 
up the Amazon to Manaos. 
I will not attempt here to give a description of that 
amazing river, the Amazon — amazing because it is very 
big and not because it is beautiful, for indeed I do not 
believe that in all my travels I have ever seen a river 
quite so ugly and uninteresting as the Amazon. 
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