,illustration3 ,cocoeiro ,palm ,a ,,journey ,,in ,,brazil4 ,,by ,,professor ,,and ,,mrs4 ,,louis ,,agassiz4 ,and whenever the way seemed long1 ,or his heart began to fail1 ,she would sing a more wonderful song1 ,or tell a more marvellous tale4 ,,longfellow4 ,,boston3 ,,ticknor ,,and ,,fields4 #ahfh4 ,entered according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahfg1 by ,,ticknor ,,and ,,fields1 in the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court of the ,district of ,massachusetts4 ,,second ,,edition4 ,,university ,,press3 ,,welch1 ,,bigelow1 ,,co41 ,,cambridge4 ,,to ,,mr4 ,,nathaniel ,,thayer1 ,,the ,,friend ,,who ,,made ,,it ,,possible ,,to ,,give ,,this ,,journey ,,the ,,character ,,of ,a ,,scientific ,,expedition1 ,the ,present ,volume ,,is ,,gratefully ,,inscribed4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,preface4 ,in the winter of #ahfe it became necessary for me1 on account of some disturbance of my health1 to seek a change of scene and climate1 with rest from work4 ,europe was proposed2 but though there is much enjoyment for a naturalist in contact with the active scientific life of the ,old ,world1 there is little intellectual rest4 ,toward ,brazil ,i was drawn by a lifelong desire4 ,after the death of ,spix1 when a student of twenty years of age1 ,i had been employed by ,martius to describe the fishes they had brought back with them from their celebrated ,brazilian journey4 ,from that time1 the wish to study this fauna in the regions where it belongs had been an ever-recurring thought with me2 a scheme deferred for want of opportunity1 but never quite forgotten4 ,the fact that the ,emperor of ,brazil was deeply interested in all scientific undertakings1 and had expressed a warm sympathy with my efforts to establish a great zological museum in this country1 aiding me even by sending collections made expressly under his order for the purpose1 was an additional incentive4 ,i knew that the head of the government would give me every facility for my investigations4 ,nevertheless1 tempting as was the prospect of a visit to ,brazil1 as a mere vacation it had little charm for me4 ,single-handed1 ,i could make slight use of the opportunities ,i should have2 and though the excursion might be a pleasant one for myself1 it would have no important result for science4 ,i could not forget that1 had ,i only the necessary means1 ,i might make collections on this journey which1 whenever our building could be so enlarged as to give room for their exhibition1 would place the ,museum in ,cambridge on a level with the first institutions of the kind4 ,but for this a working force would be needed1 and ,i saw no possibility of providing for such an undertaking4 ,while ,i was brooding over these thoughts ,i chanced to meet ,mr4 ,nathaniel ,thayer1 whom ,i have ever found a generous friend to science4 ,the idea of appealing to him for a scheme of this magnitude had not1 however1 occurred to me2 but he introduced the subject1 and1 after expressing his interest in my proposed journey1 added1 8,you wish1 of course1 to give it a scientific character2 take six assistants with you1 and ,i will be responsible for all their expenses1 personal and scientific40 ,it was so simply said1 and seemed to me so great a boon1 that at first ,i hardly believed ,i had heard him rightly4 ,in the end1 ,i had cause to see in how large and liberal a sense he proffered his support to the expedition1 which1 as is usual in such cases1 proved longer and more costly than was at first anticipated4 ,not only did he provide most liberally for assistants1 but1 until the last specimen was stored in the ,museum1 he continued to advance whatever sums were needed1 always desiring me to inform him should any additional expenses occur on closing up the affairs of the expedition4 ,it seems to me that the good arising from the knowledge of such facts justifies me in speaking here of these generous deeds1 accomplished so unostentatiously that they might otherwise pass unnoticed4 ,all obstacles thus removed from my path1 ,i made my preparations for departure as rapidly as possible4 ,the assistants ,i selected to accompany me were ,mr4 ,james ,burkhardt as artist1 ,mr4 ,john ,g4 ,anthony as conchologist1 ,mr4 ,frederick ,c4 ,hartt and ,mr4 ,orestes ,st4 ,john as geologists1 ,mr4 ,john ,a4 ,allen as ornithologist1 and ,mr4 ,george ,sceva as preparator4 ,beside these1 my party was enlarged by several volunteers1 to whom ,i was indebted for assistance as untiring and efficient as if they had been engaged for the purpose4 ,these were ,mr4 ,newton ,dexter1 ,mr4 ,william ,james1 ,mr4 ,edward ,copeland1 ,mr4 ,thomas ,ward1 ,mr4 ,walter ,hunnewell1 and ,mr4 ,s4 ,v4 ,r4 ,thayer4 ,i should not omit to mention my brother-in-law1 ,mr4 ,thomas ,g4 ,cary1 as one of my aids2 for1 though not nominally connected with the expedition1 he made collections for me at ,monte ,video1 ,buenos ,ayres1 and other places4 ,i was also joined by my friends ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,cotting4 ,dr4 ,cotting1 like myself1 was in need of a vacation1 and it was his intention to remain with us for as long a time as he could spare from his professional practice4 ,but the climate proved unfavorable to his health1 and after passing a couple of months in ,rio1 and sharing with us all our excursions in that neighborhood1 he sailed with ,mrs4 ,cotting for ,europe1 where they passed the summer4 ,his presence with us during that time was most fortunate1 for it so happened that the only serious cases of illness we had among us occurred before he left1 and his medical advice and care were of great service4 ,i lost the assistance of ,mr4 ,anthony1 and ,mr4 ,allen also1 early in the expedition2 their health1 always delicate1 obliging them to leave for home4 ,with these exceptions1 our working force remained intact1 and ,i am happy to state that every member of the party returned in safety to the ,united ,states4#a ,no sooner was the ,brazilian ,expedition known to the public1 than ,i received a letter from ,mr4 ,allen ,mc,lane1 ,president of the ,pacific ,mail ,steamship ,company1 offering to me and my whole party the hospitality of their magnificent ship the ,colorado1 then just sailing from ,new ,york for the ,pacific coast4 ,she was going almost empty of passengers1 being bound by the way of ,cape ,horn for ,san ,francisco4 ,we left ,new ,york on board this beautiful vessel1 on the #ast of ,april1 #ahfe4 ,the record of our delightful voyage to ,rio de ,janeiro will be found in the narrative2 but ,i wish here publicly to acknowledge my obligation to ,mr4 ,mc,lane for his generosity to the expedition4 ,besides the sympathy accorded me by private individuals1 ,i have to thank the ,hon4 ,gideon ,welles1 ,secretary of the ,navy1 for a general order1 received on the eve of my departure1 desiring the officers of the ,united ,states ,navy1 wherever ,i should fall in with them1 to afford me such assistance in my scientific researches as would not interfere with the regular service2 and ,i learned at ,rio that ,mr4 ,seward had warmly recommended the expedition to ,general ,webb1 at that time ,united ,states ,minister to ,brazil4 ,finally1 ,i would express my thanks also to ,messrs4 ,garrison and ,allen for the free passage offered to myself and my companions for our return1 on board the line of steamers established between ,new ,york and ,rio de ,janeiro during our stay in ,brazil4 ,it will be seen hereafter what facilities were granted me throughout this journey by the ,brazilians themselves1 and that the undertaking1 so warmly speeded on its way1 was welcomed no less cordially in the country to which it was bound4 ,one word as to the manner in which this volume has grown into its present shape1 for it has been rather the natural growth of circumstances than the result of any preconceived design4 ,partly for the entertainment of her friends1 partly with the idea that ,i might make some use of it in knitting together the scientific reports of my journey by a thread of narrative1 ,mrs4 ,agassiz began this diary4 ,i soon fell into the habit of giving her daily the more general results of my scientific observations1 knowing that she would allow nothing to be lost which was worth preserving4 ,in consequence of this mode of working1 our separate contributions have become so closely interwoven that we should hardly know how to disconnect them1 and our common journal is therefore published1 with the exception of a few unimportant changes1 almost as it was originally written4 ,in this volume ,i have attempted only to give such an account of my scientific work and its results as would explain to the public what were the aims of the expedition1 and how far they have been accomplished4 ,it is my hope to complete a work1 already begun1 on the ,natural ,history1 and especially on the ,fishes of ,brazil1 in which will be recorded not only my investigations during the journey and those of my assistants in their independent excursions1 but also the researches now regularly carried on in connection with the immense ,brazilian collections stored in the ,museum at ,cambridge4 ,this must1 however1 be the slow labor of many years1 and can only be published very gradually4 ,in the mean time ,i hope that this forerunner of the more special reports may serve to show that our year in ,brazil1 full as it was of enjoyment for all the party1 was also rich in permanent results for science4 ,l4 ,,agassiz4 ----- ,footnote #a3 ,there is but one sad record ,i have to make connected with this journey4 ,my friend and companion of many years1 ,mr4 ,burkhardt1 died about ten months after his return1 of a disease which1 though not contracted in ,brazil1 since it was of some years' standing1 was no doubt aggravated by the hot climate4 ,his great desire to accompany me led him1 against my advice1 to undertake a journey which1 in his case1 was a dangerous one4 ,he suffered very much during our stay on the ,amazons1 but ,i could not persuade him to leave his work2 and in the following pages it will be seen that his industry was unflagging4 ,,table ,,of ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,voyage ,,from ,,new ,,york ,,to ,,rio ,,de ,,janeiro4 ,,page ,first ,sunday at ,sea4--,gulf ,stream4--,gulf-,weed4--,lectures proposed4--,first ,lecture3 ,on the ,gulf ,stream in the ,gulf ,stream4--,aquarium established on board4--,second ,lecture4--,rough ,sea4--,peculiar ,tint of ,water4--,third ,lecture3 ,laying out ,work of ,expedition in ,brazil2 ,distribution of ,fishes in ,brazilian ,rivers2 its ,bearing on ,origin of ,species2 ,collecting of ,eggs4--,tropical ,sunset4--,fourth ,lecture3 ,plan of ,geological ,investigations with special reference to ,glacial ,phenomena in ,south ,america4--,flying-,fish4--,fifth ,lecture3 ,glacial ,phenomena1 continued4--,second ,sunday at ,sea4--,rough ,water4--,sixth ,lecture3 ,embryological ,investigations as a ,guide to sound ,classification4--,seventh ,lecture4--,moonlight ,nights4--,trade-,winds4--,eighth ,lecture3 ,importance of ,precision in ,localizing ,specimens4--,southern ,cross4--,ninth ,lecture3 ,fresh-water ,fishes of ,brazil4--,easter ,sunday4--,first ,sight of ,south ,american ,shore4--,olinda4--,pernambuco4--,catama rans4--,tenth ,lecture3 ,methods of ,collecting4--,eleventh ,lecture3 ,classification of ,fishes as illustrated by ,embryology4--,preparations for ,arrival4--,twelfth ,lecture3 ,practical ,lesson in ,embryology4--,closing ,lecture3 ,transmutation ,theory2 ,intellectual and ,political ,independence4--,resolutions and ,speeches4--,singular ,red ,patches on the ,surface of the ,sea #a-de ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,rio ,,de ,,janeiro ,,and ,,its ,,environs4--,,juiz ,,de ,,fora4 ,arrival4--,aspect of ,harbor and ,city4--,custom-,house4--,first ,glimpse of ,brazilian ,life4--,negro ,dance4--,effect of ,emancipation in ,united ,states upon ,slavery in ,brazil4--,first ,aspect of ,rio de ,janeiro on ,land4--,picturesque ,street ,groups4--,eclipse of the ,sun4--,at ,home in ,rio4--,larangeiras4--,passeio ,publico4--,excursion on the ,dom ,pedro ,railroad4--,visit of the ,emperor to the ,colorado4--,cordiality of the ,government to the ,expedition4--,laboratory4--,botanical ,garden4--,alley of ,palms4--,excursion to the ,corcovado4--,juiz de ,fora ,road4--,petropolis4--,tropical ,vegetation4--,ride from ,petropolis to ,juiz de ,fora4--,visit to ,senhor ,lage4--,excursion to the ,forest of the ,empress4--,visit to ,mr4 ,halfeld4--,return to ,rio4--,news of the ,great ,northern ,victories1 and of the ,president's ,assassination #df-gi ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,life ,,in ,,rio ,,continued4--,,fazenda ,,life4 ,botafogo4--,insane ,hospital4--,tijuca4--,erratic ,drift4--,vegetation4--,birthday ,dinner4--,arrangements for ,parties to the ,interior4--,public ,lectures in ,rio4--,procession of ,st4 ,george4--,leave ,rio on ,excursion to the ,fortaleza de ,santa ,anna4--,localities for ,erratic ,drift between ,rio and ,petropolis4--,departure from ,juiz de ,fora4--,arrival at the ,fazenda4 ,ride in the ,forest4--,eve of ,san ,joo4--,cupim ,nests4--,excursion to the ,upper ,fazenda4--,grand ,hunt4--,picnic4--,coffee ,plantation4--,return to ,rio4--,mimic ,snow-,fields4--,coffee ,insect spinning its ,nest4--,visit to the ,fazenda of ,commendador ,breves4--,botanizing ,excursion to ,tijuca4--,preparations for leaving ,rio4--,major ,coutinho4--,collegio ,dom ,pedro ,segundo4 #hj-abe ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,voyage ,,up ,,the ,,coast ,,to ,,par4 ,on board the ,cruzeiro do ,sul4--,members of the ,party4--,arrival at ,bahia4--,day in the ,country4--,return to the ,steamer4--,conversation about ,slavery in ,brazil4--,negro ,marriages4--,maceio4--,pernambuco4--,pa rahyba do ,norte4--,ramble on ,shore4--,cear4--,difficult ,landing4--,brazilian ,baths4--,maranham4--,assai ,palm4--,visit to ,orphan ,asylum4--,detained in ,port4--,variety of ,medus4--,arrival of ,american ,gunboat4--,more ,medus4--,dinner on ,shore4--,cordiality toward the ,expedition4--,arrival at ,par4--,kind ,reception4--,environs of ,par4--,luxuriant ,growth4--,markets4--,indian ,boats4--,agreeable ,climate4--,excursion in the ,harbor4--,curious ,mushroom4--,success in collecting1 with the assistance of our ,host and other ,friends4--,fishes of the ,forests4--,public ,expressions of ,sympathy for the ,expedition4--,generosity of the ,amazonian ,steamship ,company4--,geological ,character of the ,shore from ,rio to ,par4--,erratic ,drift4--,letter to the ,emperor4 #abf-aea ,,chapter ,v4 ,,from ,,par ,,to ,,manaos4 ,first ,sunday on the ,amazons4--,geographical ,question4--,convenient ,arrangements of ,steamer4--,vast ,dimensions of the ,river4--,aspect of ,shores4--,village of ,breves4--,letter about ,collections4--,vegetation4--,variety of ,palms4--,settlement of ,tajapuru4--,enormous ,size of ,leaves of the ,miriti ,palm4--,walk on ,shore4--,indian ,houses4--,courtesy of ,indians4--,row in the ,forest4--,town of ,gurup4--,river ,xingu4--,color of ,water4--,town of ,porto do ,moz4--,flat-topped ,hills of ,almeyrim4--,beautiful ,sunset4--,monte ,algre4--,character of ,scenery and ,soil4--,santarem4--,send off ,party on the ,river ,tapajoz4--,continue up the ,amazons4--,pastoral ,scenes on the ,banks4--,town of ,villa ,bella4--,canoe ,journey at ,night4--,esperana's ,cottage4--,picturesque ,scene at ,night4--,success in ,collecting4--,indian ,life4--,making ,farinha4--,dance in the ,evening4--,howling ,monkeys4--,religious ,impressions of ,indians4--,cottage of ,maia4--,his ,interest in ,educating his ,children4--,return to ,steamer4--,scientific ,results of the ,excursion4 #aeb-ahd ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,life ,,at ,,manaos4--,,voyage ,,from ,,manaos ,,to ,,tabatinga4 ,arrival at ,manaos4--,meeting of the ,solimoens with the ,rio ,negro4--,domesticated at ,manaos4--,return of ,party from the ,tapajoz4--,generosity of ,government4--,walks4--,water-,carriers4 --,indian ,school4--,leave ,manaos4--,life on board the ,steamer4--,barreira das ,cudajas4--,coari4--,wooding4--,appearan ce of ,banks4--,geological ,constitution4--,forest4--,sumaumeira-,t ree4--,arrow-,grass4--,red ,drift ,cliffs4--,sand-,beaches4--,indian ,huts4--,turtle-,hunting4--,drying ,fish4--,teff4--,doubts about the ,journey4--,unexpected ,adviser4--,fonte ,ba4--,geological ,character of ,banks4--,lakes4--,flocks of ,water ,birds4--,tonantins4--,picturesque ,grouping of ,indians4--,san ,paolo4--,land-,slides4--,character of ,scenery4--,scanty ,population4--,animal ,life4--,tabatinga4--,aspect of the ,settlement4--,mosquitoes4--,leave one of the ,party to make ,collections4--,on our ,way down the ,river4--,party to the ,rivers ,ia and ,hyutahy4--,aground in the ,amazons4--,arrival at ,teff4 #ahe-baa ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,life ,,in ,,teff4 ,aspect of ,teff4--,situation4--,description of ,houses4--,fishing ,excursion4--,astonishing ,variety of ,fishes4--,acar4--,scarcity of ,laborers4--,our ,indoors ,man4--,bruno4--,alexandrina4--,pleasant ,walks4--,mandioca-shed in the ,forest4--,indian ,encampment on the ,beach4--,excursion to ,fishing ,lodge on the ,solimoens4--,amazonian ,beaches4--,breeding-,places of ,turtles1 ,fishes1 etc4--,adroitness of ,indians in finding them4--,description of a 8,sitio40--,indian ,clay-,eaters4--,cuieira-,tree4--,fish ,hunt4--,forest ,lake4--,water ,birds4--,success in ,collecting4--,evening ,scene in ,sitio4--,alexandrina as ,scientific ,aid4--,fish ,anecdote4--,relations between ,fishes as shown by their ,embryology4--,note upon the ,marine ,character of the ,amazonian ,faun4--,acar4--,news from the ,parties in the ,interior4--,return of ,party from the ,ia4--,preparations for ,departure4--,note on ,general ,result of ,scientific ,work in ,teff4--,waiting for the ,steamer4--,sketch of ,alexandrina4--,mocuim4--,thunder-,storm 4--,repiquete4--,geological ,observations4 #bab-bej ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,return ,,to ,,manaos4--,,amazonian ,,picnic4 ,arrival at ,manaos4--,new ,quarters4--,the ,ibicuhy4--,news from ,home4--,visit to the ,cascade4--,banheiras in the ,forest4--,excursion to ,lake ,hyanuary4--,character and ,prospects of the ,amazonian ,valley4--,reception at the ,lake4--,description of ,sitio4--,successful ,fishing4--,indian ,visitors4--,indian ,ball4--,character of the ,dancing4--,disturbed ,night4--,canoe ,excursion4--,scenery4--,another ,sitio4--,morals and ,manners4--,talk with the ,indian ,women4--,life in the ,forest4--,life in the ,towns4--,dinner-,party4--,toasts4--,eve ning ,row on the ,lake4--,night ,scene4--,smoking among the ,senhoras4--,return to ,manaos4 #bea-bge ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,manaos ,,and ,,its ,,neighborhood4 ,photographic ,establishment4--,indian ,portraits4--,excursion to the ,great ,cascade4--,its ,geological ,formation4--,bathing ,pool4--,parasitic ,plants4--,return by the ,igarap4--,public ,ball4--,severity in ,recruiting1 and its ,effects4--,collecting ,parties4--,scenes of ,indian ,life4--,fte ,champtre at the ,casa dos ,educandos4--,prison at ,manaos4--,prison ,discipline on the ,amazons4--,extracts from ,presidential ,reports on this ,subject4--,prison at ,teff4--,general ,character of ,brazilian ,institutions4--,emperor's ,birthday4--,illuminations and ,public ,festivities4--,return of ,collecting ,parties4--,remarks on the ,races4--,leave ,manaos for ,mauhes4 #bgf-cjj ,,chapter ,x4 ,,excursion ,,to ,,mauhes ,,and ,,its ,,neighborhood4 ,leave ,manaos4--,on board the ,ibicuhy4--,navigation of the ,river ,ramos4--,aspect of the ,banks4--,arrival at ,mauhes4--,situation of ,mauhes4--,tupinambaranas4--,character of ,population4--,appearance of the ,villages of ,mauhes4--,bolivian ,indians4--,guaran4--,excursion to ,mucaja-,tuba4--,mundurucu ,indians4--,aspect of ,village4--,church4--,distribution of ,presents4--,generosity of the ,indians4--,their ,indifference4--,visit to another ,settlement4--,return to ,mauhes4--,arrival of ,mundurucus in the ,village4--,description of ,tattooing4--,collection4--,boto4--,indi an ,superstitions4--,palm ,collection4--,walk in the ,forest4--,leave ,mauhes4--,mundurucu ,indian and his ,wife4--,their ,manners and ,appearance4--,indian ,tradition4--,distinctions of ,caste4 #cja-cba ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,return ,,to ,,manaos4--,,excursion ,,on ,,the ,,rio ,,negro4 ,christmas ,eve at ,manaos4--,ceremonies of the ,indians4--,churches on the ,amazons4--,leave ,manaos for the ,rio ,negro4--,curious ,river ,formation4--,aspect of the ,river4--,its ,vegetation4--,scanty ,population4--,village of ,taua ,passu4--,padre of the ,village4--,palms4--,village of ,pedreira4--,indian ,camp4--,making ,palm-thatch4--,sickness and ,want at ,pedreira4--,row in the ,forest4--,tropical ,shower4--,geology of ,pedreira4--,indian ,recruits4--,collection of ,palms4--,extracts from ,mr4 ,agassiz's ,notes on ,vegetation4--,return to ,manaos4--,desolation of the ,rio ,negro4--,its future ,prospects4--,humboldt's ,anticipations4--,wild ,flowers4--,distribution of ,fishes in the ,amazonian ,waters4--,how far due to ,migration4--,hydrographic ,system4--,alternation between the ,rise and ,fall of the ,southern and ,northern ,tributaries4 #cbb-cej ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,down ,,the ,,river ,,to ,,par4--,,excursions ,,on ,,the ,,coast4 ,farewell ,visit to the ,great ,cascade at ,manaos4--,change in its ,aspect4--,arrival at ,villa ,bella4--,return to the ,house of the ,fisherman ,maia4--,excursion to the ,lago ,maximo4--,quantity of ,game and ,waterfowl4--,victoria regia4--,leave ,villa ,bella4--,arrive at ,obydos4--,its ,situation and ,geology4--,santarem4--,visit to the ,church4--,anecdote of ,martius4--,a ,row overland4--,monte ,algre4--,picturesque ,scenery4--,banheiras4--,excursion into the ,country4--,leave ,monte ,algre4--,anecdote of ,indians4--,almeyrim4--,new ,geological ,facts4--,porto do ,moz4--,collections4--,gurup4--,tajapur4 --,arrive at ,par4--,religious ,procession4--,excursion to ,marajo4--,sours4--,jesuit ,missions4--,geology of ,marajo4--,buried ,forest4--,vigia4--,igarap4--,vegetation and ,animal ,life4--,geology4--,return to ,par4--,photographing ,plants4--,notes on the ,vegetation of the ,amazons4--,prevalence of ,leprosy4 #cea-cif ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,physical ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,amazons4 ,drift about ,rio de ,janeiro4--,decomposition of underlying ,rock4--,different ,aspect of ,glacial ,phenomena in different ,continents4--,fertility of the ,drift4--,geological ,observations of ,messrs4 ,hartt and ,st4 ,john4--,correspondence of ,deposits along the ,coast with those of ,rio and those of the ,valley of the ,amazons4--,primitive ,formation of the ,valley4--,first known ,chapter of its ,history4--,cretaceous ,fossil ,fishes4--,former ,extent of the ,south-,american ,coast4--,cretaceous ,fossils from the ,rio ,purus4--,comparison between ,north and ,south ,america4--,geological ,formations along the ,banks of the ,amazons4--,fossil ,leaves4--,clays and ,sandstones4--,hills of ,almeyrim4--,monte ,algre4--,situation and ,scenery4--,serra of ,erer4--,comparison with ,swiss ,scenery4--,boulders of ,erer4--,ancient ,thickness of ,amazonian ,deposits4--,difference between ,drift of the ,amazons and that of ,rio4--,inferences drawn from the present ,condition of the ,deposits4--,immense ,extent of ,sandstone ,formation4--,nature and ,origin of these ,deposits4--,referred to the ,ice-,period4--,absence of ,glacial ,marks4--,glacial ,evidence of another ,kind4--,changes in the ,outline of the ,south-,american ,coast4--,sour4--,igarap ,grande4--,vigia4--,bay of ,braganza4--,anticipation4 #cig-dda ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,cear4 ,leaving ,par4--,farewell to the ,amazons4--,ease of ,travelling on the ,amazons4--,rough ,passage4--,arrival at ,cear4--,difficulty of ,landing4--,aspect of the ,town4--,rainy ,season4--,consequent ,sickliness4--,our ,purpose in stopping at ,cear4--,report of ,dr4 ,felice about ,moraines4--,preparations for ,journey into the ,interior4--,difficulties and ,delays in getting off4--,on the ,way4--,night at ,arancho4--,bad ,roads4--,carnauba ,palm4--,arrival at ,monguba4--,kind ,reception by ,senhor ,franklin de ,lima4--,geology of the ,region4--,evening ,games and ,amusements4--,pacatuba4--,traces of ancient ,glaciers4--,serra of ,aratanha4--,climb up the ,serra4--,hospitality of ,senhor da ,costa4--,picturesque ,views4--,the ,serta4--,drought and ,rains4--,epidemics4--,return to ,monguba4--,detained by extraordinary ,rains4--,return to ,cear4--,overflowed ,roads4--,difficulty of fording4--,arrival at ,cear4--,liberality of the ,president of the ,province toward the ,expedition4 #ddb-dfe ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,public ,,institutions ,,of ,,rio4--,,organ ,,mountains4 ,voyage from ,cear4--,freshets at ,pernambuco4--,arrival at ,rio4--,collections4--,vegetation about ,rio as compared with that on the ,amazons4--,misericordia ,hospital4--,charities connected with it4--,almsgiving in ,brazil4--,insane ,asylum4--,military ,school4--,the ,mint4--,academy of ,fine ,arts4--,heroism of a ,negro4--,primary ,school for ,girls4--,neglected ,education of ,women4--,blind ,asylum4--,lectures4--,character of a ,brazilian ,audience4--,organ ,mountains4--,walk up the ,serra4--,theresopolis4--,visit to the ,st4 ,louis ,fazenda4--,climate of ,theresopolis4--,descent of the ,serra4--,geology of the ,organ ,mountains4--,the ,last ,word4 #dff-did ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,general ,,impressions ,,of ,,brazil4 ,religion and ,clergy4--,education4--,law1 ,medical1 and ,scientific ,schools4--,high and ,common ,schools4--,public ,library and ,museum in ,rio de ,janeiro4--,historical and ,geographical ,institute4--,social and ,domestic ,relations4--,public ,functionaries4--,agriculture4--,zones of ,vegetation4--,coffee4--,cotton4--,timbe r and other ,products of the ,amazons4--,cattle4--,territorial ,subdivision of the ,great ,valley4--,emigration4--,foreigners4--,p araguayan ,war4 #die-eag ,,appendix4 ,i4 ,the ,gulf ,stream #eai ,,ii4 ,flying-,fishes #ebb ,,iii4 ,resolutions passed on board the ,colorado #ebe ,,iv4 ,dom ,pedro ,segundo ,railroad #ebg ,v4 ,permanence of ,characteristics in different ,human ,species #ebi ,,vi4 ,sketch of ,separate ,journeys undertaken by different ,members of the ,expedition #ecc ,,list ,,of ,,woodcuts4 ,,cocoeiro ,,palm ,,frontispiece ,a species of ,attalea common in the ,serra d',estrella4 ,it bears two or three large bunches of olive-like berries1 hanging immediately below the crown of leaves4 ,the upper part of the stem is often overgrown with parasites1 as in the specimen represented here4 ,from a photograph by ,g4 ,leuzinger4 ,page ,,tree ,,entwined ,,by ,,sipos #ed ,there are a great many parasites1 the stem and roots of which are attached to larger trees2 this woodcut represents one of those strange 8tree-killers10 as they are called by the natives1 belonging to the family of the ,fig-trees1 which1 beginning their growth among the upper branches of trees1 gradually descend to the ground1 throw out branches around the stem they attack1 and in the end kill it in their embrace4 ,on the right are ,lianas1 from which hang parasitic flowers4 ,from a photograph by ,g4 ,leuzinger4 ,,side ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,alley ,,of ,,palms #fj ,part of the ,botanical ,garden in ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,in the foreground a ,pandanus covered with fruits4 ,the ,palms standing in pairs in the great alley are commonly called ,palma ,real4 ,their botanical name is ,oreodoxa oleracea4 ,the peak of ,corcovado forms the background4 ,from a photograph by ,messrs4 ,stahl ,wahnschaffe4 ,,vista ,,down ,,the ,,alley ,,of ,,palms #fa ,the objects are the same as in the preceding woodcut1 only seen at right angles1 to afford a view down the alley4 ,from a photograph by ,messrs4 ,stahl ,wahnschaffe4 ,,botafogo ,,bay #ha ,the great southeastern bay in the harbor of ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,the highest peak in the centre is the ,corcovado1 at the foot of which stand the ,insane ,asylum and the ,military ,school4 ,on the left are the ,gavia and the ,sugar-,loaf2 on the right1 ,tijuca4 ,a beach runs all round the bay4 ,from a photograph by ,g4 ,leuzinger4 ,,mina ,,negress #hc ,from a photograph by ,messrs4 ,stahl ,wahnschaffe4 ,,mina ,,negress ,,and ,,child #hd ,from a photograph by ,messrs4 ,stahl ,wahnschaffe4 ,,fallen ,,trunk ,,overgrown ,,by ,,parasites #ia ,a comparison with the woodcut facing p4 #ed will show how parasites growing upon living trees differ from those springing from dead trunks4 ,from a photograph by ,g4 ,leuzinger4 ,,fazenda ,,de ,,santa ,,anna1 ,,in ,,minas ,,geraes #ajc ,the level grounds in front of the buildings are used for drying the coffee4 ,from a photograph by ,senhor ,machado4 ,,esperan,a',s ,,cottage #agi ,from a water-colored painting by ,mr4 ,j4 ,burkhardt4 ,,veranda ,,and ,,dining-,,room ,,at ,,teff #bad ,from a drawing by ,mr4 ,j4 ,burkhardt4 ,,head ,,of ,,alexandrina #bde ,extraordinary as the head of hair of this girl may seem1 it is in no way exaggerated2 it stood six inches beyond the shoulders each way4 ,from a sketch by ,mr4 ,wm4 ,james4 ,,dining-,,room ,,at ,,hyanuary #beh ,the palm on the left is a ,pupunha 7,guilielma speciosa72 the large-leaved trees back of the building are ,bananas1 and the ,palm on the right a ,javari 7,astrocaryum ,javari74 ,from a water-colored painting by ,mr4 ,j4 ,burkhardt4 ,,mauhes ,,river #cjd ,the ,palm in the foreground is a ,mucaja 7,acrocomia lasiospatha72 near the fence stand ,banana-trees1 and in the distance on the right a ,tucuma ,palm 7,astrocaryum ,tucuma74 ,from a water-colored painting by ,mr4 ,j4 ,burkhardt4 ,,mundurucu ,,indian2 male #cac ,from a photograph by ,dr4 ,gustavo1 of ,manaos4 ,,mundurucu ,,indian2 female #cad ,also from a photograph by ,dr4 ,gustavo1 of ,manaos4 ,,fan ,,bacc,,ba #cce ,this ,palm1 called nocarpus distychius by botanists1 is remarkable for the arrangement of its leaves1 which are placed opposite to each other on two sides of the trunk1 and higher and higher alternately1 so that1 seen from one side1 the two rows of leaves are equally visible1 and have the appearance of a wide fan2 seen in profile1 they look like a narrow plume4 ,from a drawing by ,mr4 ,j4 ,burkhardt4 ,,sumaumeira #cia ,this colossal tree is known to botanists under the name of ,eriodendrum ,sumauma1 and may be seen everywhere in the basin of the ,amazons4 ,from a photograph presented by ,senhor ,pimenta ,bueno4 ,,garrafa1 among the ,organ ,mountains #dhf ,this peak is called the ,finger by the ,english residents of ,rio4 ,the ,brazilians liken it to a bottle4 ,from a photograph by ,g4 ,leuzinger4 ,,organ ,,mountains #dij ,the loose boulder alluded to in the text stands on the fourth peak from the left4 ,from a photograph by ,g4 ,leuzinger4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,a ,,journey ,,in ,,brazil4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,voyage ,,from ,,new ,,york ,,to ,,rio ,,de ,,janeiro4 ,,first ,,sunday ,,at ,,sea4--,,gulf ,,stream4--,,gulf-,,weed4--,,lectures ,,proposed4--,,first ,,lecture3 8,,on ,,the ,,gulf ,,stream ,,in ,,the ,,gulf ,,stream40--,,aquarium ,,established ,,on ,,board4--,,second ,,lecture4--,,rough ,,sea4--,,peculiar ,,tint ,,of ,,water4--,,third ,,lecture3 ,,laying ,,out ,,work ,,of ,,expedition ,,in ,,brazil2 ,,distribution ,,of ,,fishes ,,in ,,brazilian ,,rivers2 ,,its ,,bearing ,,on ,,origin ,,of ,,species2 ,,collecting ,,of ,,eggs4--,,tropical ,,sunset4--,,fourth ,,lecture3 ,,plan ,,of ,,geological ,,investigations ,,with ,,special ,,reference ,,to ,,glacial ,,phenomena ,,in ,,south ,,america4--,,flying-,,fish4--,,fifth ,,lecture3 ,,glacial ,,phenomena1 ,,continued4--,,second ,,sunday ,,at ,,sea4--,,rough ,,water4--,,sixth ,,lecture3 ,,embryological ,,investigations ,,as ,a ,,guide ,,to ,,sound ,,classification4--,,seventh ,,lecture4--,,moonlight ,,nights4--,,trade-,,winds4--,,eighth ,,lecture3 ,,importance ,,of ,,precision ,,in ,,localizing ,,specimens4--,,southern ,,cross4--,,ninth ,,lecture3 ,,fresh-,,water ,,fishes ,,of ,,brazil4--,,easter ,,sunday4--,,first ,,sight ,,of ,,south ,,american ,,shore4--,,olinda4--,,pernambuco4--,,ca tamarans4--,,tenth ,,lecture3 ,,methods ,,of ,,collecting4--,,eleventh ,,lecture3 ,,classification ,,of ,,fishes1 ,,as ,,illustrated ,,by ,,embryology4--,,preparations ,,for ,,arrival4--,,twelfth ,,lecture3 ,,practical ,,lesson ,,in ,,embryology--,,closing ,,lecture3 ,,transmutation ,,theory2 ,,intellectual ,,and ,,political ,,independence4--,,resolutions ,,and ,,speeches4--,,singular ,,red ,,patches ,,on ,,the ,,surface ,,of ,,the ,,sea4 ,april #b;d1 #ahfe4--,our first ,sunday at sea4 ,the weather is delicious1 the ship as steady as anything on the water can be1 and even the most forlorn of our party have little excuse for sea-sickness4 ,we have had service from ,bishop ,potter this morning1 and since then we have been on deck reading1 walking1 watching a singular cloud1 which the captain says is a cloud of smoke1 in the direction of ,petersburg4 ,we think it may be the smoke of a great decisive engagement going on while we sail peacefully along4 ,what it means1 or how the battle ends1 if battle it be1 we shall not know for two months perhaps4#b ,mr4 ,agassiz is busy to-day in taking notes1 at regular intervals1 of the temperature of the water1 as we approach the ,gulf ,stream4 ,to-night we cut it at right angles1 and he will remain on deck to continue his observations4 ,april #c;d4--,the ,professor sat up last night as he intended1 and found his watch1 which was shared by one or two of his young assistants1 very interesting4 ,we crossed the ,gulf ,stream opposite ,cape ,hatteras1 at a latitude where it is comparatively narrow1 some sixty miles only in breadth4 ,entering it at about six o'clock1 we passed out of it a little after midnight4 ,the western boundary of the warm waters stretching along the coast had a temperature of about #eg4 ,immediately after entering it1 the temperature began to rise gradually1 the maximum being about #gd1 falling occasionally1 however1 when we passed through a cold streak1 to #fh4 ,these cold streaks in the ,gulf ,stream1 which reach to a considerable depth1 the warm and cold waters descending together in immediate contact for at least a hundred fathoms1 are attributed by ,dr4 ,bache to the fact that the ,gulf ,stream is not stationary4 ,it sways as a whole sometimes a little toward the shore1 sometimes a little away from it1 and1 in consequence of this1 the colder water from the coast creeps in1 forming these vertical layers in its midst4 ,the eastern boundary is warmer than the western one1 for the latter is chilled by the ,arctic currents1 which form a band of cold water all along the ,atlantic shore4 ,their influence is felt nearly to the latitude of ,florida4 ,on coming out of the ,gulf ,stream the temperature of the water was #fh1 and so it continued for an hour longer1 after which ,mr4 ,agassiz ceased his observations4 ,to-day some of the gulf-weed was gathered by a sailor1 and we found it crowded with life4 ,hydroids1 in numbers1 had their home upon it2 the delicate branching plumularia and a pretty campanularia1 very like some of our ,new ,england species2 beside these1 bryozoa1 tiny compound mollusks1 crusted its stem1 and barnacles were abundant upon it4 ,these are all the wonders that the deep has yielded us to-day1 though the pretty ,portuguese men-of-war go floating by the vessel1 out of reach thus far4 ,such are the events of our life3 we eat and drink and sleep1 read1 study ,portuguese1 and write up our journals4 ,april #dth4--,it has occurred to ,mr4 ,agassiz1 as a means of preparing the young men who accompany him for the work before them1 to give a course of lectures on ship-board4 ,some preparation of the kind is the more necessary1 since much of the work must be done independently of him1 as it will be impossible for so large a party to travel together2 and the instructions needed will be more easily given in a daily lecture to all1 than in separate conversations with each one singly4 ,the idea finds general favor4 ,the large saloon makes an excellent lecture-room2 a couple of leaves from the dining-table with a black oil-cloth stretched across them serve as a blackboard4 ,the audience consists1 not only of our own company1 but includes the few ladies who are on board1 ,mr4 ,bradbury1 the captain of our steamer1 ,bishop ,potter1 some of the ship's officers1 and a few additional passengers1 all of whom seem to think the lecture a pleasant break in the monotony of a sea voyage4 ,to-day the subject was naturally suggested by the seaweeds of the ,gulf ,stream1 so recently caught and so crowded with life1--8,a lecture on the ,gulf ,stream in the ,gulf ,stream10 as one of the listeners suggests4 ,it was opened1 however1 by a few words on the exceptional character of the position of this scientific commission on board the ,colorado4 8,fifty years ago1 when naturalists carried their investigations to distant lands1 either government was obliged to provide an expensive outfit for them1 or1 if they had no such patronage1 scanty opportunities grudgingly given might be granted them on ordinary conveyances4 ,even if such accommodation were allowed them1 their presence was looked upon as a nuisance3 no general interest was felt in their objects2 it was much if they were permitted1 on board some vessel1 to have their bucket of specimens in a corner1 which any sailor might kick over1 unreproved1 if it chanced to stand in his way4 ,this ship1 and the spirit prevailing in her command1 opens to me a vista such as ,i never dreamed of till ,i stood upon her deck4 ,here1 in place of the meagre chances ,i remember in old times1 the facilities could hardly be greater if the ship had been built as a scientific laboratory4 ,if any such occasion has ever been known before1 if any naturalist has ever been treated with such consideration1 and found such intelligent appreciation of his highest aims1 on board a merchant-ship fitted up for purposes of trade1 ,i am not aware of it4 ,i hope the first trip of the ,colorado will be remembered in the annals of science4 ,i1 at least1 shall know whom to thank for an opportunity so unique4 ,this voyage1 and the circumstances connected with it1 are1 to me1 the signs of a good time coming2 when men of different interests will help each other2 when naturalists will be more liberal and sailors more cultivated1 and natural science and navigation will work hand in hand4 ,and now for my lecture1--my first lecture on ship-board40 ,the lecture was given1 of course1 specimen in hand1 the various inhabitants of the branch of seaweed giving their evidence in succession of their own structure and way of life4 ,to these living illustrations were added drawings on the blackboard to show the transformations of the animals1 their embryological history1 c4#c ,since the lecture1 ,captain ,bradbury has fitted up a large tank as an aquarium1 where any specimens taken during the voyage may be preserved and examined4 ,mr4 ,agassiz is perfectly happy1 enjoying every hour of the voyage1 as well he may1 surrounded as he is with such considerate kindness4 ,april #fth4--,though ,i took notes1 as usual1 of the lecture yesterday1 ,i had not energy enough to enter them in my journal4 ,the subject was the ,gulf ,stream1--the stream itself this time1 not the animals it carries along with it4 ,mr4 ,agassiz's late observations1 though deeply interesting to himself1 inasmuch as personal confirmation of facts already known is always satisfactory1 have nothing novel now-a-days2 yet the history of the facts connected with the discovery of the ,gulf ,stream1 and their gradual development1 is always attractive1 and especially so to ,americans1 on account of its direct connection with scientific investigations carried on under our government4 ,mr4 ,agassiz gave a slight sketch of this in opening his lecture4 8,it was ,franklin who first systematically observed these facts1 though they had been noticed long before by navigators4 ,he recorded the temperature of the water as he left the ,american continent for ,europe1 and found that it continued cold for a certain distance1 then rose suddenly1 and after a given time sank again to a lower temperature1 though not so low as before4 ,with the comprehensive grasp of mind characteristic of all his scientific results1 he went at once beyond his facts4 ,he inferred that the warm current1 keeping its way so steadily through the broad ,atlantic1 and carrying tropical productions to the northern shores of ,europe1 must take its rise in tropical regions1 must be heated by a tropical sun4#d ,this was his inference3 to work it out1 to ascertain the origin and course of the ,gulf ,stream1 has been1 in a great degree1 the task of the ,united ,states ,coast ,survey1 under the direction of his descendant1 ,dr4 ,bache40#e ,we are now fairly in the tropics4 8,the trades0 blow heavily1 and yesterday was a dreary day for those unused to the ocean2 the beautiful blue water1 of a peculiar metallic tint1 as remarkable in color1 it seemed to me1 as the water of the ,lake of ,geneva1 did not console us for the heavy moral and physical depression of sea-sick mortals4 ,to-day the world looks brighter2 there is a good deal of motion1 but we are more accustomed to it4 ,this morning the lecture had1 for the first time1 a direct bearing upon the work of the expedition4 ,the subject was1 8,how to observe1 and what are the objects of scientific explorations in modern times40 8,my companions and myself have come together so suddenly and so unexpectedly on our present errand1 that we have had little time to organize our work4 ,the laying out of a general scheme of operations is1 therefore1 the first and one of the most important points to be discussed between us4 ,the time for great discoveries is passed4 ,no student of nature goes out now expecting to find a new world1 or looks in the heavens for any new theory of the solar system4 ,the work of the naturalist1 in our day1 is to explore worlds the existence of which is already known2 to investigate1 not to discover4 ,the first explorers1 in this modern sense1 were ,humboldt in the physical world1 ,cuvier in natural history1 ,lavoisier in chemistry1 ,la ,place in astronomy4 ,they have been the pioneers in the kind of scientific work characteristic of our century4 ,we who have chosen ,brazil as our field must seek to make ourselves familiar with its physical features1 its mountains and its rivers1 its animals and plants4 ,there is a change1 however1 to be introduced in our mode of work1 as compared with that of former investigators4 ,when less was known of animals and plants the discovery of new species was the great object4 ,this has been carried too far1 and is now almost the lowest kind of scientific work4 ,the discovery of a new species as such does not change a feature in the science of natural history1 any more than the discovery of a new asteroid changes the character of the problems to be investigated by astronomers4 ,it is merely adding to the enumeration of objects4 ,we should look rather for the fundamental relations among animals2 the number of species we may find is of importance only so far as they explain the distribution and limitation of different genera and families1 their relations to each other and to the physical conditions under which they live4 ,out of such investigations there looms up a deeper question for scientific men1 the solution of which is to be the most important result of their work in coming generations4 ,the origin of life is the great question of the day4 ,how did the organic world come to be as it is8 ,it must be our aim to throw some light on this subject by our present journey4 ,how did ,brazil come to be inhabited by the animals and plants now living there8 ,who were its inhabitants in past times8 ,what reason is there to believe that the present condition of things in this country is in any sense derived from the past8 ,the first step in this investigation must be to ascertain the geographical distribution of the present animals and plants4 ,suppose we first examine the ,rio ,san ,francisco4 ,the basin of this river is entirely isolated4 ,are its inhabitants1 like its waters1 completely distinct from those of other basins8 ,are its species peculiar to itself1 and not repeated in any other river of the continent8 ,extraordinary as this result would seem1 ,i nevertheless expect to find it so4 ,the next water-basin we shall have to examine will be that of the ,amazons1 which connects through the ,rio ,negro with the ,orinoco4 ,it has been frequently repeated that the same species of fish exist in the waters of the ,san ,francisco and in those of ,guiana and of the ,amazons4 ,at all events1 our works on fishes constantly indicate ,brazil and ,guiana as the common home of many species2 but this observation has never been made with sufficient accuracy to merit confidence4 ,fifty years ago the exact locality from which any animal came seemed an unimportant fact in its scientific history1 for the bearing of this question on that of origin was not then perceived4 ,to say that any specimen came from ,south ,america was quite enough2 to specify that it came from ,brazil1 from the ,amazons1 the ,san ,francisco1 or the ,la ,plata1 seemed a marvellous accuracy in the observers4 ,in the museum at ,paris1 for instance1 there are many specimens entered as coming from ,new ,york or from ,par2 but all that is absolutely known about them is that they were shipped from those sea-ports4 ,nobody knows exactly where they were collected4 ,so there are specimens entered as coming from the ,rio ,san ,francisco1 but it is by no means sure that they came exclusively from that water-basin4 ,all this kind of investigation is far too loose for our present object4 ,our work must be done with much more precision2 it must tell something positive of the geographical distribution of animals in ,brazil4 ,therefore1 my young friends who come with me on this expedition1 let us be careful that every specimen has a label1 recording locality and date1 so secured that it shall reach ,cambridge safely4 ,it would be still better to attach two labels to each specimen1 so that1 if any mischance happens to one1 our record may not be lost4 ,we must try not to mix the fishes of different rivers1 even though they flow into each other1 but to keep our collections perfectly distinct4 ,you will easily see the vast importance of thus ascertaining the limitation of species1 and the bearing of the result on the great question of origin4 8,something is already known4 ,it is ascertained that the ,south ,american rivers possess some fishes peculiar to them4 ,were these fishes then created in these separate water-systems as they now exist1 or have they been transferred thither from some other water-bed8 ,if not born there1 how did they come there8 ,is there1 or has there ever been1 any possible connection between these water-systems8 ,are their characteristic species repeated elsewhere8 ,thus we narrow the boundaries of the investigation1 and bring it1 by successive approaches1 nearer the ultimate question4 ,but the first inquiry is1 ,how far are species distinct all over the world1 and what are their limits8 ,till this is ascertained1 all theories about their origin1 their derivation from one another1 their successive transformation1 their migration from given centres1 and so on1 are mere beating about the bush4 ,i allude especially to the fresh-water fishes1 in connection with this investigation1 on account of the precision of their boundaries4 ,looking at the matter theoretically1 without a positive investigation1 ,i do not expect to find a single species of the ,lower ,amazons above ,tabatinga4#f ,i base this supposition upon my own observations respecting the distribution of species in the ,european rivers4 ,i have found that1 while some species occur simultaneously in the many upper water-courses which combine to form the ,rhine1 the ,rhone1 and the ,danube1 most of them are not found in the lower course of these rivers2 that1 again1 certain species are found in two of these water-basins and do not occur in the third1 or inhabit only one and are not to be met in the two others4 ,the brook trout1 for instance 7,salmo ,fario71 is common to the upper course and the higher tributaries of all the three river-systems1 but does not inhabit the main bed of their lower course4 ,so it is1 also1 and in a more striking degree1 with the ,salmling 7,salmo ,salvelinus74 ,the ,huchen 7,salmo ,hucho7 is only found in the ,danube4 ,but the distribution of the perch family in these rivers is1 perhaps1 the most remarkable4 ,the ,zingel 7,aspro ,zingel7 and the ,schrtzer 7,acerina ,schrtzer7 are only found in the ,danube2 while ,acerina cernua is found in the ,danube as well as in the ,rhine1 but not in the ,rhone2 and ,aspro asper in the ,danube as well as in the ,rhone1 but not in the ,rhine4 ,the ,sander 7,lucioperca ,sandra7 is found in the ,danube and the other large rivers of ,eastern ,europe1 but occurs neither in the ,rhine nor in the ,rhone4 ,the common perch 7,perca fluviatilis71 on the contrary1 is found both in the ,rhine and ,rhone1 but not in the ,danube1 which1 however1 nourishes another species of true ,perca1 already described by ,schaeffer as ,perca vulgaris4 ,again1 the pickerel 7,esox ,lucius7 is common to all these rivers1 especially in their lower course1 and so is also the cusk 7,lota vulgaris74 ,the special distribution of the carp family would afford many other striking examples1 but they are too numerous and too little known to be used as an illustration here4 8,this is among the most remarkable instances of what ,i would call the arbitrary character of geographical distribution4 ,such facts cannot be explained by any theory of accidental dispersion1 for the upper mountain rivulets1 in which these great rivers take their rise1 have no connection with each other2 nor can any local circumstance explain the presence of some species in all the three basins1 while others appear only in one1 or perhaps in two1 and are absent from the third1 or the fact that certain species inhabiting the head-waters of these streams are never found in their lower course when the descent would seem so natural and so easy4 ,in the absence of any positive explanation1 we are left to assume that the distribution of animal life has primary laws as definite and precise as those which govern anything else in the system of the universe4 8,it is for the sake of investigations of this kind that ,i wish our party to divide1 in order that we may cover as wide a ground as possible1 and compare a greater number of the water-basins of ,brazil4 ,i wish the same to be done1 as far as may be1 for all the classes of ,vertebrates1 as well as for ,mollusks1 ,articulates1 and ,radiates4 ,as we have no special botanist in the party1 we must be content to make a methodical collection of the most characteristic families of trees1 such as the palms and tree ferns4 ,a collection of the stems of these trees would be especially important as a guide to the identification of fossil woods4 ,much more is known of the geographical distribution of plants than of animals1 however1 and there is1 therefore1 less to be done that is new in that direction4 8,our next aim1 and with the same object1 namely1 its bearing upon the question of origin1 will be the study of the young1 the collecting of eggs and embryos4 ,this is the more important1 since museums generally show only adult specimens4 ,as far as ,i know1 the ,zological ,museum at ,cambridge is the only one containing large collections of embryological specimens from all the classes of the animal kingdom4 ,one significant fact1 however1 is already known4 ,in their earliest stages of growth all animals of the same class are much more alike than in their adult condition1 and sometimes so nearly alike as hardly to be distinguished4 ,indeed1 there is an early period when the resemblances greatly outweigh the differences4 ,how far the representatives of different classes resemble one another remains to be ascertained with precision4 ,there are two possible interpretations of these facts4 ,one is that animals so nearly identical in the beginning must have been originally derived from one germ1 and are but modifications or transmutations1 under various physical conditions1 of this primitive unit4 ,the other interpretation1 founded on the same facts1 is1 that since1 notwithstanding this material identity in the beginning1 no germ ever grows to be different from its parent1 or diverges from the pattern imposed upon it at its birth1 therefore some other cause besides a material one must control its development2 and if this be so1 we have to seek an explanation of the differences between animals outside of physical influences4 ,thus far both these views rest chiefly upon personal convictions and opinions4 ,the true solution of the problem must be sought in the study of the development of the animals themselves1 and embryology is still in its infancy2 for1 though a very complete study of the embryology of a few animals has been made1 yet these investigations include so small a number of representatives from the different classes of the animal kingdom that they do not yet give a basis for broad generalizations4 ,very little is known of the earlier stages in the formation of hosts of insects whose later metamorphoses1 including the change of the already advanced larva1 first to the condition of a chrysalis and then to that of a perfect insect1 have been carefully traced4 ,it remains to be ascertained to what extent the caterpillars of different kinds of butterflies1 for instance1 resemble one another during the time of their formation in the egg4 ,an immense field of observation is open in this order alone4 8,i have1 myself1 examined over one hundred species of bird embryos1 now put up in the museum of ,cambridge1 and found that1 at a certain age1 they all have bills1 wings1 legs1 feet1 c41 c4 exactly alike4 ,the young robin and the young crow are web-footed1 as well as the duck4 ,it is only later that the fingers of the foot become distinct4 ,how very interesting it will be to continue this investigation among the tropical birds6--to see whether1 for instance1 the toucan1 with its gigantic bill1 has1 at a certain age1 a bill like that of all other birds2 whether the spoonbill ibis has1 at the same age1 nothing characteristic in the shape of its bill4 ,no living naturalist could now tell you one word about all this2 neither could he give you any information about corresponding facts in the growth of the fishes1 reptiles1 or quadrupeds of ,brazil1 not one of the young of these animals having ever been compared with the adult4 ,in these lectures ,i only aim at showing you what an extensive and interesting field of investigation opens before us2 if we succeed in cultivating even a few corners of it we shall be fortunate40 ,in the evening1 which is always the most enjoyable part of our day1 we sat on the guards and watched the first tropical sunset we had yet seen4 ,the sun went down in purple and gold1 and1 after its departure1 sent back a glow that crimsoned the clouds almost to the zenith1 dying off to paler rose tints on the edges1 while heavy masses of gray vapor1 just beginning to be silvered by the moon1 swept up from the south4 ,april #gth4--,to-day the lecture was upon the physical features of ,south ,america1 something with reference to the geological and geographical work in which ,mr4 ,agassiz hopes to have efficient aid from his younger assistants4 ,so much of the lecture consisted of explanations given upon geological maps that it is difficult to record it4 ,its principal object1 however1 was to show in what direction they should work in order to give greater precision to the general information already secured respecting the formation of the continent4 8,the basin of the ,amazons1 for instance1 is a level plain4 ,the whole of it is covered with loose materials4 ,we must watch carefully the character of these loose materials1 and try to track them to their origin4 ,as there are very characteristic rocks in various parts of this plain1 we shall have a clew to the nature of at least some portion of these materials4 ,my own previous studies have given me a special interest in certain questions connected with these facts4 ,what power has ground up these loose materials8 ,are they the result of disintegration of the rock by ordinary atmospheric agents1 or are they caused by the action of water1 or by that of glaciers8 ,was there ever a time when large masses of ice descended far lower than the present snow line of the ,andes1 and1 moving over the low lands1 ground these materials to powder8 ,we know that such an agency has been at work on the northern half of this hemisphere4 ,we have now to look for its traces on the southern half1 where no such investigations have ever been made within its warm latitudes2 though to ,darwin science is already indebted for much valuable information concerning the glacial phenomena of the temperate and colder portions of the ,south ,american continent4 ,we should examine the loose materials in every river we ascend1 and see what relation they bear to the dry land above4 ,the color of the water in connection with the nature of the banks will tell us something4 ,the waters of the ,rio ,branco1 for instance1 are said to be milky white2 those of the ,rio ,negro1 black4 ,in the latter case the color is probably owing to the decomposition of vegetation4 ,i would advise each one of our parties to pass a large amount of water from any river or stream along which they travel through a filter1 and to examine the deposit microscopically4 ,they will thus ascertain the character of the detritus1 whether from sand1 or lime1 or granite1 or mere river mud formed by the decomposition of organic matter4 ,even the smaller streams and rivulets will have their peculiar character4 ,the ,brazilian table-land rises to a broad ridge running from west to east1 and determining the direction of the rivers4 ,it is usually represented as a mountain range1 but is in fact nothing but a high flat ridge serving as a water-shed1 and cut transversely by deep fissures in which the rivers flow4 ,these fissures are broad in their lower parts1 but little is known of their upper range2 and whoever will examine their banks carefully will do an important work for science4 ,indeed1 very little is known accurately of the geology of ,brazil4 ,on the geological maps almost the whole country is represented as consisting of granite4 ,if this be correct1 it is very inconsistent with what we know of the geological structure of other continents1 where the stratified rocks are in much larger proportions40 ,upon this followed some account of the different kinds of valley formation and of terraces4 8,do the old terraces above the rivers of ,south ,america correspond to the river terraces on any of our rivers1--those of the ,connecticut1 for instance1--showing that their waters had formerly a much greater depth and covered a much wider bottom8 ,there must of course have been a cause for this great accumulation of water in ancient periods4 ,i account for it in the northern half of the hemisphere by the melting of vast masses of ice in the glacial period1 causing immense freshets4 ,there is no trustworthy account of the river terraces in ,brazil4 ,bates1 however1 describes flat-topped hills between ,santarem and ,par in the narrow part of the valley1 near ,almeyrim1 rising #hjj feet above the present level of the ,amazons4 ,if this part of the valley were flooded in old times1 banks might have been formed of which these hills are a remnant4 ,but because such a theory might account for the facts it does not follow that the theory is true4 ,our work must be to study the facts1 to see1 among other things1 of what these hills are built1 whether of rock or of loose materials4 ,no one has told us anything as yet of their geological constitution40#g ,to-day we have seen numbers of flying-fish from the deck1 and were astonished at the grace and beauty of their motion1 which we had supposed to be rather a leap than actual flight4 ,and flight indeed it is not1 their pectoral fins acting as sails rather than wings1 and carrying them along on the wind4 ,they skim over the water in this way to a great distance4 ,captain ,bradbury told us he had followed one with his glass and lost sight of it at a considerable distance1 without seeing it dip into the water again4 ,mr4 ,agassiz has great delight in watching them4#h ,having never before sailed in tropical seas1 he enjoys every day some new pleasure4 ,april #ith4--,yesterday ,mr4 ,agassiz lectured upon the traces of glaciers as they exist in the northern hemisphere1 and the signs of the same kind to be sought for in ,brazil4 ,after a sketch of what has been done in glacial investigation in ,europe and the ,united ,states1 showing the great extension of ice over these regions in ancient times1 he continued as follows3 8,when the polar half of both hemispheres was covered by such an ice shroud1 the climate of the whole earth must have been different from what it is now4 ,the limits of the ancient glaciers give us some estimate of this difference1 though of course only an approximate one4 ,a degree of temperature in the annual average of any given locality corresponds to a degree of latitude2 that is1 a degree of temperature is lost for every degree of latitude as we travel northward1 or gained for every degree of latitude as we travel southward4 ,in our times1 the line at which the average annual temperature is #cb1 that is1 at which glaciers may be formed1 is in latitude #fj or thereabouts1 the latitude of ,greenland2 while the height at which they may originate in latitude #de is about #f1jjj feet4 ,if it appear that the ancient southern limit of glaciers is in latitude #cf1 we must admit that in those days the present climate of ,greenland extended to that line4 ,such a change of climate with reference to latitude must have been attended by a corresponding change of climate with reference to altitude4 ,three degrees of temperature correspond to about one thousand feet of altitude4 ,if1 therefore1 it is found that the ancient limit of glacier action descends on the ,andes1 for instance1 to #g1jjj feet above the level of the sea under the equator1 the present line of perpetual snow being at #ae1jjj1 it is safe to infer that in those days the climate was some #bd or thereabouts below its present temperature4 ,that is1 the temperature of the present snow line then prevailed at a height of #g1jjj feet above the sea level1 as the present average temperature of ,greenland then prevailed in latitude #cf4 ,i am as confident that we shall find these indications at about the limit ,i have pointed out as if ,i had already seen them4 ,i would even venture to prophesy that the first moraines in the valley of the ,maraon should be found where it bends eastward above ,jaen40#i ,although the weather is fine1 the motion of the ship continues to be so great that those of us who have not what are popularly called 8sea-legs10 have much ado to keep our balance4 ,for my own part1 ,i am beginning to feel a personal animosity to 8the trades40 ,i had imagined them to be soft1 genial breezes wafting us gently southward2 instead of which they blow dead ahead all the time1 and give us no rest night or day4 ,and yet we are very unreasonable to grumble2 for never were greater comforts and conveniences provided for voyagers on the great deep than are to be found on this magnificent ship4 ,the state-rooms large and commodious1 parlor and dining-hall well ventilated1 cool1 and cheerful1 the decks long and broad enough to give a chance for extensive 8constitutionals0 to everybody who can stand upright for two minutes together1 the attendance punctual and admirable in every respect2 in short1 nothing is left to be desired except a little more stable footing4 ,april #ajth4--,a rough sea to-day1 notwithstanding which we had our lecture as usual1 though ,i must say1 that1 owing to the lurching of the ship1 the lecturer pitched about more than was consistent with the dignity of science4 ,mr4 ,agassiz returned to the subject of embryology1 urging upon his assistants the importance of collecting materials for this object as a means of obtaining an insight into the deeper relations between animals4 8,heretofore classification has been arbitrary1 inasmuch as it has rested mainly upon the interpretation given to structural differences by various observers1 who did not measure the character and value of these differences by any natural standard4 ,i believe that we have a more certain guide in these matters than opinion or the individual estimate of any observer1 however keen his insight into structural differences4 ,the true principle of classification exists in ,nature herself1 and we have only to decipher it4 ,if this conviction be correct1 the next question is1 ,how can we make this principle a practical one in our laboratories1 an active stimulus in our investigations8 ,is it susceptible of positive demonstration in material facts8 ,is there any method to be adopted as a correct guide1 if we set aside the idea of originating systems of classification of our own1 and seek only to read that already written in nature8 ,i answer1 ,yes4 ,the standard is to be found in the changes animals undergo from their first formation in the egg to their adult condition4 8,it would be impossible for me here and now to give you the details of this method of investigation1 but ,i can tell you enough to illustrate my statement4 ,take a homely and very familiar example1 that of the branch of ,articulates4 ,naturalists divide this branch into three classes1--,insects1 ,crustacea1 and ,worms2 and most of them tell you that ,worms are lowest1 ,crustacea next in rank1 and that ,insects stand highest1 while others have placed the ,crustacea at the head of the group4 ,we may well ask why4 ,why does an insect stand above a crustacean1 or1 vice versa1 why is a grasshopper or a butterfly structurally superior to a lobster or a shrimp8 ,and indeed there must be a difference in opinion as to the respective standing of these groups so long as their classification is allowed to remain a purely arbitrary one1 based only upon interpretation of anatomical details4 ,one man thinks the structural features of ,insects superior1 and places them highest2 another thinks the structural features of the ,crustacea highest1 and places them at the head4 ,in either case it is only a question of individual appreciation of the facts4 ,but when we study the gradual development of the insect1 and find that in its earliest stages it is worm-like1 in its second1 or chrysalis stage1 it is crustacean-like1 and only in its final completion it assumes the character of a perfect insect1 we have a simple natural scale by which to estimate the comparative rank of these animals4 ,since we cannot suppose that there is a retrograde movement in the development of any animal1 we must believe that the insect stands highest1 and our classification in this instance is dictated by ,nature herself4 ,this is one of the most striking examples1 but there are others quite as much so1 though not as familiar4 ,the frog1 for instance1 in its successive stages of development1 illustrates the comparative standing of the orders composing the class to which it belongs4 ,these orders are differently classified by various naturalists1 according to their individual estimate of their structural features4 ,but the growth of the frog1 like that of the insects1 gives us the true grade of the type4#aj ,there are not many groups in which this comparison has been carried out so fully as in the insects and frogs2 but wherever it has been tried it is found to be a perfectly sure test4 ,occasional glimpses of these facts1 seen disconnectedly1 have done much to confirm the development theory1 so greatly in vogue at present1 though under a somewhat new form4 ,those who sustain these views have seen that there was a gradation between animals1 and have inferred that it was a material connection4 ,but when we follow it in the growth of the animals themselves1 and find that1 close as it is1 no animal ever misses its true development1 or grows to be anything but what it was meant to be1 we are forced to admit that the gradation which unquestionably unites all animals is an intellectual1 not a material one4 ,it exists in the ,mind which made them4 ,as the works of a human intellect are bound together by mental kinship1 so are the thoughts of the ,creator spiritually united4 ,i think that considerations like these should be an inducement for us all to collect the young of as many animals as possible on this journey4 ,in so doing we may change the fundamental principles of classification1 and confer a lasting benefit on science4 8,it is very important to select the right animals for such investigations4 ,i can conceive that a lifetime should be passed in embryological studies1 and yet little be learned of the principles of classification4 ,the embryology of the worm1 for instance1 would not give us the natural classification of the ,articulates1 because we should see only the first step of the series2 we should not reach the sequence of the development4 ,it would be like reading over and over again the first chapter of a story4 ,the embryology of the ,insects1 on the contrary1 would give us the whole succession of a scale on the lowest level of which the ,worms remain forever4 ,so the embryology of the frog will give us the classification of the group to which it belongs1 but the embryology of the ,cecilia1 the lowest order in the group1 will give us only the initiatory steps4 ,in the same way the naturalist who1 in studying the embryology of the reptiles1 should begin with their lowest representatives1 the serpents1 would make a great mistake4 ,but take the alligator1 so abundant in the regions to which we are going4 ,an alligator's egg in the earliest condition of growth has never been opened by a naturalist4 ,the young have been occasionally taken from the egg just before hatching1 but absolutely nothing is known of their first phases of development4 ,a complete embryology of the alligator would give us not only the natural classification of reptiles as they exist now1 but might teach us something of their history from the time of their introduction upon earth to the present day4 ,for embryology shows us not only the relations of existing animals to each other1 but their relations to extinct types also4 ,one prominent result of embryological studies has been to show that animals in the earlier stages of their growth resemble ancient representatives of the same type belonging to past geological ages4 ,the first reptiles were introduced in the carboniferous epoch1 and they were very different from those now existing4 ,they were not numerous at that period2 but later in the world's history there was a time1 justly called the #8age of reptiles1' when the gigantic ,saurians1 ,plesiosaurians1 and ,ichthyosaurians abounded4 ,i believe1 and my conviction is drawn from my previous embryological studies1 that the changes of the alligator in the egg will give us the clew to the structural relations of the ,reptiles from their first creation to the present day1--will give us1 in other words1 their sequence in time as well as their sequence in growth4 ,in the class of ,reptiles1 then1 the most instructive group we can select with reference to the structural relations of the type as it now exists1 and their history in past times1 will be the alligator4 ,we must therefore neglect no opportunity of collecting their eggs in as large numbers as possible4 8,there are other animals in ,brazil1 low in their class to be sure1 but yet very important to study embryologically1 on account of their relation to extinct types4 ,these are the sloths and armadillos1--animals of insignificant size in our days1 but anciently represented in gigantic proportions4 ,the ,megatherium1 the ,mylodon1 the ,megalonyx1 were some of these immense ,mammalia4 ,i believe that the embryonic changes of the sloths and armadillos will explain the structural relations of those huge ,edentata and their connection with the present ones4 ,south ,america teems with the fossil bones of these animals1 which indeed penetrated into the northern half of the hemisphere as high up as ,georgia and ,kentucky1 where their remains have been found4 ,the living representatives of the family are also numerous in ,south ,america1 and we should make it one of our chief objects to get specimens of all ages and examine them from their earliest phases upward4 ,we must1 above all1 try not to be led away from the more important aims of our study by the diversity of objects4 ,i have known many young naturalists to miss the highest success by trying to cover too much ground1--by becoming collectors rather than investigators4 ,bitten by the mania for amassing a great number and variety of species1 such a man never returns to the general consideration of more comprehensive features4 ,we must try to set before ourselves certain important questions1 and give ourselves resolutely to the investigation of these points1 even though we should sacrifice less important things more readily reached4 8,another type full of interest1 from an embryological point of view1 will be the ,monkeys4 ,since some of our scientific colleagues look upon them as our ancestors1 it is important that we should collect as many facts as possible concerning their growth4 ,of course it would be better if we could make the investigation in the land of the ,orangs1 ,gorillas1 and ,chimpanzees1--the highest monkeys and the nearest to man in their development4 ,still even the process of growth in the ,south ,american monkey will be very instructive4 ,give a mathematician the initial elements of a series1 and he will work out the whole2 and so ,i believe when the laws of embryological development are better understood1 naturalists will have a key to the limits of these cycles of growth1 and be able to appoint them their natural boundaries even from partial data4 8,next in importance ,i would place the ,tapirs4 ,this is one of a family whose geological antecedents are very important and interesting4 ,the ,mastodons1 the ,palotherium1 the ,dinotherium1 and other large ,mammalia of the ,tertiaries1 are closely related to the ,tapir4 ,the elephant1 rhinoceros1 and the like1 are of the same family4 ,from its structural standing next to the elephant1 which is placed highest in the group1 the embryology of the ,tapir would give us a very complete series of changes4 ,it would seem from some of the fossil remains of this family that the ,pachyderms were formerly more nearly related to the ,ruminants and ,rodents than they now are4 ,therefore it would be well to study the embryology of the ,capivari1 the ,paca1 and the ,peccary1 in connection with that of the ,tapir4 ,lastly1 it will be important to learn something of the embryology of the ,manatee or ,sea-,cow of the ,amazons4 ,it is something like a porpoise in outline1 and seems to be the modern representative of the ancient ,dinotherium40 ,april #abth4--,the lecture to-day was addressed especially to the ornithologists of the party1 its object being to show how the same method of study1--that of testing the classification by the phases of growth in the different groups1--might be applied to the birds as profitably as to other types4 ,we have made good progress in the last forty-eight hours1 and are fast leaving our friends 8the trades0 behind4 ,the captain promises us smooth waters in a day or two4 ,with the dying away of the wind will come greater heat1 but as yet we have had no intensely warm weather4 ,the sun1 however1 keeps us within doors a great part of the day1 but in the evening we sit on the guards1 watch the sunset over the waters1 and then the moonlight1 and so while away the time till nine or ten o'clock1 when one by one the party disperses4 ,the sea has been so rough that we have not been able to capture anything1 but when we get into smoother waters1 our naturalists will be on the look out for jelly-fish1 argonautas1 and the like4 ,april #acth4--,in to-day's lecture ,mr4 ,agassiz returned again to the subject of geographical distribution and the importance of localizing the collections with great precision4 8,as ,rio de ,janeiro is our starting-point1 the water-system in its immediate neighborhood will be as it were a schoolroom for us during the first week of our ,brazilian life4 ,we shall not find it so easy a matter as it seems to keep our collections distinct in this region4 ,the head-waters of some of the rivers near ,rio1 flowing in opposite directions1 are in such close proximity that it will be difficult sometimes to distinguish them4 ,outside of the coast range1 to which the ,organ ,mountains belong1 are a number of short streams1 little rills1 so to speak1 emptying directly into the ocean4 ,it will be important to ascertain whether the same animals occur in all these short water-courses4 ,i think this will be found to be the case1 because it is so with corresponding small rivers on our northern coast4 ,there are little rivers along the whole coast from ,maine to ,new ,jersey2 all these disconnected rivers contain a similar fauna4 ,there is another extensive range inland of the coast ridge1 the ,serra de ,mantiquera1 sloping gently down to the ocean south of the ,rio ,belmonte or ,jequitinhonha4 ,rivers arising in this range are more complex2 they have large tributaries4 ,their upper part is usually broken by waterfalls1 their lower course being more level2 probably in the lower courses of these rivers we shall find fishes similar to those of the short coast streams1 while in the higher broken waters we shall find distinct faun40 ,the lecture closed with some account of the excursions likely to be undertaken in the neighborhood of ,rio de ,janeiro on arriving1 and with some practical instructions about collecting1 based upon ,mr4 ,agassiz's personal experience4#aa ,april #adth4--,last evening was the most beautiful we have had since we left home2 perfectly clear with the exception of soft white masses of cloud on the horizon1 all their edges silvered by the moonlight4 ,we looked our last for many months to come on the north star1 and saw the southern cross for the first time4 ,with the visible image ,i lost a far more wonderful constellation which had lived in my imagination2 it has vanished with all its golden glory1 a celestial vision as amazing as that which converted ,constantine1 and in its place stands the veritable constellation with its four little points of light4 ,the lecture to-day was upon the fishes of ,south ,america4 8,i will give you this morning a slight sketch of the characteristic fishes in ,south ,america1 as compared with those of the ,old ,world and ,north ,america4 ,though ,i do not know how the fishes are distributed in the regions to which we are going1 and it is just upon the investigation of this point that ,i want your help1 ,i know their character as distinguished from those of other continents4 ,we must remember that the most important aim of all our studies in this direction will be the solution of the question whether any given fauna is distinct and has originated where it now exists4 ,to this end ,i shall make you acquainted with the ,brazilian animals so far as ,i can in the short time we have before beginning our active operations1 in order that you may be prepared to detect the law of their geographical distribution4 ,i shall speak to-day more especially of the fresh-water fishes4 8,in the northern hemisphere there is a remarkable group of fishes known as the ,sturgeons4 ,they are chiefly found in the waters flowing into the ,polar seas1 as the ,mackenzie ,river on our own continent1 the ,lena and ,yenissei in the ,old ,world1 and in all the rivers and lakes of the temperate zone1 communicating with the ,atlantic ,ocean4 ,they occur in smaller numbers in most tributaries of the ,mediterranean1 but are common in the ,volga and ,danube1 as well as in the ,mississippi1 in some of the rivers on our northern ,atlantic and ,pacific coasts1 and in ,china4 ,this family has no representatives in ,africa1 ,southern ,asia1 ,australia1 or ,south ,america1 but there is a group corresponding in a certain way to it in ,south ,america1--that of the ,goniodonts4 ,though some ichthyologists place them widely apart in their classifications1 there is1 on the whole1 a striking resemblance between the ,sturgeons and ,goniodonts4 ,groups of this kind1 reproducing certain features common to both1 but differing by special structural modifications1 are called #8representative types4' ,this name applies more especially to such groups when they are distributed over different parts of the world4 ,to naturalists the comparison of one of these types with another is very interesting1 as touching upon the question of origin of species4 ,to those who believe that animals are derived from one another the alternative here presented is very clear3 either one of these groups grew out of the other1 or else they both had common ancestors which were neither ,sturgeons nor ,goniodonts1 but combined the features of both and gave birth to each4 8,there is a third family of fishes1 the ,hornpouts or ,bullheads1 called ,siluroids by naturalists1 which seem by their structural character to occupy an intermediate position between the ,sturgeons and ,goniodonts4 ,there would seem to be1 then1 in these three groups1 so similar in certain features1 so distinct in others1 the elements of a series4 ,but while their structural relations suggest a common origin1 their geographical distribution seems to exclude it4 ,take1 for instance1 the ,hornpouts2 they are very few in the northern hemisphere1 hardly ever occurring in those rivers where the ,sturgeons abound1 and they are very numerous in the southern hemisphere1 in southern ,asia1 ,australia1 ,africa1 and ,south ,america1 where the ,sturgeons are altogether wanting4 ,in ,south ,america the ,siluroids everywhere exist with the ,goniodonts1 in all other parts of the world without them2 the ,goniodonts being only found in ,south ,america4 ,if these were the ancestors of the ,siluroids in ,south ,america1 they were certainly not their ancestors anywhere else4 ,if the ,sturgeons were the ancestors of the ,siluroids and of the ,goniodonts1 it is strange that their progeny should consist of these two families in ,south ,america1 and in the ,old ,world of the ,siluroids only4 ,but if all three had some other common ancestry1 it would be still more extraordinary that its progeny should exhibit so specific a distribution upon the surface of our globe4 ,the ,siluroids lay very large eggs1 and as they are very abundant in ,south ,america we shall no doubt have opportunities of collecting them4 ,of the reproduction of the ,goniodonts absolutely nothing is known4 ,of course the embryology of both these groups would have a direct bearing on the problem of their origin4 8,another family very abundant in various parts of the world is that of the ,perches4 ,they are found all over ,north ,america1 ,europe1 and ,northern ,asia2 but there is not one to be found in the fresh waters of the southern hemisphere4 ,in ,south ,america and in ,africa they are represented however by a very similar group1 that of the ,chromids4 ,these two groups are so much akin that from their structure it would seem natural to suppose that the ,chromids were transformed ,perches2 the more so1 since in the western hemisphere the latter extend from the high north to ,texas1 south of which they are represented by the ,chromids4 ,here the geographical as well as the structural transition would seem an easy one4 ,but look at the eastern hemisphere4 ,perches abound in ,asia1 ,europe1 and ,australia1 but there are no ,chromids there4 ,how is it that the ,perches of this continent have been so fertile in producing ,chromids1 and the ,perches of all other continents1 except ,africa1 absolutely sterile in this respect8 ,or if we reverse the proposition1 and suppose the ,perches to have grown out of the ,chromids1 why have their ancestry disappeared so completely on the ,asiatic side of the world1 while they do not seem to have diminished on this8 ,and if ,perches and ,chromids should be represented as descending from an older common type1 ,i would answer that ,palontology knows nothing of such a pedigree4 8,next come the ,chubs1 or in scientific nomenclature the ,cyprinoids4 ,these fishes1 variously called ,chubs1 ,suckers1 or ,carps1 abound in all the fresh waters of the northern hemisphere4 ,they are also numerous in the eastern part of the southern hemisphere1 but have not a single representative in ,south ,america4 ,as the ,goniodonts are characteristic of the southern hemisphere in its western half1 so this group seems to be characteristic of it in its eastern half4 ,but while the ,cyprinoids have no representative in ,south ,america1 there is another group there1 structurally akin to them1 called the ,cyprinodonts4 ,they are all small-sized2 our ,minnows belong to this group4 ,from ,maine to ,texas they are found in all the short rivers or creeks all along the coast4 ,it is for this reason that ,i expect to find the short coast rivers of ,south ,america abounding in ,minnows4 ,i remember to have found in the neighborhood of ,mobile no less than six new species in the course of an afternoon's ramble4 ,these fishes are almost all viviparous1 or at least lay their eggs in a very advanced state of development of the young4 ,the sexes differ so greatly in appearance that they have sometimes been described as distinct species1 nay1 even as distinct genera4#ab ,we must be on our guard against a similar mistake4 ,here again we have two groups1 the ,cyprinoids and ,cyprinodonts1 so similar in their structural features that the development of one out of the other naturally suggests itself4 ,but in ,south ,america there are no ,cyprinoids at all1 while the ,cyprinodonts abound2 in ,europe1 ,asia1 and ,north ,america on the contrary1 the ,cyprinoids are very numerous and the ,cyprinodonts comparatively few40 ,the ,characines were next considered with reference to their affinities as well as their geographical distribution2 and a few remarks were added upon the smaller families known to have representatives in the fresh waters of ,south ,america1 such as the ,erythrinoids1 the ,gymnotines1 c4 8,i am often asked what is my chief aim in this expedition to ,south ,america8 ,no doubt in a general way it is to collect materials for future study4 ,but the conviction which draws me irresistibly1 is that the combination of animals on this continent1 where the faun are so characteristic and so distinct from all others1 will give me the means of showing that the transmutation theory is wholly without foundation in facts40 ,the lecture closed with some account of the ,salmonid1 found all over the northern hemisphere1 but represented in ,south ,america by the ,characines1 distinct species of which may be looked for in the separate water-basins of ,brazil2 and also of several other important families of ,south ,american fishes1 especially the ,osteoglossum1 the ,sudis1 c41 interesting on account of their relation to an extinct fossil type1 that of the ,clacanths4#ac ,april #agth4--,yesterday was ,easter ,sunday1 and the day was beautiful4 ,the services from ,bishop ,potter in the morning were very interesting2 the more so for us on account of the ,god speed he gave us4 ,wind and weather permitting1 it is the last ,sunday we shall pass on board ship together4 ,the ,bishop spoke with much earnestness and sympathy of the objects of the expedition1 addressing himself especially to the young men1 not only with reference to their duties as connected with a scientific undertaking1 but as ,american citizens in a foreign country at this time of war and misapprehension4 ,this morning we were quite entertained at meeting a number of the so-called 8,catamarans10 the crazy crafts of the fishermen1 who appear to be amphibious animals on this coast4 ,their boats consist of a few logs lashed together1 over which the water breaks at every moment without apparently disturbing the occupants in the least4 ,they fish1 walk about1 sit1 lie down or stand1 eat1 drink1 and sleep1 to all appearance as contented and comfortable as we are in our princely steamer4 ,usually they go into port at nightfall1 but are occasionally driven out to sea by the wind1 and may sometimes be met with two hundred miles and more from the shore4 ,to-day we have fairly come upon the ,south ,american coast4 ,yesterday we could catch sight occasionally of low sand banks2 but this morning we have sailed past the pretty little town of ,olinda1 with its convent on the hill1 and the larger city of ,pernambuco1 whose white houses come quite down to the sea-shore4 ,immediately in front of the town lies the reef1 which runs southward along the coast for a hundred miles and more1 enclosing between itself and the shore a strip of quiet waters1 forming admirable anchorage for small shipping4 ,before ,pernambuco this channel is quite deep1 and directly in front of the town there is a break in the reef forming a natural gateway through which large vessels can enter4 ,we have now left the town behind1 but the shore is still in sight2 a flat coast rising into low hills behind1 and here and there dotted with villages and fishing-huts4 ,the lecture on ,saturday was rather practical than scientific1 on the best modes of collecting and preserving specimens1 the instruments to be used1 c4 ,to-day it was upon the classification of fishes as illustrated by embryology2 the same method of study as that explained the other day and now applied to the class of fishes4 8,all fishes at the time when the germ becomes distinct above the yolk have a continuous fin over the whole back1 around the tail1 and under the abdomen4 ,the naked reptiles1 those which have no scales1 such as frogs1 toads1 salamanders1 and the like1 share in this embryological feature of the fishes4 ,from this identity of development ,i believe the naked reptiles to be structurally nearer to the true fishes than to the scaly reptiles4 ,all fishes1 and indeed all ,vertebrates1 even the highest1 have1 at this early period1 fissures in the side of the neck4 ,these are the first indications of gills1 an organ the basis for which exists in all ,vertebrates at a certain period of their life1 but is fully developed and functionally active only in the lower ones1 in which it acquires a special final structure2 giving place to lungs in the higher ones before they reach their adult condition4 ,from this time forward not only the class characters1 but those of the family1 begin to be distinguished4 ,i will show you to-day how we may improve the classification of fishes by studying their embryology4 ,take1 for instance1 the family of ,cods in its widest acceptation4 ,it consists of several genera1 among which are the ,cod proper1 the ,cusk1 and the ,brotula4 ,naturalists may differ in their estimation of the relative rank of these genera1 and even with reference to their affinity1 but the embryology of the ,cod seems to me to give the natural scale4 ,in its early condition the ,cod has the continuous fin of the ,brotula1 next the dorsal and caudal fins become distinct1 as in the ,cusk1 and lastly the final individualization of the fins takes place1 and they break up into the three dorsals and two anals of the ,cod4 ,thus the ,brotula represents the infantile condition of the ,cod1 and of course stands lowest1 while the ,cusk has its natural position between the two4 ,there are other genera belonging to this family1 as1 for instance1 the ,lota or fresh-water ,cusk and the ,hake1 the relative position of which may be determined by further embryological studies4 ,i had an opportunity of observing something in the development of the ,hake which throws some light on the relation of the ,ophidini to the ,cod family1 though thus far they have been associated with the ,eel4 ,the little embryonic ,hake on which ,i made my investigation was about an inch and a half in length2 it was much more slender and elongated in proportion to its thickness than any of the family of ,cods in their adult condition1 and had a continuous fin all around the body4 ,although the structural relations of the ,eels are not fully understood1 some of them1 at least1 now united as a distinct family under the name of ,ophidini1 are known to be closely connected with the ,cods1 and this character of the ,hake in its early condition would seem to show that this type of ,eel is a sort of embryonic form of the ,cod family4 8,another well-known family of fishes is that of the ,lophioides4 ,to this group belongs the ,lophius or ,goose-fish1 with which the ,cottoids or ,sculpins1 and the ,blennioids1 with ,zoarces and ,anarrhichas1 the so-called ,sea-cat1 ought to be associated4 ,it was my good fortune to have an opportunity of studying the development of the ,lophius1 and to my surprise ,i found that its embryonic phases included the whole series here alluded to1 thus presenting another of those natural scales on which ,i hope all our scientific classifications will be remodelled when we obtain a better knowledge of embryology4 ,the ,lophius in its youngest stage recalls the ,tnioids1 being long and compressed2 next it resembles the ,blennioids1 and growing stouter passes through a stage like ,cottus1 before it assumes the depressed form of ,lophius4 ,in the family of ,cyprinodonts ,i have observed the young of ,fundulus4 ,they are destitute of ventrals1 thus showing that the genus ,orestias stands lowest in its family4 ,i would allude to one other fact of this kind observed by ,professor ,wyman4 ,there has been a doubt among naturalists as to the relative standing of the ,skates and ,sharks4 ,on geological evidence ,i had placed the ,skates highest1 because the ,sharks precede them in time2 but this fact had not been established on embryological evidence4 ,professor ,wyman has followed the embryology of the ,skate through all its phases1 and has found that in its earlier condition it is slender in outline1 with the appearance of a diminutive shark1 and that only later it assumes the broad shield-like form and long tapering tail of the skate4 ,were it only that they enable us to set aside all arbitrary decisions and base our classifications on the teachings of nature1 these investigations would be invaluable2 but their importance is increased by the consideration that we are thus gradually led to recognize the true affinities which bind all organized beings into one great system40 ,april #bjth4--,the day after to-morrow we shall enter the ,bay of ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,one begins to see already that little disturbance in the regularity of sea life which precedes arrival4 ,people are making up their letters1 and rearranging their luggage2 there is a slight stir pervading our small party of passengers and breaking up the even tenor of the uniform life we have been leading together for the last three weeks4 ,it has been a delightful voyage1 and yet1 under the most charming circumstances1 life at sea is a poor exchange for life on land1 and we are all glad to be near our haven4 ,on ,tuesday the lecture was upon the formation and growth of the egg2 a sort of practical lesson in the study of embryology2 yesterday1 upon the importance of ascertaining1 at the outset1 the spawning season of the animals in ,brazil1 and the means to that end4 8,it will often be impossible for us to learn the breeding season of animals1 a matter in which country people are generally very ignorant4 ,but when we cannot obtain it from persons about us1 there are some indications in the animals themselves which may serve as a guide4 ,during my own investigations upon the development of the turtles1 when ,i opened many thousands of eggs1 ,i found that in these animals1 at least1 the appearance of the ovaries is a pretty good guide4 ,they always contain several sets of eggs4 ,those which will be laid this year are the largest2 those of the following year are next in size2 those of two years hence still smaller1 until we come to eggs so small that it is impossible to perceive any difference between their various phases of development4 ,but we can readily tell whether there are any eggs so advanced as to be near laying1 and distinguish between the brood of the year and those which are to be hatched later4 ,when the eggs are about to be laid the whole surface is covered with ramifying blood-vessels1 and the yolk is of a very clear bright yellow4 ,before the egg drops from the ovary this network bursts2 it shrivels up and forms a little scar on the side of the ovary4 ,should we1 therefore1 on examining the ovary of a turtle1 find that these scars are fresh1 we may infer that the season for laying is not over2 or if we find some of the eggs much larger than the rest and nearly mature1 we shall know that it is about to begin4 ,how far this will hold good with respect to alligators and other animals ,i do not know4 ,i have learned to recognize these signs in the turtles from my long study of their embryology4 ,with fishes it could hardly be possible to distinguish the different sets of eggs because they lay such numbers1 and they are all so small4 ,but if we cannot distinguish the eggs of the different years1 it will be something to learn the size of their broods1 which differs very greatly in different families40 ,the lecture concluded with some advice as to observing and recording the metamorphoses of insects4 8,though much has been written on the societies of ants and other like communities in ,brazil1 the accounts of different naturalists do not agree4 ,it would be well to collect the larv of a great many insects1 and try to raise them2 but as this will be difficult and often impossible in travelling1 we must at least get the nests of ants1 bees1 wasps1 and the like1 in order to ascertain all we can respecting their communities4 ,when these are not too large it is easy to secure them by slipping a bag over them1 thus taking the whole settlement captive4 ,it may then be preserved by dipping into alcohol1 and examined at leisure1 so as to ascertain the number and nature of the individuals contained in it1 and learn something at least of their habits4 ,nor let us neglect the domestic establishments of spiders4 ,there is an immense variety of spiders in ,south ,america1 and a great difference in their webs4 ,it would be well to preserve these on sheets of paper1 to make drawings of them1 and examine their threads microscopically40 ,april #bast4--,yesterday ,mr4 ,agassiz gave his closing lecture1 knowing that to-day all would be occupied with preparations for landing4 ,he gave a little history of ,steenstrup and ,sars1 and showed the influence their embryological investigations have had in reforming classification1 and also their direct bearing upon the question of the origin of species4 ,to these investigators science owes the discovery of the so-called 8alternate generations10 in which the ,hydroid1 either by budding or by the breaking up of its own body1 gives rise to numerous jelly-fishes2 these lay eggs which produce ,hydroids again1 and the ,hydroids renew the process as before4#ad 8,these results are but recently added to the annals of science1 and are not yet very extensively known in the community2 but when the facts are more fully understood1 they cannot fail to affect the fundamental principles of zology4 ,i have been astonished to see how little weight ,darwin himself gives to this series of transformations2 he hardly alludes to it1 and yet it has a very direct bearing on his theory1 since it shows that1 however great the divergence from the starting-point in any process of development1 it ever returns to the road of its normal destiny2 the cycle may be wide1 but the boundaries are as impassable as if it were narrower4 ,however these processes of development may approach1 or even cross each other1 they never end in making any living being different from the one which gave it birth1 though in reaching that point it may pass through phases resembling other animals4 8,in considering these questions we should remember how slight are most of those specific differences1 the origin of which gives rise to so much controversy1 in comparison with the cycle of changes undergone by every individual in the course of its development4 ,there are numerous genera1 including many very closely allied species1 distinguished by differences which1 were it not for the fact that they have remained unchanged and invariable through ages1 might be termed insignificant4 ,such1 for instance1 are the various species of corals found in the everglades of ,florida1 where they lived and died ages ago1 and had the identical specific differences by which we distinguish their successors in the present ,florida reefs4 ,the whole science of zology in its present condition is based upon the fact that these slight differences are maintained generation after generation4 ,and yet every individual on such a coral stock1--and the same is true of any individual in any class whatsoever of the whole animal kingdom1 whether ,radiate1 ,mollusk1 ,articulate1 or ,vertebrate1--before reaching its adult condition and assuming the permanent characters which distinguish it from other species1 and have never been known to vary1 passes in a comparatively short period through an extraordinary transformation1 the successive phases of which differ far more from each other than do the adult species4 ,in other words1 the same individual differs more from himself in successive stages of his growth than he does in his adult condition from kindred species of the same genus4 ,the conclusion seems inevitable1 that1 if the slight differences which distinguish species were not inherent1 and if the phases through which every individual has to pass were not the appointed means to reach that end1 themselves invariable1 there would be ever-recurring deviations from the normal types4 ,every naturalist knows that this is not the case4 ,all the deviations known to us are monstrosities1 and the occurrence of these1 under disturbing influences1 are to my mind only additional evidence of the fixity of species4 ,the extreme deviations obtained in domesticity are secured1 as is well known1 at the expense of the typical characters1 and end usually in the production of sterile individuals4 ,all such facts seem to show that so-called varieties or breeds1 far from indicating the beginning of new types1 or the initiating of incipient species1 only point out the range of flexibility in types which in their essence are invariable4 8,in the discussion of the development theory in its present form1 a great deal is said of the imperfection of the geological record4 ,but it seems to me that1 however fragmentary our knowledge of geology1 its incompleteness does not invalidate certain important points in the evidence4 ,it is well known that the crust of our earth is divided into a number of layers1 all of which contain the remains of distinct populations4 ,these different sets of inhabitants who have possessed the earth at successive periods have each a character of their own4 ,the transmutation theory insists that they owe their origin to gradual transformations1 and are not1 therefore1 the result of distinct creative acts4 ,all agree1 however1 that we arrive at a lower stratum where no trace of life is to be found4 ,place it where we will3 suppose that we are mistaken in thinking that we have reached the beginning of life with the lowest ,cambrian deposit2 suppose that the first animals preceded this epoch1 and that there was an earlier epoch1 to be called the ,laurentian system1 beside many others older still2 it is nevertheless true that geology brings us down to a level at which the character of the earth's crust made organic life impossible4 ,at this point1 wherever we place it1 the origin of animals by development was impossible1 because they had no ancestors4 ,this is the true starting-point1 and until we have some facts to prove that the power1 whatever it was1 which originated the first animals has ceased to act1 ,i see no reason for referring the origin of life to any other cause4 ,i grant that we have no such evidence of an active creative power as ,science requires for positive demonstration of her laws1 and that we cannot explain the processes which lie at the origin of life4 ,but if the facts are insufficient on our side1 they are absolutely wanting on the other4 ,we cannot certainly consider the development theory proved1 because a few naturalists think it plausible3 it seems plausible only to the few1 and it is demonstrated by none4 ,i bring this subject before you now1 not to urge upon you this or that theory1 strong as my own convictions are4 ,i wish only to warn you1 not against the development theory itself1 but against the looseness in the methods of study upon which it is based4 ,whatever be your ultimate opinions on this subject1 let them rest on facts and not on arguments1 however plausible4 ,this is not a question to be argued1 it is one to be investigated4 8,as ,i have advanced in these talks with you1 ,i have become more and more dissatisfied1 feeling the difficulty of laying out our work without a practical familiarity with the objects themselves4 ,but this is the inevitable position of one who is seeking the truth3 till we have found it1 we are more or less feeling our way4 ,i am aware that in my lectures ,i have covered a far wider range of subjects than we can handle1 even if every man do his very best2 if we accomplish one tenth of the work ,i have suggested1 ,i shall be more than satisfied with the result of the expedition4 ,in closing1 ,i can hardly add anything to the impressive admonitions of ,bishop ,potter in his parting words to us last ,sunday1 for which ,i thank him in your name and my own4 ,but ,i would remind you1 that1 while ,america has recovered her political independence1 while we all have that confidence in our institutions which makes us secure1 that so far as we are true to them1 doing what we do conscientiously and in full view of our responsibilities we shall be in the right path1 we have not yet achieved our intellectual independence4 ,there is a disposition in this country to refer all literary and scientific matters to ,european tribunals2 to accept a man because he has obtained the award of societies abroad4 ,an ,american author is often better satisfied if he publish his book in ,england than at home4 ,in my opinion1 every man who publishes his work on the other side of the water deprives his country of so much intellectual capital to which she has a right4 ,publish your results at home1 and let ,europe discover whether they are worth reading4 ,not until you are faithful to your citizenship in your intellectual as well as your political life1 will you be truly upright and worthy students of nature40 ,at the conclusion of these remarks a set of resolutions was read by ,bishop ,potter4#ae ,they were followed by a few little friendly speeches1 all made in the most informal and cordial spirit2 and so ended our course of lectures on board the ,colorado4 ,later in the day we observed singular bright red patches in the sea4 ,some were not less than seven or eight feet in length1 rather oblong1 and the whole mass looked as red as blood4 ,sometimes they seemed to lie on the very top of the water1 sometimes to be a little below it1 so as only to tinge the rippling surface4 ,one of the sailors succeeded in catching a portion of it in a bucket1 when it was found to consist of a solid mass of little crustaceans1 bright red in color4 ,they were all very lively1 keeping up a constant rapid motion4 ,mr4 ,agassiz examined them under the microscope and found them to be the young of a crab4 ,he has no doubt that every such patch is a single brood1 floating thus compactly together like spawn4 ----- ,footnote #b3 ,on the #agth of ,may1 nearly a month after our arrival in ,rio1 this cloud was interpreted to us4 ,it was1 indeed1 charged with the issues of life and death1 for it was on this day and the following that the final assaults on ,petersburg were made1 and the cloud which marred an otherwise stainless sky1 as we were passing along the shores of ,virginia1 was1 no doubt1 the mass of smoke gathered above the opposing lines of the two armies4 ,footnote #c3 ,the species of ,hydroids most numerous upon the gulf-weed have not yet been described1 and would form a valuable addition to the ,natural ,history of the ,acalephs4 ,for an account of the animals of this class inhabiting the ,atlantic coast of ,north ,america1 and especially the ,new ,england shores1 ,i may refer to the third volume of my ,contributions to the ,natural ,history of the ,united ,states1 and to the second number of the ,illustrated ,catalogue of the ,museum of ,comparative ,zology at ,cambridge4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #d3 8,this stream10 he writes1 8is probably generated by the great accumulation of water on the eastern coast of ,america1 between the tropics1 by the trade-winds which constantly blow there40 ,these views1 though vaguely hinted at by old ,spanish navigators1 were first distinctly set forth by ,franklin1 and1 as is stated in a recent printed report of the ,coast ,survey ,explorations1 8they receive confirmation from every discovery which the advance of scientific research brings to aid in the solution of the great problem of oceanic circulation40 ,footnote #e3 ,no one can read the account of the explorations undertaken by the ,coast ,survey in the ,gulf ,stream1 and continued during a number of successive years1 and the instructions received by the officers thus employed from the ,superintendent1 ,dr4 ,a4 ,d4 ,bache1 without feeling how comprehensive1 keen1 and persevering was the intellect which has long presided over this department of our public works4 ,the result is a very thorough survey of the stream1 especially along the coast of our own continent1 with sections giving the temperature to a great depth1 the relations of the cold and warm streaks1 the form of the ocean bottom1 as well as various other details respecting the direction and force of the current1 the density and color of the water1 and the animal and vegetable productions contained in it4 7,see ,appendix ,no4 ,i47--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #f3 ,this anticipation was more than confirmed by the result of the journey4 ,it is true that ,mr4 ,agassiz did not go beyond the ,peruvian frontier1 and therefore could not verify his prophecy in that region4 ,but he found the localization of species in the ,amazons circumscribed within much narrower limits than he expected1 the whole length of the great stream1 as well as its tributaries1 being broken up into numerous distinct faun4 ,there can be no doubt that what is true for nearly three thousand miles of its course is true also for the head-waters of the ,amazons2 indeed1 other investigators have already described some species from its higher tributaries differing entirely from those collected upon this expedition4 ,footnote #g3 ,mr4 ,agassiz afterward visited these hills himself1 and an account of their structure and probable origin will be found in the chapter on the physical history of the ,amazons4 ,footnote #h3 ,see ,appendix ,no4 ,,ii4 ,footnote #i3 ,it proved in the sequel unnecessary to seek the glacial phenomena of tropical ,south ,america in its highest mountains4 ,in ,brazil the moraines are as distinct and as well preserved in some of the coast ranges on the ,atlantic side1 not more than twelve or fifteen hundred feet high1 as in any glaciated localities known to geologists in more northern parts of the world4 ,the snow line1 even in those latitudes1 then descended so low that masses of ice formed above its level actually forced their way down to the sea-coast4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #aj3 ,in copying the journal from which these notes are taken1 ,i have hesitated to burden the narrative with anatomical details4 ,but for those who take an interest in such investigations it may be well to add here that the frog1 when first hatched1 is simply an oblong body1 without any appendages1 and tapering slightly towards its posterior end4 ,in that condition it resembles the ,cecilia4 ,in its next stage1 that of the tadpole1 when the extremity has elongated into a tail1 the gills are fairly developed1 and it has one pair of imperfect legs1 it resembles the ,siren1 with its rudimentary limbs4 ,in its succeeding stages1 when the same animal has two pairs of legs and a fin around the tail1 it recalls the ,proteus and ,menobranchus4 ,finally the gills are suppressed1 the animal breathes through lungs1 but the tail still remains2 it then recalls ,menopoma and the ,salamanders4 ,at last the tail shrinks and disappears1 and the frog is complete4 ,this gives us a standard by which the relative position of the leading groups of the class may safely be determined4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #aa3 ,on account of the many exploring expeditions for which the ,bay of ,rio de ,janeiro has been a favorite port1 it has acquired a special interest for the naturalist4 ,it may seem at first sight as if the fact that ,french1 ,english1 ,german1 ,russian1 and ,american expeditions have followed each other in this locality1 during the last century1 each bringing away its rich harvest of specimens1 by diminishing its novelty would rather lessen than increase its interest as a collecting ground4 ,on the contrary1 for the very reason that the specimens from which the greater part of the descriptions and figures contained in the published accounts of these voyages were obtained from ,rio de ,janeiro and its neighborhood1 it becomes indispensable that every zological museum aiming at scientific accuracy and completeness should have original specimens from that very locality for the identification of species already described4 ,otherwise doubts respecting the strict identity or specific difference of specimens obtained on other parts of the ,atlantic shore1 not only in ,south ,america but in ,central and ,north ,america1 may at any time invalidate important generalizations concerning the distribution of animals in these seas4 ,from this point of view1 the ,bay of ,rio de ,janeiro forms a most important centre of comparison1 and it was for this reason that we made so prolonged a stay there4 ,although the prospect of discovering any novelties was diminished by the extensive investigations of our predecessors1 ,i well knew that whatever we collected there would greatly increase the value of our collections elsewhere4 ,one of my special aims was to ascertain how far the marine animals inhabiting the coast of ,brazil to the south of ,cape ,frio differed from those to the north of it1 and furthermore1 how the animals found along the coast between ,cape ,frio and ,cape ,st4 ,roque differed from or agreed with those inhabiting the more northern shore of the continent and the ,west ,indian ,islands4 ,in the course of the following chapters ,i shall have occasion to return1 more in detail1 to this subject4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ab3 ,molinesia and ,pcilia4 ,footnote #ac3 ,this lecture was accompanied by careful descriptions and drawings on the blackboard1 showing the structural differences between these groups4 ,these are omitted1 as they would have little interest for the general reader4 ,the chief object in reporting these lectures is to show the aims which ,mr4 ,agassiz placed before himself and his companions in laying out the work of the expedition1 and these are made sufficiently clear without further scientific details4 ,footnote #ad3 ,as these investigations have been published with so much detail 7,steenstrup1 ,alternate ,generation1 ,sars's ,fauna ,norwegica2 ,l4 ,agassiz1 ,contr4 to ,nat4 ,hist4 of ,u4 ,s471 it has not been thought necessary to reproduce this part of the lecture here4 ,any one who cares to read a less technical account of these investigations than those originally published1 will find it in 8,methods of ,study10 by ,l4 ,agassiz4 ,footnote #ae3 ,see ,appendix ,no4 ,,iii4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,rio ,,de ,,janeiro ,,and ,,its ,,environs4--,,juiz ,,de ,,fora4 ,,arrival4--,,aspect ,,of ,,harbor ,,and ,,city4--,,custom-,,house4--,,first ,,glimpse ,,of ,,brazilian ,,life4--,,negro ,,dance4--,,effect ,,of ,,emancipation ,,in ,,united ,,states ,,upon ,,slavery ,,in ,,brazil4--,,first ,,aspect ,,of ,,rio ,,de ,,janeiro ,,on ,,land4--,,picturesque ,,street ,,groups4--,,eclipse ,,of ,,the ,,sun4--,,at ,,home ,,in ,,rio4--,,larangeiras4--,,passeio ,,publico4--,,excursion ,,on ,,the ,,dom ,,pedro ,,railroad4--,,visit ,,of ,,the ,,emperor ,,to ,,the ,,colorado4--,,cordiality ,,of ,,government ,,to ,,the ,,expedition4--,,laboratory4--,,botanica l ,,garden4--,,alley ,,of ,,palms4--,,excursion ,,to ,,the ,,corcovado4--,,juiz ,,de ,,fora ,,road4--,,petropolis4--,,tropical ,,vegetation4--,,ride ,,from ,,petropolis ,,to ,,juiz ,,de ,,fora4--,,visit ,,to ,,senhor ,,lage4--,,excursion ,,to ,,the 8,,forest ,,of ,,the ,,empress40--,,visit ,,to ,,mr4 ,,halfeld4--,,return ,,to ,,rio4--,,news ,,of ,,the ,,great ,,northern ,,victories1 ,,and ,,of ,,the ,,president',s ,,assassination4 ,april #bc;d4--,yesterday at early dawn we made ,cape ,frio light1 and at seven o'clock were aroused by the welcome information that the ,organ ,mountains were in sight4 ,the coast range here1 though not very lofty1 7its highest summits ranging only from two to three thousand feet17 is bold and precipitous4 ,the peaks are very conical1 and the sides slope steeply to the water's edge1 where1 in many places1 a wide beach runs along their base4 ,the scenery grew more picturesque as we approached the entrance of the bay1 which is guarded by heights rising sentinel-like on either side4 ,once within this narrow rocky portal1 the immense harbor1 stretching northward for more than twenty miles1 seems rather like a vast lake enclosed by mountains than like a bay4 ,on one side extends the ridge which shuts it from the sea1 broken by the sharp peaks of the ,corcovado1 the ,tijuca1 and the flat-topped ,gavia2 on the other side1 and more inland1 the ,organ ,mountains lift their singular needle-like points1 while within the entrance rises the bare bleak rock so well known as the ,sugar ,loaf 7,pa de ,assucar74 ,were it not for the gateway behind us1 through which we still have a glimpse of the open ocean1 and for the shipping lying here at anchor1 leaving the port or entering it1 we might easily believe that we were floating on some great quiet sheet of inland water4 ,we reached our anchorage at eleven o'clock1 but were in no haste to leave the ocean home where we have been so happy and so comfortable for three weeks past2 and as the captain had kindly invited us to stay on board till our permanent arrangements were made1 we remained on deck1 greatly entertained by all the stir and confusion attending our arrival4 ,some of our young people took one of the many boats which crowded at once around our steamer1 and went directly to the city2 but we were satisfied with the impressions of the day1 and not sorry to leave them undisturbed4 ,as night came on1 sunset lit up the mountains and the harbor4 ,in this latitude1 however1 the glory of the twilight is soon over1 and as darkness fell upon the city it began to glitter with innumerable lights along the shore and on the hillsides4 ,the city of ,rio de ,janeiro spreads in a kind of crescent shape around the western side of the bay1 its environs stretching out to a considerable distance along the beaches1 and running up on to the hills behind also4 ,on account of this disposition of the houses1 covering a wide area and scattered upon the water's edge1 instead of being compact and concentrated1 the appearance of the city at night is exceedingly pretty4 ,it has a kind of scenic effect4 ,the lights run up on the hill-slopes1 a little cluster crowning their summits here and there1 and they glimmer all along the shore for two or three miles on either side of the central1 business part of the town4 ,soon after our arrival ,mr4 ,agassiz received an official visit from a custom-house agent1 saying that he had orders to land all our baggage without examination1 and that a boat would be sent at any day and hour convenient to him to bring his effects on shore4 ,this was a great relief1 as the scientific apparatus1 added to the personal luggage of so large a party1 makes a fearful array of boxes1 cases1 c4 ,it would be a long business to pass it all through the cumbrous ceremonies of a custom-house4 ,this afternoon1 while ,mr4 ,agassiz had gone to ,san ,christovo#af to acknowledge this courtesy and to pay his respects to the ,emperor1 we were wandering over a little island 7,ilha das ,enxadas7 near which our ship lies1 and from which she takes in coal for her farther voyage4 ,the proprietor1 besides his coal-wharf1 has a very pretty house and garden1 with a small chapel adjoining4 ,it was my first glimpse of tropical vegetation and of ,brazilian life1 and had all the charm of novelty4 ,as we landed1 a group of slaves1 black as ebony1 were singing and dancing a fandango4 ,so far as we could understand1 there was a leader who opened the game with a sort of chant1 apparently addressed to each in turn as he passed around the circle1 the others joining in chorus at regular intervals4 ,presently he broke into a dance which rose in wildness and excitement1 accompanied by cries and ejaculations4 ,the movements of the body were a singular combination of negro and ,spanish dances4 ,the legs and feet had the short1 jerking1 loose-jointed motion of our negroes in dancing1 while the upper part of the body and the arms had that swaying1 rhythmical movement from side to side so characteristic of all the ,spanish dances4 ,after looking on for a while we went into the garden1 where there were cocoa-nut and banana trees in fruit1 passion-vines climbing over the house1 with here and there a dark crimson flower gleaming between the leaves4 ,the effect was pretty1 and the whole scene had1 to my eye1 an aspect half ,southern1 half ,oriental4 ,it was nearly dark when we returned to the boat1 but the negroes were continuing their dance under the glow of a bonfire4 ,from time to time1 as the dance reached its culminating point1 they stirred their fire1 and lighted up the wild group with its vivid blaze4 ,the dance and the song had1 like the amusements of the negroes in all lands1 an endless monotonous repetition4 ,looking at their half-naked figures and unintelligent faces1 the question arose1 so constantly suggested when we come in contact with this race1 8,what will they do with this great gift of freedom80 ,the only corrective for the half doubt is to consider the whites side by side with them3 whatever one may think of the condition of slavery for the blacks1 there can be no question as to its evil effects on their masters4 ,captain ,bradbury asked the proprietor of the island whether he hired or owned his slaves4 8,own them1--a hundred and more2 but it will finish soon10 he answered in his broken ,english4 8,finish soon6 how do you mean80 8,it finish with you2 and when it finish with you1 it finish here1 it finish everywhere40 ,he said it not in any tone of regret or complaint1 but as an inevitable fact4 ,the death-note of slavery in the ,united ,states was its death-note everywhere4 ,we thought this significant and cheering4 ,april #bdth4--,to-day we ladies went on shore for a few hours1 engaged our rooms1 and drove about the city a little4 ,the want of cleanliness and thrift in the general aspect of ,rio de ,janeiro is very striking as compared with the order1 neatness1 and regularity of our large towns4 ,the narrow streets1 with the inevitable gutter running down the middle1--a sink for all kinds of impurities1--the absence of a proper sewerage1 the general aspect of decay 7partly due1 no doubt1 to the dampness of the climate71 the indolent expression of the people generally1 make a singular impression on one who comes from the midst of our stirring1 energetic population4 ,and yet it has a picturesqueness that1 to the traveller at least1 compensates for its defects4 ,all who have seen one of these old ,portuguese or ,spanish tropical towns1 with their odd narrow streets and many-colored houses with balconied windows and stuccoed or painted walls1 only the more variegated from the fact that here and there the stucco has peeled off1 know the fascination and the charm which make themselves felt1 spite of the dirt and discomfort4 ,then the groups in the street1--the half-naked black carriers1 many of them straight and firm as bronze statues under the heavy loads which rest so securely on their heads1 the padres in their long coats and square hats1 the mules laden with baskets of fruit or vegetables1--all this makes a motley scene1 entertaining enough to the new-comer4 ,i have never seen such effective-looking negroes1 from an artistic point of view1 as here4 ,to-day a black woman passed us in the street1 dressed in white1 with bare neck and arms1 the sleeves caught up with some kind of armlet1 a large white turban of soft muslin on her head1 and a long bright-colored shawl passed crosswise under one arm and thrown over the other shoulder1 hanging almost to the feet behind4 ,she no doubt was of the colored gentry4 ,just beyond her sat a black woman on the curbstone1 almost without clothing1 her glossy skin shining in the sun1 and her naked child asleep across her knees4 ,or take this as another picture3 an old wall several feet wide1 covered with vines1 overhung with thick foliage1 the top of which seems to be a stand for the venders of fruits1 vegetables1 c4 ,here lies at full length a powerful negro looking over into the street1 his jetty arms crossed on a huge basket of crimson flowers1 oranges and bananas1 against which he half rests1 seemingly too indolent to lift a finger even to attract a purchaser4 ,april #beth4--,nature seems to welcome our arrival1 not only by her most genial1 but also by her exceptional moods4 ,there has been to-day an eclipse of the sun1 total at ,cape ,frio1 sixty miles from here1 almost total here4 ,we saw it from the deck of the ship1 not having yet taken up our quarters in town4 ,the effect was as strange as it was beautiful4 ,there was a something weird1 uncanny in the pallor and chill which came over the landscape2 it was not in the least like a common twilight1 but had a ghastly1 phantom-like element in it4 ,mr4 ,agassiz passed the morning at the palace where the ,emperor had invited him to witness the eclipse from his observatory4 ,the clouds are poor courtiers1 however1 and unfortunately a mist hung over ,san ,christovo1 obscuring the phenomenon at the moment of its greatest interest4 ,our post of observation was better for this special occasion than the ,imperial observatory1 and yet1 though the general scene was perhaps more effective in the harbor than on the shore1 ,mr4 ,agassiz had an opportunity of making some interesting observations on the action of animals under these novel circumstances4 ,the following extract is from his notes4 8,the effect of the waning light on animals was very striking4 ,the bay of ,rio is daily frequented by large numbers of frigate-birds and gannets1 which at night fly to the outer islands to roost1 while the carrion-crows 7urubs7 swarming in the suburbs1 and especially about the slaughterhouses of the city1 retire to the mountains in the neighborhood of ,tijuca1 their line of travel passing over ,san ,christovo4 ,as soon as the light began to diminish1 these birds became uneasy2 evidently conscious that their day was strangely encroached upon1 they were uncertain for a moment how to act4 ,presently1 however1 as the darkness increased1 they started for their usual night quarters1 the water-birds flying southward1 the vultures in a northwesterly direction1 and they had all left their feeding-grounds before the moment of greatest obscurity arrived4 ,they seemed to fly in all haste1 but were not half-way to their night home when the light began to return with rapidly increasing brightness4 ,their confusion was now at its height4 ,some continued their flight towards the mountains or the harbor1 others hurried back to the city1 while others whirled about wholly uncertain what to do next4 ,the re-establishment of the full light of noon seemed to decide them1 however1 upon making another day of it1 and the whole crowd once more moved steadily toward the city40 ,the cordial interest shown by the ,emperor in all the objects of the present expedition is very encouraging to ,mr4 ,agassiz4 ,so liberal a spirit in the head of the government will make his own task comparatively easy4 ,he has also seen several official persons on business appertaining to his scientific schemes4 ,everywhere he receives the warmest expressions of sympathy1 and is assured that the administration will give him every facility in its power to carry out his plans4 ,to-night finds us established in our rooms1 and our ,brazilian life begins2 with what success remains to be seen4 ,while still on board the 8,colorado0 we seemed to have one foot on our own soil4 ,april #bfth4--,this morning ,mrs4 ,c---- and myself devoted to the arranging of our little domestic matters1 getting out our books1 desks1 and other knickknacks1 and making ourselves at home in our new quarters1 where we suppose we are likely to be for some weeks to come4 ,this afternoon we drove out on the ,larangeiras road 7literally1 the 8orangery074 ,our first drive in ,rio left upon my mind an impression of picturesque decay2 things seemed falling to pieces1 it is true1 but mindful of artistic effect even in their last moments4 ,this impression was quite effaced to-day4 ,every city has its least becoming aspect1 and it seems we had chosen an unfavorable direction for our first tour of observation4 ,the ,larangeiras road is lined on either side by a succession of country houses2 low and spreading1 often with wide verandas1 surrounded by beautiful gardens1 glowing at this season with the scarlet leaves of the ,poinsettia1 or 8,estrella do ,norte0 as they call it here1 with blue and yellow ,bignonias1 and many other shrubs and vines1 the names of which we have hardly learned as yet4 ,often1 as we drove along1 a wide gateway1 opening into an avenue of palms1 would give us a glimpse of ,brazilian life4 ,here and there a group of people were sitting in the garden1 or children were playing in the grounds under the care of their black nurses4 ,farther out of town the country houses were less numerous1 but the scenery was more picturesque4 ,the road winds immediately under the mountains to the foot of the ,corcovado1 where it becomes too steep for carriages1 the farther ascent being made on mules or horses4 ,but it was too late for us1--the peak of the ,corcovado was already bathed in the setting sun4 ,we wandered a little way up the romantic path1 gathered a few flowers1 and then drove back to the city1 stopping on our return to ramble for half an hour in the 8,passeio ,publico40 ,this is a pretty public garden on the bay1 not large but tastefully laid out1 its great charm being a broad promenade built up from the water's edge with very solid masonry1 against which the waves break with a refreshing coolness4 ,to-morrow we are invited by ,major ,ellison1 chief engineer of the ,dom ,pedro ,railroad1 to go out to the terminus of the road1 some hundred miles through the heart of the ,serra do ,mar4 ,illustration3 ,tree entwined by ,sipos4 ,april #bgth4--,perhaps in all our journeyings through ,brazil we shall not have a day more impressive to us all than this one2 we shall1 no doubt1 see wilder scenery1 but the first time that one looks upon nature1 under an entirely new aspect1 has a charm that can hardly be repeated4 ,the first view of high mountains1 the first glimpse of the broad ocean1 the first sight of a tropical vegetation in all its fulness1 are epochs in one's life4 ,this wonderful ,south ,american forest is so matted together and intertwined with gigantic parasites that it seems more like a solid1 compact mass of green than like the leafy screen1 vibrating with every breeze and transparent to the sun1 which represents the forest in the temperate zone4 ,many of the trees in the region we passed through to-day seemed in the embrace of immense serpents1 so large were the stems of the parasites winding about them2 orchids of various kinds and large size grew upon their trunks2 and vines climbed to their summits and threw themselves down in garlands to the ground4 ,on the embankments also between which we passed1 vines of many varieties were creeping down1 as if they would fain clothe in green garments the ugly gaps the railroad had made4 ,yet it must be confessed that1 in this instance1 the railroad has not destroyed1 but rather heightened1 the picturesque scenery1 cutting1 as it does1 through passes which give beautiful vistas into the heart of the mountain range4 ,once1 as we issued from a tunnel1 where the darkness seemed tangible1 upon an exquisite landscape all gleaming in the sunshine1 a general shout from the whole party testified their astonishment and admiration4 ,we were riding on an open car in front of the engine1 so that nothing impeded our view1 and we had no inconvenience from smoke or cinders4 ,during the latter part of the ride we came into the region of the most valuable coffee-plantations2 and indeed the road is chiefly supported by the transportation of the immense quantities of coffee raised along its track or beyond it4 ,near its terminus is an extensive fazenda1 from which we were told that five or six hundred tons of coffee are sent out in a good year4 ,these fazendas are singular-looking establishments1 low 7usually only one story7 and very spreading1 the largest of them covering quite an extensive area4 ,as they are rather isolated in situation1 they must include within their own borders all that is needed to keep them up4 ,there is something very primitive in the way of life of these great country proprietors4 ,major ,ellison told me that some time ago a wealthy ,marqueza living at some distance beyond him in the interior1 and going to town for a stay of a few weeks1 stopped at his house to rest4 ,she had a troop of thirty-one pack-mules1 laden with all conceivable baggage1 besides provisions of every sort1 fowls1 hams1 c41 and a train of twenty-five servants4 ,their hospitality is said to be unbounded2 you have only to present yourself at their gates at the end of a day's journey1 and if you have the air of a respectable traveller1 you are sure of a hearty welcome1 shelter and food4 ,the card of a friend or a note of introduction insures you all the house can afford for as long as you like to stay4 ,the last three miles of our journey was over what is called the 8temporary road10 the use of which will be discontinued as soon as the great tunnel is completed4 ,i must say1 that to the inexperienced this road looks exceedingly perilous1 especially that part of it which is carried over a wooden bridge #fe feet high1 with a very strong curvature and a gradient of #d per cent 7#baa feet per mile74 ,as you feel the engine laboring up the steep ascent1 and1 looking out1 find yourself on the edge of a precipitous bank1 and almost face to face with the hindmost car1 while the train bends around the curve1 it is difficult to resist the sense of insecurity4 ,it is certainly greatly to the credit of the management of the line that no accident has occurred under circumstances where the least carelessness would be fatal4#ag ,it gives one an idea of the labor expended on this railroad1 to learn that for the great tunnel alone1 now almost completed 7one of fourteen71 a corps of some three hundred men1 relieving each other alternately1 have been at work day and night1 excepting ,sundays1 for seven years4 ,the sound of hammer and pick during that time has hardly ever been still1 and so hard is the rock through which the tunnel is pierced1 that often the heaviest blows of the sledge yield only a little dust1--no more in bulk than a pinch of snuff4#ah ,on our return we were detained for half an hour at a station on the bank of the river ,parahyba4 ,this first visit to one of the considerable rivers of ,brazil was not without its memorable incident4 ,one of our friends of the ,colorado1 who parts from us here on his way to ,san ,francisco1 said he was determined not to leave the expedition without contributing something to its results4 ,he improvised a fishing apparatus1 with a stick1 a string1 and a crooked pin1 and caught two fishes1 our first harvest from the fresh waters of ,brazil1 one of which was entirely new to ,mr4 ,agassiz1 while the other he had never seen1 and only knew from descriptions4 ,april #bhth4--,this morning we went over to the ,colorado1 which still lies in the harbor1 and where the visit of the ,emperor was expected4 ,we all felt an interest in the occasion1 for we have a kind of personal pride in the fine ship whose first voyage has been the source of so much enjoyment to us4 ,the ,imperial yacht arrived punctually at twelve o'clock1 and was received by the captain with a full salute from his ,parrott guns1 fired with a promptness and accuracy which the ,emperor did not fail to notice4 ,his ,majesty went over the whole steamer2 and really an exploring expedition over such a world in little1 with its provision-shops1 its cattle stalls1 its pantries and sculleries1 its endless accommodations for passengers and freight1 its variety of decks and its great central fires1 deep below all1 is no contemptible journey for a tropical morning4 ,the arrangements of the vessel seemed to excite the interest and admiration both of the ,emperor and his suite4 ,captain ,bradbury invited his ,majesty to lunch on board2 he very cordially accepted1 and remained some time afterward1 conversing chiefly about scientific subjects1 and especially on matters connected with the expedition4 ,the ,emperor is still a young man2 but though only forty1 he has been the reigning sovereign of ,brazil for more than half that time1 and he looks careworn and somewhat older than his years4 ,he has a dignified1 manly presence1 a face rather stern in repose1 but animated and genial in conversation2 his manner is courteous and friendly to all4 ,may #ast4--,we celebrated ,may-day in a strange land1 where ,may ushers in the winter1 by driving to the ,botanical ,garden4 ,when ,i say we1 ,i mean usually the unprofessional members of the party4 ,the scientific corps are too busily engaged to be with us on many of our little pleasure excursions4 ,mr4 ,agassiz himself is chiefly occupied in seeing numerous persons in official positions1 whose influence is important in matters relative to the expedition4 ,he is very anxious to complete these necessary preliminaries1 to despatch his various parties into the interior1 and to begin his personal investigations4 ,he is commended to be patient1 however1 and not to fret at delays2 for1 with the best will in the world1 the dilatory national habits cannot be changed4 ,meanwhile he has improvised a laboratory in a large empty room over a warehouse in the ,rua ,direita1 the principal business street of the city4 ,here in one corner the ornithologists1 ,mr4 ,dexter and ,mr4 ,allen1 have their bench1--a rough board propped on two casks1 the seat an empty keg2 in another1 ,mr4 ,anthony1 with an apparatus of much the same kind1 pores over his shells2 a dissecting-table of like carpentry occupies a conspicuous position2 and in the midst the ,professor may generally be seen sitting on a barrel1 for chairs there are none1 assorting or examining specimens1 or going from bench to bench to see how the work progresses4 ,in the midst of the confusion ,mr4 ,burkhardt has his little table1 where he is making colored drawings of the fish as they are brought in fresh from the fishing-boats4 ,in a small adjoining room ,mr4 ,sceva is preparing skeletons for mounting4 ,every one1 in short1 has his special task and is busily at work4 ,a very questionable perfume1 an 8ancient and fish-like smell10 strongly tinged with alcohol1 guides one to this abode of ,science1 where1 notwithstanding its unattractive aspect1 ,mr4 ,agassiz receives many visitors1 curious to see the actual working process of a laboratory of ,natural ,history1 and full of interest in the expedition4 ,here also pour in specimens from all quarters and of every kind2 voluntary contributions1 which daily swell the collections4#ai ,those of the party who are not engaged here have their work elsewhere4 ,mr4 ,hartt and ,mr4 ,st4 ,john are at various stations along the railroad line1 making geological sections of the road2 several of the volunteers are collecting in the country1 and ,mr4 ,hunnewell is studying at a photographic establishment1 fitting himself to assist ,mr4 ,agassiz in this way when we are beyond the reach of professional artists4 ,illustration3 ,side ,view of the ,alley of ,palms4 ,illustration3 ,vista down the ,alley of ,palms4 ,our excursion of to-day took us to another of those exquisite drives in the neighborhood of the city1 always along the harbor or some inlet of it1 always in sight of the mountains1 always bordered by pretty country houses and gardens4 ,the ,botanical ,garden is about eight miles from the centre of the town4 ,it is beautiful1 because the situation is admirably well chosen1 and because anything that calls itself a garden can hardly fail to be beautiful in a climate where growth is so luxuriant4 ,but it is not kept with great care4 ,indeed1 the very readiness with which plants respond to the least culture bestowed upon them here makes it very difficult to keep grounds in that trim order which we think so essential4 ,this garden boasts1 however1 one feature as unique as it is beautiful1 in its long avenue of palms1 some eighty feet in height4 ,i wish it were possible to give in words the faintest idea of the architectural beauty of this colonnade of palms1 with their green crowns meeting to form the roof4 ,straight1 firm1 and smooth as stone columns1 a dim vision of colonnades in some ancient ,egyptian temple rises to the imagination as one looks down the long vista4#bj ,may #fth4--,yesterday1 at the invitation of our friend ,mr4 ,b----1 we ascended the famous ,corcovado peak4 ,leaving the carriages at the terminus of the ,larangeiras road1 we made the farther ascent on horseback by a winding narrow path1 which1 though a very fair road for mountain travelling in ordinary weather1 had been made exceedingly slippery by the late rains4 ,the ride was lovely through the fragrant forest1 with enchanting glimpses of view here and there1 giving promise of what was before us4 ,occasionally a brook or a little cascade made pleasant music by the roadside1 and when we stopped to rest our horses we heard the wind rustle softly in the stiff palms overhead4 ,the beauty of vegetation is enhanced here by the singular character of the soil4 ,the color of the earth is peculiar all about ,rio2 of a rich warm red1 it seems to glow beneath the mass of vines and large-leaved plants above it1 and every now and then crops out in vivid1 striking contrast to the surrounding verdure4 ,frequently our path followed the base of such a bank1 its deep ochre and vermilion tints looking all the softer for their framework of green4 ,among the larger growth1 the ,candelabra-tree 7,cecropia7 was conspicuous4 ,the strangely regular structure of the branches and its silvery-tinted foliage make it stand out in bold relief from the darker background4 ,it is a striking feature of the forest in this neighborhood4 ,a wide panoramic prospect always eludes description1 but certainly few can combine such rare elements of beauty as the one from the summit of the ,corcovado4 ,the immense landlocked harbor1 with its gateway open to the sea1 the broad ocean beyond1 the many islands1 the circle of mountains with soft fleecy clouds floating about the nearer peaks1--all these features make a wonderful picture4 ,one great charm of this landscape consists in the fact1 that1 though very extensive1 it is not so distant as to deprive objects of their individuality4 ,after all1 a very distant view is something like an inventory3 so many dark1 green patches1 forests2 so many lighter green patches1 fields2 so many white spots1 lakes2 so many silver threads1 rivers1 c4 ,but here special effects are not lost in the grandeur of the whole4 ,on the extreme peak of the height a wall has been built around the edge1 the descent on one side being so vertical that a false step might hurl one to instant destruction4 ,at this wall we dismounted and lingered long1 unwilling to leave the beautiful view before sunset4 ,we were1 however1 anxious to return by daylight1 and1 to confess the truth1 being a timorous and inexperienced rider at best1 ,i was not without some anxiety as to the descent1 for the latter part of the slippery road had been a sheer scramble4 ,putting a bold face on the matter1 however1 ,i resumed my seat1 trying to look as if it were my habit to mount horses on the tops of high mountains and slide down to the bottom4 ,this is really no inaccurate description of our descent for the first ten minutes1 after which we regained the more level path at the little station called 8the ,paneiras40 ,we are told to-day that parties usually leave their horses at this station and ascend the rest of the way on foot1 the road beyond that being so steep that it is considered unsafe for riding4 ,however1 we reached the plain without accident1 and ,i look back upon yesterday's ride with some complacency as a first lesson in mountain travelling4#ba ,may #bjth4--,on ,friday1 the #abth of ,may1 we left ,rio on our first excursion of any length4 ,a day or two after our arrival ,mr4 ,agassiz had received an invitation from the ,president of the ,union and ,industry ,company to go with some of his party over their road from ,petropolis to ,juiz de ,fora1 in the ,province of ,minas ,geres1 a road celebrated not only for the beauty of its scenery1 but also for its own excellence4 ,a word as to the circumstances under which it has been built may not be amiss here2 and it must be confessed1 that1 if the ,brazilians are1 as they are said to be1 slow in their progress1 the improvements they do undertake are carried out with great thoroughness4 ,it is true that the construction of the road has been intrusted to ,french engineers1 but the leading man in its projection and ultimate completion has been a ,brazilian1 ,senhor ,mariano ,procopio ,ferreira ,lage1 a native of the province of ,minas ,geres4 ,this province is said to be remarkable for the great energy and intelligence of its inhabitants1 as compared with those of the adjoining provinces4 ,perhaps this may be owing to its cooler climate1 most of its towns lying among the highlands of the ,serras1 and enjoying a fresher1 more stimulating air than those nearer the sea-coast4 ,before undertaking the building of this road1 ,senhor ,lage travelled both in ,europe and ,america with the purpose of learning all the modern improvements in works of a similar character4 ,the result bears testimony to the energy and patience with which he has carried out his project4#bb ,twelve years ago the only means of going into the interior from ,petropolis was through narrow1 dangerous1 broken mule-tracks1 and a journey of a hundred miles involved a difficult ride of three or four days4 ,now one travels from ,petropolis to ,juiz de ,fora between sunrise and sunset over a post-road equal to any in the world1 changing mules every ten or twelve miles at pretty little stations1 built somewhat in the style of ,swiss chlets1 each one of which is a settlement for the ,german colonists who have been induced to come out as workmen on the road4 ,this emigration in itself is a great advantage to the country2 wherever these little ,german villages occur1 nestled down among the hills1 there are the neat vegetable and flower gardens1 the tidy houses1 the general aspect of thrift and comfort1 so characteristic of the better classes of the ,german peasantry4 ,nominally no slaves are allowed on the service of the road1 ,portuguese and ,german workmen being chiefly employed4 ,this is a regulation which applies not only here1 but on other public works about ,rio4 ,the contracts granted by the government expressly exclude the employment of slaves1 though unfortunately this rule is not adhered to strictly1 because for the performance of certain kinds of work no substitute for slave labor has yet been found4 ,in the direct care of the road1 however1 in the repairs1 for instance1 requiring gangs of men who are constantly at work blasting rock and cracking the fragments into small pieces for the fresh macadamizing of any imperfect spot1 mending any defects in the embankments or walls1 c41 none but free labor is employed4 ,this attempt to exclude slaves from the public works is an emancipation movement1 undertaken with the idea of gradually limiting slave labor to agricultural processes1 and ridding the large cities and their neighborhood of the presence of slavery4 ,the subject of emancipation is no such political bugbear here as it has been with us4 ,it is very liberally and calmly discussed by all classes2 the general feeling is against the institution1 and it seems to be taken for granted that it will disappear before many years are over4 ,during this very session of the ,assembly one or two bills for emancipation have been brought forward4 ,even now any enterprising negro may obtain his freedom1 and1 once obtained1 there is no obstacle to his rising in social or political station4 ,but while from this point of view slavery is less absolute than it was with us1 it has some appalling aspects4 ,the slaves1 at least in the cities1 are literally beasts of burden4 ,one sees the most cumbersome furniture1--pianos and the like1 and the heaviest trunks or barrels1 piled one on top of the other1 or bales of sugar and coffee weighing hundreds of pounds1--moving about the streets on the heads of the negroes4 ,the result of this is that their limbs often become crippled1 and it is common to see negroes in the prime of life who are quite crooked and maimed1 and can hardly walk without a stick to lean upon4 ,in justice ,i must add1 however1 that this practice1 though it shocks a stranger even now1 is gradually disappearing4 ,we are told that a few years ago there were hardly any baggage-wagons except these living ones1 and that the habit of using the blacks in this way is going out of vogue4 ,in this as in other matters the ,emperor's opinions are those of an enlightened and humane man1 and were his power equal to his will1 slavery would vanish from his dominions at once4 ,he is1 however1 too wise not to know that all great social changes must be gradual2 but he openly declares his abhorrence of the system4#bc ,but to return from this digression to the road of the ,union and ,industry ,company4 ,it is now completed as far as ,juiz de ,fora1 affording every convenience for the transport of the rich harvest of coffee constantly travelling over it from all the fazendas in the region4 ,as the whole district is very rich in coffee-plantations1 the improvement in the means of transportation is of course very important to the commercial interests of the country1 and ,senhor ,lage is making practicable roads to the smallest settlements in his neighborhood4 ,he has not1 however1 been free from the difficulties which men encounter whose schemes are in advance of their surroundings4 ,no doubt a great part of the dissatisfaction is owing to the fact that the road is not so remunerative as was anticipated1 the advance of the ,dom ,pedro ,railroad having impaired its success4 ,still it must be considered as a monument to the public spirit and energy of the men who undertook it4 ,not wishing to interrupt the course of the narrative1 ,i have thought it best to preface the story of our journey by some account of this road1 the building of which is a significant fact in the present history of ,brazil4 ,i will now take up again the thread of our personal adventures4 ,leaving the city at two o'clock in the ferry-boat1 we kept up the harbor some fifteen miles4 ,there was a cool breeze1 and the day1 though warm1 was not oppressive4 ,passing the large ,ilha do ,governador1 the smaller but exceedingly pretty island of ,paqueta1 and many others1 with their palms1 banana and acacia trees1 dotting the harbor of ,rio and adding another grace to its beauty1 we landed in about an hour and a quarter at the little town of ,mau4#bd ,here we took the cars1 and an hour's ride through low and marshy grounds brought us to the foot of the ,serra 7,raiz da ,serra71 where we left the railroad for the post-coach1 which runs regularly from this station4 ,the drive was delightful1 in an open diligence drawn by four mules on the full gallop over a road as smooth as a floor4 ,it wound zigzag up the mountains1 through the wildest scenery1 while below us lay the valley broken into a billowy sea of green hills1 and the harbor with the coast range beyond1 growing soft and mellow in the afternoon sunshine4 ,to complete the picture1 one must clothe it in palms and acacias and tree-ferns1 and drape it in a tangle of parasitic growth1 with abundant bloom of the purple ,quaresma 7,flower of ,lent71#be the ,thunbergia vine1 with its little straw-colored blossoms creeping over every wall and shrub1 and the blue and yellow ,bignonias4 ,we are constantly astonished at the variety of palms4 ,a palm is such a rarity in our hot-houses1 that we easily forget how numerous and varied they are in their native forests4 ,we have the scarlet-oak1 the white-oak1 the scrub-oak1 the chestnut-oak1 the swamp-oak1 and many others4 ,and so in the tropical forest there is the cocoanut-palm1 with its swollen1 bulb-like stem when young1 its tall1 straight trunk when full grown1 its cluster of heavy fruit1 and its long1 plume-like1 drooping flower2#bf the ,coccoeiro1 with its slighter trunk and pendant branches of small berry-like fruit2 the ,palmetto1 with its tender succulent bud on the summit of the stem1 which is used as a vegetable here1 and makes an excellent substitute for cabbage2 the thorny ,icaree or ,cari1 a variety of fan-palms1 with their leaves cut like ribbons2 and very many others1 each with its characteristic foliage and appearance4#bg ,the mountains along the road1 as indeed throughout the neighborhood of ,rio1 are of very peculiar forms1 steep and conical1 suggesting at first sight a volcanic origin4 ,it is this abruptness of outline which gives so much grandeur to mountain ranges here1 the average height of which does not exceed two or three thousand feet4 ,a closer examination of their structure shows that their wild1 fantastic forms are the result of the slow processes of disintegration1 not of sudden convulsions4 ,indeed1 the rocks here differ so much in external character from those of the ,northern ,hemisphere1 that the ,european geologist stands at first bewildered before them1 and feels that the work of his life is to be done over again4 ,it is some time before he obtains a clew to the facts and brings them into harmony with his previous knowledge4 ,thus far ,mr4 ,agassiz finds himself painfully perplexed by this new aspect of phenomena so familiar to him in other regions1 but so baffling here4 ,he comes upon a rock1 for instance1 or a rounded elevation which by its outline he would suppose to be a 8roche moutonne10 but approaching it more nearly he finds a decomposed crust instead of a glaciated surface4 ,it is the same with the loose materials corresponding to the drift of the ,northern hemisphere1 and with all boulders or detached masses of rock2 on account of their disintegration wherever they are exposed to the atmosphere1 nothing is to be learned from their external appearance4 ,there is not a natural surface of rock1 unless recently broken1 to be found anywhere4 ,the sun had set before we drove into the pretty town of ,petropolis1 the summer paradise of all ,rio ,janeirans whose circumstances enable them to leave the heat and dirt and vile smells of the city1 for the pure air and enchanting views of the ,serra4 ,in a central position stands the summer palace of the ,emperor1 a far gayer and more cheerful-looking edifice than the palace at ,san ,christovo4 ,here he passes six months of the year4 ,through the midst of the town runs the pretty river ,piabanha1 a shallow stream1 now rippling along in the bottom of its bed between high green banks2 but we were told that a night of rain in the hot season is enough to swell its waters till they overflow and flood the road4 ,i could not but think how easy it would be for any one who cares to see tropical scenery to come here1 when the direct line of steamers from ,new ,york is established1 and1 instead of going to ,newport or ,nahant1 to take a house in ,petropolis for the summer4 ,it commands all the most beautiful scenery about ,rio1 and the horseback rides are without end4 ,during our summer the weather is delightful here1 just admitting a semblance of wood-fire morning and evening1 while the orange orchards are golden with fruit1 and flowers are everywhere4 ,we had little time to become acquainted with the beauty of the place1 which we hope to explore more at our leisure on some future visit1 for sunrise the next morning saw us on our road again4 ,the soft clouds hanging over the tops of the mountains were just tinged with the first rays of the sun when we drove out of the town on the top of the diligence1 the mules at full gallop1 the guard sounding a gay reveille as we rattled over the little bridge and past the pretty houses where closed windows and doors showed that the inhabitants were hardly yet astir4 ,the first part of our road lay through the lovely valley of the ,piabanha1 the river whose acquaintance we had already made in ,petropolis1 and which accompanied us for the first forty or fifty miles of our journey1 sometimes a restless stream broken into rapids and cascades1 sometimes spreading into a broad1 placid river1 but always enclosed between mountains rising occasionally to the height of a few thousand feet1 lifting here and there a bare rocky face seamed with a thousand scars of time and studded with ,bromelias and ,orchids1 but more often clothed with all the glory of the ,southern forest1 or covered from base to summit with coffee shrubs4 ,a thriving coffee plantation is a very pretty sight2 the rounded1 regular outline of the shrubs gives a tufted look to the hillside on which they grow1 and their glittering foliage contrasts strikingly at this season with their bright red berries4 ,one often passes coffee plantations1 however1 which look ragged and thin2 in this case the trees are either suffering from the peculiar insect so injurious to them1 7a kind of ,tinea17 or have run out and become exhausted4 ,as we drove along1 the scenes upon the road were often as amusing as they were picturesque4 ,now we came upon a troop of pack mules with a tropeiro 7driver7 at their head2 if a large troop1 they were divided into companies of eight1 with a man to guide each company4 ,the guard wound his horn to give warning of our coming1 and a general struggle1 garnished with kicks1 oaths1 and many lashes1 ensued1 to induce the mules to make way for the coach4 ,these troops of mules are beginning to disappear from the seaboard since the modern improvements in railroads and stage lines1 making transportation so much easier2 but until lately it was the only way of bringing down the produce from the interior4 ,or again we fell in with a line of country wagons made of plaited bamboo1 a kind of fabric which is put to a variety of uses here1 such as the building of fences and lining of ceilings or roofs1 as well as the construction of carts4 ,here and there the laborers were sitting in groups at the roadside1 their work suspended while they cooked their midday meal1 their kettles hanging over the fire1 their coffee-pot simmering over the coals1 and they themselves lying about in gypsy-like freedom of attitude4 ,at ,posse1 the third stage of our road1 after having gone some thirty miles1 we also stopped to breakfast1 a meal which was by no means unacceptable after our three hours' ride4 ,it is an almost universal custom with the ,brazilians1 especially when travelling1 to take their cup of black coffee on rising1 and defer their more solid breakfast till ten or eleven o'clock4 ,i do not know whether my readers will sympathize with me1 but ,i am always disappointed myself if any book of travels1 having led me along the weary road1 does not tell me what the hungry wanderers had to eat4 ,it seems hardly fair1 having shared their fatigues1 that ,i should not also share their refreshment and be invited to sit down at table with them4 ,doing1 therefore1 as ,i would be done by1 ,i shall give our bill of fare1 and take an opportunity of saying a word at the same time of the characteristic ,brazilian dishes4 ,in the first place we had black beans stewed with carne secca 7dried meat71 the invariable accompaniment of every meal in ,brazil4 ,there is no house so poor that it does not have its feijes1 no house so rich as to exclude this homely but most excellent dish1 a favorite alike with high and low4 ,then there was chicken stewed with potatoes and rice1 almost as marked a feature of the ,brazilian cuisine as the black beans4 ,beside these1 there were eggs served in various ways1 cold meat1 wine1 coffee1 and bread4 ,vegetables seem to be rare1 though one would expect a plentiful variety in this climate4#bh ,at ,posse ,mr4 ,agassiz found a cordial co-operator in ,mr4 ,charles ,taylor1 who expressed a warm interest in his scientific researches1 and kept one of the collecting cans that he might fill it with fishes from the neighboring rivers and streams4#bi ,our kind friend ,senhor ,joa ,baptista da ,fonseca1 who was our guide and our host on this journey1 had neglected nothing which could contribute to the success and pleasure of the party1 and had so prepared the way for the scientific objects of the excursion that at several points of the road we found collections of fishes and other animals awaiting us by the roadside4 ,once or twice1 as we passed a fazenda1 a negro carrying a basket came out to stop the diligence1 and1 lifting the cool green leaves which covered them1 showed freshly caught fishes of all hues and sizes4 ,it was rather aggravating1 especially as we approached the end of our long drive1 and the idea of dinner readily suggested itself1 to see them disappear in the alcohol cans4#cj ,at about midday we bade good by to the pretty river we had followed thus far1 and at the ,estaa d',entre ,rios 7between the rivers7 crossed the fine bridge which spans the ,parahyba at this point4 ,the ,parahyba is the large river which flows for a great part of its course between the ,serra do ,mar and the ,serra da ,mantiqueira1 emptying into the ,atlantic at ,san ,joa da ,barra considerably to the northeast of ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,one is a little bewildered at first by the variety of ,serras in ,brazil1 because the word is used to express not only important chains of mountains1 but all their spurs4 ,any mountainous elevation is a ,serra2 but though there is an endless number of them between the ,serra do ,mar and the ,serra da ,mantiqueira1 these are the two most important chains1 running parallel with the sea-coast4 ,between them flows the ,parahyba with its many branches4 ,it is important to make collections here1 as the peculiar character of this water basin1 the many tributaries of which drain the southern water-shed of the ,serra da ,mantiqueira1 and the northern water-shed of the ,serra do ,mar1 make it of especial interest for the naturalist4 ,on account of its neighborhood to the sea1 it is also desirable to compare its inhabitants with those of the many short1 disconnected rivers which empty into the ,atlantic on the other side of the coast range4 ,in short1 it gives a good opportunity for testing those questions of the geographical distribution of living beings1 as connected with their origin1 which ,mr4 ,agassiz so strongly urged upon his assistants during our voyage4 ,soon after crossing the ,parahyba1 the road strikes the ,parahybuna1 a tributary which enters the main river on its northern side1 nearly opposite the ,piabanha4 ,the latter part of the journey is less wild than the first half2 the mountains fall away in somewhat gentler slopes1 and do not shut in the road with the steep rugged precipices so striking in the valley of the ,piabanha4 ,but though perhaps less picturesque on approaching ,juiz de ,fora1#ca the scenery is beautiful enough throughout the whole ride to satisfy the most fastidious and keep the attention constantly awake4 ,we arrived at the end of our journey at about six o'clock1 and found most comfortable accommodations prepared for us at a little cottage1 built somewhat in the style of a ,swiss chlet1 and kept by the company for the use of their guests or for the directors of the road4 ,an excellent dinner awaited us at the little hotel just opposite1 the door of which is shaded by two stately palms2 and with a ramble in the neighboring grounds of ,senhor ,lage1 and a concert by a band of ,german musicians1 consisting of employees on the road1 our day closed1--a day full of pleasure4 ,the following morning we were indebted to ,senhor ,lage for a walk1 as instructive as it was charming1 through his gardens and orange orchards4 ,not only has he arranged his grounds with exquisite taste1 but has endeavored to bring together the shrubs and trees most characteristic of the country1 so that a stroll through his place is a valuable lesson to the botanist1 the more so if he is fortunate enough to have the proprietor as a companion1 for he may then learn the name and history of every tree and flower he passes4 ,such a guide is invaluable here1 for the ,brazilians seem to remain in blissful ignorance of systematic nomenclature2 to most of them all flowers are 8flores10 all animals1 from a fly up to a mule or an elephant1 8bixos40 ,one of the most beautiful features of ,senhor ,lage's grounds is a plantation of parasites1--an extensive walk1 bordered on either side by a rustic fence1 over which are trained some of the most exquisite parasitic plants of the ,brazilian forests4 ,in the midst of this walk is the ,grotto of the ,princesses1 so called after the daughters of the ,emperor who1 on occasion of a visit made by the ,imperial family to ,juiz de ,fora1 at the opening of the road1 were exceedingly pleased with this pretty spot1 where a spring all overhung with parasitic vines1 orchids1 c4 flows out from the rock4 ,the spring1 however1 is artificial1 and is a part of the admirable system of irrigation introduced over the whole estate4 ,so rapid is the growth of everything here that one can hardly believe this beautiful country place to have been under cultivation only five or six years2 a few years more under the same direction will make it a tropical paradise4 ,a variety of plans combining pleasure and science had been arranged for the next day4 ,first on the list was a drive to the 8,forest of the ,empress40 ,everything of any interest in the neighborhood recalls the visit of the ,imperial family at the opening of the road4 ,from this event all loyal ,juiz de ,forans date1 and the virgin forest we were to visit is consecrated by the fact that on this great occasion the ,emperor with his family and suite breakfasted here in presence of a numerous assemblage of their loving subjects4 ,surely a more stately banqueting-hall could scarcely be found4 ,the throne was cut in the broad buttressed trunk of a huge figueira2 the rustic table1 built of rough stems1 stood under the shadow of great palm-trees2 and around was the tropical forest1 tapestried with vines1 and embroidered with ,orchids4 ,these were royal accompaniments1 even though the whole entertainment was conducted with a simplicity in harmony with the scene4 ,neither gold nor silver nor glass was brought to vie with the beauties of nature2 the drinking-cups were made from the hollow stems of the wild bamboo-tree1 and all the service was of the same rustic description4 ,the tables1 seats1 c4 stand1 undisturbed1 as they were on that day1 and of course this spot remains a favorite resort for humbler picnics than the one by which it was inaugurated4 ,we wandered about for some time in the cool shade of the wood1 lunched under the rustling palms1 and then drove homeward1 stopping for a while by the side of the river1 where a pretty cascade rushes over the stones1 and a rustic house built for the same memorable occurrence makes a pleasant resting-place4 ,in the afternoon a heavy rain kept us within doors1 but we were not sorry1 for we were in danger of having a surfeit of pleasure1 and quiet was very grateful4 ,a great part of our last day at ,juiz de ,fora was spent at the hospitable house of ,mr4 ,halfeld1 the ,german engineer who has gained an honorable distinction by his explorations in the interior4 ,his work on the ,rio ,san ,francisco was well known to ,mr4 ,agassiz1 so that they found themselves at once on familiar ground1 and ,mr4 ,halfeld was able to give him a great deal of valuable information respecting the prospects of the present expedition1 especially that department of it which will go to the ,amazons by way of the ,rio ,san ,francisco and the ,tocantins4 ,he has also an interesting collection of objects of natural history1 and cordially offered his assistance in obtaining the fishes of the neighborhood4 ,as for the collections1 they had been going on famously during our whole visit4 ,we had hardly been in ,juiz de ,fora twenty-four hours before a dozen collectors were actively at work4 ,all the urchins of the neighborhood and many of the ,germans employed on the road lent a helping hand4 ,even the ladies did their full share1 and ,mr4 ,agassiz was indebted to our friend ,mrs4 ,k---- for some of the most interesting specimens from this locality4 ,no doubt such as were left of the 8bixos0 of ,juiz de ,fora must have congratulated themselves on our departure the following morning4 ,we enjoyed our return over the same road scarcely less than our first introduction to it2 but the latter part of the day was full of an interest which touched us more nearly4 ,at ,posse1 where we had breakfasted on our way up1 ,mr4 ,taylor welcomed us with a ,portuguese paper containing a bulletin announcing the great victories of the ,north4 ,petersburg and ,richmond taken1--,lee in full retreat1--the war virtually over4 ,this was the substance of the news received with delight and acclamation1 not without tears of gratitude also1 and we went on our way rejoicing4 ,as we drove up to the ,hotel ,inglez after dark that evening1 hoping to get a glimpse of an ,american paper1 or at least to have the good news confirmed through the ,american ,minister1 ,general ,webb1 whose residence is at ,petropolis1 we were greeted by the announcement of the assassination of ,lincoln and ,seward1 both believed at this time to be dead4 ,at first it seemed absolutely incredible1 and the more sanguine among us persisted in regarding it as a gigantic street rumor1 invented perhaps by ,secession sympathizers1 till on our return to town the next morning our worst fears were confirmed by the ,french steamer just arrived4 ,the days seemed very long till the next mail1 which reassured us somewhat1 as it brought the news of ,mr4 ,seward's probable recovery and strengthened our faith in the stability of the national character4 ,all the accounts1 public and private1 assure us that1 though there is mourning throughout the land1 there is no disturbance of the general regularity and order4 ----- ,footnote #af3 ,the winter palace of the ,emperor4 ,footnote #ag3 ,some weeks after this ,i chanced to ask a beautiful young ,brazilian woman1 recently married1 whether she had ever been over this temporary road for the sake of seeing the picturesque scenery4 8,no10 she answered with perfect seriousness1 8,i am young and very happy1 and ,i do not wish to die yet40 ,it was an amusing comment on the ,brazilian estimate of the dangers attending the journey4 ,footnote #ah3 ,this road1 which is but the beginning of railroad travel in ,brazil1 opens a rich prospect for scientific study4 ,from this time forward the difficulty of transporting collections from the interior to the seaboard will be diminishing4 ,instead of the few small specimens of tropical vegetation now preserved in our museums1 ,i hope that hereafter1 in every school where geology and palontology are taught1 we shall have large stems and portions of trunks to show the structure of palms1 tree-ferns1 and the like1--trees which represent in modern times the ancient geological forests4 ,the time is coming when our text-books of botany and zology will lose their local1 limited character1 and present comprehensive pictures of ,nature in all her phases4 ,then only will it be possible to make true and pertinent comparisons between the condition of the earth in former times and its present aspect under different zones and climates4 ,to this day the fundamental principle guiding our identification of geological formations in different ages rests upon the assumption that each period has had one character throughout2 whereas the progress of geology is daily pressing upon us the evidence that at each period different latitudes and different continents have always had their characteristic animals and plants1 if not as diversified as now1 at least varied enough to exclude the idea of uniformity4 ,not only do ,i look for a vast improvement in our collections with improved methods of travel and transportation in ,brazil1 but ,i hope that scientific journeys in the tropics will cease to be occasional events in the progress and civilization of nations1 and will be as much within the reach of every student as journeys in the temperate zone have hitherto been4 ,for further details respecting the building of this road1 see ,appendix ,no4 ,,iv4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ai3 ,among the frequent visitors at the laboratory1 and one to whom ,mr4 ,agassiz was indebted for most efficient aid in making his collection of fishes from the harbor of ,rio1 was our friend ,dr4 ,pacheco de ,silva1 who never lost an opportunity of paying us all sorts of friendly attentions4 ,he added quite a number of luxuries to the working-room described above4 ,another friend who was often at the laboratory was ,dr4 ,ngeli4 ,notwithstanding his large practice1 he found time to assist ,mr4 ,agassiz not only with collections but with drawings of various specimens4 ,being himself an able naturalist1 his co-operation was very valuable4 ,the collections were indeed enriched by contributions from so many sources that it would be impossible to enumerate them all here4 ,in the more technical reports of the expedition all such gifts are recorded1 with the names of those persons from whom the specimens were received4 ,footnote #bj3 ,the palm is the beautiful ,oreodoxa oleracea4 ,footnote #ba3 ,leuzinger's admirable photographs of the scenery about the ,corcovado1 as well as from ,petropolis1 the ,organ ,mountains1 and the neighborhood of ,rio generally1 may now be had in the print-shops of ,boston and ,new ,york4 ,i am the more desirous to make this fact known as ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,leuzinger for very generous assistance in the illustration of scientific objects4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #bb3 ,a commemorative tablet1 set in the rocks on the dividing line between the provinces of ,rio de ,janeiro and ,minas ,geres1 recording the speech of the ,emperor on the occasion of the opening of the road1 testifies the appreciation in which this undertaking was held by the government of ,brazil4 ,footnote #bc3 ,since this was written the ,emperor1 at a large pecuniary sacrifice1 has liberated all the slaves belonging to the property of the crown1 and a general scheme of emancipation has been announced by the ,brazilian government1 the wisdom1 foresight1 and benevolence of which can hardly be too highly praised4 ,if this be adopted1 slavery in ,brazil will disappear within the century by a gradual process1 involving no violent convulsion1 and perilling neither the safety of the slave nor the welfare of his master4 ,footnote #bd3 ,to the ,baron de ,mau1 a leader in the great improvements now going on in ,brazil1 the citizens of ,rio de ,janeiro owe their present convenient road to ,petropolis1 their favorite summer residence4 ,footnote #be3 ,a species of ,melastoma1 with very large1 conspicuous flowers4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #bf3 ,this is not1 however1 native to ,brazil4 ,footnote #bg3 ,indeed1 their diversity is much greater even than that of our ,oaks1 and it would require a comprehensive comparison with a majority of our forest-trees to match the differences they exhibit among themselves2 and their native names1 far more euphonic than the systematic names under which they are entered in our scientific works1 are as familiar to the ,indians as those of our beeches1 birches1 hazels1 chestnuts1 poplars1 or willows to our farmers4 ,there are four essentially different forms among the palms3 the tall ones1 with a slender and erect stem1 terminating with a crown of long feathery leaves1 or with broad fan-shaped leaves2 the bushy ones1 the leaves of which rise as it were in tufts from the ground1 the stem remaining hidden under the foliage2 the brush-like ones1 with a small stem1 and a few rather large leaves2 and the winding1 creeping1 slender species4 ,their flowers and fruits are as varied as their stock4 ,some of these fruits may be compared to large woody nuts1 with a fleshy mass inside2 others have a scaly covering2 others resemble peaches or apricots1 while others still are like plums or grapes4 ,most of them are eatable and rather pleasant to the taste4 ,it is a thousand pities that so many of these majestic trees should have been deprived of their sonorous native names1 to bear henceforth1 in the annals of science1 the names of some unknown princes1 whom flattery alone could rescue from oblivion4 ,the ,inaja has become a ,maximiliana1 the ,jara a ,leopoldinia1 the ,pupunha a ,guilielma1 the ,pachiuba an ,iriartea1 the ,carana a ,mauritia4 ,the changes from ,indian to ,greek names have not been more felicitous4 ,i would certainly have preferred ,jacitara to ,desmonchus1 ,mucaja to ,acrocomia1 ,baccba to nocarpus1 ,tucuma to ,astrocaryum4 ,even ,euterpe for ,assai is hardly an improvement4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #bh3 ,this observation was confirmed by our year's travel4 ,the ,brazilians care little for a variety of vegetables1 and do not give much attention to their cultivation4 ,those they do use are chiefly imported in cans from ,europe4 ,footnote #bi3 ,on our return from the ,amazons a year later we heard with great regret of the death of ,mr4 ,taylor ,for many months he took an active part in the objects of the ,expedition1 being himself a good naturalist1 and not only made valuable collections for ,mr4 ,agassiz1 but also some admirable colored drawings of fishes and insects1 which it is hoped may be published at a future time with the other scientific results of this journey4 ,footnote #cj3 ,my experience of this day might well awaken the envy of any naturalist1 and ,i was myself no less astonished than grateful for its scientific results4 ,not only had ,senhor ,lage provided us with the most comfortable private conveyance1 but he had sent messengers in advance to all the planters residing near our line of travel1 requesting them to provide all the fishes that were to be had in the adjoining rivers and brooks4 ,the agents of the stations situated near water-courses had also received instructions to have similar collections in readiness1 and in two places ,i found large tanks filled with living specimens of all the species in the neighborhood4 ,the small number of species subsequently added1 upon repeated excursions to different parts of the basin of the ,parahyba1 convinced me that in this one day1 thanks to the kindness of our host and his friends1 ,i had an opportunity of examining nearly its whole ichthyological fauna1 and of making probably as complete a collection from it as may be found from any of the considerable rivers of ,europe in the larger museums of the ,old ,world4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ca3 ,in some maps this place is inscribed under the name of ,parahybuna4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,life ,,in ,,rio ,,continued4--,,fazenda ,,life4 ,,botafogo4--,,insane ,,hospital4--,,tijuca4--,,erratic ,,drift4--,,vegetation4--,,birthday ,,dinner4--,,arrangements ,,for ,,parties ,,to ,,the ,,interior4--,,public ,,lectures ,,in ,,rio4--,,procession ,,of ,,st4 ,,george4--,,leave ,,rio ,,on ,,excursion ,,to ,,the ,,fortaleza ,,de ,,santa ,,anna4--,,localities ,,for ,,erratic ,,drift ,,between ,,rio ,,and ,,petropolis4--,,departure ,,from ,,juiz ,,de ,,fora4--,,arrival ,,at ,,the ,,fazenda4--,,ride ,,in ,,the ,,forest4--,,eve ,,of ,,san ,,joa4--,,cupim ,,nests4--,,excursion ,,to ,,the ,,upper ,,fazenda4--,,grand ,,hunt4--,,picnic4--,,coffee ,,plantation4--,,return ,,to ,,rio4--,,mimic ,,snow-,,fields4--,,coffee ,,insect ,,spinning ,,its ,,nest4--,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,fazenda ,,of ,,commendador ,,breves4--,,botanizing ,,excursion ,,to ,,tijuca4--,,preparations ,,for ,,leaving ,,rio4--,,major ,,coutinho4--,,collegio ,,dom ,,pedro ,,segundo4 ,illustration3 ,botafogo ,bay4 ,may #bb;d4--,this afternoon ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,c---- and myself went out for a country ramble1 somewhat at a venture1 it is true1 but feeling sure that in the beautiful scenery about ,rio we could hardly go amiss4 ,we took one of the many ferry-boats in the neighborhood of our hotel1 and presently found ourselves on the way to ,botafogo4 ,almost all the environs of the city are built along beaches2 there is the beach or ,praia of ,botafogo1 the ,praia of ,san ,christovo1 the ,praia of ,san ,domingo1 and half a dozen others1 all of which mean some suburb of the town situated on the shore with a beach in front of it4 ,as it is rather the fashion for the better class of people to live out of town1 the houses and gardens in these suburbs are often delightful4 ,we enjoyed the sail exceedingly4 ,for a part of the way the boat keeps close under the mountains1 and no description can give an idea of their picturesque outlines1 or of the wonderful coloring which softens all their asperities and mellows the whole landscape4 ,we landed at a jetty thrown out from a romantic-looking road1 and as we found no carriage on the wharf1 and ascertained that the boat did not return for two hours1 we wandered up this road to see where chance would lead us4 ,the afternoon would have been full of interest had it ended in the walk along the crescent-shaped bay1 with the water rippling on the sands1 and the mountains opposite all purple in the afternoon sunshine4 ,the road brought us1 however1 to a magnificent hospital for the insane1 the hospital of ,dom ,pedro ,segundo1 which we had seen and admired from the deck of the steamer on the day of our arrival4 ,we entered the grounds1 and as the great door of the building was open and the official on guard looked by no means forbidding1 we ascended the steps and went in4 ,it is difficult to imagine an edifice more appropriate for the purpose to which it is devoted4 ,it is true we saw only the public rooms and corridors1 as a permit was required to enter the wards2 but a plan hanging near the entrance gave us an idea of the arrangement of the building1 and its general aspect bore testimony to the cleanliness1 cheerfulness1 and order of the establishment4 ,some of the public rooms were very handsome1--especially one1 at the end of which stands a statue of the boy ,emperor1 taken1 no doubt1 at the time of his coronation4 ,in the man of forty you still recognize the frank1 intelligent1 manly face of the lad on whom such great responsibility was thrown at the age of fifteen4 ,as we went up the spacious staircase1 the sound of music brought us to the door of the chapel1 where the evening service was going on4 ,patients and nurses were kneeling together2 a choir of female voices was singing sweetly a calm1 peaceful kind of music2 that somewhat monotonous chanting1 so passionless in its regular movement1 which one hears in the ,catholic ,church2 the candles were burning before the altar1 but the great window just outside the door was open to the setting sun1 and1 as ,i stood in the balcony looking out on the mountains and listening to the music1 ,i thought that a mind which had gone astray might find its way back again in such scenes and under such influences4 ,certainly1 if nature has any healing power1 it must be felt here4 ,we lingered and listened as long as we dared1 and stole away as the services were closing1 just in time to take the evening boat4 ,illustration3 ,mina ,negress4 ,may #beth4--,the fish-market is1 in all seaport towns1 a favorite haunt with ,mr4 ,agassiz1 and here it has an especial interest for him on account of the variety and beauty of the fishes brought in every morning4 ,i sometimes accompany him in these rambles for the pleasure of seeing the fresh loads of oranges1 flowers1 and vegetables1 and of watching the picturesque negro groups selling their wares or sitting about in knots to gossip4 ,we have already learned that the fine-looking athletic negroes of a nobler type1 at least physically1 than any we see in the ,states1 are the so-called ,mina negroes1 from the province of ,mina1 in ,western ,africa4 ,they are a very powerful-looking race1 and the women especially are finely made and have quite a dignified presence4 ,i am never tired of watching them in the street and market1 where they are to be seen in numbers1 being more commonly employed as venders of fruit and vegetables than as house-servants4 ,it is said that a certain wild and independent element in their character makes them unfit for domestic service4 ,the women always wear a high muslin turban1 and a long1 bright-colored shawl1 either crossed on the breast and thrown carelessly over the shoulder1 or1 if the day be chilly1 drawn closely around them1 their arms hidden in its folds4 ,the amount of expression they throw into the use of this shawl is quite amazing4 ,i watched a tall1 superbly made woman in the street to-day who was in a great passion4 ,gesticulating violently1 she flung her shawl wide1 throwing out both arms1 then1 drawing it suddenly in1 folded it about her1 and stretched herself to her full height2 presently opening it once more1 she shook her fist in the face of her opponent1 and then1 casting one end of her long drapery over her shoulder1 stalked away with the air of a tragedy queen4 ,it serves as a cradle also1 for1 tying it loosely round their hips1 they slip the baby into the folds behind1 and there it hangs1 rocked to sleep by the mother's movement as she walks on with her long1 swinging tread4 ,the ,mina negress is almost invariably remarkable for her beautiful hand and arm4 ,she seems to be conscious of this1 and usually wears close-fitting bracelets at the wrist1 made of some bright-colored beads1 which set off the form of the hand and are exceedingly becoming on her dark1 shining skin4 ,these negroes are ,mohammedans1 and are said to remain faithful to their prophet1 though surrounded by the observances of the ,catholic ,church4 ,they do not seem to me so affable and responsive as the ,congo negroes1 but are1 on the contrary1 rather haughty4 ,one morning ,i came upon a cluster of them in the market breakfasting after their work was done1 and ,i stopped to talk with them1 asking what they had for breakfast1 and trying various subjects on which to open an acquaintance4 ,but they looked at me coldly and suspiciously1 barely answering my questions1 and were evidently relieved when ,i walked away4 ,illustration3 ,mina ,negress and ,child4 ,may #bfth4--,tijuca4 ,in the pleasant environs of ,rio there is no resort more frequented than the establishment of ,mr4 ,bennett at ,tijuca1 and we were not sorry the day before yesterday to leave the hot1 dusty city1 with a pleasant party of friends1 for this cluster of mountains1 some eighteen hundred feet above the sea level and about eight miles from ,rio4 ,it takes its name from the peak of ,tijuca1 so conspicuous an object in the coast range4 ,on our arrival we were very cordially welcomed by our host himself1 who was not quite a stranger to us1 for ,mr4 ,agassiz has been already indebted to him for valuable collections4 ,mr4 ,bennett has an ,englishman's love of nature1 and is very familiar with the botany and zology of the beautiful region which has been his home for many years4 ,under his guidance1 we have taken a number of pleasant rambles and rides1 regretting only that we cannot avail ourselves for a longer time of his intimate knowledge of the locality and its productions4 ,i have alluded before to the perplexing character of the geology1 and the almost universal decomposition of the rock surfaces1 making it difficult to decipher them4 ,the presence of the drift phenomena1 so universal in the ,northern hemisphere1 has been denied here2 but1 in his long walk to-day1 ,mr4 ,agassiz has had an opportunity of observing a great number of erratic boulders1 having no connection with the rocks in place1 and also a sheet of drift studded with boulders and resting above the partially stratified metamorphic rock in immediate contact with it4 ,i introduce here a letter written by him to his friend1 ,professor ,peirce of ,harvard ,university1 under the first impression of the day's experience1 which will best explain his view of the subject4 8,may #bgth1 #ahfe1 ,,tijuca4 8,,my ,,dear ,,peirce3-- 8,yesterday was one of the happiest days of my life1 and ,i want to share it with you4 ,here ,i am at ,tijuca1 a cluster of hills1 about eighteen hundred feet high and some seven or eight miles from ,rio1 in a charming cottage-like hotel1 from the terrace of which you see a drift hill with innumerable erratic boulders1 as characteristic as any ,i have ever seen in ,new ,england4 ,i had before seen sundry unmistakable traces of drift1 but there was everywhere connected with the drift itself such an amount of decomposed rocks of various kinds1 that1 though ,i could see the drift and distinguish it from the decomposed primary rocks in place1 on account of my familiarity with that kind of deposits1 yet ,i could probably never have satisfied anybody else that there is here an equivalent of the ,northern drift1 had ,i not found yesterday1 near ,bennett's hotel at ,tijuca1 the most palpable superposition of drift and decomposed rocks1 with a distinct line of demarcation between the two1 of which ,i shall secure a good photograph4 ,this locality afforded me at once an opportunity of contrasting the decomposed rocks which form a characteristic feature of the whole country 7as far as ,i have yet seen it7 with the superincumbent drift1 and of making myself familiar with the peculiarities of both deposits2 so that ,i trust ,i shall be able hereafter to distinguish both1 whether they are in contact with one another or found separately4 ,these decomposed rocks are quite a new feature to me in the structure of the country4 ,imagine granite1 gneiss1 mica slate1 clay slate1 and in fact all the various kinds of rocks usually found in old metamorphic formations1 reduced to the condition of a soft paste1 exhibiting all the mineralogical elements of the rocks1 as they may have been before they were decomposed1 but now completely disintegrated and resting side by side1 as if they had been accumulated artificially in the manner you have seen glass cylinders filled with variously colored sands or clays to imitate the appearance of the beds of ,gay-,head4 ,and through this loose mass there run1 here and there1 larger or smaller dikes of quartz-rock or of granite or other rocks equally disintegrated2 but they retain the arrangement of their materials1 showing them to be disintegrated dikes in large disintegrated masses of rock2 the whole passing unmistakably to rocks of the same kind in which the decomposition or disintegration is only partial1 or no trace of it visible1 and the whole mass exhibiting then the appearance of an ordinary metamorphic set of rocks4 8,that such masses forming everywhere the surface of the country should be a great obstacle to the study of the erratic phenomena is at once plain1 and ,i do not therefore wonder that those who seem familiar with the country should now entertain the idea that the surface rocks are everywhere decomposed1 and that there is no erratic formation or drift here4 ,but upon close examination it is easy to perceive that1 while the decomposed rocks consist of small particles of the primitive rocks which they represent1 with their dikes and all other characteristic features1 there is not a trace of larger or smaller boulders in them2 while the superincumbent drift1 consisting of a similar paste1 does not show the slightest sign of the indistinct stratification characteristic of the decomposed metamorphic rocks below it1 nor any of the decomposed dikes1 but is full of various kinds of boulders of various dimensions4 ,i have not yet traced the boulders to their origin2 but the majority consist of a kind of greenstone composed of equal amounts of a greenish black hornblende and feldspar4 ,in ,entre ,rios on the ,parahyba1 ,i was told by an engineer on the road that in ,minas ,geres iron mines are worked in a rock like these boulders4 ,this week ,i propose to explore the ,serra da ,mantiqueira1#cb which separates the province of ,rio from ,minas1 and may advance the question further4 ,but you see that ,i need not go to the ,andes to find erratics1 though it may yet be necessary for me to go1 in order to trace the evidence of glacier action in the accumulation of this drift2 for you will notice that ,i have only given you the evidence of extensive accumulations of drift similar in its characteristics to ,northern drift4 ,but ,i have not yet seen a trace of glacial action properly speaking1 if polished surfaces and scratches and furrows are especially to be considered as such4 8,the decomposition of the surface rocks to the extent to which it takes place here is very remarkable1 and points to a new geological agency1 thus far not discussed in our geological theories4 ,it is obvious here 7and to-day with the pouring rain which keeps me in doors ,i have satisfactory evidence of it7 that the warm rains falling upon the heated soil must have a very powerful action in accelerating the decomposition of rocks4 ,it is like torrents of hot water falling for ages in succession upon hot stones4 ,think of the effect1 and1 instead of wondering at the large amount of decomposed rocks which you meet everywhere1 you will be surprised that there are any rocks left in their primitive condition4 ,it is1 however1 the fact1 that all the rocks you see are encased1 as it were1 in a lining of the decomposed part of their surface2 they are actually covered with a rotten crust of their own substance4 8,ever truly yours1 8,l4 ,,agassiz40 ,among the objects of special interest which we have seen here for the first time are the colossal fruits of the ,sapucaia-tree1 a species of ,lecythis1 belonging to the same family as the ,brazilian nuts4 ,these fruits1 of which there are a number of species1 vary from the size of an apple to that of an ordinary melon2 they resemble an urn closed with a lid1 and contain about fifty seeds as large as almonds4 ,the woods all over these ,tijuca hills are beautiful and wonderfully luxuriant2 but ,i lack names for the various trees4 ,we are not yet familiar enough with the aspect of the forest to distinguish readily its different forms of vegetation2 and it is besides exceedingly difficult here to ascertain the common names of plants4 ,the ,brazilians do not seem to me observant of nature in its details2 at all events1 ,i never get a satisfactory answer to the question ,i am constantly putting1 8,what do you call this tree or flower80 ,and if you ask a botanist1 he invariably gives you the scientific1 not the popular name1 nor does he seem to be aware that any such exists4 ,i have a due respect for nomenclature1 but when ,i inquire the name of some very graceful tree or some exquisite flower1 ,i like to receive a manageable answer1 something that may fitly be introduced into the privacy of domestic life1 rather than the ponderous official ,latin appellation4 ,we are struck with the variety of ,melastomas in full flower now1 and very conspicuous1 from their large purple blossoms1 and have remarked also several species of the ,bombace1 easily distinguished by their peculiar foliage and large cotton fruits4 ,the ,candelabra-tree 7,cecropia7 is abundant here1 as throughout the neighborhood of ,rio1 and is covered at this season with fruit resembling somewhat the fruit of the bread-tree1 but more slender and cylindrical in form4 ,large ,euphorbias1 of the size of forest-trees1 also attract our attention1 for it is the first time we have seen them except as shrubs1 such as the 8,estrella do ,norte0 7,poinsettia74 ,but there is before ,mr4 ,bennett's house a very large nut-tree1 8,nogueira10 of this family4 ,the palms are numerous2 among them the ,astrocaryum ,cari1 whose spiny stems and leaves make it difficult to approach1 is very common4 ,its bunches of bright chestnut-brown fruit hang from between the leaves which form its crown1 each bunch about a foot in length1 massive and compact1 like a large cluster of black ,hamburg grapes4 ,the ,syagrus palm is also frequent2 it has a greenish fruit not unlike the olive in appearance1 also hanging in large pendent bunches just below the leaves4 ,the mass of foliage is everywhere knit together by parasitic vines without number1 and every dead branch or fallen trunk is overgrown by parasites4 ,foreign tropical trees are cultivated about the houses everywhere1--bread-fruit trees and ,ameixas1 a kind of plum of the hawthorn family1 bananas1 etc4 ,the bamboo of the ,east ,indies also is used to form avenues in ,rio de ,janeiro and its environs4 ,the alleys of bamboo in the grounds of the palace at ,san ,christovo are among its most beautiful ornaments4 ,illustration3 ,fallen ,trunk overgrown by ,parasites4 ,mr4 ,agassiz has been surprised to find that shrimps of considerable size are common in all the brooks and even in the highest pools of ,tijuca4 ,it seems strange to meet with ,crustacea of marine forms in mountain streams4 ,to-day we are kept in the house by a violent rain1 but there is enough to do in looking over specimens1 working up journals1 writing letters1 c41 to prevent the time from hanging heavy on our hands4 ,to-morrow we return to town4 ,may #bhth1 ,,rio4--,to-day is ,mr4 ,agassiz's birthday1 and it has been so affectionately remembered here that it is difficult to believe ourselves in a foreign country4 ,the ,swiss citizens gave him a dinner yesterday on the eve of the anniversary1 where everything recalled the land of his birth1 without excluding the land of his adoption4 ,the room was draped with the flags of all the ,cantons1 while the ceiling was covered by two ,swiss national flags1 united in the centre just above his own seat by the ,american flag1 thus recognizing at once his ,swiss nationality and his ,american citizenship4#cc ,the ,brazilian flag which gave them all hospitality and protection had also an honored place4 ,the fte is reported to have been most genial and gay1 closing with a number of student songs in which all bore their share1 and succeeded by a serenade under our windows4 ,to-day our room is festive with flowers and other decorations1 and friendly greetings on every side remind us that1 though in a foreign land1 we are not among strangers4 ,june #adth4--,since our return from ,tijuca we have been almost constantly in town1 ,mr4 ,agassiz being engaged1 often from early morning till deep into the night1 in taking care of the specimens which come in from every quarter1 and making the final preparations for the parties which he intends sending into the interior4 ,the most important of these1 or rather the one for which it is most difficult to procure the necessary facilities1 is bound for the upper course of the ,san ,francisco4 ,at this point one or more of their number will strike across the country to the ,tocantins1 and descend that river to the ,amazons1 while the others will follow the valley of the ,piauhy to the coast4 ,this is a long1 difficult1 but1 as we are assured1 not a dangerous journey for young and vigorous men4 ,but wishing to anticipate every trouble that may befall them1 ,mr4 ,agassiz has made it his business to ascertain1 as far as possible1 the nature of the route1 and to obtain letters to the most influential people for every step of the road4 ,this has been no light task2 in a country where there are no established means of internal communication1 where mules1 guides1 camaradas1 and even an armed escort may be necessary1 and must be provided for in advance1 the preparation for a journey through the interior requires a vast deal of forethought4 ,add to this the national habit of procrastination1 the profound conviction of the ,brazilian that to-morrow is better than to-day1 and one may understand how it happens that1 although it has been a primary object since our arrival to expedite the party to the ,tocantins1 their departure has been delayed till now4 ,and yet it would be the height of ingratitude to give the impression that there has been any backwardness on the part of the ,brazilians themselves1 or of their government1 to facilitate the objects of the expedition4 ,on the contrary1 they not only show a warm interest1 but the utmost generosity1 and readiness to give all the practical aid in their power4 ,several leading members of the ,cabinet1 the ,senate1 and the ,house of ,representatives have found time now1 when they have a war upon their hands1 and when one ministry has been going out and another coming in1 not only to prepare the necessary introductions for these parties from ,rio to the ,amazons1 but also to write out the routes1 giving the most important directions and information for the separate journeys4#cd ,yet with the best will in the world the ,brazilians know comparatively little of the interior of their own country4 ,it is necessary to collect all that is known from a variety of sources1 and then to combine it as well as may be1 so as to form an organized plan4 ,even then a great deal must be left to be decided in accordance with circumstances which no one can foresee4 ,no pains have been spared to anticipate all the probable difficulties1 and to provide for them as far as it is humanly possible to do so2 and we feel that this journey1 a part of which has been made by very few persons before1 has never been undertaken under better auspices4 ,this party will explore the upper course of the ,rio ,doce1 the ,rio das ,velhas1 and the ,san ,francisco1 with the lower course of the ,tocantins and its tributaries1 as far as they can2 making also collections of fossils in certain regions upon the route4 ,another party1 starting at about the same time1 is to keep nearer the coast1 exploring the lower course of the ,rio ,doce and the ,san ,francisco4 ,mr4 ,agassiz thus hopes to make at least a partial survey of this great water system1 while he himself undertakes the ,amazons and its tributaries4#ce ,in the mean time1 the result of the weeks he has been obliged to spend in ,rio1 while organizing the work of these parties and making the practical arrangements for its prosecution1 has been very satisfactory4 ,the collections are large1 and will give a tolerably complete idea of the fauna of this province1 as well as a part of that of ,minas ,geres4 ,a survey of the ,dom ,pedro ,railroad1 made under his direction by his two young friends1 ,messrs4 ,hart and ,st4 ,john1 is also an excellent beginning of the work in this department1 and his own observations on the drift phenomena have an important bearing on the great questions on which he hoped to throw new light in coming here4 ,the closing words of a lecture delivered by him last evening at the ,collegio ,dom ,pedro ,segundo will best express his own estimation of the facts he has collected in their bearing on the drift phenomena in other parts of the world4 ,after giving some account of the erratic blocks and drift observed by him at ,tijuca and already described in his letter to ,mr4 ,peirce1 he added3 8,i wish here to make a nice distinction that ,i may not be misunderstood4 ,i affirm that the erratic phenomena1 viz4 erratic drift1 in immediate superposition with partially decomposed stratified rock1 exist here in your immediate neighborhood2 ,i believe that these phenomena are connected1 here as elsewhere1 with the action of ice4 ,it is nevertheless possible that a more intimate study of these subjects in tropical regions may reveal some phase of the phenomena not hitherto observed1 just as the investigation of the glacial action in the ,united ,states has shown that immense masses of ice may move over a plain1 as well as over a mountain slope4 ,let me now urge a special study of these facts upon the young geologists of ,rio1 as they have never been investigated and their presence is usually denied4 ,if you ask me1 #8,to what end8--of what use is such a discovery8'--,i answer1 ,it is given to no mortal man to predict what may be the result of any discovery in the realms of nature4 ,when the electric current was discovered1 what was it8 ,a curiosity4 ,when the first electric machine was invented1 to what use was it put8 ,to make puppets dance for the amusement of children4 ,to-day it is the most powerful engine of civilization4 ,but should our work have no other result than this1--to know that certain facts in nature are thus and not otherwise1 that their causes were such and no others1--this result in itself is good enough1 and great enough1 since the end of man1 his aim1 his glory1 is the knowledge of the truth40 ,one word upon these lectures1 since we are told by the ,brazilians themselves that the introduction of public lectures among them is a novelty and in a certain sense an era in their educational history4 ,if any subject of science or letters is to be presented to the public here1 it is done under special conditions before a selected audience1 where the paper is read in presence of the ,emperor with all due solemnity4 ,popular instruction1 with admittance for all who care to listen or to learn1 has been hitherto a thing unknown4 ,the suggestion was made by ,dr4 ,pacheco1 the ,director of the ,collegio ,dom ,pedro ,,ii41 a man of liberal culture and great intelligence1 who has already done much for the progress of education in ,rio de ,janeiro2 it found favor with the ,emperor1 who is keenly alive to anything which can stimulate the love of knowledge among his people1 and at his request ,mr4 ,agassiz has given a course of lectures in ,french on a variety of scientific subjects4 ,he was indeed very glad to have an opportunity of introducing here a means of popular education which he believes to have been very salutary in its influence among us4 ,at first the presence of ladies was objected to1 as too great an innovation on national habits2 but even that was overcome1 and the doors were opened to all comers1 the lectures being given after the true ,new ,england fashion4 ,i must say that1 if the absolutely uninterrupted attention of an audience is any test of its intelligence1 no man could ask a better one than that which ,mr4 ,agassiz has had the pleasure of addressing in ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,it has also been a great pleasure to him1 after teaching for nearly twenty years in ,english1 to throw off the fetters of a foreign tongue and speak again in ,french4 ,after all1 with a few exceptions1 a man's native language remains for him the best2 it is the element in which he always moves most at ease4 ,the ,emperor1 with his family1 has been present at all these lectures1 and it is worthy of note1 as showing the simplicity of his character1 that1 instead of occupying the raised platform intended for them1 he caused the chairs to be placed on a level with the others1 as if to show that in science at least there is no distinction of rank4#cf ,june #aath4--,to-day has been a festa1 but one the significance of which it is somewhat difficult to understand1 so singularly is the religious element mingled with the grotesque and quaint4 ,in the ,church it is the feast of ,corpus ,christi1 but it happens to fall on the same date as another festival in honor of ,st4 ,george1 which is kept with all sorts of antique ceremonies4 ,i went in the morning with our young friend1 ,mr4 ,t----1 to the ,imperial chapel1 where high mass was celebrated1 and at the close of the services we had some difficulty in finding our way back to the hotel1 before which the procession was to pass1 for the street was already draped with all sorts of gay colors and crowded with spectators4 ,first in order came the religious part of the procession2 a long array of priests and church officials carrying lighted candles1 pyramids of flowers1 banners1 c4 ,then came the host1 under a canopy of white satin and gold1 supported by massive staffs2 the bearers were the highest dignitaries of the land1 first among them being the ,emperor himself and his son-in-law1 the ,duke of ,saxe4 ,in strange contrast with these solemnities was the stuffed equestrian figure of ,st4 ,george1 a huge1 unwieldy shape on horseback1 preceded and followed by riders almost as grotesque as himself4 ,with him came a number of orders resembling1 if not the same as1 the ,free-,masons1 the ,odd ,fellows1 and like societies4 ,the better educated ,brazilians speak of this procession as an old legacy from ,portugal1 which has lost its significance for them1 and which they would gladly see pass out of use1 as it is already out of date4 ,this evening ,mr4 ,agassiz gave the closing lecture of his course4 ,it is to be followed next week by a lecture from ,dr4 ,capanema1 the ,brazilian geologist1 and there will be an attempt made to organize courses of public lectures on the same plan hereafter4 ,our numbers are gradually diminishing4 ,last week the party for the interior1 consisting of ,messrs4 ,st4 ,john1 ,allen1 ,ward1 and ,sceva1 started1 and ,messrs4 ,hartt and ,copeland leave in a day or two to undertake an exploration of the coast between the ,parahyba do ,sul and ,bahia4 ,june #cjth4--,on the #bast we left ,rio on our way to the province of ,minas ,geres1 where we were to pass a week at the coffee fazenda of ,senhor ,lage1 who received us so courteously on our former visit to ,juiz de ,fora1 and who was so influential in projecting and carrying out the ,union and ,industry road4 ,the journey to ,juiz de ,fora1 though we had made it once before1 had lost nothing of its beauty by familiarity1 and had gained in interest of another kind2 for his examination of the erratic drift at ,tijuca has given ,mr4 ,agassiz the key to the geological constitution of the soil1 and what seemed to him quite inexplicable on our first excursion over this road is now perfectly legible4 ,it is interesting to watch the progress of an investigation of this character1 and to see how the mental process gradually clears away the obscurity4 ,the perception becomes sharpened by dwelling upon the subject1 and the mind adapts itself to a difficult problem as the eye adapts itself to darkness4 ,that which was confused at first presently becomes clear to the mental vision of the observer1 who watches and waits for the light to enter4 ,there is one effect of the atmospheric influence here1 already alluded to in the previous pages1 which at first sight is very deceptive4 ,wherever there is any cut through drift1 unless recently opened1 it becomes baked at the surface so as to simulate stone in such a way as hardly to be distinguished from the decomposed rock surfaces in place1 unless by a careful examination4 ,this1 together with the partial obliteration of the stratification in many places1 makes it1 at first glance1 difficult to recognize the point of contact between the stratified rock and the drift resting above it4 ,a little familiarity with these deceptive appearances1 however1 makes it as easy to read the broken leaves of the book of nature here as elsewhere1 and ,mr4 ,agassiz has now no more difficulty in following the erratic phenomena in these ,southern regions than in the ,northern hemisphere4 ,all that is wanting to complete the evidence of the actual presence of ice here1 in former times1 is the glacial writing1 the stri and furrows and polish which mark its track in the temperate zone4 ,these one can hardly hope to find where the rock is of so perishable a character and its disintegration so rapid4 ,but this much is certain1--a sheet of drift covers the country1 composed of a homogeneous paste without trace of stratification1 containing loose materials of all sorts and sizes1 imbedded in it without reference to weight1 large boulders1 smaller stones1 pebbles1 and the like4 ,this drift is very unevenly distributed2 sometimes rising into high hills1 owing to the surrounding denudations2 sometimes covering the surface merely as a thin layer2 sometimes1 and especially on steep slopes1 washed completely away1 leaving the bare face of the rock2 sometimes deeply gullied1 so as to produce a succession of depressions and elevations alternating with each other4 ,to this latter cause is due1 in great degree1 the billowy1 undulating character of the valleys4 ,another cause of difficulty in tracing the erratic phenomena consists in the number of detached fragments which have fallen from the neighboring heights4 ,it is not always easy to distinguish these from the erratic boulders4 ,but a number of localities exist1 nevertheless1 where the drift rests immediately above stratified rock1 with the boulders protruding from it1 the line of contact being perfectly distinct4 ,it is a curious fact1 that one may follow the drift everywhere in this region by the prosperous coffee plantations4 ,here as elsewhere ice has been the great fertilizer1--a gigantic plough grinding the rocks to powder and making a homogeneous soil in which the greatest variety of chemical elements are brought together from distant localities4 ,so far as we have followed these phenomena in the provinces of ,rio and ,minas ,geres1 the thriving coffee plantations are upon erratic drift1 the poorer growth upon decomposed rock in place4 ,upon remarking this1 we were told that the farmers who are familiar with the soil select that in which they find loose rocks imbedded1 because it is the most fertile4 ,they unconsciously seek the erratic drift4 ,it may not be amiss to point out some of the localities in which these geological phenomena may be most readily studied1 since they lie along the public road1 and are easy of access4 ,the drift is very evident in the swamp between ,mau and ,raiz da ,serra on the way to ,petropolis4 ,in ascending the ,serra at the half-way house there is an excellent locality for observing drift and boulders2 and beyond one may follow the drift up to the very top of the road4 ,the whole tract between ,villa ,theresa and ,petropolis is full of drift4 ,just outside of ,petropolis1 the ,piabanha has excavated its bed in drift1 while the banks have been ravined by the rains4 ,at the station of ,correio1 in front of the building1 is also an admirable opportunity for observing all the erratic phenomena1 for here the drift1 with large boulders interspersed throughout the mass1 overlies the rock in place4 ,a few steps to the north of the station ,pedro do ,rio there is another great accumulation of large boulders in drift4 ,these are but a few of the localities where such facts may be observed4 ,on the evening of the #bb;d we arrived at ,juiz de ,fora1 and started at sunrise the next morning for the fazenda of ,senhor ,lage1 some thirty miles beyond4 ,we had a gay party1 consisting of the family of ,senhor ,lage and that of his brother-in-law1 ,senhor ,machado1 with one or two other friends and ourselves4 ,the children were as merry as possible1 for a visit to the fazenda was a rarity1 and looked upon by them as a great festivity4 ,to transport us all with our luggage1 two large coaches were provided1 several mules1 and a small carriage1 while a travelling photographic machine1 belonging to ,senhor ,machado1 who is an admirable photographist1 brought up the rear4#cg ,the day was beautiful and our road lay along the side of the ,serra1 commanding fine views of the inland country and the coffee plantations which covered the hillsides wherever the primeval forest had been cut down4 ,the road is another evidence of the intelligence and energy of the proprietor4 ,the old roads are mere mule tracks up one side of the ,serra and down the other1 gullied of course by all the heavy rains and rendered at times almost impassable4 ,senhor ,lage has shown his neighbors what may be done for their comfort in a country life by abandoning the old method1 and1 instead of carrying the road across the mountain1 cutting it in the side with so gradual an ascent as to make the ride a very easy one4 ,it is but a four hours' drive now from ,juiz de ,fora to the fazenda1 whereas1 until the last year1 it was a day's1 or even in bad weather a two days' journey on horseback4 ,it is much to be desired that his example should be followed1 for the absence of any tolerable roads in the country makes travelling in the interior almost an impossibility1 and is the most serious obstacle to the general progress and prosperity4 ,it seems strange that the governments of the different provinces1 at least of the more populous ones1 such as ,minas ,geres and ,rio1 should not organize a system of good highways for the greater facility of commerce4 ,the present mode of transportation on mule back is slow and cumbrous in the highest degree2 it would seem as if1 where the produce of the interior is so valuable1 good roads would pay for themselves very soon4 ,illustration3 ,fazenda de ,santa ,anna in ,minas ,geras4 ,at about eleven o'clock we arrived at the 8,fazenda10 the long1 low1 white buildings of which enclosed an oblong1 open space divided into large squares1 where the coffee was drying4 ,only a part of this extensive building is occupied as the living rooms of the family2 the rest is devoted to all sorts of objects connected with the care of the coffee1 provision for the negroes1 and the like4 ,when we reached the plantation the guests had not all arrived4 ,the special occasion of this excursion to the fazenda was the festival of ,san ,joo1 kept always with great ceremonies in the country2 the whole week was to be devoted to hunting1 and ,senhor ,lage had invited all the best sportsmen in the neighborhood to join in the chase4 ,it will be seen in the end that these hunters formed themselves into a most valuable corps of collectors for ,mr4 ,agassiz4 ,after an excellent breakfast we started on horseback for the forest with such of the company as had already assembled4 ,the ride through the dense1 deep1 quiet wood was beautiful2 and the dead pause when some one thought the game was near1 the hushed voices1 the breathless waiting for the shot which announced success or failure1 only added a charm to the scene4 ,they have a strange way of hunting here2 as the forest is perfectly impenetrable1 they scatter food in a cleared space for the animals1 and build green screens1 leaving holes to look through2 behind such a screen the hunter waits and watches for hours perhaps1 till the paca1 or peccary1 or capivara steals out to feed4 ,the ladies dismounted and found a cool seat in one of these forest lodges1 where they waited for the hunt4 ,no great success1 after all1 this afternoon1 but some birds which were valuable as specimens4 ,we rode home in the evening to a late dinner1 after which an enormous bonfire1 built by the negroes in honor of the ,eve of ,st4 ,joo1 was lighted in front of the house4 ,the scene was exceedingly picturesque1 the whole establishment1 the neighboring negro huts1 and the distant forest being illuminated by the blaze1 around which the blacks were dancing1 accompanying their wild gestures with song and drum4 ,every now and then a burst of fireworks added new brightness to the picture4 ,the next day1 the #bdth1 began with a long ride on horseback before breakfast1 after which ,i accompanied ,mr4 ,agassiz on a sort of exploration among the ,cupim nests 7the nests of the ,termites74 ,these are mounds sometimes three or four or even six feet high1 and from two to three or four feet in diameter1 of an extraordinary solidity1 almost as hard as rock4 ,senhor ,lage sent with us several negroes carrying axes to split them open1 which1 with all their strength1 proved no easy task4 ,these nests appear usually to have been built around some old trunk or root as a foundation2 the interior1 with its endless serpentine passages1 looked not unlike the convolutions of a meandrina or brain coral2 the walls of the passages seemed to be built of earth that had been chewed or kneaded in some way1 giving them somewhat the consistency of paper4 ,the interior was quite soft and brittle1 so that as soon as the negroes could break through the outer envelope1 about six inches in thickness1 the whole structure readily fell to pieces4 ,it had no opening outside1 but we found1 on uprooting one of these edifices from the bottom1 that the whole base was perforated with holes leading into the ground beneath4 ,the interior of all of them swarmed with the different kinds of inhabitants2 the little white ones1 the larger black ones with brown heads and powerful forceps1 and in each were found one or two very large swollen white ones1 quite different in dimensions and appearance from the rest1 probably the queens4 ,with the assistance of the negroes1 ,mr4 ,agassiz made1 for future examination1 a large collection of all the different kinds of individuals thus living together in various numeric proportions1 and he would gladly have carried away one of the nests1 but they are too cumbersome for transportation4 ,the ,cupim nests are very different from the dwellings of the ,sauba ants1 which have large external openings4 ,the latter make houses by excavating1 and sometimes undermine a hill so extensively1 with their long galleries1 that when a fire is lighted at one of the entrances to exterminate them1 the smoke issues at numerous openings1 distant perhaps a quarter of a mile from each other1 showing in how many directions they have tunnelled out the hill1 and that their winding passages communicate with each other throughout4 ,so many travellers have given accounts of these ant-houses1 and of the activity of their inhabitants in stripping and carrying off the leaves of trees to deposit them in their habitations1 that it hardly seems worth while to repeat the story4 ,yet no one can see without astonishment one of these ant-armies travelling along the road they have worn so neatly for themselves1 those who are coming from the trees looking like a green procession1 almost hidden by the fragments of leaves they carry on their backs1 while the returning troops1 who have already deposited their burden1 are hurrying back for more4 ,there seems to be another set of individuals running to and fro1 whose office is not quite so clear1 unless it be to marshal the whole swarm and act as a kind of police4 ,this view is confirmed by an anecdote related by an ,american resident here1 who told us that he once saw an ant1 returning without his load to the house1 stopped by one of these anomalous individuals1 severely chastised and sent back to the tree apparently to do his appointed task4 ,the ,sauba ants are very injurious to the coffee shrubs1 and difficult to exterminate4#ch ,in the afternoon1 the hunters of the neighborhood began to come in and the party was considerably enlarged4 ,this fazenda life1 at least on an informal jovial occasion like this1 has a fascinating touch of the ,middle ,ages in it4 ,i am always reminded of this when we assemble for dinner in the large dimly lighted hall1 where a long table1 laden with game and with large haunches of meat1 stands ready for the miscellaneous company1 daily growing in numbers4 ,at the upper end sit the family with their immediate guests2 below1 with his family1 is the 8,administrador10 whose office ,i suppose corresponds to that of overseer on a ,southern plantation4 ,in this instance he is a large picturesque-looking man1 generally equipped in a kind of gray blouse strapped around the waist by a broad black belt1 in which are powder-flask and knife1 with a bugle slung over his shoulder1 a slouched hat1 and high top-boots4 ,during dinner a number of chance cavaliers drop in1 entirely without ceremony1 in hunter's costume1 as they return from the chase4 ,then at night1 or rather early in the morning1 7for the ,brazilian habit is 8early to bed and early to rise10 in order to avoid the heat17 what jollity and song1 sounding the bugles long before the dawn1 twanging the guitar and whistling on the peculiar instrument used here to call the game4 ,altogether it is the most novel and interesting collection of social elements1 mingling after a kind of picnic fashion without the least formality1 and we feel every day how much we owe to our kind hosts for admitting us to an occasion where one sees so much of what is national and characteristic4 ,the next day we went to breakfast at a smaller fazenda belonging also to ,senhor ,lage1 higher up on the ,serra da ,babylonia4 ,again1 starting before sunrise1 we went slowly up the mountain1 the summit of which is over #c1jjj feet above the sea level4 ,we were preceded by the 8liteira10 a queer kind of car slung between two mules1 in which rode the grandmamma and the baby2 as carriages are impossible on these mountain roads1 some such conveyance is necessary for those who are too old or too young for horseback travelling4 ,the view was lovely1 the morning cool and beautiful1 and after a two hours' ride we arrived at the upper fazenda4 ,here we left our horses and went on foot into the forest1 where the ladies and children wandered about1 gathering flowers and exploring the wood walks1 while the gentlemen occupied themselves with fishing and hunting till midday1 when we returned to the house to breakfast4 ,the result of the chase was a monkey1 two caitit 7wild pigs71 and a great variety of birds1 all of which went to swell the scientific collections4#ci ,we returned to dine at the lower fazenda1 and all retired soon after1 for the next day the great hunt of the week would take place1 and we were to be early astir4 ,at dawn the horses were at the door1 and we were mounting the ,serra before sunrise4 ,we were bound to a fazenda on the ,serra da ,babylonia1 some two leagues from the one at which we were staying1 and on higher ground1 too high indeed for the culture of coffee1 and devoted to pasture land4 ,it is here that ,senhor ,lage has his horses and cattle4 ,the ride along the zigzag road winding up the ,serra was delightful in the early morning4 ,the clouds were flushed with the dawn2 the distant hills and the forest1 spreading endlessly beneath us1 glowed in the sunrise4 ,the latter part of the road lay mostly through the woods1 and brought us out1 after some two hours' ride1 on the brow of a hill overlooking a small lake1 sunk in a cuplike depression of the mountain1 just beyond which was the fazenda4 ,the scenic effect was very pretty1 for the border of the lake was ornamented with flags1 and on its waters floated a little miniature steamer with the ,american flag at one end and the ,brazilian at the other4 ,our host invited us to ride in at the gate of the fazenda1 in advance of the rest of our cavalcade1 a request which we understood when1 as we passed the entrance1 the little steamer put into shore1 and1 firing a salute in our honor1 showed its name1 ,,agassiz1 in full4 ,it was a pleasant surprise very successfully managed4 ,after the little excitement of this incident was over1 we went to the house to tie up our riding-habits and prepare for the woods4 ,we then embarked in the newly-christened boat and crossed the lake to a forest on the other side4 ,here were rustic tables and seats arranged under a tent where we were to breakfast2 but while the meal was making ready and a fire building for the boiling of coffee1 the stewing of chicken1 rice1 and other creature comforts1 we wandered at will in the wood4 ,this was the most beautiful1 because the wildest and most primitive1 specimen of tropical forest we have yet seen4 ,i think no description prepares one for the difference between this forest and our own1 even though the latter be the 8forest primeval40 ,it is not merely the difference of the vegetation1 but the impenetrability of the mass here that makes the density1 darkness1 and solemnity of the woods so impressive4 ,it seems as if the mode of growth--many of the trees shooting up to an immense height1 but branching only toward the top--were meant to give room to the legion of parasites1 sipos1 lianas1 and climbing plants of all kinds which fill the intervening spaces4 ,there is one fact which makes the study of the tropical forest as interesting to the geologist as to the botanist1 namely1 its relation to the vegetable world of past ages hidden in the rocks4 ,the tree-ferns1 the ,chamrops1 the ,pandanus1 the ,araucarias1 are all modern representatives of past types1 and this walk in the forest was an important one to ,mr4 ,agassiz1 because he made out one of those laws of growth which unite the past and the present4 ,the ,chamrops is a palm belonging to the ancient vegetable world1 but having its representatives in our days4 ,the modern ,chamrops1 with its fan-like leaves spreading on one level1 stands structurally lower than the ,palms with pinnate leaves1 which belong almost exclusively to our geological age1 and have numerous leaflets arranged along either side of a central axis4 ,the young ,palms were exceedingly numerous1 springing up at every step upon our path1 some of them not more than two inches high1 while their elders towered fifty feet above them4 ,mr4 ,agassiz gathered and examined great numbers of them1 and found that the young ,palms1 to whatever genus they may belong1 invariably resemble the ,chamrops1 having their leaves extending fan-like on one plane1 instead of being scattered along a central axis1 as in the adult tree4 ,the infant ,palm is in fact the mature ,chamrops in miniature1 showing that among plants as among animals1 at least in some instances1 there is a correspondence between the youngest stages of growth in the higher species of a given type and the earliest introduction of that type on earth4#dj ,at the close of our ramble1 from which the ,professor returned looking not unlike an ambulatory representative of tropical vegetation1 being loaded down with palm-branches1 tree-ferns1 and the like1 we found breakfast awaiting us4 ,some of our party were missing1 however1 the hunters having already taken their stations at some distance near the water4 ,the game was an ,anta 7,tapir71 a curious animal1 abounding in the woods of this region4 ,it has a special interest for the naturalist1 because it resembles certain ancient mammalia now found only among the fossils1 just as the tree-fern1 ,chamrops1 c4 resemble past vegetable types4 ,although ,mr4 ,agassiz had seen it in confinement1 he had a great desire to observe it in action under its natural condition1 and in the midst of a tropical forest as characteristic of old geological times as the creature itself4 ,it was1 in fact1 to gratify this desire that ,mr4 ,lage had planned the hunt4 8,l'homme propose et ,dieu dispose10 however1 and1 as the sequel will show1 we were not destined to see an ,anta this day4 ,the forest being1 as ,i have said1 impenetrable to the hunter1 except where paths have been cut1 the game is roused by sending the dogs into the wood1 the sportsmen stationing themselves at certain distances on the outskirts4 ,the ,anta has his haunts near lakes or rivers1 and when wearied and heated with the chase he generally makes for the water1 and1 springing in1 is shot as he swims across4 ,as we were lingering over the breakfast-table we heard the shout of ,anta6 ,anta6 ,in an instant every man sprang to his gun and ran down to the water-side1 while we all stood waiting1 listening to the cries of the dogs1 now frantic with excitement1 and expecting every moment the rush of the hunted animal and his spring into the lake4 ,but it was a false alarm2 the cries of the dogs died away in the distance3 the day was colder than usual1 the ,anta turned back from the water1 and1 leading his pursuers a weary chase1 was lost in the forest4 ,after a time the dogs returned1 looking tired and dispirited4 ,but though we missed the ,tapir1 we saw enough of the sport to understand what makes the charm to the hunter of watching for hours in the woods1 and perhaps returning1 after all1 empty-handed4 ,if he does not get the game1 he has the emotion2 every now and then he thinks the creature is at hand1 and he has a momentary agitation1 heightened by the cries of the dogs and the answering cry of the sportsmen1 who strive to arouse them to the utmost by their own shouts1 and then if the animal turns back into the thicket all sound dies away1 and to a very pandemonium of voices succeed the silence and solitude of the forest4 ,all these things have their fascination1 and explain to the uninitiated1 to whom it seems at first incomprehensible1 why these men will wait motionless for hours1 and think themselves repaid 7as ,i heard one of them declare7 if they only hear the cry of the dogs and know they have roused the game1 even if there be no other result4 ,however1 in this instance1 we had plenty of other booty4 ,the ,anta lost1 the hunters1 who had carefully avoided firing hitherto1 lest the sounds of their guns should give him warning1 now turned their attention to lesser game1 and we rode home in the afternoon rich in spoils1 though without a ,tapir4 ,the next day was that of our departure4 ,before leaving1 we rode with ,mr4 ,lage through his plantation1 that we might understand something of the process of coffee culture in this country4 ,i am not sure that1 in giving an account of this model fazenda1 we give a just idea of fazendas in general4 ,its owner carries the same large and comprehensive spirit1 the same energy and force of will1 into all his undertakings1 and has introduced extensive reforms on his plantations4 ,the ,fazenda da ,fortaleza de ,santa ,anna lies at the foot of the ,serra da ,babylonia4 ,the house itself1 as ,i have already said1 makes a part of a succession of low white buildings1 enclosing an oblong square divided into neat lots1 destined for the drying of coffee4 ,this drying of the coffee in the immediate vicinity of the house1 though it seems a very general custom1 must be an uncomfortable one2 for the drying-lots are laid down in a dazzling white cement1 from the glare of which1 in this hot climate1 the eye turns wearily away1 longing for a green spot on which to rest4 ,just behind the house on the slope of the hill is the orangery4 ,i am never tired of these golden orchards1 and this was one of especial beauty4 ,the small1 deep-colored tangerines1 sometimes twenty or thirty in one cluster1 the large1 choice orange1 8,laranja selecta10 as it is called1 often ten or twelve together in a single bunch1 and bearing the branches to the ground with their weight2 the paler 8,lima dce10 or sweet lemon1 rather insipid1 but greatly esteemed here for its cool1 refreshing properties1--all these1 with many others1--for the variety of oranges is far greater than we of the temperate zone conceive it to be1--make a mass of color in which gold1 deep orange1 and pale yellow are blended wonderfully with the background of green4 ,beyond the house enclosure1 on the opposite side of the road1 are the gardens1 with aviary1 and fish-ponds in the centre4 ,with these exceptions1 all of the property which is not forest is devoted to coffee1 covering all the hillsides for miles around4 ,the seed is planted in nurseries especially prepared1 where it undergoes its first year's growth4 ,it is then transplanted to its permanent home1 and begins to bear in about three years1 the first crop being of course a very light one4 ,from that time forward1 under good care and with favorable soil1 it will continue to bear and even to yield two crops or more annually1 for thirty years in succession4 ,at that time the shrubs and the soil are alike exhausted1 and1 according to the custom of the country1 the fazendeiro cuts down a new forest and begins a new plantation1 completely abandoning his old one1 without a thought of redeeming or fertilizing the exhausted land4 ,one of the long-sighted reforms undertaken by our host is the manuring of all the old1 deserted plantations on his estate2 he has already a number of vigorous young plantations1 which promise to be as good as if a virgin forest had been sacrificed to produce them4 ,he wishes not only to preserve the wood on his own estate1 and to show that agriculture need not be cultivated at the expense of taste and beauty1 but to remind his country people also1 that1 extensive as are the forests1 they will not last forever1 and that it will be necessary to emigrate before long to find new coffee grounds1 if the old ones are to be considered worthless4 ,another of his reforms is that of the roads1 already alluded to4 ,the ordinary roads in the coffee plantations1 like the mule-tracks all over the country1 are carried straight up the sides of the hills between the lines of shrubs1 gullied by every rain1 and offering1 besides1 so steep an ascent that even with eight or ten oxen it is often impossible to drive the clumsy1 old-fashioned carts up the slope1 and the negroes are obliged to bring a great part of the harvest down on their heads4 ,an ,american1 who has been a great deal on the coffee fazendas in this region1 told me that he had seen negroes bringing enormous burdens of this kind on their heads down almost vertical slopes4 ,on ,senhor ,lage's estate all these old roads are abandoned1 except where they are planted here and there with alleys of orange-trees for the use of the negroes1 and he has substituted for them winding roads in the side of the hill with a very gradual ascent1 so that light carts dragged by a single mule can transport all the harvest from the summit of the plantation to the drying-ground4 ,it was the harvesting season1 and the spectacle was a pretty one4 ,the negroes1 men and women1 were scattered about the plantations with broad1 shallow trays1 made of plaited grass or bamboo1 strapped over their shoulders and supported at their waists2 into these they were gathering the coffee1 some of the berries being brilliantly red1 some already beginning to dry and turn brown1 while here and there was a green one not yet quite ripe1 but soon to ripen in the scorching sun4 ,little black children were sitting on the ground and gathering what fell under the bushes1 singing at their work a monotonous but rather pretty snatch of song in which some took the first and others the second1 making a not inharmonious music4 ,as their baskets were filled they came to the ,administrador to receive a little metal ticket on which the amount of their work was marked4 ,a task is allotted to each one1--so much to a full-grown man1 so much to a woman with young children1 so much to a child1--and each one is paid for whatever he may do over and above it4 ,the requisition is a very moderate one1 so that the industrious have an opportunity of making a little money independently4 ,at night they all present their tickets and are paid on the spot for any extra work4 ,from the harvesting-ground we followed the carts down to the place where their burden is deposited4 ,on their return from the plantation the negroes divide the day's harvest1 and dispose it in little mounds on the drying-ground4 ,when pretty equally dried1 the coffee is spread out in thin even layers over the whole enclosure1 where it is baked for the last time4 ,it is then hulled by a very simple machine in use on almost all the fazendas1 and the process is complete4 ,at noon we bade good by to our kind hosts1 and started for ,juiz de ,fora4 ,our stage was not a bad imitation of ,noah's ark1 for we carried with us the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fishes from the waters1#da to say nothing of the trees from the forest4 ,the party with whom we had passed such pleasant days collected to bid us farewell1 and followed us1 as we passed out from the gate1 with vivas and waving hats and handkerchiefs4 ,the following day we were fortunate in having cool weather with a somewhat cloudy sky1 so that our ride of ten hours from ,juiz de ,fora to ,petropolis1 on the top of the stage1 was delightful4 ,the next morning in driving down the ,serra to ,mau we witnessed a singular phenomenon1 common enough1 ,i suppose1 to those who live in high regions4 ,as we turned the corner of the road which first brings us in sight of the magnificent view below the ,serra1 there was a general exclamation of surprise and admiration4 ,the valley and harbor1 quite out to the sea1 were changed to a field of snow1 white1 soft1 and fleecy1 as if fallen that night4 ,the illusion was perfect1 and though recognized at once as simply an effect of the heavy morning fog1 we could hardly believe that it would disperse at our approach and not prove to be the thing it seemed4 ,here and there the summit of a hill pierced through it like an island1 making the deception more complete4 ,the incident was especially interesting to us as connecting itself with our late discussions as to the possible former existence of glaciers in this region4 ,in his lecture a few nights before1 describing the greater extension of the ice in former geological ages1 when the whole plain of ,switzerland between the ,alps and ,jura must have been filled with glaciers1 ,mr4 ,agassiz had said 8there is a phenomenon not uncommon in the autumn in ,switzerland which may help us to reconstruct this wonderful picture4 ,sometimes in a ,september morning the whole plain of ,switzerland is filled with vapor which1 when its pure white1 undulating surface is seen from the higher summits of the ,jura1 looks like a snowy #8mer de glace1' appearing to descend from the peaks of the ,alps and extending toward the ,jura1 while from all the tributary valleys similar masses pour down to meet it40 ,it was as if the valley and harbor of ,rio had meant to offer us a similar picture of past times1 with the image of which our minds had been filled for the last few days in consequence of the glacial phenomena constantly presented to us on our journey4 ,july #fth4--,to-morrow was to have been the day of our departure for the ,amazons1 but private interests must yield to public good1 and it seems that the steamer which was to have left for ,par to-morrow has been taken by the government to transport troops to the seat of war4 ,the aspect of the war grows daily more serious1 and the ,emperor goes himself the day after to-morrow to ,rio ,grande do ,sul1 accompanied by his son-in-law1 the ,duke of ,saxe1 soon to be followed by the ,conte d',eu1 who is expected by the ,french steamer of the #ahth of this month4 ,under these circumstances1 not only are we prevented from going at the appointed date1 but it seems not improbable that the exigencies of war may cause a still further delay1 should other steamers be needed4 ,a very pleasant public dinner1 intended to be on the eve of his departure1 was given to ,mr4 ,agassiz yesterday by ,messrs4 ,fleiuss and ,linde4 ,germans1 ,swiss1 ,french1 ,americans1 and ,brazilians made up the company1 a mingling of nationalities which resulted in a very general harmony4 ,july #ith4--,for some time ,mr4 ,agassiz has been trying to get living specimens of the insect so injurious to the coffee-tree2 the larva of a little moth akin to those which destroy the vineyards in ,europe4 ,yesterday he succeeded in obtaining some1 and among them one just spinning his cocoon on the leaf4 ,we watched him for a long time with the lens as he wove his filmy tent4 ,he had arched the threads upwards in the centre1 so as to leave a little hollow space into which he could withdraw2 this tiny vault seemed to be completed at the moment we saw him1 and he was drawing threads forward and fastening them at a short distance beyond1 thus lashing his house to the leaf as it were4 ,the exquisite accuracy of the work was amazing4 ,he was spinning the thread with his mouth1 and with every new stitch he turned his body backward1 attached his thread to the same spot1 then drew it forward and fastened it exactly on a line with the last1 with a precision and rapidity that machinery could hardly imitate4 ,it is a curious question how far this perfection of workmanship in many of the lower animals is simply identical with their organization1 and therefore to be considered a function1 as inevitable in its action as digestion or respiration1 rather than an instinct4 ,in this case the body of the little animal was his measure3 it was amazing to see him lay down his threads with such accuracy1 till one remembered that he could not make them longer or shorter2 for1 starting from the centre of his house1 and stretching his body its full length1 they must always reach the same point4 ,the same is true of the so-called mathematics of the bee4 ,the bees stand as close as they can together in their hive for economy of space1 and each one deposits his wax around him1 his own form and size being the mould for the cells1 the regularity of which when completed excites so much wonder and admiration4 ,the mathematical secret of the bee is to be found in his structure1 not in his instinct4 ,but in the industrial work of some of the lower animals1 the ant for instance1 there is a power of adaptation which is not susceptible of the same explanation4 ,their social organization1 too intelligent1 it seems1 to be the work of any reasoning powers of their own1 yet does not appear to be directly connected with their structure4 ,while we were watching our little insect1 a breath stirred the leaf and he instantly contracted himself and drew back under his roof2 but presently came out again and returned to his work4 ,july #adth4--,i have passed two or three days of this week very pleasantly with a party of friends who invited me to join them on a visit to one of the largest fazendas in this neighborhood1 belonging to the ,commendador ,breves4 ,a journey of some four hours on the ,dom ,pedro ,railroad brought us to the 8,barra do ,pirahy10 and thence we proceeded on mule-back1 riding slowly along the banks of the ,parahyba through very pleasant1 quiet scenery1 though much less picturesque than that in the immediate vicinity of ,rio4 ,at about sunset we reached the fazenda1 standing on a terrace just above the river1 and commanding a lovely view of water and woodland4 ,we were received with a hospitality hardly to be equalled1 ,i think1 out of ,brazil1 for it asks neither who you are nor whence you come1 but opens its doors to every wayfarer4 ,on this occasion we were expected2 but it is nevertheless true that at such a fazenda1 where the dining-room accommodates a hundred persons if necessary1 all travellers passing through the country are free to stop for rest and refreshment4 ,at the time of our visit there were several such transient guests2 among others a couple quite unknown to our hosts1 who had stopped for the night1 but had been taken ill and detained there several days4 ,they seemed entirely at home4 ,on this estate there are about two thousand slaves1 thirty of whom are house-servants2 it includes within its own borders all that would be required by such a population in the way of supplies3 it has its drug-shop and its hospital2 its kitchens for the service of the guests and for that of the numerous indoor servants1 its church1 its priest1 and its doctor4 ,here the church was made by throwing open a small oratory1 very handsomely fitted up with gold and silver service1 purple altar-cloth1 c41 at the end of a very long room1 which1 though used for other purposes1 serves on such an occasion to collect the large household together4 ,the next morning our hostess showed us the different working-rooms4 ,one of the most interesting was that where the children were taught to sew4 ,i have wondered1 on our ,southern plantations1 that more pains was not taken to make clever seamstresses of the women4 ,here plain sewing is taught to all the little girls1 and many of them are quite expert in embroidery and lace-making4 ,beyond this room was a storeroom for clothing1 looking not unlike one of our sanitary rooms1 with heaps of woollen and cotton stuffs which the black women were cutting out and making up for the field hands4 ,the kitchens1 with the working and lodging rooms of the house negroes1 enclosed a court planted with trees and shrubs1 around which extended covered brick walks where blacks1 young and old1 seemed to swarm1 from the withered woman who boasted herself a hundred1 but was still proud to display her fine lace-work1 and ran like a girl1 to show us how sprightly she was1 to the naked baby creeping at her feet4 ,the old woman had received her liberty some time ago1 but seemed to be very much attached to the family and never to have thought of leaving them4 ,these are the things which make one hopeful about slavery in ,brazil2 emancipation is considered there a subject to be discussed1 legislated upon1 adopted ultimately1 and it seems no uncommon act to present a slave with his liberty4 ,in the evening1 while taking coffee on the terrace after dinner1 we had very good music from a brass-band composed of slaves belonging to the estate4 ,the love of the negroes for music is always remarkable1 and here they take pains to cultivate it4 ,senhor ,breves keeps a teacher for them1 and they are really very well trained4 ,at a later hour we had the band in the house and a dance by the black children which was comical in the extreme4 ,like little imps of darkness they looked1 dancing with a rapidity of movement and gleeful enjoyment with which one could not but sympathize4 ,while the music was going on1 every door and window was filled with a cloud of dusky faces1 now and then a fair one among them2 for here1 as elsewhere1 slavery brings its inevitable and heaviest curse1 and white slaves are by no means uncommon4 ,the next morning we left the fazenda1 not on mule-back1 however1 but in one of the flat-bottomed coffee-boats1 an agreeable exchange for the long1 hot ride4 ,we were accompanied to the landing by our kind hosts1 and followed by quite a train of blacks1 some of them bringing the baggage1 others coming only for the amusement of seeing us off4 ,among them was the old black woman who gave us the heartiest cheers of all1 as we put off from the shore4 ,the sail down the river was very pleasant2 the coffee-bags served as cushions1 and1 with all our umbrellas raised to make an awning1 we contrived to shelter ourselves from the sun4 ,neither was the journey without excitement1 the river being so broken by rocks in many places that there are strong rapids1 requiring a skilful navigation4 ,july #aeth4--,a long botanizing excursion to-day among the ,tijuca hills with ,mr4 ,glaziou1 director of the ,passeio ,publico1 as guide4 ,it has been a piece of the good fortune attending ,mr4 ,agassiz thus far on this expedition to find in ,mr4 ,glaziou a botanist whose practical familiarity with tropical plants is as thorough as his theoretical knowledge4 ,he has undertaken to enrich our scientific stores with a large collection of such palms and other trees as illustrate the relation between the present tropical vegetation and the ancient geological forests4 ,such a collection will be invaluable as a basis for palontological studies at the ,museum of ,comparative ,zology in ,cambridge4 ,july #bc;d4--,at last our plans for the ,amazons seem definitely settled4 ,we sail the day after to-morrow by the ,cruzeiro do ,sul4 ,the conduct of the government toward the expedition is very generous2 free passages are granted to the whole party1 and yesterday ,mr4 ,agassiz received an official document enjoining all persons connected with the administration to give him every facility for his scientific objects4 ,we have another piece of good fortune in the addition to our party of ,major ,coutinho1 a member of the government corps of engineers1 who has been engaged for several years in explorations on the ,amazonian rivers4 ,happily for us1 he returned to ,rio a few weeks ago1 and a chance meeting at the palace1 where he had gone to report the results of the journey just completed1 and ,mr4 ,agassiz to discuss the plans for that about to begin1 brought them together4 ,this young officer's investigations had made his name familiar to ,mr4 ,agassiz1 and when the ,emperor asked the latter how he could best assist him1 he answered that there was nothing he so much desired or which would so materially aid him as the companionship of ,major ,coutinho4 ,the ,emperor cordially consented1 ,major ,coutinho signified his readiness1 and the matter was concluded4 ,since then there have been frequent conferences between ,mr4 ,agassiz and his new colleague1 intent study of maps and endless talk about the most desirable mode of laying out and dividing the work4 ,he feels that ,major ,coutinho's familiarity with the scenes to which we are going will lighten his task of half its difficulties1 while his1 scientific zeal will make him a most sympathetic companion4#db ,we found to-day some large leaves of the ,terminalia ,catappa of the most brilliant colors2 red and gold as bright as any of our autumnal leaves4 ,this would seem to confirm the opinion that the turning of the foliage with us is not an effect of frost1 but simply the ripening of the leaf2 since here1 where there is no frost1 the same phenomenon takes place as in our northern latitudes4 ,july #bdth4--,our last preparations for the journey are completed2 the collections made since our arrival1 amounting to upwards of fifty barrels and cases1 are packed1 in readiness for the first opportunity which occurs for the ,united ,states1 and to-morrow morning we shall be on our way to the great river4 ,we went this morning to the ,collegio ,dom ,pedro ,segundo to bid farewell to our excellent friend ,dr4 ,pacheco1 to whose kindness we owe much of our enjoyment during our stay here4 ,the ,college building was once a 8seminario10 a charitable institution where boys were taken to be educated as priests4 ,the rules of the establishment were strict2 no servants were kept1 the pupils were obliged to do their own work1 cooking1 c41 and even to go out into the streets to beg after the fashion of the mendicant orders4 ,one condition only was attached to the entrance of the children1 namely1 that they should be of pure race2 no mulattoes or negroes were admitted4 ,i do not know on what ground this institution was broken up by the government and the building taken as a school-house4 ,it has still a slightly monastic aspect1 though it has been greatly modified2 but the cloisters running around closed courts remind one of its origin4 ,the recitations were going on at the moment of our visit1 and as we had seen nothing as yet of the schools1 ,dr4 ,pacheco took us through the establishment4 ,a college here does not signify a university as with us1 but rather a high school1 the age of the pupils being from twelve to eighteen4 ,it is difficult to judge of methods of education in a foreign language with which one is not very familiar4 ,but the scholars appeared bright and interested1 their answers came promptly1 their discipline was evidently good4 ,one thing was very striking to a stranger in seeing so many young people collected together2 namely1 the absence of pure type and the feeble physique4 ,i do not know whether it is in consequence of the climate1 but a healthy1 vigorous child is a rare sight in ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,the scholars were of all colors1 from black through intermediate shades to white1 and even one of the teachers having the direction of a higher class in ,latin was a negro4 ,it is an evidence of the absence of any prejudice against the blacks1 that1 on the occasion of a recent vacancy among the ,latin professors1 this man1 having passed the best examination1 was unanimously chosen in preference to several ,brazilians1 of ,european descent1 who presented themselves as candidates at the same time4 ,after hearing several of the classes we went over the rest of the building4 ,the order and exquisite neatness of the whole establishment1 not forgetting the kitchen1 where the shining brasses and bright tins might awaken the envy of many a housekeeper1 bear testimony to the excellence of the general direction4 ,since the institution passed into ,dr4 ,pacheco's hands he has done a great deal to raise its character4 ,he has improved the library1 purchased instruments for the laboratory1 and made many judicious changes in the general arrangement4 ----- ,footnote #cb3 ,mr4 ,agassiz was prevented from making this excursion4 ,footnote #cc3 ,though a resident of the ,united ,states for nearly twenty years1 ,mr4 ,agassiz was only naturalized in #ahfc4 ,at the moment when a general distrust of our institutions prevailed in ,europe1 it was a satisfaction to him to testify by some personal and public act his confidence in them4 ,footnote #cd3 ,a short account of these explorations may be found at the end of the volume4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ce3 ,i am particularly indebted to ,senator ,th4 ,ottoni1 ,baron de ,prados1 ,senator ,pompeo1 ,senator ,paranagua1 ,senhor ,paula ,souza1 and ,senhor ,j4 ,b4 da ,fonseca1 for information1 maps1 and other documents relative to the regions intended to be explored by my young friends and myself4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #cf3 ,since it was reported in the newspapers that the proceeds of these lectures were devoted to the expedition1 it may be well to mention here that they were free1 given simply at the request of the ,emperor1 and open to all without charge4 ,footnote #cg3 ,mr4 ,agassiz was indebted to ,senhor ,machado for a valuable series of photographs and stereoscopic views of this region1 begun on this excursion and completed during our absence in the ,north of ,brazil4 ,footnote #ch3 ,the most complete account of these curious animals is to be found in ,bates's 8,naturalist on the ,amazons40 ,footnote #ci3 ,i was especially interested in examining the vegetable productions of a little lake1 hardly larger than a mill-pond1 near this fazenda4 ,it was strange to see ,potamogeton and ,myriophyllum1 plants which we associate exclusively with the fresh waters of the temperate zone1 growing in the shadow of tropical forests where monkeys have their home4 ,such combinations are very puzzling to the student of the laws of geographical distribution4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #dj3 ,in the same way1 it may be said that in its incipient growth the ,dicotyledonous ,plant exhibits1 in the structure of its germinative leaves1 the characteristic features of ,monocotyledonous ,plants4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #da3 ,senhor ,lage had caused an extensive collection of fishes to be gathered from the waters of the ,rio ,novo1 so that this excursion greatly extended the range of my survey of the basin of the ,parahyba4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #db3 ,never were pleasant anticipations more delightfully fulfilled4 ,during eleven months of the most intimate companionship ,i had daily cause to be grateful for the chance which had thrown us together4 ,i found in ,major ,coutinho an able collaborator1 untiring in his activity and devotion to scientific aims1 an admirable guide1 and a friend whose regard ,i trust ,i shall ever retain4--,l4 ,a4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,voyage ,,up ,,the ,,coast ,,to ,,par4 ,,on ,,board ,,the 8,,cruzeiro ,,do ,,sul40--,,members ,,of ,,the ,,party4--,,arrival ,,at ,,bahia4--,,day ,,in ,,the ,,country4--,,return ,,to ,,the ,,steamer4--,,conversation ,,about ,,slavery ,,in ,,brazil4--,,negro ,,marriages4--,,maceio4--,,pernambuco4-- ,,parahyba ,,do ,,norte4--,,ramble ,,on ,,shore4--,,cear4--,,difficult ,,landing4--,,brazilian ,,baths4--,,maranham4--,,assai ,,palm4--,,visit ,,to ,,orphan ,,asylum4--,,detained ,,in ,,port4--,,variety ,,of ,,medus4--,,arrival ,,of ,,american ,,gunboat4--,,more ,,medus4--,,dinner ,,on ,,shore4--,,cordiality ,,toward ,,the ,,expedition4--,,arrival ,,at ,,par4--,,kind ,,reception4--,,environs ,,of ,,par4--,,luxuriant ,,growth4--,,markets4--,,indian ,,boats4--,,agreeable ,,climate4--,,excursion ,,in ,,the ,,harbor4--,,curious ,,mushroom4--,,success ,,in ,,collecting1 ,,with ,,the ,,assistance ,,of ,,our ,,host ,,and ,,other ,,friends4--,,fishes ,,of ,,the ,,forests4--,,public ,,expressions ,,of ,,sympathy ,,for ,,the ,,expedition4--,,generosity ,,of ,,the ,,amazonian ,,steamship ,,company4--,,geological ,,character ,,of ,,the ,,shore ,,from ,,rio ,,to ,,par4--,,erratic ,,drift4--,,letter ,,to ,,the ,,emperor4 ,july #beth4--,on board the 8,cruzeiro do ,sul40 ,we sailed to-day at #aa o'clock1 bidding good by with regret1 though not without hope of return1 to the beautiful bay and mountains on which we have been looking for three months4 ,our party consists of ,major ,coutinho1 ,mr4 ,burkhardt1 ,monsieur ,bourget1 who accompanies ,mr4 ,agassiz to the ,amazons as collector and preparator1 our two young friends ,mr4 ,hunnewell and ,mr4 ,james1 and ourselves4 ,at ,bahia we shall be joined by ,mr4 ,dexter and ,mr4 ,thayer1 two of our party who have preceded us up the coast1 and have been collecting in the neighborhood of ,bahia for two or three weeks4 ,the aspect of the steamer is not very inviting1 for it has been used of late for the transportation of troops to the south1 in consequence of which it is very dirty2 it is also overcrowded on account of the number of persons bound northward1 who have been detained in ,rio by the interruption of the regular trips on this line4 ,we are promised better accommodations after a few days1 however1 as many of the passengers will drop off at ,bahia and ,pernambuco4 ,july #bhth4--,bahia4 ,half the enjoyment of life borrows intensity from contrast1 and to this principle we certainly owe a part of our pleasure to-day4 ,after three half sea-sick days on a dirty1 crowded steamer1 the change is delightful to a breezy country house1 where we are received with that most gracious hospitality which relieves both host and guests of the sense of entertaining or being entertained4 ,here ,i have been sitting under the deep shade of a huge mango-tree1 with a number of the 8,revue des ,deux ,mondes0 on my knee1 either reading or listening lazily to the rustle of the leaves or the cooing of the pigeons as they patter up and down on the tiled floor of the porch near by1 or watching the negroes as they come and go with trays of vegetables or baskets of fruit and flowers on their heads1 for the service of the house4 ,in the mean time1 ,mr4 ,agassiz is engaged in examining the collections made by ,mr4 ,dexter and ,mr4 ,thayer during their visit here4 ,they have been aided most cordially by our friend ,mr4 ,antonio de ,lacerda1 at whose hospitable house we are staying1 and where we found our travelling companions quite domesticated4 ,he received them on their arrival1 and has given them every facility during their stay here for the objects they had in view1 his own love of natural history1 to which he devotes every spare hour from his active business life1 rendering him an efficient ally4 ,he has a large and very valuable collection of insects1 admirably arranged and in excellent preservation4 ,they are also greatly indebted to ,mr4 ,nicolai1 the resident ,english clergyman here1 who has accompanied them on some of their excursions1 and put them in the way of seeing whatever was most interesting in the neighborhood4 ,on arriving in ,south ,america one should land first in ,bahia1 for in its aspect it is the most national and characteristic of the cities4 ,as we passed directly through the town this morning1 we can give but little account of it1 and yet we saw enough to confirm all that has been said of its quaint and picturesque character4 ,on first disembarking1 you find yourself at the foot of an almost perpendicular hill1 and negro-bearers appear at your side to carry you up the steep ascent1 almost impassable for carriages1 in a 8cadeira10 or curtained chair4 ,this is in itself an odd experience for one to whom it is new1 and the rest of the city1 with its precipitous streets1 its queer houses1 its old churches1 is as quaint and antique as these original carriages4 ,july #bith4--,to-day we have the 8revers de la mdaille02 we have returned to our prison1 and a violent rain drives us all to take refuge in the hot1 close dining-room1 our only resort when the weather is bad4 ,july #cjth4--,off ,macei4 ,last evening1 when the rain was over and the moonlight tempted every one on deck1 we had a long conversation with our pleasant travelling companion1 ,mr4 ,sinimbu1 senator from the province of ,alagas1 on the aspect of slavery in ,brazil4 ,it seems to me that we may have something to learn here in our own perplexities respecting the position of the black race among us1 for the ,brazilians are trying gradually and by installments some of the experiments which are forced upon us without previous preparation4 ,the absence of all restraint upon the free blacks1 the fact that they are eligible to office1 and that all professional careers are open to them1 without prejudice on the ground of color1 enables one to form some opinion as to their ability and capacity for development4 ,mr4 ,sinimbu tells us that here the result is on the whole in their favor2 he says that the free blacks compare well in intelligence and activity with the ,brazilians and ,portuguese4 ,but it must be remembered1 in making the comparison with reference to our own country1 that here they are brought into contact with a less energetic and powerful race than the ,anglo-,saxon4 ,mr4 ,sinimbu believes that emancipation is to be accomplished in ,brazil by a gradual process which has already begun4 ,a large number of slaves are freed every year by the wills of their masters2 a still larger number buy their own freedom annually2 and as there is no longer any importation of blacks1 the inevitable result of this must be the natural death of slavery4 ,unhappily1 the process is a slow one1 and in the mean while slavery is doing its evil work1 debasing and enfeebling alike whites and blacks4 ,the ,brazilians themselves do not deny this1 and one constantly hears them lament the necessity of sending their children away to be educated1 on account of the injurious association with the house-servants4 ,in fact1 although politically slavery has a more hopeful aspect here than elsewhere1 the institution from a moral point of view has some of its most revolting characters in this country1 and looks1 if possible1 more odious than it did in the ,states4 ,the other day1 in the neighborhood of ,rio1 ,i had an opportunity of seeing a marriage between two negroes1 whose owner made the religious1 or1 as it appeared to me on this occasion1 irreligious ceremony1 obligatory4 ,the bride1 who was as black as jet1 was dressed in white muslin1 with a veil of coarse white lace1 such as the negro women make themselves1 and the husband was in a white linen suit4 ,she looked1 and ,i think she really felt1 diffident1 for there were a good many strangers present1 and her position was embarrassing4 ,the ,portuguese priest1 a bold1 insolent-looking man1 called them up and rattled over the marriage service with most irreverent speed1 stopping now and then to scold them both1 but especially the woman1 because she did not speak loud enough and did not take the whole thing in the same coarse1 rough way that he did4 ,when he ordered them to come up and kneel at the altar1 his tone was more suggestive of cursing than praying1 and having uttered his blessing he hurled an amen at them1 slammed the prayer-book down on the altar1 whiffed out the candles1 and turned the bride and bridegroom out of the chapel with as little ceremony as one would have kicked out a dog4 ,as the bride came out1 half crying1 half smiling1 her mother met her and showered her with rose-leaves1 and so this act of consecration1 in which the mother's benediction seemed the only grace1 was over4 ,i thought what a strange confusion there must be in these poor creature's minds1 if they thought about it at all4 ,they are told that the relation between man and wife is a sin1 unless confirmed by the sacred rite of marriage2 they come to hear a bad man gabble over them words which they cannot understand1 mingled with taunts and abuse which they understand only too well1 and side by side with their own children grow up the little fair-skinned slaves to tell them practically that the white man does not keep himself the law he imposes on them4 ,what a monstrous lie the whole system must seem to them if they are ever led to think about it at all4 ,i am far from supposing that the instance ,i have given should be taken as representing the state of religious instruction on plantations generally4 ,no doubt there are good priests who improve and instruct their black parishioners2 but it does not follow because religious services are provided on a plantation1 the ceremony of marriage observed1 c41 that there is anything which deserves the name of religious instruction4 ,it would be unjust not to add the better side of the question in this particular instance4 ,the man was free1 and ,i was told that the woman received her liberty and a piece of land from her master as her marriage dower4 ,we arrived at ,macei this morning1 and went on shore with ,mr4 ,sinimbu1 who leaves us here1 and with whose family we passed a delightful day1 welcomed with that hearty cordiality so characteristic of ,brazilians in their own homes4 ,although our stay was so short1 a considerable addition was made here to the collections4 ,on arriving at any port the party disperses at once1 the young men going in different directions to collect1 ,mr4 ,bourget hurrying to the fish-market to see what may be found there of interest1 and ,mr4 ,agassiz and ,mr4 ,coutinho generally making a geological excursion4 ,in this way1 though the steamer remains but a few hours at each station1 the time is not lost4 ,july #cast4--,pernambuco4 ,arrived to-day off ,pernambuco1 and were too happy1 after a stormy night1 to find ourselves behind the famous reef which makes such a quiet harbor at this port4 ,our countryman1 ,mr4 ,hitch1 met us on landing1 and drove us at once out to his 8chacara10 7country place17 where it was delightful to be welcomed1 like old friends1 to an ,american home4#dc ,pernambuco is by no means so picturesque as ,bahia or ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,it has a more modern air than either of these1 but looks also more cleanly and more prosperous4 ,many of the streets are wide1 and the river running through the business part of the city1 crossed by broad1 handsome bridges1 is itself suggestive of freshness4 ,the country is more open and flat than farther south4 ,in our afternoon drive some of the views across wide1 level meadows1 if we could have put elms here and there in the place of palms1 would have reminded us of scenery at home4 ,august #b;d4--,yesterday we left ,pernambuco1 and this morning found ourselves at the mouth of the ,parahyba do ,norte1 a broad1 beautiful river1 up which we steamed to within a few miles of the little town bearing the same name4 ,here we took a boat and rowed to the city1 where we spent some hours in rambling about1 collecting specimens1 examining drift formations1 c4 ,in the course of our excursion we fell in with some friends of ,major ,coutinho's1 who took us home with them to an excellent breakfast of fresh fish1 with bread1 coffee1 and wine4 ,the bread is to be noticed here1 for it is said to be the best in ,brazil4 ,the flour is the same as elsewhere1 and the people generally attribute the superiority of their bread to some quality of the water4 ,whatever be the cause1 there is no bread in all ,brazil so sweet1 so light1 and so white as that of ,parahyba do ,norte4 ,august #eth4--,we arrived yesterday at ,cear1 where we were warmly welcomed and most hospitably entertained at the house of ,dr4 ,mendes1 an old acquaintance of ,major ,coutinho4 ,it was blowing hard and raining when we left the steamer2 our boat put into the beach in a heavy surf1 and ,i was wondering how ,i should reach the shore1 when two of our negro rowers jumped into the water1 and1 standing at the side of the boat behind me1 motioned me to come1 crossing their arms basket-fashion1 as we do sometimes to carry children4 ,they looked as if it were the ordinary mode of conveyance1 so ,i seated myself1 and with one arm around the neck of each of my black bearers1 they laughing as heartily as ,i did1 ,i was landed triumphantly on the sands4 ,after the first greetings at the house of ,dr4 ,mendes were over1 we were offered the luxury of a bath before breakfast4 ,the bath is a very important feature in a ,brazilian household4 ,this one was of the size of a small room1 the water 7about two feet deep and of a delicious1 soft1 velvety character7 constantly flowing through over the smooth sand floor4 ,they are often larger than this1 from four to five feet deep1 and sometimes lined with blue and white tiles1 which make a very clean and pretty floor4 ,it is a great luxury in this warm climate1 and many persons bathe several times a day4 ,the bathhouse is usually in the garden1 at a convenient distance from the house1 but not immediately adjoining it4 ,the bath was followed by an excellent breakfast1 after which we drove through the city4 ,cear is a wonderfully progressive town for ,brazil4 ,five years ago it had not a paved street2 now all the streets are well paved1 with good sidewalks1 and the city is very carefully laid out1 with a view to its future growth4#dd ,to-day we are again coasting along within sight of land1 with a quiet sea and a delicious breeze4 ,the ocean is covered with white caps1 and of a very peculiar greenish1 aquamarine tint1 the same which ,i observed as soon as we reached these latitudes in coming out4 ,this singular color is said to be owing to the nature of the sea bottom and the shallowness of the water1 combined1 farther north1 with the admixture of fresh water along the coast4 ,august #fth4--,arrived early this morning before ,maranham1 and went on shore to breakfast at the hotel2 for1 wonderful to relate1 ,maranham possesses a hotel1 a great rarity in many ,brazilian towns4 ,we passed the greater part of the day in driving about the city with ,dr4 ,braga1 who kindly undertook to show us everything of interest4#de ,the town and harbor are very pretty1 the city itself standing on an island1 formed by two bays running up on either side and enclosing it4 ,the surrounding country is flat and very thickly wooded1 though the woods are rather low4 ,here1 at the house of ,dr4 ,braga's brother-in-law1 we saw1 for the first time1 the slender1 graceful ,assai palm1 from which the drink is made so much appreciated in ,par and on the ,lower ,amazons4 ,it is curious to see the negroes go up the tree to gather the fruit4 ,the trunk is perfectly smooth1 the fruit growing in a heavy cluster of berries1 just below the crown of leaves on its summit4 ,the negro fastens a cord or a strip of palm-leaf around his insteps1 thus binding his feet together that they may not slide apart on the smooth stem1 and by means of this kind of stirrup he contrives to cling to the slippery trunk and scramble up4 ,we were much interested in seeing here an admirably well conducted institution for the education of poor orphans4 ,its chief aim is to educate them1 not as scholars1 though they receive elementary instruction in reading1 writing1 and ciphering1 but to teach them a variety of occupations by which they can earn an honest livelihood4 ,they are trained in several trades1 are taught to play on a number of instruments1 and there is also a school of design connected with the establishment4 ,a faultless order and scrupulous neatness prevailed through the whole building1 which was not the result of an exceptional preparation1 since our visit was wholly unexpected4 ,this surprised us the more1 because1 notwithstanding their fondness for bathing1 order and neatness in their houses are not a virtue among the ,brazilians4 ,this may be owing to slave labor1--rarely anything better than eye-service4 ,the large dormitories looked fresh and airy1 with the hammocks rolled up and laid on a shelf1 each one above the peg to which it belonged2 the shoes were hung on nails along the walls1 and the little trunks1 holding the clothing of each scholar1 were neatly arranged beneath them4 ,on the upper story was the hospital1 a large1 well-ventilated room1 with numerous windows commanding beautiful views1 and a cool breeze blowing through it4 ,here were cots instead of hammocks1 but ,i thought the sick boys might prefer the swinging1 cradle-like beds to which they were accustomed1 and which they evidently find very comfortable4 ,when ,mr4 ,agassiz remarked1 as we passed through the dormitory1 that sleeping in a hammock was an experience he had yet to make1 one of the boys took his down from the shelf1 and1 hanging it up1 laughingly threw himself into it1 with a lazy ease which looked quite enviable4 ,the kitchen and grocery rooms were as neat as the rest of the house1 and the simplicity of the whole establishment1 while it admitted everything necessary for comfort and health1 was well adapted for its objects4 ,a pretty little chapel adjoined the house1 and the house itself was built around an open square planted with trees1--a pleasant playground for the boys1 who have their music there in the evening4 ,on our return to town we heard that1 owing to the breakage of some part of the machinery1 the steamer would be detained in this port for a couple of days4 ,we have1 however1 returned to our quarters on board1 preferring to spend the night on the water rather than in the hot1 close town4 ,august #gth4--,to-day we have all been interested in watching the beautiful ,medus swept along by the tide1 so close to the side of the steamer that they could easily be reached from the stairway4 ,we have now quite a number disposed about the deck in buckets and basins1 and ,mr4 ,burkhardt is making colored sketches of them4 ,they are very beautiful1 and quite new to ,mr4 ,agassiz4 ,in some the disk has a brown tracery like seaweed over it1 while its edge is deeply lobed1 every lobe being tinged with an intensely brilliant dark blue2 the lobes are divided into eight sets of four each1 making thirty-two in all1 and an eye is placed on the margin between each set2 the tubes running to the eyes are much larger than those in the intervals between1 and the network of vessels on the margin is wonderfully fine and delicate2 the curtains hanging from the mouth are white and closely fringed with full flounces1 somewhat like our ,aurelia4 ,the movement is quick1 the margin of the disk beating with short1 rapid pants4 ,another is altogether brown and white1 the seaweed-like pattern being carried down to the edge of the lobes1 and the lobes themselves being more delicate than those of the blue-edged one1 the disk thinning out greatly towards the periphery4 ,the brown marks are1 however1 darker1 more distinct1 and cover a larger space in some specimens than in others4 ,this is also true of those with the blue margin1 the brown pattern covering the whole disk in some1 confined to a simple zone around the disk in others1 and even entirely absent occasionally4 ,mr4 ,agassiz inclines to think1 from the similarity of their other features1 however1 that1 notwithstanding their difference of color1 they all belong to the same species1 the variety in coloration being probably connected with difference of sex4 ,he has1 at any rate1 ascertained that all the wholly brown specimens caught to-day are males4 ,we were rejoiced this morning by the sight of our own flag coming into harbor4 ,we presently found that the ship was the gunboat ,nipsic4 ,she had sailed from ,boston on the #dth of ,july1 and brought papers of a later date than any we have seen4 ,the officers were kind enough to send us a large bundle of papers1 which we have been eagerly devouring4 ,august #hth4--,another quite new and beautiful ,medusa to-day4 ,as we were waiting for breakfast this morning a number floated past1 so dark in color that in the water they appeared almost black4 ,two of our party took a boat and went in search of them1 but the tide was so swift that they swept past like lightning1 and one had hardly time to point them out before they were gone again4 ,however1 after many efforts1 we succeeded in getting one1 whose portrait ,mr4 ,burkhardt is now taking4 ,the disk is of a chocolate-brown1 shading into a darker1 more velvety hue toward the edge1 which is slightly scalloped1 but not cut up into deep lobes like those of yesterday4 ,the eyes1 eight in number1 are distinctly visible as lighter-colored specks on the margin4 ,the appendages hanging from the mouth are more solid and not so thickly fringed as in those of yesterday4 ,it moves rather slowly in its glass prison1 the broad margin shading from lighter brown to a soft chocolate color almost verging on black1 as it flaps up and down somewhat languidly1 but still with a regular1 steady pulsation4#df ,august #ith4--,we passed yesterday afternoon with the ,braga family in town4 ,the weather was charming1 a cool breeze blowing through the veranda where we dined4 ,there were a number of guests to meet us1 and we had again cause to acknowledge how completely the stranger is made to feel himself at home among these hospitable people4 ,we sailed this morning1 ,mr4 ,agassiz taking with him a valuable collection1 though our time was so short4 ,the fact is1 that1 not only here1 but at every town where we have stopped in coming up the coast1 the ready1 cordial desire of the people to help in the work has enabled him to get together collections which it would otherwise have been impossible to make in so short a time4 ,if he is unexpectedly successful in this expedition1 it is as much owing to the active sympathy of the ,brazilians themselves1 and to their interest in the objects he has so much at heart1 as to the efforts of himself and his companions4 ,august #aath4--,par4 ,early yesterday morning1 a few yellowish patches staining the ocean here and there gave us our first glimpse of the water of the ,amazons4 ,presently the patches became broad streaks1 the fresh waters encroaching gradually upon the sea1 until1 at about ten o'clock1 we fairly entered the mouth of the river1 though1 as the shores are some hundred and fifty miles apart1 we might have believed ourselves on the broad ocean4 ,as we neared the city1 the numerous islands closing up about ,par and sheltering its harbor limited the view and broke the enormous expanse of the fresh-water basin4 ,we anchored off the city at about three o'clock1 but a heavy thundershower1 with violent rain1 prevented us from going on shore till the next morning4 ,none of the party landed except ,major ,coutinho4 ,he went to announce our arrival to his friend1 ,mr4 ,pimenta ,bueno1 who has kindly invited us to make his house our home while we stay in ,par4 ,the next morning was beautiful after the rain1 and at seven o'clock two boats were sent to take us and our effects on shore4 ,on landing we went at once to ,mr4 ,pimenta's large business establishment near the wharves4 ,here he has provided several excellent working-rooms to serve as laboratories and storage-places for the specimens1 and besides these a number of airy1 cool chambers on the floor above1 for the accommodation of our companions1 who have already slung their hammocks1 arranged their effects1 and are keeping a kind of bachelor's hall4 ,having disposed of the scientific apparatus1 we drove out to ,mr4 ,pimenta's 8chacara10 some two miles out of town1 on the ,rua de ,nazareth1 where we were received with the utmost kindness4 ,mr4 ,agassiz and ,major ,coutinho soon returned to town1 where no time is to be lost in beginning work at the laboratory4 ,i remained at home and passed a pleasant morning with the ladies of the family1 who made me acquainted with the peculiar beverage so famous in these regions1 prepared from the berries of the ,assai palm4 ,they are about the size of cranberries1 and of a dark-brown color4 ,being boiled and crushed they yield a quantity of juice1 which when strained has about the consistency of chocolate1 and is of a dark purplish tint like blackberry juice4 ,it has a sweetish taste1 and is very nice eaten with sugar and the crisp 8farinha d'agua10 a kind of coarse flour made from the mandioca root4 ,people of all classes throughout the province of ,par are exceedingly fond of this beverage1 and in the city they have a proverb which runs thus3-- 8,who visits ,par is glad to stay1 ,who drinks ,assai goes never away40 ,august #abth4--,this morning we rose early and walked into town4 ,great pains have been taken with the environs of ,par1 and the ,rua de ,nazareth is one of the broad streets leading into the country1 and planted with large trees 7chiefly mangueiras7 for two or three miles out of town4 ,on our way we saw a lofty palm-tree completely overpowered and stifled in the embrace of an enormous parasite4 ,so luxuriant is the growth of the latter that you do not perceive1 till it is pointed out to you1 that its spreading branches and thick foliage completely hide the tree from which it derives its life2 only from the extreme summit a few fan-like palm-leaves shoot upwards as if trying to escape into the air and light4 ,the palm cannot long survive1 however1 and with its death it seals the doom of its murderer also4 ,there is another evidence1 and a more pleasing one1 of the luxuriance of nature on this same road4 ,the skeleton of a house stands by the wayside2 whether a ruin or unfinished1 ,i am unable to say1 but at all events only the walls are standing1 with the openings for doors and windows4 ,nature has completed this imperfect dwelling2--she has covered it over with a green roof1 she has planted the empty enclosure with a garden of her own choosing1 she has trained vines around the open doors and windows2 and the deserted house1 if it has no other inmates1 is at least a home for the birds4 ,it makes a very pretty picture4 ,i never pass it without wishing for a sketch of it4 ,on our arrival in town we went at once to the market4 ,it is very near the water1 and we were much amused in watching the ,indian canoes at the landing4 ,the 8montaria10 as the ,indian calls his canoe1 is a long1 narrow boat1 covered at one end with a thatched roof1 under which is the living-room of the family4 ,here the ,indian has his home2 wife and children1 hammock1 cooking utensils1--all his household goods1 in fact4 ,in some of the boats the women were preparing breakfast1 cooking the coffee or the tapioca over a pan of coals4 ,in others they were selling the coarse pottery1 which they make into all kinds of utensils1 sometimes of quite graceful1 pretty forms4 ,we afterwards went through the market4 ,it is quite large and neatly kept2 but the ,brazilian markets are only good as compared with each other4 ,the meats are generally poor2 there is little game to be seen2 they have no variety of vegetables1 which might be so easily cultivated here1 and even the display of fruit in the market is by no means what one would expect it to be4 ,to-night ,mr4 ,agassiz goes off with a party of gentlemen on an excursion to some of the islands in the harbor4 ,this first expedition in the neighborhood of ,par1 from which the ,professor promises himself much pleasure1 is planned by ,dr4 ,couto de ,magalhas1 ,president of the ,province4#dg ,august #adth4--,we are very agreeably surprised in the climate here4 ,i had expected from the moment of our arrival in the region of the ,amazons to be gasping in a fierce1 unintermitting1 intolerable heat4 ,on the contrary1 the mornings are fresh2 a walk or ride between six and eight o'clock is always delightful2 and though during the middle of the day the heat is certainly very great1 it cools off again towards four o'clock2 the evenings are delightful1 and the nights always comfortable4 ,even in the hottest part of the day the heat is not dead2 there is always a breeze stirring4 ,mr4 ,agassiz returned this afternoon from his excursion in the harbor1 more deeply impressed than ever with the grandeur of this entrance to the ,amazons and the beauty of its many islands1 8,an archipelago of islands10 as he says1 8in an ocean of fresh water40 ,he describes the mode of fishing of the ,indians as curious4 ,they row very softly up the creek1 having first fastened the seine across from shore to shore at a lower point1 and when they have gained a certain distance above it1 they spring into the water with a great plash and rush down the creek in a line1 driving the fish before them into the net4 ,one draught alone filled the boat half full of fish4 ,mr4 ,agassiz was especially interested in seeing alive for the first time the curious fish called 8,tralhote0 by the ,indians1 and known to naturalists as the ,anableps tetrophthalmus4 ,this name1 signifying 8four-eyed10 is derived from the singular structure of the eye4 ,a membranous fold enclosing the bulb of the eye stretches across the pupil1 dividing the visual apparatus into an upper and lower half4 ,no doubt this formation is intended to suit the peculiar habits of the ,anableps4 ,these fishes gather in shoals on the surface of the water1 their heads resting partly above1 partly below the surface1 and they move by a leaping motion somewhat like that of frogs on land4 ,thus1 half in air1 half in water1 they require eyes adapted for seeing in both elements1 and the arrangement described above just meets this want4 ,august #aith4--,to-night at ten o'clock we go on board the steamer1 and before dawn shall be on our way up the river4 ,this has been a delicious week of rest and refreshment to me4 ,the quiet country life1 with morning walks in the fresh1 fragrant lanes and roads immediately about us1 has been very soothing after four months of travel or of noisy hotel life4 ,the other day as we were going into town we found in the wet grass by the roadside one of the most beautiful mushrooms ,i have ever seen4 ,the stem was pure white1 three or four inches in height1 and about half an inch in diameter1 surmounted by a club-shaped head1 brown in color1 with a blunt point1 and from the base of this head was suspended an open white net of exquisitely delicate texture1 falling to within about an inch of the ground2 a fairy web that looked fit for ,queen ,mab herself4#dh ,the week1 so peaceful for me1 has been one1 if not of rest1 at least of intense interest for ,mr4 ,agassiz4 ,the very day of his arrival1 by the kindness of our host1 his working-rooms were so arranged as to make an admirable laboratory1 and1 from the hour he entered them1 specimens have poured in upon him from all quarters4 ,his own party make but a small part of the scientific corps who have worked for and with him here4 ,in ,par alone he has already more than fifty new species of fresh-water fishes2 enough to reveal unexpected and novel relations in the finny world1 and to give the basis of an improved classification4 ,he is far from attributing this great success wholly to his own efforts4 ,ready as he is to work1 he could not accomplish half that he does1 except for the active good-will of those about him4 ,among the most valuable of these contributions is a collection made by ,mr4 ,pimenta ,bueno1 of the so-called fishes of the forest4 ,when the waters overflow after the rainy season and fill the forest for a considerable distance on either side1 these fish hover over the depressions and hollows1 and as the waters subside are left in the pools and channels4 ,they do not occur in the open river1 but are always found in these forest retreats1 and go by the name of the 8,peixe do ,mato40 ,mr4 ,agassiz has not only to acknowledge the untiring kindness of individuals here1 but also the cordial expression of sympathy from public bodies in the objects of the expedition4 ,a committee from the municipality of the city has waited upon him to express the general satisfaction in the undertaking1 and he has received a public demonstration of the same kind from the college4 ,the bishop of the province and his coadjutor have also been most cordial in offers of assistance4 ,nor does the interest thus expressed evaporate in empty words4 ,mr4 ,pimenta ,bueno is director of the ,brazilian line of steamers from ,par to ,tabatinga4#di ,the trip to ,manaos1 at the mouth of the ,rio ,negro1 is generally made in five days1 allowing only for stoppages of an hour or two at different stations1 to take or leave passengers and to deposit or receive merchandise4 ,in order that we may be perfectly independent1 however1 and stop wherever it seems desirable to make collections1 the company places at our disposition a steamer for one month between ,par and ,manaos4 ,there are to be no passengers but ourselves1 and the steamer is provided with everything necessary for the whole company during that period1--food1 service1 c4 ,i think it may fairly be said that in no part of the world could a private scientific undertaking be greeted with more cordiality or receive a more liberal hospitality than has been accorded to the present expedition4 ,i dwell upon these things and recur to them often1 not in any spirit of egotism1 but because it is due to the character of the people from whom they come to make the fullest acknowledgment of their generosity4 ,while ,mr4 ,agassiz has been busy with the zological collections1 ,major ,coutinho has been no less so in making geological1 meteorological1 and hydrographic investigations4 ,his regular co-operation is invaluable1 and ,mr4 ,agassiz blesses the day when their chance meeting at the ,palace suggested the idea of his joining the expedition4 ,not only his scientific attainments1 but his knowledge of the ,indian language 7lingua geral71 and his familiarity with the people1 make him a most important coadjutor4 ,with his aid ,mr4 ,agassiz has already opened a sort of scientific log-book1 in which1 by the side of the scientific name of every specimen entered by the ,professor1 ,major ,coutinho records its popular local name1 obtained from the ,indians1 with all they can tell of its haunts and habits4 ,i have said nothing of ,mr4 ,agassiz's observations on the character of the soil since we left ,rio1 thinking it best to give them as a whole4 ,along the entire length of the coast he has followed the drift1 examining it carefully at every station4 ,at ,bahia it contained fewer large boulders than in ,rio1 but was full of small pebbles1 and rested upon undecomposed stratified rock4 ,at ,macei1 the capital of the province of ,alagas1 it was the same1 but resting upon decomposed rock1 as at ,tijuca4 ,below this was a bed of stratified clay1 containing small pebbles4 ,in ,pernambuco1 on our drive to the great aqueduct1 we followed it for the whole way2 the same red clayey homogeneous paste1 resting there on decomposed rock4 ,the line of contact at ,monteiro1 the aqueduct station1 was very clearly marked1 however1 by an intervening bed of pebbles4 ,at ,parahyba do ,norte the same sheet of drift1 but containing more and larger pebbles1 rests above a decomposed sandstone somewhat resembling the decomposed rock of ,pernambuco4 ,in the undecomposed rock below1 ,mr4 ,agassiz found some fossil shells4 ,in the neighborhood of ,cape ,st4 ,roque we came upon sand-dunes resembling those of ,cape ,cod1 and wherever we sailed near enough to the shore to see the banks distinctly1 as was frequently the case1 the bed of drift below the shifting superficial sands above was distinctly noticeable4 ,the difference in color between the white sand and the reddish soil beneath made it easy to perceive their relations4 ,at ,cear1 where we landed1 ,mr4 ,agassiz had an opportunity of satisfying himself of this by closer examination4 ,at ,maranham the drift is everywhere conspicuous1 and at ,par equally so4 ,this sheet of drift which he has thus followed from ,rio de ,janeiro to the mouth of the ,amazons is everywhere of the same geological constitution4 ,it is always a homogeneous clayey paste of a reddish color1 containing quartz pebbles2 and1 whatever be the character of the rock in place1 whether granite1 sandstone1 gneiss1 or lime1 the character of the drift never changes or partakes of that of the rocks with which it is in contact4 ,this certainly proves that1 whatever be its origin1 it cannot be referred to the localities where it is now found1 but must have been brought from a distance4 ,whoever shall track it back to the place where this peculiar red soil with its constituent elements forms the primitive rock1 will have solved the problem4 ,i introduce here a letter written by ,mr4 ,agassiz1 a few days later1 to the ,emperor1 which will better give his views on the subject4 ,a ,,bord ,,de ,l',,icamiaba1 ,,sur ,l',,amazone1 le #bj ,aout1 #ahfe4 ,,sire3--,permettez moi de rendre un compte rapide ,votre ,majest1 de ce que j'ai observ de plus intressant depuis mon dpart de ,rio4 ,la premire chose qui m'a frapp en arrivant ,bahia1 ce fut d'y trouver le terrain erratique1 comme la ,tijuca et comme dans la partie mridionale de ,minas1 que j'ai visite4 ,ici comme l1 ce terrain1 d'une constitution identique1 repose sur les roches en place les plus diversifies4 ,je l'ai retrouv de mme ,maceio1 ,pernambuco1 ,parahyba do ,norte1 ,cear1 ,maranham1 et au ,par4 ,voil donc un fait tabli sur la plus grande chelle6 ,cela dmontre que les matriaux superficiels1 que l'on pourrait dsigner du nom de drift1 ici comme dans le ,nord de l',europe et de l',amrique1 ne sauraient tre le rsultat de la dcomposition des roches sous-jacentes1 puisque celles-ci sont tantt du granit1 tantt du gneiss1 tantt du schiste micac ou talqueux1 tantt du grs1 tandis que le drift offre partout la mme composition4 ,je n'en suis pas moins aussi loign que jamais de pouvoir signaler l'origine de ces matriaux et la direction de leur transport4 ,aujourd'hui que le ,major ,coutinho a appris distinguer le drift des roches dcomposes1 il m'assure que nous le retrouverons dans toute la valle de l',amazne4 ,l'imagination la plus hardie recule devant toute espce de gnralisation ce sujet4 ,et pourtant1 il faudra bien en venir se familiariser avec l'ide que la cause qui a dispers ces matriaux1 quelle qu'elle soit1 a agi sur la plus grande chelle1 puisqu'on les retrouvera probablement sur tout le continent4 ,dj j'apprends que mes jeunes compagnons de voyage ont observ le drift dans les environs de ,barbacena et d',ouro-,preto et dans la valle du ,rio das ,velhas4 ,mes rsultats zoologiques ne sont pas moins satisfaisants2 et pour ne parler que des poissons1 j'ai trouv ,par seulement1 pendant une semaine1 plus d'espces qu'on n'en a dcrit jusqu' prsent de tout le bassin de l',amazne2 c4 4 d4 en tout soixante-trois4 ,cette tude sera1 je crois1 utile l'ichthyologie1 car j'ai dj pu distinguer cinq familles nouvelles et dix-huit genres nouveaux et les espces indites ne s'lvent pas moins de quarante-neuf4 ,c'est une garantie que je ferai encore une riche moisson1 lorsque j'entrerai dans le domaine de l',amazne proprement dit2 car je n'ai encore vu qu'un dixime des espces fluviatiles que l'on connait de ce bassin et les quelques espces marines qui remontent jusqu'au ,par4 ,malheureusement ,m4 ,burkhardt est malade et je n'ai encore pu faire peindre que quatre des espces nouvelles que je me suis procures1 et puis prs de la moiti n'ont t prises qu'en exemplaires uniques4 ,il faut absolument qu' mon retour je fasse un plus long sjour au ,par pour remplir ces lacunes4 ,je suis dans le ravissement de la nature grandiose que j'ai sous les yeux4 ,votre ,majest rgne sans contredit sur le plus bel empire du monde et toutes personelles que soient les attentions que je reois partout o je m'arrte1 je ne puis m'empcher de croire que n'tait le caractre gnreux et hospitalier des ,brsiliens et l'intrt des classes suprieures pour le progrs des sciences et de la civilisation1 je n'aurais point rencontr les facilits qui se pressent sous mes pas4 ,c'est ainsi que pour me faciliter l'exploration du fleuve1 du ,par ,manaos1 ,m4 ,pimenta ,bueno1 au lieu de m'acheminer par le steamer rgulier1 a mis ma disposition1 pour un mois ou six semaines1 un des plus beaux bateaux de la compagnie1 o je suis instal aussi commodment que dans mon ,muse ,cambridge4 ,m4 ,coutinho est plein d'attention et me rend mon travail doublement facile en le prparant l'avance par tous les renseignements possibles4 ,mais je ne veux pas abuser des loisirs de ,votre ,majest et je la prie de croire toujours au dvouement le plus complet et l'affection la plus respectueuse ,de son trs humble et trs obissant serviteur1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4#ej ----- ,footnote #dc3 ,mr4 ,agassiz was indebted to ,mr4 ,hitch for valuable additions to his collections1 and for many acts of kindness in behalf of the expedition4 ,footnote #dd3 ,here1 as elsewhere1 ,i found ready and willing coadjutors among amateur collectors4 ,on my return from the ,amazons1 many months later1 ,i found collections made in my absence by ,dr4 ,mendes and ,senhor ,barroso1 who had been our companions on board the steamer4 ,at ,parahyba do ,norte ,i was indebted in the same way to ,dr4 ,justa4 ,these collections will afford invaluable materials for the comparison of the ,coast ,faun4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #de3 ,at a later period ,i owed to ,dr4 ,braga far more than the ordinary courtesy extended to a stranger4 ,i had informed him that ,mr4 ,st4 ,john1 then following the course of the ,rio ,san ,francisco1 on his way to the province of ,piauhy1 would arrive in ,maranham at the close of his journey4 ,when he reached that city he was very seriously ill with fever4 ,dr4 ,braga took him into his house1 where he was attended by him and his family as if he had been one of their kindred4 ,i have1 indeed1 little doubt that my young friend owed his recovery to the considerate care with which he was treated under their kindly roof4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #df3 ,these two ,medus belong to the ,rhizostomid1 and ,i shall take an early opportunity to publish a description of them1 with the drawings of ,mr4 ,burkhardt4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #dg3 ,to ,dr4 ,couto de ,magalhas ,mr4 ,agassiz was indebted for unremitting attentions during our stay in the region of the ,amazons4 ,he never failed to facilitate the success of the expedition by every means in his power1 and the large collections made under his directions during our sojourn upon the ,upper ,amazons were among the most valuable contributions to its scientific results4 ,when he heard that ,mr4 ,ward1 one of our young companions1 was coming down the ,tocantins1 he sent a boat and boatmen to meet him1 and on his arrival in ,par received him in his own house1 where he remained his guest during his stay in the city4 ,footnote #dh3 ,this mushroom belongs to the genus ,phallus1 and seems to be an undescribed species4 ,i preserved it in alcohol1 but was unable to have any drawing made from it before its beauty and freshness were quite gone4 ,in the early morning1 while the grass was still damp1 we often found a peculiar snail1 a species of ,bulimus1 creeping by the roadside4 ,the form of the anterior part of the foot was unlike that of any species known thus far from this group4 ,such facts show the desirableness of making drawings from the soft parts of these animals as well as from their solid envelopes4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #di3 ,the ,president of this line is the ,baron de ,maz1 esteemed by his countrymen as a financier of great ability and a man of rare energy1 perseverance1 and patriotism4 ,as he was in ,europe during the year of my visit to ,brazil1 ,i had not the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with him1 and ,i therefore welcome this opportunity of thanking him for the liberality shown in all their dealings with me by the company of which he is the moving spirit4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ej3 ,,on ,,board ,,the ,,icamiaba1 ,,on ,,the ,,amazons1 ,august #bj1 #ahfe4 ,,sire3--,allow me to give your ,majesty a rapid sketch of the most interesting facts observed by me since leaving ,rio4 ,the first thing which struck me on arriving at ,bahia was the presence of the erratic soil1 corresponding to that of ,tijuca and the southern part of ,minas-,geres1 which ,i have visited4 ,here1 as there1 this soil1 identical in its constitution1 rests upon rocks in place1 of the most diversified character4 ,i have found it also at ,macei1 at ,pernambuco1 at ,parahyba do ,norte1 at ,cear1 at ,maranham1 and at ,par4 ,this is a fact1 then1 established on the largest scale4 ,it shows that the superficial materials which1 here as in the ,north of ,europe and ,america1 may be designated as drift1 cannot be the result of the decomposition of underlying rocks1 since the latter are sometimes granite1 sometimes gneiss1 sometimes mica or talcose slate1 sometimes sandstone1 while the drift presents the same composition everywhere4 ,i am as far as ever from being able to point out the origin of these materials and the direction of their transportation4 ,now that ,major ,coutinho has learned to distinguish the drift from the decomposed rocks1 he assures me that we shall find it throughout the valley of the ,amazons4 ,the boldest imagination shrinks from any generalization on this subject1 and yet we must gradually familiarize ourselves with the idea that the cause which has dispersed these materials1 whatever it be1 has acted on the largest scale1 since they are probably to be found all over the continent4 ,already ,i learn that my young travelling companions have observed the drift in the environs of ,barbacena and ,ouro-,preto1 and in the valley of the ,rio das ,velhas4 ,my zological results are not less satisfactory2 and to speak of the fishes alone1 ,i have found at ,par during one week more species than have as yet been described from the whole basin of the ,amazons1--sixty-three in all4 ,this study will be useful1 ,i hope1 to ichthyology1 for ,i have already succeeded in distinguishing five new families and eighteen new genera1 while the unpublished species do not number less than forty-nine4 ,it is a guaranty of the rich harvest ,i shall make when ,i enter upon the domain of the ,amazons properly so called2 for ,i have seen as yet but a tenth part of the fluviatile species known from this basin1 and some of the marine species which come up to ,par4 ,unhappily1 ,mr4 ,burkhardt is ill1 and has been able to paint but four of the new species we have procured2 and of nearly half the number1 only single specimens have been secured4 ,on my return ,i must make a longer stay in ,par in order to fill these deficiencies4 ,i am enchanted with the grandeur of nature here4 ,your ,majesty certainly reigns over the most beautiful empire of the world2 and1 personal as are the attentions which ,i receive wherever ,i stop1 ,i cannot but believe that1 were it not for the generous and hospitable character of the ,brazilians and the interest of the higher classes in the progress of science and civilization1 ,i should not have met with the facilities which crowd my path4 ,thus1 in order to render the exploration of the river from ,par to ,manaos more easy1 ,mr4 ,pimenta ,bueno1 instead of allowing me to take the regular steamer1 has put at my disposition1 for a month or six weeks1 one of the finest boats of the company1 where ,i am installed as conveniently as in my ,museum at ,cambridge4 ,mr4 ,coutinho is full of attention1 and renders my work doubly light by procuring1 in advance1 all the information possible4 ,but ,i will not further abuse your ,majesty's leisure1 only begging you to believe in the complete devotion and respectful affection of ,your humble and obedient servant1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,from ,,par ,,to ,,manaos4 ,,first ,,sunday ,,on ,,the ,,amazons4--,,geographical ,,question4--,,convenient ,,arrangements ,,of ,,steamer4--,,vast ,,dimensions ,,of ,,the ,,river4--,,aspect ,,of ,,shores4--,,village ,,of ,,breves4--,,letter ,,about ,,collections4--,,vegetation4--,,variety ,,of ,,palms4--,,settlement ,,of ,,tajapur4--,,enormous ,,size ,,of ,,leaves ,,of ,,the ,,miriti ,,palm4--,,walk ,,on ,,shore4--,,indian ,,houses4--,,courtesy ,,of ,,indians4--,,row ,,in ,,the ,,forest4--,,town ,,of ,,gurup4--,,river ,,xingu4--,,color ,,of ,,water4--,,town ,,of ,,porto ,,do ,,moz4--,,flat-,,topped ,,hills ,,of ,,almeyrim4--,,beautiful ,,sunset4--,,monte ,,al,,gre4--,,character ,,of ,,scenery ,,and ,,soil4--,,santarem4--,,send ,,off ,,party ,,on ,,the ,,river ,,tapajos4--,,continue ,,up ,,the ,,amazons4--,,pastoral ,,scenes ,,on ,,the ,,banks4--,,town ,,of ,,villa ,,bella4--,,canoe ,,journey ,,at ,,night ,,to ,,the ,,lake ,,of ,,jos ,,ass4--,,esperan,a',s ,,cottage4--,,picturesque ,,scene ,,at ,,night4--,,success ,,in ,,collecting4--,,indian ,,life4--,,making ,,farinha4--,,dance ,,in ,,the ,,evening4--,,howling ,,monkeys4--,,religious ,,impressions ,,of ,,indians4--,,cottage ,,of ,,maia ,,the ,,fisherman4--,,his ,,interest ,,in ,,educating ,,his ,,children4--,,return ,,to ,,steamer4--,,scientific ,,results ,,of ,,the ,,excursion4 ,august #bjth4--,on board the 8,icamiaba40 ,our first ,sunday on the ,amazons2 for1 notwithstanding the warm dispute as to whether both the rivers enclosing the island of ,maraj must be considered as parts of the great river1 it is impossible not to feel from the moment you leave ,par that you have entered upon the ,amazons4 ,geology must settle this knotty question4 ,if it should be seen that the continent once presented an unbroken line1 as ,mr4 ,agassiz believes1 from ,cape ,st4 ,roque to ,cayenne1 the sea having encroached upon it so as to give it its present limits1 the ,amazons must originally have entered the ocean far to the east of its present mouth1 at a time when the ,island of ,maraj divided the river in two channels flowing on either side of it and uniting again beyond it4 ,we came on board last night1 accompanied to the boat by a number of the friends who have made our sojourn in ,par so agreeable1 and who came off to bid us farewell4 ,thus far the hardships of this ,south ,american journey seem to retreat at our approach4 ,it is impossible to travel with greater comfort than surrounds us here4 ,my own suite of rooms consists of a good-sized state-room1 with dressing-room and bath-room adjoining1 and1 if the others are not quite so luxuriously accommodated1 they have space enough4 ,the state-rooms are hardly used at night1 for a hammock on deck is far more comfortable in this climate4 ,our deck1 roofed in for its whole length1 and with an awning to let down on the sides1 if needed1 looks like a comfortable1 unceremonious sitting-room4 ,a table down the middle serving as a dinner-table1 but which is at this moment strewn with maps1 journals1 books1 and papers of all sorts1 two or three lounging-chairs1 a number of camp-stools1 and half a dozen hammocks1 in one or two of which some of the party are taking their ease1 furnish our drawing-room1 and supply all that is needed for work and rest4 ,at one end is also a drawing-table for ,mr4 ,burkhardt1 beside a number of kegs and glass jars for specimens4 ,this first day1 however1 it is almost impossible to do more than look and wonder4 ,mr4 ,agassiz says3 8,this river is not like a river2 the general current in such a sea of fresh water is hardly perceptible to the sight1 and seems more like the flow of an ocean than like that of an inland stream40 ,it is true we are constantly between shores1 but they are shores1 not of the river itself1 but of the countless islands scattered throughout its enormous breadth4 ,as we coast along their banks1 it is delightful to watch the exquisite vegetation with which we have yet to become familiar4 ,the tree which most immediately strikes the eye1 and stands out from the mass of green with wonderful grace and majesty1 is the lofty1 slender ,assai palm1 with its crown of light plume-like leaves1 and its bunches of berry-like fruit1 hanging from a branch that shoots out almost horizontally1 just below the leaves4 ,houses on the shore break the solitude here and there4 ,from this distance they look picturesque1 with thatched1 overhanging roofs1 covering a kind of open porch4 ,just now we passed a cleared nook at the water-side1 where a wooden cross marked a single mound4 ,what a lonely grave it seemed6 ,we are now coasting along the ,isle of ,maraj1 keeping up the so-called ,par river2 we shall not enter the undisputed waters of the ,amazons till the day after to-morrow4 ,this part of the river goes also by the name of the ,bay of ,maraj4 ,august #bast4--,last evening we stopped at our first station1--the little town of ,breves4 ,its population1 like that of all these small settlements on the ,lower ,amazons1 is made up of an amalgamation of races4 ,you see the regular features and fair skin of the white man combined with the black1 coarse1 straight hair of the ,indian1 or the mulatto with partly negro1 partly ,indian features1 but the crisp taken out of the hair2 and with these combinations comes in the pure ,indian type1 with its low brow1 square build of face1 and straight line of the shoulders4 ,in the women especially the shoulders are rather high4 ,in the first house we entered there was only an old half-breed ,indian-woman1 standing in the broad open porch of her thatched home1 where she seemed to be surrounded with live stock1--parrots and parroquets of all sorts and sizes1 which she kept for sale4 ,after looking in at several of the houses1 buying one or two monkeys1 some parroquets1 and some articles of the village pottery1 as ugly1 ,i must say1 as they were curious1 we wandered up into the forest to gather plants for drying4 ,the palms are more abundant1 larger1 and in greater variety than we have seen them hitherto4 ,at dusk we returned to the steamer1 where we found a crowd of little boys and some older members of the village population1 with snakes1 fishes1 insects1 monkeys1 c4 ,the news had spread that the collecting of 8bixos0 was the object of this visit to their settlement1 and all were thronging in with their live wares of different kinds4 ,mr4 ,agassiz was very much pleased with this first harvest4 ,he added a considerable number of new species to his collection of ,amazonian fishes made in ,par1 already so full and rare4 ,we remained at the ,breves landing all night1 and this morning we are steaming along between islands1 in a channel which bears the name of the river ,aturia4 ,it gives an idea of the grandeur of the ,amazons1 that many of the channels dividing the islands by which its immense breadth is broken are themselves like ample rivers1 and among the people here are known by distinct local names4 ,the banks are flat2 we have seen no cliffs as yet1 and the beauty of the scenery is wholly in the forest4 ,i speak more of the palms than of other trees1 because they are not to be mistaken1 and from their peculiar port they stand out in bold relief from the mass of foliage1 often rising above it and sharply defined against the sky4 ,there are1 however1 a host of other trees1 the names of which are unknown to us as yet1 many of which ,i suppose have no place even in botanical nomenclature1 forming a dense wall of verdure along the banks of the river4 ,we have sometimes heard it said that the voyage up the ,amazons is monotonous2 but to me it seems delightful to coast along by these woods1 of a character so new to us1 to get glimpses into their dark depths or into a cleared spot with a single stately palm here and there1 or to catch even the merest glance at the life of the people who live in the isolated settlements1 consisting only of one or two ,indian houses by the river-side4 ,we are keeping so near to the banks to-day1 that we can almost count the leaves on the trees1 and have an excellent opportunity of studying the various kinds of palms4 ,at first the ,assai was most conspicuous1 but now come in a number of others4 ,the ,mirit 7,mauritia7 is one of the most beautiful1 with its pendant clusters of reddish fruit and its enormous1 spreading1 fan-like leaves cut into ribbons1 one of which ,wallace says is a load for a man4 ,the ,jupat 7,rhaphia71 with its plume-like leaves1 sometimes from forty to fifty feet in length1 seems1 in consequence of its short stem1 to start almost from the ground4 ,its vase-like form is peculiarly graceful and symmetrical4 ,then there is the ,buss 7,manicaria71 with stiff1 entire leaves1 some thirty feet in length1 more upright and close in their mode of growth1 and serrated along their edges4 ,the stem of this palm also is comparatively short4 ,the banks in this part of the river are very generally bordered by two plants forming sometimes a sort of hedge along the shore2 namely1 the ,aninga 7,arum71 with large1 heart-shaped leaves on the summit of tall stems1 and the ,murici1 a lower growth1 just on the water's edge4 ,we are passing out of the so-called river ,aturia into another channel of like character1 the river ,tajapur4 ,in the course of the day we shall arrive at a little settlement bearing the same name1 where is to be our second station4 ,august #bb;d4--,yesterday we passed the day at the settlement mentioned above4 ,it consists only of the house of a ,brazilian merchant1#ea who lives here with his family1 having no neighbors except the inhabitants of a few ,indian houses in the forest immediately about4 ,one wonders at first what should induce a man to isolate himself in this solitude4 ,but the ,india-rubber trade is very productive here4 ,the ,indians tap the trees as we tap our sugar-maples1 and give the produce in exchange for various articles of their own domestic consumption4 ,our day at ,tajapur was a very successful one in a scientific point of view1 and the collections were again increased by a number of new species4 ,much as has been said of the number and variety of fishes in the ,amazons1 the fauna seems far richer than it has been reported4 ,for those of my readers who care to follow the scientific progress of the expedition as well as the thread of personal adventure1 ,i add here a letter on the subject1 written a day or two later by ,mr4 ,agassiz to ,mr4 ,pimenta ,bueno1 in ,par1 the generous friend to whom he owes in a great degree the facilities he enjoys in this voyage4 #bb ,aout1 au matin3 entre ,tajapur et ,gurup4 ,,mon ,,cher ,,ami3--,la journe d'hier a t des plus instructives1 surtout pour les poissons 8do ,mato40 ,nous avons obtenu quinze espces en tout4 ,sur ce nombre il y en a dix nouvelles1 quatre qui se trouvent aussi au ,par et une dj dcrite par moi dans le voyage de ,spix et ,martius2 mais ce qu'il y a de plus intressant1 c'est la preuve que fournissent ces espces1 les prendre dans leur totalit1 que l'ensemble des poissons qui habitent les eaux l'ouest du groupe d'les qu'on appelle ,maraj1 diffre de ceux des eaux du ,rio do ,par4 ,la liste des noms que nous avons demande aux ,indiens prouve encore que le nombre des espces qui se trouvent dans ces localits est beaucoup plus considrable que celui des espces que nous avons pu nous procurer2 aussi avons nous laiss des bocaux ,breves et ,tajapur pour complter la collection4 ,voici quelques remarques qui vous feront mieux apprcier ces diffrences1 si vous voulez les comparer avec le catalogue des espces du ,par que je vous ai laiss4 tout prendre1 il me parait vident ds prsent que notre voyage fera une rvolution dans l',ichthyologie4 ,et d'abord1 le ,jacund de ,tajapur est diffrent des espces du ,par2 de mme l',acar2 puis nous avons une espce nouvelle de ,sarap et une espce nouvelle de ,jeju2 une espce nouvelle de ,rabeca1 une espce nouvelle d',anoj1 un genre nouveau de ,candiru1 un genre nouveau de ,bagre1 un genre nouveau d',acary et une espce nouvelle d',acary du mme genre que celui du ,par2 plus une espce nouvelle de ,matupirim4 ,ajoutez ceci une espce d',aracu dj dcrite1 mais qui ne se trouve pas au ,par et vous aurez ,tajapur onze espces qui n'existent pas au ,par1 auxquelles il faut ajouter encore quatre espces qui se trouvent ,tajapur aussi bien qu'au ,par1 et une qui se trouve au ,par1 ,brves1 et ,tajapur4 ,en tout vingt espces1 dont quinze nouvelles1 en deux jours4 ,malheureusement les ,indiens ont mal compris nos directions1 et ne nous ont rapport qu'un seul exemplaire de chacune de ces espces4 ,il reste donc beaucoup faire dans ces localits1 surtout en juger d'aprs le catalogue des noms recueillis par le ,major ,coutinho qui renferme vingt-six espces 8do ,mato0 et quarante-six 8do ,rio40 ,il nous en manque donc au moins cinquante-deux de ,tajapur1 mme supposer que cette localit renferme aussi les cinq espces de ,breves4 ,vous voyez que nous laisserons encore normment faire nos successeurs4 ,adieu pour aujourd'hui1 votre bien affection ,l4 ,,agassiz4#eb ,the ,indians here are very skilful in fishing1 and instead of going to collect1 ,mr4 ,agassiz1 immediately on arriving at any station1 sends off several fishermen of the place1 remaining himself on board to superintend the drawing and putting up of the specimens as they arrive4#ec ,he made at ,tajapur a collection of the leaves and fruit of palms1 of which there were several very beautiful ones near the shore4 ,i sat for a long time on the deck watching an ,indian cutting a leaf from a ,mirit palm4 ,he was sitting in the crotch of a single leaf1 as safe and as perfectly supported as if he had been on the branch of an oak-tree1 and it took many blows of his heavy axe to separate the leaf at his side which he was trying to bring down4 ,the heat during the day was intense1 but at about five o'clock it became quite cool and ,r---- and ,i strolled on shore4 ,walking here is a peculiar process1 and seems rather alarming till you become accustomed to it4 ,a great part of the land1 even far up into the forest1 is overflowed1 and single logs are thrown across the streams and pools1 over which the inhabitants walk with as much security as on a broad road1 but which seem anything but safe to the new-comer4 ,after we had gone a little way we came to an ,indian house on the border of the wood4 ,here we were very cordially invited to enter1 and had again cause to comment on the tidy aspect of the porch1 which is their general reception-room4 ,a description of one of these dwellings will do for all4 ,their materials are drawn from the forest about them4 ,the frames are made of tall1 slender tree-trunks1 crossing each other at right angles4 ,between these are woven long palm-leaves1 making an admirable thatch1 or sometimes the walls are filled in with mud4 ,the roof overhangs1 covering the wide1 open porch1 which extends the length of one side of the house1 and is as deep as a good-sized room2 it is usually left open on the sides as well as in front4 ,within1 the rest of the house is divided off into one or more chambers1 according to its size4 ,i have not penetrated into these1 but can bear testimony to the usual cleanliness and order of the outer room4 ,the hard mud-floor is neatly swept1 there is no litter about1 and1 except for the mosquitoes1 ,i should think it no hardship to sling my hammock for the night under the thatched roof of one of these primitive veranda-like apartments4 ,there is one element of dirt common in the houses of our own poor which is absent here4 ,instead of the mass of old musty bedding1 a nest for vermin1 the ,indians have their cool hammocks1 slung from side to side of the room4 ,one feature in their mode of building deserves to be mentioned4 ,owing to the submerged state of the ground on which they live1 the ,indians often raise their houses on piles sunk in the water4 ,here we have the old lacustrine buildings1 so much discussed of late years1 reproduced for us4 ,one even sees sometimes a little garden lifted in this way above the water4 ,but to return to our walk4 ,one of the ,indians invited us to continue our ramble to his house1 which he said was not far beyond1 in the forest4 ,we readily complied1 for the path he pointed out to us looked tempting in the extreme1 leading into the depth of the wood4 ,under his guidance we continued for some distance1 every now and then crossing one of the forest creeks on the logs4 ,seeing that ,i was rather timid1 he cut for me a long pole1 with the aid of which ,i felt quite brave4 ,but at last we came to a place where the water was so deep that ,i could not touch bottom with my pole1 and as the round log on which ,i was to cross was rather rocking and unsteady1 ,i did not dare to advance4 ,i told him1 in my imperfect ,portuguese1 that ,i was afraid4 8,na1 mia branca0 7,no1 my white7 he said1 reassuringly2 8na tem medo0 7don't be afraid74 ,then1 as if a thought struck him1 he motioned me to wait1 and1 going a few steps up the creek1 he unloosed his boat1 brought it down to the spot where we stood1 and put us across to the opposite shore4 ,just beyond was his pretty1 picturesque home1 where he showed me his children1 telling me their ages1 and introduced me to his wife4 ,there is a natural courtesy about these people which is very attractive1 and which ,major ,coutinho1 who has lived among them a great deal1 tells me is a general characteristic of the ,amazonian ,indians4 ,when we took leave of them and returned to the canoe1 ,i supposed our guide would simply put us across to the other shore1 a distance of a few feet only1 as he had done in coming4 ,instead of that he headed the canoe up the creek into the wood4 ,i shall never forget that row1 the more enchanting that it was so unexpected1 through the narrow water-path1 overarched by a solid roof of verdure1 and black with shadows2 and yet it was not gloomy1 for outside1 the sun was setting in crimson and gold1 and its last beams struck in under the boughs and lit the interior of the forest with a warm glow4 ,nor shall ,i easily forget the face of our ,indian friend1 who had welcomed us so warmly to his home1 and who evidently enjoyed our exclamations of delight and the effect of the surprise he had given us4 ,the creek led by a detour back into the river1 a few rods above the landing where our steamer lay4 ,our friendly boatman left us at the stairway with a cordial good-by1 and many thanks from us at parting4 ,we left our landing early this morning1 and at about half past ten turned into the main ,amazons4 ,thus far we have been in what is called the ,par river1 and the branches connecting it with the ,amazons proper4 ,the proportions of everything in nature amaze one here1 however much one may have heard or read about them4 ,for two days and nights we have been following the isle of ,marajo1 which1 though but an island in the mouth of the ,amazons1 is half as large as ,ireland4 ,i add here a second letter from ,mr4 ,agassiz to ,mr4 ,pimenta ,bueno1 giving a short summary of his scientific progress4 ,,mon ,,cher ,,ami3--,je suis extnu de fatigue1 mais je ne veux pas aller me reposer avant de vous avoir crit un mot4 ,hier soir nous avons obtenu vingt-sept espces de poissons ,gurup et ce matin1 cinquante-sept ,porto do ,moz1 en tout quatre-vingt-quatre espces en moins de douze heures et1 sur ce nombre1 il y en cinquante et une nouvelles4 ,c'est merveilleux4 ,je ne puis plus mettre en ordre ce qu'on m'apporte au fur et mesure que cela arrive2 et quant obtenir des dessins coloris du tout1 il n'en est plus question1 moins qu' notre retour nous ne passions une semaine entire ici4 ,tout vous1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4#ed ,august #bc;d4--,yesterday morning1 before reaching the little town of ,gurup1 we passed a forest of ,miriti palms2 it is the first time we have seen a palm wood exclusive of other trees4 ,in the afternoon we stopped at ,gurup and went on shore2 but just as we landed1 a violent thunder-storm burst upon us with sheets of rain1 and we saw little of the town except the inside of the house where we took shelter4 ,mr4 ,agassiz obtained a most valuable collection of 8forest fishes10 containing a number of new species2 the ,indians enumerate1 however1 some seventy distinct species of forest fishes in this vicinity1 so that1 notwithstanding his success1 he leaves much to be done by those who shall come after him4 ,we left during the night1 and this morning we entered the river ,xingu1 stopping at ,porto do ,moz4 ,the water is very blue and dark as compared with the muddy waters of the main river4 ,here ,mr4 ,agassiz found two collections1 one of forest fishes1 the other of river fishes1 awaiting him1 ,mr4 ,pimenta ,bueno having sent messengers by the last steamer to a number of ports1 desiring that collections should be in readiness for him4 ,the harvest of this morning1 however1 was such an one as makes an era in the life of a naturalist1 for it contained forty-eight new species1--more1 ,mr4 ,agassiz said1 than it had ever fallen to his lot to find in the course of a single day4 ,ever since we entered the ,amazons the forest seems to me1 though more luxuriant1 less sombre than it did about ,rio4 ,it is more transparent and more smiling2 one sees into it1 and sees the sunshine glimmering through it and lighting up its depths4 ,the steamer has just left behind the first open land we have passed1--wide1 extensive flats1 with scarcely a tree1 and covered with thick1 coarse grass4 ,august #bdth4--,yesterday afternoon we saw1 on the north side of the river1 the first elevations of any consequence one meets on the ,amazons1 the singular flat-topped hills of ,almeirim4 ,they are cut off as squarely on the top as if levelled with a plane1 and divided from each other by wide openings1 the sides being shaved down with the same evenness as the summits4 ,much has been said about the geology of these singular hills1 but no one has fairly investigated it4 ,von ,martius landed1 and ascertained their height to be about eight hundred feet above the level of the river1 but beyond this1 no one seems to know anything of their real nature4 ,they are generally represented as spurs of the higher table-land of ,guiana4#ee ,last evening was the most beautiful we have seen on the ,amazons4 ,we sat on the front upper deck as the crimson sun went down1 his broad red pathway across the water followed presently by the pale trembling line of light from the crescent moon above4 ,after the sun had vanished1 broad rays of rose-color1 shooting almost to the zenith1 still attested his power1 lending something of their glow also to a great mass of white clouds in the east1 the reflection of which turned the yellow waters of the river to silver1 while between glory and glory the deep blue sky of night gathered over the hills of ,almeirim4 ,this morning at dawn we stopped at the little settlement of ,prainha1 but did not land1 and we are now on our way to ,monte ,algre1 where we shall pass a day and a half4 ,august #beth4--,monte ,algre4 ,we arrived before this town1 situated on the north side of the ,amazons1 at the mouth of the river ,gurupatuba1 yesterday at about midday1 but the heat was so great that ,i did not go on shore till towards evening4 ,the town is situated on the summit of a hill sloping rather steeply upward from the shore1 and it takes its name from a mountain some four leagues to the northwest of it4 ,but though the ground is more broken and various than we have seen it hitherto1 the place does not seem to me to deserve its name of ,monte ,algre 7the gay mountain74 ,to me the aspect of the country here is1 on the contrary1 rather sombre2 the soil consists everywhere of sand1 the forest is low1 while here and there intervene wide1 swampy flats1 covered with coarse grass4 ,the sand rests above the same reddish drift1 filled with smooth rounded quartz pebbles1 that we have followed along our whole road4 ,here and there the pebbles are disposed in undulating lines1 as if a partial stratification had taken place2 and in some localities we saw indications of the drift having been worked over by water1 though not absolutely stratified4 ,both at sunset and sunrise ,i took a walk to the village churchyard1 which commands the prettiest view in the neighborhood4 ,it is enclosed in a picket fence1 a large wooden cross stands in the centre1 and there are a few other small crosses marking graves2 but the place looked uncared for1 grown over1 wherever the sand was not bare1 by the same coarse1 rank shrubs which spring up everywhere in this ungenial soil4#ef ,at a little distance from the churchyard1 the hill slopes abruptly down1 and from its brow one looks across a wide plain covered with low forest1 to the mountain on the other side1 from which the town takes its name4 ,looking southward1 the foreground is filled with lakes divided from each other by low alluvial lands1 forming the level flats alluded to above4 ,though one of the earliest settlements on the ,amazons1 this town is1 by all accounts1 rather decreasing than increasing in population4 ,in the midst of its public square stands what seems at first to be the ruin of a large stone church1 but which is1 in fact1 the framework of a cathedral begun forty years ago1 and standing unfinished to this day4 ,cows were pastured in its grass-grown aisles1 and it seemed a rather sad memorial1 bespeaking a want of prosperity in the place4 ,we were most kindly entertained in the house of ,senhor ,manuel1 who1 finding that the mosquitoes were likely to be very thick on board the steamer1 invited us to pass the night under his roof4 ,this morning we are sailing about in the neighborhood1 partly for the sake of getting fish1 but passing also a couple of hours at a cattle-farm near by1 in order to bring on board a number of cows and oxen for the ,manaos market4 ,it seems that one of the chief occupations here is the raising of cattle4 ,this1 with the sale of fish1 caco1 and ,india-rubber1 constitutes the commerce of the place4 ,august #bfth4--,this morning found us again on the southern side of the river1 off ,santarem1 at the mouth of one of the great branches of the ,amazons1 the ,tapajoz4 ,here we leave a number of our party4 ,mr4 ,dexter1 ,mr4 ,james1 and ,mr4 ,talisman1 a young ,brazilian who joined our party at ,par1 go on a collecting expedition up the ,tapajoz4 ,mr4 ,bourget and ,mr4 ,hunnewell remain at ,santarem1 the former to make collections1 the latter to attend to the repairs of his photographing apparatus1 which has met with some disasters4 ,we are all to meet again at ,manaos for our farther voyage up to ,tabatinga4#eg ,we remained at ,santarem only long enough to see the party fitted out with a canoe and the necessary supplies1 and as they put off from the steamer we weighed anchor and proceeded on our way1 reserving our visit to ,santarem for our return4 ,as we left the port the black waters of the ,tapajoz met the yellow stream of the ,amazons1 and the two ran together for a while1 like the waters of the ,arve and ,rhone in ,switzerland1 meeting but not mingling4 ,instead of returning at once to the main river1 the ,captain1 who omits nothing which can add to the pleasure or the profit of our voyage1 put the steamer through a narrow channel1 which1 on the ,mississippi1 would be called a 8bayou10 but goes here by the name of an 8,igarap40 ,nothing could be prettier than this 8,igarap ,ass10 hardly more than wide enough to admit the steamer1 and bordered on either side by a thick wood1 in which are conspicuous the ,munguba1 with its oval1 red fruit1 the ,imbauba-tree1 neither so lofty nor so regular in form as about ,rio1 and the ,taxi1 with its masses of white flowers and brown buds4 ,for two days past we have lost the palms in a great degree2 about ,monte ,algre they were comparatively few1 and here we see scarcely any4 ,the shore between ,santarem and ,obydos1 where we shall arrive this evening1 seems more populous than the regions we have been passing through4 ,as we coast along1 keeping close to the land1 the scenes revive all our early visions of an ancient pastoral life4 ,groups of ,indians--men1 women1 and children--greet us from the shore1 standing under the overarching trees1 usually trained or purposely chosen to form a kind of arbor over the landing-place1--the invariable foreground of the picture1 with the 8montaria0 moored in front4 ,one or two hammocks are often slung in the trees1 and between the branches one gets a glimpse of the thatched roof and walls of the little straw cottage behind4 ,perhaps if we were to look a little closer at these pictures of pastoral life1 we should find they have a coarse and prosaic side4 ,but let them stand4 ,arcadia itself would not bear a too minute scrutiny1 nor could it present a fairer aspect than do these ,indian homes on the banks of the ,amazons4 ,the primitive forest about the houses is usually cleared1 and they stand in the midst of little plantations of the caco-tree1 mingled with the mandioca shrub1 from the roots of which the ,indians make their flour1 and occasionally also with the ,india-rubber-tree1 though1 as the latter grows plentifully in the forest1 it is not often cultivated4 ,the caco and the ,india-rubber they send to ,par1 in exchange for such domestic goods as they require4 ,we have passed so close to the shore to-day that it has been easy to make geological observations from the deck4 ,for a considerable distance above ,santarem we have followed drift cliffs1 resting upon sandstone2 the drift of the same reddish color1 and pasty1 clayey consistence1 and the sandstone seemingly the same in character1 as that of ,monte ,algre4 ,august #bgth4--,villa ,bella4 ,last evening we stopped to wood at the town of ,obydos1 but without landing2 keeping straight on to this port1 on the southern side of the river1 at the mouth of the river ,tupinambaranas4 ,here we were very cordially received by ,dr4 ,marcus1 an old correspondent of ,mr4 ,agassiz1 who has several times sent specimens from the ,amazons to the ,cambridge ,museum4 ,to-night we are to start in canoes on an excursion to some of the lakes in the neighborhood of this port4 ,august #bhth4--,in the porch of an ,indian house on the lake ,jos ,ass4 ,we passed a pleasant day yesterday at the house of ,dr4 ,marcus1 keeping the ,sabbath rather after the ,jewish than the ,christian rule1 as a veritable day of rest1 lounging in hammocks1 and the gentlemen smoking4 ,we returned to the steamer at five o'clock1 intending to start at six1 in order to have the benefit of the night fishing1 said to be always the most successful4 ,but a violent thunder-storm1 with heavy rain1 lasting almost till midnight1 delayed our departure4 ,we loaded the boats1 however1 before night1 that we might be ready to start whenever the weather should clear4 ,we have two canoes1 in one of which ,mr4 ,agassiz1 myself1 and ,mr4 ,burkhardt have our quarters1 while ,major ,coutinho1 ,dr4 ,marcus1 who accompanies us1 and ,mr4 ,thayer occupy the other4 ,the former1 which is rather the larger of the two1 has a tiny cabin at one end1 some three feet high and six feet long1 roofed in with wood2 the other has also one end covered in1 but with thatch instead of wood4 ,in the larger boat we have our luggage1 compressed to the utmost1 the live stock1--a small sheep1 a turkey1 and several fowls1--besides a number of barrels and kegs1 containing alcohol1 for specimens4 ,the ,captain has supplied us not only with all the necessaries1 but1 so far as is possible1 with every luxury1 for a week's voyage4 ,all our preparations being made1 and no prospect of clear weather1 at nine o'clock we betook ourselves to our hammocks1--or those of us who had stowed their hammocks out of reach1--to chairs and benches1 and had a broken sleep till three o'clock4 ,the stars were then shining1 and everything looked fair for our voyage4 ,the wind had gone down1 the river was smooth as glass when we paddled away from the side of the steamer1 and1 though we had no moon1 one or two planets threw a bright reflection across the water to cheer our way4 ,after keeping for some time down the river1 we turned1 just at dawn1 into a very narrow channel leading through the forest4 ,it was hardly day1 but perhaps the scene was none the less impressive for the dim half-light in which we saw it4 ,from the verdant walls1 which rose on either side and shut us in1 lofty trees1 clothed from base to summit in vines1 stood out here and there like huge green columns1 in bold relief against the morning sky2 hidden flowers filled the air with fragrance1 great roots stretched out into the water1 and now and then a floating log narrowed the passage so as just to leave room for the canoe to pass4 ,after a while a broader1 fuller light shone under the boughs1 and we issued from this narrow pathway into an extensive lake4 ,here it was found that the large net1 which was to have made a part of the outfit of the canoe1 had been left behind1 and1 after calling at two or three ,indian houses to see if we could supply the deficiency1 we were obliged to send back to ,villa ,bella for it4 ,in the mean time we moored our boats at the foot of a little hill1 on which stands an ,indian house1 where we stopped to breakfast1 and where we are still waiting for the return of our messengers4 ,i must say1 that a near view of ,arcadia tends to dispel illusions2 but it should be added1 that this specimen is by no means a favorable one4 ,the houses at ,tajapur were far more attractive1 and the appearance of their inhabitants much neater and more respectable1 than those of our friends here4 ,yet at this moment the scene is not altogether uninviting4 ,some of the party are lounging in the hammocks1 which we have slung under the great porch1 as we are to pass several hours here2 an improvised rustic table1 consisting of a board resting on forked sticks1 stands at one side2 the boatmen are clearing away the remains of our late repast2 the ,indian women1 dirty1 half clad1 with their hair hanging uncombed around their faces1 are tending their naked children1 or kneading the mandioca in a huge trough4 ,the men of the house have just returned from fishing1 the morning having been more successful in that respect than was expected1 and are now fitting up a rough forge1 in which they are repairing some of their iron instruments4 ,in the mean time ,science has its sacred corner1 where ,mr4 ,agassiz is investigating new species1 the result of the morning's fishing1 while ,mr4 ,burkhardt is drawing them4 ,august #bith4--,finding yesterday that our shelter grew more uncomfortable as the day wore on1 and being obliged to wait for the night fishing1 we determined to cross the lake to a 8,sitio0 7as the inhabitants call their plantations7 on the other side of the lake4 ,here we found one of the better specimens of ,indian houses4 ,on one side of the house is the open porch1 quite gay at this moment with our brightly colored hammocks2 adjoining this is a large chamber1 opening into the porch by a wide straw1 or rather palm-leaf door2 which does not swing on hinges1 however1 but is taken down and put up like a mat4 ,on the other side of the room is an unglazed window1 closed at will in the same way by a palm-leaf mat4 ,for the present this chamber is given up to my use4 ,on the other side of the porch is another veranda-like room1 also open at the sides1 and apparently the working-room of the family2 for here is the great round oven1 built of mud1 where the farinha is dried1 and the baskets of mandioca-root are standing ready to be picked and grated1 and here also is the rough log table where we take our meals4 ,everything has an air of decency and cleanliness2 the mud-floors are swept1 the ground about the house is tidy and free from rubbish1 the little plantation around it of caco and mandioca1 with here and there a coffee-shrub1 is in nice order4 ,the house stands on a slightly rising ground1 sloping gently upward from the lake1 and just below1 under some trees on the shore1 are moored the ,indian's 8,montaria0 and our two canoes4 ,we were received with the most cordial friendliness1 the ,indian women gathering about me and examining1 though not in a rough or rude way1 my dress1 the net on my hair1 touching my rings and watch-chain1 and evidently discussing the 8branca0 between themselves4 ,in the evening1 after dinner1 ,i walked up and down outside the house1 enjoying the picturesqueness of the scene4 ,the husband had just come in from the lake1 and the fire on the ground1 over which the fresh fish was broiling for the supper of the family1 shone on the figures of the women and children as they moved about1 and shed its glow under the thatched roof of the working-room1 making its interior warm and ruddy2 a lantern in the corner of the porch threw a dim1 uncertain light over hammocks and half-recumbent figures1 and without1 the moon shone over lake and forest4 ,the mosquitoes1 however1 presently began to disturb the romance of the scene1 and1 as we were all rather tired from our broken rest the night before1 we retired early4 ,my own sleep1 under an excellent mosquito-net1 was very quiet and refreshing1 but there were some of the party who had not provided themselves with this indispensable accompaniment of a hammock1 and they passed the night in misery1 affording a repast to the voracious hordes buzzing about them4 ,i was awakened shortly after daylight by the ,indian women1 bringing me a bouquet of roses and jessamine from the vines which grew about the cottage1 and wishing me good morning4 ,after such a kindly greeting1 ,i could not refuse them the pleasure of assisting at my toilet1 of watching the opening of my valise1 and handling every article as it came out4 ,the night fishing was unfavorable1 but this morning the fishermen have brought in new species enough to keep ,mr4 ,agassiz and his artist busy for many hours1 so that we are likely to pass another night among these hospitable people4 ,i must say that the primitive life of the better class of ,indians on the ,amazons is much more attractive than the so-called civilized life in the white settlements4 ,anything more bald1 dreary1 and uninviting than life in the ,amazonian towns1 with an attempt at the conventionalisms of civilization1 but without one of its graces1 ,i can hardly conceive4 ,this morning my ,indian friends have been showing me the various processes to which the ,mandioca is subjected4 ,this plant is invaluable to these people4 ,it gives them their farinha1--a coarse kind of flour1 their only substitute for bread1--their tapioca1 and also a kind of fermented juice called tucupi1--a more questionable blessing1 perhaps1 since it affords them the means of getting intoxicated4 ,after being peeled1 the roots of the mandioca are scraped on a very coarse grater2 in this condition they make a moist kind of paste1 which is then packed in elastic straw tubes1 made of the fibres of the ,jacitar ,palm 7,desmonchus74 ,when her tube1 which has always a loop at either end1 is full1 the ,indian woman hangs it on the branch of a tree2 she then passes a pole through the lower loop and into a hole in the trunk of the tree1 and1 sitting down on the other end of the pole1 she thus transforms it into a primitive kind of lever1 drawing out the tube to its utmost length by the pressure of her own weight4 ,the juice is thus expressed1 flowing into a bowl placed under the tube4 ,this juice is poisonous at first1 but after being fermented becomes quite harmless1 and is then used for the tucupi4 ,the tapioca is made by mixing the grated mandioca with water4 ,it is then pressed on a sieve1 and the fluid which flows out is left to stand4 ,it soon makes a deposit like starch1 and when hardened they make it into a kind of porridge4 ,it is a favorite article of food with them4 ,august #cjth4--,as time goes on1 we grow more at home with our rustic friends here1 and begin to understand their relations to each other4 ,the name of our host is ,laudigri 7,i spell the name as it sounds71 and that of his wife ,esperana4 ,he1 like all the ,indians living upon the ,amazons1 is a fisherman1 and1 with the exception of such little care as his small plantation requires1 this is his only occupation4 ,an ,indian is never seen to do any of the work of the house1 not even to bring wood or water or lift the heavy burdens1 and as the fishing is done chiefly at certain seasons1 he is a very idle fellow for a great part of the time4 ,the women are said1 on the contrary1 to be very industrious2 and certainly those whom we have an opportunity of seeing here justify this reputation4 ,esperana is always busy at some household work or other1--grating mandioca1 drying farinha1 packing tobacco1 cooking or sweeping4 ,her children are active and obedient1 the older ones making themselves useful in bringing water from the lake1 in washing the mandioca1 or in taking care of the younger ones4 ,esperana can hardly be called pretty1 but she has a pleasant smile and a remarkably sweet voice1 with a kind of child-like intonation1 which is very winning2 and when sometimes1 after her work is over1 she puts on her white chemise1 falling loose from her brown shoulders1 her dark skirt1 and a rose or a sprig of white jessamine in her jetty hair1 she is by no means unattractive in her personal appearance1 though ,i must confess that the pipe which she is apt to smoke in the evening injures the general effect4 ,her husband looks somewhat sombre2 but his hearty laugh occasionally1 and his enjoyment of the glass of cachaa which rewards him when he brings in a new lot of specimens1 shows that he has his bright side4 ,he is greatly amused at the value ,mr4 ,agassiz attaches to the fishes1 especially the little ones1 which appear to him only fit to throw away4 ,it seems that the other family who have been about here since our arrival are neighbors1 who have come in to help in the making of mandioca4 ,they come in the morning with all their children and remain through the day4 ,the names of the father and mother are ,pedro ,manuel and ,michelina4 ,he is a tall1 handsome fellow1 whose chief occupation seems to be that of standing about in picturesque attitudes1 and watching his rather pretty wife1 as she bustles round in her various work of grating or pressing or straining the mandioca1 generally with her baby astride on her hip1--the ,indian woman's favorite way of carrying her child4 ,occasionally1 however1 ,pedro ,manuel is aroused to bear some part in the collecting2 and the other day1 when he brought in some specimens which seemed to him quite valueless1 ,mr4 ,agassiz rewarded him with a chicken4 ,his surprise and delight were great1 perhaps a little mingled with contempt for the man who would barter a chicken for a few worthless fishes1 fit only to throw into the river4 ,illustration3 ,esperana's ,cottage4 ,last evening1 with some difficulty1 we induced ,laudigri to play for us on a rough kind of lute or guitar1--a favorite instrument with the country people1 and used by them as an accompaniment for dancing4 ,when we had him fairly en train with the music1 we persuaded ,esperana and ,michelina to show us some of their dances2 not without reluctance1 and with an embarrassment which savored somewhat of the self-consciousness of civilized life1 they stood up with two of our boatmen4 ,the dance is very peculiar2 so languid that it hardly deserves the name4 ,there is almost no movement of the body2 they lift the arms1 but in an angular position with no freedom of motion1 snapping the fingers like castanets in time to the music1 and they seem rather like statues gliding from place to place than like dancers4 ,this is especially true of the women1 who are still more quiet than the men4 ,one of the boatmen was a ,bolivian1 a finely formed1 picturesque-looking man1 whose singular dress heightened the effect of his peculiar movements4 ,the ,bolivian ,indians wear a kind of toga2 at least ,i do not know how otherwise to designate their long straight robe of heavy twilled cotton cloth4 ,it consists of two pieces1 hanging before and behind1 fastened on the shoulder2 leaving only an aperture for the head to pass through4 ,it is belted around the waist1 leaving the sides open so that the legs and arms are perfectly free4 ,the straight folds of his heavy white drapery gave a sort of statuesque look to our ,bolivian as he moved slowly about in the dance4 ,after it was over1 ,esperana and the others urged me to show them the dance 8of my country10 as they said1 and my young friend ,r---- and ,i waltzed for them1 to their great delight4 ,it seemed to me like a strange dream4 ,the bright fire danced with us1 flickering in under the porch1 fitfully lighting its picturesque interior and the group of wondering ,indians around us1 who encouraged us every now and then with a 8,mito bonito1 mia branca1 mito bonito0 7,very pretty1 my white1 very pretty74 ,our ball kept up very late1 and after ,i had gone to my hammock ,i still heard1 between waking and sleeping1 the plaintive chords of the guitar1 mingling with the melancholy note of a kind of whippoorwill1 who sings in the woods all night4 ,this morning the forest is noisy with the howling monkeys4 ,they sound very near and very numerous2 but we are told that they are deep in the forest1 and would disappear at the slightest approach4 ,september #ast4--,yesterday morning we bade our friendly hosts good-by1 leaving their pretty picturesque home with real regret4 ,the night before we left1 they got together some of their neighbors in our honor1 and renewed the ball of the previous evening4 ,like things of the same kind in other classes1 the second occasion1 got up with a little more preparation than the first1 which was wholly impromptu1 was neither so gay nor so pretty4 ,frequent potations of cachaa made the guests rather noisy1 and their dancing1 under this influence1 became far more animated1 and by no means so serious and dignified as the evening before4 ,one thing which occurred early in the entertainment1 however1 was interesting1 as showing something of their religious observances4 ,in the morning ,esperana's mother1 a hideous old ,indian woman1 had come into my room to make me a visit4 ,before leaving1 ,i was rather surprised to see her kneel down by a little trunk in the corner1 and1 opening the lid slightly1 throw in repeated kisses1 touching her lips to her fingers and making gestures as if she dropped the kisses into the trunk1 crossing herself at intervals as she did so4 ,in the evening she was again at the dance1 and1 with the other two women1 went through with a sort of religious dance1 chanting the while1 and carrying in their hands a carved arch of wood which they waved to and fro in time to the chant4 ,when ,i asked ,esperana the meaning of this1 she told me that1 though they went to the neighboring town of ,villa ,bella for the great fte of our ,lady of ,nazareth1 they kept it also at home on their return1 and this was a part of their ceremonies4 ,and then she asked me to come in with her1 and1 leading the way to my room1 introduced me to the contents of the precious trunk2 there was our ,lady of ,nazareth1 a common coarse print1 framed in wood1 one or two other smaller colored prints and a few candles2 over the whole was thrown a blue gauze4 ,it was the family chapel1 and she showed me all the things1 taking them up one by one with a kind of tender1 joyful reverence1 only made the more touching by their want of any material value4 ,we are now at another ,indian house on the bank of an arm of the river ,ramos1 connecting the ,amazons1 through the ,mauhes1 with the ,madeira4 ,our two hours' canoe-journey yesterday1 in the middle of the day1 was somewhat hot and wearisome1 though part of it lay through one of the shady narrow channels ,i have described before4 ,the ,indians have a pretty name for these channels in the forest2 they call them ,igaraps1 that is1 boat-paths1 and they literally are in many places just wide enough for the canoe4 ,at about four o'clock we arrived at our present lodging1 which is by no means so pretty as the one we have left1 though it stands1 like that1 on the slope of a hill just above the shore1 with the forest about it4 ,but it lacks the wide porch and the open working-room which made the other house so picturesque4 ,mosquitoes are plentiful1 and at nightfall the house is closed and a pan of turf burned before the door to drive them away4 ,our host and hostess1 by name ,jos ,antonio ,maia and ,maria ,joanna ,maia1 do what they can1 however1 to make us comfortable1 and the children as well as the parents show that natural courtesy which has struck us so much among these ,indians4 ,the children are constantly bringing me flowers and such little gifts as they have it in their power to bestow1 especially the painted cups which the ,indians make from the fruit of the ,crescentia1 and use as drinking-cups1 basins1 and the like4 ,one sees numbers of them in all the ,indian houses along the ,amazons4 ,my books and writing seem to interest them very much1 and while ,i was reading at the window of my room this morning1 the father and mother came up1 and1 after watching me a few minutes in silence1 the father asked me1 if ,i had any leaves out of some old book which was useless to me1 or even a part of any old newspaper1 to leave it with him when ,i went away4 ,once1 he said1 he had known how to read a little1 and he seemed to think if he had something to practise upon1 he might recover the lost art4 ,his face fell when ,i told him all my books were ,english3 it was a bucket of cold water to his literary ambition4 ,then he added1 that one of his little boys was very bright1 and he was sure he could learn1 if he had the means of sending him to school4 ,when ,i told him that ,i lived in a country where a good education was freely given to the child of every poor man1 he said if the 8branca0 did not live so far away1 he would ask her to take his daughter with her1 and for her services to have her taught to read and write4 ,the man has a bright1 intelligent face1 and speaks with genuine feeling of his desire to give an education to his children4 ,september #c;d4--,yesterday we started on our return1 and after a warm and wearisome row of four hours reached our steamer at five o'clock in the afternoon4 ,the scientific results of this expedition have been most satisfactory4 ,the collections1 differing greatly from each other in character1 are very large from both our stations1 and ,mr4 ,burkhardt has been indefatigable in making colored drawings of the specimens while their tints were yet fresh4 ,this is no easy task1 for the mosquitoes buzz about him and sometimes make work almost intolerable4 ,this morning ,maia brought in a superb ,pirarara 7fish parrot74 ,this fish is already well known to science2 it is a heavy1 broad-headed hornpout1 with a bony shield over the whole head2 its general color is jet black1 but it has bright yellow sides1 deepening into orange here and there4 ,its systematic name is ,phractocephalus bicolor4 ,the yellow fat of this fish has a curious property2 the ,indians tell us that when parrots are fed upon it they become tinged with yellow1 and they often use it to render their 8papagaios0 more variegated4#eh ,during our absence the commander of our steamer1 ,captain ,anacleto1 and one or two gentlemen of the town1 among others ,senhor ,augustinho1 and also ,father ,torquato1 whose name occurs often in ,bates's work on the ,amazons1 have been making a collection of river fishes1 in which ,mr4 ,agassiz finds some fifty new species4 ,thus the harvest of the week has been a rich one4 ,to-day we are on our way to ,manaos1 where we expect to arrive in the course of to-morrow4 ----- ,footnote #ea3 ,senhor ,sepeda1 a most hospitable and courteous gentleman1 to whom we were indebted then and afterwards for much kindness1 and also for valuable collections put up during our journey to the ,upper ,amazons4 ,footnote #eb3 ,august #bb;d1 morning3 between ,tajapur and ,gurup4 ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3--,yesterday was a most instructive day1--above all1 in the 8forest fishes40 ,we have obtained fifteen species in all4 ,out of this number ten are new1 four are found also in ,par1 and one has been already described by me in the voyage of ,spix and ,martius2 but what is most interesting is the proof furnished by these species1 taken in their totality1 that the fishes inhabiting the waters west of the group of islands called ,maraj1 when considered as a whole1 differ from those of the ,par river4 ,the list of names which we have asked from the ,indians shows1 further1 that the number of species found in these localities exceeds greatly that which we have been able to procure2 for this reason we have left cans at ,breves and at ,tajapur in order to complete the collection4 ,i add some remarks which will help you to appreciate these differences1 if you wish to compare them with the catalogue of the ,par species which ,i left with you4 ,considering all1 it seems to me already apparent that our voyage will make a revolution in ,ichthyology4 ,in the first place1 the ,jacund of ,tajapur is different from those of ,par2 so is the ,acar2 then we have a new species of ,sarap1 and also one of ,jeju2 a new species of ,rabeca1 a new species of ,anoj1 a new genus of ,candiru1 a new genus of ,bagre1 a new genus of ,acary1 and a new species of ,acary belonging to the same genus as that of ,par2 also a new species of ,matupirim4 ,add to this a species of ,arac1 already described1 but which is not found at ,par1 and you will have at ,tajapur eleven species which do not exist at ,par1 to which must be added four species which are found at ,tajapur as well as at ,par1 and one which occurs at ,par1 ,breves1 and ,tajapur4 ,in all twenty species1 of which fifteen are new1 in two days4 ,unhappily1 the ,indians have misunderstood our directions1 and have brought us but one specimen of each species4 ,there remains1 then1 much to do in these localities1 judging from the catalogue of names collected by ,major ,coutinho1 which includes twenty-six species from the forest and forty-six from the river4 ,we are still lacking at least fifty-two species from ,tajapur1 even supposing that this locality contains also the five species from ,breves4 ,you see that we shall yet leave a large share of the work to our successors4 ,adieu for to-day1 your affectionate ,l4 ,,agassiz4 ,footnote #ec3 ,the opportunity of watching these fishes in their natural element1 and keeping many of them alive for hours or days in our glass tanks1 was very instructive1 and suggested comparisons not dreamed of before4 ,our arrangements were very convenient2 and as the commander of the steamer allowed me to encumber the deck with all sorts of scientific apparatus1 ,i had a number of large glass dishes and wooden tubs in which ,i kept such specimens as ,i wished to investigate with special care and to have drawn from life4 ,one of the most striking changes made by ,j4 ,mller1 in the classification of the spiny fishes1 was the separation into a distinct order1 under the name of ,pharyngognathi1 of all those in which the pharyngeal bones are soldered together4 ,with these the illustrious ,german anatomist has associated a number of soft-rayed types1 formerly united with the ,pickerels and ,herrings1 and characterized by the same structure4 ,it would thus seem that there is here a definite anatomical character easily traceable1 by the aid of which a vast number of fishes might be correctly classified4 ,but the question at once arises1 ,are these fishes truly related to one another1 and so combined in this new order of ,pharyngognathi as to include all which properly belong with them1 and none others8 ,i think not4 ,i believe that ,mller has always placed too much value upon isolated anatomical characters2 and1 while he was undoubtedly one of the greatest anatomists and physiologists of our age1 he lacked zological tact4 ,this is especially evident with reference to the order of ,pharyngognathi1 for though the ,scomberesoces have fixed pharyngeals like ,chromides1 ,pomacentrides1 ,labroids1 ,holconotes1 and ,gerrides1 they have no real affinities with these families4 ,again1 the character assigned to this order is not constant even in the typical ,pharyngognathi4 ,i have found ,chromides and ,gerrides with movable pharyngeals2 in the genus ,cychla they are normally so4 ,it is therefore not out of place to state here that the ,chromides of ,south ,america are in reality closely related to a group of fishes very generally found in the ,united ,states1 known as ,pomotis1 ,bryttus1 ,centrarchus1 etc41 and usually referred to the family of ,perches1 from which they have1 however1 been separated by ,dr4 ,holbrook under the name of ,helichthyoids4 ,they not only resemble the ,chromides in their form1 but even in their habits1 mode of reproduction1 peculiar movements1 and even in their coloration4 ,cuvier has already shown that ,enoplosus is not a member of the family of ,chtodonts1 and ,i may now add that it is a near relative of the ,chromides1 and should stand by the side of ,pterophyllum in a natural system4 ,monocirrus of ,heckel1 which ,i consider as the type of a small family under the name of ,folhid1 is also closely allied to these1 though provided with a barbel1 and should be placed with ,polycentrus side by side with the ,chromides and ,helichthyoids4 ,the manner in which ,pterophyllum moves is quite peculiar4 ,the profile of the head and the extended anterior margin of the high dorsal are brought on a level1 parallel to the surface of the water1 when the long ventrals and high anal hang down vertically1 and the fish progresses slowly by the lateral beating of the tail4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ed3 ,,on ,,the ,,xingu1 ,august #bc;d1 #ahfe4 ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3--,i am worn out with fatigue1 but ,i will not go to rest before writing you a word4 ,yesterday evening we obtained twenty-seven species of fish at ,gurup and this morning fifty-seven at ,porto do ,moz1--eighty-four species in all1 in less than twelve hours1 and of this number fifty-one are new4 ,it is wonderful4 ,i can no longer put in order what is brought to me as fast as it arrives1 and as to obtaining colored drawings of all1 it is no longer possible1 unless we pass a whole week here on our return4 ,wholly yours1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4 ,footnote #ee3 ,representations of these hills may be found in the ,atlas of ,martius and in ,bates's 8,naturalist on the ,amazons40 ,footnote #ef3 ,afterwards ,i made a longer stay at ,monte ,algre1 and learned to know its picturesque nooks and dells1 where a luxuriant vegetation is watered by delicious springs4 ,i feel that the above description is superficial2 but ,i let it remain1 as perfectly true to my first impressions4 ,footnote #eg3 ,i soon became convinced after leaving ,par that the faun of our different stations were not repetitions of each other4 ,on the contrary1 at ,breves1 ,tajapur1 ,gurup1--in short1 at each stopping-place1 as has been seen1--we found another set of inhabitants in the river1 if not wholly different from the last1 at least presenting so many new species that the combination was no longer the same4 ,it became at once very important to ascertain whether these differences were permanent and stationary1 or were1 in part at least1 an effect of migration4 ,i therefore determined to distribute our forces in such a way as to keep collecting parties at distant points1 and to repeat collections from the same localities at different seasons4 ,i pursued this method of investigation during our whole stay in the ,amazons1 dividing the party for the first time at ,santarem1 where ,messrs4 ,dexter1 ,james1 and ,talisman separated from us to ascend the ,tapajoz1 while ,mr4 ,bourget remained at ,santarem1 and ,i1 with the rest of my companions1 kept on to ,obydos and ,villa ,bella4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #eh3 ,i was especially interested in seeing living ,gymnotini4 ,i do not here allude to the electric ,gymnotus1 already so fully described by ,humboldt that nothing remains to be said about it2 but to the smaller representatives of that curious family1 known as ,carapus1 ,sternopygus1 ,sternarchus and ,rhamphichthys4 ,the ,carapus1 called ,sarapos throughout ,brazil1 are very numerous1 and the most lively of the whole group4 ,their motions are winding and rapid like those of the ,eel1 but yet different1 inasmuch as they do not glide quickly forward1 but1 like ,cobitis and ,petromyzon1 turn frequent somersets and change their direction constantly4 ,this is also the case with the ,sternopygus and ,sternarchus1 and even the larger and more slender ,rhamphichthys have a kind of rolling motion4 ,though ,i had expected to find many ,cyprinodonts1 yet their great variety astonished me1 and still more was ,i struck by their resemblance to ,melanura1 ,umbra1 and the ,erythrinoids4 ,the presence of ,belone and allied forms also surprised me4 ,our stay on the shores of ,jos ,ass and ,lago ,maximo was particularly instructive on account of the numerous specimens of each species daily brought in by ,laudigri and ,maia4 ,it afforded me a welcome opportunity for studying the differences exhibited by these fishes at different periods of life4 ,no type passes1 in that respect1 through greater changes than the ,chromides1 and among them the genus ,cychla is perhaps the most variable4 ,i am sure that no ichthyologist could at first sight believe that their young are really the early stage of the forms known in our ichthyological works as ,cychla monocolus1 ,cychla temensis1 and ,cychla saxatilis4 ,the males and females also vary greatly during the spawning season1 and the hump on the top of the head described as a specific character in ,cychla nigro-maculata is a protuberance only found in the male1 swelling during the period of spawning and soon disappearing4 ,once familiar with the young brood of some species of ,chromides1 it became easy for me to distinguish a great variety of small types1 no doubt hitherto overlooked by naturalists travelling in this region1 simply under the impression that they must be the young of larger species4 ,a similar investigation of the young of ,serrasalmo1 ,myletes1 ,tetragonopterus1 ,cynodon1 ,anodus1 c4 led me to the discovery of an equally large number of diminutive types of ,characines1 many of which1 when full grown1 do not exceed one inch in length2 among them are some of the most beautiful fishes ,i have ever seen1 so far as the brilliancy and variety of their colors are concerned4 ,thus everything contributed to swell the collections1--the localities selected as well as the mode of investigating4 ,i should add here1 that1 several years before my own journey on the ,amazons1 ,i had been indebted to the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,fletcher for a valuable collection of fishes from this and other ,amazonian localities4 ,the familiarity thus obtained with them was very useful to me in pursuing my studies on the spot4--,l4 ,a4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,life ,,at ,,manaos4--,,voyage ,,from ,,manaos ,,to ,,tabatinga4 ,,arrival ,,at ,,manaos4--,,meeting ,,of ,,the ,,solimoens ,,with ,,the ,,rio ,,negro4--,,domesticated ,,at ,,manaos4--,,return ,,of ,,party ,,from ,,the ,,tapajoz4--,,generosity ,,of ,,government4--,,walks4--,,water-,,carri ers4--,,indian ,,school4--,,leave ,,manaos4--,,life ,,on ,,board ,,the ,,steamer4--,,barreira ,,das ,,cudajas4--,,coari4--,,wooding4--,,appe arance ,,of ,,banks4--,,geological ,,constitution4--,,forest4--,,sumaumeira -,,tree4--,,arrow-,,grass4--,,red ,,drift ,,cliffs4--,,sand-,,beaches4--,,indian ,,huts4--,,turtle-,,hunting4--,,drying ,,fish4--,,teff4--,,doubts ,,about ,,the ,,journey4--,,unexpected ,,adviser4--,,fonte ,b,a4--,,geological ,,character ,,of ,,banks4--,,lakes4--,,flocks ,,of ,,water ,,birds4--,,tonantins4--,,picturesque ,,grouping ,,of ,,indians4--,,san ,,paolo4--,,land-,,slides4--,,character ,,of ,,scenery4--,,scanty ,,population4--,,animal ,,life4--,,tabatinga4--,,aspect ,,of ,,the ,,settlement4--,,mosquitoes4--,,leave ,,one ,,of ,,the ,,party ,,to ,,make ,,collections4--,,on ,,our ,,way ,,down ,,the ,,river4--,,party ,,to ,,the ,,rivers ,i,a ,,and ,,hyutahy4--,,aground ,,in ,,the ,,amazons4--,,arrival ,,at ,,teff4 ,september #eth4--,manaos4 ,yesterday morning we entered the ,rio ,negro and saw the meeting of its calm1 black waters with the rushing yellow current of the ,amazons1 or the ,solimoens1 as the ,upper ,amazon is called4 ,they are well named by the ,indians the 8living and the dead river10 for the ,solimoens pours itself down upon the dark stream of the ,rio ,negro with such a vital1 resistless force1 that the latter does indeed seem like a lifeless thing by its side4 ,it is true1 that at this season1 when the water in both the rivers is beginning to subside1 the ,rio ,negro seems to offer some slight resistance to the stronger river2 it struggles for a moment with the impetuous flood which overmasters it1 and1 though crowded up against the shore1 continues its course for a little distance side by side with the ,solimoens4 ,but at the season when the waters are highest1 the latter closes the mouth of the ,rio ,negro so completely that not a drop of its inky stream is seen to mingle with the yellow waters outside4 ,it is supposed that at this season the ,rio ,negro sinks at once under the ,solimoens2 at all events1 the latter flows across its mouth1 seeming to bar it completely4 ,it must not be supposed1 from the change of name1 that the ,solimoens is anything more than the continuation of the ,amazons2 just as the so-called river ,maraon is its continuation above ,nauta1 after crossing the ,brazilian frontier4 ,it is always the same gigantic stream1 traversing the continent for its whole breadth2 but it has received in its lower1 middle1 and upper course the three local names of the ,amazons1 the ,solimoens1 and the ,maraon4 ,at the point where the ,brazilians give it the name of ,solimoens it takes a sudden turn to the south1 just where the ,rio ,negro enters it from the north1 so that the two form a sharp angle4 ,we landed at ,manaos and went at once to the house which ,major ,coutinho1 with his usual foresight1 has provided for us4 ,as the day of our arrival was uncertain1 the arrangements were not completed1 and the house was entirely empty when we entered it4 ,in about ten minutes1 however1 chairs and tables--brought1 ,i believe1 from the house of a friend--made their appearance1 the rooms were promptly furnished1 and presently assumed a very cosey and comfortable look1 notwithstanding their brick floors and bare walls4 ,we have some pleasant neighbors in a family living almost next door to us1 old and intimate friends of ,major ,coutinho1 who receive us for his sake as if we also had a claim on their affection4 ,here we rest from our wanderings1 for a week at least1 until the steamer sails for ,tabatinga4 ,september #ith4--,we have passed such quiet days here1 so far as any variety of incident is concerned1 that there is little to record4 ,work has gone on as usual2 the whole collection of fishes1 made since we left ,par1 has been so repacked as to leave it in readiness to be shipped for that port4 ,our companions have rejoined us on their return from the ,tapajoz1 bringing with them considerable collections from that river also4 ,they seem to have enjoyed their excursion greatly1 and describe the river as scarcely inferior to the ,amazons itself in breadth and grandeur1 having wide sand-beaches where the waves roll in1 when the wind is high1 almost as upon a sea-shore4 ,mr4 ,agassiz has done nothing in the way of collecting here1 with the exception of securing such fishes as are to be had in the immediate neighborhood2 he reserves his voyage on the ,rio ,negro for our return4 ,and1 by the way1 we are met here by another practical evidence of the good-will of the ,brazilian government4 ,on leaving ,rio1 the ,emperor had offered ,mr4 ,agassiz the use of a small government steamer to make explorations on the ,negro and ,madeira rivers4 ,on our arrival at ,par he was told that the steamer had been found to be so much out of repair that she was considered unsafe4 ,under these circumstances1 he supposed that we should be obliged to resort to the small boats generally used4 ,but to-day an official communication informs him that1 as the ,piraja is found not to be serviceable1 another steamer will be furnished1 which will meet us at ,manaos on our return from the ,upper ,amazons4 ,the following letter1 acknowledging this favor1 to the ,president of ,par1 through whom it was received1 contains some account of the scientific results thus far1 and may not be uninteresting4 ,,manaos1 #h ,septembre1 #ahfe4 ,a ,son ,excellence ,m4 ,couto de ,magalhas1 ,prsident du ,par4 ,,mon ,,cher ,,monsieur3--,je vous remercie infiniment de l'aimable lettre que vous avez eu la bont de m'crire la semaine dernire et je m'empresse de vous faire part des succs extraordinaires qui continuent couronner nos efforts4 ,il est certain ds--prsent que le nombre des poissons qui peuplent l',amazone excde de beaucoup tout ce que l'on avait imagin jusqu'ici et que leur distribution est trs limite en totalit1 bien qu'il y ait un petit nombre d'espces qui nous suivent depuis ,par et d'autres pour une tendue plus ou moins considrable4 ,vous vous rappelez peut-tre qu'en faisant allusion mes esprances je vous dis un jour que je croyais la possibilit de trouver deux cent cinquante trois cents espces de poissons dans tout le bassin de l',amazone2 et bien aujourd'hui1 mme avant d'avoir franchi le tiers du cours principal du fleuve et remont par ci par l seulement quelques lieues au del de ses bords j'en ai dj obtenu plus de trois cents4 ,c'est inou2 surtout si l'on considre que le nombre total connu des naturalistes ne va pas au tiers de ce que j'ai dj recueilli4 ,ce rsultat laisse peine entrevoir ce qu'on dcouvrira un jour lorsqu'on explorera avec le mme soin tous les affluents du grand fleuve4 ,ce serait une entreprise digne de vous de faire explorer l',araguay dans tout son cours pour nous apprendre combien d'assemblages differents d'espces distinctes se rencontrent successivement depuis ses sources jusqu' sa jonction avec le ,tocantins et plus bas jusqu' l',amazone4 ,vous avez dj une sorte de proprit scientifique sur ce fleuve laquelle vous ajouteriez de nouveaux droits en fournissant la science ces renseignements4 ,permettez moi de vous exprimer toute ma gratitude pour l'intrt que vous prenez mon jeune compagnon de voyage4 ,m4 ,ward le mrite galement par sa grande jeunesse1 son courage et son dvouement la science4 ,m4 ,epaminondas vient de me faire part de vos gnreuses intentions mon gard et de me dire que vous vous proposez d'expdier un vapeur ,manaos pour prendre la place du ,piraja et faciliter notre exploration du ,rio ,negro et du ,rio ,madeira4 ,je ne sais trop comment vous remercier pour une pareille faveur2 tout ce que je puis vous dire ds--prsent c'est que cette faveur me permettra de faire une exploration de ces fleuves qui me serait impossible sans cela4 ,et si le rsultat de ces recherches est aussi favorable que je l'attends1 l'honneur en reviendra avant tout la libralit du gouvernement ,brsilien4 ,entran par les rsultats que j'ai obtenus jusqu'ici1 je pense que si les circonstances nous sont favorables en arrivant ,tabatinga1 nous ferons une pousse jusque dans la partie infrieure du ,prou#ei tandis que mes compagnons exploreront les fleuves intermdiaires entre cette ville et ,teff2 en sorte que nous ne serons probablement pas de retour ,manaos avant la fin du mois d',octobre4 ,agrez1 mon cher ,monsieur1 l'assurance de ma haute consideration et de mon parfait dvouement4 ,l4 ,,agassiz4#fj ,there is little to be said of the town of ,manaos4 ,it consists of a small collection of houses1 half of which seem going to decay1 and indeed one can hardly help smiling at the tumble-down edifices1 dignified by the name of public buildings1 the treasury1 the legislative hall1 the post-office1 the custom-house1 the ,president's mansion1 c4 ,the position of the city1 however1 at the junction of the ,rio ,negro1 the ,amazons1 and the ,solimoens1 is commanding2 and1 insignificant as it looks at present1 ,manaos will no doubt be a great centre of commerce and navigation at some future time4#fa ,but when we consider the vast extent of land covered by almost impenetrable forest and the great practical difficulties in the way of the settler here1 arising from the climate1 the insects1 the obstacles to communication1 the day seems yet far distant when a numerous population will cover the banks of the ,amazons1 when steamers will ply between its ports as between those of the ,mississippi1 and when all nations will share in the rich products of its valley4#fb ,one of my greatest pleasures in ,manaos has been to walk toward the neighboring forest at nightfall1 and see the water-carriers1 ,indian and negro1 coming down from the narrow pathways with their great red earthen jars on their heads4 ,they make quite a procession at morning and evening2 for the river water is not considered good1 and the town is chiefly supplied from pools and little streamlets in the woods4 ,many of these pools1 very prettily situated and embowered in trees1 are used as bathing-places2 one1 which is quite large and deep1 is a special favorite2 it has been thatched over with palm1 and has also a little thatched shed adjoining1 to serve as a dressing-room4 ,yesterday we passed an interesting morning at a school for ,indian children a little way out of the city4 ,we were astonished at the aptness they showed for the arts of civilization so uncongenial to our ,north ,american ,indians3 it reminded one that they are the successors1 on the same soil1 of the races who founded the ancient civilizations of ,peru and ,mexico1 so much beyond any social organization known to have existed among the more northern tribes4 ,in one room they were turning out very nice pieces of furniture1--chairs1 tables1 book-stands1 c41 with a number of smaller articles1 such as rulers and paper-knives4 ,in another room they were working in iron1 in another making fine fancy articles of straw4 ,besides these trades1 they are taught to read1 write1 and cipher1 and to play on various musical instruments4 ,for music they are said to have1 like the negro1 a natural aptitude4 ,in the main building were the school-rooms1 dormitories1 store-rooms1 kitchen1 c4 ,we were there just at the breakfast hour1 and had the satisfaction of seeing them sit down to a hearty meal1 consisting of a large portion of bread and butter and a generous bowl of coffee4 ,i could not help contrasting the expression of these boys1 when they were all collected1 with that of a number of negro children assembled together2 the latter always so jolly and careless1 the former shy1 serious1 almost sombre4 ,they looked1 however1 very intelligent1 and we were told that those of pure ,indian descent were more so than the half-breeds4 ,the school is supported by the province1 but the fund is small1 and the number of pupils is very limited4 ,our pleasure in this school was somewhat marred by hearing that1 though it purports to be an orphan asylum1 children who have parents loath to part with them are sometimes taken by force from the wild ,indian tribes to be educated here4 ,the appearance of a dark cell1 barred up like the cell of a wild animal1 which was used as a prison for refractory scholars1 rather confirmed this impression4 ,whenever ,i have made inquiries about these reports1 ,i have been answered1 that1 if such cases occur1 it is only where children are taken from an utterly savage and degraded condition1 and that it is better they should be civilized by main force than not civilized at all4 ,it may be doubted1 however1 whether any providence but the providence of ,god is so wise and so loving that it may safely exercise a compulsory charity4 ,speaking of the education of the ,indians reminds me that we have been fortunate enough to meet a ,french padre here who has furnished ,mr4 ,agassiz with a package of simple elementary ,portuguese books1 which he has already sent to our literary ,indian friend1 ,jos ,maia4 ,this kind priest offers also to take the boy1 for whom ,maia was so anxious to secure an education1 into the seminary of which he is director1 and where he receives charity scholars4 ,september #abth4--,on ,sunday we left ,manaos in the steamer for ,tabatinga1 and are again on our way up the river4 ,i insert here a letter which gives a sort of rsum of the scientific work up to this moment1 and shows also how constantly we were attended by the good-will of the employs on the ,amazonian line of steamers1 and that of their excellent director1 ,mr4 ,pimenta ,bueno4 ,,manaos1 #h ,septembre1 #ahfe4 ,senhor ,pimenta ,bueno4 ,,mon ,,cher ,,ami3--,vous serez probablement surpris de recevoir seulement quelques lignes de moi aprs le temps qui s'est coul depuis ma dernire lettre4 ,le fait est que depuis ,obydos je suis all de surprise en surprise et que j'ai peine eu le temps de prendre soin des collections que nous avons faites1 sans pouvoir les tudier convenablement4 ,c'est ainsi que pendant le semaine que nous avons passe dans les environs de ,villa ,bella1 au ,lago ,jos ,ass et ,lago ,maximo1 nous avons recueilli cent quatre-vingts espces de poissons dont les deux tiers au moins sont nouvelles et ceux de mes compagnons qui sont rests ,santarem et dans le ,tapajoz en ont rapport une cinquantaine1 ce qui fait dj bien au del de trois cents espces en comptant celles de ,porto do ,moz1 de ,gurup1 de ,tajapur et de ,monte ,algre4 ,vous voyez qu'avant mme d'avoir parcouru le tiers du cours de l',amazone1 le nombre des poissons est plus du triple de celui de toutes les espces connues jusqu' ce jour1 et je commence m'apercevoir que nous ne ferons qu'effleurer la surface du centre de ce grand bassin4 ,que sera-ce lorsqu'on pourra tudier loisir et dans l'poque la plus favorable tous ses affluents4 ,aussi je prends ds--prsent la rsolution de faire de plus nombreuses stations dans la partie suprieure du fleuve et de prolonger mon sjour aussi long-temps que mes forces me le permettront4 ,ne croyez pas cependant que j'oublie qui je dois un pareil succs4 ,c'est vous qui m'avez mis sur la voie en me faisant connatre les ressources de la fret et mieux encore en me fournissant les moyens d'en tirer parti4 ,merci1 mille fois1 merci4 ,je dois aussi tenir grand compte de l'assistance que m'ont fournie les agents de la compagnie sur tous les points o nous avons touch4 ,notre aimable commandant s'est galement vertu1 et pendant que j'explorais les lacs des environs de ,villa ,bella il a fait lui-mme une trs belle collection dans l',amazone mme1 o il a recueilli de nombreuses petites espces que les pecheurs ngligent toujours4 ,a l'arrive du ,belem1 j'ai reu votre aimable lettre et une partie de l'alcohol que j'avais demand ,m4 ,bond4 ,je lui cris aujourd'hui pour qu'il m'en envoie encore une partie ,teff et plus tard davantage ,manaos4 ,je vous remercie pour le catalogue des poissons du ,par2 je vous le restituerai notre retour1 avec les additions que je ferai pendant le reste du voyage4 ,adieu1 mon cher ami4 ,tout vous1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4#fc ,although no longer on board an independent steamer1 we are still the guests of the company1 having government passages4 ,nothing can be more comfortable than the travelling on these ,amazonian boats4 ,they are clean and well kept1 with good-sized state-rooms1 which most persons use1 however1 only as dressing-rooms1 since it is always more agreeable to sleep on the open deck in one's hammock4 ,the table is very well kept1 the fare good1 though not varied4 ,bread is the greatest deficiency1 but hard biscuit makes a tolerable substitute4 ,our life is after this fashion4 ,we turn out of our hammocks at dawn1 go down stairs to make our toilets1 and have a cup of hot coffee below4 ,by this time the decks are generally washed and dried1 the hammocks removed1 and we can go above again4 ,between then and the breakfast hour1 at half past ten o'clock1 ,i generally study ,portuguese1 though my lessons are somewhat interrupted by watching the shore and the trees1 a constant temptation when we are coasting along near the banks4 ,at half past ten or eleven o'clock breakfast is served1 and after that the glare of the sun becomes trying1 and ,i usually descend to the cabin1 where we make up our journals1 and write during the middle of the day4 ,at three o'clock ,i consider that the working hours are over1 and then ,i take a book and sit in my lounging-chair on deck1 and watch the scenery1 and the birds and the turtles1 and the alligators if there are any1 and am lazy in a general way4 ,at five o'clock dinner is served1 7the meals being always on deck17 and after that begins the delight of the day4 ,at that hour it grows deliciously cool1 the sunsets are always beautiful1 and we go to the forward deck and sit there till nine o'clock in the evening4 ,then comes tea1 and then to our hammocks2 ,i sleep in mine most profoundly till morning4 ,to-day we stopped at a small station on the north side of the river called ,barreira das ,cudajas4 ,the few houses stand on a bank of red drift1 slightly stratified in some parts1 and affording a support for the river-mud1 shored up against it4 ,since then1 in our progress1 we have seen the same formation in several localities4 ,september #acth4--,this morning the steamer dropped anchor at the little town of ,coari on the ,coari ,river1--one of the rivers of black water4 ,we were detained at this place for some hours1 taking in wood2 so slow a process here1 that an ,american1 accustomed to the rapid methods of work at home1 looks on in incredulous astonishment4 ,a crazy old canoe1 with its load of wood1 creeps out from the shore1 the slowness of its advance accounted for by the fact that of its two rowers one has a broken paddle1 the other a long stick1 to serve as apologies for oars4 ,when the boat reaches the side of the steamer1 a line of men is formed some eight or ten in number1 and the wood is passed from hand to hand1 log by log1 each log counted as it arrives4 ,mr4 ,agassiz timed them this morning1 and found that they averaged about seven logs a minute4 ,under these circumstances1 one can understand that stopping to wood is a long affair4 ,since we left ,coari we have been coasting along close to the land1 the continental shore1 and not that of an island4 ,the islands are so large and numerous in the ,amazons1 that often when we believe ourselves between the northern and southern margins of the river1 we are in fact between island shores4 ,we have followed the drift almost constantly to-day1--the same red drift with which we have become so familiar in ,south ,america4 ,sometimes it rises in cliffs and banks above the mud deposit1 sometimes it crops out through the mud1 occasionally mingling with it and partially stratified1 and in one locality it overlaid a gray rock in place1 the nature of which ,mr4 ,agassiz could not determine1 but which was distinctly stratified and slightly tilted4 ,the drift is certainly more conspicuous as we ascend the river2 is this because we approach its source1 or because the nature of the vegetation allows us to see more of the soil8 ,since we left ,manaos the forest has been less luxuriant2 it is lower on the ,solimoens than on the ,amazons1 more ragged and more open4 ,the palms are also less numerous than hitherto1 but there is a tree here which rivals them in dignity4 ,its flat dome1 rounded but not conical1 towers above the forest1 and1 when seen from a distance1 has an almost architectural character1 so regular is its form4 ,this majestic tree1 called the ,sumaumeira 7,eriodendron ,sumauma71 is one of the few trees in this climate which shed their leaves periodically1 and now it lifts its broad rounded summit above the green mass of vegetation around it1 quite bare of foliage4 ,symmetrical as it is1 the branches are greatly ramified and very knotty4 ,the bark is white4 ,it would seem that the season approaches when the ,sumaumeiras should take on their green garb again1 for a few are already beginning to put out young leaves4 ,beside this giant of the forest1 the ,imbauba 7,cecropia71 much lower here1 however1 than in ,southern ,brazil1 and the ,taxi1 with its white flowers and brown buds1 are very conspicuous along the banks4 ,close upon the shore the arrow-grass1 some five or six feet in height1 grows in quantity2 it is called 8frexas0 here1 being used by the ,indians to make their arrows4 ,september #adth4--,for the last day or two the shore has been higher than we have seen it since leaving ,manaos4 ,we constantly pass cliffs of red drift with a shallow beach of mud deposit resting against them2 not infrequently a gray rock1 somewhat like clay slate1 crops out below the drift2 this rock is very distinctly stratified1 tilting sometimes to the west1 sometimes to the east1 always unconformable with the overlying drift4#fd ,the color of the drift changes occasionally1 being sometimes nearly white in this neighborhood instead of red4 ,we are coming now to that part of the ,amazons where the wide sand-beaches occur1 the breeding-places of the turtles and alligators4 ,it is not yet quite the season for gathering the turtle-eggs1 making the turtle-butter1 c41 but we frequently see the ,indian huts on the beaches1 and their stakes set up for spreading and drying fish1 which is one of the great articles of commerce here4 ,this morning we have passed several hours off the town of ,ega1 or ,teff as the ,brazilians call it4 ,it takes its name from the river ,teff1 but the town itself stands on a small lake1 formed by the river just before it joins the ,amazons4 ,the entrance to the lake1 which is broken by a number of little channels or igaraps1 and the approach to the town1 are exceedingly pretty4 ,the town itself1 with a wide beach in front1 standing on the slope of a green hill1 where sheep and cattle1 a rare sight in this region1 are grazing1 looks very inviting4 ,we examined it with interest1 for some of the party at least will return to this station for the purpose of making collections4 ,september #aeth4--,for the last two or three days we have been holding frequent discussions as to the best disposition of our forces after reaching ,tabatinga2--a source of great anxiety to ,mr4 ,agassiz1 the time we have to spend being so short1 and the subjects of investigation so various and so important4 ,should he give up the idea of continuing1 in person1 his study of the fishes in the upper ,amazons1 leaving only some parties to make collections1 and going himself into ,peru1 to visit at least the first spur of the ,andes1 with the purpose of ascertaining whether any vestiges of glaciers are to be found in the valleys1 and also of making a collection of fishes from the mountain streams2 or should he renounce the journey into ,peru for the present1 and1 making a station somewhere in this region for the next month or two1 complete1 as far as may be1 his investigation of the distribution and development of fishes in the ,solimoens8 ,had the result of the ,peruvian journey been more certain1 the decision would have been easier2 but it is more than likely that the torrential rains of this latitude have decomposed the surface and swept away all traces of glaciers1 if they ever existed at so low a level4 ,to go on1 therefore1 seemed a little like giving up a certain for an uncertain result4 ,earnestly desirous of making the best use of his time and opportunities here1 this doubt has disturbed ,mr4 ,agassiz's waking and sleeping thoughts for several days past4 ,yesterday morning1 at ,teff1 a most unexpected adviser appeared in the midst of our council of war4 ,insignificant in size1 this individual1 nevertheless1 brought great weight to the decision4 ,the intruder was a small fish with his mouth full of young ones4 ,the practical plea was irresistible1--embryology carried the day4 ,a chance of investigating so extraordinary a process of development1 not only in this species but in several others said to rear their young in the same fashion1 was not to be thrown away2 and1 besides1 there was the prospect of making a collection and a series of colored drawings1 from the life1 of the immense variety of fishes in the river and lake of ,teff1 and perhaps of studying the embryology of the turtles and alligators in their breeding season4 ,mr4 ,agassiz1 therefore1 decides to return to ,teff with his artist and two or three other assistants1 and to make a station there for a month at least1 leaving ,mr4 ,bourget1 with our ,indian fisherman1 at ,tabatinga to collect in that region1 and sending ,mr4 ,james and ,mr4 ,talisman to the river ,putumayo1 or ,ia1 and afterwards to the ,hyutahy for the same purpose4 ,this dispersion of parties to collect simultaneously in different areas1 divided from each other by considerable distances1 will show how the fishes are distributed1 and whether their combinations differ in these localities as they have been found to do in the ,lower ,amazons4 ,i insert here a letter to the ,emperor on the subject of this curious fish1 which happened to be one which ,mr4 ,agassiz had formerly dedicated to him4 ,,teff1 #ad ,septembre1 #ahfe4 ,,sire3--,en arrivant ici ce matin j'ai eu la surprise la plus agrable et la plus inattendue4 ,le premier poisson qui me fut apport tait l',acara que votre ,majest a bien voulu me permettre de lui ddier et par un bonheur inou c'tait l'poque de la ponte et il avait la bouche pleine de petits vivants1 en voie de dveloppement4 ,voil donc le fait le plus incroyable en embryologie pleinement confirm1 et il ne me reste plus qu' tudier en detail et loisir tous les changements que subissent ces petits jusqu'au moment o ils quittent leur singulier nid1 afin que je puisse publier un rcit complet de cette singulire histoire4 ,mes prvisions sur la distribution des poissons se confirment2 le fleuve est habit par plusieurs faunes ichthyologiques trs distinctes1 qui n'ont pour lien commun qu'un trs petit nombre d'espces qu'on rencontre partout4 ,il reste maintenant prciser les limites de ces rgions ichthyologiques et peut-tre me laisserai-je entraner consacrer quelque temps cette tude1 si je trouve les moyens d'y parvenir4 ,il y a maintenant une question qui devient fort intressante1 c'est de savoir jusqu' quel point le mme phnomne se reproduit dans chacun des grands affluents du ,rio ,amazonas1 ou en d'autres termes si les poissons des rgions suprieures du ,rio ,madeira et du ,rio ,negro1 etc41 etc41 sont les mmes que ceux du cours infrieur de ces fleuves4 ,quant la diversit mme des poissons du bassin tout entier mes prvisions sont de beaucoup dpasses4 ,avant d'arriver ,manaos j'avais dj recueilli plus de trois cents espces1 c4 4 d4 le triple des espces connues jusqu' ce jour au moins4 ,la moiti environ out pu tre peintes sur le vivant par ,m4 ,burkhardt2 en sorte que si je puis parvenir publier tous ces documents1 les renseignements que je pourrai fournir sur ce sujet dpasseront de beaucoup tout ce que l'on a publi jusqu' ce jour4 ,je serais bien heureux d'apprendre que ,votre ,majest n'a pas rencontr de difficults dans son voyage et qu',elle a atteint pleinement le but qu',elle se proposait4 ,nous sommes ici sans nouvelles du ,sud1 depuis que nous avons quitt ,rio1 et tout ce que nous avions appris alors tait qu'aprs une traverse assez orageuse votre ,majest avait atteint le ,rio ,grande4 ,que ,dieu protge et bnisse votre ,majest6 ,avec les sentiments du plus profond respect et de la reconnaissance la plus vive1 ,je suis de votre ,majest le trs humble et trs obissant serviteur1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4#fe ,the character of the banks yesterday and to-day continues unchanged2 they are rather high1 rising now and then in bluffs and presenting the same mixture of reddish drift and mud deposit1 with the gray1 slaty rock below1 cropping out occasionally4 ,this morning we are stopping to wood at a station opposite the village of ,fonte ,ba4 ,here ,mr4 ,agassiz has had an opportunity of going on shore and examining this formation4 ,he finds a thick bed of ferruginous sandstone underlying a number of thinner beds of mud clay1 resembling old clay slate with cleavage4 ,these beds are overlaid by a bank of ochre-colored sandy clay 7designated as drift above71 with hardly any signs of stratification4 ,yesterday we passed several lakes1 shut out from the river by mud-bars1 and seemingly haunted by waterfowl4 ,in one we saw immense flocks of what looked at that distance either like red ,ibises or red spoonbills1 and also numbers of gulls4 ,our sportsmen looked longingly at them1 and are impatient for the time when we shall be settled on land1 and they can begin to make havoc among the birds4 ,september #agth4--,last evening we took in wood from the shore some miles below the town of ,tonantins4 ,i sat watching the ,indians on the bank1 of whom there were some fifteen or twenty1 men1 women1 and children2 the men loading the wood1 the women and children being there apparently to look on4 ,they had built a fire on the bank1 and hung their nets or cotton tents1 under which they sleep1 on the trees behind4 ,they made a wild group1 passing to and fro in the light of the fire1 the care of which seemed the special charge of a tall1 gaunt1 weird-looking woman1 who would have made a good ,meg ,merrilies4 ,she seemed to have but one garment1--a long1 brown1 stuff robe1 girt round the waist2 as she strode about the fire1 throwing on fresh logs and stirring the dying embers1 the flames blazed up in her face1 lighting her tawny skin and long1 unkempt hair1 flickering over the figures of women and children about her1 and shedding a warm glow over the forest which made the setting to the picture4 ,this is the only very tall ,indian woman ,i have seen2 usually the women are rather short of stature4 ,when the ,indians had made their preparations for the night1 they heaped damp fuel on the fire till it smouldered down and threw out thick clouds of smoke1 enveloping the sleeping-tents1 and no doubt driving off effectually the clouds of mosquitoes1 from which the natives seem as great sufferers as strangers4 ,these upper stations on the ,amazons are haunted by swarms of mosquitoes at night1 and during the day by a little biting fly called ,pium1 no less annoying4 ,september #ahth4--,another pause last evening at the village of ,san ,paolo1 standing on a ridge which rises quite steeply from the river and sinks again into a ravine behind4 ,throughout all this region the banks are eaten away by the river1 large portions falling into the water at a time1 and carrying the trees with them4 ,these land-slides are so frequent and so extensive as to make travelling along the banks in small boats quite dangerous4 ,the scenery of the ,solimoens is by no means so interesting as that of the ,lower ,amazons4 ,the banks are ragged and broken1 the forest lower1 less luxuriant1 and the palm growth very fitful4 ,for a day or two past we have scarcely seen any palms4 ,one kind seems common1 however1 namely1 the ,paxiuba ,barriguda--,pa-shee-oo-ba 7,iriartea ventricosa71 a species not unlike the ,assai in dignity of port1 but remarkable for the swelling of its stem at half height1 giving it a sort of spindle shape4 ,the cut of the foliage is peculiar also1 each leaflet being wedge-shaped4 ,the steamer is often now between the shores of the river itself instead of coasting along by the many lovely islands which make the voyage between ,par and ,manaos so diversified2 what is thus gained in dimensions is lost in picturesqueness of detail4 ,then the element of human life and habitations is utterly wanting2 one often travels for a day without meeting even so much as a hut4 ,but if men are not to be seen1 animals are certainly plenty2 as our steamer puffs along1 great flocks of birds rise up from the shore1 turtles pop their black noses out of the water1 alligators show themselves occasionally1 and sometimes a troop of brown ,capivari scuttles up the bank1 taking refuge in the trees at our approach4 ,to-morrow morning we reach ,tabatinga1 and touch the farthest point of our journey4 ,september #bjth4--,on ,monday evening we arrived at ,tabatinga1 remaining there till ,wednesday morning to discharge the cargo1--a lengthy process1 with the ,brazilian method of working4 ,tabatinga is the frontier town between ,brazil and ,peru1 and is dignified by the name of a military station1 though when one looks at the two or three small mounted guns on the bank1 the mud house behind them constituting barracks1 with half a dozen soldiers lounging in front of it1 one cannot but think that the fortification is not a very formidable one4#ff ,the town itself standing on a mud bluff1 deeply ravined and cracked in many directions1 consists of some dozen ruinous houses built around an open square4 ,of the inhabitants ,i saw but little1 for it was toward evening when ,i went on shore1 and they were already driven under shelter by the mosquitoes4 ,one or two looked out from their doors and gave me a friendly warning not to proceed unless ,i was prepared to be devoured1 and indeed the buzzing swarm about me soon drove me back to the steamer4 ,the mosquitoes by night and the ,piums by day are said to render life almost intolerable here4 ,under these circumstances we could form little idea of the character of the vegetation in our short stay4 ,but we made the acquaintance of one curious palm1 the ,tucum1 a species of ,astrocaryum1 the fibre of which makes an excellent material for weaving hammocks1 fishing-nets1 and the like4 ,it is gradually becoming an important article of commerce4 ,the approach to ,tabatinga1 with two or three islands in the neighborhood1 numerous igaraps opening out of the river1 and the ,hyavary emptying into it1 is1 however1 one of the prettiest parts of the ,solimoens4 ,we found here four members of a ,spanish scientific commission1 who have been travelling several years in ,south and ,central ,america1 and whose track we have crossed several times without meeting them4 ,they welcomed the arrival of the steamer with delight1 having awaited their release at ,tabatinga for two or three weeks4 ,the party consisted of ,drs4 ,almagro1 ,spada1 ,martinez1 and ,isern4 ,they had just accomplished an adventurous journey1 having descended the ,napo on a raft1 which their large collection of live animals had turned into a sort of ,noah's ark4 ,after various risks and exposures they had arrived at ,tabatinga1 having lost almost all their clothing1 except what they wore1 by shipwreck4 ,fortunately1 their papers and collections were saved4#fg ,we are now on our way down the river again1 having left ,mr4 ,bourget at ,tabatinga to pass a month in making collections in that region1 and dropped ,mr4 ,james and ,mr4 ,talisman last evening at ,san ,paolo1 where they are to get a canoe and ,indians for their further journey to the ,ia4 ,this morning1 while stopping to wood at ,fonte ,ba1 ,mr4 ,agassiz went on shore and collected a very interesting series of fossil plants in the lower mud deposit2 he was also very successful in making a small collection of fishes1 containing several new species1 during the few hours we passed at this place4 ,september #beth4--,teff4 ,on ,friday1 the day after my last date1 we were within two or three hours of ,teff2 we had just finished packing our various effects1 and were closing our letters to be mailed from ,manaos1 when the steamer came to a sudden pause with that dead1 sullen1 instantaneous stop which means mischief4 ,the order to reverse the engines was given instantly1 but we had driven with all our force into the bed of the river1 and there we remained1 motionless4 ,this is sometimes rather a serious accident at the season when the waters are falling1 steamers having been occasionally stranded for a number of weeks4 ,it is not easily guarded against1 the river bottom changing so constantly and so suddenly that even the most experienced pilots cannot always avoid disaster4 ,they may pass with perfect safety in their upward voyage over a place where1 on their return1 they find a formidable bank of mud4 ,during three hours the crew worked ineffectually1 trying to back the steamer off1 or sinking the anchor at a distance to drag her back upon it4 ,at five o'clock in the afternoon the sky began to look black and lowering1 and presently a violent squall1 with thunder and rain1 broke upon us4 ,the wind did1 in an instant1 what man and steam together had failed to do in hours4 ,as the squall struck the steamer on her side1 she vibrated1 veered and floated free4 ,there was a general stir of delight at this sudden and unexpected liberation1 for the delay was serious to all4 ,one or two of the passengers were merchants1 to whom it was important to meet the steamer of the #beth at ,manaos1 which connects with other steamers all along the coast2 and the members of the ,spanish scientific commission1 if they could not at once transfer their effects to the other steamer1 would not only miss the next ,european steamer1 but must be at the expense and care of storing their various luggage and maintaining their live stock at ,manaos for a fortnight4 ,and lastly1 to ,mr4 ,agassiz himself it was a serious disappointment to lose two or three days out of the precious month for investigations at ,teff4 ,therefore1 every face beamed when the kindly shock of the wind set us afloat again2 but the work1 so vainly spent to release us1 was but too efficient in keeping us prisoners4 ,the anchor1 which had been sunk in the mud at some distance1 was so deeply buried that it was difficult to raise it1 and in the effort to do so we grounded again4 ,indeed1 environed as we were by mud and sand1 it was no easy matter to find a channel out of them4 ,we now remained motionless all night1 though the ,captain was unremitting in his efforts and kept the men at work till morning1 when1 at about seven o'clock1 the boat worked herself free at last1 and we thought our troubles fairly over4 ,but the old proverb 8,there's many a slip #8twixt the cup and the lip0 never was truer2 on starting once more we found that1 in the strain and shock to which the ship had been submitted1 the rudder was broken4 ,in view of this new disaster1 the passengers for ,par gave up all hope of meeting the steamer at ,manaos1 and the rest resigned themselves to waiting with such philosophy as they could muster4 ,the whole of that day and the following night were spent in rigging up a new rudder1 and it was not until eight o'clock on ,sunday morning that we were once more on our way1 arriving at ,teff at eleven o'clock4 ----- ,footnote #ei3 ,as will be seen hereafter1 want of time and the engrossing character of his work in the ,amazons1 compelled ,mr4 ,agassiz to renounce the journey into ,peru1 as also the ascent of the river ,madeira4 ,footnote #fj3 ,to ,his ,excellency ,m4 ,couto de ,magalhas1 ,president of ,par4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir3--,i thank you sincerely for the kind letter you were so good as to write me last week1 and ,i hasten to inform you of the extraordinary success which continues to crown our efforts4 ,it is certain from this time forth1 that the number of fishes inhabiting the ,amazons greatly exceeds all that has hitherto been imagined1 and that their distribution is very limited on the whole1 though a small number of species have followed us since we left ,par and others have a range more or less extensive4 ,you remember1 perhaps1 that1 when alluding to my hopes1 ,i told you one day that ,i believed in the possibility of finding from two hundred and fifty to three hundred species of fish in the whole basin of the ,amazons2 even now1 having passed over less than one third of the main stream1 and only diverged here and there to some points beyond its shores1 ,i have already obtained more than three hundred4 ,it is incredible1 above all1 if one considers that the total number known to naturalists does not reach one third of what ,i have already collected4 ,this result scarcely allows one to foresee the discoveries to be made whenever the affluents of the great river are explored with the same care4 ,an exploration of the ,araguay for its whole course1 in order to teach us how many different combinations of distinct species occur in succession1 from its sources to its junction with the ,tocantins and lower down till it meets the ,amazons1 would be an enterprise worthy of you4 ,you have already a sort of scientific property in this river1 to which you would add new rights in furnishing science with this information4 ,permit me to express to you all the gratitude ,i feel for the interest you take in my young travelling companion4 ,mr4 ,ward is worthy of it1 alike from his youth1 his courage1 and his devotion to science4 ,mr4 ,epaminondas has just communicated to me your generous intentions towards myself1 and your purpose of sending a steamer to ,manaos to take the place of the ,piraja1 and facilitate our exploration of the ,rio ,negro and the ,rio ,madeira4 ,i do not know how to thank you enough2 all that ,i can say is1 that this favor will allow me to make an exploration of these rivers which would be otherwise impossible4 ,if the result of these researches be as favorable as my hopes1 the honor will be due1 in the first instance1 to the liberality of the ,brazilian government4 ,encouraged by the results thus far obtained1 ,i think that1 if the circumstances are favorable1 on arriving at ,tabatinga1 we shall make a push into the lower part of ,peru1 while my companions will explore the rivers intermediate between this town and ,teff2 so that we shall probably not return to ,manaos before the end of ,october4 ,accept1 my dear ,sir1 the assurance of my high regard1 c41 c4 ,l4 ,,agassiz4 ,footnote #fa3 ,some ,english travellers have criticised the position of the town1 and regretted that it is not placed lower down1 at the immediate junction of the ,rio ,negro with the ,solimoens4 ,but its actual situation is much better1 on account of the more quiet port1 removed as it is from the violent currents caused by the meeting of the two rivers4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #fb3 ,when this was written there was hardly any prospect of the early opening of the ,amazons to the free commerce of the world4 ,the circumstance that since the #gth of ,september last this great fresh-water ocean has been made free to the mercantile shipping of all nations will1 no doubt1 immensely accelerate the development of civilization in these desert regions4 ,no act could have exhibited more unequivocally the liberal policy which actuates the ,brazilian government than this4 ,to complete the great work1 two things are still wanting1--a direct high road between the upper tributaries of the ,rio ,madeira and ,rio ,paraguay1 and the abolition of the subsidies granted to privileged companies1 that the colossal traffic of which the whole basin is susceptible may truly be thrown open to a fair competition4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #fc3 ,senahor ,pimenta ,bueno4 ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3--,you will probably be surprised to receive only a few lines from me after the time which has elapsed since my last letter4 ,the truth is1 that1 since ,obydos1 ,i have passed from surprise to surprise1 and that ,i have scarcely had time to take care of the collections we have made1 without being able to study them properly4 ,thus1 during the week we spent in the environs of ,villa ,bella1 at ,lago ,jos ,ass and ,lago ,maximo1 we have collected one hundred and eighty species of fishes1 two thirds of which1 at least1 are new1 while those of my companions who remained at ,santarem and upon the ,tapajoz have brought back some fifty more1 making already more than three hundred species1 including those of ,porto do ,moz1 of ,gurup1 of ,tajapur1 and of ,monte ,algre4 ,you see that before having ascended the ,amazons for one third of its course1 the number of fishes is more than triple that of all the species known thus far1 and ,i begin to perceive that we shall not do more than skim over the surface of the centre of this great basin4 ,what will it be when it becomes possible to study all its affluents at leisure and in the most favorable season6 ,i have resolved to make more numerous stations in the upper part of the river and to stay as long as my strength and means will allow4 ,do not think1 however1 that ,i forget to whom ,i owe such a success4 ,it is you who have put me on the path1 by making known to me the resources of the forest1 and1 better still1 by furnishing me with the means to profit by them4 ,thanks1 a thousand times1 thanks4 ,i ought also to acknowledge the assistance afforded me by the agents of the ,company1 at all the points where we have touched4 ,our amiable commander has also exerted himself1 and while ,i explored the lakes in the neighborhood of ,villa ,bella1 he made a very fine collection in the ,amazons1 especially of the numerous small species always overlooked by fishermen4 ,on the arrival of the ,belem ,i received your kind letter and a part of the alcohol ,i had asked from ,mr4 ,bond4 ,i am writing to-day to ask him to send me a part to ,teff1 and1 somewhat later1 more to ,manaos4 ,thank you for the catalogue of ,par fishes2 ,i shall give it back on our return1 with the additions ,i shall make during the remainder of the voyage4 ,adieu1 my dear friend4 ,ever yours1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4 ,footnote #fd3 ,in the course of the investigation1 ,i have ascertained that this slaty rock1 as well as the hard sandstone seen along the river-banks at ,manaos1 forms part of the great drift formation of the ,amazons1 and that there is neither old red sandstone1 nor trias1 here1 as older observers supposed4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #fe3 ,,teff1 #ad ,september1 #ahfe4 ,,sire3--,on arriving here this morning ,i had the most agreeable and unexpected surprise4 ,the first fish brought to me was the ,acara1 which your ,majesty kindly permitted me to dedicate to you1 and by an unlooked-for good fortune it was the breeding season1 and it had its mouth full of little young ones in the process of development4 ,here1 then1 is the most incredible fact in embryology fully confirmed1 and it remains for me only to study1 in detail and at leisure1 all the changes which the young undergo up to the moment when they leave their singular nest1 in order that ,i may publish a complete account of this curious history4 ,my anticipations as to the distribution of fishes are confirmed2 the river is inhabited by several very distinct ichthyological faun1 which have1 as a common link1 only a very small number of species to be met with everywhere4 ,it remains now to ascertain with precision the limits of these ichthyological regions1 and ,i may perhaps be drawn on to devote some time to this study1 if ,i find the means of accomplishing it4 ,there is a question which now becomes very interesting2 it is to know how far the same phenomenon is reproduced in each one of the great affluents of the river ,amazons1 or1 in other words1 whether the fishes of the upper regions of the ,rio ,madeira1 the ,rio ,negro1 c41 c41 are the same as those of the lower course of these rivers4 ,as to the diversity of fishes in the whole basin1 my expectations are far surpassed4 ,before arriving at ,manaos ,i had already collected more than three hundred species1 that is to say1 at least three times the number of species thus far known4 ,about half have been painted from life by ,mr4 ,burkhardt2 if ,i can succeed in publishing all these documents1 the information ,i shall be able to furnish on this subject will exceed all that has been thus far made known4 ,i should be very glad to learn that your ,majesty has not met with difficulties on the voyage1 and has been able fully to accomplish the ends proposed4 ,we are here without news from the ,south since we left ,rio1 and all we had learned then was1 that after a very stormy passage your ,majesty had reached the ,rio ,grande4 ,may ,god protect and bless your ,majesty6 ,with sentiments of the most profound respect and the liveliest gratitude1 ,i am ,your ,majesty's very humble and obedient servant1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4 ,footnote #ff3 ,at this point the ,amazonian meets the ,peruvian steamer1 and they exchange cargoes4 ,formerly the ,brazilian company of ,amazonian steamers extended its line of travel to ,laguna1 at the mouth of the ,huallaga4 ,now this part of the journey has passed into the hands of a ,peruvian company1 whose steamers run up to ,urimaguas on the ,huallaga4 ,they are1 however1 by no means so comfortable as the ,brazilian steamers1 having little or no accommodation for passengers4 ,the upper ,maraon is navigable for large steamers as far as ,jaen1 as are also its tributaries1 the ,huallaga and ,ucayali on the south1 the ,moronha1 ,pastazza1 and ,napo on the north1 to a great distance above their junction with the main stream4 ,there is reason to believe that all these larger affluents of the ,amazons will before long have their regular lines of steamers like the great river itself4 ,the opening of the ,amazons1 no doubt1 will hasten this result4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #fg3 ,these gentlemen descended the river with us as far as ,teff1 and we afterwards heard of their safe arrival in ,madrid4 ,they had1 however1 suffered much in health1 and ,mr4 ,isern died soon after his return to his native land4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,life ,,in ,,teff4 ,,aspect ,,of ,,teff4--,,situation4--,,description ,,of ,,houses4--,,fishing ,,excursion4--,,astonishing ,,variety ,,of ,,fishes4--,,acara4--,,scarcity ,,of ,,laborers4--,,our ,,indoors ,,man4--,,bruno4--,,alexandrina4--,,plea sant ,,walks4--,,mandioca-,,shed ,,in ,,the ,,forest4--,,indian ,,encampment ,,on ,,the ,,beach4--,,excursion ,,to ,,fishing ,,lodge ,,on ,,the ,,solimoens4--,,amazonian ,,beaches4--,,breeding-,,places ,,of ,,turtles1 ,,fishes1 ,,etc4--,,adroitness ,,of ,,indians ,,in ,,finding ,,them4--,,description ,,of ,a 8,,sitio40--,,indian ,,clay-,,eaters4--,,cuieira-,,tree4--,,f ish ,,hunt4--,,forest ,,lake4--,,water ,,birds4--,,success ,,in ,,collecting4--,,evening ,,scene ,,in ,,sitio4--,,alexandrina ,,as 8,,aide ,,scientifique40--,,fish ,,anecdote4--,,relations ,,between ,,fishes ,,as ,,shown ,,by ,,their ,,embryology4--,,note ,,upon ,,the ,,marine ,,character ,,of ,,the ,,amazonian ,,faun4--,,acara4--,,news ,,from ,,the ,,parties ,,in ,,the ,,interior4--,,return ,,of ,,party ,,from ,,the ,i,a4--,,preparations ,,for ,,departure4--,,note ,,on ,,general ,,result ,,of ,,scientific ,,work ,,in ,,teff4--,,waiting ,,for ,,the ,,steamer4--,,sketch ,,of ,,alexandrina4--,,mocuim4--,,thunder-,,s torm4--,,repiquete4--,,geological ,,observations4 ,september #bgth4--,of all the little settlements we have seen on the ,amazons1 ,teff looks the most smiling and pleasant4 ,just now the town1 or1 as it should rather be called1 the village1 stands1 as ,i have said1 above a broad sand-beach2 in the rainy season1 however1 we are told that the river covers this beach completely1 and even encroaches on the fields beyond1 coming almost to the threshold of some of the dwellings4 ,the houses are generally built of mud1 plastered over and roofed with tiles1 or thatched with palm4 ,almost all have a little ground about them1 enclosed in a picket fence1 and planted with orange-trees and different kinds of palms1--,cocoa-nut1 ,assais1 and ,pupunhas or peach-palms4 ,the latter bears1 in handsome clusters1 a fruit not unlike the peach in size and coloring2 it has a mealy character when cooked1 and is very palatable1 eaten with sugar4 ,the green hill behind the town1 on which cows and sheep are grazing1#fh slopes up to the forest1 and makes a pretty background to the picture4 ,in approaching the village1 many little inlets of the lake and river give promise of pleasant canoe excursions4 ,through our friend ,major ,coutinho we had already bespoken lodgings1 and to-day finds us as comfortably established as it is possible for such wayfarers to be4 ,our house stands on an open green field1 running down to the water1 and is enclosed only on two sides by buildings4 ,in front1 it commands a pretty view of the beach and of the opposite shore across the water4 ,behind1 it has a little open ground planted with two or three orange-trees1 surrounding a turtle-tank1 which will be very convenient for keeping live specimens4 ,a well-stocked turtle-tank is to be found in almost every yard1 as the people depend largely upon turtles for their food4 ,the interior of the house is very commodious4 ,on the right of the flagged entry is a large room already transformed into a laboratory4 ,here are numerous kegs1 cans1 and barrels for specimens1 a swinging-shelf to keep birds and insects out of the way of the ants1 a table for drawing1 and an immense empty packing-case1 one side of which serves as a table for cleaning and preparing birds1 while the open space beneath makes a convenient cupboard for keeping the instruments and materials of one sort and another1 used in the process4 ,after a little practice in travelling one learns to improvise the conveniences for work almost without the accessories which seem indispensable at home4 ,opposite to the laboratory on the other side of the entry is a room of the same size1 where the gentlemen have slung their hammocks2 back of this is my room1 from the window of which1 looking into the court behind1 ,i get a glimpse of some lovely ,assai palms and one or two orange-trees in full flower2 adjoining that is the dining-room1 with a large closet leading out of it1 used as a storage-place for alcohol1 and serving at this moment as a prison-house for two live alligators who are awaiting execution there4 ,the news of our arrival has already gone abroad1 and the fishermen and boys of the village are bringing in specimens of all sorts1--alligators1 turtles1 fish1 insects1 birds4 ,enough is already gathered to show what a rich harvest may be expected in this neighborhood4 ,illustration3 ,veranda and ,dining-room at ,teff4 ,september #bhth4--,yesterday afternoon1 between sunset and moonlight1 our neighbor ,dr4 ,romualdo invited us to go with him and his friend ,senhor ,joa da ,cunha on a fishing excursion into one of the pretty bayous that open out to the lake4 ,as our canoe entered it1 lazy alligators were lying about in the still glassy water1 with their heads just resting above the surface2 a tall1 gray heron stood on the shore1 as if watching his reflection1 almost as distinct as himself1 and a variety of water-birds sailed over our heads as we intruded upon their haunts4 ,when we had reached a certain point1 the ,indians sprang up to their necks in the water1 7which was1 by the way1 unpleasantly warm17 and stretched the net4 ,after a few minutes1 they dragged it into shore with a load of fish1 which seemed almost as wonderful as ,peter's miraculous draught4 ,as the net was landed the fish broke from it in hundreds1 springing through the meshes and over the edges1 and literally covering the beach4 ,the ,indians are very skilful in drawing the net1 going before it and lashing the water with long rods to frighten the fish and drive them in4 ,senhor da ,cunha1 who is a very ardent lover of the sport1 worked as hard as any of the boatmen1 plunging into the water to lend a hand at the net or drive in the fish1 and1 when the draught was landed on the beach1 rushing about in the mud to catch the little fishes which jumped in myriads through the meshes1 with an enthusiasm equal to that of ,mr4 ,agassiz himself4 ,the operation was repeated several times1 always with the same success1 and we returned by moonlight with a boat-load of fish1 which ,mr4 ,agassiz is examining this morning1 while ,mr4 ,burkhardt makes colored drawings of the rarer specimens4 ,here1 as elsewhere in the ,amazonian waters1 the variety of species is bewildering4 ,the collections already number more than four hundred1 including those from ,par1 and1 while every day brings in new species1 new genera are by no means infrequent4 ,the following letter to ,professor ,milne ,edwards1 of the ,jardin des ,plantes1 gives some account of the work in this department4 ,,teff1 le #bb ,septembre1 #ahfe4 ,,mon ,,cher ,,ami ,,et ,,tr,s ,,honor ,,confr,,re3--,me voici depuis deux mois dans le bassin de l',amazone et c'est ici que j'ai eu la douleur de recevoir la nouvelle de la mort de mon vieil ami ,valenciennes4 ,j'en suis d'autant plus affect que personne plus que lui n'aurait apprci les rsultats de mon voyage1 dont je me rjouissais dj de lui faire part prochainement4 ,vous concevrez naturellement que c'est la classe des poissons que je consacre la meilleure partie de mon temps et ma rcolte excde toutes mes prvisions4 ,vous en jugerez par quelques donnes4 ,en atteignant ,manaos1 la jonction du ,rio ,negro et de l',amazonas1 j'avais dj recueilli plus de trois cents espces de poissons1 dont la moiti au moins ont t peintes sur le vivant c4 4 d4 d'aprs le poisson nageant dans un grand vase en verre devant mon dessinateur4 ,je suis souvent pein de voir avec quelle lgret on a publi des planches colories de ces animaux4 ,ce n'est pas seulement tripler le nombre des espces connues1 je compte les genres nouveaux par douzaines et j'ai cinq ou six familles nouvelles pour l',amazone et une voisine des ,gobioides entirement nouvelle pour l',ichthyologie4 ,c'est surtout parmi les petites espces que je trouve le plus de nouveauts4 ,j'ai des ,characins de cinq six centimtres et au-dessous1 orns des teintes les plus lgantes1 des ,cyprinodontes1 se rapprochant un peu de ceux de ,cuba et des ,etats-,unis1 des ,scombersoces voisins du ,blone de la ,mditerrane1 un nombre considrable de ,carapoides1 des ,raies de genres differents de ceux de l'ocan1 et qui par consquent ne sont pas des espces qui remontent le fleuve4 ,une foule de ,goniodontes et de ,chromides de genres et d'espces indits4 ,mais ce que j'apprcie surtout c'est la facilit que j'ai d'tudier les changements que tous ces poissons subissent avec l'ge et les diffrences de sexe qui existent entr'eux et qui sont souvent trs considrables4 ,c'est ainsi que j'ai observ une espce de ,geophagus dont le mle porte sur le front une bosse trs-saillante qui manque entirement la femelle et aux jeunes4 ,ce mme poisson a un mode de reproduction des plus extraordinaires4 ,les ufs passent1 je ne sais trop comment1 dans la bouche dont ils tapissent le fond1 entre les appendices intrieurs des arcs branchiaux et surtout dans une poche forme par les pharyngiens suprieurs qu'ils remplissent compltement4 ,l ils closent et les petits1 librs de leur coque1 se dveloppent jusqu' ce qu'ils soient en tat de fournir leur existence4 ,je ne sais pas encore combien de temps cela va durer2 mais j'ai dj rencontr des exemplaires dont les jeunes n'avaient plus de sac vitellaire1 qui hbergeaient encore leur progniture4 ,comme je passerai environ un mois ,teff1 j'espre pouvoir complter cette observation4 ,l'examen de la structure d'un grand nombre de ,chromides m'a fait entrevoir des affinits entre ces poissons et diverses autres familles dont on ne s'est jamais avis de les rapprocher4 ,et d'abord je me suis convaincu que les ,chromides1 rpartis autrefois parmi les ,labroides et les ,scinoides1 constituent bien rellement un groupe naturel1 reconnu peu prs en mme temps et d'une manire indpendante par ,heckel et ,j4 ,mller4 ,mais il y a plus2 les genres ,enoplosus1 ,pomotis1 ,centrarchus et quelques autres genres voisins1 rangs parmi les ,percoides par tous les ,ichthyologistes1 me paraissent1 d'ici et sans moyen de comparaison directe1 tellement voisins des ,chromides que je ne vois pas comment on pourra les en sparer1 surtout maintenant que je sais que les pharyngiens infrieurs ne sont pas toujours souds chez les ,chromides4 ,et puis l'embryologie et les mtamorphoses des ,chromides que je viens d'tudier m'ont convaincu que les 8,poissons branchies labyrinthiques0 spars de tous les autres poissons par ,cuvier comme une famille entirement isole1 raison de la structure trange de ses organes respiratoires1 se rattachent de trs-prs aux ,chromides4 ,ce groupe devient ainsi par ses affinits varies1 l'un des plus intressants de la classe des poissons1 et le bassin de l',amazone parat tre la vraie patrie de cette famille4 ,je ne veux pas vous fatiguer de mes recherches ichthyologiques2 permettez moi seulement d'ajouter que les poissons ne sont point uniformment rpandus dans ce grand bassin4 ,dj j'ai acquis la certitude qu'il faut y distinguer plusieurs faunes ichthyologiques1 trs-nettement caractrises2 c'est ainsi que les espces qui habitent la rivire du ,par1 des bords de la mer jusque vers l'embouchure du ,tocantins1 diffrent de celles que l'on rencontre dans le rseau d'anastomoses qui unissent la rivire de ,par l',amazone propre4 ,les espces de l',amazone1 au-dessous du ,xingu1 diffrent de celles que j'ai rencontres plus haut2 celles du cours infrieur du ,xingu1 diffrent de celles du cours infrieur du ,tapajos4 ,celles des nombreux igaraps et lacs de ,manaos diffrent galement de celles du cours principal du grand fleuve et de ses principaux affluents4 ,il reste maintenant tudier les changements qui peuvent survenir dans cette distribution1 dans le cours de l'anne1 suivant la hauteur des eaux et peut-tre aussi suivant l'poque laquelle les diffrentes espces pondent leurs ufs4 ,jusqu' prsent je n'ai rencontr qu'un petit nombre d'espces qui aient une aire de distribution trs tendue4 ,c'est ainsi que le ,sudis gigas se trouve -peu-prs partout4 ,c'est le poisson le plus important du fleuve2 celui qui comme aliment remplace le btail pour les populations riveraines4 ,un autre problme rsoudre c'est de savoir jusqu' quel point les grands affluents de l',amazone rptent ce phnomne de la distribution locale des poissons4 ,je vais chercher le rsoudre en remontant le ,rio ,negro et le ,rio ,madeira et comme je reviendrai ,manaos1 je pourrai comparer mes premires observations dans cette localit1 avec celles d'une autre saison de l'anne4 ,adieu1 mon cher ami4 ,veuillez faire mes amitis ,m4 ,elie de ,beaumont et me rappeler aux bons souvenirs de ceux de mes collgues de l',acadmie qui veulent bien s'intresser mes travaux actuels4 ,faites aussi1 je vous prie1 mes amitis ,m4 votre fils4 ,tout vous1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4#fi ,mr4 ,agassiz has already secured quite a number of the singular type of ,acar1 which carries its young in its mouth1 and he has gathered a good deal of information about its habits4 ,the fishermen here say that this mode of caring for the young prevails more or less in all the family of ,acar4 ,they are not all born there1 however2 some lay their eggs in the sand1 and1 hovering over their nest1 take up the little ones in their mouth1 when they are hatched4 ,the fishermen also add1 that these fish do not always keep their young in the mouth1 but leave them sometimes in the nest1 taking them up only on the approach of danger4#gj ,our household is now established on a permanent basis4 ,we had at first some difficulty in finding servants2 at this fishing season1 when the men are going off to dry and salt fish1 and when the season for hunting turtle-eggs and making turtle-butter is coming on1 the town is almost deserted by the men4 ,it is like haying-time in this country1 when every arm is needed in the fields4 ,then the habits of the ,indians are so irregular1 and they care so little for money1 finding1 as they do1 the means of living almost without work immediately about them1 that even if one does engage a servant1 he is likely to disappear the next day4 ,an ,indian will do more for good-will and a glass of cachaa 7rum7 than he will do for wages1 which are valueless to him4 ,the individual1 who has been supplying the place of indoors man while we have been looking for a servant1 is so original in his appearance that he deserves a special description4 ,he belongs to a neighbor who has undertaken to provide our meals1 and he brings them when they are prepared and waits on the table4 ,he is rather an elderly ,indian1 and his dress consists of a pair of cotton drawers1 originally white1 but now of many hues and usually rolled up to the knees1 his feet being bare2 the upper part of his person is partially 7very partially7 concealed by a blue rag1 which ,i suppose in some early period of the world's history must have been a shirt2 this extraordinary figure is surmounted by an old straw hat full of holes1 bent in every direction1 and tied under the chin by a red string4 ,had he not been a temporary substitute1 we should have tried to obtain a more respectable livery for him2 but to-day he gives place to an ,indian lad1 ,bruno by name1 who presents a more decent appearance1 though he seems rather bewildered by his new office4 ,at present his idea of waiting on the table seems to be to sit on the floor and look at us while we eat4 ,however1 we hope to break him in gradually4 ,he looks as if he had not been long redeemed from the woods1 for his face is deeply tattooed with black1 and his lips and nose are pierced with holes1 reminding one of the becoming vanities he has renounced in favor of civilization4#ga ,besides ,bruno we have a girl1 ,alexandrina by name1 who1 by her appearance1 has a mixture of ,indian and black blood in her veins4 ,she promises very well1 and seems to have the intelligence of the ,indian with the greater pliability of the negro4 ,september #bith4--,one of the great charms of our residence here is1 that we have so many pleasant walks within easy reach4 ,my favorite walk in the early morning is to the wood on the brow of the hill4 ,from the summit1 the sunrise is lovely over the village below1 the lake with its many picturesque points and inlets1 and the forests on the opposite shores4 ,from this spot a little path through the bushes brings one at once into a thick1 beautiful wood4 ,here one may wander at will1 for there are a great many paths1 worn by the ,indians1 through the trees2 and one is constantly tempted on by the cool1 pleasant shade1 and by the perfume of moss and fern and flower4 ,the forest here is full of life and sound4 ,the buzz of insects1 the shrill cry of the cicadas1 the chattering talk of the papagaios1 and occasionally busy voices of the monkeys1 make the woods eloquent4 ,the monkeys are1 however1 very difficult of approach1 and though ,i hear them often1 ,i have not yet seen them on the trees2 but ,mr4 ,hunnewell told me that the other day1 when shooting in this very wood1 he came upon a family of small white monkeys sitting on a bough together1 and talking with much animation4 ,one of the prettiest of the paths1 with which my daily walks made me familiar1 leads over an igarap to a house1 or rather to a large thatched shed1 in the forest1 used for preparing mandioca4 ,it is supplied with four large clay ovens1 having immense shallow pans fitted on to the top1 with troughs for kneading1 sieves for straining1 and all the apparatus for the various processes to which the mandioca is subjected4 ,one utensil is very characteristic2 the large1 empty turtle-shells1 which may be seen in every kitchen1 used as basins1 bowls1 c4 ,i suppose this little establishment is used by a number of persons1 for in my morning walks ,i always meet troops of ,indians going to it1 the women with their deep working baskets1--something like the ,swiss 8hotte10--in which they carry their tools1 on their backs1 supported by a straw band fastened across the forehead1 and their babies astride on their hips1 so as to leave their hands perfectly free4 ,they always give me a cordial morning greeting and stop to look at the plants and flowers with which ,i am usually laden4 ,some of the women are quite pretty1 but as a general thing the ,indians in this part of the country do not look very healthy1 and are apt to have diseases of the eyes and skin4 ,it is a curious thing that the natives seem more liable to the maladies of the country than strangers4 ,they are very subject to intermittent fevers1 and one often sees ,indians worn to mere skin and bone by this terrible scourge4 ,if the morning walk in the woods is delightful1 the evening stroll on the beach in front of the house is no less so1 when the water is dyed in the purple sunset1 and the quiet of the scene is broken here and there by a fire on the sands1 around which a cluster of ,indians are cooking their supper4 ,as ,major ,coutinho and ,i were walking on the shore last evening we came on such a group4 ,they were a family who had come over from their home on the other side of the lake1 with a boat-load of fish and turtle to sell in the village4 ,when they have disposed of their cargo1 they build their fire on the beach1 eat their supper of salted or broiled fish1 farinha1 and the nuts of a particular kind of palm 7,atalea71 and then sleep in their canoe4 ,we sat down with them1 and1 that they should not think we came merely out of curiosity1 we shared their nuts and farinha1 and they were soon very sociable4 ,i am constantly astonished at the frank geniality of these people1 so different from our sombre1 sullen ,indians1 who are so unwilling to talk with strangers4 ,the cordiality of their reception1 however1 depends very much on the way in which they are accosted4 ,major ,coutinho1 who has passed years among them1 understands their character well1 and has remarkable tact in his dealings with them4 ,he speaks their language a little also1 and this is important here where many of the ,indians speak only the 8lingua geral40 ,this was the case with several of the family whose acquaintance we made last evening1 though some of them talked in ,portuguese fluently enough1 telling us about their life in the forest1 their success in disposing of their fish and turtle1 and inviting us to come to their house4 ,they pointed out to us one of the younger girls1 who they said had never been baptized1 and they seemed to wish to have the rite performed4 ,major ,coutinho promised to speak to the priest about it for them4 ,so far as we can learn1 the white population do little to civilize the ,indians beyond giving them the external rites of religion4 ,it is the old sad story of oppression1 duplicity1 and license on the part of the white man1 which seems likely to last as long as skins shall differ1 and which necessarily ends in the degradation of both races4 ,october #dth4--,on ,saturday morning at four o'clock1 ,major ,coutinho1 ,mr4 ,agassiz1 and myself left ,teff in company with our neighbor and landlord ,major ,estolano1 on our way to his 8sitio10 a rough sort of ,indian lodge on the other side of the ,solimoens1 where he goes occasionally with his family to superintend the drying and salting of fish1 a great article of commerce here4 ,it had rained heavily all night1 but the stars were bright1 and the morning was cool and fresh when we put off in the canoe4 ,when we issued from ,teff lake it was already broad day1 and by the time we entered the ,solimoens we began to have admonitions that breakfast-time was approaching4 ,there is something very pleasant in these improvised meals2 the coffee tastes better when you have made it yourself1 setting up the coffee-machine under the straw-roof of the canoe1 dipping up the water from the river over the side of the boat1 and cooking your own breakfast4 ,one would think it a great bore at home1 with all the necessary means and appliances2 but with the stimulus of difficulty and the excitement of the journey it is quite pleasant1 and gives a new relish to ordinary fare4 ,after we had had a cup of hot coffee and a farinha biscuit1 being somewhat cramped with sitting in the canoe1 we landed for a walk on a broad beach along which we were coasting4 ,there is much to be learned on these ,amazonian beaches2 they are the haunts and breeding-places of many different kinds of animals1 and are covered by tracks of alligators1 turtles1 and capivari4 ,then there are the nests1 not only of alligators and turtles1 but of the different kind of fishes and birds that lay their eggs in the mud or sand4 ,it is curious to see the address of the ,indians in finding the turtle-nests2 they walk quickly over the sand1 but with a sort of inquiring tread1 as if they carried an instinctive perception in their step1 and the moment they set their foot upon a spot below which eggs are deposited1 though there is no external evidence to the eye1 they recognize it at once1 and1 stooping1 dig straight down to the eggs1 generally eight or ten inches under the surface4 ,besides these tracks and nests1 there are the rounded1 shallow depressions in the mud1 which the fishermen say are the sleeping-places of the skates4 ,they have certainly about the form and size of the skate1 and one can easily believe that these singular impressions in the soft surface have been made in this way4 ,the vegetation on these beaches is not less interesting than these signs of animal life4 ,in the rainy season more than half a mile of land1 now uncovered along the margins of the river1 is entirely under water1 the river rising not only to the edge of the forest1 but penetrating far into it4 ,at this time of the year1 however1 the shore consists1 first of the beach1 then of a broad band of tall grasses1 beyond which are the lower shrubs and trees1 leading up1 by a sort of gradation1 to the full forest growth4 ,during this dry season the vegetation makes an effort to recover its lost ground2 one sees the little ,imbauba 7,cecropia7 and a kind of willow-tree 7,salix humboldiana71 the only familiar plant we met1 springing up on the sand1 and creeping down to the water's edge1 only to be destroyed again with the next rise of the river4 ,while we were walking1 the boatmen were dragging the net1 and though not with such astonishing success as the other day1 yet it landed not only an ample supply of fresh fish for breakfast1 but also a number of interesting specimens4 ,at about eleven o'clock we turned from the ,solimoens into the little river on which ,mr4 ,estolano's fishing-lodge is situated1 and in a few minutes found ourselves at the pretty landing1 where a rough flight of steps led up to the house4 ,in this climate a very slight shelter will serve as a house4 ,such a dwelling is indeed nothing but a vast porch2 and a very airy1 pleasant1 and picturesque abode it makes4 ,a palm-thatched roof to shed the rain and keep off the sun1 covering a platform of split logs that one may have a dry floor under foot2 these1 with plenty of posts and rafters for the swinging of hammocks1 are the essentials4 ,it was somewhat after this fashion that ,major ,estolano's lodge was built4 ,the back part of it consisted of one very large1 high chamber1 to which the family retired in the hottest part of the day1 when the sun was most scorching2 all the rest was roof and platform1 the latter stretching out considerably beyond the former1 thus leaving an open floor on one side for the stretching and drying of fish4 ,the whole structure was lifted on piles about eight feet above the ground1 to provide against the rising of the river in the rainy season4 ,in front of the house1 just on the edge of the bank1 were several large1 open1 thatched sheds1 used as kitchen and living-rooms for the negroes and ,indians employed in the preparation of the fish4 ,in one of these rooms were several ,indian women who looked very ill4 ,we were told they had been there for two months1 and they were worn to skin and bone with intermittent fever4 ,major ,coutinho said they were1 no doubt1 suffering in part from the habit so prevalent among these people of eating clay and dirt1 for which they have a morbid love4 ,they were wild-looking creatures1 lying in their hammocks or squatting on the ground1 often without any clothes1 and moaning as if in pain4 ,they were from the forest1 and spoke no ,portuguese4 ,we were received most cordially by the ladies of the family1 who had gone up to the lodge the day before1 and were offered the refreshment of a hammock1 the first act of hospitality in this country1 when one arrives from any distance4 ,after this followed an excellent breakfast of the fresh fish we had brought with us1 cooked in a variety of ways1 broiled1 fried1 and boiled4 ,the repast was none the less appetizing that it was served in picnic fashion1 the cloth being laid on the floor1 upon one of the large palm-mats1 much in use here to spread over the uncarpeted brick floors or under the hammocks4 ,for several hours after breakfast the heat was intense1 and we could do little but rest in the shade1 though ,mr4 ,agassiz1 who works at all hours if specimens are on hand1 was busy in making skeletons of some fish too large to be preserved in alcohol4 ,towards evening it grew cooler1 and we walked in the banana plantation near the house1 and sat under an immense gourd-tree on the bank1 which made a deep shade2 for it was clothed not only by its own foliage1 but the branches were covered with parasites1 and with soft1 dark moss1 in contrast with which the lighter green1 glossy fruit seemed to gain new lustre4 ,i call it a gourd-tree1 simply from the use to which the fruit is put4 ,but it goes here by the name of the ,cuieira-tree 7,crescentia ,cajeput71 the cup made from the fruit being called a ,cuia4 ,the fruit is spherical1 of a light green1 shiny surface1 and grows from the size of an apple to that of the largest melon4 ,it is filled with a soft1 white pulp1 easily removed when the fruit is cut in halves2 the rind is then allowed to dry4 ,very pretty cups and basins1 of many sizes1 are made in this way2 and the ,indians1 who understand how to prepare a variety of very brilliant colors1 are very skilful in painting them4 ,it would seem that the art of making colors is of ancient date among the ,amazonian ,indians1 for in the account of ,francisco ,orellana's journey down the ,amazons in #aeda1 8the two fathers of the expedition declare that in this voyage they found all the people to be both intelligent and ingenious1 which was shown by the works which they performed in sculpture and painting in bright colors40#gb ,their paints are prepared from a particular kind of clay and from the juices of several plants which have coloring properties4 ,in an ,amazonian cottage one hardly sees any utensils for the table except such as the ,indians have prepared and ornamented themselves from the fruits of the ,cuieira-tree4 ,i longed to extend my walk into the woods which surrounded us on all sides2 but the forest is very tantalizing here1 so tempting and so impenetrable4 ,the ladies told me there were no paths cut in the neighborhood of the house4 ,the next morning we were off early in the canoes on a fish hunt2 ,i call it a hunt advisedly1 for the fish are the captives of the bow and spear1 not of the net and line4 ,the ,indians are very adroit in shooting the larger fish with the bow and arrow1 and in harpooning some of the veritable monsters of their rivers1 such as the ,peixe-boi 78fish-cow071 ,manatee or ,dugon1 with the spear4 ,we made two parties this morning1 some of us going in the larger canoe to drag a forest lake with the net1 while some of the fishermen took a smaller1 lighter boat1 to be able to approach their larger prey4 ,our path lay through a pretty igarap1 where1 for the first time1 ,i saw monkeys in a tree by the water-side4 ,on coming to the ,amazons we expect to see monkeys as frequently as squirrels are seen at home2 but1 though very numerous1 they are so shy that one rarely gets a fair view of them4 ,after an hour's row we landed at a little point jutting out into the water1 and went through the forest1 the men cutting the way before us1 clearing the path of branches1 fallen trees1 and parasitic vines which obstructed it4 ,i was astonished to see the vigor and strength with which ,dona ,maria1 the mother-in-law of our host1 made her way through the tangled trees1 helping to free the road1 and lopping off branches with her great wood-knife4 ,we imagine all the ladies in this warm country to be very indolent and languid2 and in the cities1 as a general thing1 their habits are much less vigorous than those of our women4 ,but here1 in the ,upper ,amazons1 the women who have been brought up in the country and in the midst of the ,indians are often very energetic1 bearing a hand at the oar or the fishing-net with the strength of a man4 ,a short walk brought us out upon a shallow forest lake1 or1 as the ,indians call it1 8round water40 ,the ,indian names are often very significant4 ,i have mentioned the meaning of igarap1 8boat path02 to this1 when they wish to indicate its size more exactly1 they affix either the word 8ass0 7large7 or 8mirim0 7small74 ,but an igarap1 whether large or small1 is always a channel opening out of the main river and having no other outlet4 ,for a channel connecting the upper and lower waters of the same river1 or leading from one river to another1 they have another word1 8,paran0 7signifying river71 which they modify in the same way1 as ,paran-ass or ,paran-mirim4 ,paran-ass1 the big river1 means also the sea4 ,a still more significant name for a channel connecting two rivers is the ,portuguese word 8fro10 meaning bore4 ,the lake was set in the midst of long1 reed-like grass1 and1 as we approached it1 thousands of white water-birds rustled up from the margin and floated like a cloud above us4 ,the reason of their numbers was plain when we reached the lake3 it was actually lined with shrimps2 one could dip them out by the bucketful4 ,the boatmen now began to drag the net1 and perhaps nowhere1 from any single lake or pond1 has ,mr4 ,agassiz made a more valuable collection of forest fishes4 ,among them was a pipe-fish1 one of the ,goniodont family1 very similar to our ordinary ,syngnathus in appearance1 but closely related to ,acestra1 and especially interesting to him as throwing light on certain investigations of his1 made when quite a young man4 ,this specimen confirmed a classification by which he then associated the pipe-fish with the ,garpikes and ,sturgeons1 a combination which was scouted by the best naturalists of the time1 and is even now repudiated by most of them4 ,without self-glorification1 it is impossible not to be gratified when the experience of later years confirms the premonitions of youth1 and shows them to have been not mere guesses1 but founded upon an insight into the true relations of things4 ,wearied after a while with watching the fishing in the sun1 ,i went back into the forest1 where ,i found the coffee-pot already boiling over the fire4 ,it was pleasant to sit down on a fallen1 moss-grown trunk1 and breakfast in the shade4 ,presently the fishermen came back from the lake1 and we found our way to the boats again1 laden with an immense number of fishes4 ,the gentlemen returned to the house in one of the smaller montarias1 taking the specimens with them1 and leaving me to return in the larger canoe with the ,senhoras4 ,it seemed to me strange on this ,sunday morning1 when the bells must be ringing and the people trooping to church under the bright ,october sky1 in our far-off ,new ,england home1 to be floating down this quiet igarap1 in a boat full of half-naked ,indians1 their wild1 monotonous chant sounding in our ears as they kept time to their oars4 ,in these excursions one learns to understand the fascination this life must have for a people among whom civilization is as yet but very incomplete2 it is full of physical enjoyment1 without any mental effort4 ,up early in the morning and off on their fishing or hunting excursions long before dawn1 they return by the middle of the day1 lie in their hammocks and smoke during the hours of greatest heat2 cook the fish they have brought with them1 and1 unless sickness comes to them1 know neither want nor care4 ,we reached the house in time for a twelve o'clock breakfast of a more solid character than the lighter one in the forest1 and by no means unacceptable after our long row4 ,in the course of the day two 8,peixe-bois0 7,manatees7 were brought in1 also a ,boto 7porpoise71 and some large specimens of ,pirarucu 7,sudis74 ,all these are too clumsy to preserve in alcohol1 especially when alcohol is so difficult to obtain and so expensive as it is here2 but ,mr4 ,agassiz has had skeletons made of them1 and will preserve the skins of the ,peixe-bois for mounting4 ,he obtained at the same time an entirely new genus of the ,siluroid family4 ,it is a fish weighing some ten pounds1 called here the ,pacamum1 and of a bright canary color4 ,the evening scene at the 8,sitio0 was always very pretty4 ,after dinner1 when the customary 8boa noite10 the universal greeting at the close of the day1 had been exchanged1 the palm-mats1 spread over the platforms1 had each their separate group1 ,indians or negroes1 children1 members of the family or guests1 the central figure being usually that of ,major ,coutinho1 who was considered to be especially successful in the making of coffee and who generally had a mat to himself1 where he looked1 as the blue flame of his alcohol lamp flickered in the wind1 not unlike a magician of old1 brewing some potent spell4 ,little shallow cups1 like open antique lamps1 filled with oil and having a bit of wick hanging over the edge1 were placed about the floors1 and served to light the interior of the porch1 though after a glimmering and uncertain fashion4 ,on ,monday morning we left the 8,sitio0 and returned to ,teff1 where ,mr4 ,agassiz had the pleasure of receiving all his collections1 both those he had sent on before him and those which accompanied us1 in good condition4 ,october #ith4--,alexandrina turns out to be a valuable addition to the household1 not only from a domestic1 but also from a scientific point of view4 ,she has learned to prepare and clean skeletons of fish very nicely1 and makes herself quite useful in the laboratory4 ,besides1 she knows many paths in the forest1 and accompanies me in all my botanizing excursions2 with the keen perceptions of a person whose only training has been through the senses1 she is far quicker than ,i am in discerning the smallest plant in fruit or flower1 and now that she knows what ,i am seeking1 she is a very efficient aid4 ,nimble as a monkey1 she thinks nothing of climbing to the top of a tree to bring down a blossoming branch2 and here1 where many of the trees shoot up to quite a height before putting out their boughs1 such an auxiliary is very important4 ,the collections go on apace1 and every day brings in new species2 more than can be easily cared for1--far more than our artist can find time to draw4 ,yesterday1 among other specimens1 a hollow log was brought in1 some two feet and a half in length1 and about three inches in diameter1 crowded with ,anojas 7a common fish here7 of all sizes1 from those several inches long to the tiniest young4 ,the thing was so extraordinary that one would have been inclined to think it was prepared in order to be passed off as a curiosity1 had not the fish been so dexterously packed into the log from end to end1 that it was impossible to get them out without splitting it open1 when they were all found alive and in perfectly good condition4 ,they could not have been artificially jammed into the hollow wood1 in that way1 without injuring them4 ,the fishermen say that this is the habit of the family2 they are often found thus crowded into dead logs at the bottom of the river1 making their nests as it were in the cavities of the wood4#gc ,october #adth4--,mr4 ,agassiz has a corps of little boys engaged in catching the tiniest fishes1 so insignificant in size that the regular fishermen1 who can never be made to understand that a fish which is not good to eat can serve any useful purpose1 always throw them away4 ,nevertheless1 these are among the most instructive specimens for the ichthyologist1 because they often reveal the relations not only between parent and offspring1 but wider relations between different groups4 ,mr4 ,agassiz's investigations on these little fish here have shown repeatedly that the young of some species resemble closely the adult of others4 ,such a fish1 not more than half an inch long1 was brought to him yesterday4 ,it constitutes a new genus1 ,lymnobelus1 and belongs to the bill-fish family1 ,scomberesoces1 with ,belone and others1--that long1 narrow type1 with a long beak1 which has such a wide distribution over the world4 ,in the ,northern ,united ,states1 as well as in the ,mediterranean1 it has a representative of the genus ,scomberesox1 in which the jaws of its long snout are gaping2 in the ,mediterranean1 and almost everywhere in the temperate and torrid zones1 ,belones are found in which1 on the contrary1 the bill is closed2 in ,florida and on the ,brazilian coast1 as well as in the ,pacific1 species of ,hemirhamphus occur in which the two jaws are unequal1 the upper one being very short and the lower one enormously long1 while the ,amazonian bill-fish has a somewhat different cut of the bill from either of those mentioned above1 though both jaws are very long1 as in ,belone4 ,when1 then1 the young of this ,amazonian species was brought to ,mr4 ,agassiz1 he naturally expected to find it like its parent4 ,on the contrary1 he found it far more like the species of ,florida and the ,brazilian coast1 having the two jaws unequal1 the upper one excessively short1 the lower enormously long1 showing that the ,amazonian species1 before taking on its own characteristic features1 passes through a stage resembling the permanent adult condition of the ,hemirhamphus4 ,it is interesting to find that animals1 which have their natural homes so far from each other that there is no possibility of any material connection between them1 are yet so linked together by structural laws1 that the development of one species should recall the adult form of another4#gd ,the story of the ,acaras1 the fish which carries its young in its mouth1 grows daily more wonderful4 ,this morning ,mr4 ,agassiz was off before dawn1 on a fishing excursion with ,major ,estolano1 and returned with numerous specimens of a new species of that family4 ,these specimens furnished a complete embryological series1 some of them having their eggs at the back of the gills1 between the upper pharyngeals and the branchial arches1 others their young in the mouth in different stages of development1 up to those a quarter of an inch long and able to swim about1 full of life and activity1 when removed from the gills and placed in water4 ,the most advanced were always found outside of the gills1 within the cavity formed by the gill-covers and the wide branchiostegal membrane4 ,in examining these fishes ,mr4 ,agassiz has found that a special lobe of the brain1 similar to those of the ,triglas1 sends large nerves to that part of the gills which protects the young2 thus connecting the care of the offspring with the organ of intelligence4 ,the specimens of this morning seem to invalidate the statement of the fishermen1 that the young1 though often found in the mouth of the parent1 are not actually developed there1 but laid and hatched in the sand4 ,the series1 in these specimens1 was too complete to leave any doubt that in this species at least the whole process of development is begun and completed in the gill-cavity4 ,october #agth4--,teff4 ,yesterday1 to our great pleasure1 our companions1 ,mr4 ,james and ,mr4 ,talisman1 returned from their canoe expedition on the rivers ,ia and ,hyutahy1 bringing most valuable collections4 ,mr4 ,agassiz has felt some anxiety about their success1 as1 in consequence of their small supply of alcohol1 for preserving specimens1 which was1 nevertheless1 all he could spare from the common store1 a great deal of judgment in the choice of specimens was required in order to make a truly characteristic collection4 ,the commission could not have been better executed1 and the result raises the number of species from the ,amazonian waters to more than six hundred1 every day showing more clearly how distinctly the species are localized1 and that this immense basin is divided into numerous zological areas1 each one of which has its own combination of fishes4 ,our stay at ,teff draws to a close1 and to-day begins the great work of packing1 in preparation for the arrival of the steamer at the end of the week4 ,these days are the most laborious of all2 on leaving every station1 all the alcoholic specimens have to be overhauled1 their condition ascertained1 the barrels1 kegs1 and cans examined1 to make sure that the hoops are fast1 and that there are no leakages4 ,fortunately1 there are some of our party who are very dexterous as coopers and joiners1 and at these times the laboratory is turned into a workshop4 ,we were reminded of the labors of the day by a circular distributed at breakfast this morning3-- 8,,sir3--,the #8,united ,coopers' ,association' will meet in the laboratory after breakfast4 ,you are particularly requested to attend4 8,,teff1 ,oct4 #agth1 #ahfe40 ,and at this moment the laboratory rings with click of hammer1 and nails1 and iron hoops4 ,as usual1 there are a number of uninvited spectators watching the breaking up of the scientific establishment1 which has been1 during the past month1 a source of constant entertainment to the vagrant population of ,teff4 ,in this country of open doors and windows one has not the same protection against intrusion as in a colder climate1 and we have had a constant succession of curious visitors hanging about our premises4 ,i have dwelt especially on the fish collection2 but we do not go away empty-handed in other respects4 ,mr4 ,dexter has prepared a large number of the forest birds for mounting1--papagaios1 toucans1 and a great variety of smaller species of very brilliant plumage1 not to speak of the less showy water-birds4 ,he has been often in the woods shooting1 with ,mr4 ,hunnewell and ,mr4 ,thayer1 and has employed several sportsmen of the place to assist him4 ,turtles1 jacars1 and snakes are also largely represented in the collections2 and ,mr4 ,agassiz has obtained1 by purchase1 a large and well-preserved collection of insects1 made by a ,frenchman during a several years' residence in this little town4 ,in ,teff and its neighborhood we constantly tread in the footsteps of the ,english naturalist1 ,mr4 ,bates1 8,senhor ,henrique10 as the people call him here1 whose charming book1 8,the ,naturalist on the ,amazons10 has been a very pleasant companion to us in our wanderings4#ge ,illustration3 ,head of ,alexandrina4 ,october #bast4--,since ,thursday afternoon our canoe has been loaded1 all the specimens1 amounting to something more than thirty barrels1 kegs1 and boxes1 packed and waiting the arrival of the steamer4 ,we have paid our parting visits to friends and acquaintances here4 ,i have taken my last ramble in the woods where ,i have had so many pleasant walks1 and now we are sitting in the midst of valises and carpet-bags1 waiting to see the steamer round the wooded point in front of the house1 before we turn the key on our four weeks' home1 and close this chapter of our ,amazonian life4 ,in this country1 where time seems to be of comparatively little importance1 one is never sure whether the boat will leave or arrive on the appointed day4 ,one has only to make the necessary preparations1 and then practise the favorite ,brazilian virtue1 8paciencia40 ,the adjoining sketch is a portrait of my little house-maid1 ,alexandrina1 who1 from her mixture of ,negro and ,indian blood1 is rather a curious illustration of the amalgamation of races here4 ,she consented yesterday1 after a good deal of coy demur1 to have her portrait taken4 ,mr4 ,agassiz wanted it especially on account of her extraordinary hair1 which1 though it has lost its compact negro crinkle1 and acquired something of the length and texture of the ,indian hair1 retains1 nevertheless1 a sort of wiry elasticity1 so that1 when combed out1 it stands off from her head in all directions as if electrified4 ,in the examples of negro and ,indian half-breeds we have seen1 the negro type seems the first to yield1 as if the more facile disposition of the negro1 as compared with the enduring tenacity of the ,indian1 showed itself in their physical as well as their mental characteristics4 ,a few remarks1 gathered from ,mr4 ,agassiz's notes on the general character of the population in this region may not be without interest4 8,two things are strongly impressed on the mind of the traveller in the ,upper ,amazons4 ,the necessity1 in the first place1 of a larger population1 and1 secondly1 of a better class of whites1 before any fair beginning can be made in developing the resources of the country2 and1 as an inducement to this1 the importance of taking off all restraint on the navigation of the ,amazons and its tributaries1 opening them to the ambition and competition of other nations4 ,not only is the white population too small for the task before it1 but it is no less poor in quality than meagre in numbers4 ,it presents the singular spectacle of a higher race receiving the impress of a lower one1 of an educated class adopting the habits and sinking to the level of the savage4 ,in the towns of the ,solimoens the people who pass for the white gentry of the land1 while they profit by the ignorance of the ,indian to cheat and abuse him1 nevertheless adopt his social habits1 sit on the ground and eat with their fingers as he does4 ,although it is forbidden by law to enslave the ,indian1 there is a practical slavery by which he becomes as absolutely in the power of the master as if he could be bought and sold4 ,the white man engages an ,indian to work for him at a certain rate1 at the same time promising to provide him with clothes and food until such time as he shall have earned enough to take care of himself4 ,this outfit1 in fact1 costs the employer little2 but when the ,indian comes to receive his wages he is told that he is already in debt to his master for what has been advanced to him2 instead of having a right to demand money1 he owes work4 ,the ,indians1 even those who live about the towns1 are singularly ignorant of the true value of things4 ,they allow themselves to be deceived in this way to an extraordinary extent1 and remain bound to the service of a man for a lifetime1 believing themselves under the burden of a debt1 while they are1 in fact1 creditors4 ,besides this virtual slavery1 an actual traffic of the ,indians does go on3 but it is so far removed from the power of the authorities that they cannot1 if they would1 put a stop to it4 ,a better class of emigrants would suppress many of these evils4 ,americans or ,englishmen might be sordid in their transactions with the natives2 their hands are certainly not clean in their dealings with the dark-skinned races2 but they would not degrade themselves to the social level of the ,indians as the ,portuguese do2 they would not adopt his habits40 ,i cannot say good by to ,teff without a word in commemoration of one class of its inhabitants who have interfered very seriously with our comfort4 ,there is a tiny creature called the ,mocuim1 scarcely visible except for its bright vermilion color1 which swarms all over the grass and low growth here4 ,it penetrates under the skin so that one would suppose a red rash had broken out over the body1 and causes excessive itching1 ending sometimes in troublesome sores4 ,on returning from a walk it is necessary to bathe in alcohol and water1 in order to allay the heat and irritation produced by these little wretches4 ,mosquitoes are annoying1 piums are vexatious1 but for concentrated misery commend me to the ,mocuim4 ,october #bc;d4--,we left ,teff on ,saturday evening on board the ,icamiaba1 which now seems quite like a home to us2 we have passed so many pleasant hours in her comfortable quarters since we left ,par4 ,we are just on the verge of the rainy season here1 and almost every evening during the past week has brought a thunder-storm4 ,the evening before leaving ,teff we had one of the most beautiful storms we have seen on the ,amazons4 ,it came sweeping up from the east2 these squalls always come from the east1 and therefore the ,indians say 8the path of the sun is the path of the storm40 ,the upper1 lighter layer of cloud1 travelling faster than the dark1 lurid mass below1 hung over it with its white1 fleecy edge1 like an avalanche of snow just about to fall4 ,we were all sitting at the doorstep watching its swift approach1 and ,mr4 ,agassiz said that this tropical storm was the most accurate representation of an avalanche on the upper ,alps he had ever seen4 ,it seems sometimes as if ,nature played upon herself1 reproducing the same appearances under the most dissimilar circumstances4 ,it is curious to mark the change in the river4 ,when we reached ,teff it was rapidly falling at the rate of about a foot a day4 ,it was easy to measure its retreat by the effect of the occasional rains on the beach4 ,the shower of one day1 for instance1 would gully the sand to the water's edge1 and the next day we would find the water about a foot below the terminus of all the cracks and ruts thus caused1 their abrupt close showing the line at which they met the water the previous day4 ,ten days or a fortnight before we left1 and during which we had heavy rains at the close of every day1 continuing frequently through the night1 those oscillations in the river began1 which the people here call 8repiquete10 and which1 on the ,upper ,amazons1 precede the regular rise of the water during the winter4 ,the first repiquete occurs in ,teff toward the end of ,october1 accompanied by almost daily rains4 ,after a week or so the water falls again2 in ten or twelve days it begins once more to ascend1 and sinks again after the same period4 ,in some seasons there is a third rise and fall1 but usually the third repiquete begins the permanent annual rise of the river4 ,on board the steamer we were joined by ,mr4 ,bourget1 with his fine collections from ,tabatinga4 ,he1 like both the other parties1 has been hindered1 by want of alcohol1 from making as large collections as he might otherwise have done2 but they are1 nevertheless1 very valuable1 exceedingly well put up1 and embracing a great variety of species1 from the ,maraon as well as from the ,hyavary4 ,thus we have a rich harvest from all the principal tributaries of the ,upper ,amazons1 within the borders of ,brazil1 above the ,rio ,negro1 except the ,purus1 which must be left unexplored for want of time and a sufficient working force4 ,on leaving ,teff ,i should say something of the nature of the soil in connection with ,mr4 ,agassiz's previous observations on this subject4 ,although he has been almost constantly occupied with his collections1 he has1 nevertheless1 found time to examine the geological formations of the neighborhood4 ,the more he considers the ,amazons and its tributaries1 the more does he feel convinced that the whole mass of the reddish1 homogeneous clay1 which he has called drift1 is the glacial deposit brought down from the ,andes and worked over by the melting of the ice which transported it4 ,according to his view1 the whole valley was originally filled with this deposit1 and the ,amazons itself1 as well as the rivers connected with it1 are so many channels worn through the mass1 having cut their way just as the igarap now wears its way through the more modern deposits of mud and sand4 ,it may seem strange that any one should compare the formation of these insignificant forest-streams with that of the vast river which pours itself across a whole continent2 but it is1 after all1 only a reversal of the microscopic process of investigation4 ,we magnify the microscopically small in order to see it1 and we must diminish that which transcends our apprehension by its great size1 in order to understand it4 ,the naturalist who wishes to compare an elephant with a ,coni 7,hyrax71#gf turns the diminishing end of his glass upon the former1 and1 reducing its clumsy proportions1 he finds that the difference is one of size rather than structure4 ,the essential features are the same4 ,so the little igarap1 as it wears its channel through the forest to-day1 explains the early history of the great river and feebly reiterates the past4 ----- ,footnote #fh3 ,it is a curious fact1 that though a large number of cows were owned in ,teff1 and were constantly seen feeding about the houses1 milk was among the unattainable luxuries4 ,indeed1 milk is little used in ,brazil1 so far as our observation goes4 ,it is thought unhealthy for children1 and people will rather give coffee or tea to a two-year-old baby than pure milk4 ,the cows are never milked regularly1 but the quantity needed for the moment is drawn at any time4 ,footnote #fi3 ,,teff1 ,september #bb1 #ahfe4 ,,my ,,dear ,,friend ,,and ,,honored ,,colleague3--,here ,i have been for two months in the basin of the ,amazons1 and it is here that ,i have heard with sorrow of the death of my old friend ,valenciennes4 ,i am the more affected by it1 because no one would have appreciated more than he the results of my journey1 which ,i had hoped soon to share with him4 ,you will naturally understand that it is to the class of fishes ,i consecrate the better part of my time1 and my harvest exceeds all my anticipations4 ,you will judge of it by a few statements4 ,on reaching ,manaos1 at the junction of the ,rio ,negro and the ,amazons1 ,i had already collected more than three hundred species of fishes1 half of which have been painted from life1 that is1 from the fish swimming in a large glass tank before my artist4 ,i am often pained to see how carelessly colored plates of these animals have been published4 ,not only have we tripled the number of species1 but ,i count new genera by dozens1 and ,i have five or six new families for the ,amazons1 and one allied to the ,gobioides entirely new to ,ichthyology4 ,among the small species especially ,i have found novelties4 ,i have ,characines of five or six centimetres and less1 adorned with the most beautiful tints1 ,cyprinodonts resembling a little those of ,cuba and the ,united ,states1 ,scomberesoces allied to the ,belone of the ,mediterranean1 a considerable number of ,carapoides1 and ,rays of different genera from those of the ocean1 and therefore not species which ascend the river2 and a crowd of ,goniodonts and ,chromides of unpublished genera and species4 ,but what ,i appreciate most highly is the facility ,i have for studying the changes which all these fishes undergo with age and the differences of sex among them2 which are often very considerable4 ,thus ,i have observed a species of ,geophagus in which the male has a very conspicuous protuberance on the forehead1 wholly wanting in the female and the young4 ,this same fish has a most extraordinary mode of reproduction4 ,the eggs pass1 ,i know not how1 into the mouth1 the bottom of which is lined by them1 between the inner appendages of the branchial arches1 and especially into a pouch1 formed by the upper pharyngials1 which they completely fill4 ,there they are hatched1 and the little ones1 freed from the egg-case1 are developed until they are in a condition to provide for their own existence4 ,i do not yet know how long this continues2 but ,i have already met with specimens whose young had no longer any vitelline sac1 but were still harbored by the progenitor4 ,as ,i shall still pass a month at ,teff ,i hope to be able to complete this observation4 ,the examination of the structure of a great number of ,chromides has led me to perceive the affinities between these fishes and several other families with which we have never thought of associating them4 ,in the first place1 ,i have convinced myself that the ,chromides1 formerly scattered among the ,labroides and the ,scinoids1 really constitute a natural group recognized nearly at the same time and in an independent manner by ,heckel and ,j4 ,mller4 ,but1 beside these1 there are the genera ,enoplosus1 ,pomotis1 ,centrarchus1 and some other neighboring genera1 classed among the ,percoids by all ,ichthyologists1 which seem to me1 from this distance and without means of direct comparison1 so near the ,chromides that ,i do not see how they can be separated1 especially now that ,i know the lower pharyngials not to be invariably soldered in the ,chromides4 ,and then the embryology and metamorphoses of the ,chromides1 which ,i have just been studying1 have convinced me that the fishes with labyrinthic branchi1 separated from all other fishes by ,cuvier1 as a family entirely isolated on account of the strange structure of its respiratory organs1 are closely related to the ,chromides4 ,thus this group becomes1 by its various affinities1 one of the most interesting of the class of fishes1 and the basin of the ,amazons seems to be the true home of this family4 ,i will not fatigue you with my ichthyological researches2 let me only add1 that the fishes are not uniformly spread over this great basin4 ,i have already acquired the certainty that we must distinguish several ichthyological faun very clearly characterized4 ,thus the species inhabiting the river of ,par1 from the borders of the sea to the mouth of the ,tocantins1 differ from those which are met in the network of anastomoses uniting the river of ,par with the ,amazons proper4 ,the species of the ,amazons below the ,xingu differ from those which occur higher up2 those of the lower course of the ,xingu differ from those of the lower course of the ,tapajoz4 ,those of the numerous igaraps and lakes of ,manaos differ as much from those of the principal course of the great river and of its great affluents4 ,it remains now to study the changes which may take place in this distribution in the course of the year1 according to the height of the waters1 and perhaps also according to the epoch at which the different species lay their eggs4 ,thus far ,i have met but a small number of species having a very extensive area of distribution4 ,one of those is the ,sudis gigas1 found almost everywhere4 ,it is the most important fish of the river1 that which1 as food1 corresponds to cattle for the population along the banks4 ,another problem to be solved is1 how far this phenomenon of the local distribution of fishes is repeated in the great affluents of the ,amazons4 ,i shall try to solve it in ascending the ,rio ,negro and ,rio ,madeira1 and as ,i return to ,manaos ,i shall be able to compare my first observations in this locality with those of another season of the year4 ,adieu1 my dear friend4 ,remember me to ,m4 ,elie de ,beaumont and to those of my colleagues of the ,academy who are interested in my present studies4 ,my kind remembrance also to your son4 ,always yours1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4 ,footnote #gj3 ,we found that this information was incorrect1 at least for some species1 as will be seen hereafter4 ,i let the statement stand in the text1 however1 as an instance of the difficulty one has in getting correct facts1 and the danger of trusting to the observations even of people who mean to tell the real truth4 ,no doubt some of these ,acaras do occasionally deposit their young in the sand1 and continue a certain care of them till they are able to shift for themselves4 ,but the story of the fisherman was one of those half truths as likely to mislead1 as if it had been wholly false4 ,i will add here a few details concerning these ,acaras1 a name applied by the natives to all the oval-shaped ,chromides4 ,the species which lay their eggs in the sand belong to the genera ,hydrogonus and ,chtobranchus4 ,like the ,north ,american ,pomotis1 they build a kind of flat nest in the sand or mud1 in which they deposit their eggs1 hovering over them until the young are hatched4 ,the species which carry their young in the mouth belong to several genera1 formerly all included under the name of ,geophagus by ,heckel4 ,i could not ascertain how the eggs are brought into the mouth1 but the change must take place soon after they are laid1 for ,i have found in that position eggs in which the embryo had just begun its development as well as those in a more advanced stage of growth4 ,occasionally1 instead of eggs1 ,i have found the cavity of the gills1 as also the space enclosed by the branchiostegal membrane1 filled with a brood of young already hatched4 ,the eggs before hatching are always found in the same part of the mouth1 namely1 in the upper part of the branchial arches1 protected or held together by a special lobe or valve formed of the upper pharyngeals4 ,the cavity thus occupied by the eggs corresponds exactly to the labyrinth of that curious family of fishes inhabiting the ,east ,indian ,ocean1 called ,labyrinthici by ,cuvier4 ,this circumstance induces me to believe that the branchial labyrinth of the eastern fishes may be a breeding pouch1 like that of our ,chromides1 and not simply a respiratory apparatus for retaining water4 ,in the ,amazonian fish a very sensitive network of nerves spreads over this marsupial pouch1 the principal stem of which arises from a special nervous ganglion1 back of the cerebellum1 in the medulla oblongata4 ,this region of the central nervous system is strangely developed in different families of fishes1 and sends out nerves performing very varied functions4 ,from it arise1 normally1 the nerves of movement and sensation about the face2 it also provides the organs of breathing1 the upper part of the alimentary canal1 the throat and the stomach4 ,in the electric fishes the great nerves entering the electric battery arise from the same cerebral region1 and now ,i have found that the pouch in which the egg of the ,acara is incubated and its young nursed for a time1 receives its nerves from the same source4 ,this series of facts is truly wonderful1 and only shows how far our science still is from an apprehension of the functions of the nervous system4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ga3 ,it is a very general habit among the ,south ,american ,indians to pierce the nose1 ears1 and lips with holes1 in which they hang pieces of wood and feathers1 as ornaments4 ,footnote #gb3 ,see 8,expeditions into the ,valley of the ,amazons10 published by the ,hakluyt ,society4 ,footnote #gc3 ,this species belongs to one of the subdivisions of the genus ,auchenipterus2 it is undescribed1 and ,mr4 ,burkhardt has made five colored sketches of a number of specimens of different sizes1 varying in their markings4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #gd3 ,when ,i attempted to record my impression of the basin of the ,amazons1 and characterized it as a fresh-water ocean with an archipelago of islands1 ,i did not mean to limit the comparison to the wide expanse of water and the large number of islands4 ,the resemblance extends much further1 and the whole basin may be said to be oceanic also1 in the character of its fauna4 ,it is true1 we are accustomed to consider the ,chromides1 the ,characines1 the ,siluroids1 and the ,goniodonts1 which constitute the chief population of this network of rivers1 as fresh-water fishes2 but in so doing we shut our eyes to their natural affinities1 and remember only the medium in which they live4 ,let any one enter upon a more searching comparison1 and he will not fail to perceive that1 under the name of ,chromides1 fishes are united which in their form and general appearance recall several families of the class1 only known as inhabitants of the sea4 ,the genus ,pterophyllum1 for instance1 might be placed side by side with the ,chtodonts1 without apparently violating its natural affinities1 since even ,cuvier considered it as a ,platax4 ,the genera ,symphysodon and ,uaru would not seem very much out of place1 by the side of ,brama4 ,the genus ,geophagus and allied forms recall at once the ,sparoids1 with which some of them were associated by earlier ichthyologists2 while the genus ,crenicichla forms a striking counterpart to the genus ,malacanthus4 ,finally1 the genus ,acara and their kindred closely resemble the ,pomacentroids4 ,indeed1 had not the fresh-water genera ,pomotis1 ,centrarchus1 and the like1 been erroneously associated with the ,percoids1 the intimate relations which bind them to the ,chromides1 and these again to the marine types mentioned above1 would long ago have been acknowledged4 ,the genus ,monocirrus is a miniature ,toxotes1 with a barbel4 ,polycentrus1 which is also found in the ,amazons1 stands nearest to ,acara and ,heros2 it has only a larger number of anal spines4 ,in this connection it ought not to be overlooked that these fishes are not pelagic1 like the ,scomberoids1 but rather archipelagic1 if ,i may use this word to designate fishes dwelling among low islands4 ,if we discard the long-prevailing idea of a close relationship between the ,characines and ,salmonides1 based solely upon the presence of an adipose fin1 we may at once perceive how manifold are the affinities between the ,characines on one hand1 and on the other the ,scopelines and ,clupeoids1 all of which are essentially marine4 ,these relations may be traced to the details of the genera2 ,gasteropelecus1 from the family of ,characines1 is the pendant of ,pristigaster among the ,clupeoids1 as ,chalcinus recalls ,pellona4 ,in the same way may ,stomias and ,chauliodus be compared to ,cynodon and the like2 or ,sudis and ,osteoglossum to ,megalops1 and ,erythrinus to ,ophicephalus1 c41 c4 ,the ,goniodonts may at first sight hardly seem to have any kindred among marine fishes2 but if we take into account the affinity which unquestionably links the genus ,loricaria and its allies with ,pegasus1 and further remember that to this day all the ichthyologists1 with the sole exception of ,c4 ,dumril1 have united ,pegasus in one order with the ,pipe-fishes1 it will no longer be doubted that the ,goniodonts have at least a remarkable analogy with the ,lophobranches1 if they should not be considered as bearing a close structural relation to them4 ,but this relation truly exists4 ,the extraordinary mode of rearing their young1 which characterizes the various representatives of the old genus ,syngnathus1 is only matched by the equally curious incubation of the eggs in ,loricaria4 ,and as to the other families represented in the basin of the ,amazons1 such as the ,skates1 the ,sharks1 the ,tetraodonts1 the ,flat-fishes 7,pleuronectides71 the ,bill-fishes 7,scomberesoces71 the ,anchovis1 ,herrings1 and other forms of the family of ,clupeoids1 the ,murnoids1 the genuine ,scinoids1 the ,gobioids1 c41 c41 they are chiefly known as marine types2 while the ,cyprinodonts occur elsewhere both in salt and fresh water4 ,the ,gymnotines are thus far only known as fresh-water fishes1 nor do ,i see any ground for comparing them to any marine type4 ,they cannot be compared to the ,murnoids1 with which they have thus far been associated4 ,the only real affinity ,i can trace in them is with the ,mormyri of the ,nile and ,senegal1 and with the ,notopteri of the ,sunda ,islands4 ,eel-shaped fishes are by no means all related to one another1 and their elongated form1 with a variety of patterns1 is no indication of their relationship4 ,it may1 nevertheless1 be inferred from what precedes1 that the fishes of the ,amazons have1 as a whole1 a marine character peculiarly their own1 and not at all to be met with among the inhabitants of the other great rivers of the world4 ,these peculiarities extend to other classes besides fishes4 ,among the ,bivalve shells1 it has long been known that the ,amazons nourishes genera of ,naiades peculiar to its waters1 or only found besides in the other great rivers of ,south ,america2 such as ,hyria1 ,castalia1 and ,mycetopus1 to which ,i would add another genus1 founded upon slender1 sickle-shaped ,unios1 common to ,north and ,south ,america4 ,but what seems to have escaped the attention of conchologists is the striking resemblance of ,hyria and ,avicula1 of ,castalia and ,arca1 of ,mycetopus and ,solen1 c4 ,thus exhibiting another repetition of marine types in a family exclusively limited to fresh waters1 and having structural characters of its own1 entirely distinct from the marine genera1 the appearance of which they so closely ape4 ,in this connection ,i cannot suppress the remark1 that it would be puerile to consider such mimicry as indicative of a community of origin4 ,some of the land shells even recall marine forms2 such are some of the ,bulimus tribe1 which resemble the genus ,phasianella and ,littorina far more than their own relatives4 ,the similarity of the fringes of the anterior margin of the foot is particularly striking4 ,the ,ampullari remind one also1 in a measure1 of the marine genera ,struthiolaria1 ,natica1 c41 and many fossils of the latter family have been confounded with fresh-water ,ampullari4 ,the most noticeable feature of the ,amazonian fauna1 considered with reference to its oceanic character1 is1 however1 the abundance of ,cetaceans through its whole extent4 ,wherever ,i have navigated these waters1 from ,par1 where the tides still send the salt brine up the river1 to ,tabatinga on the borders of ,peru1 in all the larger and smaller tributaries of the great stream as well as in the many lakes connected with their ever-changing course1 ,i have seen and heard them1 gamboling at the surface and snoring rhythmically1 when undisturbed in their breathing4 ,at night1 especially1 when quietly at anchor in the river1 you hardly ever fail to be startled by the noise they make1 when reaching the surface to exhale forcibly the air they have long retained in their lungs while under water4 ,i have noticed five different species of this order of animals in the waters of the ,amazons1 four of which belong to the family of ,porpoises and one to that of ,manatees4 ,mr4 ,burkhardt has drawn three of them from fresh specimens for me1 and ,i hope before long to secure equally faithful representations of the others1 when ,i shall describe them all comparatively4 ,one of the ,porpoises belongs to the genus ,inia1 and may be traced on the upper tributaries of the ,amazons to ,bolivia1 another resembles more our common ,porpoise1 while still another recalls the ,dolphin of the sea-coast2 but ,i have been unable to ascertain whether any one of them is identical with the marine species4 ,at all events1 the black ,porpoise of the bay of ,marajo1 frequently seen in the vicinity of ,par1 is totally different from the gray species seen higher up the stream4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ge3 ,as from the beginning our arrangements were made to stay at least a month in ,teff1 it became possible to lay out our work in a more systematic form than during our rambling travels4 ,it was here that ,i secured the largest number of fish skeletons and had several of the larger animals of the country prepared for the ,museum2 such as ,manatees1 ,porpoises1 ,pirarucus1 ,sorubims1 and the like4 ,i also undertook here1 for the first time1 a regular search for the young of all the species of fishes that could be obtained4 ,here again my neighbors1 and indeed all the inhabitants of the place1 vied with one another in their efforts to procure specimens for me4 ,senhor ,joa da ,cunha and ,dr4 ,romualdo made frequent fishing excursions for my benefit2 and when ,i could not accompany them1 a boatful of fish was nevertheless moored to the shore1 in the evening1 from which ,i could select whatever was useful or interesting4 ,the grocer of the place1 ,mr4 ,pedro ,mendez1 who employed a skilful fisherman daily to supply his large family1 gave directions that all the fishes caught should be brought in1 and before the kitchen received its provisions1 ,i had my choice of everything4 ,this was a great favor1 especially since the ,indian fisherman1 ,jos1 whom ,i had engaged in ,manaos to accompany me through the rest of my journey1 was now at ,tabatinga1 assisting ,mr4 ,bourget1 who had been left there when ,i returned to ,teff4 ,an old ,pass ,indian1 who was as familiar with the fishes of the waters as with the animals of the forest1 and whom ,major ,coutinho had befriended for many years1 rendered also great service in hunting particular kinds of fishes and reptiles1 the haunts of which he alone seemed to know4 ,the schoolmaster and his boys1 in short1 everybody who knew how to catch fish or fowl1 was out at work1 and1 with the assistance of my young friends ,dexter1 ,hunnewell1 and ,thayer1 and the co-operation of ,major ,coutinho and ,mr4 ,burkhardt1 our daily progress was unmistakable4 ,they generally took care of the collections of land animals1 while ,i reserved the fishes to myself1 and ,major ,coutinho was busy with geological and meteorological observations4 ,even the servants helped in cleaning the skeletons4 ,i made here a very extensive collection of fish brains1 embracing most genera found in this locality1 but it was unfortunately lost on arriving at ,manaos4 ,aware of the difficulty of transporting preparations so delicate1 ,i kept them always by my side1 simply packed in an open barrel1 in the hope of bringing them safely home1 and also that ,i might1 without difficulty1 add to the number4 ,in an unguarded moment1 however1 while landing1 one of our attendants capsized the whole into the ,rio ,negro4 ,it is the only part of my collections which was completely lost4 ,after setting my whole party well under way in ,teff1 ,i made the very instructive excursion with ,major ,estolano1 of which an account is given in the text1 to the ,lago do ,boto1 a small sheet of water1 by the side of his sitio on the banks of the main course of the ,amazons1 where ,i had a fair opportunity of ascertaining how widely different the fishes may be that inhabit adjoining faun in the same hydrographic basin4 ,to this day ,i have not yet recovered from my surprise at finding that shores which1 from a geographic point of view1 must be considered simply as opposite banks of the same stream1 were1 nevertheless1 the abode of an essentially different ichthyological population4 ,among the most curious fishes obtained here1 ,i would mention a new genus1 allied to ,phractocephalus1 of which ,i know only a single very large species1 remarkable for its uniform canary-yellow color4 ,doras1 ,acestra1 ,pterygoplichthys1 c41 were particularly common4 ,small as this lake is1 the largest animals known in the whole basin are found in it3 such as ,manatees ,botos1--the ,porpoise of the ,amazons1 which has given its name to the lake1 ,alligators1 ,pirarucus1--the ,sudis gigas of systematic writers2 ,sorubims1 the large flat-headed ,hornpouts2 ,pacamums1 the large1 yellow ,siluroid above alluded to1 c41 c4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #gf3 ,it was ,cuvier who first ascertained that the small ,hyrax belongs to the same order as the elephant4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,return ,,to ,,manaos4--,,amazonian ,,picnic4 ,,arrival ,,at ,,manaos4--,,new ,,quarters4--,,the 8,,ibicuhy40--,,news ,,from ,,home4--,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,cascade4--,,banheiras ,,in ,,the ,,forest4--,,excursion ,,to ,,lake ,,hyanuary4--,,character ,,and ,,prospects ,,of ,,the ,,amazonian ,,valley4--,,reception ,,at ,,the ,,lake4--,,description ,,of ,,sitio4--,,successful ,,fishing4--,,indian ,,visitors4--,,indian ,,ball4--,,character ,,of ,,the ,,dancing4--,,disturbed ,,night4--,,canoe ,,excursion4--,,scenery4--,,another ,,sitio4--,,morals ,,and ,,manners4--,,talk ,,with ,,the ,,indian ,,women4--,,life ,,in ,,the ,,forest4--,,life ,,in ,,the ,,towns4--,,dinner-,,party4--,,toasts4-- ,,evening ,,row ,,on ,,the ,,lake4--,,night ,,scene4--,,smoking ,,among ,,the ,,senhoras4--,,return ,,to ,,manaos4 ,october #bdth4--,manaos4 ,we reached ,manaos yesterday4 ,as we landed in the afternoon1 and as our arrival had not been expected with any certainty1 we had to wait a little while for lodgings2 but before night we were fairly established1 our corps of assistants and all our scientific apparatus1 in a small house near the shore1 ,mr4 ,agassiz and myself in an old1 rambling edifice1 used when we were here before for the public treasury1 which is now removed to another building4 ,our abode has still rather the air of a public establishment1 but it is very quaint and pleasant inside1 and1 from its open1 spacious character1 is especially agreeable in this climate4 ,the apartment in which we have taken up our quarters1 making it serve both as drawing-room and chamber1 is a long1 lofty hall1 opening by a number of doors and windows on a large1 green enclosure1 called by courtesy a garden1 but which is1 after all1 only a ragged space overgrown with grass1 and having a few trees in it4 ,nevertheless1 it makes a pleasant background of shade and verdure4 ,at the upper end of our airy room hang our hammocks1 and here are disposed our trunks1 boxes1 c42 in the other half are a couple of writing-tables1 a ,yankee rocking-chair that looks as if it might have come out of a ,maine farmer's house1 a lounging-chair1 and one or two other pieces of furniture1 which give it a domestic look and make it serve very well as a parlor4 ,there are many other apartments in this rambling1 rickety castle of ours1 with its brick floors and its rat-holes1 its lofty1 bare walls1 and rough rafters overhead2 but this is the only one we have undertaken to make habitable1 and to my eye it presents a very happy combination of the cosey and the picturesque4 ,we have been already urged by some of our hospitable friends here to take other lodgings2 but we are much pleased with our quarters1 and prefer to retain them1 at least for the present4 ,on our arrival we were greeted by the tidings that the first steamer of the line recently opened between ,new ,york and ,brazil had touched at ,par on her way to ,rio4 ,according to all accounts1 this has been made the occasion of great rejoicing2 and1 indeed1 there appears to be a strong desire throughout ,brazil to strengthen in every way her relations with the ,united ,states4 ,the opening of this line seems to bring us nearer home1 and its announcement1 in connection with excellent news1 public and private1 from the ,united ,states1 made the day of our return to ,manaos a very happy one4 ,a few hours after our own arrival the steamer 8,ibicuhy10 provided by the government for our use1 came into port4 ,to our great pleasure1 she brings ,mr4 ,tavares ,bastos1 deputy from ,alagoas1 whose uniform kindness to us personally ever since our arrival in ,brazil1 as well as his interest in the success of the expedition1 make it a great pleasure to meet him again4 ,this morning ,mr4 ,agassiz received the official document placing the steamer at his disposition1 and also a visit from her commander1 ,captain ,faria4 ,october #bfth4--,yesterday morning at six o'clock we made our first excursion to a pretty spot much talked of in ,manaos on account of its attractions for bathing1 picnics1 and country enjoyments of all sorts4 ,it is called the 8little cascade10 to distinguish it from a larger and1 it is said1 a much more picturesque fall1 half a league from the city on the other side4 ,half an hour's row through a winding river brings you to a rocky causeway1 over which the water comes brawling down in a shallow rapid4 ,here you land1 and a path through the trees leads along the edge of the igarap to a succession of 8banheiras10 as they call them here2 and they are indeed woodland bathing-pools fit for ,diana and her nymphs1 completely surrounded by trees1 and so separated from each other by leafy screens1 that a number of persons may bathe in perfect seclusion4 ,the water rushes through them with a delicious freshness1 forming a little cascade in each4 ,the inhabitants make the most of this forest bathing establishment while it lasts2 the rise of the river during the rainy season overflows and effaces it completely for half the year4 ,while we were bathing1 the boatmen had lighted a fire1 and when we returned to the landing we found a pot of coffee simmering very temptingly over the embers4 ,thus refreshed1 we returned to town just as the heat of the day was beginning to be oppressive4 ,october #bhth4--,yesterday morning1 at about half past six o'clock1 we left ,manaos on an excursion to the ,lake of ,hyanuary on the western side of the ,rio ,negro4 ,the morning was unusually fresh for these latitudes1 and a strong wind was blowing up so heavy a sea in the river1 that1 if it did not make one actually sea-sick1 it certainly called up very vivid and painful associations4 ,we were in a large eight-oared custom-house barge1 our company consisting of ,his ,excellency ,dr4 ,epaminondas1 ,president of the province1 his ,secretary1 ,senhor ,codicera1 ,senhor ,tavares ,bastos1 ,major ,coutinho1 ,mr4 ,agassiz and myself1 ,mr4 ,burkhardt1 ,mr4 ,dexter1 and ,mr4 ,james4 ,we were preceded by a smaller boat1 an ,indian montaria1 in which was our friend ,senhor ,honorio1 who has been so kind as to allow us to breakfast and dine with him during our stay here1 and who1 having undertaken to provide for our creature comforts1 had the care of a boatful of provisions4 ,after an hour's row we left the rough waters of the ,rio ,negro1 and1 rounding a wooded point1 turned into an igarap which gradually narrowed up into one of those shaded1 winding streams1 which make the charm of such excursions in this country4 ,a ragged drapery of long1 faded grass hung from the lower branches of the trees1 marking the height of the last rise of the river to some eighteen or twenty feet above its present level4 ,here and there a white heron stood on the shore1 his snowy plumage glittering in the sunlight1 and numbers of ,ciganas 7,opistocomus71 the pheasants of the ,amazons1 clustered in the bushes2 once a pair of large king vultures 7,sarcorhamphus papa7 rested for a moment within gunshot1 but flew out of sight as our canoe approached2 and now and then an alligator showed his head above water4 ,as we floated along through this picturesque channel1 so characteristic of the wonderful region to which we were all more or less strangers1 ,dr4 ,epaminondas and ,senhor ,tavares ,bastos being here also for the first time1 the conversation turned naturally enough upon the nature of this ,amazonian valley1 its physical conformation1 its origin and resources1 its history past and to come1 both alike obscure1 both the subject of wonder and speculation4 ,senhor ,tavares ,bastos1 although not yet thirty years of age1 is already distinguished in the politics of his country1 and from the moment he entered upon public life to the present time the legislation of the ,amazons1 its relation to the future progress and development of the ,brazilian ,empire1 have been the object of his deepest interest4 ,he is a leader in that class of men who advocate the most liberal policy with regard to this question1 and has already urged upon his countrymen the importance1 even from selfish motives1 of sharing their great treasure with the world4 ,he was little more than twenty years of age when he published his papers on the opening of the ,amazons1 which have done more1 perhaps1 than anything else1 of late years1 to attract attention to the subject4#gg ,there are points where the researches of the statesman and the investigator meet1 and natural science is not without a voice even in the practical bearings of this question4 ,shall this region be legislated for as sea or land8 ,shall the interests of agriculture or navigation prevail in its councils8 ,is it essentially aquatic or terrestrial8 ,such were some of the inquiries which came up in the course of the discussion4 ,a region of country which stretches across a whole continent and is flooded for half the year1 where there can never be railroads or highways1 or even pedestrian travelling to any great extent1 can hardly be considered as dry land4 ,it is true that in this oceanic river-system the tidal action has an annual instead of a daily ebb and flow1 that its rise and fall obey a larger orb1 and is ruled by the sun and not the moon2 but it is1 nevertheless1 subject to all the conditions of a submerged district1 and must be treated as such4 ,indeed1 these semiannual changes of level are far more powerful in their influence on the life of the inhabitants than any marine tides4 ,people sail half the year above districts where for the other half they walk1 though hardly dry shod1 over the soaked ground2 their occupations1 their dress1 their habits are modified in accordance with the dry and wet seasons4 ,and not only the ways of life1 but the whole aspect of the country1 the character of the landscape1 are changed4 ,the two picturesque cascades1 at one of which we took our bath the other morning1 and at this season such favorite resorts with the inhabitants of ,manaos1 will disappear in a few months1 when the river rises for some forty feet above its lowest level4 ,their bold rocks and shady nooks will have become river bottom4 ,all that we hear or read of the extent of the ,amazons and its tributaries fails to give an idea of its immensity as a whole4 ,one must float for months upon its surface1 in order to understand how fully water has the mastery over land along its borders4 ,its watery labyrinth is rather a fresh-water ocean1 cut up and divided by land1 than a network of rivers4 ,indeed1 this whole valley is an aquatic1 not a terrestrial basin2 and it is not strange1 when looked upon from this point of view1 that its forests should be less full of life1 comparatively1 than its rivers4 ,while we were discussing these points1 talking of the time when the banks of the ,amazons will teem with a population more active and vigorous than any it has yet seen1--when all civilized nations will share in its wealth1 when the twin continents will shake hands and ,americans of the ,north come to help ,americans of the ,south in developing its resources1--when it will be navigated from north to south as well as from east to west1 and small steamers will run up to the head-quarters of all its tributaries1--while we were speculating on these things1 we were approaching the end of our journey2 and as we neared the lake1 there issued from its entrance a small two-masted canoe1 evidently bound on some official mission1 for it carried the ,brazilian flag1 and was adorned with many brightly-colored streamers4 ,as it drew near we heard music1 and a salvo of rockets1 the favorite ,brazilian artillery on all festive occasions1 whether by day or night1 shot up into the air4 ,our arrival had been announced by ,dr4 ,canavaro1 of ,manaos1 who had come out the day before to make some preparations for our reception1 and this was a welcome to the ,president on his first visit to the ,indian village4 ,when they came within speaking distance1 a succession of hearty cheers went up for the ,president1 for ,tavares ,bastos1 whose character as the political advocate of the ,amazons makes him especially welcome here1 for ,major ,coutinho1 already well known from his former explorations in this region1 and for the strangers within their gates1--for the ,professor and his party4 ,after this reception they fell into line behind our boat1 and so we came into the little port with something of state and ceremony4 ,this pretty ,indian village is hardly recognized as a village at once1 for it consists of a number of sitios scattered through the forest2 and though the inhabitants look on each other as friends and neighbors1 yet from our landing-place only one sitio is to be seen1--that at which we are staying4 ,it stands on a hill sloping gently up from the lake-shore1 and consists of a mud-house containing two rooms1 besides several large1 open palm-thatched rooms outside4 ,one of these outer sheds is the mandioca kitchen1 another is the common kitchen1 and a third1 which is just now used as our dining-room1 serves on festal days and occasional ,sundays as a chapel4 ,it differs from the others in having the upper end closed in with a neat thatched wall1 against which1 in time of need1 the altar-table may stand1 with candles and rough prints or figures of the ,virgin and saints4 ,we were very hospitably received by the ,senhora of the mud-house1 an old ,indian woman1 whose gold ornaments1 necklace1 and ear-rings were rather out of keeping with her calico skirt and cotton waist4 ,this is1 however1 by no means an unusual combination here4 ,beside the old lady1 the family consists1 at this moment1 of her 8afilhada0#gh 7god-daughter71 with her little boy1 and several other women employed about the place2 but it is difficult to judge of the population of the sitios now1 because a great number of the men have been taken as recruits for the war with ,paraguay and others are hiding in the forest for fear of being pressed into the same service4 ,the situation of this sitio is exceedingly pretty1 and as we sit around the table in our open1 airy dining-room1 surrounded by the forest1 we command a view of the lake and wooded hillside opposite and of the little landing below1 where are moored our barge with its white awning1 the gay canoe1 and two or three ,indian montarias4 ,after breakfast our party dispersed1 some to rest in their hammocks1 others to hunt or fish1 while ,mr4 ,agassiz was fully engaged in examining a large basket of fish1 ,tucanars 7,cichla71 ,acaras 7,heros and other genera71 ,curimatas 7,anodus71 ,surubims 7,platystoma71 c41 just brought up from the lake for his inspection1 and showing again1 what every investigation demonstrates afresh1 namely1 the distinct localization of species in each different water basin1 be it river1 lake1 igarap1 or forest pool4 ,illustration3 ,dining ,room at ,hyanuary4 ,one does not see much of the world between one o'clock and four1 in this climate4 ,these are the hottest hours of the day1 and there are few who can resist the temptation of the cool1 swinging hammock1 slung in some shady spot within doors or without4 ,after a little talk with our ,indian hostess and her daughter1 ,i found a quiet retreat by the lake-shore1 where1 though ,i had a book in my hand1 the wind in the trees overhead1 the water rippling softly around the montarias moored at my side1 lulled me into that mood of mind when one may be lazy without remorse or ennui4 ,the highest duty seems then to be to do nothing4 ,the monotonous notes of a 8,viola0 came to me from a group of trees at a little distance1 where our boatmen were resting in the shade1 the red fringes of their hammocks giving to the landscape just the bit of color which it needed2 occasionally a rustling flight of parroquets or ciganas overhead startled me for a moment1 or a large pirarucu plashed out of the water1 but except for these sounds nature was still1 and animals as well as men seemed to pause in the heat and seek shelter4 ,dinner brought us all together again at the close of the afternoon4 ,as we are with the ,president of the province1 our picnic is of a much more magnificent character than our purely scientific excursions have been4 ,instead of our usual makeshifts1--teacups doing duty as tumblers1 and empty barrels acting as chairs1--we have a silver soup-tureen1 and a cook1 and a waiter1 and knives and forks enough to go round1 and many other luxuries which such wayfarers as ourselves learn to do without4 ,while we were dining1 the ,indians began to come in from the surrounding forest to pay their respects to the ,president1 for his visit was the cause of great rejoicing1 and there was to be a ball in his honor in the evening4 ,they brought an enormous cluster of game as an offering4 ,what a mass of color it was6--more like a gorgeous bouquet of flowers than a bunch of birds4 ,it was composed entirely of ,toucans1 with their red and yellow beaks1 blue eyes1 and soft white breasts bordered with crimson2 and of parrots1 or papagaios as they call them here1 with their gorgeous plumage of green1 blue1 purple1 and red4 ,when we had dined1 we took coffee outside1 while our places around the table were filled by the ,indian guests1 who were to have a dinner-party in their turn4 ,it was pleasant to see with how much courtesy several of the ,brazilian gentlemen of our party waited upon these ,indian ,senhoras1 passing them a variety of dishes1 helping them to wine1 and treating them with as much attention as if they had been the highest ladies of the land4 ,they seemed1 however1 rather shy and embarrassed1 scarcely touching the nice things placed before them1 till one of the gentlemen1 who has lived a good deal among the ,indians1 and knows their habits perfectly1 took the knife and fork from one of them1 exclaiming1 8,make no ceremony1 and don't be ashamed2 eat with your fingers as you're accustomed to do1 and then you'll find your appetites and enjoy your dinner40 ,his advice was followed1 and ,i must say they seemed much more comfortable in consequence1 and did more justice to the good fare4 ,although the ,indians who live in the neighborhood of the towns have seen too much of the conventionalities of life not to understand the use of a knife and fork1 no ,indian will eat with one if he can help it4 ,when the dinner was over1 the room was cleared of the tables and swept2 the music1 consisting of a viola1 flute1 and violin1 was called in1 and the ball was opened4 ,the forest belles were rather shy at first in the presence of strangers2 but they soon warmed up and began to dance with more animation4 ,they were all dressed in calico or muslin skirts1 with loose1 cotton waists1 finished around the neck with a kind of lace they make themselves by drawing the threads from cotton or muslin1 so as to form an open pattern1 sewing those which remain over and over to secure them4 ,some of this lace is quite elaborate and very fine4 ,many of the women had their hair dressed either with white jessamine or with roses stuck into their round combs1 and several wore gold beads and ear-rings4 ,the dances were different from those ,i saw in ,esperana's cottage1 and much more animated2 but the women preserved the same air of quiet indifference which ,i noticed there4 ,indeed1 in all the ,indian dances ,i have seen the man makes the advances1 while the woman is coy and retiring1 her movements being very languid4 ,her partner throws himself at her feet1 but does not elicit a smile or a gesture2 he stoops and pretends to be fishing2 making motions as if he were drawing her in with a line1 he dances around her1 snapping his fingers as if he were playing on castanets1 and half encircling her with his arms1 but she remains reserved and cold4 ,now and then they join together in something like a waltz1 but this is only occasionally and for a moment4 ,how different from the negro dances which we saw frequently in the neighborhood of ,rio1 and in which the advances generally come from the women1 and are not always of the most modest character4 ,the ball was gayer than ever at ten o'clock when ,i went to my room1--or rather to the room where my hammock was slung1 and which ,i shared with ,indian women and children1 with a cat and her family of kittens1 who slept on the edge of my mosquito-net and made frequent inroads upon the inside1 with hens and chickens and sundry dogs1 who went in and out4 ,the music and dancing1 the laughter and talking outside1 continued till the small hours4 ,every now and then an ,indian girl would come in to rest for a while1 take a nap in a hammock1 and then return to the dance4 ,when we first arrived in ,south ,america we could hardly have slept soundly under such circumstances2 but one soon becomes accustomed1 on the ,amazons1 to sleeping in rooms with mud floors and mud walls1 or with no walls at all1 where rats and birds and bats rustle about in the thatch overhead1 and all sorts of unwonted noises in the night suggest that you are by no means the sole occupant of your apartment4 ,there is one thing1 however1 which makes it far pleasanter to lodge in the houses of the ,indians here than in those of our poorer class at home4 ,one is quite independent in the matter of bedding2 nobody travels without his own hammock1 and the net which in many places is a necessity on account of the mosquitoes4 ,beds and bedding are almost unknown2 and there are none so poor as not to possess two or three of the strong and neat twine hammocks made by the ,indians themselves from the fibres of the palm4 ,then the open character of the houses and the personal cleanliness of the ,indians make the atmosphere fresher and purer in their houses than in those of our poor4 ,however untidy they may be in other respects1 they always bathe once or twice a day1 if not oftener1 and wash their clothes frequently4 ,we have never yet entered an ,indian house where there was any disagreeable odor1 unless it might be the peculiar smell from the preparation of the mandioca in the working-room outside1 which has1 at a certain stage of the process1 a slightly sour smell4 ,we certainly could not say as much for many houses where we have lodged when travelling in the ,west1 or even 8,down ,east10 where the suspicious look of the bedding and the close air of the room often make one doubtful about the night's rest4 ,this morning we were up at five o'clock1 and at six we had had coffee and were ready for the various projects suggested for our amusement4 ,our sportsmen were already in the forest1 others had gone off on a fishing excursion in a montaria1 and ,i joined a party on a visit to a sitio higher up on the lake4 ,mr4 ,agassiz was obliged to deny himself all these parties of pleasure1 for the novelty and variety of the fish brought in kept him and his artist constantly at work4 ,in this climate the process of decomposition goes on so rapidly1 that1 unless the specimens are attended to at once1 they are lost2 and the paintings must be made while they are quite fresh1 in order to give any idea of their vividness of tint4 ,mr4 ,burkhardt is indefatigable1 always busy with his drawing1 in spite of heat1 mosquitoes1 and other discomforts2 occasionally he makes not less than twenty colored sketches of fishes in one day4 ,of course1 made with such rapidity1 they are mere records of color and outline2 but they will be of immense service in working up the finished drawings4#gi ,leaving ,mr4 ,agassiz1 therefore1 busy with the preparation of his collections1 and ,mr4 ,burkhardt painting1 we went up the lake through a strange1 half-aquatic1 half-terrestrial region1 where land seemed at odds with water4 ,groups of trees rose directly from the lake1 their roots hidden below its surface1 while numerous blackened and decayed trunks stood up from the water in all sorts of picturesque and fantastic forms4 ,sometimes the trees had thrown down from their branches those singular aerial roots so common here1 and seemed standing on stilts4 ,here and there1 where we coasted along by the bank1 we had a glimpse into the deeper forest1 with its drapery of lianas and various creeping vines1 and its parasitic sipos twining close around the trunks or swinging themselves from branch to branch like loose cordage4 ,but usually the margin of the lake was a gently sloping bank1 covered with a green so vivid and yet so soft1 that it seemed as if the earth had been born afresh in its six months' baptism1 and had come out like a new creation4 ,here and there a palm lifted its head above the line of forest1 especially the light1 graceful ,assai1 its crown of feathery leaves vibrating above the tall1 slender1 smooth stem with every breeze4 ,half an hour's row brought us to the landing of the sitio for which we were bound4 ,usually the sitios stand on the bank of the lake or river1 a stone's throw from the shore1 for convenience of fishing1 bathing1 c4 ,but this one was at some distance1 with a very nicely kept path winding through the forest4 ,it stood on the brow of a hill which dipped down on the other side into a wide and deep ravine2 through this ravine ran an igarap1 beyond which the land rose again in an undulating line of hilly ground1 most refreshing to the eye after the flat character of the ,upper ,amazonian scenery4 ,the fact that this sitio1 standing now on a hill overlooking the valley and the little stream at its bottom1 will have the water nearly flush with the ground around it1 when the igarap is swollen by the rise of the river1 gives an idea of the difference of aspect between the dry and wet seasons4 ,the establishment consisted of a number of buildings1 the most conspicuous being a large open room1 which the ,indian ,senhora who did the honors of the house told me was their reception-room1 and was often used1 she said1 by the 8brancas0 from ,manaos and the neighborhood for an evening dance1 when they came out in a large company and passed the night4 ,a low wall1 some three or four feet in height1 ran along the sides1 wooden benches being placed against them for their whole length4 ,the two ends were closed from top to bottom with a wall made of palm-thatch1 exceedingly pretty1 fine1 and smooth1 and of a soft straw color4 ,at the upper end stood an immense embroidery-frame1 looking as if it might have served for ,penelope's web1 but in which was stretched an unfinished hammock of palm-thread1 the ,senhora's work4 ,she sat down on a low stool before it and worked a little for my benefit1 showing me how the two layers of transverse threads were kept apart by a thick1 polished piece of wood1 something like a long1 broad ruler4 ,through the opening thus made the shuttle is passed with the cross thread1 which is then pushed down and straightened in its place by means of the same piece of wood4 ,after we had rested for a while1 hammocks of various color and texture being immediately brought and hung up for our accommodation1 the gentlemen went down to bathe in the igarap1 while the ,senhora and her daughter1 a very pretty ,indian woman1 showed me the rest of the establishment4 ,the elder of the two had the direction of everything now1 as the master of the house was absent1 having a captain's commission in the army4 ,in the course of our conversation ,i was reminded of a social feature which strikes us as the more extraordinary the longer we remain on the ,amazons1 on account of its generality4 ,here were people of gentle condition1 although of ,indian blood1 lifted above everything like want1 living in comfort and1 as compared with people about them1 with a certain affluence1--people from whom1 therefore1 in any other society1 you might certainly expect a knowledge of the common rules of morality4 ,yet when ,i was introduced to the daughter1 and naturally asked something about her father1 supposing him to be the absent captain1 the mother answered1 smiling1 quite as a matter of course1 8,na tem pai2 filha da fortna10--8,she hasn't any father2 she is the daughter of chance40 ,in the same way1 when the daughter showed me two children of her own1--little fair people1 many shades lighter than herself1--and ,i asked whether their father was at the war1 like all the rest of the men1 she gave me the same answer1 8,they haven't any father40 ,it is the way the ,indian or half-breed women here always speak of their illegitimate children2 and though they say it without an intonation of sadness or of blame1 apparently as unconscious of any wrong or shame as if they said the father was absent or dead1 it has the most melancholy significance2 it seems to speak of such absolute desertion4 ,so far is this from being an unusual case1 that among the common people the opposite seems the exception4 ,children are frequently quite ignorant of their parentage4 ,they know about their mother1 for all the care and responsibility falls upon her1 but they have no knowledge of their father2 nor does it seem to occur to the woman that she or her children have any claim upon him4 ,but to return to the sitio4 ,the room ,i have described stood on one side of a cleared and neatly swept ground1 about which1 at various distances1 stood a number of little thatched 8casinhas10 as they call them1 consisting mostly of a single room4 ,but beside these there was one larger house1 with mud walls and floor1 containing two or three rooms1 and having a wooden veranda in front4 ,this was the ,senhora's private establishment4 ,at a little distance farther down on the hill was the mandioca kitchen and all the accompanying apparatus4 ,nothing could be neater than the whole area of this sitio1 and while we were there two or three black girls were sent out to sweep it afresh with their stiff twig-brooms4 ,around lay the plantation of mandioca and cacao1 with here and there a few coffee-shrubs4 ,it is difficult to judge of the extent of these sitio plantations1 because they are so irregular and comprise such a variety of trees1--mandioca1 coffee1 cacao1 and often cotton1 being planted pellmell together4 ,but this one1 like the whole establishment1 seemed larger and better cared for than those usually seen4 ,on the return of the gentlemen from the igarap we took leave1 though very warmly pressed to stay and breakfast4 ,at parting1 our ,indian hostess presented me with a wicker-basket of fresh eggs and some abacatys1 or alligator pears as we call them4#hj ,we reached the house just in time for a ten o'clock breakfast1 which assembled all the different parties once more from their various occupations1 whether of work or play4 ,the sportsmen returned from the forest1 bringing a goodly supply of toucans1 papagaios1 and parroquets1 with a variety of other birds1 and the fisherman brought in new treasures for ,mr4 ,agassiz4 ,october #bith4--,yesterday1 after breakfast1 ,i retreated to the room where we had passed the night1 hoping to find time and quiet for writing letters and completing my journal4 ,but ,i found it already occupied by the old ,senhora and her guests1 who were lounging in the hammocks or squatting on the floor and smoking their pipes4 ,the house is indeed full to overflowing1 as the whole party assembled for the ball are to stay during the ,president's visit4 ,but in this way of living it is an easy matter to accommodate any number of people1 for if they cannot all be received under the roof1 they can hang their hammocks under the trees outside4 ,as ,i went to my room last evening1 ,i stopped to look at a pretty picture of an ,indian mother with her two little children asleep on either arm1 all in one hammock1 in the open air4 ,my ,indian friends were too much interested in my occupations to allow of my continuing them uninterruptedly4 ,they were delighted with my books 7,i happened to have 8,the ,naturalist on the ,amazons0 with me1 in which ,i showed them some pictures of ,amazonian scenery and insects71 and asked me many questions about my country1 my voyage1 and my travels here4 ,in return they gave me much information about their own way of life4 ,they said the present gathering of neighbors and friends was no unusual occurrence1 for they have a great many festas1 which1 though partly religious in character1 are also occasions of great festivity4 ,these festas are celebrated at different sitios in turn1 the saint of the day being carried1 with all his ornaments1 candles1 bouquets1 c41 to the house where the ceremony is to take place1 and where all the people of the village congregate4 ,sometimes the festa lasts for several days1 and is accompanied with processions1 music1 and dances in the evening4 ,but the women said the forest was very sad now1 because their men had all been taken as recruits1 or were seeking safety in the woods4 ,the old ,senhora told me a sad story of the brutality exercised in recruiting the ,indians4 ,she assured me that they were taken wherever found1 without regard to age or circumstances1 women and children often being dependent upon them2 and if they made resistance1 were carried off by force1 and frequently handcuffed or had heavy weights attached to their feet4 ,such proceedings are entirely illegal2 but these forest villages are so remote1 that the men employed to recruit may practice any cruelty without being called to account for it4 ,if the recruits are brought in in good condition1 no questions are asked4 ,these women said that all the work of the sitios--the making of farinha1 the fishing1 the turtle-hunting--was stopped for want of hands4 ,the appearance of things certainly confirms this1 for we scarcely see any men in the villages1 and the canoes we meet are mostly rowed by women4 ,yet ,i must say that the life of the ,indian woman1 so far as we have seen it1 seems enviable1 in comparison with that of the ,brazilian lady in the ,amazonian towns4 ,the former has a healthful out-of-door life2 she has her canoe on the lake or river and her paths through the forest1 with perfect liberty to come and go2 she has her appointed daily occupations1 being busy not only with the care of her house and children1 but in making farinha or tapioca1 or in drying and rolling tobacco1 while the men are fishing and turtle-hunting2 and she has her frequent festa-days to enliven her working life4 ,it is1 on the contrary1 impossible to imagine anything more dreary and monotonous than the life of the ,brazilian ,senhora in the smaller towns4 ,in the northern provinces especially the old ,portuguese notions about shutting women up and making their home-life as colorless as that of a cloistered nun1 without even the element of religious enthusiasm to give it zest1 still prevail4 ,many a ,brazilian lady passes day after day without stirring beyond her four walls1 scarcely ever showing herself at the door or window2 for she is always in a slovenly dishabille1 unless she expects company4 ,it is sad to see these stifled existences2 without any contact with the world outside1 without any charm of domestic life1 without books or culture of any kind1 the ,brazilian ,senhora in this part of the country either sinks contentedly into a vapid1 empty1 aimless life1 or frets against her chains1 and is as discontented as she is useless4 ,on the day of our arrival the dinner was interrupted by the entrance of the ,indians with their greetings and presents of game to the ,president2 yesterday it was enlivened by quite a number of appropriate toasts and speeches4 ,i thought1 as we sat around the dinner-table1 there had probably never been gathered under the palm-roof of an ,indian house on the ,amazons just such a party before1 combining so many different elements and objects4 ,there was the ,president1 whose chief interest was of course in administering the affairs of the province1 in which the ,indians shared largely his attention2 there was the young statesman1 whose whole heart is in the great national question of peopling the ,amazons and opening it to the world1 and the effect this movement is to have upon his country2 there was the able engineer1 much of whose scientific life has been passed in surveying the great river and its tributaries with a view to their future navigation2 and there was the man of pure science1 come to study the distribution of animal life in their waters1 without any view to practical questions4 ,the speeches touched upon all these different interests1 and were received with enthusiasm1 each one closing with a toast and music2 for our little band of the night before was brought in to enliven the occasion4 ,the ,brazilians are very happy in their after-dinner speeches1 expressing themselves with great facility1 either from a natural gift or because speech-making is an art in which they have had much practice4 ,the habit of drinking healths and giving toasts is very general throughout the country1 and the most informal dinner among intimate friends does not conclude without some mutual greetings of this kind4 ,as we were taking coffee under the trees afterwards1 having yielded our places1 in the primitive dining-room1 to the ,indian guests1 the ,president suggested a sunset row on the lake4 ,the hour and the light were most tempting1 and we were soon off in the canoe1 taking no boatmen1 the gentlemen preferring to row themselves4 ,we went through the same lovely region1 half water1 half land1 which we had passed in the morning1 floating between patches of greenest grass1 and by large forest trees1 and blackened trunks standing out of the lake like ruins4 ,we did not go very fast nor very far1 for our amateur boatmen found the evening warm1 and their rowing was rather play than work2 they stopped1 too1 every now and then1 to get a shot at a white heron or to shoot into a flock of parroquets or ciganas1 whereby they wasted a good deal of powder to no effect4 ,as we turned to come back we were met by one of the prettiest sights ,i have ever seen4 ,the ,indian women1 having finished their dinner1 had taken the little two-masted canoe1 dressed with flags1 which had been prepared for the ,president's reception1 and had come out to meet us4 ,they had the music on board and there were two or three men in the boat2 but the women were some twelve or fifteen in number1 and seemed1 like genuine ,amazons1 to have taken things into their own hands4 ,they were rowing with a will2 and as the canoe drew near1 with music playing and flags flying1 the purple lake1 dyed in the sunset and smooth as a mirror1 gave back the picture4 ,every tawny figure at the oars1 every flutter of the crimson and blue streamers1 every fold of the green and yellow national flag at the prow1 was as distinct below the surface as above it4 ,the fairy boat--for so it looked--floating between glowing sky and water1 and seeming to borrow color from both1 came on apace2 and as it approached1 our friends greeted us with many a ,viva1 to which we responded as heartily4 ,then the two canoes joined company and we went on together1 the guitar sometimes being taken into one canoe and sometimes into the other1 while ,brazilian and ,indian songs followed each other4 ,anything more national1 more completely imbued with tropical coloring and character than this evening scene on the lake1 can hardly be conceived4 ,when we reached the landing1 the gold and rose-colored clouds were fading into soft masses of white and ashen gray1 and moonlight was taking the place of sunset4 ,as we went up the green slope to the sitio1 a dance on the grass was proposed1 and the ,indian girls formed a quadrille2 for thus much of civilization has crept into their native manners1 though they throw into it so much of their own characteristic movements1 that it loses something of its conventional aspect4 ,then we returned to the house1 where the dancing and singing were renewed1 while here and there groups sat about on the ground laughing and talking1 the women smoking with as much enjoyment as the men4 ,smoking is almost universal among the common women here1 yet is not confined to the lower classes4 ,many a ,senhora 7at least in this part of ,brazil1 for we must distinguish between the civilization on the banks of the ,amazons and in the interior and that in the cities along the coast7 enjoys her pipe1 while she lounges in her hammock through the heat of the day4 ,october #cjth4--,yesterday our party broke up4 ,the ,indian women came to bid us good-by after breakfast1 and dispersed to their several homes1 going off in various directions through the forest-paths in little groups1 their babies1 of whom there were a goodly number1 astride on their hips1 as usual1 and the older children following4 ,mr4 ,agassiz passed the morning in packing and arranging his fishes1 having collected in those two days more than seventy new species4#ha ,his studies have been the subject of great curiosity to the people about the sitio2 one or two were always hovering about to look at his work and to watch ,mr4 ,burkhardt's drawing4 ,they seemed to think it extraordinary that any one should care to take the portrait of a fish4 ,the familiarity of these children of the forest with the natural objects about them--plants1 birds1 insects1 fishes1 etc4--is remarkable4 ,they frequently ask to see the drawings2 and in turning over a pile containing several hundred colored sketches of fishes1 they scarcely make a mistake1--even the children giving the name instantly1 and often adding1 8 filho d'este10 7it is the child of such an one17 thus distinguishing the young from the adult1 and pointing out their relation4 ,we dined rather earlier than usual1 our chief dish being a stew of parrots and toucans1 and left the sitio at about five o'clock1 in three canoes1 the music accompanying us in the smaller boat4 ,our ,indian friends stood on the shore as we left1 giving us farewell greetings1 waving their hats and hands1 and cheering heartily4 ,the afternoon row through the lake and igarap was delicious2 but the sun had long set as we issued from the little river1 and the ,rio ,negro1 where it opens broadly out into the ,amazons1 was a sea of silver4 ,the boat with the music presently joined our canoe1 and we had a number of the ,brazilian 8modinhas10 as they call them1--songs which seem especially adapted for the guitar4 ,these modinhas have a quite peculiar character4 ,they are little graceful1 lyrical snatches of song1 with a rather melancholy cadence2 even those of which the words are gay not being quite free from this undertone of sadness4 ,this put us all into a somewhat dreamy mood1 and we approached the end of our journey rather silently4 ,but as we drew near the landing1 we heard the sound of a band of brass instruments1 effectually drowning our feeble efforts1 and saw a crowded canoe coming towards us4 ,they were the boys from the ,indian school which we visited on our previous stay at ,manaos4 ,the canoe looked very pretty as it came towards us in the moonlight2 it seemed full to overflowing1 the children all dressed in white uniforms and standing up4 ,this little band comes always on ,sunday evenings and festa-days to play before the ,president's house4 ,they were just going home1 it being nearly ten o'clock2 but the ,president called to them to turn back1 and they accompanied us to the beach1 playing all the while4 ,thus our pleasant three days' picnic ended with music and moonlight4 ----- ,footnote #gg3 ,the most accurate information upon the industrial resources of the ,valley of the ,amazons may be found in a work published by ,senhor ,tavares ,bastos1 on his return to ,rio de ,janeiro1 after this journey1 entitled 8,o ,valle do ,amazonas--,estudo sobre a livre ,navegaa do ,amazonas1 ,estatistica1 ,produces1 ,commercio1 ,questes ,fiscaes do ,valle do ,amazonas40 ,rio de ,janeiro1 #ahff4 ,footnote #gh3 ,this relation is a much nearer one throughout ,brazil than with us4 ,a god-child is treated as a member of their own family by its sponsors4 ,footnote #gi3 ,in the course of our journey on the ,amazons1 ,mr4 ,burkhardt made more than eight hundred paintings of fishes1 more or less finished4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #hj3 ,the fruit of the ,persea gratissima4 ,footnote #ha3 ,i was indebted to the ,president for many valuable specimens on this excursion1 many of the birds and fishes brought in by the ,indians for the table being turned over to the scientific collections4 ,my young friends ,dexter and ,james were also efficient1 passing always a part of the day in the woods1 and assisting me greatly in the preparation and preservation of the specimens4 ,among others we made a curious skeleton of a large black ,doras1 a species remarkable for the row of powerful scales extending along the side1 each one provided with a sharp hook bent backward4 ,it is the species ,i have described1 in ,spix and ,martius's great work1 under the name of ,doras ,humboldti4 ,the anterior vertebr form a bony swelling of a spongeous texture1 resembling drums1 on each side of the backbone4--,l4 ,a4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,manaos ,,and ,,its ,,neighborhood4 ,,photographic ,,establishment4--,,indian ,,portraits4--,,excursion ,,to ,,the 8,,great ,,cascade40--,,its ,,geological ,,formation4--,,bathing ,,pool4--,,parasitic ,,plants4--,,return ,,by ,,the ,,igarap4--,,public ,,ball4--,,severity ,,in ,,recruiting1 ,,and ,,its ,,effects4--,,collecting ,,parties4--,,scenes ,,of ,,indian ,,life4--,f,,te ,,champ,,tre ,,at ,,the 8,,casa ,,dos ,,educandos40--,,prison ,,at ,,manaos4--,,prison ,,discipline ,,on ,,the ,,amazons4--,,extracts ,,from ,,presidential ,,reports ,,on ,,this ,,subject4--,,prison ,,at ,,teff4--,,general ,,character ,,of ,,brazilian ,,institutions4--,,emperor',s ,,birthday4--,,illuminations ,,and ,,public ,,festivities4--,,return ,,of ,,collecting ,,parties4--,,remarks ,,on ,,the ,,races4--,,leave ,,manaos ,,for ,,mauhes4 ,saturday1 ,november #dth4--,manaos4 ,this week has been rather uneventful4 ,mr4 ,agassiz is prevented from undertaking new expeditions by the want of alcohol4 ,the next steamer will bring a fresh supply from ,par2 and meanwhile1 being interrupted in his collections1 he is making a study of the various intermixture of races1 ,indians and ,negroes1 with their crossings1 of which a great number are found here4 ,our picturesque barrack of a room1 which we have left for more comfortable quarters in ,mr4 ,honorio's house1 serves as a photographic saloon1 and here ,mr4 ,agassiz is at work half the day with his young friend ,mr4 ,hunnewell1 who spent almost the whole time of our stay in ,rio in learning photography1 and has become quite expert in taking likenesses4 ,the grand difficulty is found in the prejudices of the people themselves4 ,there is a prevalent superstition among the ,indians and ,negroes that a portrait absorbs into itself something of the vitality of the sitter1 and that any one is liable to die shortly after his picture is taken4 ,this notion is so deeply rooted that it has been no easy matter to overcome it4 ,however1 of late the desire to see themselves in a picture is gradually gaining the ascendant1 the example of a few courageous ones having emboldened the more timid1 and models are much more easily obtained now than they were at first4 ,yesterday our quiet life was interrupted by an excursion to the great cascade1 where we went with a party of friends to breakfast and dine4 ,we were called with the dawn1 and were on the road at six o'clock1 the servants following laden with baskets of provisions4 ,the dewy walk through the woods in the early morning was very pleasant1 and we arrived at the little house above the cascade before the heat of the day began4 ,this house stands on a hill in a cleared ground entirely surrounded by forest2 just below it the river comes rushing through the wood1 and falls some ten feet over a thin platform of rock4 ,by its formation1 this cascade is a ,niagara in miniature2 that is1 the lower layer of rock being softer than the upper1 the water has worn it away until there now remains only a thin slab of harder rock across the river4 ,deprived of its support1 this slab must break down eventually1 as ,table-rock has done1 when the cascade will1 of course1 retreat by so much and begin the same process a little higher up4 ,it has1 no doubt1 thus worn its way upward already from a distant point4 ,the lower deposit is clay1 the upper consists of the constantly recurring reddish sandstone1--in other words1 drift worked over by water4 ,below the fall1 the water goes tearing along through a narrow passage1 over boulders1 fallen trees1 and decaying logs1 which break it into rapids4 ,at a little distance from the cascade there is a deep1 broad basin in the wood1 with a sand bottom1 so overshadowed by great trees that it looks dark even in tropical midday4 ,the bathing here1 as we found by experience at a later hour1 is most delicious4 ,the shade over the pool is so profound and the current runs through it so swiftly that the water is exceedingly cold1--an unusual thing here1--and it seems very refreshing to those coming from the hot sun outside4 ,at the side of this pool ,i saw a very large parasitic plant in flower4 ,since we have been on the ,amazons most of these parasites have been out of bloom1 and1 though we have seen beautiful collections in private gardens1 we have not met them in the woods4 ,this one was growing in the lofty notch of a great tree1 overhanging the water2 a tuft of dark green leaves with large violet and straw-colored blossoms among them4 ,it was quite out of reach1 and the little garden looked so pretty in its airy perch1 that ,i was almost glad we had no power to disturb it4 ,after breakfast some of the guests1 and ,mr4 ,agassiz among them1 were obliged to return to town on business4 ,they rejoined us in time for a late dinner1 arriving in a canoe instead of coming on foot1 an experiment which we had been prevented from trying in the morning1 because we had been told that1 as the igarap was low and the bottom very rocky1 it would be impossible to ascend the whole distance in a boat4 ,they came1 however1 in perfect safety1 and were delighted with the picturesque beauty of the row4 ,after a very cheerful dinner1 closing with a cup of coffee in the open air1 we started at twilight for town1 by different roads4 ,desirous to see the lower course of the igarap1 which ,mr4 ,agassiz reported as so beautiful1 and being assured that there was no real danger1 ,i returned in the little canoe with ,mr4 ,honorio4 ,it was thought best not to overload it1 so the others took the forest road by which we had come in the morning4 ,i must say that as ,i went down the rough steps to the landing1 in the very pool where we had bathed1 it struck me that the undertaking was somewhat perilous2 if this overshadowed nook was dark at noonday1 it was black at nightfall1 and the turbulent little stream1 rushing along over rocks and logs1 looked mischievous4 ,the rest of the party went with us to the embarkation1 and1 as we disappeared in the darkness under the overhanging branches1 one of them called after us1 laughingly1 8,lasciate ogni speranza1 voi che 'ntrate40 ,however1 there was only danger enough to laugh at1 none to give real concern1 and ,i enjoyed the row through the narrow channel1 where the trees met overhead1 and where the boatmen were obliged to jump into the water to guide the canoe among the boulders and fallen trunks4 ,we reached home in perfect safety1 and in time to welcome the others when they arrived on foot4 ,november #hth4--,manaos has been in unwonted agitation1 for the last few days1 on the subject of a public ball to be given in honor of ,mr4 ,tavares ,bastos4 ,where it should take place1 what should be the day and hour1 and1 among the ,senhoras1 what one should wear1 have been the subjects of discussion4 ,the doubtful questions were at last settled1 and it was appointed for the fifth of the month1 in the ,president's palace4 8,palace0 is the name always given to the residence of the ,president of the province1 however little the house may be in keeping with the title4 ,the night was not so auspicious as could have been wished2 it was very dark1 and1 as no such luxury as a carriage is known here1 the different parties might be seen groping through the streets at the appointed hour1 lighted with lanterns4 ,every now and then1 as we were on our way1 a ball-dress would emerge from the darkness of an opposite corner1 picking its way with great care along the muddy ruts4 ,when we had all assembled1 however1 ,i did not see that any toilet had suffered seriously on the road4 ,the dresses were of every variety1 from silks and satins to stuff gowns1 and the complexions of all tints1 from the genuine negro through paler shades of ,indian and negro to white4 ,there is absolutely no distinction of color here2 a black lady1 always supposing her to be free1 is treated with as much consideration and meets with as much attention as a white one4 ,it is1 however1 rare to see a person in society who can be called a genuine negro2 but there are many mulattoes and mamelucos1 that is1 persons having black or ,indian blood4 ,there is little ease in ,brazilian society1 even in the larger cities2 still less in the smaller ones1 where1 to guard against mistakes1 the conventionalities of town life are exaggerated4 ,the ,brazilians1 indeed1 though so kind and hospitable1 are a formal people1 fond of etiquette and social solemnities4 ,on their arrival1 all the ,senhoras were placed in stiff rows around the walls of the dancing-room4 ,occasionally an unfortunate cavalier would stray in and address a few words to this formidable array of feminine charms2 but it was not until the close of the evening1 when the dancing had broken up the company into groups1 that the scene became really gay4 ,at intervals1 trays of 8doces0 and tea were handed round1 and at twelve there was a more solid repast1 at which all the ladies were seated1 their partners standing behind their chairs and waiting upon them4 ,then began the toasts and healths1 which were given and received with great enthusiasm4 ,after supper the dancing was renewed and continued till after midnight1 when the steamer from ,par was seen coming into port1 throwing up rockets and burning blue-lights as she advanced1 to announce that she was the bearer of good tidings from the war4 ,this1 of course1 gave general satisfaction1 and the ball broke up in great hilarity4 ,there were some who did not sleep at all that night1 for many of the gentlemen went from the ball-room to the steamer in search of the papers1 which brought the news of a decided victory over the ,paraguayans1 at ,uruguayana1 where the ,emperor commanded in person4 ,it is said that seven thousand prisoners were taken4 ,the next night the ball was renewed in honor of this victory2 so that ,manaos1 whose inhabitants complain of the life as very dull1 has had a most unwonted rush of gayety this week4 ,november #ith4--,the severity in recruiting1 of which we heard so much at the ,lake of ,hyanuary1 is beginning to bear its fruits in general discontent4 ,some of the recruits have made their escape1 and1 on ,tuesday and ,wednesday1 before the steamer in which they were to go down to ,par sailed1 the disturbance was so great among them that they were kept under lock and key4 ,the impression seems to be general here that the province of the ,amazonas has been called upon to bear more than its share of the burden1 and that the defencelessness of the ,indians in the scattered settlements has made them especially victims4 ,as there was no other armed force here1 several of the crew of the 8,ibicuhy0 were taken to go down to ,par as guard over the unruly troops4 ,partly in consequence of this1 we have resolved to remain at ,manaos till the end of the month2 a delay which ,mr4 ,agassiz does not regret1 as it enables him to continue the comparison of the races which he has begun1 and for which the circumstances here are unusually favorable4 ,in the mean time the ,president has provided him with canoes and men for three separate expeditions1 on which he sends off three parties this week3 ,mr4 ,talisman and ,mr4 ,dexter to the ,rio ,negro and ,rio ,branco1 to be absent six weeks2 ,mr4 ,thayer and ,mr4 ,bourget to ,lake ,cudajas1 to be gone ten days2 ,mr4 ,james to ,manacapuru1 for about the same time4 ,we feel the generosity of this conduct the more1 knowing how greatly the administration stands in need of men and of all the resources at its command in the present disturbed state of things4 ,november #ahth4--,one can hardly walk in any direction out of the town without meeting something characteristic of the people and their ways of living4 ,at seven o'clock1 to-day1 ,i took my morning walk through the wood near the house to an igarap1 which is the scene of much of the out-of-doors life here1--fishing1 washing1 bathing1 turtle-shooting4 ,as ,i returned along the little path leading by the side of the stream1 two naked ,indian boys were shooting fish with bow and arrows from a fallen tree which jutted out into the stream4 ,like bronze statues they looked1 as they stood quiet and watchful1 in attitudes full of grace and strength1 their bows drawn ready to let the arrow fly the moment they should catch sight of the fish4 ,the ,indian boys are wonderfully skilful in this sport1 and also in shooting arrows through long blow-pipes 7,sarabatanas7 to kill birds4 ,this is no bad way of shooting1 for the report of the gun startles the game so effectually in these thick forests1 that after a few shots the sportsman finds the woods in his immediate neighborhood deserted2 whereas the ,indian boy creeps stealthily up to the spot from which he takes aim and discharges his noiseless arrow with such precision1 that the bird or monkey drops down from among its companions1 without their perceiving the cause of its disappearance4 ,while ,i was watching the boys1 a canoe came up the stream1 paddled by women1 and loaded with fruit and vegetables1 on the top of which sat two bright green parrots4 ,two of the women were old and hideous1 very wrinkled and withered1 as these people usually are in old age2 but the third was the handsomest ,indian woman ,i have ever seen1 with a tinge of white blood to be sure1 for her skin was fairer and her features more regular than those of the ,indians generally4 ,they were coming from their sitio1 as ,i learned afterwards4 ,when they had moored their boat to a tree1 the younger woman began to unload1 tucking her petticoat about her hips1 and wading to and fro with baskets of fruit and vegetables on her head4 ,her hair was dressed with flowers1 as is usual with these women2 however scanty their clothing1 they seldom forget this ornament4 ,november #bjth4--,the ,president1 ,dr4 ,epaminondas1 added yesterday to the many kindnesses by which he has rendered our stay here doubly pleasant1 in giving an exceedingly pretty fte in honor of ,mr4 ,agassiz4 ,the place chosen was the asylum for ,indian children already described1 well adapted for the purpose on account of its large1 airy rooms and beautiful situation2 and the invitation was given out in the name of the 8,province of the ,amazonas40#hb ,the day was most propitious2 a rain during the night had cooled the air1 and a slightly overcast sky1 combined with the freshness of the atmosphere1 gave just the conditions most desirable for any such excursion in this climate4 ,when we reached the beach from which we were to leave1 people were beginning to assemble1 and a number of canoes were already on their way1 looking very gay with their white awnings above and the bright dresses inside4 ,twenty minutes' row brought us to our destination4 ,the scene was very pretty2 the path from the landing to the main house was lined with flags and with palm-trees brought from the forest for the occasion1 and the open sides of the large rooms outside1 usually working-rooms1 but now fitted up for the breakfast1 were all filled in with green arches built of trees and flowers1 so that the whole space was transformed1 for the time being1 into an arbor4 ,we were received with music and conducted to the main building1 where all the guests gradually assembled1 some two hundred in number4 ,at about one o'clock the ,president led the way to the green arcades which1 as yet1 we had seen only from a distance4 ,nothing could be more tasteful than the arrangements4 ,the tables were placed around a hollow square1 in the centre of which was the ,american flag1 with the ,brazilian on either side of it2 while a number of other flags draped the room and made the whole scene bright with color4 ,the landscape1 framed in the open green arches1 made so many pictures1 pretty glimpses of water and wood1 with here and there a palm-thatched roof among the trees on the opposite side of the river4 ,a fresh breeze blew through the open dining-room1 stirring the folds of the flags1 and making a pleasant rustle in the trees1 which added their music to that of the band outside4 ,since we are on the ,amazons1 a thousand miles from its mouth1 it is worth while to say a word of the breakfast itself4 ,there is such an exaggerated idea of the hardships and difficulty of a voyage on the ,amazons1 7at least so ,i infer from many remarks made to us1 not only at home1 but even in ,rio de ,janeiro by ,brazilians themselves1 when we were on the eve of departure for this journey17 that it will hardly be believed that a public breakfast1 given in ,manaos1 should have all the comforts1 and almost all the luxuries1 of a similar entertainment in any other part of the world4 ,it is true1 that we had neither ices nor champagne1 the former being of course difficult to obtain in this climate2 but these two exceptions were more than compensated for by the presence of tropical fruits not to be had elsewhere at any price1--enormous ,pineapples1 green and purple ,abacatys 7alligator pears71 crimson ,pitangas1 ,attas 7fruta do ,conde71 ,abios1 ,sapotis1 ,bananas of the choicest kinds and in the greatest profusion1 and a variety of ,maracujas 7the fruit of the passion-flower74#hc ,the breakfast was gay1 the toasts were numerous1 the speeches animated1 and long after the ,senhoras had left the table the room still echoed with ,vivas1 as health followed health4 ,at the close of the dinner there was a little scene which struck us as very pretty2 ,i do not know whether it is a custom here1 but1 as it excited no remark1 ,i suppose it may be4 ,when the gentlemen returned to the house1 bringing the music with them1 all the waiters assembled in line before the door1 decanter and glass in hand1 to finish the remains of the wine with a toast on their own account4 ,the head-waiter then stood in front of them and gave the health1 first1 of the persons for whom the banquet was given1 followed by that of the ,president1 all of which were answered with ,vivas as they filled their glasses4 ,then one of the gentlemen stepping forward gave1 amid shouts of laughter1 the health of the head-waiter himself1 which was drank in a closing bumper with perhaps more animation than either of the others4 ,the afternoon closed with dancing1 and at sunset the canoes assembled and we returned to the city1 all feeling1 ,i believe1 that the festival had been a very happy one4 ,it certainly was so for those to whom it was intended to give pleasure1 and could hardly fail to be likewise for those who had planned and executed it4 ,it will seem strange to many of my readers that ,sunday should be chosen for such a fte2 but here1 as in many parts of continental ,europe1 even in ,protestant districts1 ,sunday is a holiday and kept as such4 ,november #bgth4--,yesterday ,i visited the prison where the wife of the chief of police had invited me to see some of the carved articles1 straw work1 c41 made by the prisoners4 ,i had expected to be pained1 because ,i thought1 from the retrograde character of things in general here1 the prison system would be bad4 ,but the climate in these hot countries regulates the prison life in some degree4 ,men cannot be shut up in close1 dark cells1 without endangering not only their own lives1 but the sanitary condition of the establishment also4 ,therefore the prison is light and airy1 with plenty of doors and windows1 secured by bars1 but not otherwise closed4 ,i infer1 however1 from a passage on the prisons of the province1 contained in one of the able reports of ,president ,adolfo de ,barros 7#ahfd71 that within the last year there has been a great improvement1 at least in the prison of ,manaos4 ,he says3 8,the state of the prisons exceeds all that can be said to their disadvantage4 ,not only is it true that there is not to be found throughout the province a prison which fulfils the conditions imposed by the law1 but there is not one which deserves the name of prison with the exception of that in the capital4 ,and even this one1 while it does not possess one of the conditions exacted by similar institutions1 contains so disproportionate a number of prisoners of all classes1 so indiscriminately mingled1 that1 setting aside the other difficulties arising from this association1 it is only by the mercy of ,providence that the jail has not been converted into a focus of epidemics during the great heat prevailing in this city for a great part of the year4 ,in four small rooms1 insufficiently ventilated and lighted1 are assembled forty prisoners 7including the sick7 of various classes and conditions4 ,without air1 without cleanliness1 almost without room to move in their smothered and damp enclosure1 these unhappy beings1 against all precepts of law and humanity1 suffer far more than the simple and salutary rigor of punishment40 ,these strictures must have led to a great amendment1 for the prison does not now appear to be deficient in light or in ventilation1 and there is a hospital provided apart for the sick4 ,some of the prisoners1 especially those who were there for political offences1 having been concerned in a recent revolt at ,serpa1 were very heavily ironed2 but1 excepting this1 there were no signs1 visible at least to the transient observer1 of cruelty or neglect4 ,after some remarks on the best modes of reforming these abuses and the means to be employed for that object1 ,dr4 ,adolfo goes on to speak of the ruinous condition of the prisons in other cities of the province4 8,such is the state of the prison in the town of ,teff4 ,the edifice in which it is established is an old and crumbling house1 belonging to the municipality1 thatched with straw1 and so ruinous1 that it seemed to me1 when ,i visited it1 rather like a deserted habitation than like a building destined for the detention of criminals4 ,there were but a few prisoners1 some of whom were already condemned4 ,i formed a favorable judgment of them all1 for it seemed to me they must have either great confidence in their own innocence1 or scruples as to compromising the few soldiers who acted as guards4 ,in no other way could ,i explain the fact that they remained in prison1 when flight seemed so easy40 ,i well remember one evening when walking in ,teff seeing a number of men leaning against the wooden grating of a dimly lighted room in a ruinous thatched house1 and being told that this was the prison4 ,i asked myself the same question which presented itself to the ,president's mind1--why these wild-looking1 half-naked creatures had not long ago made their escape from a prison whose bars and bolts would hardly have imposed restraint upon a child4 ,the report continues3 8,a more decent and1 above all1 a more secure prison at this point1 the most important in the whole ,solimoens1 is an urgent and even indispensable necessity4 ,of the sixteen prisons in the whole province1 only two1 that of the capital and of ,barcellos1 have their own buildings4 ,with these exceptions1 the prisoners occupy either a part of the houses of the legislative chambers1 or are placed in private houses hired for the purpose1 or in the quarters of the military detachments4 ,in these different prisons #ech prisoners were received during the current year1 inclusive of recruits and deserters40 ,this last clause1 8inclusive of recruits and deserters10 and the association of the two classes of men together1 as if equally delinquent1 touches upon a point hardly to be overlooked by the most superficial observer1 and which makes a very painful impression on strangers4 ,the system of recruiting1 or rather the utter want of system1 leads to the most terrible abuse of authority in raising men for the army4 ,i believe that the law provides for a constitutional draft levied equally on all classes1 excluding men below or above a certain age1 or having certain responsibilities at home4 ,but if such a law exists it is certainly not enforced2 recruiting parties1 as bad as the old 8press-gangs0 of ,england1 go out into the forest and seize the ,indians wherever they can find them4 ,all who resist this summary treatment or show any inclination to escape are put into prison till the steamer leaves1 by which they are despatched to ,par and thence to the army4 ,the only overcrowded room ,i saw at the prison was that where the recruits were confined4 ,coming from a country where the soldier is honored1 where men of birth and education have shown that they are not ashamed to serve in the line if necessary1 it seemed to me strange and sad to see these men herded with common criminals4 ,the record of the province of the ,amazonas will read well in the history of the present war1 for the number of troops contributed is very large in proportion to the population4 ,but as most of them are obtained in this way1 it may be doubted whether the result is a very strong evidence of patriotism4 ,the abuses mentioned above are not1 however1 confined to these remote regions4#hd ,it is not uncommon1 even in the more populous and central parts of ,brazil1 to meet recruits on the road1 so-called volunteers1 chained two and two by the neck like criminals1 under an armed guard4 ,when we first met a squad of men under these circumstances1 on the ,juiz de ,fora road1 we supposed them to be deserters1 but the ,brazilians who were with us1 and who seemed deeply mortified at the circumstance1 said that they were no doubt ordinary recruits1 arrested without inquiry on the one side1 or power of resistance on the other4 ,they asserted that this mode of recruiting was illegal1 but that their chains would be taken off before entering the city1 and no questions asked4 ,a ,brazilian told me that he had known an instance in which a personal pique against an enemy had been gratified by pointing out its object to the recruiting officer1 who had the man at once enlisted1 though a large family was entirely dependent upon him4 ,our informant seemed to know no redress for tyranny like this4 ,the hospitality we have received in ,brazil1 the sympathy shown to ,mr4 ,agassiz in his scientific undertakings1 as well as our own sentiments of gratitude and affection for our many friends here1 forbid us to enter into any criticism of ,brazilian manners or habits which could have a personal application4 ,neither do ,i believe that a few months' residence in a country entitles any one to a judgment upon the national character of its people4 ,yet there are certain features of ,brazilian institutions and politics which cannot but strike a stranger unfavorably1 and which explain the complaints one constantly hears from foreign residents4 ,the exceedingly liberal constitution1 borrowed in great part from our own1 prepares one to expect the largest practical liberty4 ,to a degree this exists2 there is no censorship of the press2 there is no constraint upon the exercise of any man's religion2 nominally1 there is absolute freedom of thought and belief4 ,but in the practical working of the laws there is a very arbitrary element1 and a petty tyranny of the police against which there seems to be no appeal4 ,there is1 in short1 an utter want of harmony between the institutions and the actual condition of the people4 ,may it not be1 that a borrowed constitution1 in no way the growth of the soil1 is1 after all1 like an ill-fitting garment1 not made for the wearer1 and hanging loosely upon him8 ,there can be no organic relation between a truly liberal form of government and a people for whom1 taking them as a whole1 little or no education is provided1 whose religion is administered by a corrupt clergy1 and who1 whether white or black1 are brought up under the influence of slavery4 ,liberty will not abide in the laws alone2 it must have its life in the desire of the nation1 its strength in her resolve to have and to hold it4 ,another feature which makes a painful impression on the stranger is the enfeebled character of the population4 ,i have spoken of this before1 but in the northern provinces it is more evident than farther south4 ,it is not merely that the children are of every hue2 the variety of color in every society where slavery prevails tells the same story of amalgamation of race2 but here this mixture of races seems to have had a much more unfavorable influence on the physical development than in the ,united ,states4 ,it is as if all clearness of type had been blurred1 and the result is a vague compound lacking character and expression4 ,this hybrid class1 although more marked here because the ,indian element is added1 is very numerous in all the cities and on the large plantations2 perhaps the fact1 so honorable to ,brazil1 that the free negro has full access to all the privileges of any free citizen1 rather tends to increase than diminish the number4#he ,december #c;d4--,yesterday was the ,emperor's birthday1 always kept as a holiday throughout ,brazil1 and this year with more enthusiasm than usual1 because he has just returned from the army1 and has made himself doubly dear to his people1 not only by the success which attended his presence there1 but by his humanity toward the soldiers4 ,we had our illuminations1 bouquets1 music1 c41 as well as the rest of the world2 but as ,manaos is not overflowing with wealth1 the candles were rather few1 and there were long lapses of darkness alternating with the occasional brilliancy4 ,we went out in the evening to make a few calls1 and listen to the music in the open ground dignified by the name of the public square4 ,here all the surrounding buildings were brightly illuminated2 there was a very pretty tent in the centre1 where the band of ,indian children from the ,casa dos ,educandos was playing2 preparations were making for the ascension of a lighted balloon at a later hour1 and so on4 ,but whenever we have been present at public festivities in ,brazil1--and our observation is confirmed by other foreigners1--we have been struck with the want of gayety1 the absence of merriment4 ,there is a kind of lack-lustre character in their ftes1 so far as any demonstration of enjoyment is concerned4 ,perhaps it is owing to their enervating climate1 but the ,brazilians do not seem to work or play with a will4 ,they have not the activity which1 while it makes life a restless fever with our people1 gives it interest also2 neither have they the love of amusement of the continental ,europeans4 ,december #fth4--,manaos4 ,mr4 ,thayer returned to-day from ,lake ,alexo1 bringing a valuable collection of fish1 obtained with some difficulty on account of the height of water2 it is rapidly rising now1 and the fish are in consequence daily scattered over a wider space4 ,this addition with the collections brought in by ,mr4 ,bourget and ,mr4 ,thayer from ,cudajas1 by ,mr4 ,james from ,manacapuru1 and by ,major ,coutinho from ,lake ,hyanuary1 ,jos-,fernandez1 ,curupira1 c41 c41 brings the number of ,amazonian species up to something over thirteen hundred4 ,mr4 ,agassiz still carries out his plan of dispersing his working force in such a manner as to determine the limits of the distribution of species2 to ascertain1 for instance1 whether those which are in the ,amazons at one season may be in the ,solimoens at another or at the same time1 and also whether those which are found about ,manaos extend higher up in the ,rio ,negro4 ,for this reason1 as we have seen1 while at ,teff himself he kept parties above in various localities1--at ,tabatinga and on the rivers ,ia and ,hyutahy2 and now1 while he and some of his assistants are collecting in the immediate neighborhood of ,manaos1 ,mr4 ,dexter and ,mr4 ,talisman are on the ,rio ,negro and ,rio ,branco4 ,following the same plan in descending the river1 he intends to establish one station at ,serpa1 another at ,obydos1 another at ,santarem1 while he will go himself to the river ,mauhes1 which connects the ,amazons with the ,madeira4 ,december #ajth4--,to-day ,mr4 ,dexter and ,mr4 ,talisman returned from their canoe excursion to the ,rio ,branco4 ,they are rather disappointed in the result of their expedition1 having found the state of the waters most extraordinary for the season and very unfavorable for their purpose4 ,the ,rio ,negro was so full that the beaches had entirely disappeared1 and it was impossible to draw the nets2 while on the ,rio ,branco the people stated that the water had not fallen during the whole year1--an unheard-of phenomenon1 and unfortunate for the inhabitants1 who were dreading famine for want of their usual supply of dried and salted fish1 on which they so largely depend for food4 ,this provision is always made when the waters are lowest1 and when the large fish1 driven into shallower and narrower basins1 are easily caught4 ,though their collection of fish is therefore small1 including only twenty-eight new species1 ,mr4 ,dexter and ,mr4 ,talisman bring several monkeys1 a very large alligator1 some beautiful birds1 among them the blue ,mackaw1 and a number of very fine palms4 ,to-morrow we leave ,manaos in the ,ibicuhy1 on an excursion to the little town of ,mauhes1 where we are to pass a week or ten days4 ,though we return for a day or two on our way to the ,rio ,negro1 yet we feel that our permanent stay in ,manaos is over4 ,the six weeks we have passed here have been very valuable in scientific results4 ,not only has ,mr4 ,agassiz largely increased his knowledge of the fishes1 but he has had an opportunity of accumulating a mass of new and interesting information on the many varieties of the colored races1 produced by the crossing of ,indians1 negroes1 and whites1 which he has recorded not only in notes1 but in a very complete series of photographs4 ,perhaps nowhere in the world can the blending of types among men be studied so fully as in the ,amazons1 where mamelucos1 cafuzos1 mulattoes1 cabocos1 negroes1 and whites are mingled in a confusion that seems at first inextricable4 ,i insert below a few extracts from his notes on this subject1 which he purposes to treat more in detail1 should he find time hereafter to work up the abundant material he has collected4 8,however naturalists may differ respecting the origin of species1 there is at least one point on which they agree1 namely1 that the offspring from two so-called different species is a being intermediate between them1 sharing the peculiar features of both parents1 but resembling neither so closely as to be mistaken for a pure representative of the one or the other4 ,i hold this fact to be of the utmost importance in estimating the value and meaning of the differences observed between the so-called human races4 ,i leave aside the question of their probable origin1 and even that of their number2 for my purpose1 it does not matter whether there are three1 four1 five1 or twenty human races1 and whether they originated independently from one another or not4 ,the fact that they differ by constant permanent features is in itself sufficient to justify a comparison between the human races and animal species4 ,we know that1 among animals1 when two individuals of different sex and belonging to distinct species produce an offspring1 the latter does not closely resemble either parent1 but shares the characteristics of both2 and it seems to me of the highest significance that this fact is equally true of any two individuals of different sexes1 belonging to different human races4 ,the child born of negro and white parents is neither black nor white1 but a mulatto2 the child born of white and ,indian parents is neither white nor ,indian1 but a mameluco2 the child born of negro and ,indian parents is neither a negro nor an ,indian1 but a cafuzo2 and the cafuzo1 mameluco1 and mulatto share the peculiarities of both parents1 just as the mule shares the characteristics of the horse and ass4 ,with reference to their offspring1 the races of men stand1 then1 to one another in the same relation as different species among animals2 and the word races1 in its present significance1 needs only to be retained till the number of human species is definitely ascertained and their true characteristics fully understood4 ,i am satisfied that1 unless it can be shown that the differences between the ,indian1 negro and white races are unstable and transient1 it is not in keeping with the facts to affirm a community of origin for all the varieties of the human family1 nor in keeping with scientific principles to make a difference between human races and animal species in a systematic point of view4 ,in these various forms of humanity there is as much system as in anything else in nature1 and by overlooking the thoughtful combinations expressed in them we place ourselves at once outside of the focus from which the whole may be correctly seen4 ,in consequence of their constancy1 these differences are so many limitations to prevent a complete melting of normal types into each other and consequent loss of their primitive features4 ,that these different types are genetically foreign to one another1 and do not run together by imperceptible1 intermediate degrees1 appears plain when their mixtures are compared4 ,white and negro produce mulattoes1 white and ,indian produce mamelucos1 negro and ,indian produce cafuzos1 and these three kinds of half-breeds are not connecting links between the pure races1 but stand exactly in that relation to them in which all hybrids stand to their parents4 ,the mameluco is as truly a half-breed between white and ,indian1 the cafuzo as truly a half-breed between negro and ,indian1 as is the mulatto1 commonly so called1 a half-breed between white and negro4 ,they all share equally the peculiarities of both parents1 and though more fertile than half-breeds in other families of the animal kingdom1 there is in all a constant tendency to revert to the primary types in a country where three distinct races are constantly commingling1 for they mix much more readily with the original stocks than with each other4#hf ,children between mameluco and mameluco1 or between cafuzo and cafuzo1 or between mulatto and mulatto1 are seldom met with where the pure races occur2 while offspring of mulattoes with whites1 ,indians and negroes1 or of mamelucos with whites1 ,indians1 and negroes1 or of cafuzos with whites1 ,indians1 and negroes1 form the bulk of these mixed populations4 ,the natural result of an uninterrupted contact of half-breeds with one another is a class of men in which pure type fades away as completely as do all the good qualities1 physical and moral1 of the primitive races1 engendering a mongrel crowd as repulsive as the mongrel dogs1 which are apt to be their companions1 and among which it is impossible to pick out a single specimen retaining the intelligence1 the nobility1 or the affectionateness of nature which makes the dog of pure type the favorite companion of civilized man4 ,the question respecting the relation of the human races to each other is complicated by the want of precision in the definition of species4 ,naturalists differ greatly in their estimation of the characters by which species are to be distinguished1 and of their natural limitations4 ,i have published elsewhere my own views on this subject4 ,i believe the boundaries of species to be precise and unvarying1 based upon a category of characters quite distinct from those on which the other groups of the animal kingdom1 as genera1 families1 orders1 and classes1 are founded4 ,this category of characters consists chiefly in the relation of individuals to one another and to their surroundings1 and in the relative dimensions and proportions of parts4 ,these characters are no less permanent and constant in the different species of the human family than in those of any other family in the animal kingdom1 and my observations upon the cross-breeds in ,south ,america have convinced me that the varieties arising from contact between these human species1 or so-called races1 differ from true species just as cross-breeds among animals differ from true species1 and that they retain the same liability to revert to the original stock as is observed among all so-called varieties or breeds40 ,our visit to ,mauhes will be the pleasanter and doubtless the more successful1 because ,dr4 ,epaminondas1 who has already done so much to facilitate the objects of the expedition1 takes this opportunity of visiting a region with which1 as ,president of the province1 he is desirous of becoming acquainted4 ,he is accompanied by our host1 ,mr4 ,honorio1 whose house has been such a pleasant home for us during our stay in ,manaos1 and also by ,mr4 ,michelis1 ,lieutenant-,colonel of the ,national ,guard of ,mauhes1 returning to his home there1 after a stay of several weeks in ,manaos4 ,besides these1 our party consists of ,major ,coutinho1 ,mr4 ,burkhardt1 and ourselves4 ,the position of ,mauhes1 on the southern side of the ,amazons1 and its proximity to ,manaos and ,serpa1 may make this excursion especially instructive1 with reference to the study of the geographical distribution of the ,fishes in the great network of rivers connecting the ,rio ,madeira and the ,rio ,tapajoz with the ,amazons4 ----- ,footnote #hb3 ,i trust that the motive will not be misunderstood which induces me to add here a translation of the general cards of invitation distributed on this occasion4 ,the graceful expression of a thought so kind1 and the manner in which the ,president merges his own personality in the name of the ,province of which he is the administrative head1 are so characteristic of his mingled courtesy and modesty1 that ,i am tempted to insert the note1 notwithstanding its personal character4 ,unfortunately1 ,i cannot always do full justice to the kindness shown ,mr4 ,agassiz throughout our journey1 or to the general appreciation of his scientific objects1 without introducing testimonials into this narrative which it would perhaps be more becoming in me to suppress4 ,but ,i do not know how otherwise to acknowledge our obligations1 and ,i trust it will be attributed1 by candid readers1 to the true motive1--to gratitude and not to egotism4 8,the scientific labors undertaken at this time by the learned and illustrious ,professor ,agassiz in this ,province1 merit from the ,amazonenses the most sincere gratitude and acknowledgment1 and elicit on our part a manifestation by which we seek to show due appreciation of his high intellectual merit4 ,i wish that for this object ,i could dispose of more abundant resources1 or that the ,province had in readiness better means of showing the veneration and cordial esteem we all bear to him1 the respect and admiration we feel for his scientific explorations4 ,but the uncertainty of his stay among us obliges me to offer at once some proof1 however insignificant1 of our profound esteem for this most deserving ,american4 8,to this end1 the accomplishment of which ,i cannot longer defer1 ,i invite all to join me in offering to ,professor ,agassiz and to his wife1 in the name of the ,province of the ,amazonas1 a modest rural breakfast 7almoo campestre7 in the ,casa dos ,educandos1 on ,sunday1 the #ahth of this month1 at #aa o'clock in the morning4 ,i hereby invite you and your family to be present1 in order that this festival1 great in the earnestness of our intentions1 however small as compared with the importance of those to whom it is offered1 should be gay and brilliant4 8,,antonio ,,epaminondas ,,de ,,mello4 8,palace of the ,government at ,manaos1 #ac ,november1 #ahfe40 ,footnote #hc3 ,as ,i do not wish to mislead1 and this narrative may perhaps influence some one to make a journey in this region1 ,i should add1 that1 while the above is strictly true1 there are many things essential to the comfort of the traveller not to be had4 ,there is not a decent hotel throughout the whole length of the ,amazons1 and any one who thinks of travelling there must provide himself with such letters as will secure accommodation in private houses4 ,so recommended1 he may safely depend upon hospitality1 or upon such assistance from individuals as will enable him to find a private lodging4 ,footnote #hd3 ,much of what follows upon social abuses1 tyranny of the local police1 prison discipline1 c41 though not quoted in his own words1 has been gathered from conversations with ,mr4 ,agassiz1 or from discussions between him and his ,brazilian friends4 ,the way in which this volume has grown up1 being as it were the result of a double experience1 makes it occasionally difficult to draw the exact line marking the boundaries of authorship2 the division being indeed somewhat vague in the minds of the writers themselves4 ,but since criticisms of this sort would have little value1 except as based upon larger opportunities for observation than fell to my share1 ,i am the more anxious to refer them1 wherever ,i can1 to their right source4 ,footnote #he3 ,let any one who doubts the evil of this mixture of races1 and is inclined1 from a mistaken philanthropy1 to break down all barriers between them1 come to ,brazil4 ,he cannot deny the deterioration consequent upon an amalgamation of races1 more wide-spread here than in any other country in the world1 and which is rapidly effacing the best qualities of the white man1 the negro1 and the ,indian1 leaving a mongrel nondescript type1 deficient in physical and mental energy4 ,at a time when the new social status of the negro is a subject of vital importance in our statesmanship1 we should profit by the experience of a country where1 though slavery exists1 there is far more liberality toward the free negro than he has ever enjoyed in the ,united ,states4 ,let us learn the double lesson3 open all the advantages of education to the negro1 and give him every chance of success which culture gives to the man who knows how to use it2 but respect the laws of nature1 and let all our dealings with the black man tend to preserve1 as far as possible1 the distinctness of his national characteristics1 and the integrity of our own4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #hf3 ,for some remarks concerning the structural peculiarities of the ,indians and ,negroes1 see ,appendix ,no4 ,v4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,excursion ,,to ,,mauhes ,,and ,,its ,,neighborhood4 ,,leave ,,manaos4--,,on ,,board ,,the 8,,ibicuhy40--,,navigation ,,of ,,the ,,river ,,ramos4--,,aspect ,,of ,,the ,,banks4--,,arrival ,,at ,,mauhes4--,,situation ,,of ,,mauhes4--,,tupinambaranas4--,,characte r ,,of ,,population4--,,appearance ,,of ,,the ,,villages ,,of ,,mauhes4--,,bolivian ,,indians4--,,guaran4--,,excursion ,,to ,,mucaja-,,tuba4--,,mundurucu ,,indians4--,,aspect ,,of ,,village4--,,church4--,,distribution ,,of ,,presents4--,,generosity ,,of ,,the ,,indians4--,,their ,,indifference4--,,visit ,,to ,,another ,,settlement4--,,return ,,to ,,mauhes4--,,arrival ,,of ,,mundurucus ,,in ,,the ,,village4--,,description ,,of ,,tattooing4--,,collection4--,,boto4--,, indian ,,superstitions4--,,palm ,,collection4--,,walk ,,in ,,the ,,forest4--,,leave ,,mauhes4--,,mundurucu ,,indian ,,and ,,his ,,wife4--,,their ,,manners ,,and ,,appearance4--,,indian ,,tradition4--,,distinctions ,,of ,,caste4 ,december #abth4--,we left ,manaos1 according to our intention1 on ,sunday evening 7the #ajth71 raising the anchor with military exactness at five o'clock1 the very moment appointed1 somewhat to the disappointment of a boatful of officials from the ,national ,guard1 who were just on their way to pay their parting compliments to the ,president1 at the hour fixed for his departure4 ,in ,brazil it may safely be assumed that things will always be a little behind time2 on this occasion1 however1 our punctuality was absolute1 and the officers were forced to wave their adieux as we proceeded on our way1 leaving their canoe behind4 ,the hour was of good omen1--a cool breeze1 the one blessing for which the traveller sighs in these latitudes1 blowing up the ,amazons2 and as we left the ,rio ,negro1 it lay behind us1 a golden pathway to the setting sun1 which was going down in a blaze of glory4 ,we were received on board with all possible hospitality by the commander1 ,captain ,faria4 ,he has made every arrangement for our comfort which a vessel of war1 not intended for passengers1 can afford1 giving up his own quarters for my accommodation4 ,on deck he has arranged a little recess1 sheltered by a tarpaulin from the sun and rain1 to serve as a dining-room1 that we may take our meals in the fresh air instead of dining in the close cabin below decks intended for this purpose4 ,the morning following our departure was an interesting one1 because we found ourselves at the mouth of the ,ramos1 unknown to steam navigation1 and about which the ,captain had some apprehensions1 as he was by no means sure that he should find water enough for his vessel4 ,it was1 therefore1 necessary to proceed with great caution1 sounding at every step and sending out boats in advance1 to ascertain the direction of the channel4 ,once within the river1 we had depth of water enough to float much larger vessels4 ,the banks of this stream are beautiful4 ,the forest was gay with color1 and the air laden with the rich perfume of flowers1 which1 when we came up the ,amazons six months ago1 were not yet in bloom4 ,we were struck also with the great abundance and variety of the palms1 so much more numerous on the lower course of the ,amazons than on the ,solimoens4 ,the shores were dotted with thrifty-looking plantations1 laid out with a neatness and care which bespeak greater attention to agriculture than we have seen elsewhere4 ,healthy-looking cattle were grazing about many of the sitios4 ,as the puff of our steam was heard1 the inhabitants ran out to gaze in amazement at the unwonted visitant1 standing in groups on the shores1 almost too much lost in wonder to return our greetings4 ,the advent of a steamer in their waters should be to them a welcome harbinger of the time1 perhaps not far distant1 when1 instead of their present tedious and uncertain canoe journeys to ,serpa or ,villa ,bella1 they will be able to transport their produce to either of these points in a few hours1 in small steamboats1 connecting all these settlements1 and adapted to the navigation4 ,any such prophetic vision was1 however1 no doubt very far from their thoughts2 if they had any idea as to the object of our coming1 it was probably a fear lest we should be on a recruiting expedition4 ,if so1 it is certainly a very innocent one1 fishes being the only recruits we aim at entrapping4 ,from the ,ramos we turned into the ,mauhes1 ascending to the town of the same name1 where to-day we are enjoying the hospitality of ,mr4 ,michelis4 ,if any of my readers are as ignorant as ,i was myself before making this voyage1 a bit of geography may not be out of place here4 ,as everybody knows1 the river ,madeira1 that great affluent of the ,amazons1 all whose children are giants1 except when compared with their royal father1 enters the main stream on its southern side at a point nearly opposite ,serpa4 ,but this is not its only connection with the ,amazons4 ,the river ,mauhes starting about twenty-five leagues from its mouth1 runs from the river ,madeira almost parallel with the ,amazons until it joins the river ,ramos1 which continues its course in the same direction to a lower point1 where it empties into the main stream4 ,the district of land thus enclosed between four rivers1 having the ,madeira on the west1 the ,amazons on the north1 and the ,ramos and the ,mauhes on the south1 is known on the map as the island of ,tupinambaranas4 ,it is a network of rivers1 lakes1 and islands2 one of those watery labyrinths which would be in itself an extensive river system in any other country1 but is here absolutely lost in the world of waters of which it forms a part4 ,indeed1 the vastness of the ,amazons is not felt chiefly when following its main course1 but rather on its lesser tributaries1 where streams to which a place on the map is hardly accorded are found to be in fact large rivers4 ,the region of ,mauhes is comparatively little known1 because it is off the line of steam navigation2 but1 thanks to the efforts of its most prominent citizen1 ,mr4 ,michelis1 who has made his home there for twenty-five years1 and contributed1 by his energy1 intelligence1 and honorable character1 to raise the tone of the whole district1 it is one of the most prosperous in the province4 ,it is melancholy to see how little is done in other districts1 when an instance like this shows what one man can do to improve the forest population along the banks of the ,amazons4 ,his example and its successful results should be an encouragement to all intelligent settlers on the ,amazons4 ,the little village of ,mauhes stands on a sort of terrace1 in front of which1 at this season when the waters are still considerably below high-water mark1 runs a broad1 white beach1 rendered all the prettier at the moment of our arrival by a large party of ,bolivian ,indians1 who had built their camp-fires on its sands4 ,we looked at these people with a kind of wonder1 thinking of the perilous voyages they constantly make in their heavily-laden canoes1 forced to unload their cargo over and over again as they shoot the cataracts of the ,madeira on their way down1 or drag their boats wearily up them on their return4 ,it seems strange1 when this river is the highway of commerce from ,bolivia1 ,matto-,grosso1 and through ,matto-,grosso from ,paraguay to the ,amazons1 that the suggestion made by ,major ,coutinho in his interesting account of his journey on the ,rio ,madeira1 has not been adopted4 ,he says that a road carried along the shore of the river for a distance of forty leagues would obviate all the difficulty and danger of this arduous journey4 ,illustration3 ,mauhes ,river4 ,mauhes is not a cluster of houses1 but is built in line along a broad1 grass-grown street running the length of the terrace formed by the top of the river-bank4 ,in an open space1 at one end of this village street1 stands the church1 a small but neat-looking building1 with a wooden cross in front4 ,most of the houses are low and straw-thatched1 but here and there a more substantial house1 with tiled roof1 like that of ,mr4 ,michelis1 breaks the ordinary level of the buildings4 ,notwithstanding the modest appearance of this little town1 all who know something of its history speak of it as one of the most promising of the ,amazonian settlements1 and as having a better moral tone than usually prevails4 ,one of its great staples is the ,guaran4 ,this shrub1 or rather vine1--for it is a trailing plant somewhat like our high-bush blackberry1--is about eight feet high when full grown1 and bears a bean the size of a coffee-bean1 two being enclosed in each envelope4 ,this bean1 after being roasted1 is pounded in a small quantity of water1 until it becomes1 when thoroughly ground1 a compact paste1 and when dry is about the color of chocolate1 though much harder4 ,in this state it is grated1 7the grater being always the rough tongue of the ,pirarucu17 and when mixed with sugar and water it makes a very pleasant1 refreshing drink4 ,it is said to have medicinal properties also1 and is administered with excellent effect in cases of diarrha4 ,in certain parts of ,brazil it is very extensively used as well as in ,bolivia1 and will1 no doubt1 have a wider distribution when its value is more generally known4 ,the ,indians display no little fancy in the manufacture of this article1 moulding the paste into the shape of mounted soldiers1 horses1 birds1 serpents1 c4 ,this morning ,i was attracted by voices in the street1 and going to the window ,i saw the door of the house where the ,president is lodged besieged by a crowd of ,bolivian ,indians4 ,they had brought some of their robes to sell1 and it was not long before several of our party1 among whom were ready purchasers1 made their appearance in ,bolivian costume4 ,this dress is invariable2 always the long robe1 composed of two pieces1 one hanging before1 the other behind1 belted around the waist and fastened on the shoulders1 with an opening for the head to pass through4 ,such a robe1 with a broad-brimmed1 coarse straw hat1 constitutes the whole dress of these people4 ,their ordinary working garb is made of bark2 their better robe1 for more festive occasions1 consists of a twilled cotton of their own manufacture1 exceedingly soft and fine1 but very close and strong4 ,these dresses may be more or less ornamented1 but are always of the same shape4 ,the ,bolivian ,indians seem to be more industrious than those of the ,amazons1 or else they are under more rigorous discipline4 ,december #adth4--,at the settlement of ,mucaja-,tuba4 ,mucaja signifies a particular kind of palm1 very abundant here2 ,tuba means a place4 ,thus we are among the woods of ,acrocomia4 ,yesterday we were to have left ,mauhes with the dawn on an excursion to this place1 but at the appointed hour a flood of rain1 such as is seen only in these latitudes1 was pouring down in torrents1 accompanied by thunder and lightning4 ,the delay occasioned by this interruption1 however1 proved a good fortune in the end4 ,by eleven o'clock the storm was over1 but the sky continued overcast during the rest of the day4 ,our way lay up the river ,mauhes1 past the mouths of nameless streams and lakes1--broad sheets of water1 perfectly unknown out of their immediate neighborhood4 ,night brought us to our destination1 and at about eight o'clock we anchored before this little village4 ,as we approached it a light or two was seen glimmering on the shore1 and we could not help again wondering what was the feeling of the people who saw and heard for the first time one of these puffing steam monsters4 ,this morning1 with a boat-load of goods of all sorts1 intended by the ,president as presents for the ,indians1 we put off for the shore4 ,landing on the beach we went at once to the house of the chief1 a most respectable looking old man1 who stood at the door to receive us4 ,he was an old acquaintance of ,major ,coutinho1 having formerly accompanied him on his exploration of the ,rio ,madeira4 ,the inhabitants of this village are ,mundurucu ,indians1 one of the most intelligent and kindly disposed of the ,amazonian tribes4 ,although they are too civilized to be considered as illustrating in any way the wild life of the primitive ,indians1 yet1 as it is the first time we have seen one of their isolated settlements1 removed from every civilizing influence except the occasional contact of the white man1 the visit was especially interesting to us4 ,it is astonishing to see the size and solidity of their houses1 with never a nail driven1 the frame consisting of rough trunks bound together by withes made of long1 elastic sipos1 the cordage of the forest4 ,major ,coutinho tells us that they know very well the use of nails in building1 and say to one another derisively1 when they want another sipo1 8,hand me a nail40 ,the ridge-pole of this chief's house could not have been less than twenty-five to thirty-eight feet high1 and the room was spacious in proportion4 ,hammocks were hung in the corners1 one of which was partitioned off by a low wall of palm-thatch2 bows and arrows1 guns and oars1 hung on the walls or were leaning against them1 and adjoining this central apartment was the mandioca kitchen4 ,there were a number of doors and windows in the room1 closed by large palm-mats4 ,the house of the chief stood at the head of a line of houses differing from his only in being somewhat smaller2 they made one side of an open square1 on the opposite side of which was a corresponding row of buildings4 ,with a few exceptions these houses were empty1 for the population gather only three or four times in the course of the year1 at certain festival seasons4 ,generally they are scattered about in their different sitios1 attending to their plantations4 ,but at these ftes they assemble to the number of several hundred1 all the dwellings are crowded with families1 and the square in the centre is cleared of grass1 swept and garnished for their evening dances4 ,such festivities last for ten days or a fortnight2 then they all disperse to their working life again4 ,at this time there are not more than thirty or forty persons in the village4 ,the most interesting object we saw was their church1 which stands at the head of the square1 and was built entirely by the ,indians themselves4 ,it is quite a large structure1 capable of holding an assembly of five or six hundred persons4 ,the walls are of mud1 very neatly finished inside1 and painted in colors made by the ,indians from the bark1 roots1 and fruits of certain trees1 and also from a particular kind of clay4 ,the front part of the church is wholly unfurnished1 except for the rough wooden font standing just within the door4 ,but the farther end is partitioned off to make a neat chancel1 within which several steps lead up to the altar and niche above1 where is placed the rude image of the ,mother and the ,child4 ,of course the architecture and the ornaments are of the coarsest description2 the painting consists only of stripes or lines of blue1 red1 and yellow1 with here and there an attempt at a star or a diamond1 or a row of scalloping2 but there is something touching in the idea that these poor1 uneducated people of the forest have cared to build themselves a temple with their own hands1 lavishing upon it such ideas of beauty and taste as they have1 and bringing at least their best to their humble altar4 ,none of our city churches1 on which millions have been expended1 have power to move one like this church1 the loving work of the worshippers themselves1 with its mud walls so coarsely painted1 its wooden cross before the door1 and little thatched belfry at one side4 ,it is sad that these people1 with so much religious sensibility1 are not provided with any regular service4 ,at long intervals a priest1 on his round of visitations1 makes his way to them1 but1 except on such rare occasions1 they have no one to administer the rites of burial or baptism1 or to give religious instruction to them or to their children4 ,and yet their church was faultlessly clean1 the mud floor was strewn with fresh green leaves1 and everything about the building showed it to be the object of solicitude and care4 ,their houses were very neat1 and they themselves were decently dressed in the invariable costume of the civilized ,indian1--the men in trousers and white cotton shirts1 the women in calico petticoats1 with short1 loose chemises1 either of cotton or calico1 and their long1 thick black hair drawn up and fastened on the top of their head by a semicircular comb1 brought so far forward that the edge is about on a line with the forehead4 ,a bunch of flowers is generally stuck under the comb on one side4 ,i have never seen an ,indian woman who did not wear one of these round combs2 although of foreign manufacture1 they find their way to the most isolated forest settlements1 brought1 ,i suppose1 by the travelling pedlers1 8regata40 ,these gentry are known everywhere on the banks of the ,amazons and its tributaries1 and are said to be most unprincipled in their dealings with the ,indians1 who fall readily into the traps set for them by the wily traders4 ,in one of the reports of ,dr4 ,adolfo1 who1 during his short but able administration1 exposed1 and as far as it was in his power reformed1 abuses in the province of the ,amazonas1 he says1 after speaking of the great need of religious instruction in the more remote settlements3 8,to-day who goes to seek the ,indian in the depth of his virgin forests along the shores of these endless rivers8 ,no one1 if it be not the #8regata1' less barbarous certainly than he1 but much more corrupt2 who spies upon him1 depraves and dishonors him1 under the pretext of trading40 ,after our visit to the church1 the whole population1 men1 women1 and children1 accompanied us down to the beach to receive their presents1 distributed by the ,president in person3 common jewelry1 which they appreciate highly1 calico dresses1 beads1 scissors1 needles1 and looking-glasses for the women2 knives1 fish-hooks1 hatchets1 and other working tools for the men2 and a variety of little trinkets and playthings for the children4 ,but though a cordial1 kindly people1 they have the impassiveness of the genuine ,indian4 ,i did not see a change of expression on any face or hear a word of acknowledgment or pleasure4 ,the only smile was when1 being tired with standing in the sun1 ,i sat down among the women1 and1 as the things were passed rapidly around the circle1 ,i was taken for one of them1 and received a very gay gown for my share4 ,this caused a general shout of laughter1 and seemed to delight them greatly4 ,we returned to the steamer to breakfast at ten o'clock1 and in the afternoon the whole village came out to satisfy their curiosity about the vessel4 ,they are a generous people4 ,i never go among them without receiving some little present1 which it would be an insult to refuse4 ,such as they have they offer to the stranger2 it may be a fruit1 or a few eggs1 or a chicken1 a cuia1 a basket or a bunch of flowers1 but their feelings would be wounded were you to go away empty-handed4 ,on this occasion the daughter of the chief brought me a fine fat fowl1 another woman gave me a basket1 and another a fruit which resembles very much our winter squash1 and is used in the same way4 ,i was glad to have with me some large beads and a few little pictures of saints with which to acknowledge their gifts4 ,but ,i believe they do not think of any return2 it is simply a rite of hospitality with them to make their guest a present4 ,they went over the vessel1 heard the cannon fired off1 and1 as the captain took them on a little excursion1 they saw the machine and the wheels in action2 but they looked at all with the same calm1 quiet air of acceptance1 above1 or perhaps one should rather say below1 any emotion of surprise4 ,for is not the readiness to receive new impressions1 to be surprised1 delighted1 moved1 one of the great gifts of the white race1 as different from the impassiveness of the ,indian as their varying complexion from the dark skin1 which knows neither blush nor pallor8 ,we could have but little conversation with these people1 for1 with the exception of the chief and one or two men who acted as interpreters1 they spoke only the 8lingua geral10 and did not understand ,portuguese4 ,december #aeth4--,after the ,indians had left us yesterday1 we proceeded on our way to another settlement1 where we expected to find a considerable village4 ,we arrived after dark1 and some of the party went on shore2 but they found only a grass-grown path and deserted houses4 ,the whole population was in the forest4 ,to-day1 however1 two or three canoesful of people have come off to the steamer to greet the ,president and receive their presents4 ,among them was an old woman who must have come originally from some more primitive settlement4 ,the lower part of her face was tattooed in a bluish-black tint1 covering the mouth and lower part of the cheeks to the base of the ears4 ,below this the chin was tattooed in a kind of network1 no doubt considered very graceful and becoming in her day and generation4 ,a black line was drawn across the nose1 and from the outer corner of the eyes to the ears1 giving the effect of a pair of spectacles4 ,the upper part of the breast was tattooed in an open-work1 headed by two straight lines drawn around the shoulders as if to represent a coarse lace finish1 such as one constantly sees around the necks of their chemises4 ,they left us at breakfast1 and we are now on our way back to ,mauhes1 after a most interesting excursion4 ,illustration3 ,mundurucu ,indian 7,male74#hg ,december #afth4--,mauhes4 ,we arrived here yesterday at midday1 and1 as it happened1 we found in the village an ,indian and his wife1 who1 as specimens of the genuine ,mundurucus1 were more interesting than those we had visited4 ,they came on trading business from a distant settlement some twenty days' journey from ,mauhes4 ,the man's whole face is tattooed in bluish black1 this singular mask being finished on the edge by a fine1 open pattern1 about half an inch broad1 running around the jaws and chin4 ,his ears are pierced with very large holes1 from which1 when his costume is complete1 pieces of wood are suspended1 and his whole body is covered with a neat and intricate network of tattooing4 ,at present1 however1 being in civilized regions1 he is dressed in trousers and shirt4 ,in the woman the mask of tattooing covers only the lowest part of the face1 the upper part being free1 with the exception of the line across the nose and eyes4 ,her chin and neck are also ornamented like that of the old woman we saw yesterday4 ,they speak no ,portuguese1 and seem rather reluctant to answer the questions of the interpreter4 ,illustration3 ,mundurucu ,indian 7,female74 ,mr4 ,agassiz has been very fortunate in collecting in this region4 ,although we are at so short a distance from ,manaos1 where he already knows the fishes tolerably well1 he finds a surprising number of new genera and species about ,mauhes and its neighborhood4 ,as usual1 wherever we go1 everybody turns naturalist in his behalf4 ,our kind friend1 the ,president1 always ready to do everything in his power to facilitate his researches1 has several boats out1 manned by the best fishermen of the place1 fishing for him4 ,the commander1 while his ship lies at anchor1 has his men employed in the same way2 and ,mr4 ,michelis and his friends are also indefatigable4 ,occasionally1 however1 in the midst of his successes1 he has to bear disappointments1 arising from the ignorance and superstition of the working people4 ,ever since he came to the ,amazons he has been trying to obtain a specimen of a peculiar kind of porpoise1 native to these waters4 ,it is1 however1 very difficult to obtain1 because1 being useless for food1 there is nothing to induce the ,indian to overcome the difficulty of catching it4 ,mr4 ,michelis has1 however1 impressed upon the fishermen the value of the prize1 and1 yesterday evening1 just as we were rising from the dinner-table1 it was announced that one was actually on its way up from the beach4 ,followed by the whole party of sympathizing friends1--for all had caught the infection1--,mr4 ,agassiz hastened out to behold his long-desired treasure2 and there was his ,boto1 but sadly mutilated1 for one ,indian had cut off a piece of the fin as a cure for a sick person1 another had taken out an eye as a love-charm1 which1 if it could be placed near the person of the girl he loved1 would win him her favor1 and so on4 ,injured as it was1 ,mr4 ,agassiz was1 nevertheless1 very glad to have the specimen2 but he locked it up carefully for the night1 not knowing what other titbits might be coveted by the superstitious inhabitants4 ,december #ahth4--,in the midst of the zological work1 the collection of palms1 which is now becoming very considerable1 is not forgotten4 ,this morning we went into the forest for the purpose of gathering young palms to compare with the full-grown ones1 already cut down and put up for transportation4 ,in these woods a thousand objects attract the eye1 beside that which you especially seek4 ,how many times we stopped to wonder at some lofty tree which was a world of various vegetation in itself1 parasites established in all its nooks and corners1 sipos hanging from its branches or twining themselves so close against the bark that they often seem as if sculptured on its trunk2 or paused to listen to the quick rustle of the wind in palm-leaves fifty feet above our heads1 not at all like the slow1 gathering rush of the wind in pine-trees at home1 but like rapidly running water4 ,through the narrow path an immense butterfly1 of that vivid blue which excites our wonder in collections of ,brazilian insects1 came sailing towards us4 ,he alighted in our immediate neighborhood1 folding all his azure glories out of sight1 and looking1 when still1 like a great brown moth1 spotted with white4 ,we crept softly nearer1 but the first leaf trodden under foot warned him1 and he was off again1 dazzling us with the beauty of his wonderful coloring as he opened his wings and1 bidding us a gay good-by1 vanished among the trees4 ,the sailing motion of these ,morphos1 though rapid1 contrasts strikingly with the more fluttering flight of the ,heliconians4 ,the former give broad1 strong strokes with their wide wings1 the latter beat the air with quick1 impatient1 tremulous movements4 ,december #bjth4--,this morning we left ,mauhes1 accompanied by our ,mundurucu ,indian and his wife4 ,the ,president takes them to ,manaos1 in the hope of obtaining their portraits to enlarge ,mr4 ,agassiz's collection4 ,i am interested in watching the deportment of these people1 which is marked by a striking propriety that wins respect4 ,they have remained in the seat where the ,captain has placed them1 not moving1 except to bring their little baggage1 from which the woman has taken out her work and is now busy in sewing1 while her husband makes cigarette envelopes from a bark used by the ,indians for this purpose2--certainly very civilized occupations for savages4 ,as they speak no ,portuguese1 we can only communicate with them through the interpreter or through ,mr4 ,coutinho1 who has considerable familiarity with the 8lingua geral40 ,they seem more responsive1 more ready to enter into conversation now than when we first saw them2 but the woman1 when addressed1 or when anything is offered to her1 invariably turns to her husband1 as if the decision of everything rested with him4 ,it might be thought that the fantastic ornaments of these ,indians would effectually disguise all pretence to beauty2 but it is not so with this pair4 ,their features are fine1 the build of the face solid and square1 but not clumsy1 and there is a passive dignity in their bearing which makes itself felt1 spite of their tattooing4 ,i have never seen anything like the calm in the man's face2 it is not the stolidity of dulness1 for his expression is sagacious and observant1 but a look of such abiding tranquillity that you cannot imagine that it ever has been or ever will be different4 ,the woman's face is more mobile2 occasionally a smile lights it up1 and her expression is sweet and gentle4 ,even her painted spectacles do not destroy the soft1 drooping look in the eyes1 very common among the ,indian women here1 and1 as it would seem1 characteristic of the women in the ,south ,american tribes2 for ,humboldt speaks of it in those of the ,spanish provinces to the north4 ,major ,coutinho tells us that the tattooing has nothing to do with individual taste1 but that the pattern is appointed for both sexes1 and is invariable throughout the tribe4 ,it is connected with their caste1 the limits of which are very precise1 and with their religion4 ,the tradition runs thus1 childish and inconsequent1 like all such primitive fables4 ,the first man1 ,caro ,sacaibu1 was also divine4 ,associated with him was his son1 and an inferior being named ,rairu1 to whom1 although he was as it were his prime minister and executed his commands1 ,caro ,sacaibu was inimical4 ,among other stratagems he used to get rid of him was the following4 ,he made a figure in imitation of a tatu 7armadillo71 and buried it partly in the earth1 leaving only the tail exposed4 ,he covered the tail with a kind of oil1 which when touched adheres to the skin4 ,he then commanded ,rairu to drag the half-buried tatu out of its hole and bring it to him4 ,rairu seized it by the tail1 but was of course unable to withdraw his hand1 and the tatu1 suddenly endowed with life by the ,supreme ,being1 dived into the earth1 dragging ,rairu with him4 ,the story does not say how ,rairu found his way out of the earth again1 but1 being a spirit of great cunning and invention1 he contrived to reach the upper air once more4 ,on his return1 he informed ,caro ,sacaibu that he had found in the earth a great many men and women1 and that it would be an excellent thing to get them out to till the soil and make themselves useful above ground4 ,this advice seems to have found favor in the sight of ,caro ,sacaibu1 who forthwith planted a seed in the ground4 ,from this seed sprang a cotton-tree1 for into this fantastic tale is thus woven the origin of cotton4 ,the tree throve and grew apace1 and from the soft white contents of its pods ,caro ,sacaibu made a long thread1 with one end of which ,rairu descended once more into the earth by the same hole through which he had entered before4 ,he collected the people together1 and they were dragged up through the hole by means of the thread4 ,the first who came out were small and ugly1 but gradually they improved in their personal appearance1 until at last the men began to be finely formed and handsome1 and the women beautiful4 ,unfortunately1 by this time the thread was much worn1 and being too weak to hold them1 the greater number of handsome people fell back into the hole and were lost4 ,it is for this reason that beauty is so rare a gift in the world4 ,caro ,sacaibu now separated the population he had thus drawn from the bowels of the earth1 dividing them into different tribes1 marking them with distinct colors and patterns1 which they have since retained1 and appointing their various occupations4 ,at the end there remained over a residue1 consisting of the ugliest1 smallest1 most insignificant representatives of the human race2 to these he said1 drawing at the same time a red line over their noses1 8,you are not worthy to be men and women1--go and be animals40 ,and so they were changed into birds1 and ever since1 the ,mutums1 with their red beaks and melancholy wailing voices1 wander through the woods4 ,the tattooing of the ,mundurucus is not only connected with this dim idea of a primitive creative command2 it is also indicative of aristocracy4 ,a man who neglected this distinction would not be respected in his tribe2 and so strong is this traditional association1 that1 even in civilized settlements where tattooing is no longer practised1 an instinctive respect is felt for this mark of nobility4 ,a ,mundurucu ,indian1 tattooed after the ancient fashion of his tribe1 arriving in a civilized village1 such as the one we visited1 is received with the honor due to a person of rank4 8,il faut souffrir pour tre beau10 was never truer than among these savages4 ,it requires not less than ten years to complete the tattooing of the whole face and body2 the operation being performed1 however1 only at intervals4 ,the color is introduced by fine puncturings over the whole surface2 a process which is often painful1 and causes swelling and inflammation1 especially on such sensitive parts as the eyelids4 ,the purity of type among the ,mundurucus is protected by stringent laws against close intermarriages4 ,the tribe is divided into certain orders or classes1 more or less closely allied2 and so far do they carry their respect for that law1 which1 though recognized in the civilized world1 is so constantly sinned against1 that marriage is forbidden1 not only between members of the same family1 but between those of the same order4 ,a ,mundurucu ,indian treats a woman of the same order with himself as a sister2 any nearer relation between them is impossible4 ,major ,coutinho1 who has made a very careful study of the manners and habits of these people1 assures us that there is no law more sacred among them1 or more rigidly observed1 than this one4 ,their fine physique1 for which they are said to be remarkable1 is perhaps owing to this4 ,they are free from one great source of degeneration of type4 ,it is to be hoped that ,major ,coutinho1 who1 while making his explorations as an engineer on the ,amazonian rivers1 has also made a careful study of the tribes living along their margins1 will one day publish the result of his investigations4 ,it is to him we owe the greater part of the information we have collected on this subject4 ----- ,footnote #hg3 ,i did not succeed in getting good likenesses of this ,mundurucu pair4 ,the above wood-cuts do no justice to their features and expression1 though they give a faithful record of the peculiar mode of tattooing4--,l4 ,a4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,return ,,to ,,manaos4--,,excursion ,,on ,,the ,,rio ,,negro4--,,leave ,,manaos4 ,,christmas ,,eve ,,at ,,manaos4--,,ceremonies ,,of ,,the ,,indians4--,,churches ,,on ,,the ,,amazons4--,,leave ,,manaos ,,for ,,the ,,rio ,,negro4--,,curious ,,river ,,formation4--,,aspect ,,of ,,the ,,river4--,,its ,,vegetation4--,,scanty ,,population4--,,village ,,of ,,taua ,p,,assu4--,,padre ,,of ,,the ,,village4--,,palms4--,,village ,,of ,,pedreira4--,,indian ,,camp4--,,making ,,palm-,,thatch4--,,sickness ,,and ,,want ,,at ,,pedreira4--,,row ,,in ,,the ,,forest4--,,tropical ,,shower4--,,geology ,,of ,,pedreira4--,,indian ,,recruits4--,,collection ,,of ,,palms4--,,extracts ,,from ,,mr4 ,,agassiz',s ,,notes ,,on ,,the ,,vegetation ,,of ,,the ,,amazons ,,and ,,the ,,rio ,,negro4--,,return ,,to ,,manaos4--,,desolation ,,of ,,the ,,rio ,,negro4--,,its ,,future ,,prospects4--,,humboldt',s ,,anticipations4--,,wild ,,flowers4--,,distribution ,,of ,,fishes ,,in ,,the ,,amazonian ,,waters4--,,how ,,far ,,due ,,to ,,migration4--,,hydrographic ,,system4--,,alternation ,,between ,,the ,,rise ,,and ,,fall ,,of ,,the ,,southern ,,and ,,northern ,,tributaries4 ,december #beth4--,manaos4 ,the ,indians have a pretty observance here for ,christmas eve4 ,at nightfall1 from the settlements at ,hyanuary1 two illuminated canoes come across the river to ,manaos2 one bearing the figure of ,our ,lady1 the other of ,saint ,rosalia4 ,they look very brilliant as they come towards the shore1 all the light concentrated about the figures carried erect in the prows4 ,on landing1 the ,indians1 many of whom have come to the city in advance1 form a procession1--the women dressed in white1 and with flowers in their hair1 the men carrying torches or candles2 and they follow the sacred images1 which are borne under a canopy in front of the procession1 to the church1 where they are deposited1 and remain during ,christmas week4 ,we entered with them1 and saw the kneeling1 dusky congregation1 and the two saints1--one a wooden1 coarsely painted image of the ,virgin1 the other a gayly dressed doll1--placed on a small altar1 where was also a figure of the infant ,jesus1 surrounded by flowers4 ,at a later hour the midnight mass was celebrated2 less interesting to me than the earlier ceremony1 because not so exclusively a service of the ,indians1 though they formed a large part of the congregation2 and the music1 as usual1 was performed by the band of ,indian boys from the ,casa dos ,educandos4 ,but there is nothing here to make the ,catholic service impressive2 the churches on the ,amazons generally are of the most ordinary kind1 and in a ruinous condition4 ,there is a large unfinished stone church in ,manaos1 standing on the hill1 and occupying a commanding position1 which will make it a conspicuous object if it is ever completed2 but it has stood in its present state for years1 and seems likely to remain so for an indefinite length of time4 ,it is a pity they have not the custom here of dressing their churches with green at ,christmas1 because they have so singularly beautiful and appropriate a tree for it in the palms4 ,the ,pupunha palm1 for instance1 so architectural in its symmetry1 with its columnar-like stem and its dark-green vault of drooping leaves1 would be admirable for this purpose4 ,to-morrow we leave ,manaos in the 8,ibicuhy10 in order to ascend the ,rio ,negro as far as ,pedreira1 where the first granitic formation is said to occur4 ,december #bgth4--,on board the 8,ibicuhy40 ,there was little incident to mark our day yesterday1 and yet it was one full of enjoyment4 ,the day itself was such as rarely occurs in these regions2 indeed1 ,i should say it is the only time1 during the whole six months we have passed on the ,amazons1 when we have had cool weather with a clear sky4 ,cool weather here is usually the result of rain4 ,as soon as the sun shows his face the heat is great4 ,but yesterday a strong wind was blowing down the ,rio ,negro2 and its usually black1 still waters were freshened to blue1 and their surface broken by white caps4 ,it is a curious fact in the history of this river1 that1 while tributary to the ,amazons1 it also receives branches from it4 ,a little above its junction with the ,solimoens1 the latter sends several small affluents into the ,rio ,negro1 the entrance to which we passed yesterday4 ,the contrast between their milky-white waters and the clear1 dark1 amber tint of the main river makes them very conspicuous4 ,it would seem that this is not a solitary instance of river formation in this gigantic fresh-water system2 for ,humboldt says1 speaking of the double communication between the ,cassiquiare and the ,rio ,negro1 and the great number of branches by which the ,rio ,branco and the ,rio ,hyapura enter into the ,rio ,negro and the ,amazons3 8,at the confluence of the ,hyapura there is a much more extraordinary phenomenon4 ,before this river joins the ,amazons1 the latter1 which is the principal recipient1 sends off three branches1 called ,uaranapu1 ,manhama1 and ,avateparana1 to the ,hyapura1 which is but a tributary stream4 ,the ,portuguese astronomer1 ,ribeiro1 has proved this important fact4 ,the ,amazons gives waters to the ,hyapura itself before it receives that tributary stream40 ,so does it also to the ,rio ,negro4 ,the physiognomy of the ,rio ,negro is peculiar1 and very different from that of the ,amazons or the ,solimoens4 ,the shores jut out in frequent promontories1 which1 while they form deep bays between1 narrow the river from distance to distance1 and1 as we advance towards them1 look like the entrances to harbors or lakes4 ,indeed1 we have already passed several large lakes2 but great sheets of water so abound here that they are nameless1 and hardly attract attention4 ,the vegetation also is different from that of the ,amazons4 ,as yet we have seen few palms2 and the forest is characterized by a great number of trees1 the summits of which are evenly and gently arched1 forming flattened domes4 ,the most remarkable of these1 on account of its lofty height and spreading foliage1 is the ,sumaumra1 to which ,i have alluded before4 ,but this umbrella-like mode of growth is by no means confined to one tree1 but1 like the buttressed trunks1 characterizes a number of ,brazilian trees4 ,it is1 however1 more frequent here than we have seen it elsewhere4 ,the shores seem very scantily inhabited2 indeed1 during our whole journey yesterday1 we met but one canoe1 which we hailed1 in order to inquire our distance from the little hamlet of ,taua ,passu1 where we meant to drop anchor for the night4 ,it was the boat of an ,indian family going down the river4 ,we were reminded that we were leaving inhabited regions1 for the man who was rowing was quite naked2 his wife and children peeped out from under the tolda in the stern of the boat4 ,we received from them the welcome intelligence that we were not far from our destination1 where we accordingly arrived soon after nightfall4 ,at this hour we could form but little idea of the appearance of the place2 yet1 by the moonlight1 we could see that its few houses 7some eight or ten1 perhaps7 stood on a crescent-shaped terrace1 formed by the bank of a little bay which puts in just at this point4 ,the gentlemen went on shore1 and brought back the padre of the village to tea4 ,he seems a man of a good deal of intelligence1 and was eloquent upon the salubrity of the village1 its freedom from mosquitoes1 piums1 and all kinds of noxious insects4 ,at first a life so remote and isolated seems a hard lot1 and one would think only the greatest devotion could induce a man to undertake it4 ,but there is hardly a corner so remote in ,brazil as not to be reached by the petty local politics2 and the padre is said to be a great politician1 his campaign before election among the poor people with whom his lot is cast being as exciting to him as that of any man who canvasses in a more distinguished arena2 the more satisfactory1 perhaps1 because he has the game very much in his own hands4 ,we left ,taua ,passu with the dawn1 and are again on our way to ,pedreira4 ,the weather still continues most favorable for travelling1--an overcast sky and a cool breeze4 ,but to-day the black river sleeps without a ripple2 and1 as we pass along1 the trees meet the water1 and are so perfectly reflected in it that we can hardly distinguish the dividing line4 ,i have said that the forest is not characterized by palms1 and yet we see many species which we have not met before2 among these is the ,jara-ass1 with its tall1 slender stem1 and broom-like tuft of stiff leaves4 ,mr4 ,agassiz has just gone on shore in the montaria1 to cut down some palms of another kind1 new to him4 ,as he returns1 the little boat seems to have undergone some marvellous change2 it looks like a green raft floating on the water1 and we can hardly see the figures of the rowers for the beautiful crowns of the palm-trees4 ,december #bith4--,pedreira4 ,i have said little about the insects and reptiles which play so large a part in most ,brazilian travels1 and1 indeed1 ,i have had much less annoyance from this source than ,i had expected4 ,but ,i must confess the creature who greeted my waking sight this morning was not a pleasant object to contemplate4 ,it was an enormous centipede close by my side1 nearly a foot in length1 whose innumerable legs looked just ready for a start1 and whose two horns or feelers were protruded with a most venomous expression4 ,these animals are not only hideous to look upon1 but their bite is very painful1 though not dangerous4 ,i crept softly away from my sofa without disturbing my ugly neighbor1 who presently fell a victim to science2 being very adroitly caught under a large tumbler1 and consigned to a glass jar filled with alcohol4 ,captain ,faria says that centipedes are often brought on board with the wood1 among which they usually lie concealed1 seldom making their appearance1 unless disturbed and driven out of their hiding-place4 ,to less noxious visitors of this kind one gets soon accustomed4 ,as ,i shake out my dress1 ,i hear a cold flop on the floor1 and a pretty little house-lizard1 who has found a warm retreat in its folds1 makes his escape with all celerity4 ,cockroaches swarm everywhere1 and it would be a vigilant housekeeper who could keep her closets free of them4 ,ants are the greatest nuisance of all1 and the bite of the fire-ant is really terrible4 ,i remember once1 in ,esperana's cottage1 having hung some towels to dry on the cord of my hammock2 ,i was about to remove them1 when suddenly my hand and arm seemed plunged into fire4 ,i dropped the towels as if they had been hot coals1 which for the moment they literally seemed to be1 and then ,i saw that my arm was covered with little brown ants4 ,brushing them off in all haste1 ,i called ,laudigari1 who found an army of them passing over the hammock1 and out of the window1 near which it hung4 ,he said they were on their way somewhere1 and1 if left undisturbed1 would be gone in an hour or two4 ,and so it proved to be4 ,we saw no more of them4 ,major ,coutinho says that1 in certain ,amazonian tribes1 the ,indian bridegroom is subjected to a singular test4 ,on the day of his marriage1 while the wedding festivities are going on1 his hand is tied up in a paper bag filled with fire-ants4 ,if he bears this torture smilingly and unmoved1 he is considered fit for the trials of matrimony4 ,yesterday we arrived at ,pedreira1 a little village consisting of some fifteen or twenty houses hemmed in by forest4 ,the place certainly deserves its name of the 8place of stones10 for the shore is fringed with rocks and boulders4 ,we landed at once1 and ,mr4 ,coutinho and ,mr4 ,agassiz spent the morning in geologizing and botanizing4 ,in the course of our ramble we came upon an exceedingly picturesque ,indian camp4 ,the river is now so high that the water runs far up into the forest4 ,in such an overflowed wood1 a number of ,indian montarias were moored2 while1 on a tract of dry land near by1 the ,indians had cleared a little grove1 cutting down the inner trees1 and leaving only the outer ones standing1 so as to make a shady1 circular arbor4 ,within this arbor the hammocks were slung2 while outside were the kettles and water-jugs1 and utensils of one sort and another4 ,in this little camp were several ,indian families1 who had left their mandioca plantations in the forest1 to pass the ,christmas festa in the village4 ,i asked the women what they did1 they and their babies1 of which there were a goodly number1 when it rained2 for a roof of foliage is poor shelter in these tropical rains1 descending1 not in drops1 but in sheets4 ,they laughed1 and1 pointing to their canoes1 said they crept under the tolda1 the arched roof of palm-thatch which always encloses the stern of an ,indian montaria1 and were safe4 ,even this1 in the open river1 would not be a protection2 but1 moored as the boats are in the midst of a thick wood1 they do not receive the full force of the showers4 ,in returning from our walk we stopped at a house where an ,indian was making palm-thatch from the leaflets of the ,curua palm4 ,when quite young1 they are packed closely around the midrib4 ,the ,indians turn them down1 leaving them attached to the axis by a few fibres only1 so that1 when the midrib is held up1 they hang from it like so many straw-colored ribands1 being1 at that age1 of a very delicate color4 ,with these leaves they thatch their walls and roofs1 setting the midrib1 which is strong and sometimes four or five yards long1 across1 to serve as a support1 and binding down the pendent leaves4 ,such a thatch will last for years1 and is an excellent protection from rain as well as sun4 ,i should add1 that1 in other parts of the country1 different kinds of palms are used for this purpose4 ,on our return to the village we were met by the padre1 who invited us to rest at his house1 stopping on the way1 at our request1 to show us the church4 ,the condition of a settlement is generally indicated by the state of the church4 ,this one was sadly in want of repairs1 the mud walls being pierced with more windows than they were originally intended to possess2 but the interior was neat1 and the altar prettier than one would expect to find in so poor a place as ,pedreira appears to be4 ,perhaps the church was in better order than usual1 being indeed in festival trim4 ,christmas week was not yet over1 and the baby ,christ lay on his green bed in a little arbor of leaves and flowers1 evidently made expressly for the purpose4 ,the padre of this little village1 ,father ,samuel1 an ,italian priest1 who has passed many years of his life among the ,indians of ,south ,america1 partly in ,bolivia and partly in ,brazil1 had not so much to say in favor of the healthfulness of his parish as the padre whom we had seen the night before in ,taua ,passu4 ,he told us that intermittent fever1 from which he had suffered much himself1 is frequent1 and that the people are poorly and insufficiently fed4 ,when they have had no recent arrival from ,manaos1 neither coffee1 sugar1 tea1 nor bread are to be had in the village4 ,as there is no beach here1 the fishing is done at a distance on the other side of the river2 and when the waters are very high1 fish are not obtained even there4 ,at such times the ,indians live exclusively on farinha d'agua and water4 ,this meagre diet1 though injurious to the health1 satisfies the cravings of hunger with those accustomed to it2 but the few whites in this solitary place suffer severely4 ,what a comment is this scarcity of food on the indolence and indifference of the population in a region where an immense variety of vegetables might be cultivated with little labor1 where the pasturage is excellent 7as is attested by the fine condition of the few cows at ,pedreira71 and where coffee1 cacao1 cotton1 and sugar have a genial climate and soil1 and yield more copious crops than in many countries from which large exports of these productions are made6 ,and yet1 in this land of abundance1 the people live in dread of actual want4 ,the village consists1 as ,i have said1 of some fifteen or twenty houses1 all of which are at this moment occupied2 but ,father ,samuel tells us that we see the little place at its flood-tide1 ,christmas week having brought together the inhabitants of the neighborhood4 ,they will disperse again1 after a few days1 to their palm-houses and mandioca plantations in the forest2 and the padre says that1 on many a ,sunday throughout the year1 his congregation consists only of himself and the boys who assist at the service4 ,after we had rested for half an hour at the priest's house1 he proposed to send us to his little mandioca plantation at a short distance in the forest1 where a particular kind of palm1 which ,mr4 ,agassiz greatly coveted1 was to be obtained4 ,such a proposition naturally suggests a walk2 but in this country of inundated surfaces land journeys1 as will be seen1 are often made by water4 ,we started in a montaria1 and1 after keeping along the river for some time1 we turned into the woods and began to navigate the forest4 ,the water was still and clear as glass3 the trunks of the trees stood up from it1 their branches dipped into it2 and as we wound in and out among them1 putting aside a bough here and there1 or stooping to float under a green arbor1 the reflection of every leaf was so perfect that wood and water seemed to melt into each other1 and it was difficult to say where the one began and the other ended4 ,silence and shade so profound brooded over the whole scene that the mere ripple of our paddles seemed a disturbance4 ,after half an hour's row we came to dry land1 where we went on shore1 taking our boatmen with us2 and the wood soon resounded with the sound of their hatchets1 as the palms fell under their blows4 ,we returned with a boat-load of palms1 besides a number of plants of various kinds which we had not seen elsewhere4 ,we reached the 8,ibicuhy0 just in time2 for scarcely were we well on board and in snug quarters again1 when the heavens opened and the floods came down4 ,i am not yet accustomed to the miraculous force and profusion of these torrents of water1 and every shower is a fresh surprise4 ,yet the rainy season is no such impediment to travelling and working as we had supposed it would be4 ,the rain is by no means continuous1 and there are often several days together of clear weather4 ,indeed1 it no more rains all the time in the rainy season here than it snows all the time in the winter with us4 ,one word of the geology4 ,the ,pedreira granite1 of which we had heard1 proves to be a granitoid mica-slate1--a highly metamorphic rock1 indistinctly stratified1 but resembling granite in its composition4 ,it is in immediate contact with the red drift which rests above it4 ,this morning we had a melancholy proof of the brutality of recruiting here1 of which we have already heard so much4 ,several ,indians1 who had been kept in confinement in ,pedreira for some days1 waiting for an opportunity to send them to ,manaos1 were brought out to the ship4 ,these poor wretches had their feet passed through heavy blocks of wood1 the holes being just large enough to fit around the ankles4 ,of course they could only move with the greatest difficulty2 and they were half pushed1 half dragged up the side of the vessel1 one of them having apparently such a fit of ague upon him that1 when he was fairly landed on his feet1 ,i could see him shake from my seat at a distance of half the deck4 ,these ,indians can speak no ,portuguese3 they cannot understand why they are forced to go2 they only know that they are seized in the woods and treated as if they were the worst criminals2 punished with barbarity for no crime1 and then sent to fight for the government which so misuses them4 ,to the honor of our commander be it said1 that he showed the deepest indignation at the condition in which these men were delivered into his hands3 he caused the blocks of wood to be sawed off their feet immediately1 gave them wine and food1 and showed them every kindness4 ,he protested that the whole proceeding was illegal1 and contrary to the intentions of the central authority4 ,it is1 however1 the way in which the recruiting is accomplished throughout this ,indian district2 and the defence made by those who justify it is1 that the ,indians1 like any other citizens1 must fight for the maintenance of the laws which protect them2 that the government needs their services2 and that this is the only way to secure them1 as they are very unwilling to go1 and very cunning and agile in escaping4 ,beside these three men1 there were two others2 one a volunteer1 and the other from a better class1 the pilot of the cataract on the ,rio ,branco4 ,a man so employed ought1 for the sake of the community1 to be exempt from military service1 as few persons understand the dangerous navigation of the river1 where broken by cascades4 ,he will doubtless be sent back when his case is represented to the ,president of the province4 ,december #cast4--,again on our way back to ,manaos1 having made1 on our return1 another short stay at ,taua ,passu1 where1 during the two days of our absence1 the padre of the village had prepared a large collection of palms for ,mr4 ,agassiz4 ,our collection of palms is becoming quite numerous2 and though they must of course1 in the process of drying1 lose all their beauty of coloring1 we hope they may retain something of the grace and dignity of their bearing4 ,but even should this not be the case1 they will answer every purpose of study1 as with each one specimens of its fruit and flowers are preserved in alcohol4 ,a palm has just been brought on board--the ,baccba1 or wine-palm 7nocarpus7--from which the flowers droop in long crimson cords1 with bright-green berries from distance to distance along their length1 like an immense coral tassel1 flecked here and there with green1 hanging from the dark trunk of the tree4 ,the mode of flowering of the cocoa-nut palm1 which we see everywhere though it is not indigenous here1 is very beautiful4 ,the flowers burst from the sheath in a long plume of soft1 creamy-white blossoms3 such a plume is so heavy with the weight of pendent flowers that it can hardly be lifted2 and its effect is very striking1 hanging high up on the trunk1 just under the green vault of leaves4 ,i think there is nothing among the characteristic features of tropical scenery of which one forms less idea at home than of the palms4 ,their name is legion2 the variety of their forms1 of their foliage1 fruit1 and flowers1 is perfectly bewildering2 and yet1 as a group1 their character is unmistakable4 ,the following extracts are taken from ,mr4 ,agassiz's notes on palms1 written during this excursion on the ,rio ,negro4 ,illustration3 ,fan ,baccba 7nocarpus distychius74 8,the palms1 as a natural group1 stand out among all other plants with remarkable distinctness and individuality4 ,and yet this common character1 uniting them so closely as a natural order1 does not prevent the most striking difference between various kinds of palms4 ,as a whole1 no family of trees is more similar2 generically and specifically none is more varied1 even though other families include a greater number of species4 ,their differences seem to me to be determined in a great measure by the peculiar arrangement of their leaves2 indeed1 palms1 with their colossal leaves1 few in number1 may be considered as ornamental diagrams of the primary laws according to which the leaves of all plants throughout the whole vegetable kingdom are arranged2 laws now recognized by the most advanced botanists of the day1 and designated by them as ,phyllotaxis4 ,the simplest arrangement in these mathematics of the vegetable world is that of the grasses1 in which the leaves are placed alternately on opposite sides of the stem1 thus dividing the space around it in equal halves4 ,as the stem of the grasses elongates1 these pairs of leaves are found scattered along its length2 and it is only in ears or spikes of some genera that we find them growing so compactly on the axis as to form a close head4 ,of this law of growth the palm known as the ,baccba of ,par 7nocarpus distychius7 is an admirable illustration2 its leaves being disposed in pairs one above another at the summit of the stem1 but in such immediate contact as to form a thick crown4 ,on account of this disposition of the leaves1 its appearance is totally different from that of any other palm with which ,i am acquainted4 ,i do not know any palm in which the leaves are arranged in three directions only1 as in the reeds and sedges of our marshes1 unless it be the ,jacitara 7,desmonchus71 whose winding slender stem1 however1 makes the observation uncertain4 ,an arrangement in five different directions is common in all those palms which1 when young1 have only a cluster of five fully developed leaves above the ground1 with a spade-like sixth leaf rising from the centre4 ,when full grown1 they usually exhibit a crown of ten or fifteen leaves and more1 divided into tiers of five1 one above the other1 but so close together that the whole appears like a rounded head4 ,sometimes1 however1 the crown is more open1 as in the ,maximiliana regia 7,inaja71 for instance1 in which the stem is not very high1 and the leaves1 always in cycles of five1 spread slightly1 so as to form an open vase rising from a slender stem4 ,the ,assai 7,euterpe edulis7 has an eight-leaved arrangement1 and has never more than a single cycle of leaves1 though it may sometimes have seven leaves when the first of the old cycle has dropped1 before the ninth1 with which the new cycle begins1 has opened2 or nine1 if the first leaf of the new cycle 7the ninth in number7 has opened1 before the first of the old cycle has dropped4 ,these leaves1 of a delicate1 pale green1 are cut into a thousand leaflets1 which tremble in the lightest breeze1 and tell you that the air is stirring even when the heat seems breathless4 ,a more elegant and attractive diagram of the ,phyllotaxis of probably does not exist in nature4 ,the common ,cocoa-nut tree has its leaves arranged according to the fraction of #e_/ac2 but1 though the crown consists of several cycles of leaves1 they do not form a close head1 because the older ones become pendent1 while the younger are more erect4 ,the ,pupunha1 or peach palm 7,guilielma71 follows the ,phyllotaxis of #h_/ba2 but in this instance all the leaves are evenly arched over1 so that the whole forms a deep-green vault1 the more beautiful from the rich color of the foliage4 ,when the heavy cluster of ripe1 red fruit hangs under this dark vault1 the tree is in its greatest beauty4 ,as the leaves of this palm are not so closely set in the younger specimens as in the older ones1 its aspect changes at different stages of growth2 the leaves in the younger trees being distributed over a greater length of the trunk1 while1 in the adult taller ones1 they are more compact4 ,this arrangement is repeated in the ,javari and ,tucuma 7,astrocaryum72 but in these the closely-set leaves stand erect1 broom-like1 at the head of the long stalk4 ,in the ,mucaja 7,acrocomia7 the leaves are arranged according to the fraction #ac_/cd4 ,thus1 under the same fundamental principle of growth1 an infinite variety is introduced1 among trees of one order1 by the slight differences in the distribution and constitution of the leaves themselves4 ,in the ,musace1 or ,scytamine1 the ,bananas1 another order of the same class of plants1 a diversity equally remarkable is produced in the same way1 namely1 by slight modifications of this fundamental law4 ,what can differ more in appearance than the common ,banana 7,musa paradisiaca71 with its large simple leaves1 so loosely arranged around the stem1 so graceful and easy in their movements1 and the ,banana of ,madagascar 7,ravenala madagascariensis71 commonly known as the ,traveller's tree1 which1 like the ,baccba of ,par1 has its leaves alternating regularly on opposite sides of the trunk1 and so closely packed together as to form an immense flat fan on a colossal stem8 ,yet1 in all these plants the arrangement of leaves obeys the same law1 which is illustrated with equal distinctness by each one4 ,this mathematical disposition of leaves is thus shown to be compatible with a great variety of essentially different structures2 and though the law of ,phyllotaxis prevails in all plants1 being limited neither to class1 orders1 families1 genera1 nor species1 but running in various combinations through the whole kingdom1 ,i believe it can be studied to especial advantage in the group of palms1 on account of the prominence of their few large leaves4 ,the most abundant and characteristic palms of the ,rio ,negro are the ,javari 7,astrocaryum ,javari71 the ,muru-,muru 7,astrocaryum ,murumuru71 the ,uauassu 7,attalea speciosa71 the ,inaja 7,maximiliana regia71 the ,baccba 7nocarpus ,baccba71 the ,paxiuba 7,iriartea exorhiza71 the ,carana 7,mauritia ,carana71 the ,caranai 7,mauritia horrida71 the ,ubim 7,geonoma71 and the ,curua 7,attalea spectabilis72 of these the two latter are the most useful4 ,the remarkable ,piassaba 7,leopoldinia ,piassaba7 occurs only far above the junction of the ,rio ,negro and ,rio ,branco4 ,we obtained1 however1 a specimen that had been planted at ,itatiassu4 ,the many small kinds of ,ubim 7,geonoma71 and ,maraja 7,bactris71 and even the ,jara 7,leopoldinia71 are so completely overshadowed by the larger trees that they are only noticed where clustered along the river-banks4 ,bussus 7,manicaria71 ,assais 7,euterpe7 ,mucaja 7,acrocomia71 grow also on the ,rio ,negro1 but it remains to be ascertained whether they are specifically identical with those of the ,lower ,amazons4 ,so peculiar is the aspect of the different species of palms that1 from the deck of the steamer1 they can be singled out as easily as the live-oaks or pecan-nut trees1 so readily distinguished on the lower course of the ,mississippi1 or the different kinds of oaks1 birches1 beeches1 or walnut-trees which attract observation when sailing along the shores of our ,northern lakes4 ,it seems1 however1 impossible to discriminate between all the trees of this wonderful ,amazonian forest2 partly because they grow in such heterogeneous associations4 ,in the temperate zone we have oak-forests1 pine-forests1 birch1 beech1 and maple woods1 the same kinds of trees congregating together on one soil4 ,not so here2 there is the most extraordinary diversity in the combination of plants1 and it is a very rare thing to see the soil occupied for any extent by the same kind of tree4 ,a large number of the trees forming these forests are still unknown to science1 and yet the ,indians1 those practical botanists and zologists1 are well acquainted1 not only with their external appearance1 but also with their various properties4 ,so intimate is their practical knowledge of the natural objects about them1 that ,i believe it would greatly contribute to the progress of science if a systematic record were made of all the information thus scattered through the land2 an encyclopdia of the woods1 as it were1 taken down from the tribes which inhabit them4 ,i think it would be no bad way of collecting1 to go from settlement to settlement1 sending the ,indians out to gather all the plants they know1 to dry and label them with the names applied to them in the locality1 and writing out1 under the heads of these names1 all that may thus be ascertained of their medicinal and otherwise useful properties1 as well as their botanical character4 ,a critical examination of these collections would at once correct the information thus obtained1 especially if the person intrusted with the care of gathering these materials had so much knowledge of botany as would enable him to complete the collections brought in by the ,indians1 adding to them such parts as might be wanted for a complete systematic description4 ,the specimens ought not to be chosen1 however1 as they have hitherto been1 solely with reference to those parts which are absolutely necessary to identify the species2 the collections1 to be complete1 ought to include the wood1 the bark1 the roots1 and the soft fruits in alcohol4 ,the abundance and variety of timber in the ,amazonian ,valley strikes us with amazement4 ,we long to hear the saw-mill busy in these forests1 where there are several hundred kinds of woods1 admirably suited for construction as well as for the finest cabinet-work2 remarkable for the beauty of their grain1 for their hardness1 for the variety of their tints and their veining1 and for their durability4 ,and yet so ignorant are the inhabitants of the value of timber that1 when they want a plank1 they cut down a tree1 and chop it to the desired thickness with a hatchet4 ,there are many other vegetable products1 besides those already exported from the ,amazons1 which will one day be poured into the market from its fertile shores4 ,the clearest and purest oils are made from some of the nuts and palm fruits1 while many of the palms yield the most admirable fibrous material for cordage1 singularly elastic and resistant4 ,besides its material products1--and of these the greater part rot on the ground for want of hands to gather them1--the climate and soil are favorable for the growth of sugar1 coffee1 cocoa1 and cotton2 and ,i may add1 that the spices of the ,east might be cultivated in the valley of the ,amazons as well as in the ,dutch possessions of ,asia40 ,sunday1 #cast4--,manaos4 ,we had wished exceedingly to extend our excursion on the ,rio ,negro to the mouth of the ,rio ,branco1 but our pilot would not undertake to conduct the 8,ibicuhy0 beyond ,pedreira1 as he said the stones in the bed of the river were numerous and large and the channel at this season not very deep4 ,we were1 therefore1 obliged to return without accomplishing the whole object of this voyage2 but though short1 it was nevertheless most interesting1 and has left with us a vivid impression of the peculiar character of this great stream4 ,beautiful as are the endless forests1 however1 we could not but long1 when skirting them day after day without seeing a house or meeting a canoe1 for the sight of tilled soil1 for pasture-lands1 for open ground1 for wheat-fields and haystacks1--for any sign1 in short1 of the presence of man4 ,as we sat at night in the stern of the vessel1 looking up this vast river1 stretching many hundred leagues1 with its solitary1 uninhabited shores and impenetrable forests1 it was difficult to resist an oppressive sense of loneliness4 ,though here and there an ,indian settlement or a ,brazilian village breaks the distance1 yet the population is a mere handful in such a territory4 ,i suppose the time will come when the world will claim it1 when this river1 where1 in a six days' journey1 we have passed but two or three canoes1 will have its steamers and vessels of all sorts going up and down1 and its banks will be busy with life2 but the day is not yet4 ,when ,i remember the poor people ,i have seen in the watch-making and lace-making villages of ,switzerland1 hardly lifting their eyes off their work from break of day till night1 and even then earning barely enough to keep them above actual want1 and think how easily everything grows here1 on land to be had for almost nothing1 it seems a pity that some parts of the world should be so overstocked that there is not nourishment for all1 and others so empty that there are none to gather the harvest4 ,we long to see a vigorous emigration pour into this region so favored by ,nature1 so bare of inhabitants4 ,but things go slowly in these latitudes2 great cities do not spring up in half a century1 as with us4 ,humboldt1 in his account of his ,south-,american journey1 writes3 8,since my departure from the banks of the ,orinoco and the ,amazon1 a new era has unfolded itself in the social state of the nations of the ,west4 ,the fury of civil dissensions has been succeeded by the blessings of peace1 and a freer development of the arts of industry4 ,the bifurcations of the ,orinoco1 the isthmus of ,tuamini1 so easy to be made passable by an artificial canal1 will erelong fix the attention of commercial ,europe4 ,the ,cassiquiare1 as broad as the ,rhine1 and the course of which is one hundred and eighty miles in length1 will no longer form uselessly a navigable canal between two basins of rivers which have a surface of one hundred and ninety thousand square leagues4 ,the grain of ,new ,granada will be carried to the banks of the ,rio ,negro2 boats will descend from the sources of the ,napo and the ,ucuyale1 from the ,andes of ,quito and of ,upper ,peru1 to the mouths of the ,orinoco1--a distance which equals that from ,timbuctoo to ,marseilles40 ,such were the anticipations of ,humboldt more than sixty years ago2 and at this day the banks of the ,rio ,negro and the ,cassiquiare are still as luxuriant and as desolate1 as fertile and as uninhabited1 as they were then4 ,january #hth4--,manaos4 ,the necessity for some days of rest1 after so many months of unintermitted work1 has detained ,mr4 ,agassiz here for a week4 ,it has given us an opportunity of renewing our walks in the neighborhood of ,manaos1 of completing our collection of plants1 and also of refreshing our memory of scenes which we shall probably never see again1 and among which we have had a pleasant home for nearly three months4 ,the woods are much more full of flowers than they were when ,i first became acquainted with their many pleasant paths4 ,passion-flowers are especially abundant4 ,there is one kind which has a delicious perfume1 not unlike ,cape ,jessamine4 ,it hides itself away in the shade1 but its fragrance betrays it2 and if you put aside the branches of the trees1 you are sure to find its large white-and-purple flowers1 and dark1 thick-leaved vine1 climbing up some neighboring trunk4 ,another1 which seems rather to court than avoid observation1 is of a bright red2 and its crimson stars are often seen set1 as it were1 in the thick foliage of the forest4 ,but1 much as ,i enjoy the verdure here1 ,i appreciate1 more than ever before1 the marked passage of the seasons in our ,northern hemisphere4 ,in this unchanging1 green world1 which never alters from century to century1 except by a little more or less moisture1 a little more or less heat1 ,i think with the deepest gratitude of winter and spring1 summer and autumn4 ,the circle of nature seems incomplete1 and even the rigors of our climate are remembered with affection in this continual vapor-bath4 ,it is literally true that you cannot move ten steps without being drenched in perspiration4 ,however1 this character of the heat prevents it from being scorching2 and we have no reason to change our first impression1 that1 on the whole1 the climate is much less oppressive than we expected to find it1 and the nights are invariably cool4 ,at the end of this week we resume our voyage on board the 8,ibicuhy10 going slowly down to ,par1 stopping at several points on the way4 ,our first station will be at ,villa ,bella1 where ,mr4 ,agassiz wishes to make another collection of fishes4 ,it may seem strange that1 after having obtained1 nearly five months ago1 very large collections from the ,amazons itself at this point1 as well as from the lakes in the neighborhood1 he should return to the same locality1 instead of choosing another region for investigation4 ,were his object merely or mainly to become acquainted with the endless diversity of fishes he now knows to exist in this immense fresh-water basin1 such a repetition of specimens from the same locality would certainly be superfluous1 since it is probable that a different point would be more prolific in new species4 ,the mere accumulation of species is1 however1 entirely subordinate to the object which he has kept in view ever since he began his present researches1 namely1 that of ascertaining by direct observation the geographical range of the fishes1 and determining whether their migrations are so frequent and extensive as they are said to be4 ,i make an extract from ,mr4 ,agassiz's notes on this subject4 8,i have been frequently told here that the fishes were very nomadic1 the same place being occupied at different seasons of the year by different species4 ,my own investigations have led me to believe that these reports are founded on imperfect observations1 and that the localization of species is more distinct and permanent in these waters than has been supposed2 their migrations being1 indeed1 very limited1 consisting chiefly in rovings from shallower to deeper waters1 and from these to shoals again1 at those seasons when the range of the shore in the same water-basin is affected by the rise and fall of the river2--that is to say1 the fishes found at the bottom of a lake covering perhaps a square mile in extent1 when the waters are lowest1 will appear near the shores of the same lake when1 at the season of high waters1 it extends over a much wider area4 ,in the same way1 fishes which gather near the mouth of a rivulet1 at the time of low waters1 will be found as high as its origin at the period of high waters2 while fishes which inhabit the larger igaraps on the sides of the ,amazons when they are swollen by the rise of the river1 may be found in the ,amazons itself when the stream is low4 ,there is not a single fish known to ascend from the sea to the higher courses of the ,amazons at certain seasons1 and to return regularly to the ocean4 ,there is no fish here corresponding to the salmon1 for instance1 which ascends the streams of ,europe and ,north ,america to deposit its spawn in the cool head-waters of the larger rivers1 and then returns to the sea4 ,the wanderings of the ,amazonian fishes are rather a result of the alternate widening and contracting of their range by the rise and fall of the waters1 than of a migratory habit2 and may be compared to the movements of those oceanic fishes which1 at certain seasons1 seek the shoals near the shore1 while they spend the rest of the year in deeper waters4 8,take our shad as an example4 ,it is caught on the coast of ,georgia in ,february1 on the ,carolina shores a little later2 in ,march it may be found in ,washington and ,baltimore1 next in ,philadelphia and ,new ,york2 and it does not make its appearance in the ,boston market 7except when brought from farther south7 before the latter part of ,april1 or the beginning of ,may4 ,this sequence has led to the belief that the shad migrates from ,georgia to ,new ,england4 ,an examination of the condition of these fishes1 during the months when they are sold in our markets1 shows at once that this cannot be the case4 ,they are always full of roe1 and1 being valued for the table at this period1 they are brought to market at each locality until the spawning season is over4 ,now1 as they cannot breed twice within a few weeks1 it is evident that the shad which make their appearance successively along the ,atlantic coast from ,february to ,may are not the same4 ,it is the spring which migrates northward1 calling up the shoals of shad from the deeper sea1 as it touches in succession different points along the shore4 ,such movements1 if thus connected with the advancing spring along a whole coast1 appear to be migrations from south to north1 when they are1 in fact1 only the successive rising of the same species from deeper to shallower waters at the breeding season4 ,in the same way it is probable that the inequality in the seasons of rise and fall1 between the different tributaries of the ,amazons and the various parts of its own course1 may give a sequence to the appearance of the fish in certain localities1 which seems like migration without being so1 in fact4 8,keeping in view all the information ,i could obtain upon this subject1 ,i have attempted1 wherever it was possible to do so1 to make collections simultaneously at different points of the ,amazons3 thus1 while ,i was collecting at ,villa ,bella six months ago1 some of my assistants were engaged in the same way at ,santarem1 and higher up on the ,tapajoz2 while ,i was working at ,teff1 parties were busy in the ,hyavary1 the ,ia1 and the ,hyutahy2 and during my last stay at ,manaos1 parties have been collecting at ,cudajas and at ,manacaparu1 and higher up on the ,rio ,negro1 as well as at some lower points on the main river4 ,at some of these stations ,i have been able to repeat my investigations at different seasons1 though the intervals between the earlier and later collections made at the same localities have1 of course1 not been the same4 ,between the first collections made at ,teff and the last1 hardly two months intervened1 while those made on our first arrival at ,manaos in ,september up to the present time cover an interval of four months2 from the first to the last at ,villa ,bella more than five months will have elapsed4 ,on this account ,i attach great importance to the renewal of my investigations at that place1 as well as to the later collections from ,obydos1 ,santarem1 ,monte ,alegre1 ,porto do ,moz1 ,gurup1 ,tajapur1 and ,par4 ,as far as these comparisons have gone1 they show that the distinct faun of the above-named localities are not the result of migrations2 for not only have different fishes been found in all these basins at the same time1 but at different times the same fishes have been found to recur in the same basins1 whenever the fishing was carried on1 not merely in favored localities1 but as far as possible over the whole area indiscriminately1 in deep and shoal waters4 ,should it prove that at ,par1 as well as at the intervening stations1 after an interval of six months1 the fishes are throughout the same as when we ascended the river1 the evidence against the supposed extensive migrations of the ,amazonian fishes will certainly be very strong4 ,the striking limitation of species within definite areas does not1 however1 exclude the presence of certain kinds of fish simultaneously throughout the whole ,amazonian basin4 ,the ,pirarucu1 for instance1 is found everywhere from ,peru to ,par2 and so are a few other species more or less extensively distributed over what may be considered distinct ichthyological faun4 ,but these wide-spread species are not migratory2 they have normally and permanently a wide range1 just as some terrestrial animals have an almost cosmopolite character1 while others are circumscribed within comparatively narrow limits4 ,though most quadrupeds of the ,united ,states1 for instance1 differ from those of ,mexico and ,brazil1 constituting several distinct faun1 there is one1 the puma or red lion1 the panther of the ,north1 which is found on the east of the ,rocky ,mountains and the ,andes1 from ,patagonia to ,canada4 8,the movement of the waters1 which affects so powerfully the distribution of the fishes1 forms in itself a very curious phenomenon4 ,there is1 as it were1 a rhythmical correspondence in the rise and fall of the affluents on either shore of the ,amazons1 causing the great body of the water1 in its semiannual tides1 to sway alternately more to the north or to the south4 ,on the southern side of the valley1 the rains begin in the months of ,september and ,october4 ,they pour down from the table-lands of ,brazil and the mountains of ,bolivia with cumulative force1 gathering strength as the rainy season progresses1 swelling the head-waters of the ,purus1 ,madeira1 ,tapajoz1 and other southern tributaries1 and gradually descending to the main stream4 ,the process is a slow one1 however1 and the full force of the new flood is not felt in the ,amazons until ,february and ,march4 ,during the month of ,march1 in the region below the confluence of the ,madeira1 for instance1 the rise of the ,amazons averages a foot in twenty-four hours1 so great is the quantity of water poured into it4 ,at about the same period with the southern rains1 or a little earlier1 say in the months of ,august and ,september1 the snows in the ,andes begin to melt and flow down towards the plain4 ,this contribution from the ,cordilleras of ,peru and ,equador1 coinciding with that from the highlands of ,brazil and ,bolivia1 swells the ,amazons in its centre and on its southern side to such an extent that the bulk of the water pushes northward1 crowding upon its northern shore1 and flowing even into the tributaries which open on that side of the river1 and are now at their lowest ebb4 ,presently1 however1 the rains on the table-lands of ,guiana1 and on the northern spurs of the ,andes1 where the rainy season prevails chiefly in ,february and ,march1 repeat the same process in their turn4 ,during ,april and ,may the northern tributaries are rising1 and they reach their maximum in ,june4 ,thus1 at the end of ,june1 when the southern rivers have already fallen considerably1 the northern rivers are at their flood-tide4 ,the ,rio ,negro1 for instance1 rises at ,manaos to about forty-five feet above its lowest level4 ,this mass of water from the north now presses against that in the centre1 and bears it southward again4 ,the rainy season along the course of the ,amazons is from ,december till ,march1 corresponding very nearly1 in the time of the year and in duration1 with our winter4 ,it must be remembered that the valley of the ,amazons is not a valley in the ordinary sense1 bordered by walls or banks enclosing the waters which flow between4 ,it is1 on the contrary1 a plain some seven or eight hundred miles wide and between two and three thousand miles long1 with a slope so slight that it hardly averages more than a foot in ten miles4 ,between ,obydos and the sea-shore1 a distance of about eight hundred miles1 the fall is only forty-five feet2 between ,tabatinga and the sea-shore1 a distance of more than two thousand miles in a straight line1 the fall is about two hundred feet4 ,the impression to the eye is1 therefore1 that of an absolute plain2 and the flow of the water is so gentle that1 in many parts of the river1 it is hardly perceptible4 ,nevertheless1 it has a steady movement eastward1 descending the gentle slope of this wide plain1 from the ,andes to the sea2 this movement1 aided by the interflow from the south and north at opposite seasons1 presses the bulk of the water to its northernmost reach during our winter months1 and to its southernmost limit during our summer months4 ,in consequence of this1 the bottom of the valley is constantly shifting1 and there is a tendency to form channels from the main river to its tributaries1 such as we have seen to exist between the ,solimoens and the ,rio ,negro1--such as ,humboldt mentions between the ,hyapura and the ,amazons4 ,indeed1 all these rivers are bound together by an extraordinary network of channels1 forming a succession of natural highways which will always make artificial roads1 to a great degree1 unnecessary4 ,whenever the country is settled1 it will be possible to pass from the ,purus1 for instance1 to the ,madeira1 from the ,madeira to the ,tapajoz1 from the ,tapajoz to the ,xingu1 and thence to the ,tocantins1 without entering the course of the main river4 ,the ,indians call these passes #8furo1' literally1 a bore1--a passage pierced from one river to another4 ,hereafter1 when the interests of commerce claim this fertile1 overflowed region1 these channels will be of immense advantage for intercommunication40 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,descending ,,the ,,river ,,to ,,par4--,,excursions ,,on ,,the ,,coast4 ,,farewell ,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,great ,,cascade ,,at ,,manaos4--,,change ,,in ,,its ,,aspect4--,,arrival ,,at ,,villa ,,bella4--,,return ,,to ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,the ,,fisherman ,,maia4--,,excursion ,,to ,,the ,,lago ,,maximo4--,,quantity ,,of ,,game ,,and ,,waterfowl4--,,victoria ,,regia4--,,leave ,,villa ,,bella4--,,arrive ,,at ,,obydos4--,,its ,,situation ,,and ,,geology4--,,santarem4--,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,church4--,,anecdote ,,of ,,martius4--,a ,,row ,,overland4--,,monte ,,al,,gre4--,,picturesque ,,scenery4--8,,banheiras40--,,excursion ,,into ,,the ,,country4--,,leave ,,monte ,,al,,gre4--,,anecdote ,,of ,,indians4--,,almeyrim4--,,new ,,geological ,,facts4--,,porto ,,do ,,moz4--,,collections4--,,gurup4--,,taja pur4--,,arrive ,,at ,,par4--,,religious ,,procession4--,,excursion ,,to ,,marajo4--,,sour,s4--,,jesuit ,,missions4--,,geology ,,of ,,marajo4--,,buried ,,forest4--,,vigia4--,,igarap4--,,vegeta tion ,,and ,,animal ,,life4--,,geology4--,,return ,,to ,,par4--,,photographing ,,plants4--,,extract ,,from ,,mr4 ,,agassiz',s ,,notes ,,on ,,the ,,vegetation ,,of ,,the ,,amazons4--,,prevalence ,,of ,,leprosy4 ,january #aeth4--,to-day finds us on our way down the ,amazons in the 8,ibicuhy40 ,the day before leaving ,manaos we paid a last visit to the great cascade1 bathed once more in its cool1 delicious waters1 and breakfasted by the side of the fall4 ,before many weeks are over1 the cascade will have disappeared2 it will be drowned out1 as it were1 for the igarap is filling rapidly with the rise of the river1 and will soon reach the level of the sandstone shelf over which the water is precipitated4 ,already the appearance of the spot is greatly changed since we were there before4 ,the banks are overflowed2 the rocks and logs which stood out from the water are wholly covered2 and where there was only a brawling stream1 so shallow that it hardly afforded depth for the smallest canoe1 there is now a not insignificant river4 ,indeed1 everywhere we see signs of the changes wrought by the 8enchente40 ,the very texture of the ,amazons is changed2 it is thicker and yellower than when we ascended it1 and much more laden with floating wood1 detached grasses1 and dbris of all sorts washed from the shore4 ,wild-flowers are also more abundant than they were when we came up the river in ,september2 not delicate1 small plants1 growing low among moss and grass1 as do our violets1 anemones1 and the like2 but large blossoms1 covering tall trees1 and resembling exotics at home1 by their rich color and powerful odor4 ,indeed1 the flowers of the ,amazonian forests always remind me of hot-house plants3 and there often comes a warm breath from the depths of the woods1 laden with moisture and perfume1 like the air from the open door of a conservatory4 ,january #agth4--,we reached ,villa ,bella at eight o'clock yesterday morning1 but waited there only a few hours to make certain necessary arrangements1 and then kept on to the mouth of the river ,ramos1 an hour's sail from the town1--the same river which we had ascended from its upper point of juncture with the ,amazons1 on our excursion to ,mauhes4 ,we anchored at a short distance from the entrance1 before the house of our old acquaintances1 the ,maias1 where1 it may be remembered1 we passed a few days when collecting in this neighborhood before4 ,fortunately1 ,maia himself was in ,manaos when we left1 employed as a soldier in the ,national ,guard2 and the ,president kindly gave him leave to accompany us1 that ,mr4 ,agassiz might have the advantage of his familiarity with the locality1 and his experience in fishing4 ,the man himself was pleased to have an opportunity of visiting his family1 to whom his coming was an agreeable surprise4 ,we went on shore this morning to make them a visit1 taking with us some little souvenirs1 such as beads1 trinkets1 knives1 c4 ,we were received as old friends1 and made welcome to all the house would afford2 but1 though as clean as ever1 it looked poorer than on our former visit4 ,i saw neither dried fish nor mandioca nor farinha1 and the woman told me that she found it very hard to support her large family1 now that the husband and father was away4 ,the quantity of detached grass1 shrubs1 c4 carried past the vessel1 as we lie here at anchor1 is amazing1--floating gardens1 sometimes half an acre in extent4 ,some of these green rafts are inhabited2 water-birds go sailing by upon them1 and large animals are occasionally carried down the river in this way4 ,the commander told me that1 on one occasion1 when an ,english vessel was lying at anchor in the ,parana1 one of these grassy gardens was seen coming down the river with two deer upon it4 ,the current brought it directly against the ship1 and the captain had only to receive on board the guests who arrived thus unexpectedly to demand his hospitality4 ,in the same river another floating island brought with it a less agreeable inhabitant3 a large tiger had possessed himself of it and was sailing majestically with the current1 passing so near the shores that he was distinctly seen from the banks2 and people went out in montarias to get a nearer view of him1 though keeping always at a respectful distance4 ,the most conspicuous of the plants thus detached from the shore are the ,canarana 7a kind of wild cane71 a variety of aquatic ,aroides1 ,pistia among the number1 ,ecornia1 and a quantity of graceful floating ,marsileace4 ,january #ahth4--,to-day we have been on a hunt after the ,victoria regia4 ,we have made constant efforts to see this famous lily growing in its native waters2 but1 though frequently told that it was plenty at certain seasons in the lakes and igaraps1 we have never been able to find it4 ,yesterday some of the officers of the ship1 who had been on an excursion to a neighboring lake1 returned laden with botanical treasures of all sorts1 and1 among other plants1 an immense lily-leaf1 which1 from its dimensions1 we judged must be the ,victoria regia1 though it had not the erect edge so characteristic of it4 ,this morning1 accompanied by two or three of yesterday's party1 who kindly undertook to be our guides1 we went to visit the same lake4 ,a short walk from the river-bank brought us to the shore of a large sheet of water1--the ,lago ,maximo1--which connects with the ,ramos by a narrow outlet1 but at a point so distant from our anchorage that it would have been necessary to make a great detour in order to reach it in a canoe4 ,we found an old montaria1 with one or two broken paddles1 left1 as it seemed1 at the lake-shore for whom it might concern1 and in that we embarked at once4 ,the banks of this lake are bordered with beautiful forests1 which do not1 however1 rise immediately from the water1 but are divided from it by a broad band of grass4 ,we saw many water-birds on this grassy edge1 as well as on several dead trees1 the branches of which were completely covered with gulls1 all in exactly the same attitude1 facing one way1 to meet the wind which blew strongly against them4 ,ducks and ciganas were plenty2 and once or twice we startled up from the woods small flocks of mackaws1--not only the gaudy red1 green1 and yellow species1 but the far more beautiful blue mackaw4 ,they flew by us1 with their gorgeous plumage glittering in the sun1 and disappeared again among the trees1 seeking deeper and more undisturbed retreats4 ,from the reedy grasses came also the deep note of the unicorn1 so greatly prized in ,brazil1--a large bird1 half wader1 half fowl1 belonging to the genus ,palamedea2 but as we were only prepared for a botanizing expedition1 we could not avail ourselves of any of the opportunities thus offered2 and the birds1 however near and tempting the shots1 had little to fear from us4 ,at the upper end of the lake we came upon the bed of water-lilies from which the trophies of yesterday had been gathered4 ,the leaves were very large1 many of them from four to five feet in diameter2 but1 perhaps from having lost their first freshness and something therefore of their natural texture1 the edge of the leaf was scarcely perceptibly raised1 and in most instances lay perfectly flat upon the water4 ,we found buds1 but no perfect flower4 ,in the afternoon1 however1 one of the daughters of our fisherman ,maia1 hearing that we wished to see one of the flowers1 brought us a very perfect specimen from another more distant locality1 which we had not time to visit4 ,the ,indians1 by the way1 have a characteristic name for the leaf4 ,they call it 8forno10 on account of its resemblance to the immense shallow pans in which they bake their farinha over the mandioca ovens4 ,the ,victoria regia1 with its formidable armor of spines1 its gigantic leaves1 and beautiful flowers1 deepening in color from the velvety white outer leaves through every shade of rose to deepest crimson1 and fading again to a creamy1 yellowish tint in the heart of the flower1 has been described so often that ,i hardly dare dwell upon it1 for fear of wearying the reader4 ,and yet we could not see it growing in its native waters--a type1 as it were1 of the luxuriance of tropical nature--without the deepest interest4 ,wonderful as it is when seen in the tank of a greenhouse1 and perhaps even more impressive1 in a certain sense1 from its isolation1 in its own home it has the charm of harmony with all that surrounds it1--with the dense mass of forest1 with palm and parasite1 with birds of glowing plumage1 with insects of all bright and wonderful tints1 and with fishes which1 though hidden in the water beneath it1 are not less brilliant and varied than the world of life above4 ,i do not remember to have seen an allusion1 in any description1 to the beautiful device by which the whole immense surface of the adult leaf is contained within the smaller dimensions of the young one2 though it is well worth notice1 as one of the neatest specimens of ,nature's packing4 ,all know the heavy scaffolding of ribs by which the colossal leaf1 when full grown1 is supported on its under side4 ,in the young leaf these ribs are comparatively small1 but the whole green expanse of the adult leaf is gathered in between them in regular rows of delicate puffings4 ,at this period1 the leaf is far below the surface of the water1 growing slowly up from the base of the stock from which it springs4 ,thus drawn up1 it has the form of a deep cup or vase2 but in proportion as the ribs grow1 their ramifications stretching in every direction1 the leaf lets out one by one its little folds1 to fill the ever-widening spaces2 till at last1 when it reaches the surface of the water1 it rests horizontally above it1 without a wrinkle4 ,mr4 ,agassiz caused several stocks to be dragged up from the bottom 7no easy matter1 on account of the spines71 and found the leaf-buds just starting between the roots1--little white caps1 not more than half an inch in height4 ,there was another lily growing in this lake1 which1 though diminutive by the side of the ,victoria1 would be a giant among our water-lilies4 ,the leaf measured more than a foot in diameter1 and was slightly scolloped around the edge4 ,there were no open flowers1 but the closed buds resembled those of our common white water-lilies1 and were no larger4 ,the stalk and ribs1 unlike those of the ,victoria1 were quite smooth1 and free from thorns4 ,after our visit to the lilies1 we paddled in among the trees along the overflowed margin of the lake1 in order that the boatmen might cut down several palms new to us4 ,while waiting under the trees in the boat1 we had cause to admire the variety and beauty of the insects fluttering about us2 the large blue butterflies 7,morpho71 and the brilliant dragon-flies1 with crimson bodies and burnished wings1 glittering with metallic lustre4#hh ,january #bast4--,obydos4 ,we left ,villa ,bella yesterday with a large collection of fishes1 and some valuable additions to the collection of palms4 ,the general character of the fish collections1 both from the river ,ramos and the ,lago ,maximo1 shows the faun to be the same now as when we were here five months ago4 ,certainly1 during this interval1 migration has had no perceptible influence upon the distribution of life in these waters4 ,leaving ,villa ,bella at night1 we reached ,obydos early this morning4 ,this pretty town is one of the most picturesque in position1 on the ,amazons4 ,it stands on a steep bluff1 commanding an extensive view of the river west and east1 and is one of the few points at which the southern and northern shores are seen at the same time4 ,the bluff of ,obydos is crowned by a fortress1 which has stood here for many years without occasion to test its power4 ,it may be doubted whether it would be very effectual in barring the river against a hostile force1 inasmuch as its guns1 though they carry perfectly well to the opposite side1 are powerless nearer home4 ,the slope of the cliff on which the fortress stands intervenes between it and the water below1 so that by keeping well in to shore the enemy could pass with impunity immediately under the guns4 ,the hill consists entirely of the same red drift so constantly recurring on the banks of the ,amazons and its tributaries4 ,here it is more full of pebbles than at ,manaos or at ,teff2 and we saw these pebbles disposed in lines or horizontal beds1 such as are found in the same deposit along the coast and in the neighborhood of ,rio4 ,the city of ,obydos is prettily laid out1 its environs are very picturesque1 its soil extremely fertile2 but it has the same aspect of neglect and hopeless inactivity so painfully striking in all the ,amazonian towns4 ,january #bc;d4 ,yesterday1 in the early morning1 we arrived at ,santarem1 and went on shore for a walk at half past seven4 ,the town stands on a point of land dividing the black waters of the ,tapajoz1 on the one side1 from the yellow flood of the ,amazons on the other1 and has a very attractive situation1 enhanced by its background of hills stretching away to the eastward4 ,our first visit was to the church1 fronting on the beach and standing invitingly open4 ,we had1 however1 a special object in entering it4 ,in #ahai ,martius1 the naturalist1 on his voyage of exploration on the ,amazons1 since made famous by his great work on the ,natural ,history of ,brazil1 was wrecked off the town of ,santarem1 and nearly lost his life4 ,in his great danger he took a vow to record his gratitude1 should he live1 by making a gift to the church of ,santarem4 ,after his return to ,europe1 he sent from ,munich a full-length figure of ,christ upon the cross1 which now hangs against the wall1 with a simple inscription underneath1 telling in a few words the story of his peril1 his deliverance1 and his gratitude4 ,as a work of art it has no special value1 but it attracts many persons to the church who never heard of ,martius or his famous journey2 and to ,mr4 ,agassiz it was especially interesting1 as connected with the travels and dangers of his old friend and teacher4 ,after a walk through the town1 which is built with more care1 and contains some houses having more pretensions to comfort and elegance than we have seen elsewhere on the ,amazons1 we returned to the ship for breakfast4 ,at a later hour we went on a very pleasant canoe excursion to the other side of the ,tapajoz1 again in search of the ,victoria regia1 said to grow in great perfection in this neighborhood4 ,our guide was ,senhor ,joachim ,rodriguez1 to whom ,mr4 ,agassiz has been indebted for much personal kindness1 as well as for a very valuable collection made since we stopped here on our way up the river1 partly by himself and partly by his son1 a bright boy of some thirteen years of age4 ,crossing to the opposite side of the river1 we came upon a vast field of coarse1 high grass1 looking like an extensive meadow4 ,to our surprise1 the boatmen turned the canoe into this green field1 and we found ourselves apparently navigating the land1 for the narrow boat-path was entirely concealed by the long reedy grasses and tall mallow-plants with large pink blossoms rising on either side1 and completely hiding the water below4 ,this marshy1 overflowed ground1 above which the water had a depth of from four to six feet1 was full of life4 ,as the rowers pushed our canoe through the mass of grass and flowers1 ,mr4 ,agassiz gathered from the blades and stalks all sorts of creatures2 small bright-colored toads of several kinds1 grasshoppers1 beetles1 dragon-flies1 aquatic snails1 bunches of eggs1--in short1 an endless variety of living things1 most interesting to the naturalist4 ,the harvest was so plentiful that we had only to put out our hands and gather it2 the oarsmen1 when they saw ,mr4 ,agassiz's enthusiasm1 became almost as interested as he was2 and he had soon a large jar filled with objects quite new to him4 ,after navigating these meadows for some time1 we came upon open water-spaces where the ,victoria regia was growing in great perfection4 ,the specimens were much finer than those we had seen before in the ,lago ,maximo4 ,one leaf measured five feet and a half in diameter1 and another five feet1 the erect edge being three inches and a half in height4 ,a number of leaves grew from the same stalk2 and seen thus together they are very beautiful1 the bright rose-color of the outer edge contrasting with the vivid green of the inner surface of the leaf4 ,as before1 there were no open flowers to be seen2 ,senhor ,rodriguez told us that they are cut by the fishermen almost as soon as they open4 ,when ,mr4 ,agassiz expressed a wish to get the roots1 two of our boatmen plunged into the water with an alacrity which surprised me1 as we had just been told that these marshes are the haunts of ,jacars4 ,they took turns in diving to dig up the plants1 and succeeded in bringing to the surface three large stalks1 one with a flower-bud4 ,we returned well pleased with our row overland4 ,our live-stock is increasing as we descend the river1 and we have now quite a menagerie on board2 a number of parrots1 half a dozen monkeys1 two exquisite little deer from the region of ,monte ,algre1 and several ,agamis1 as tame and gentle as barn-yard fowls1 stepping about the deck with graceful1 dainty tread1 and feeding from the hand4 ,their voices are singularly harsh1 however1 and out of keeping with their pretty looks and ways4 ,every now and then they raise their heads1 stretch their long necks1 and utter a loud1 gurgling sound1 more like the roll of a drum than the note of a bird4 ,last1 but not least1 we have a sloth on board1 the most fascinating of all our pets to me1 not certainly for his charms1 but for his oddities4 ,i am never tired of watching him1 he looks so deliciously lazy4 ,his head sunk in his arms1 his whole attitude lax and indifferent1 he seems to ask only for rest4 ,if you push him1 or if1 as often happens1 a passer-by gives him a smart tap to arouse him1 he lifts his head and drops his arms so slowly1 so deliberately1 that they hardly seem to move1 raises his heavy lids and lets his large eyes rest upon your face for a moment with appealing1 hopeless indolence2 then the lids fall softly1 the head droops1 the arms fold heavily about it1 and he collapses again into absolute repose4 ,this mute remonstrance is the nearest approach to activity ,i have seen him make4 ,these live animals are not all a part of the scientific collections2 many of them belong to the captain and officers4 ,the ,brazilians are exceedingly fond of pets1 and almost every house has its monkeys1 its parrots1 and other tame animals and birds4 ,january #bfth4--,monte ,algre4 ,leaving ,santarem on ,tuesday we arrived here on ,wednesday morning1 and1 as on our former visit1 were received most hospitably at the house of ,senhor ,manuel4 ,mr4 ,agassiz and ,mr4 ,coutinho have gone on a geologizing excursion to the ,serra d',erer1 that picturesque range of hills bounding the campos1 or open sandy plain1 to the northwest of the town4 ,they took different routes1 ,major ,coutinho1 with ,captain ,faria and one or two other friends1 crossing the campos on horseback1 while ,mr4 ,agassiz went by canoe4 ,they will meet at the foot of the ,serra1 and pass two or three days in that neighborhood4 ,little is as yet known of the geological structure of the ,amazonian ,serras1--those of ,santarem1 of ,monte ,algre1 and of ,almeyrim4 ,generally they have been considered as prolongations either of the table-land of ,guiana on the north1 or that of ,brazil on the south4 ,mr4 ,agassiz believes them to be independent of both1 and more directly connected with the formation of the ,amazonian ,valley itself4 ,the solution of this question is his special object1 while ,major ,coutinho has taken barometers to determine the height of the range4 ,in the mean time1 ,i am passing a few quiet days here1 learning to be more familiar with the scenery of a region very justly called one of the most picturesque on the borders of the ,amazons4 ,not only are the views extensive1 but the friable nature of the soil1 so easily decomposed1 combined with the heavy rains1 has led to the formation of a variety of picturesque dells and hollows1 some of which have springs running into them1 surrounded by rocky banks and overhung with trees4 ,one of these is especially pretty2 the excavation is large1 and has the form of an amphitheatre2 its rocky walls are crowned with large forest-trees1 palms1 mimosas1 etc41 making a deep shade2 and at one side the spring flows down from the top of the cliff1 with a pleasant ripple4 ,here the negro or ,indian servants come to fill their water-jars4 ,they often have with them the children under their charge2 and you may sometimes see the large red jars standing under the mouth of the spring above1 while white babies and dark nurses splash about in the cool water-basin below4 ,although in the campos the growth is low1 and the soil but scantily covered with coarse grass and shrubs1 yet1 in some localities1 and especially in the neighborhood of the town1 the forest is beautiful4 ,we have seen nowhere larger and more luxuriant mimosas1 sometimes of a green so rich and deep1 and a foliage so close that it is difficult to believe1 at a distance1 that its dense mass is formed by the light1 pinnate leaves of a sensitive plant4 ,the palms are also very lofty and numerous1 including some kinds which we have not met before4 ,january #bhth4--,yesterday our kind host arranged an excursion into the country1 for my especial pleasure1 that ,i might see something of the characteristic amusements of ,monte ,algre4 ,one or two neighbors joined us1 and the children1 a host of happy little folks1 for whom anything out of the common tenor of every-day life is 8festa10 were not left behind4 ,we started on foot to walk out into a very picturesque ,indian village called ,surubiju4 ,here we were to breakfast1 returning afterwards in one of the heavy carts drawn by oxen1 the only conveyance for women and children in a country where a carriage-road and a side-saddle are equally unknown4 ,our walk was very pleasant1 partly through the woods1 partly through the campos2 but as it was early in the day1 we did not miss the shade when we chanced to leave the trees4 ,we lingered by the wayside1 the children stopping to gather wild fruits1 of which there were a number on the road1 and to help me in making a collection of plants4 ,it was about nine o'clock when we reached the first straw-house1 where we stopped to rest4 ,though it has no longer the charm of novelty for me1 ,i am always glad to visit an ,indian cottage4 ,you find a cordial welcome2 the best hammock1 the coolest corner1 and a cuia of fresh water are ready for you4 ,as a general thing1 the houses of the ,indians are also more tidy than those of the whites2 and there is a certain charm of picturesqueness about them which never wears off4 ,after a short rest1 we went on through the settlement1 where the sitios are scattered at considerable distances1 and so completely surrounded by trees that they seem quite isolated in the forest4 ,although the ,indians are said to be a lazy people1 and are unquestionably fitful and irregular in their habits of work1 in almost all these houses some characteristic occupation was going on4 ,in two or three the women were making hammocks1 in one a boy was plaiting the leaves of the ,curua palm into a tolda for his canoe1 in another the inmates were making a coarse kind of pottery2 and in still another a woman1 who is quite famous in the neighborhood for her skill in the art1 was painting cuias4 ,it was the first time ,i had seen the prepared colors made from a certain kind of clay found in the ,serra4 ,it is just the carnival season1 and1 as every one has a right to play pranks on his neighbors1 we did not get off without making a closer acquaintance than was altogether pleasant with the rustic artist's colors4 ,as we were leaving the cottage1 she darted out upon us1 her hands full of blue and red paints4 ,if they had been tomahawks1 they could not have produced a more sudden rout2 and it was a complete sauve qui peut of the whole company across the little bridge which led to the house4 ,as a stranger1 ,i was spared2 but all were not fortunate enough to escape1 and some of the children carried their blue and red badges to the end of the day4 ,the prettiest of all these forest sitios was one at the bottom of a deep dell1 reached by a steep1 winding path through a magnificent wood abounding in palms4 ,but though the situation was most picturesque1 the sickly appearance of the children and the accounts of prevailing illness showed that the locality was too low and damp to be healthful4 ,after a very pleasant ramble we returned to breakfast at our first resting-place1 and at about one o'clock started for town in two ox-carts which had come out to meet us4 ,they consist only of a floor set on very heavy1 creaking wooden wheels1 which1 from their primitive1 clumsy character1 would seem to be the first wheels ever invented4 ,on the floor a straw-mat was spread1 an awning was stretched over a light scaffolding above1 and we were soon stowed away in our primitive vehicle1 and had a very gay and pleasant ride back to town4 ,yesterday evening ,mr4 ,agassiz returned from his excursion to the ,serra ,erer4 ,i add here a little account of the journey1 written out from his notes1 and containing some remarks on the general aspect of the country1 its vegetation and animals4 ,a summary of the geological results of the excursion will be found in a separate chapter at the close of our ,amazonian journey4 8,i started before daylight2 but as the dawn began to redden the sky large flocks of ducks1 and of the small ,amazonian goose1 might be seen flying towards the lakes4 ,here and there a cormorant sat alone on the branch of a dead tree1 or a kingfisher poised himself over the water1 watching for his prey4 ,numerous gulls were gathered in large companies on the trees along the river-shore2 alligators lay on its surface1 diving with a sudden plash at the approach of our canoe2 and occasionally a porpoise emerged from the water1 showing himself for a moment and then disappearing again4 ,sometimes we startled a herd of capivaras1 resting on the water's edge2 and once we saw a sloth1 sitting upon the branch of an ,imbauba tree 7,cecropia71 rolled up in its peculiar attitude1 the very picture of indolence1 with its head sunk between its arms4 ,much of the river-shore consisted of low1 alluvial land1 and was covered with that peculiar and beautiful grass known as ,capim2 this grass makes an excellent pasturage for cattle1 and the abundance of it in this region renders the district of ,monte ,algre very favorable for agricultural purposes4 ,here and there1 where the red-clay soil rose above the level of the water1 a palm-thatched cabin stood on the low bluff1 with a few trees about it4 ,such a house was usually the centre of a cattle-farm1 and large herds might be seen grazing in the adjoining fields4 ,along the river-banks1 where the country is chiefly open1 with extensive low1 marshy grounds1 the only palm to be seen is the ,maraja 7,geonoma74 ,after keeping along the ,rio ,gurupatuba for some distance1 we turned to the right into a narrow stream1 which has the character of an igarap in its lower course1 though higher up it drains the country between the serra of ,erer and that of ,tajury1 and assumes the appearance of a small river4 ,it is named after the serra1 and is known as the ,rio ,erer4 ,this stream1 narrow and picturesque1 and often so overgrown with capim that the canoe pursued its course with difficulty1 passed through a magnificent forest of the beautiful fan-palm1 called the ,miriti 7,mauritia flexuosa74 ,this forest stretched for miles1 overshadowing1 as a kind of underbrush1 many smaller trees and innumerable shrubs1 some of which bore bright1 conspicuous flowers4 ,it seemed to me a strange spectacle1--a forest of monocotyledonous trees with a dicotyledonous undergrowth2 the inferior plants thus towering above and sheltering the superior ones4 ,among the lower trees were many ,leguminos1--one of the most striking1 called ,fava1 having a colossal pod4 ,the whole mass of vegetation was woven together by innumerable lianas and creeping vines1 in the midst of which the flowers of the ,bignonia1 with its open1 trumpet-shaped corolla1 were conspicuous4 ,the capim was bright with the blossoms of the mallow1 growing in its midst2 and was often edged with the broad-leaved ,aninga1 a large aquatic ,arum4 8,through such a forest1 where the animal life was no less rich and varied than the vegetation1 our boat glided slowly for hours4 ,the number and variety of birds struck me with astonishment4 ,the coarse1 sedgy grasses on either side were full of water birds1 one of the most common of which was a small chestnut-brown wading bird1 the ,jaana 7,parra71 whose toes are immensely long in proportion to its size1 enabling it to run upon the surface of the aquatic vegetation1 as if it were solid ground4 ,it was now the month of ,january1 their breeding season2 and at every turn of the boat we started them up in pairs4 ,their flat1 open nests generally contained five flesh-colored eggs1 streaked in zigzag with dark brown lines4 ,the other waders were a snow-white heron1 another ash-colored1 smaller species1 and a large white stork4 ,the ash-colored herons were always in pairs2 the white ones always single1 standing quiet and alone on the edge of the water1 or half hidden in the green capim4 ,the trees and bushes were full of small warbler-like birds1 which it would be difficult to characterize separately4 ,to the ordinary observer they might seem like the small birds of our woods2 but there was one species among them which attracted my attention by its numbers1 and also because it builds the most extraordinary nest1 considering the size of the bird itself1 that ,i have ever seen4 ,it is known among the country people by two names1 as the ,pedreiro or the ,forneiro2 both names referring1 as will be seen1 to the nature of its habitation4 ,this singular nest is built of clay1 and is as hard as stone 7pedra71 while it has the form of the round mandioca oven 7forno7 in which the country people prepare their farinha1 or flour1 made from the mandioca root4 ,it is about a foot in diameter1 and stands edgewise upon a branch1 or in the crotch of a tree4 ,among the smaller birds ,i noticed bright ,tanagers1 and also a species resembling the ,canary4 ,besides these1 there were the wagtails2 the black and white widow-finches2 the hang-nests1 or ,japi1 as they are called here1 with their pendent1 bag-like dwellings1 and the familiar 8,bem ti vi40 ,humming-birds1 which we are always apt to associate with tropical vegetation1 were very scarce4 ,i saw but a few specimens4 ,thrushes and doves were more frequent1 and ,i noticed also three or four kinds of woodpeckers1 beside parrots and paroquets2 of these latter there were countless numbers along our canoe path1 flying overhead in dense crowds1 and at times drowning every other sound in their high1 noisy chatter4 8,some of these birds made a deep impression upon me4 ,indeed1 in all regions1 however far away from his own home1 in the midst of a fauna and flora entirely new to him1 the traveller is startled occasionally by the song of a bird or the sight of a flower so familiar that it transports him at once to woods where every tree is like a friend to him4 ,it seems as if something akin to what in our own mental experience we call reminiscence or association existed in the workings of ,nature2 for though the organic combinations are so distinct in different climates and countries1 they never wholly exclude each other4 ,every zological and botanical province retains some link which binds it to all the others1 and makes it part of the general harmony4 ,the ,arctic lichen is found growing under the shadow of the palm on the rocks of the tropical serra2 and the song of the thrush and the tap of the woodpecker mingle with the sharp1 discordant cries of the parrot and paroquet4 8,birds of prey1 also1 were not wanting4 ,among them was one about the size of our kite1 and called the ,red ,hawk1 which was so tame that1 even when our canoe passed immediately under the low branch on which he was sitting1 he did not fly away4 ,but1 of all the groups of birds1 the most striking as compared with corresponding groups in the temperate zone1 and the one which reminded me the most distinctly of the fact that every region has its peculiar animal world1 was that of the gallinaceous birds4 ,the most frequent is the ,cigana1 to be seen in groups of fifteen or twenty1 perched upon trees overhanging the water1 and feeding upon berries4 ,at night they roost in pairs1 but in the daytime are always in larger companies4 ,in their appearance they have something of the character of both the pheasant and peacock1 and yet do not closely resemble either4 ,it is a curious fact1 that1 with the exception of some small partridge-like gallinaceous birds1 all the representatives of this family in ,brazil1 and especially in the valley of the ,amazons1 belong to types which do not exist in other parts of the world4 ,here we find neither pheasants1 nor cocks of the woods1 nor grouse2 but in their place abound the ,mutum1 the ,jacu1 the ,jacami1 and the ,unicorn 7,crax1 ,penelope1 ,psophia1 and ,palamedea71 all of which are so remote from the gallinaceous types found farther north that they remind one quite as much of the bustard1 and other ostrich-like birds1 as of the hen and pheasant4 ,they differ also from northern gallinaceous birds in the greater uniformity of the sexes1 none of them exhibiting those striking differences between the males and females which we see in the pheasants1 the cocks of the woods1 and in our barn-yard fowls1 though the plumage of the young has the yellowish-mottled color distinguishing the females of most species of this family4 ,while birds abounded in such numbers1 insects were rather scarce4 ,i saw but few and small butterflies1 and beetles were still more rare4 ,the most numerous insects were the dragon-flies1--some with crimson bodies1 black heads1 and burnished wings2 others with large green bodies1 crossed by blue bands4 ,of land-shells ,i saw but one1 creeping along the reeds2 and of water-shells ,i gathered only a few small ,ampullari4 8,having ascended the river to a point nearly on a line with the serra1 ,i landed1 and struck across the campos on foot4 ,here ,i entered upon an entirely different region1--a dry1 open plain1 with scanty vegetation4 ,the most prominent plants were clusters of ,cacti and ,curua palms1 a kind of stemless1 low palm1 with broad1 elegant leaves springing vase-like from the ground4 ,in these dry1 sandy fields1 rising gradually toward the serra1 ,i observed in the deeper gullies formed by the heavy rains the laminated clays which are everywhere the foundation of the ,amazonian strata4 ,they here presented again so much the character of ordinary clay-slates that ,i thought ,i had at last come upon some old geological formation4 ,instead of this ,i only obtained fresh evidence that1 by baking them1 the burning sun of the tropics may produce upon laminated clays of recent origin the same effect as plutonic agencies have produced upon the ancient clays1--that is1 it may change them into metamorphic slates4 ,as ,i approached the serra1 ,i was again reminded how1 under the most dissimilar circumstances1 similar features recur everywhere in nature4 ,i came suddenly upon a little creek1 bordered with the usual vegetation of such shallow water-courses1 and on its brink stood a sand-piper1 which flew away at my approach1 uttering its peculiar cry1 so like what we hear at home that1 had ,i not seen him1 ,i should have recognized him by his voice4 ,after an hour's walk under the scorching sun1 ,i was glad to find myself at the hamlet of ,erer1 near the foot of the serra1 where ,i rejoined my companions4 ,this is almost the only occasion in all my ,amazonian journey when ,i have passed a day in the pure enjoyment of nature1 without the labor of collecting1 which in this hot climate1 where specimens require such immediate and constant attention1 is very great4 ,i learned how rich a single day may be in this wonderful tropical world1 if one's eyes are only open to the wealth of animal and vegetable life4 ,indeed1 a few hours so spent in the field1 in simply watching animals and plants1 teaches more of the distribution of life than a month of closet study2 for under such circumstances all things are seen in their true relations4 ,unhappily1 it is not easy to present the picture as a whole2 for all our written descriptions are more or less dependent on nomenclature1 and the local names are hardly known out of the districts where they belong1 while systematic names are familiar to few40 ,january #cjth4--,on board the 8,ibicuhy40 ,yesterday we parted from our kind hosts1 and bade good by to ,monte ,algre4 ,i shall long retain a picture1 half pleasant1 half sad1 of its shady1 picturesque walks and dells2 of its wide green square1 with the unfinished cathedral in the centre1 where trees and vines mantle the open doors and windows1 and grass grows thick over the unfrequented aisles2 of its neglected cemetery1 and the magnificent view it commands over an endless labyrinth of lakes on one side1 beyond which glitter the yellow waters of the ,amazons1 while1 on the other1 the level campos is bordered by the picturesque heights of the distant ,serra4 ,i have never been able to explain quite to my own satisfaction the somewhat melancholy impression which this region1 lovely as it unquestionably is1 made upon me when ,i first saw it1--an impression not wholly destroyed by a longer residence4 ,perhaps it is the general aspect of incompleteness and decay1 the absence of energy and enterprise1 making the lavish gifts of ,nature of no avail4 ,in the midst of a country which should be overflowing with agricultural products1 neither milk1 nor butter1 nor cheese1 nor vegetables1 nor fruit1 are to be had4 ,you constantly hear people complaining of the difficulty of procuring even the commonest articles of domestic consumption1 when1 in fact1 they ought to be produced by every land-owner4 ,the agricultural districts in ,brazil are rich and fertile1 but there is no agricultural population4 ,the nomad ,indian1 floating about in his canoe1 the only home to which he has a genuine attachment1 never striking root in the soil1 has no genius for cultivating the ground4 ,as an illustration of the ,indian character1 it may not be amiss to record an incident which occurred yesterday when we were leaving ,monte ,algre4 ,on his journey to ,erer1 ,major ,coutinho had been requested by an ,indian and his wife1 whose acquaintance he had made in former excursions there1 to take one of their boys1 a child about eight years of age1 with him to ,rio4 ,this is very common among the ,indians2 they are not unwilling to give up their children1 if they can secure a maintenance for them1 and perhaps some advantages of education besides4 ,on the day of departure1 the mother and father and two sisters accompanied the child to the steamer1 but ,i think1 as the sequel showed1 rather for the sake of seeing the ship1 and having a day of amusement1 than from any sentiment about parting with the child4 ,when the moment of separation came1 the mother1 with an air of perfect indifference1 gave the little boy her hand to kiss4 ,the father seemed to be going off without remembering his son at all2 but the little fellow ran after him1 took his hand and kissed it1 and then stood crying and broken-hearted on the deck1 while the whole family put off in the canoe1 talking and laughing gayly1 without showing him the least sympathy4 ,such traits are said to be very characteristic of the ,indians4 ,they are cold in their family affections2 and though the mothers are very fond of their babies1 they seem comparatively indifferent to them as they grow up4 ,it is1 indeed1 impossible to rely upon the affection of an ,indian1 even though isolated cases of remarkable fidelity have been known among them4 ,but ,i have been told over and over again1 by those who have had personal experience in the matter1 that you may take an ,indian child1 bring him up1 treat him with every kindness1 educate him1 clothe him1 and find him to be a useful and seemingly faithful member of the household2 one day he is gone1 you know not where1 and in every probability you will never hear of him again4 ,theft is not one of their vices4 ,on the contrary1 such an ,indian1 if he deserts the friend who has reared him and taken care of him1 is very likely to leave behind him all his clothes1 except those he has on1 and any presents he may have received4 ,the only thing he may be tempted to take will be a canoe and a pair of oars3 with these an ,indian is rich4 ,he only wants to get back to his woods2 and he is deterred by no sentiment of affection1 or consideration of interest4 ,to-day we are passing the hills of ,almeyrim4 ,the last time we saw them it was in the glow of a brilliant sunset2 to-day1 ragged edges of clouds overhang them1 and they are sombre under a leaden1 rainy sky4 ,it is delightful to ,mr4 ,agassiz1 in returning to this locality1 to find that phenomena1 which were a blank to him on our voyage up the river1 are perfectly explicable now that he has had an opportunity of studying the geology of the ,amazonian ,valley4 ,when we passed these singular flat-topped hills before1 he had no clew to their structure or their age1--whether granite1 as they have been said to be1 or sandstone or limestone2 whether primitive1 secondary1 or tertiary3 and their strange form made the problem still more difficult4 ,now he sees them simply as the remnants of a plain which once filled the whole valley of the ,amazons1 from the ,andes to the ,atlantic1 from ,guiana to ,central ,brazil4 ,denudations on a colossal scale1 hitherto unknown to geologists1 have turned this plain into a labyrinth of noble rivers1 leaving only here and there1 where the formation has resisted the rush of waters1 low mountains and chains of hills to tell what was its thickness4#hi ,february #ast4--,on ,tuesday evening we reached ,porto do ,moz1 on the river ,xing1 where we had expected to be detained several days1 as ,mr4 ,agassiz wished especially to obtain the fishes from this river1 and1 if possible1 from its upper and lower course1 between which rapids intervene4 ,he found1 however1 his harvest ready to his hand4 ,senhor ,vinhas1 with whom1 when stopping here for a few hours on his voyage up the river1 he had had some conversation respecting the scientific objects of his visit to the ,amazons1 has made during our absence one of the finest collections obtained in the whole course of our journey1 containing1 in separate lots1 the fishes from above and below the cascade4 ,by means of this double collection1 which ,mr4 ,agassiz has already examined carefully1 he ascertains the fact that the faun on either side of the falls are entirely distinct from each other1 as are those of the upper and lower courses of the ,amazons1 and also those of its tributaries1 lakes1 and igaraps4 ,this is a most important addition to the evidence already obtained of the distinct localization of species throughout the waters of the ,amazonian ,valley4 ,we regretted that1 on account of the absence of ,senor ,vinhas from the town1 we could not thank him in person for this valuable contribution4 ,finding that the efforts of this gentleman had really left nothing to be done in this locality1 unless1 indeed1 we could have stayed long enough to make collections in all the water-basins connected with the ,xingu1 we left early in the morning and reached ,gurup yesterday4 ,this little town stands on a low cliff some thirty feet above the river4 ,on a projecting point of this cliff there is an old1 abandoned fort2 and in the open place adjoining it stands a church of considerable size1 and seemingly in good repair4 ,but the settlement is evidently not prosperous4 ,many of its houses are ruinous and deserted1 and there is even less of activity in the aspect of the place than in most of the ,amazonian villages4 ,we heard much of its insalubrity1 and found very severe cases of intermittent fever in one or two of the houses we entered4 ,while ,mr4 ,agassiz made a call upon the subdelegado1 who was himself confined to his room with fever1 ,i was invited to rest in the open veranda of a neighboring house1 which looked pretty and attractive enough2 for it opened into a sunny garden1 where bananas and oranges and palm-trees were growing4 ,but the old woman who received me complained bitterly of the dampness1 to which1 indeed1 her hoarse cough and rheumatism bore testimony2 and a man was lying in his hammock1 slung under the porch1 who was worn to mere skin and bone with fever4 ,here also we received some valuable specimens1 collected1 since our previous visit1 by the subdelegado and one or two other residents4 ,february #c;d4--,on ,thursday we reached ,tajapuru1 where we were detained for two days on account of some little repair needed on the steamer4 ,the place is interesting as showing what may be done on the ,amazons in a short time by enterprise and industry4 ,a settler in these regions may1 if he has the taste and culture to appreciate it1 surround himself with much that is attractive in civilized life4 ,some seventeen years ago ,senhor ,sepeda established himself at this spot1 then a complete wilderness4 ,he has now a very large and pleasant country-house1 with a garden in front and walks in the forest around4 ,the interior of the house is commodious and tasteful2 and we could not but wish1 while we enjoyed ,senhor ,sepeda's hospitality1 that his example might be followed1 and that there might be many such homes on the banks of the ,amazons4 ,this morning we are again on our way down the river4 ,february #dth4--,we reached ,par to-day1 parting1 not without regret1 from the 8,ibicuhy10 on board of which we have spent so many pleasant weeks4 ,before we left the vessel1 ,captain ,faria ordered the carpenter to take down our little pavilion on deck4 ,it had been put up for our accommodation1 and had served as our dining-room and our working-room1 our shelter from the sun1 and our snug retreat in floods of rain4#ij ,on arriving in ,par we found ourselves at once at home in the house of our kind friend1 ,senhor ,pimenta ,bueno1 where we look forward to a pleasant rest from our wanderings4 ,i insert here a letter to the ,emperor1 written two or three weeks later1 and containing a short summary of the scientific work on the ,amazons4 ,,par1 #bc ,fvrier1 #ahff4 ,,sire3--,en arrivant ,par1 au commencement de ce mois j'ai eu le bonheur d'y trouver l'excellente lettre de ,votre ,majest1 qui m'attendait depuis quelques jours4 ,j'aurais d y rpondre immdiatement2 mais je n'tais pas en tat de le faire1 tant j'tais accabl de fatigue4 ,il y a trois ou quatre jours seulement que je commence de nouveau m'occuper de mes affaires4 ,j'avouerai mme que le pressentiment des regrets qui m'auraient poursuivi le reste de mes jours m'a seul empch de retourner directement aux ,etats-,unis4 ,aujourd'hui encore j'ai de la peine vaquer aux occupations les plus simples4 ,et cependant je ne suis pas malade2 je suis seulement puis par un travail incessant et par la contemplation tous les jours plus vive et plus impressive des grandeurs et des beauts de cette nature tropicale4 ,j'aurais besoin pour quelque temps de la vue monotone et sombre d'une fort de sapins4 ,que vous tes bon1 ,sire1 de penser moi au milieu des affaires vitales qui absorbent votre attention et combien vos procds sont pleins de dlicatesse4 ,le cadeau de nouvel-an que vous m'annoncez m'enchante4 ,la perspective de pouvoir ajouter quelques comparaisons des poissons du bassin de l',uruguay celles que j'ai dj faites des espces de l',amazone et des fleuves de la cte orientale du ,brsil a un attrait tout particulier4 ,ce sera le premier pas vers la connaissance des types de la zne tempre dans l',amrique du ,sud4 ,aussi est-ce avec une impatience croissante que je vois venir le moment o je pourrai les examiner4 ,en attendant1 permettez-moi de vous donner un aperu rapide des rsultats obtenus jusqu' ce jour dans le voyage de l',amazone4 ,je ne reviendrai pas sur ce qu'il y a de surprenant dans la grande varit des espces de poissons de ce bassin1 bien qu'il me soit encore difficile de me familiariser avec l'ide que l',amazone nourrit peu-prs deux fois plus d'espces que la ,mditerranne et un nombre plus considrable que l',ocan ,atlantique d'un ple l'autre4 ,je ne puis cependant plus dire avec la mme prcision quel est le nombre exact d'espces de l',amazone que nous nous sommes procures1 parceque depuis que je reviens sur mes pas1 en descendant le grand fleuve1 je vois des poissons prts frayer que j'avais vus dans d'autres circonstances et vice vers1 et sans avoir recours aux collections que j'ai faites il y a six mois et qui ne me sont pas accessibles aujourd'hui1 il m'est souvent impossible de dterminer de mmoire si ce sont les mmes espces ou d'autres qui m'avaient chapp lors de mon premier examen4 ,j'estime cependant que le nombre total des espces que je possde actuellement dpasse dix-huit cents et atteint peut-tre deux mille4 ,mais ce n'est pas seulement le nombre des espces qui surprendra les naturalistes2 le fait qu'elles sont pour la plupart circonscrites dans des limites restreintes est bien plus surprenant encore et ne laissera pas que d'avoir une influence directe sur les ides qui se rpandent de nos jours sur l'origine des tres vivants4 ,que dans un fleuve comme le ,mississippi1 qui1 du ,nord au ,sud1 passe successivement par les zones froide1 tempre et chaude1 qui roule ses eaux tantt sur une formation gologique1 tantt sur une autre1 et traverse des plaines couvertes au ,nord d'une vgtation presque arctique et au ,sud d'une flore subtropicale1--que dans un pareil bassin on rencontre des espces d'animaux aquatiques diffrentes1 sur diffrents points de son trajet1 a se comprend ds qu'on s'est habitu envisager les conditions gnrales d'existence et le climat en particulier comme la cause premire de la diversit que les animaux et les plantes offrent entre eux1 dans les diffrentes localits2 mais que1 de ,tabatinga au ,par1 dans un fleuve o les eaux ne varient ni par leur temprature1 ni par la nature de leur lit1 ni par la vgtation qui les borde1 que dans de pareilles circonstances on rencontre1 de distance en distance1 des assemblages de poissons compltement distincts les uns des autres1 c'est ce qui a lieu d'tonner4 ,je dirai mme que dornavant cette distribution1 qui peut tre vrifie par quiconque voudra s'en donner la peine1 doit jeter beaucoup de doute sur l'opinion qui attribue la diversit des tres vivants aux influences locales4 ,un autre ct de ce sujet1 encore plus curieux peut-tre1 est l'intensit avec laquelle la vie s'est manifeste dans ces eaux4 ,tous les fleuves de l',europe runis1 depuis le ,tage jusqu'au ,volga1 ne nourissent pas cent cinquante espces de poissons d'eau douce2 et cependant1 dans un petit lac des environs de ,manaos1 nomm ,lago ,hyanuary1 qui a peine quatre ou cinq-cents mtres carrs de surface1 nous avons dcouvert plus de deux-cents espces distinctes1 dont la plupart n'ont pas encore t observes ailleurs4 ,quel contraste6 ,l'tude du mlange des races humaines qui se croisent dans ces rgions m'a aussi beaucoup occup et je me suis procur de nombreuses photographies de tous les types que j'ai pu observer4 ,le principal rsultat auquel je suis arriv est que les races se comportent les unes vis--vis des autres comme des espces distinctes2 c4 4 d4 que les hybrides qui naissent du croisement d'hommes de race diffrente sont toujours un mlange des deux types primitifs et jamais la simple reproduction des caractres de l'un ou de l'autre des progniteurs1 comme c'est le cas pour les races d'animaux domestiques4 ,je ne dirai rien de mes autres collections qui ont pour la plupart t faites par mes jeunes compagnons de voyage1 plutt en vue d'enrichir notre muse que de rsoudre quelques questions scientifiques4 ,mais je ne saurais laisser passer cette occasion sans exprimer ma vive reconnaissance pour toutes les facilits que j'ai dues la bienveillance de ,votre ,majest1 dans mes explorations4 ,depuis le ,prsident jusqu'au plus humbles employs des provinces que j'ai parcourues1 tous ont rivalis d'empressement pour me faciliter mon travail et la ,compagnie des vapeurs de l',amazone a t d'une libralit extrme mon gard4 ,enfin1 ,sire1 la gnrosit avec laquelle vous avez fait mettre un navire de guerre ma disposition m'a permis de faire des collections qui seraient restes inaccessibles pour moi1 sans un moyen de transport aussi vaste et aussi rapide4 ,permettez-moi d'ajouter que de toutes les faveurs dont ,votre ,majest m'a combl pour ce voyage1 la plus prcieuse a t la prsence du ,major ,coutinho1 dont la familiarit avec tout ce qui regarde l',amazone a t une source intarissable de renseignements importants et de directions utiles pour viter des courses oiseuses et la perte d'un temps prcieux4 ,l'tendue des connaissances de ,coutinho1 en ce qui touche l',amazone1 est vraiment encyclopdique1 et je crois que ce serait un grand service rendre la science que de lui fournir l'occasion de rdiger et de publier tout ce qu'il a observ pendant ses visites rptes et prolonges dans cette partie de l',empire4 ,sa coopration pendant ce dernier voyage a t des plus laborieuses2 il s'est mis la zoologie comme si les sciences physiques n'avaient pas t l'objet spcial de ses tudes1 en mme temps qu'il a fait par devers lui de nombreuses observations thermomtriques1 baromtriques1 et astronomiques1 qui ajouteront de bons jalons ce que l'on possde dj sur la mtorologie et la topographie de ces provinces4 ,c'est ainsi que nous avons les premiers port le baromtre au milieu des collines d',almeyrim1 de ,monte ,algre1 et d',erer et mesur leurs sommets les plus levs4 ,l'tude de la formation de la valle de l',amazone m'a naturellement occup1 bien que secondairement1 ds le premier jour que je l'ai aborde4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mais il est temps que je finisse cette longue ptre en demandant pardon ,votre ,majest d'avoir mis sa patience une aussi rude preuve4 ,de ,votre ,majest le serviteur le plus dvou et le plus affectueux1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4#ia ,february #bdth4--,par1 ,nazareth4 ,our time has passed so quietly here that it gives me nothing to record4 ,mr4 ,agassiz has found himself in such absolute need of rest1 after having arranged and put in order for transportation to the ,united ,states the collections accumulated1 that our intended trip to the island of ,marajo has been postponed day after day4 ,yesterday ,i witnessed a religious procession in ,par1--one of the many festas said to be gradually dying out1 and to be already shorn of much of their ancient glory4 ,it represented a scene from the passion of ,christ4 ,the life-size figure of the ,saviour1 sinking under the cross1 is borne on a platform through the streets4 ,little girls1 dressed as angels1 walk before it1 and it is accompanied by numerous dignitaries of the ,church4 ,altars are illuminated in the different churches2 the populace1 even down to the children1 are dressed in black2 and the balconies of every house filled with figures in mourning1 waiting for the sad procession to pass by4 ,february #bhth4--,off ,marajo1 in the steamer ,tabatinga4 ,all great rivers1 as the ,nile1 the ,mississippi1 the ,ganges1 the ,danube1 have their deltas2 but the largest river in the world1 the ,amazons1 is an exception to this rule4 ,what1 then1 is the geological character of the great island which obstructs its opening into the ocean8 ,this is the question which has made a visit to ,marajo of special interest to ,mr4 ,agassiz4 ,leaving ,par at midnight1 we reached the little town of ,sours early this morning4 ,it is a village lying on the southeastern side of the island1 and so far seaward that1 in the dry season1 when the diminished current of the ,amazonian waters is overborne by the tides1 the water is salt enough to afford excellent sea-bathing1 and is resorted to for that purpose by many families from ,par4 ,at this moment1 however1 the water has not even a brackish character4 ,the only building of any interest in the town is the old ,jesuit church1 a remnant of the earliest chapter in the civilization of ,south ,america4 ,however tinged with ambition and a love of temporal power1 the work of the ,jesuits in ,brazil tended toward the establishment of an organized system of labor1 which one cannot but wish had been continued4 ,all that remains of the ,jesuit missions goes to prove that they were centres of industry4 ,these men contrived to impart1 even to the wandering ,indian1 some faint reflection of their own persistency and steadfastness of purpose4 ,farms were connected with all the ,indian missions2 under the direction of the fathers1 the ,indians learned something of agriculture1 which the ,jesuits readily saw to be one of the great civilizing influences in a country so fertile4 ,they introduced a variety of vegetables and grains1 and had herds of cattle where cattle now are hardly known4 ,humboldt1 speaking of the destruction of the ,jesuit missions1 says1 in reference to the ,indians of ,atures1 on the ,orinoco3 8,formerly1 being excited to labor by the ,jesuits1 they did not want for food4 ,the fathers cultivated maize1 ,french beans1 and other ,european vegetables4 ,they even planted sweet oranges and tamarinds round the villages2 and they possessed twenty or thirty thousand head of cows and horses in the savannas of ,atures and ,carichana4444 ,since the year #agie1 the cattle of the ,jesuits have entirely disappeared4 ,there now remain as monuments of the ancient cultivation of these countries1 and the active industry of the first missionaries1 only a few trunks of the orange and tamarind in the savannas1 surrounded by wild trees40#ib ,our walk through the little village of ,sours brought us to the low cliffs on the shore1 which we had already seen from the steamer4 ,the same formations prevail all along the coast of this island that we have found everywhere on the banks of the ,amazons4 ,lowest1 a well-stratified1 rather coarse sandstone1 immediately above which1 and conformable with it1 are finely laminated clays1 covered by a crust4 ,upon this lies the highly ferruginous sandstone1 in which an irregular cross stratification frequently alternates with the regular beds2 above this1 following all the undulations of its surface1 is the well-known reddish sandy clay1 with quartz pebbles scattered through its mass1 and only here and there faint traces of an indistinct stratification4 ,this afternoon ,mr4 ,agassiz has been again on shore1 examining the formation of both banks of the ,igarap ,grande1 the river at the mouth of which stands the town of ,sours4 ,he has returned delighted with the result of his day's work1 having not only obtained the most complete evidence that the geological formation of ,marajo corresponds exactly with that of the ,amazonian ,valley1 but having also obtained some very important data with respect to the present encroachments of the sea upon the shore4 ,he found upon the beach1 partially covered by sea-sand1 the remains of a forest which evidently grew in a peat-bog1 and which the ocean is gradually laying bare4 ,february #bith4--,early this morning we crossed the ,par ,river1 and anchored at the entrance of the bay within which stands the town of ,vigia4 ,we landed1 and while the boatmen were dragging the net1 we wandered along the beach1 which is bordered by thick forest1 now full of flowers4 ,here we found the same geological formations as on the ,marajo shore1 and on the beach the counterpart of the ancient forest which ,mr4 ,agassiz unearthed yesterday on the opposite coast4 ,there can hardly be more convincing evidence that the rivers which empty into the ,amazons near its mouth1 like all those higher up1 as well as the main stream itself1 have cut their way through identical formations1 which were once continuous4 ,evidently these remains of forests on the beaches of ,vigia ,bay and at the mouth of the ,igarap ,grande are parts of one forest1 formerly uninterrupted and covering the whole of the intervening space now filled by the so-called ,par ,river4 ,we followed the beach to the entrance of an igarap1 which here opens into the river1 and which looked most tempting with the morning shadows darkening its cool recesses4 ,as the boatmen had not been very successful in fishing1 ,i proposed we should put their services to better use and row up this inviting stream4 ,to this day1 though ,i have become accustomed to these forest water-paths and have had so many excursions in them1 they have lost none of their charm4 ,i never see one without longing to follow its picturesque windings into the depths of the wood2 and to me the igarap remains the most beautiful and the most characteristic feature of the ,amazonian scenery4 ,this one of ,vigia was especially pretty4 ,clumps of the light1 exquisitely graceful ,assai palm shot up everywhere from the denser forest2 here and there the drooping bamboo1 never seen in the higher ,amazons1 dipped its feathery branches into the water1 covered sometimes to their very tips with purple bloom of convolvulus2 yellow ,bignonias carried their golden clusters to the very summits of some of the more lofty trees2 while white-flowering myrtles and orange-colored mallows bordered the stream4 ,life abounded in this quiet retreat4 ,birds and butterflies were numerous2 and we saw an immense number of crabs of every variety of color and size upon the margin of the water4 ,however1 it was not so easy to catch them as it seemed4 ,they would sit quietly on the trunks of all the old trees or decaying logs projecting from the bank1 apparently waiting to be taken2 but the moment we approached them1 however cautiously1 they vanished like lightning either under the water or into some crevice near by4 ,notwithstanding their nimbleness1 however1 ,mr4 ,agassiz succeeded in making a considerable collection4 ,we saw also an immense army of caterpillars1 evidently following some concerted plan of action4 ,they were descending the trunk of a large tree in a solid phalanx about two handbreadths in width1 and six or eight feet in length2 no doubt coming down to make their chrysalids in the sand4 ,we returned to the steamer at ten o'clock2 and1 after breakfast1 finding our anchorage-ground somewhat rough as the tide came in1 we went a little higher up1 and entered the ,bahia do ,sul4 ,here again we went on shore to see the net drawn1 this time more successfully4 ,we should have had a delightful walk on the beach again1 had it not been for hosts of minute flies which hovered about us1 and had a power of stinging quite disproportionate to their size4 ,on returning we met with an unforeseen difficulty4 ,the tide had been falling during our walk1 and the canoe could not approach the beach within several yards4 ,the gentlemen plunged in1 and walked out over knees in water2 while the boatmen made a chair of their arms and carried me through the surf4 ,march #eth4--,our excursion in the harbor closed with a visit to the small island of ,tatuatuba1 distant about six miles from ,par4 ,in order to examine the shores1 we made the circuit of the island on foot4 ,here again the same geological structure presented itself2 and there was one spot in particular where the sharp1 vertical cut of the bank facing the beach presented an admirable section of the formations so characteristic of the ,amazonian ,valley2 the red1 sandy clay of the upper deposit filling in all the undulations and inequalities of the sandstone below1 the surface of which was remarkably irregular4 ,the sea is making great encroachments on the shore of this island4 ,senhor ,figueiredo1 who lives here with his family and by whom we were received with much hospitality1 told us that during the last eighteen or twenty years1 the beach had receded considerably in some places2 the high-water line being many yards beyond its former limit4 ,the result of this excursion has shown that1 with the exception of some low mud-islands nearly level with the water1 all the harbor islands lying in the mouth of the ,amazons are1 geologically speaking1 parts of the ,amazonian ,valley1 having the same structure4 ,they were1 no doubt1 formerly continuous with the shore1 but are separated now1 partly by the fresh waters cutting their way through the land to the ocean1 partly by the progress of the sea itself4 ,march #bdth4--,our quiet life at ,nazareth1 though full of enjoyment for tired travellers1 affords little material for a journal4 ,a second excursion along the coast has furnished ,mr4 ,agassiz with new evidence of the rapid changes in the outline of the shore1 produced by the encroachment of the sea4 ,so fast is this going on that some of the public works near the coast are already endangered by the advance of the ocean upon the land4 ,during the past week he has been especially occupied in directing the work of a photographist employed by ,senhor ,pimenta ,bueno1 who1 with his usual liberality towards the scientific objects of the expedition1 is collecting in this way the portraits of some remarkable palms and other trees about his house and grounds4 ,one of the most striking is a huge ,sumaumra1 with buttressed trunk4 ,these buttresses start at a distance of about eight or ten feet from the ground1 spreading gradually toward the base2 they are from ten to twelve feet in depth4 ,the lower part of the trunk is thus divided into open compartments1 sometimes so large that two or three persons can stand within them4 ,this disposition to throw out flanks or wings is not confined to one kind of tree1 but occurs in many families2 it seems1 indeed1 a characteristic feature of forest vegetation here4 ,occasionally the buttresses partially separate from the main trunk1 remaining attached to it only at the point from which they start1 so that they look like distinct supports propping the tree4 ,i copy here an extract from ,mr4 ,agassiz's notes upon the vegetation of the ,amazons1 in which allusion is made to the ,sumaumra4 ,illustration3 ,buttressed ,tree 7,eriodendrum ,sumauma74 8,any one coming from the ,north to the ,tropics1 if he has been in the habit of observing the vegetation about him1 even without having made botany a special study1 is1 in a measure1 prepared to appreciate the resemblances and the differences between plants of the tropical and those of the temperate regions4 ,an acquaintance with the ,robinia 7,locust-trees71 for instance1 or with the large shrub-like ,lotus1 and other woody ,leguminos1 will enable him to recognize the numerous representatives of that family1 forming so large a part of the equatorial vegetation2 and1 even should he never have seen specimens of the ,mimosa in gardens or hot-houses1 their delicate1 susceptible foliage will make them known to him2 he cannot fail to be struck with the inexhaustible combinations and forms of their pinnate leaves1 as well as with the variety in their tints of green1 the diversity in their clusters of leaves and in their pods and seeds4 ,but there are families with which he fancies himself equally familiar1 the tropical representatives of which will never seem to him like old acquaintances4 ,thus the tree which furnishes the ,indian rubber belongs to the ,milk-weed family4 ,every one knows the ,milk-weeds of the ,north1 to be seen1 as humble herbs1 all along the roadsides1 on the edges of our woods and in the sands of our beaches4 ,yet on the ,amazons1 the ,euphorbiace1 so small and unobtrusive with us1 assume the form of colossal trees1 constituting a considerable part of its strange and luxuriant forest-growth4 ,the giant of the ,amazonian woods1 whose majestic flat crown towers over all other trees1 while its white trunk stands out in striking relief from the surrounding mass of green 7the ,sumaumra71 is allied to our mallows4 ,some of the most characteristic trees of the river-shore belong to these two families4 ,our paleontologists who attempt to restore the forests of older geological times should keep in mind this fact of the striking contrasts presented under different latitudes by the same families4 ,of course the equatorial regions teem with plants and trees belonging to families either entirely unknown or but poorly represented in more temperate latitudes2 and these distinct groups naturally arrest the attention of the botanist1 and perhaps awaken his interest more than those with which he is already familiar under other forms4 ,but1 while these different families are recognized as distinct1 and no doubt deserve to be considered by themselves as natural groups1 ,i believe that much might be learned of the deeper relations of plants by studying1 not only the representatives of the same families in different latitudes1 such as the ,mimosas and the ,milk-weeds1 but also what ,i may call botanical equivalents1--groups which balance each other in the different climatic zones4 ,this idea is suggested to me by my zological studies in the ,amazons1 which have led me to perceive new relations between the animals of the temperate and the tropical zone3 it seems probable that corresponding relations should exist in the vegetable world also4 ,struck1 for instance1 by the total absence of sturgeons1 perches1 pickerels1 trouts1 carps and other white fishes1 cusks1 sculpins1 c41 ,i have asked myself1 while studying the fishes of the ,amazons1 what analogy could exist between those of our ,western rivers and those of the tropics1 as well as between the latter and those of the intermediate latitudes4 ,looking at them with this view1 ,i have been surprised to find how closely related the ,goniodonts are to the ,sturgeons2 so much so1 that the ,loricari may be considered as genuine ,sturgeons1 with more extensive shields upon the body4 ,i am satisfied also that the ,cychla is a perch to all intents and purposes1 that the ,acaras are ,sunfishes1 the ,xiphorhamphus 7,pir pucu7 ,pickerels1 and the ,curimatas genuine ,carps4 ,now1 may not a similar relation exist between the families of plants belonging to the ,north and those forming the most prominent vegetation of the ,south8 ,what are the tropical trees which take the place of our elms1 maples1 lindens8 ,by what families are our oaks1 chestnuts1 willows1 poplars1 represented under the burning sun of the equinoctial regions8 ,the ,rosace in the temperate and the ,myrtace in the tropical regions seem to me such botanical equivalents4 ,the family of ,rosace gives to the ,north its pears1 its apples1 its peaches1 its cherries1 its plums1 its almonds2 in short1 all the most delicious fruits of the ,old ,world1 as well as its most beautiful flowers4 ,the trees of this family1 by their foliage1 play a distinguished part in the vegetation of the temperate zone1 and impart to it a character of their own4 ,the ,myrtace give to the ,south its guavas1 its pitangas1 its aras1 the juicy plum-like fruit of the swamp-myrtles1 many of its nuts1 and other excellent fruits4 ,this family1 including the ,melastomace1 abounds in flowering shrubs1 like the purple ,queresma and many others not less beautiful2 and some of its representatives1 such as the ,sapucaia and the ,brazilian nut-tree1 rise to the height of towering trees4 ,both of these families sink to insignificance in the one zone1 while they assume a dignified port and perform an important part in the other4 ,if this investigation be extended to the shrubs and humbler plants1 ,i believe the botanist who undertakes it will reap a rich harvest40 ,the day after to-morrow we leave ,par in the ,santa ,cruz for ,cear4 ,it will be like leaving a sort of home to say good by to our kind friends in the ,rua de ,nazareth4 ,we have become attached to this neighborhood also from its beauty4 ,the wide street1 bordered for two or three miles with mangueiras1 leads into the wooded country1 where many a narrow green path in the forest tempts one to long rambles4 ,one of these paths has been a favorite walk of mine on account of the beauty and luxuriance of the vegetation1 making some parts of it shady even at noonday4 ,i have often followed it for two or three miles in the early morning1 between six and eight o'clock1 when the verdant walls on either side are still fresh and dewy4 ,beautiful as it is1 it leads to one of the saddest of all abodes4 ,for a long time ,i could not understand why this lane was always in such good condition1 the heavy rains making unfrequented forest-paths almost impassable in the wet season4 ,i found on inquiry that it led to a hospital for lepers1 and was kept in good repair because the various stores and supplies for the hospital were constantly carried over it4 ,the prevalence of leprosy has made it necessary to provide separate establishments for its victims2 and both at ,par and ,santarem1 where it is still more common1 there are hospitals devoted exclusively to this purpose4 ,this terrible disease is not confined wholly to the lower classes1 and where it occurs in families whose circumstances are good the invalid is often kept at home under the care of his own friends4 ,bates states that leprosy is supposed to be incurable1 and also adds that1 during his eleven years' residence on the ,amazons1 he has never known a foreigner to be attacked by it4 ,we have1 however1 been told by a very intelligent ,german physician in ,rio de ,janeiro1 that he has known several cases of it among his own countrymen there1 and has been so fortunate as to effect permanent cures in some instances4 ,he says it is a mistake to suppose that it does not yield to treatment when taken in time1 and the statistics of the disease show that1 where there are good physicians1 it is found to be gradually disappearing4 ,we must not leave ,par without alluding to our evening concerts from the adjoining woods and swamps4 ,when ,i first heard this strange confusion of sounds1 ,i thought it came from a crowd of men shouting loudly1 though at a little distance4 ,to my surprise1 ,i found that the rioters were the frogs and toads in the neighborhood4 ,i hardly know how to describe this ,babel of woodland noises2 and if ,i could do it justice1 ,i am afraid my account would hardly be believed4 ,at moments it seems like the barking of dogs1 then like the calling of many voices on different keys1 but all loud1 rapid1 excited1 full of emphasis and variety4 ,i think these frogs1 like ours1 must be silent at certain seasons of the year2 for1 on our first visit to ,par1 we were not struck by this singular music1 with which the woods now resound at nightfall4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,note4--,before leaving the ,amazons1 ,i wish to acknowledge attentions received from several friends1 whose names do not appear in the narrative4 ,to ,senhor ,danin1 ,chef de ,police at ,par1 ,i was indebted for valuable ,indian curiosities1 and for specimens of other kinds2 to ,doctor ,malcher for a collection of birds2 to ,senhor ,penna for important additions to my collection of fishes2 to ,senhor ,laita da ,cunha for aid in collecting1 and for many introductions to persons of influence along our route2 and to ,mr4 ,kaulfuss1 a ,german resident at ,par1 for fossils from the ,andes4 ,i have to thank ,mr4 ,james ,bond1 ,united ,states ,consul at ,par1 for unwearied efforts in my behalf during the whole time of my stay in the ,amazons4 ,he supplied me with alcohol2 received the collections on their arrival at ,par2 examined the cases and barrels1 causing those which were defective to be repaired1 that they might reach their destination in safety1 and finally despatched them to the ,united ,states1 free of charge1 on board sailing-vessels in which he had an interest4 ,we owe it in great degree to him that our immense ,amazonian collections arrived in ,cambridge in good condition1 suffering little loss or injury in the process of transportation4--,l4 ,a4 ----- ,footnote #hh3 ,during my short stay in the neighborhood of ,villa ,bella and ,obydos ,i was indebted to several residents of these towns for assistance in collecting2 especially to ,padre ,torquato and to ,padre ,antonio ,mattos4 ,my friend1 ,mr4 ,honorio1 who accompanied me to this point1 with the assistance of the ,delegado1 at ,villa ,bella1 made also a very excellent collection of fishes in this vicinity4 ,at ,obydos ,colonel ,bentos contributed a very large collection of fishes from the ,rio ,trombetas4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #hi3 ,see ,chapter ,,xiii41 on the ,physical ,history of the ,amazons4 ,footnote #ij3 ,it is but fitting that ,i should express here my thanks to ,captain ,faria for the courteous manner in which he accomplished the task assigned him by the government4 ,he was not only a most hospitable host on board his vessel1 but he allowed me to encumber his deck with all kinds of scientific apparatus1 and gave me very efficient assistance in collecting4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ia3 ,,par1 ,february #bc1 #ahff4 ,,sire3--,on arriving at ,par in the beginning of this month1 ,i had the pleasure to find your ,majesty's kind letter1 which had been awaiting me for several days4 ,i ought to have acknowledged it immediately1 but ,i was not in a condition to do so1 being overcome by fatigue4 ,it is only during the last two or three days that ,i begin once more to occupy myself as usual4 ,i confess that nothing but the presentiment of regrets which would have pursued me to the end of my days has prevented me from returning directly to the ,united ,states4 ,even now ,i find it difficult to take up the most simple occupations4 ,and yet ,i am not ill2 ,i am only exhausted by incessant work1 and by the contemplation1 each day more vivid and impressive1 of the grandeur and beauty of this tropical nature4 ,i need to look for a time upon the sombre and monotonous aspect of a pine forest4 ,how good you are1 ,sire1 to think of me in the midst of the vital affairs which absorb your attention1 and how considerate are your acts6 ,the ,new ,year's present you announce enchants me4#ic ,the prospect of being able to add some comparisons of the fishes from the basin of the ,uruguay to such as ,i have already made between the ,amazonian species and those of the rivers on the eastern coast of ,brazil has a special attraction for me4 ,it will be the first step towards a knowledge of the types of the temperate zone in ,south ,america4 ,i wait with increasing impatience for the moment when ,i shall be able to examine them4 ,in the mean while allow me to give you a rapid sketch of the results thus far obtained in my voyage on the ,amazons4 ,i will not return to the surprising variety of species of fishes contained in this basin1 though it is very difficult for me to familiarize myself with the idea that the ,amazons nourishes nearly twice as many species as the ,mediterranean1 and a larger number than the ,atlantic1 taken from one pole to the other4 ,i can no longer say1 however1 with precision1 what is the exact number of species which we have procured from the ,amazons1 because1 on retracing my steps as ,i descended the great river1 ,i have seen fishes about to lay their eggs which ,i had seen at first under other conditions1 and vice versa2 and without consulting the collections made six months ago1 and which are not now accessible to me1 it is often impossible for me to determine from memory whether they are the same species1 or different ones which escaped my observation in my first examination4 ,however1 ,i estimate the total number of species which ,i actually possess at eighteen hundred1 and it may be two thousand4#id ,but it is not only the number of species which will astonish naturalists2 the fact that they are for the most part circumscribed within definite limits is still more surprising1 and cannot but have a direct influence on the ideas now prevalent respecting the origin of living beings4 ,that in a river like the ,mississippi1 which from the north to the south passes successively through cold1 temperate1 and warm zones1--whose waters flow sometimes over one geological formation1 sometimes over another1 and across plains covered at the north by an almost arctic vegetation1 and at the south by a sub-tropical flora1--that in such a basin aquatic animals of different species should be met at various points of its course is easily understood by those who are accustomed to consider general conditions of existence1 and of climate especially1 as the first cause of the difference between animals and plants inhabiting separate localities4 ,but that from ,tabatinga to ,par1 in a river where the waters differ neither in temperature nor in the nature of their bed1 nor in the vegetation along their borders1--that under such circumstances there should be met1 from distance to distance1 assemblages of fishes completely distinct from each other1 is indeed astonishing4 ,i would even say that henceforth this distribution1 which may be verified by any one who cares to take the trouble1 must throw much doubt on the opinion which attributes the diversity of living beings to local influences4 ,another side of this subject1 still more curious perhaps1 is the intensity with which life is manifested in these waters4 ,all the rivers of ,europe united1 from the ,tagus to the ,volga1 do not nourish one hundred and fifty species of fresh-water fishes2 and yet1 in a little lake near ,manaos1 called ,lago ,hyanuary1 the surface of which covers hardly four or five hundred square yards1 we have discovered more than two hundred distinct species1 the greater part of which have not been observed elsewhere4 ,what a contrast6 ,the study of the mixture of human races in this region has also occupied me much1 and ,i have procured numerous photographs of all the types which ,i have been able to observe4 ,the principal result at which ,i have arrived is1 that the races bear themselves towards each other as do distinct species2 that is to say1 that the hybrids1 which spring from the crossing of men of different races1 are always a mixture of the two primitive types1 and never the simple reproduction of the characters of one or the other progenitor1 as is the case among the races of domestic animals4 ,i will say nothing of my other collections1 which have been made for the most part by my young companions1 rather with a view to enrich our ,museum than to solve scientific questions4 ,but ,i cannot allow this occasion to pass without expressing my lively gratitude for all the facilities1 in my explorations1 which ,i have owed to the kindness of your ,majesty4 ,from the ,president to the most humble employs of the provinces ,i have visited1 all have competed with each other to render my work more easy2 and the steamship company of the ,amazons has shown an extreme liberality towards me4 ,finally1 ,sire1 the generosity with which you have placed at my disposition a vessel of war has allowed me to make collections which1 with less ample and rapid means of transport1 must have remained utterly inaccessible to me4 ,permit me to add1 that1 of all the favors with which your ,majesty has crowned this voyage1 the most precious has been the presence of ,major ,coutinho1 whose familiarity with all which concerns the ,amazons has been an inexhaustible source of important information and of useful directions2 by means of which the loss of time in unremunerative excursions has been avoided4 ,his co-operation during this journey has been most laborious2 he has applied himself to zology as if the physical sciences had not hitherto been the special object of his study1 while at the same time he has made numerous thermometric1 barometric1 and astronomical observations1 which will furnish important additions to what is already known concerning the meteorology and topography of these provinces4 ,we have1 for instance1 been the first to carry the barometer into the midst of the hills of ,almeyrim1 of ,monte ,algre and ,erer1 and to measure their highest summits4 ,the study of the formation of the valley of the ,amazons has naturally occupied me1 though in a secondary degree1 from the first day of my arrival4#ie 99 99 99 99 99 ,but it is time that ,i should close this long letter1 begging your ,majesty to pardon me for putting your patience to so hard a trial4 ,your ,majesty's most humble and most affectionate servant1 ,l4 ,,agassiz4 ,footnote #ib3 ,humboldt's ,personal ,narrative1 ,bohn's ,scientific ,library1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 ,chap4 ,,xx4 p4 #bfg4 ,footnote #ic3 ,the ,emperor had written to ,mr4 ,agassiz that1 during the time when he took command of the ,brazilian army on the ,rio ,grande1 he had caused collections of fishes to be made for him from several of the southern rivers4 ,footnote #id3 ,to-day ,i cannot give a more precise account of the final result of my survey4 ,though all my collections are safely stored in the ,museum1 every practical zologist understands that a critical examination of more than eighty thousand specimens cannot be made in less than several years4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #ie3 ,the rest of this letter is omitted1 as its substance is contained in ,chapter ,,xiii41 on the ,physical ,history of the ,amazons4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,physical ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,amazons4 ,,drift ,,about ,,rio ,,de ,,janeiro4--,,decomposition ,,of ,,underlying ,,rock4--,,different ,,aspect ,,of ,,glacial ,,phenomena ,,in ,,different ,,continents4--,,fertility ,,of ,,the ,,drift4--,,geological ,,observations ,,of ,,messrs4 ,,hartt ,,and ,,st4 ,,john4--,,correspondence ,,of ,,deposits ,,along ,,the ,,coast ,,with ,,those ,,of ,,rio ,,and ,,those ,,of ,,the ,,valley ,,of ,,the ,,amazons4--,,primitive ,,formation ,,of ,,the ,,valley4--,,first ,,known ,,chapter ,,of ,,its ,,history4--,,cretaceous ,,fossil ,,fishes4--,,former ,,extent ,,of ,,the ,,south-,,american ,,coast4--,,cretaceous ,,fossils ,,from ,,the ,,rio ,,purus4--,,comparison ,,between ,,north ,,and ,,south ,,america4--,,geological ,,formations ,,along ,,the ,,banks ,,of ,,the ,,amazons4--,,fossil ,,leaves4--,,clays ,,and ,,sandstones4--,,hills ,,of ,,almeyrim4--,,monte ,,al,,gre4--,,situation ,,and ,,scenery4--,,serra ,,erer4--,,comparison ,,with ,,swiss ,,scenery4--,,boulders ,,of ,,erer4--,,ancient ,,thickness ,,of ,,amazonian ,,deposits4--,,difference ,,between ,,drift ,,of ,,the ,,amazons ,,and ,,that ,,of ,,rio4--,,inferences ,,drawn ,,from ,,the ,,present ,,condition ,,of ,,the ,,deposits4--,,immense ,,extent ,,of ,,sandstone ,,formation4--,,nature ,,and ,,origin ,,of ,,these ,,deposits4--,,referred ,,to ,,the ,,ice-,,period4--,,absence ,,of ,,glacial ,,marks4--,,glacial ,,evidence ,,of ,,another ,,kind4--,,changes ,,in ,,the ,,outline ,,of ,,the ,,south-,,american ,,coast4--,,sour4--,,igarap ,,grande4--,,vigia4--,,bay ,,of ,,braganza4--,,anticipation4 ,a few days before we left ,par1 ,senhor ,pimenta ,bueno invited his friends and acquaintances1 who had expressed a wish to hear ,mr4 ,agassiz's views on the geological character of the ,amazonian ,valley1 to meet at his house in the evening for that purpose4 ,the guests were some two hundred in number1 and the whole affair was very unceremonious1 assuming rather the character of a meeting for conversation or discussion than that of an audience collected to hear a studied address4 ,the substance of this talk or lecture1 as subsequently written out by ,mr4 ,agassiz1 afterward appeared in the ,atlantic ,monthly1 and is inserted here1 with some few alterations under the head of a separate chapter4 ,the reader will find occasional repetitions of facts already stated in the earlier part of the narrative2 but they are retained for the sake of giving a complete and consistent review of the subject at this point of our journey1 where it became possible to compare the geological structure of the ,amazonian ,valley with that of the southern provinces of ,brazil and of those bordering on the ,atlantic coast4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the existence of a glacial period1 however much derided when first announced1 is now a recognized fact4 ,the divergence of opinion respecting it is limited to a question of extent2 and after my recent journey in the ,amazons1 ,i am led to add a new chapter to the strange history of glacial phenomena1 taken from the southern hemisphere1 and even from the tropics themselves4 ,i am prepared to find that the statement of this new phase of the glacial period will awaken among my scientific colleagues an opposition even more violent than that by which the first announcement of my views on this subject was met4 ,i am1 however1 willing to bide my time2 feeling sure that1 as the theory of the ancient extension of glaciers in ,europe has gradually come to be accepted by geologists1 so will the existence of like phenomena1 both in ,north and ,south ,america1 during the same epoch1 be recognized sooner or later as part of a great series of physical events extending over the whole globe4 ,indeed1 when the ice-period is fully understood1 it will be seen that the absurdity lies in supposing that climatic conditions so different could be limited to a small portion of the world's surface4 ,if the geological winter existed at all1 it must have been cosmic2 and it is quite as rational to look for its traces in the ,western as in the ,eastern hemisphere1 to the south of the equator as to the north of it4 ,impressed by this wider view of the subject1 confirmed by a number of unpublished investigations which ,i have made during the last three or four years in the ,united ,states1 ,i came to ,south ,america1 expecting to find in the tropical regions new evidences of a bygone glacial period1 though1 of course1 under different aspects4 ,such a result seemed to me the logical sequence of what ,i had already observed in ,europe and in ,north ,america4 ,on my arrival in ,rio de ,janeiro1--the port at which ,i first landed in ,brazil1--my attention was immediately attracted by a very peculiar formation consisting of an ochraceous1 highly ferruginous1 sandy clay4 ,during a stay of three months in ,rio1 whence ,i made many excursions into the neighboring country1 ,i had opportunities of studying this deposit1 both in the province of ,rio de ,janeiro and in the adjoining province of ,minas ,geraes4 ,i found that it rested everywhere upon the undulating surfaces of the solid rocks in place1 was almost entirely destitute of stratification1 and contained a variety of pebbles and boulders4 ,the pebbles were chiefly quartz1 sometimes scattered indiscriminately throughout the deposit1 sometimes lying in a seam between it and the rock below2 while the boulders were either sunk in its mass1 or resting loosely on the surface4 ,at ,tijuca1 a few miles out of the city of ,rio1 among the picturesque hills lying to the southwest of it1 these phenomena may be seen in great perfection4 ,near ,bennett's ,hotel there are a great number of erratic boulders1 having no connection whatever with the rock in place2 and also a bluff of this superficial deposit studded with boulders1 resting above the partially stratified metamorphic rock4#if ,other excellent opportunities for observing this formation1 also within easy reach from the city1 are afforded along the whole line of the ,dom ,pedro ,segundo ,railroad1 where the cuts expose admirable sections1 showing the red1 unstratified1 homogeneous mass of sandy clay resting above the solid rock1 and often divided from it by a thin bed of pebbles4 ,there can be no doubt1 in the mind of any one familiar with similar facts observed in other parts of the world1 that this is one of the many forms of drift connected with glacial action4 ,i was1 however1 far from anticipating1 when ,i first met it in the neighborhood of ,rio1 that ,i should afterwards find it spreading over the surface of the country from north to south and from east to west1 with a continuity which gives legible connection to the whole geological history of the continent4 ,it is true that the extensive decomposition of the underlying rock1 penetrating sometimes to a considerable depth1 makes it often difficult to distinguish between it and the drift2 and the problem is made still more puzzling by the fact that the surface of the drift1 when baked by exposure to the hot sun1 often assumes the appearance of decomposed rock1 so that great care is required for a correct interpretation of the facts4 ,a little practice1 however1 trains the eye to read these appearances aright2 and ,i may say that ,i have learned to recognize everywhere the limit between the two formations4 ,there is indeed one safe guide1 namely1 the undulating line1 reminding one of roches moutonnes1#ig and marking the irregular surface of the rock on which the drift was accumulated2 whatever modifications the one or the other may have undergone1 this line seems never to disappear4 ,another deceptive feature1 arising from the frequent disintegration of the rocks and from the brittle character of some of them1 is the presence of loose fragments1 which simulate erratic boulders1 but are in fact only detached masses of the rock in place4 ,a careful examination of their structure1 however1 will at once show the geologist whether they belong where they are found1 or have been brought from a distance to their present resting-place4 ,but1 while the features to which ,i have alluded are unquestionably drift phenomena1 they present in their wider extension1 and especially in the northern part of ,brazil1 some phases of glacial action hitherto unobserved4 ,just as the investigation of the ice-period in the ,united ,states has shown us that ice-fields may move over open level plains1 as well as along the slopes of mountain valleys1 so does a study of the same class of facts in ,south ,america reveal new and unlooked-for features in the history of the ice-period4 ,some will say that the fact of the advance of ice-fields over an open country is by no means established1 inasmuch as many geologists believe all the so-called glacial traces--viz4 stri1 furrows1 polish1 etc41 found in the ,united ,states--to have been made by floating icebergs at a time when the continent was submerged4 ,to this ,i can only answer that1 in the ,state of ,maine1 ,i have followed1 compass in hand1 the same set of furrows1 running from north to south in one unvarying line1 over a surface of one hundred and thirty miles1 from the ,katahdin ,iron ,range to the sea-shore4#ih ,these furrows follow all the inequalities of the country1 ascending ranges of hills varying from twelve to fifteen hundred feet in height1 and descending into the intervening valleys only two or three hundred feet above the sea1 or sometimes even on a level with it4 ,i take it to be impossible that a floating mass of ice should travel onward in one rectilinear direction1 turning neither to the right nor to the left1 for such a distance4 ,equally impossible would it be for a detached mass of ice1 swimming on the surface of the water1 or even with its base sunk considerably below it1 to furrow in a straight line the summits and sides of the hills1 and the bottoms of the intervening valleys4 ,it would be carried over the inequalities of the country without touching the lowest depressions4 ,instead of ascending the mountains1 it would remain stranded against any elevation which rose greatly above its own base1 and1 if caught between two parallel ridges1 would float up and down between them4 ,moreover1 the action of solid1 unbroken ice1 moving over the ground in immediate contact with it1 is so different from that of floating ice-rafts or icebergs that1 though the latter have unquestionably dropped erratic boulders1 and made furrows and stri on the surface where they happened to be grounded1 these phenomena will easily be distinguished from the more connected tracks of glaciers1 or extensive sheets of ice1 resting directly upon the face of the country and advancing over it4 ,there seems thus far to be an inextricable confusion in the ideas of many geologists as to the respective action of currents1 icebergs1 and glaciers4 ,it is time that they should learn to distinguish between classes of facts so different from each other1 and so easily recognized after the discrimination has once been made4 ,as to the southward movement of an immense field of ice1 extending over the whole ,north1 it seems inevitable1 the moment we admit that snow may accumulate around the pole in such quantities as to initiate a pressure radiating in every direction4 ,snow1 alternately thawing and freezing1 must1 like water1 find its level at last4 ,a sheet of snow ten or fifteen thousand feet in thickness1 extending all over the northern and southern portions of the globe1 must necessarily lead1 in the end1 to the formation of a northern and southern cap of ice1 moving toward the equator4 ,i have spoken of ,tijuca and the ,dom ,pedro ,railroad as favorable localities for studying the peculiar southern drift2 but one meets it in every direction4 ,a sheet of drift1 consisting of the same homogeneous1 unstratified paste1 and containing loose materials of all sorts and sizes1 covers the country4 ,it is of very uneven thickness1--sometimes thrown into relief1 as it were1 by the surrounding denudations1 and rising into hills2 sometimes reduced to a thin layer2 sometimes1 as1 for instance1 on steep slopes1 washed entirely away1 leaving the bare face of the rock exposed4 ,it has1 however1 remained comparatively undisturbed on some very abrupt ascents2 as may be seen on the ,corcovado1 along the path leading up the mountain1 where there are some very fine banks of drift1 the more striking from the contrast of their deep-red color with the surrounding vegetation4 ,i have myself followed this sheet of drift from ,rio de ,janeiro to the top of the ,serra do ,mar1 where1 just outside the pretty town of ,petropolis1 the river ,piabanha may be seen flowing between banks of drift1 in which it has excavated its bed2 thence ,i have traced it along the beautiful macadamized road leading to ,juiz de ,fora in the province of ,minas ,geraes1 and beyond this to the farther side of the ,serra da ,babylonia4 ,throughout this whole tract of country the drift may be seen along the roadside1 in immediate contact with the native crystalline rock4 ,the fertility of the land1 also1 is a guide to the presence of drift4 ,wherever it lies thickest over the surface1 there are the most flourishing coffee-plantations2 and ,i believe that a more systematic regard to this fact would have a most beneficial influence upon the agricultural interests of the country4 ,no doubt the fertility arises from the great variety of chemical elements contained in the drift1 and the kneading process it has undergone beneath the gigantic ice-plough1--a process which makes glacial drift everywhere the most fertile soil4 ,since my return from the ,amazons1 my impression as to the general distribution of these phenomena has been confirmed by the reports of some of my assistants1 who have been travelling in other parts of the country4 ,mr4 ,frederick ,c4 ,hartt1 accompanied by ,mr4 ,copeland1 one of the volunteer aids of the expedition1 has been making collections and geological observations in the province of ,spiritu ,santo1 in the valley of the ,rio ,doce1 and afterwards in the valley of the ,mucury4 ,he informs me that he has found everywhere the same sheet of red1 unstratified clay1 with pebbles and occasional boulders overlying the rock in place4 ,mr4 ,orestes ,st4 ,john1 who1 taking the road through the interior1 has visited1 with the same objects in view1 the valleys of the ,rio ,san ,francisco and the ,rio das ,velhas1 and also the valley of ,piauhy1 gives the same account1 with the exception that he found no erratic boulders in these more northern regions4 ,the rarity of erratic boulders1 not only in the deposits of the ,amazons proper1 but in those of the whole region which may be considered as the ,amazonian basin1 is accounted for1 as we shall see hereafter1 by the mode of their formation4 ,the observations of ,mr4 ,hartt and ,mr4 ,st4 ,john are the more valuable1 because ,i had employed them both1 on our first arrival in ,rio1 in making geological surveys of different sections on the ,dom ,pedro ,railroad1 so that they had a great familiarity with those formations before starting on their separate journeys4 ,recently1 ,mr4 ,st4 ,john and myself met in ,par on our return from our respective explorations1 and ,i have had an opportunity of comparing on the spot his geological sections from the valley of the ,piauhy with the ,amazonian deposits4 ,there can be no doubt of the absolute identity of the formations in these valleys4 ,having arranged the work of my assistants1 and sent several of them to collect and make geological examinations in other directions1 ,i myself1 with the rest of my companions1 proceeded up the coast to ,par4 ,i was surprised to find at every step of my progress the same geological phenomena which had met me at ,rio4 ,it was my friend1 ,major ,coutinho1 already an experienced ,amazonian traveller1 who first told me that this formation continued through the whole valley of the ,amazons1 and was also to be found on all of its affluents which he had visited1 although he had never thought of referring it to so recent a period4 ,and here let me say that the facts ,i now state are by no means exclusively the result of my own investigations4 ,they are in great part due to ,major ,coutinho1 a member of the ,brazilian government corps of engineers1 who1 by the kindness of the ,emperor1 was associated with me in my ,amazonian expedition4 ,i can truly say that he has been my good genius throughout the whole journey1 saving me1 by his previous knowledge of the ground1 from the futile and misdirected expenditure of means and time often inevitable in a new country1 where one is imperfectly acquainted both with the people and their language4 ,we have worked together in this investigation2 my only advantage over him being my greater familiarity with like phenomena in ,europe and ,north ,america1 and consequent readiness in the practical handling of the facts and in perceiving their connection4 ,major ,coutinho's assertion1 that on the banks of the ,amazons ,i should find the same red1 unstratified clay as in ,rio and along the southern coast1 seemed to me at first almost incredible1 impressed as ,i was with the generally received notions as to the ancient character of the ,amazonian deposits1 referred by ,humboldt to the ,devonian1 and by ,martius to the ,triassic period1 and considered by all travellers to be at least as old as the ,tertiaries4 ,the result1 however1 confirmed his report1 at least so far as the component materials of the formation are concerned2 but1 as will be seen hereafter1 the mode of their deposition1 and the time at which it took place1 have not been the same at the north and south2 and this difference of circumstances has modified the aspect of a formation essentially the same throughout4 ,at first sight1 it would indeed appear that this formation1 as it exists in the valley of the ,amazons1 is identical with that of ,rio2 but it differs from it in the rarity of its boulders1 and in showing occasional signs of stratification4 ,it is also everywhere underlaid by coarse1 well-stratified deposits1 resembling somewhat the ,recife of ,bahia and ,pernambuco2 whereas the unstratified drift of the south rests immediately upon the undulating surface of whatever rock happens to make the foundation of the country1 whether stratified or crystalline4 ,the peculiar sandstone on which the ,amazonian clay rests exists nowhere else4 ,before proceeding1 however1 to describe the ,amazonian deposits in detail1 ,i ought to say something of the nature and origin of the valley itself4 ,the valley of the ,amazons was first sketched out by the elevation of two tracts of land2 namely1 the plateau of ,guiana on the north1 and the central plateau of ,brazil on the south4 ,it is probable that1 at the time these two table-lands were lifted above the sea-level1 the ,andes did not exist1 and the ocean flowed between them through an open strait4 ,it would seem 7and this is a curious result of modern geological investigations7 that the portions of the earth's surface earliest raised above the ocean have trended from east to west4 ,the first tract of land lifted above the waters in ,north ,america was also a long continental island1 running from ,newfoundland almost to the present base of the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,this tendency may be attributed to various causes1--to the rotation of the earth1 the consequent depression of its poles1 and the breaking of its crust along the lines of greatest tension thus produced4 ,at a later period1 the upheaval of the ,andes took place1 closing the western side of this strait1 and thus transforming it into a gulf1 open only toward the east4 ,little or nothing is known of the earlier stratified deposits resting against the crystalline masses first uplifted along the borders of the ,amazonian ,valley4 ,there is here no sequence1 as in ,north ,america1 of ,azoic1 ,silurian1 ,devonian1 and ,carboniferous formations1 shored up against each other by the gradual upheaval of the continent2 although1 unquestionably1 older palozoic and secondary beds underlie1 here and there1 the later formations4 ,indeed1 ,major ,coutinho has found palozoic deposits1 with characteristic ,brachiopods1 in the valley of the ,rio ,tapajos1 at the first cascade1 and carboniferous deposits have been noticed along the ,rio ,guapore and the ,rio ,mamore4 ,but the first chapter in the valley's geological history about which we have connected and trustworthy data is that of the cretaceous period4 ,it seems certain1 that1 at the close of the secondary age1 the whole ,amazonian basin became lined with a cretaceous deposit1 the margins of which crop out at various localities on its borders4 ,they have been observed along its southern limits1 on its western outskirts along the ,andes1 in ,venezuela along the shore-line of mountains1 and also in certain localities near its eastern edge4 ,i well remember that one of the first things which awakened my interest in the geology of the ,amazonian ,valley was the sight of some cretaceous fossil fishes from the province of ,cear4 ,these fossil fishes were collected by ,mr4 ,george ,gardner1 to whom science is indebted for the most extensive information yet obtained respecting the geology of that part of ,brazil4 ,in this connection1 let me say that ,i shall speak of the provinces of ,cear1 ,piauhy1 and ,maranham as belonging geologically to the valley of the ,amazons1 though their shore is bathed by the ocean and their rivers empty directly into the ,atlantic4 ,but ,i entertain no doubt that1 at an earlier period1 the north-eastern coast of ,brazil stretched much farther seaward than in our day2 so far1 indeed1 that in those times the rivers of all these provinces must have been tributaries of the ,amazons in its eastward course4 ,the evidence for this conclusion is substantially derived from the identity of the deposits in the valleys belonging to these provinces with those of the valleys through which the actual tributaries of the ,amazons flow2 as1 for instance1 the ,tocantins1 the ,xingu1 the ,tapajos1 the ,madeira1 etc4 ,besides the fossils above alluded to from the eastern borders of this ancient basin1 ,i have had recently another evidence of its cretaceous character from its southern region4 ,mr4 ,william ,chandless1 on his return from a late journey on the ,rio ,purus1 presented me with a series of fossil remains of the highest interest1 and undoubtedly belonging to the cretaceous period4 ,they were collected by himself on the ,rio ,aquiry1 an affluent of the ,rio ,purus4 ,most of them were found in place between the tenth and eleventh degrees of south latitude1 and the sixty-seventh and sixty-ninth degrees of west longitude from ,greenwich1 in localities varying from four hundred and thirty to six hundred and fifty feet above the sea-level4 ,there are among them remains of ,mosasaurus1 and of fishes closely allied to those already represented by ,faujas in his description of ,maestricht1 and characteristic1 as is well known to geological students1 of the most recent cretaceous period4 ,thus in its main features the valley of the ,amazons1 like that of the ,mississippi1 is a cretaceous basin4 ,this resemblance suggests a further comparison between the twin continents of ,north and ,south ,america4 ,not only is their general form the same1 but their framework1 as we may call it1--that is1 the lay of their great mountain-chains and of their table-lands1 with the extensive intervening depressions1--presents a striking similarity4 ,indeed1 a zologist1 accustomed to trace a like structure under variously modified animal forms1 cannot but have his homological studies recalled to his mind by the coincidence between certain physical features in the northern and southern parts of the ,western hemisphere4 ,and yet here1 as throughout all nature1 these correspondences are combined with a distinctness of individualization which leaves its respective character1 not only to each continent as a whole1 but also to the different regions circumscribed within its borders4 ,in both1 however1 the highest mountain-chains1 the ,rocky ,mountains and the ,western ,coast ,range1 with their wide intervening table-land in ,north ,america1 and the chain of the ,andes1 with its lesser plateaux in ,south ,america1 run along the western coast2 both have a great eastern promontory1 ,newfoundland in the ,northern continent1 and ,cape ,st4 ,roque in the ,southern3 and though the resemblance between the inland elevations is perhaps less striking1 yet the ,canadian range1 the ,white ,mountains1 and the ,alleghanies may very fairly be compared to the table-lands of ,guiana and ,brazil1 and the ,serra do ,mar4 ,similar correspondences may be traced among the river-systems4 ,the ,amazons and the ,st4 ,lawrence1 though so different in dimensions1 remind us of each other by their trend and geographical position2 and while the one is fed by the largest river-system in the world1 the other drains the most extensive lake surfaces known to exist in immediate contiguity4 ,the ,orinoco1 with its bay1 recalls ,hudson's ,bay and its many tributaries1 and the ,rio ,magdalena may be said to be the ,south-,american ,mackenzie2 while the ,rio de la ,plata represents geographically our ,mississippi1 and the ,paraguay recalls the ,missouri4 ,the ,parana may be compared to the ,ohio2 the ,pilcomayo1 ,vermejo1 and ,salado rivers1 to the river ,platte1 the ,arkansas1 and the ,red ,river in the ,united ,states2 while the rivers farther south1 emptying into the ,gulf of ,mexico1 represent the rivers of ,patagonia and the southern parts of the ,argentine ,republic4 ,not only is there this general correspondence between the mountain elevations and the river-systems1 but as the larger river-basins of ,north ,america--those of the ,st4 ,lawrence1 the ,mississippi1 and the ,mackenzie--meet in the low tracts extending along the foot of the ,rocky ,mountains1 so do the basins of the ,amazons1 the ,rio de la ,plata1 and the ,orinoco join each other along the eastern slope of the ,andes4 ,but while in geographical homology the ,amazons compares with the ,st4 ,lawrence1 and the ,mississippi with the ,rio de la ,plata1 the ,mississippi and the ,amazons1 as has been said1 resemble each other in their local geological character4 ,they have both received a substratum of cretaceous beds1 above which are accumulated more recent deposits1 so that1 in their most prominent geological features1 both may be considered as cretaceous basins1 containing extensive deposits of a very recent age4 ,of the history of the ,amazonian ,valley during the periods immediately following the ,cretaceous1 we know little or nothing4 ,whether the ,tertiary deposits are hidden under the more modern ones2 or whether they are wholly wanting1 the basin having1 perhaps1 been raised above the sea-level before that time2 or whether they have been swept away by the tremendous inundations in the valley1 which have certainly destroyed a great part of the cretaceous deposit1--they have never been observed in any part of the ,amazonian basin4 ,whatever ,tertiary deposits are represented in geological maps of this region are so marked in consequence of an incorrect identification of strata belonging1 in fact1 to a much more recent period4 ,a minute and extensive survey of the valley of the ,amazons is by no means an easy task1 and its difficulty is greatly increased by the fact that the lower formations are only accessible on the river margins during the vasante1 or dry season1 when the waters shrink in their beds1 leaving a great part of their banks exposed4 ,it happened that the first three or four months of my journey 7,august1 ,september1 ,october1 and ,november7 were those when the waters are lowest1--reaching their minimum in ,september and ,october1 and beginning to rise again in ,november1--so that ,i had an excellent opportunity1 in ascending the river1 of observing its geological structure4 ,throughout its whole length1 three distinct geological formations may be traced1 the two lower of which have followed in immediate succession1 and are conformable with one another1 while the third rests unconformably upon them1 following all the inequalities of the greatly denudated surface presented by the second formation4 ,notwithstanding this seeming interruption in the sequence of these deposits1 the third1 as we shall presently see1 belongs to the same series1 and was accumulated in the same basin4 ,the lowest set of beds of the whole series is rarely visible2 but it seems everywhere to consist of sandstone1 or even of loose sands well stratified1 the coarser materials lying invariably below1 and the finer above4 ,upon this lower set of beds rests everywhere an extensive deposit of fine laminated clays1 varying in thickness1 but frequently dividing into layers as thin as a sheet of paper4 ,in some localities they exhibit1 in patches1 an extraordinary variety of beautiful colors1--pink1 orange1 crimson1 yellow1 gray1 blue1 and also black and white4 ,it is from these beds that the ,indians prepare their paints4 ,these clay deposits assume occasionally a peculiar appearance1 and one which might mislead the observer as to their true nature4 ,when their surface has been long exposed to the action of the atmosphere and to the heat of the burning sun1 they look so much like clay-slates of the oldest geological epochs that1 at first sight1 ,i took them for primary slates1 my attention being attracted to them by a regular cleavage as distinct as that of the most ancient clay-slates4 ,and yet at ,tonantins1 on the banks of the ,solimoens1 in a locality where their exposed surfaces had this primordial appearance1 ,i found in these very beds a considerable amount of well-preserved leaves1 the character of which proves their recent origin4 ,these leaves do not even indicate as ancient a period as the ,tertiaries1 but resemble so closely the vegetation of to-day that ,i have no doubt1 when examined by competent authority1 they will be identified with living plants4 ,the presence of such an extensive clay formation1 stretching over a surface of more than three thousand miles in length and about seven hundred in breadth1 is not easily explained under any ordinary circumstances4 ,the fact that it is so thoroughly laminated shows that1 in the basin in which it was formed1 the waters must have been unusually quiet1 containing identical materials throughout1 and that these materials must have been deposited over the whole bottom in the same way4 ,it is usually separated from the superincumbent beds by a glazed crust of hard1 compact sandstone1 almost resembling a ferruginous quartzite4 ,upon this follow beds of sand and sandstone1 varying in the regularity of their strata1 reddish in color1 often highly ferruginous1 and more or less nodulous or porous4 ,they present frequent traces of cross-stratification1 alternating with regularly stratified horizontal beds1 with here and there an intervening layer of clay4 ,it would seem as if the character of the water-basin had now changed1 and as if the waters under which this second formation was deposited had vibrated between storm and calm1 had sometimes flowed more gently1 and again had been tossed to and fro1 giving to some of the beds the aspect of true torrential deposits4 ,indeed1 these sandstone formations present a great variety of aspects4 ,sometimes they are very regularly laminated1 or assume even the appearance of the hardest quartzite4 ,this is usually the case with the uppermost beds4 ,in other localities1 and more especially in the lowermost beds1 the whole mass is honeycombed1 as if drilled by worms or boring shells1 the hard parts enclosing softer sands or clays4 ,occasionally the ferruginous materials prevail to such an extent that some of these beds might be mistaken for bog-ore1 while others contain a large amount of clay1 more regularly stratified1 and alternating with strata of sandstone1 thus recalling the most characteristic forms of the ,old ,red or ,triassic formations4 ,this resemblance has1 no doubt1 led to the identification of the ,amazonian deposits with the more ancient formations of ,europe4 ,at ,monte ,algre1 of which ,i shall presently speak more in detail1 such a clay bed divides the lower from the upper sandstone4 ,the thickness of these sandstones is extremely variable4 ,in the basin of the ,amazons proper1 they hardly rise anywhere above the level of high water during the rainy season2 while at low water1 in the summer months1 they may be observed everywhere along the river-banks4 ,it will be seen1 however1 that the limit between high and low water gives no true measure of the original thickness of the whole series4 ,in the neighborhood of ,almeyrim1 at a short distance from the northern bank of the river1 and nearly parallel with its course1 there rises a line of low hills1 interrupted here and there1 but extending in evident connection from ,almeyrim through the region of ,monte ,algre to the heights of ,obydos4 ,these hills have attracted the attention of travellers1 not only from their height1 which appears greater than it is1 because they rise abruptly from an extensive plain1 but also on account of their curious form2 many of them being perfectly level on top1 like smooth tables1 and very abruptly divided from each other by low1 intervening spaces4#ii ,nothing has hitherto been known of the geological structure of these hills1 but they have been usually represented as the southernmost spurs of the table-land of ,guiana4 ,on ascending the river1 ,i felt the greatest curiosity to examine them2 but at the time ,i was deeply engrossed in studying the distribution of fishes in the ,amazonian waters1 and in making large ichthyological collections1 for which it was very important not to miss the season of low water1 when the fishes are most easily obtained4 ,i was1 therefore1 obliged to leave this most interesting geological problem1 and content myself with examining the structure of the valley so far as it could be seen on the river-banks and in the neighborhood of my different collecting stations4 ,on my return1 however1 when my collections were completed1 ,i was free to pursue this investigation1 in which ,major ,coutinho was as much interested as myself4 ,we determined to select ,monte ,algre as the centre of our exploration1 the serra in that region being higher than elsewhere4 ,as ,i was detained by indisposition at ,manaos for some days at the time we had appointed for the excursion1 ,major ,coutinho preceded me1 and had already made one trip to the serra1 with some very interesting results1 when ,i joined him1 and we took a second journey together4 ,monte ,algre lies on a side arm of the ,amazons1 a little off from its main course4 ,this side arm1 called the ,rio ,gurupatuba1 is simply a channel1 running parallel with the ,amazons1 and cutting through from a higher to a lower point4 ,its dimensions are1 however1 greatly exaggerated in all the maps thus far published1 where it is usually made to appear as a considerable northern tributary of the ,amazons4 ,the town stands on an elevated terrace1 separated from the main stream by the ,rio ,gurupatuba and by an extensive flat1 consisting of numerous lakes divided from each other by low1 alluvial land1 and mostly connected by narrow channels4 ,to the west of the town this terrace sinks abruptly to a wide sandy plain called the ,campos1 covered with a low forest-growth1 and bordered on its farther limit by the picturesque serra of ,erer4 ,the form of this mountain is so abrupt1 its rise from the plains so bold and sudden1 that it seems more than twice its real height4 ,judging by the eye and comparing it with the mountains ,i had last seen1--the ,corcovado1 the ,gavia1 and ,tijuca range in the neighborhood of ,rio1--,i had supposed it to be three or four thousand feet high1 and was greatly astonished when our barometric observations showed it to be somewhat less than nine hundred feet in its most elevated point4 ,this1 however1 agrees with ,martius's measurement of the ,almeyrim hills1 which he says are eight hundred feet in height4 ,we passed three days in the investigation of the ,serra of ,erer1 and found it to consist wholly of the sandstone deposits already described1 and to have exactly the same geological constitution4 ,in short1 the ,serra of ,monte ,algre1 and of course all those connected with it on the northern side of the river1 lie in the prolongation of the lower beds forming the banks of the river1 their greater height being due simply to the fact that they have not been worn to the same low level4 ,the opposite range of ,santarem1 which has the same general outline and character1 shares1 no doubt1 the same geological structure4 ,in one word1 all these hills were formerly part of a continuous formation1 and owe their present outline and their isolated position to a colossal denudation4 ,the surface of the once unbroken strata1 which in their original condition must have formed an immense plain covered by water1 has been cut into ravines or carried away over large tracts1 to a greater or less depth1 leaving only such portions standing as1 from their hardness1 could resist the floods which swept over it4 ,the longitudinal trend of these hills is to be ascribed to the direction of the current which caused the denudation1 while their level summits are due to the regularity of the stratification4 ,they are not all table-topped1 however2 among them are many of smaller size1 in which the sides have been gradually worn down1 producing a gently rounded surface4 ,of course1 under the heavy tropical rains this denudation is still going on1 though in a greatly modified form4 ,i cannot speak of this ,serra without alluding to the great beauty and extraordinary extent of the view to be obtained from it4 ,indeed1 it was here that for the first time the geography of the country presented itself to my mind as a living reality in all its completeness4 ,insignificant as is its actual height1 the ,serra of ,erer commands a wider prospect than is to be had from many a more imposing mountain2 for the surrounding plain1 covered with forests and ploughed by countless rivers1 stretches away for hundreds of leagues in every direction1 without any object to obstruct the view4 ,standing on the brow of the ,serra1 with the numerous lakes intersecting the lowlands at its base1 you look across the valley of the ,amazons1 as far as the eye can reach1 and through its centre you follow for miles on either side the broad flood of the great river1 carrying its yellow waters to the sea4 ,as ,i stood there1 panoramas from the ,swiss mountains came up to my memory1 and ,i fancied myself on the ,alps1 looking across the plain of ,switzerland instead of the bed of the ,amazons2 the distant line of the ,santarem hills on the southern bank of the river1 and lower than the northern chain1 representing the ,jura range4 ,as if to complete the comparison1 ,alpine lichens were growing among the cacti and palms1 and a crust of ,arctic cryptogamous growth covered rocks1 between which sprang tropical flowers4 ,on the northern flank of this ,serra ,i found the only genuine erratic boulders ,i have seen in the whole length of the ,amazonian ,valley from ,par to the frontier of ,peru1 though there are many detached masses of rock1 as1 for instance1 at ,pedreira1 near the junction of the ,rio ,negro and ,rio ,branco1 which might be mistaken for them1 but are due to the decomposition of the rocks in place4 ,the boulders of ,erer are entirely distinct from the rock of the ,serra1 and consist of masses of compact hornblende4 ,it would seem that these two ranges skirting a part of the northern and southern banks of the ,lower ,amazons are not the only remnants of this arenaceous formation in its primitive altitude4 ,on the banks of the ,rio ,japura1 in the ,serra of ,cupati1 ,major ,coutinho has found the same beds rising to the same height4 ,it thus appears1 by positive evidence1 that over an extent of a thousand miles these deposits had a very considerable thickness1 in the present direction of the valley4 ,how far they extended in width has not been ascertained by direct observation2 for we have not seen how they sink away to the northward1 and towards the south the denudation has been so complete that1 except in the very low range of hills in the neighborhood of ,santarem1 they do not rise above the plain4 ,but the fact that this formation once had a thickness of more than eight hundred feet within the limits where we have had an opportunity of observing it1 leaves no doubt that it must have extended to the edge of the basin1 filling it to the same height throughout its whole extent4 ,the thickness of the deposits gives a measure for the colossal scale of the denudations by which this immense accumulation was reduced to its present level4 ,here1 then1 is a system of high hills1 having the prominence of mountains in the landscape1 produced by causes to whose agency inequalities on the earth's surface of this magnitude have never yet been ascribed4 ,we may fairly call them denudation mountains4 ,at this stage of the inquiry we have to account for two remarkable phenomena1--first1 the filling of the ,amazonian bottom with coarse arenaceous materials and finely laminated clays1 immediately followed by sandstones rising to a height of more than eight hundred feet above the sea1 the basin meanwhile having no rocky barrier towards the ocean on its eastern side2 secondly1 the wearing away and reduction of these formations to their present level by a denudation more extensive than any thus far recorded in the annals of geology1 which has given rise to all the most prominent hills and mountain-chains along the northern bank of the river4 ,before seeking an explanation of these facts1 let us look at the third and uppermost deposit4 ,this deposit is essentially the same as the ,rio drift2 but in the north it presents itself under a somewhat different aspect4 ,as in ,rio1 it is a clayey deposit1 containing more or less sand1 and reddish in color1 though varying from deep ochre to a brownish tint4 ,it is not so absolutely destitute of stratification here as in its more southern range1 though the traces of stratification are rare1 and1 when they do occur1 are faint and indistinct4 ,the materials are also more completely comminuted1 and1 as ,i said above1 contain hardly any large masses1 though quartz pebbles are sometimes scattered throughout the deposit1 and occasionally a thin seam of pebbles1 exactly as in the ,rio drift1 is seen resting between it and the underlying sandstone4 ,in some places this bed of pebbles intersects even the mass of the clay1 giving it1 in such instances1 an unquestionably stratified character4 ,there can be no doubt that this more recent formation rests unconformably upon the sandstone beds beneath it2 for it fills all the inequalities of their denudated surfaces1 whether they be more or less limited furrows1 or wide1 undulating depressions4 ,it may be seen everywhere along the banks of the river1 above the stratified sandstone1 sometimes with the river-mud accumulated against it2 at the season of the enchente1 or high water1 it is the only formation left exposed above the water-level4 ,its thickness is not great2 it varies from twenty or thirty to fifty feet1 and may occasionally rise nearly to a hundred feet in height1 though this is rarely the case4 ,it is evident that this formation also was once continuous1 stretching over the whole basin at one level4 ,though it is now worn down in many places1 and has wholly disappeared in others1 its connection may be readily traced2 since it is everywhere visible1 not only on opposite banks of the ,amazons1 but also on those of all its tributaries1 as far as their shores have been examined4 ,i have said that it rests always above the sandstone beds4 ,this is true1 with one exception4 ,wherever the sandstone deposits retain their original thickness1 as in the hills of ,monte ,algre and ,almeyrim1 the red clay is not found on their summits1 but occurs only in their ravines and hollows1 or resting against their sides4 ,this shows that it is not only posterior to the sandstone1 but was accumulated in a shallower basin1 and consequently never reached so high a level4 ,the boulders of ,erer do not rest on the stratified sandstone of the ,serra1 but are sunk in the unstratified mass of the clay4 ,this should be remembered1 as it will presently be seen that their position associates them with a later period than that of the mountain itself4 ,the unconformability of the ochraceous clay and the underlying sandstones might lead to the idea that the two formations belong to distinct geological periods1 and are not due to the same agency acting at successive times4 ,one feature1 however1 shows their close connection4 ,the ochraceous clay exhibits a remarkable identity of configuration with the underlying sandstones4 ,an extensive survey of the two1 in their mutual relations1 shows clearly that they were both deposited by the same water-system within the same basin1 but at different levels4 ,here and there the clay formation has so pale and grayish a tint that it may be confounded with the mud deposits of the river4 ,these latter1 however1 never rise so high as the ochraceous clay1 but are everywhere confined within the limits of high and low water4 ,the islands also1 in the main course of the ,amazons1 consist invariably of river-mud2 while those arising from the intersection and cutting off of portions of the land by diverging branches of the main stream always consist of the well-known sandstones1 capped by the ochre-colored clay4 ,it may truly be said that there does not exist on the surface of the earth a formation known to geologists resembling that of the ,amazons4 ,its extent is stupendous2 it stretches from the ,atlantic shore1 through the whole width of ,brazil1 into ,peru1 to the very foot of the ,andes4 ,humboldt speaks of it 8in the vast plains of the ,amazons1 in the eastern boundary of ,jaen de ,bracamoros10 and says1 8,this prodigious extension of red sandstone in the low grounds stretching along the east of the ,andes is one of the most striking phenomena ,i observed during my examination of rocks in the equinoctial regions40#ajj ,when the great natural philosopher wrote these lines1 he had no idea how much these deposits extended beyond the field of his observations4 ,indeed1 they are not limited to the main bed of the ,amazons2 they have been followed along the banks of its tributaries to the south and north as far as these have been ascended4 ,they occur on the margins of the ,huallaga and the ,ucayale1 on those of the ,ia1 the ,hyutahy1 the ,hyurua1 the ,hyapura1 and the ,purus4 ,on the banks of the ,hyapura1 where ,major ,coutinho has traced them1 they are found as far as the ,cataract of ,cupati4 ,i have followed them along the ,rio ,negro to its junction with the ,rio ,branco2 and ,humboldt not only describes them from a higher point on this same river1 but also from the valley of the ,orinoco4 ,finally1 they may be tracked along the banks of the ,madeira1 the ,tapajos1 the ,xingu1 and the ,tocantins1 as well as on the shores of the ,guatuma1 the ,trombetas1 and other northern affluents of the ,amazons4 ,the observations of ,martius1 those of ,gardner1 and the recent survey above alluded to1 made by my assistant1 ,mr4 ,st4 ,john1 of the valley of the ,rio ,guruguea and that of the ,rio ,paranahyba1 show that the great basin of ,piauhy is also identical in its geological structure with the lateral valleys of the ,amazons4 ,the same is true of the large island of ,marajo1 lying at the mouth of the ,amazons4 ,and yet ,i believe that even this does not cover the whole ground1 and that some future writer may say of my estimate1 as ,i have said of ,humboldt's1 that it falls short of the truth2 for1 if my generalizations are correct1 the same formation will be found extending over the whole basin of the ,paraguay and the ,rio de la ,plata1 and along their tributaries1 to the very heart of the ,andes4 ,such are the facts4 ,the question now arises1 ,how were these vast deposits formed8 ,the easiest answer1 and the one which most readily suggests itself1 is that of a submersion of the continent at successive periods1 to allow the accumulation of these materials1 and its subsequent elevation4 ,i reject this explanation for the simple reason that the deposits show no sign whatever of a marine origin4 ,no sea-shells1 nor remains of any marine animal1 have as yet been found throughout their whole extent1 over a region several thousand miles in length and from five to seven hundred miles in width4 ,it is contrary to all our knowledge of geological deposits to suppose that an ocean basin of this size1 which must have been submerged during an immensely long period in order to accumulate formations of such a thickness1 should not contain numerous remains of the animals formerly inhabiting it4#aja ,the only fossil remains of any kind truly belonging to it1 which ,i have found in the formation1 are leaves taken from the lower clays on the banks of the ,solimoens at ,tonantins2 and these show a vegetation similar in general character to that which prevails there to-day4 ,evidently1 then1 this basin was a fresh-water basin2 these deposits are fresh-water deposits4 ,but as the valley of the ,amazons exists to-day1 it is widely open to the ocean on the east1 with a gentle slope from the ,andes to the ,atlantic1 determining a powerful seaward current4 ,when these vast accumulations took place1 the basin must have been closed2 otherwise the loose materials would constantly have been carried down to the ocean4 ,it is my belief that all these deposits belong to the ice-period in its earlier or later phases1 and to this cosmic winter1 which1 judging from all the phenomena connected with it1 may have lasted for thousands of centuries1 we must look for the key to the geological history of the ,amazonian ,valley4 ,i am aware that this suggestion will appear extravagant4 ,but is it1 after all1 so improbable that1 when ,central ,europe was covered with ice thousands of feet thick2 when the glaciers of ,great ,britain ploughed into the sea1 and when those of the ,swiss mountains had ten times their present altitude2 when every lake in ,northern ,italy was filled with ice1 and these frozen masses extended even into ,northern ,africa2 when a sheet of ice1 reaching nearly to the summit of ,mount ,washington in the ,white ,mountains 7that is1 having a thickness of nearly six thousand feet71 moved over the continent of ,north ,america1--is it so improbable that1 in this epoch of universal cold1 the valley of the ,amazons also had its glacier poured down into it from the accumulations of snow in the ,cordilleras1 and swollen laterally by the tributary glaciers descending from the table-lands of ,guiana and ,brazil8 ,the movement of this immense glacier must have been eastward1 determined as well by the vast reservoirs of snow in the ,andes as by the direction of the valley itself4 ,it must have ploughed the valley-bottom over and over again1 grinding all the materials beneath it into a fine powder or reducing them to small pebbles1 and it must have accumulated at its lower end a moraine of proportions as gigantic as its own2 thus building a colossal sea-wall across the mouth of the valley4 ,i shall be asked at once whether ,i have found here also the glacial inscriptions1--the furrows1 stri1 and polished surfaces so characteristic of the ground over which glaciers have travelled4 ,i answer1 not a trace of them2 for the simple reason that there is not a natural rock-surface to be found throughout the whole ,amazonian ,valley4 ,the rocks themselves are of so friable a nature1 and the decomposition caused by the warm torrential rains and by exposure to the burning sun of the tropics so great and unceasing1 that it is hopeless to look for marks which in colder climates and on harder substances are preserved through ages unchanged4 ,with the exception of the rounded surfaces so well known in ,switzerland as the roches moutonnes heretofore alluded to1 which may be seen in many localities1 and the boulders of ,erer1 the direct traces of glaciers as seen in other countries are wanting in ,brazil4 ,i am1 indeed1 quite willing to admit that1 from the nature of the circumstances1 ,i have not here the positive evidence which has guided me in my previous glacial investigations4 ,my conviction in this instance is founded1 first1 on the materials in the ,amazonian ,valley1 which correspond exactly in their character to materials accumulated in glacier bottoms2 secondly1 on the resemblance of the upper or third ,amazonian formation to the ,rio drift1#ajb of the glacial origin of which there cannot1 in my opinion1 be any doubt2 thirdly1 on the fact that this fresh-water basin must have been closed against the sea by some powerful barrier1 the removal of which would naturally give an outlet to the waters1 and cause the extraordinary denudations1 the evidences of which meet us everywhere throughout the valley4 ,on a smaller scale1 phenomena of this kind have long been familiar to us4 ,in the present lakes of ,northern ,italy1 in those of ,switzerland1 ,norway1 and ,sweden1 as well as in those of ,new ,england1 especially in the ,state of ,maine1 the waters are held back in their basins by moraines4 ,in the ice-period these depressions were filled with glaciers1 which1 in the course of time1 accumulated at their lower end a wall of loose materials4 ,these walls still remain1 and serve as dams to prevent the escape of the waters4 ,but for their moraines1 all these lakes would be open valleys4 ,in the ,roads of ,glen ,roy1 in ,scotland1 we have an instance of a fresh-water lake1 which has now wholly disappeared1 formed in the same manner1 and reduced successively to lower and lower levels by the breaking down or wearing away of the moraines which originally prevented its waters from flowing out4 ,assuming then that1 under the low temperature of the ice-period1 the climatic conditions necessary for the formation of land-ice existed in the valley of the ,amazons1 and that it was actually filled with an immense glacier1 it follows that1 when these fields of ice yielded to a gradual change of climate1 and slowly melted away1 the whole basin1 then closed against the sea by a huge wall of dbris1 was transformed into a vast fresh-water lake4 ,the first effect of the thawing process must have been to separate the glacier from its foundation1 raising it from immediate contact with the valley bottom1 and thus giving room for the accumulation of a certain amount of water beneath it2 while the valley as a whole would still be occupied by the glacier4 ,in this shallow sheet of water under the ice1 and protected by it from any violent disturbance1 those finer triturated materials always found at a glacier bottom1 and ground sometimes to powder by its action1 would be deposited1 and gradually transformed from an unstratified paste containing the finest sand and mud1 together with coarse pebbles and gravel1 into a regularly stratified formation4 ,in this formation the coarse materials would of course fall to the bottom1 while the most minute would settle above them4 ,it is at this time and under such circumstances that ,i believe the first formation of the ,amazonian ,valley1 with the coarse1 pebbly sand beneath1 and the finely laminated clays above1 to have been accumulated4 ,i shall perhaps be reminded here of my fossil leaves1 and asked how any vegetation would be possible under such circumstances4 ,but it must be remembered1 that1 in considering all these periods1 we must allow for immense lapses of time and for very gradual changes2 that the close of this first period would be very different from its beginning2 and that a rich vegetation springs on the very borders of the snow and ice fields in ,switzerland4 ,the fact that these were accumulated in a glacial basin would1 indeed1 at once account for the traces of vegetable life1 and for the absence1 or at least the great scarcity1 of animal remains in these deposits4 ,for while fruits may ripen and flowers bloom on the very edge of the glaciers1 it is also well known that the fresh-water lakes formed by the melting of the ice are singularly deficient in life4 ,there are1 indeed1 hardly any animals to be found in glacial lakes4 ,the second formation belongs to a later period1 when1 the whole body of ice being more or less disintegrated1 the basin contained a larger quantity of water4 ,beside that arising from the melting of the ice1 this immense valley bottom must have received1 then as now1 all which was condensed from the atmosphere above1 and poured into it in the form of rain or dew at present4 ,thus an amount of water equal to that flowing in from all the tributaries of the main stream must have been rushing towards the axis of the valley1 seeking its natural level1 but spreading over a more extensive surface than now1 until1 finally gathered up as separate rivers1 it flowed in distinct beds4 ,in its general movement toward the central and lower part of the valley1 the broad stream would carry along all the materials small enough to be so transported1 as well as those so minute as to remain suspended in the waters4 ,it would gradually deposit them in the valley bottom in horizontal beds more or less regular1 or here and there1 wherever eddies gave rise to more rapid and irregular currents1 characterized by torrential stratification4 ,thus has been consolidated in the course of ages the continuous sand formation spreading over the whole ,amazonian basin1 and attaining a thickness of eight hundred feet4 ,while these accumulations were taking place within this basin1 it must not be forgotten that the sea was beating against its outer wall1--against that gigantic moraine which ,i suppose to have closed it at its eastern end4 ,it would seem that1 either from this cause1 or perhaps in consequence of some turbulent action from within1 a break was made in this defence1 and the waters rushed violently out4 ,it is very possible that the waters1 gradually swollen at the close of this period by the further melting of the ice1 by the additions poured in from lateral tributaries1 by the rains1 and also by the filling of the basin with loose materials1 would overflow1 and thus contribute to destroy the moraine4 ,however this may be1 it follows from my premises that1 in the end1 these waters obtained a sudden release1 and poured seaward with a violence which cut and denuded the deposits already formed1 wearing them down to a much lower level1 and leaving only a few remnants standing out in their original thickness1 where the strata were solid enough to resist the action of the currents4 ,such are the hills of ,monte ,algre1 of ,obydos1 ,almeyrim1 and ,cupati1 as well as the lower ridges of ,santarem4 ,this escape of the waters did not1 however1 entirely empty the whole basin2 for the period of denudation was again followed by one of quiet accumulation1 during which was deposited the ochraceous sandy clay resting upon the denudated surfaces of the underlying sandstone4 ,to this period ,i refer the boulders of ,erer1 sunk as they are in the clay of this final deposit4 ,i suppose them to have been brought to their present position by floating ice at the close of the glacial period1 when nothing remained of the ice-fields except such isolated masses1--ice-rafts as it were2 or perhaps by icebergs dropped into the basin from glaciers still remaining in the ,andes and on the edges of the plateaus of ,guiana and ,brazil4 ,from the general absence of stratification in this clay formation1 it would seem that the comparatively shallow sheet of water in which it was deposited was very tranquil4 ,indeed1 after the waters had sunk much below the level which they held during the deposition of the sandstone1 and the currents which gave rise to the denudation of the latter had ceased1 the whole sheet of water would naturally become much more placid4 ,but the time arrived when the water broke through its boundaries again1 perhaps owing to the further encroachment of the sea and consequent destruction of the moraine4#ajc ,in this second drainage1 however1 the waters1 carrying away a considerable part of the new deposit1 furrowing it to its very foundation1 and even cutting through it into the underlying sandstone1 were1 in the end1 reduced to something like their present level1 and confined within their present beds4 ,this is shown by the fact that in this ochre-colored clay1 and penetrating to a greater or less depth the sandstone below1 are dug1 not only the great longitudinal channel of the ,amazons itself1 but also the lateral furrows through which its tributaries reach the main stream1 and the network of anastomosing branches flowing between them2 the whole forming the most extraordinary river system in the world4 ,my assumption that the sea has produced very extensive changes in the coast of ,brazil--changes more than sufficient to account for the disappearance of the glacial wall which ,i suppose to have closed the ,amazonian ,valley in the ice period--is by no means hypothetical4 ,this action is still going on to a remarkable degree1 and is even now rapidly modifying the outline of the shore4 ,when ,i first arrived at ,par1 ,i was struck with the fact that the ,amazons1 the largest river in the world1 has no delta4 ,all the other rivers which we call great1 though some of them are insignificant as compared with the ,amazons1--the ,mississippi1 the ,nile1 the ,ganges1 and the ,danube1--deposit extensive deltas1 and the smaller rivers also1 with few exceptions1 are constantly building up the land at their mouths by the materials they bring along with them4 ,even the little river ,kander1 emptying into the lake of ,thun1 is not without its delta4 ,since my return from the ,upper ,amazons to ,par1 ,i have made an examination of some of the harbor islands1 and also of parts of the coast1 and have satisfied myself that1 with the exception of a few small1 low islands1 never rising above the sea-level1 and composed of alluvial deposit1 they are portions of the main-land detached from it1 partly by the action of the river itself1 and partly by the encroachment of the ocean4 ,in fact1 the sea is eating away the land much faster than the river can build it up4 ,the great island of ,marajo was originally a continuation of the valley of the ,amazons1 and is identical with it in every detail of its geological structure4 ,my investigation of the island itself1 in connection with the coast and the river1 leads me to suppose that1 having been at one time an integral part of the deposits described above1 at a later period it became an island in the bed of the ,amazons1 which1 dividing in two arms1 encircled it completely1 and then1 joining again to form a single stream1 flowed onward to the sea-shore1 which in those days lay much farther to the eastward than it now does4 ,i suppose the position of the island of ,marajo at that time to have corresponded very nearly to the present position of the island of ,tupinambaranas1 just at the junction of the ,madeira with the ,amazons4 ,it is a question among geographers whether the ,tocantins is a branch of the ,amazons1 or should be considered as forming an independent river system4 ,it will be seen that1 if my view is correct1 it must formerly have borne the same relation to the ,amazons that the ,madeira ,river now does1 joining it just where ,marajo divided the main stream1 as the ,madeira now joins it at the head of the island of ,tupinambaranas4 ,if in countless centuries to come the ocean should continue to eat its way into the ,valley of the ,amazons1 once more transforming the lower part of the basin into a gulf1 as it was during the cretaceous period1 the time might arrive when geographers1 finding the ,madeira emptying almost immediately into the sea1 would ask themselves whether it had ever been indeed a branch of the ,amazons1 just as they now question whether the ,tocantins is a tributary of the main stream or an independent river4 ,but to return to ,marajo1 and to the facts actually in our possession4 ,the island is intersected1 in its southeastern end1 by a considerable river called the ,igarap ,grande4 ,the cut made through the land by this stream seems intended to serve as a geological section1 so perfectly does it display the three characteristic ,amazonian formations above described4 ,at its mouth1 near the town of ,sour1 and at ,salvaterra1 on the opposite bank1 may be seen1 lowest1 the well-stratified sandstone1 with the finely laminated clays resting upon it1 overtopped by a crust2 then the cross-stratified1 highly ferruginous sandstone1 with quartz pebbles here and there2 and1 above all1 the well-known ochraceous1 unstratified sandy clay1 spreading over the undulating surface of the denudated sandstone1 following all its inequalities1 and filling all its depressions and furrows4 ,but while the ,igarap ,grande has dug its channel down to the sea1 cutting these formations1 as ,i ascertained1 to a depth of twenty-five fathoms1 it has thus opened the way for the encroachments of the tides1 and the ocean is now1 in its turn1 gaining upon the land4 ,were there no other evidence of the action of the tides in this locality1 the steep cut of the ,igarap ,grande1 contrasting with the gentle slope of the banks near its mouth1 wherever they have been modified by the invasion of the sea1 would enable us to distinguish the work of the river from that of the ocean1 and to prove that the denudation now going on is due in part to both4 ,but besides this1 ,i was so fortunate as to discover1 on my recent excursion1 unmistakable and perfectly convincing evidence of the onward movement of the sea4 ,at the mouth of the ,igarap ,grande1 both at ,sour and at ,salvaterra1 on the southern side of the ,igarap1 is a submerged forest4 ,evidently this forest grew in one of those marshy lands constantly inundated1 for between the stumps is accumulated the loose1 felt-like peat characteristic of such grounds1 and containing about as much mud as vegetable matter4 ,such a marshy forest1 with the stumps of the trees still standing erect in the peat1 has been laid bare on both sides of the ,igarap ,grande by the encroachments of the ocean4 ,that this is the work of the sea is undeniable1 for all the little depressions and indentations of the peat are filled with sea-sand1 and a ridge of tidal sand divides it from the forest still standing behind4 ,nor is this all4 ,at ,vigia1 immediately opposite to ,sour1 on the continental side of the ,par ,river1 just where it meets the sea1 we have the counterpart of this submerged forest4 ,another peat-bog1 with the stumps of innumerable trees standing in it1 and encroached upon in the same way by tidal sand1 is exposed here also4 ,no doubt these forests were once all continuous1 and stretched across the whole basin of what is now called the ,par ,river4 ,since ,i have been pursuing this inquiry1 ,i have gathered much information to the same effect from persons living on the coast4 ,it is well remembered that1 twenty years ago1 there existed an island1 more than a mile in width1 to the northeast of the entrance of the ,bay of ,vigia1 which has now entirely disappeared4 ,farther eastward1 the ,bay of ,braganza has doubled its width in the last twenty years1 and on the shore1 within the bay1 the sea has gained upon the land for a distance of two hundred yards during a period of only ten years4 ,the latter fact is ascertained by the position of some houses1 which were two hundred yards farther from the sea ten years ago than they now are4 ,from these and the like reports1 from my own observations on this part of the ,brazilian coast1 from some investigations made by ,major ,coutinho at the mouth of the ,amazons on its northern continental shore near ,macapa1 and from the reports of ,mr4 ,st4 ,john respecting the formations in the valley of the ,paranahyba1 it is my belief that the changes ,i have been describing are but a small part of the destruction wrought by the sea on the north-eastern shore of this continent4 ,i think it will be found1 when the coast has been fully surveyed1 that a strip of land not less than a hundred leagues in width1 stretching from ,cape ,st4 ,roque to the northern extremity of ,south ,america1 has been eaten away by the ocean4 ,if this be so1 the ,paranahyba and the rivers to the northwest of it1 in the province of ,maranham1 were formerly tributaries of the ,amazons2 and all that we know thus far of their geological character goes to prove that this was actually the case4 ,such an extensive oceanic denudation must have carried away not only the gigantic glacial moraine here assumed to have closed the mouth of the ,amazonian basin1 but the very ground on which it formerly stood4 ,although the terminal moraine has disappeared1 there is1 however1 no reason why parts of the lateral moraines should not remain4 ,and ,i expect in my approaching visit to ,cear to find traces of the southern lateral moraine in that neighborhood4 ,during the last four or five years ,i have been engaged in a series of investigations1 in the ,united ,states1 upon the subject of the denudations connected with the close of the glacial period there1 and the encroachments of the ocean upon the drift deposits along the ,atlantic coast4 ,had these investigations been published in detail1 with the necessary maps1 it would have been far easier for me to explain the facts ,i have lately observed in the ,amazonian ,valley1 to connect them with facts of a like character on the continent of ,north ,america1 and to show how remarkably they correspond with facts accomplished during the same period in other parts of the world4 ,while the glacial epoch itself has been very extensively studied in the last half-century1 little attention has been paid to the results connected with the breaking up of the geological winter and the final disappearance of the ice4 ,i believe that the true explanation of the presence of a large part of the superficial deposits lately ascribed to the agency of the sea1 during temporary subsidences of the land1 will be found in the melting of the ice-fields4 ,to this cause ,i would refer all those deposits which ,i have designated as remodelled drift4 ,when the sheet of ice1 extending from the ,arctic regions over a great part of ,north ,america and coming down to the sea1 slowly melted away1 the waters were not distributed over the face of the country as they now are4 ,they rested upon the bottom deposits of the ice-fields1 upon the glacial paste1 consisting of clay1 sand1 pebbles1 boulders1 etc41 underlying the ice4 ,this bottom deposit did not1 of course1 present an even surface1 but must have had extensive undulations and depressions4 ,after the waters had been drained off from the more elevated ridges1 these depressions would still remain full4 ,in the lakes and pools thus formed1 stratified deposits would be accumulated1 consisting of the most minutely comminuted clay1 deposited in thin laminated layers1 or sometimes in considerable masses1 without any sign of stratification2 such differences in the formation being determined by the state of the water1 whether perfectly stagnant or more or less agitated4 ,of such pool deposits overlying the drift there are many instances in the ,northern ,united ,states4 ,by the overflowing of some of these lakes1 and by the emptying of the higher ones into those on a lower level1 channels would gradually be formed between the depressions4 ,so began to be marked out our independent river-systems1--the waters always seeking their natural level1 gradually widening and deepening the channels in which they flowed1 as they worked their way down to the sea4 ,when they reached the shore1 there followed that antagonism between the rush of the rivers and the action of the tides1--between continental outflows and oceanic encroachments1--which still goes on1 and has led to the formation of our ,eastern rivers1 with their wide1 open estuaries1 such as the ,james1 the ,potomac1 and the ,delaware4 ,all these estuaries are embanked by drift1 as are also1 in their lower course1 the rivers connected with them4 ,where the country was low and flat1 and the drift extended far into the ocean1 the encroachment of the sea gave rise1 not only to our large estuaries1 but also to the sounds and deep bays forming the most prominent indentations of the continental coast1 such as the ,bay of ,fundy1 ,massachusetts ,bay1 ,long ,island ,sound1 and others4 ,the unmistakable traces of glacial action upon all the islands along the coast of ,new ,england1 sometimes lying at a very considerable distance from the main-land1 give an approximate1 though a minimum1 measure of the former extent of the glacial drift seaward1 and the subsequent advance of the ocean upon the land4 ,like those of the harbor of ,par1 all these islands have the same geological structure as the continent1 and were evidently continuous with it at some former period4 ,all the rocky islands along the coast of ,maine and ,massachusetts exhibit the glacial traces wherever their surfaces are exposed by the washing away of the drift2 and where the drift remains1 its character shows that it was once continuous from one island to another1 and from all the islands to the main-land4 ,it is difficult to determine with precision the ancient limit of the glacial drift1 but ,i think it can be shown that it connected the shoals of ,newfoundland with the continent2 that ,nantucket1 ,martha's ,vineyard1 and ,long ,island made part of the main-land2 that1 in like manner ,nova ,scotia1 including ,sable ,island1 was united to the southern shore of ,new ,brunswick and ,maine1 and that the same sheet of drift extended thence to ,cape ,cod1 and stretched southward as far as ,cape ,hatteras2--in short1 that the line of shallow soundings along the whole coast of the ,united ,states marks the former extent of glacial drift4 ,the ocean has gradually eaten its way into this deposit1 and given its present outlines to the continent4 ,these denudations of the sea no doubt began as soon as the breaking up of the ice exposed the drift to its invasion2 in other words1 at a time when colossal glaciers still poured forth their load of ice into the ,atlantic1 and fleets of icebergs1 far larger and more numerous than those now floated off from the ,arctic seas1 were launched from the north-eastern shore of the ,united ,states4 ,many such masses must have stranded along the shore1 and have left various signs of their presence4 ,in fact1 the glacial phenomena of the ,united ,states and elsewhere are due to two distinct periods3 the first of these was the glacial epoch proper1 when the ice was a solid sheet2 while to the second belongs the breaking up of this epoch1 with the gradual disintegration and dispersion of the ice4 ,we talk of the theory of glaciers and the theory of icebergs in reference to these phenomena1 as if they were exclusively due to one or the other1 and whoever accepted the former must reject the latter1 and vice versa4 ,when geologists have combined these now discordant elements1 and consider these two periods as consecutive1--part of the phenomena being due to the glaciers1 part to the icebergs and to freshets consequent on their breaking up1--they will find that they have covered the whole ground1 and that the two theories are perfectly consistent with each other4 ,i think the present disputes upon this subject will end somewhat like those which divided the ,neptunic and ,plutonic schools of geologists in the early part of this century2 the former of whom would have it that all the rocks were due to the action of water1 the latter that they were wholly due to the action of fire4 ,the problem was solved1 and harmony restored1 when it was found that both elements have been equally at work in forming the solid crust of the globe4 ,to the stranded icebergs alluded to above1 ,i have no doubt1 is to be referred the origin of the many lakes without outlets existing all over the sandy tract along our coast1 of which ,cape ,cod forms a part4 ,not only the formation of these lakes1 but also that of our salt marshes and cranberry-fields1 ,i believe to be connected with the waning of the ice period4 ,i hope at some future time to publish in detail1 with the appropriate maps and illustrations1 my observations upon the changes of our coast1 and other phenomena connected with the close of the glacial epoch in the ,united ,states4 ,to give results without an account of the investigations which have led to them1 inverts the true method of science2 and ,i should not have introduced the subject here except to show that the fresh-water denudations and the oceanic encroachments which have formed the ,amazonian ,valley1 with its river system1 are not isolated facts1 but that the process has been the same in both continents4 ,the extraordinary continuity and uniformity of the ,amazonian deposits are due to the immense size of the basin enclosed1 and the identity of the materials contained in it4 ,a glance at any geological map of the world will show the reader that the ,valley of the ,amazons1 so far as an attempt is made to explain its structure1 is represented as containing isolated tracts of ,devonian1 ,triassic1 ,jurassic1 cretaceous1 tertiary1 and alluvial deposits4 ,this is wholly inaccurate1 as is shown by the above sketch1 and whatever may be thought of my interpretation of the actual phenomena1 ,i trust that1 in presenting for the first time the formations of the ,amazonian basin in their natural connection and sequence1 as consisting of three uniform sets of comparatively recent deposits1 extending throughout the whole valley1 the investigations here recorded have contributed something to the results of modern geology4 ----- ,footnote #if3 ,see ,chapter ,,iii4 p4 #hf4 ,footnote #ig3 ,the name consecrated by ,de ,saussure to designate certain rocks in ,switzerland which have had their surfaces rounded under the action of the glaciers4 ,their gently swelling outlines are thought to resemble sheep resting on the ground1 and for this reason the people in the ,alps call them roches moutonnes4 ,footnote #ih3 ,see 8,glacial ,phenomena in ,maine10 ,atlantic ,monthly1 #ahff4 ,footnote #ii3 ,the atlas in ,martius's 8,journey to ,brazil10 or the sketch accompanying ,bates's description of these hills in his 8,naturalist on the ,amazons10 will give an idea of their aspect4 ,footnote #ajj3 ,bohn's edition of ,humboldt's ,personal ,narrative1 ,chap4 ,,ii4 p4 #acd4 ,humboldt alludes to these formations repeatedly3 it is true that he refers them to the ancient conglomerates of the ,devonian age1 but his description agrees so perfectly with what ,i have observed along the banks of the ,amazons and the ,rio ,negro that there can be no doubt he speaks of the same thing4 ,he wrote at a time when many of the results of modern geology were unknown1 and his explanation of the phenomena was then perfectly natural4 ,the passage from which the few lines in the text are taken shows that these deposits extend even to the ,llanos4 ,footnote #aja3 ,i am aware that ,bates mentions having heard that at ,obydos calcareous layers1 thickly studded with marine shells1 had been found interstratified with the clay1 but he did not himself examine the strata4 ,the ,obydos shells are not marine1 but are fresh-water ,unios1 greatly resembling ,aviculas1 ,solens1 and ,arcas4 ,such would-be marine fossils have been brought to me from the shore opposite to ,obydos1 near ,santarem1 and ,i have readily recognized them for what they truly are1--fresh-water shells of the family of ,naiades4 ,i have myself collected specimens of these shells in the clay-beds along the banks of the ,solimoens1 near ,teff1 and might have mistaken them for fossils of that formation had ,i not known how ,naiades burrow in the mud4 ,their resemblance to the marine genera mentioned above is very remarkable1 and the mistake as to their true zological character is as natural as that by which earlier ichthyologists1 and even travellers of very recent date1 have confounded some fresh-water fishes from the ,upper ,amazons1 of the genus ,pterophyllum 7,heckel71 with the marine genus ,platax4 ,footnote #ajb3 ,as ,i have stated in the beginning1 ,i am satisfied that the unstratified clay deposit of ,rio and its vicinity is genuine glacial drift1 resulting from the grinding of the loose materials interposed between the glacier and the solid rock in place1 and retaining to this day the position in which it was left by the ice4 ,like all such accumulations1 it is totally free from stratification4 ,if this be so1 it is evident1 on comparing the two formations1 that the ochraceous sandy clay of the valley of the ,amazons has been deposited under different circumstances2 that1 while it owes its resemblance to the ,rio drift to the fact that its materials were originally ground by glaciers in the upper part of the valley1 these materials have subsequently been spread throughout the whole basin and actually deposited under the agency of water4 ,a survey of the more southern provinces of ,brazil1 extending to the temperate zone1 where the combined effects of a tropical sun and of tropical rains must naturally be wanting1 will1 ,i trust1 remove all the difficulties still attending this explanation4 ,the glacial phenomena1 with all their characteristic features1 are already known to cover the southernmost parts of ,south ,america4 ,the intervening range1 between #bb and #cf of south latitude1 cannot fail to exhibit the transition from the drift of the cold and temperate zone to the formations of a kindred character described above from the tropical zone4 ,the knowledge of these deposits will definitely settle the question2 and either prove the correctness of my generalizations or show their absurdity4 ,i feel no anxiety as to the result4 ,i only long for a speedy removal of all doubts4 ,footnote #ajc3 ,i would here remind the reader of the terraces of ,glen ,roy1 which indicate successive reductions of the barrier encasing the lake1 similar to those assumed to have taken place at the mouth of the ,amazons4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,cear4 ,,leaving ,,par4--,,farewell ,,to ,,the ,,amazons4--,,ease ,,of ,,travelling ,,on ,,the ,,amazons4--,,rough ,,passage4--,,arrival ,,at ,,cear4--,,difficulty ,,of ,,landing4--,,aspect ,,of ,,the ,,town4--,,rainy ,,season4--,,consequent ,,sickliness4--,,our ,,purpose ,,in ,,stopping ,,at ,,cear4--,,report ,,of ,,dr4 ,,felice ,,about ,,moraines4--,,preparations ,,for ,,journey ,,into ,,the ,,interior4--,,difficulties ,,and ,,delays ,,in ,,getting ,,off4--,,on ,,the ,,way4--,,night ,,at ,,arancho4--,,bad ,,roads4--,,carnauba ,,palm4--,,arrival ,,at ,,monguba4--,,kind ,,reception ,,by ,,senhor ,,franklin ,,de ,,lima4--,,geology ,,of ,,the ,,region4--,,evening ,,games ,,and ,,amusements4--,,pacatuba4--,,traces ,,of ,,ancient ,,glaciers4--,,serra ,,of ,,aratanha4--,,climb ,,up ,,the ,,serra4--,,hospitality ,,of ,,senhor ,,da ,,costa4--,,picturesque ,,views4--,,the ,,serta4--,,drought ,,and ,,rains4--,,epidemics4--,,return ,,to ,,monguba4--,,detained ,,by ,,extraordinary ,,rains4--,,return ,,to ,,cear4--,,overflowed ,,roads4--,,difficulty ,,of ,,fording4--,,arrival ,,at ,,cear4--,,liberality ,,of ,,the ,,president ,,of ,,the ,,province ,,toward ,,the ,,expedition4 ,april #b;d4--,cear4 ,we left ,par on the #bfth of ,march1 in the evening1 feeling for the first time that we were indeed bidding good by to the ,amazons4 ,our pleasant voyages on its yellow waters1 our canoe excursions on its picturesque lakes and igaraps1 our lingerings in its palm-thatched cottages1 belonged to the past2 except in memory1 our ,amazonian travels were over4 ,when we entered upon them1 what vague anticipations1 what visions of a new and interesting life1 not1 as we supposed1 without its dangers and anxieties1 were before us4 ,so little is known1 even in ,brazil1 of the ,amazons1 that we could obtain only very meagre and1 usually1 rather discouraging information concerning our projected journey4 ,in ,rio1 if you say you are going to ascend their great river1 your ,brazilian friends look at you with compassionate wonder4 ,you are threatened with sickness1 with intolerable heat1 with the absence of any nourishing food or suitable lodgings1 with mosquitoes1 with ,jacars and wild ,indians4 ,if you consult a physician1 he gives you a good supply of quinine1 and tells you to take a dose every other day as a preventive against fever and chills2 so that if you escape intermittent fever you are at least sure of being poisoned by a remedy which1 if administered incautiously1 may cause a disease worse than the one it cures4 ,it will take perhaps from the excitement and novelty of ,amazonian travelling to know that the journey from ,par to ,tabatinga may be made with as much ease as a reasonable traveller has a right to expect1 though of course not without some privations1 and also with no more exposure to sickness than the traveller incurs in any hot climate4 ,the perils and adventures which attended the voyages of ,spix and ,martius1 or even of more recent travellers1 like ,castelnau1 ,bates1 and ,wallace1 are no longer to be found on the main course of the ,amazons1 though they are met at every step on its great affluents4 ,on the ,tocantins1 on the ,madeira1 on the ,purus1 on the ,rio ,negro1 the ,trombetas1 or any of the large tributaries1 the traveller must still work his way slowly up in a canoe1 scorched by the sun or drenched by the rain2 sleeping on the beach1 hearing the cries of the wild animals in the woods around him1 and waking perhaps in the morning1 to find the tracks of a tiger in unpleasant proximity to his hammock4 ,but along the course of the ,amazons itself1 these days of romantic adventure and hair-breadth escapes are over2 the wild beasts of the forest have disappeared before the puff of the engine2 the canoe and the encampment on the beach at night have given place to the prosaic conveniences of the steamboat4 ,it is no doubt true of the ,amazons1 as of other tropical regions1 that a long residence may reduce the vigor of the constitution1 and perhaps make one more liable to certain diseases2 but during our journey of eight months none of our large company suffered from any serious indisposition connected with the climate1 nor did we see in any of our wanderings as many indications of intermittent fever as are to be met constantly on our ,western rivers4 ,the voyage on the ,amazons proper has now become accessible to all who are willing to endure heat and mosquitoes for the sake of seeing the greatest river in the world1 and the magnificent tropical vegetation along its shores4 ,the best season for the journey is from the close of ,june to the middle of ,november1--,july1 ,august1 ,september1 and ,october being the four driest months of the year1 and the most salubrious throughout that region4 ,we had a rough and boisterous passage from ,par to ,cear1 with unceasing rain1 in consequence of which the decks were constantly wet4 ,indeed1 the cabins were not free from water1 and it was only by frequent bailing that the floor of our state-room was kept tolerably dry4 ,at ,maranham we had the relief of a night on shore2 and ,mr4 ,agassiz and ,major ,coutinho profited by the occasion the following morning to examine the geology of the coast more carefully than they had formerly done4 ,they found the structure identical with that of the ,amazonian ,valley1 except that the formations were more worn down and disturbed4 ,we arrived before ,cear at two o'clock on ,saturday1 ,march #cast1 expecting to go on shore at once2 but the sea ran high1 the tide was unfavorable1 and during the day not even a 8jangada10 those singular rafts that here take the place of boats1 ventured out to our steamer as she lay rocking in the surf4 ,cear has no harbor1 and the sea drives in with fearful violence on the long sand-beach fronting the town1 making it impossible1 at certain states of the tide and in stormy weather1 for any boat to land1 unless it be one of these jangadas 7catamarans71 over which the waves break without swamping them4 ,at about nine o'clock in the evening a custom-house boat came out1 and1 notwithstanding the lateness of the hour and the rough sea1 we determined to go on shore1 for we were told that in the morning the tide would be unfavorable1 and if the wind continued in the present quarter it might be still more difficult1 if not impossible1 to land4 ,it was not without some anxiety that ,i stood waiting my turn to enter the boat2 for though at one moment it rose1 on the swell of the sea1 close to the stair1 in the twinkling of an eye it was a couple of yards away4 ,some presence of mind and agility were needed in order to make the leap just at the right instant2 and ,i was glad to find myself in the boat and not in the water1 the chances being about even4 ,as we rode in over the breakers1 the boatmen entertained us with so many stories of the difficulty of landing1 the frequent accidents1 and especially of one which had occurred a few days before when three ,englishmen had been drowned1 that ,i began to think reaching the shore must be more perilous than leaving the ship4 ,as we approached the town the scene was not without its picturesque charm4 ,the moon1 struggling through gray1 watery clouds1 threw a fitful light over the long sand-beach1 on which the crested waves were driving furiously4 ,a number of laden boats were tossing in the surf1 and the roar of the breakers mingled with the cries of the black porters1 as they waded breast high through the water1 unloading the cargoes and carrying their burdens to the shore on their heads4 ,we were landed much in the same way1 the boatmen carrying us over the surf4 ,this is the ordinary mode of embarking or landing passengers2 it is but rarely1 and at particular states of the tide1 that it is possible to disembark at the pier which has been thrown out from the shore4 ,major ,coutinho had written to a friend to engage lodgings for us1 and we found a house ready4 ,i was glad to sink into my comfortable hammock1 to exchange the pitching and rolling of the steamer for its gentle rocking1 to be out of reach of the hungry waves1 and yet to hear their distant rush on the shore as ,i fell asleep4 ,the next morning was rainy1 but in the afternoon it cleared1 and toward evening we took a long drive with our host1 ,dr4 ,felice4 ,i like the aspect of ,cear4 ,i like its wide1 well-paved1 cleanly streets1 which are bright with color1 for the substantial houses on either side are of many hues4 ,if it chance to be a ,sunday or a festa day1 every balcony is filled with gayly-dressed girls1 while groups of men sit smoking and talking on the sidewalks before the doors4 ,this town has not the stagnant1 inanimate look of many ,brazilian towns4 ,it tells of movement1 life1 prosperity4#ajd ,beyond the city the streets stretch out into the campos1 bordered on its inland side by beautiful serras2 the ,serra ,grande and the ,serra de ,baturit4 ,in front of the city stretches the broad sand-beach1 and the murmur of the surf comes up into the heart of the town4 ,it seems as if1 so lying between sea and mountain1 ,cear should be a healthy place1 and it is usually so reputed4 ,but at this moment1 owing1 it is thought1 to the unusual continuance of the dry season and the extraordinary violence of the rains1 now that they have begun1 the town is very sickly4 ,yellow-fever is prevalent1 and there have been a good many deaths from it recently1 though it is said not to have assumed the character of an epidemic as yet4 ,still more fatal is the malignant dysentery1 which has been raging both in town and country for the last two months4 ,we are trying to hasten the arrangements for our inland journey1 but do not find it very easy4 ,mr4 ,agassiz's object in stopping here is to satisfy himself by direct investigation of the former existence of glaciers in the serras of this province1 and1 if possible1 to find some traces of the southern lateral moraine1 marking the limit of the mass of ice which he supposes to have filled the ,amazonian basin in the glacial period4 ,in the ,amazonian ,valley itself he has seen that all the geological phenomena are connected with the close of the glacial period1 with the melting of the ice and the immense freshets consequent upon its disappearance4 ,on leaving the ,amazons1 the next step in the investigation was to seek the masses of loose materials left by the glacier itself4 ,on arriving here he at once made inquiries to this effect1 from a number of persons who have travelled a great deal in the province1 and are therefore familiar with its features4 ,the most valuable information he has obtained1--valuable from the fact1 that the precision with which it is given shows that it may be relied upon1--is from ,dr4 ,felice4 ,his occupation as land-surveyor has led him to travel a great deal in the region of the ,serra ,grande4 ,he has made a valuable map of this portion of the province1 and he tells ,mr4 ,agassiz that there is a wall of loose materials1 boulders1 stones1 c41 running from east to west for a distance of some sixty leagues from the ,rio ,aracaty-,ass to ,bom ,jesu1 in the ,serra ,grande4 ,from his account1 this wall resembles greatly the 8,horsebacks0 in ,maine1 those remarkable ridges accumulated by the ancient glaciers1 and running sometimes uninterruptedly for thirty or forty miles4 ,the horsebacks are1 however1 covered with soil and turf1 whereas ,dr4 ,felice describes this wall as rough and bare4 ,mr4 ,agassiz has no doubt that this accumulation or dike of loose materials1 the position and direction of which corresponds exactly with his conjecture based upon the evidence obtained in the ,amazonian ,valley1 is a portion of the lateral moraine1 marking the southeastern limit of the great ,amazonian glacier4 ,unhappily1 it is impossible for him to visit it himself1 for even could he devote the time necessary for so long a journey in the interior1 we are told that at this season the state of the roads makes it almost impossible4 ,he must therefore leave the identification of this colossal moraine to some younger and more fortunate investigator1 and content himself with a direct examination of the next link in the chain of evidence1 namely1 the traces of local glaciers in the serras in the more immediate neighborhood of ,cear4 ,if the basin of the ,amazons was actually filled with ice1 all the mountains lying outside of its limits in the neighboring provinces must have had their glaciers also4 ,it is in search of these local glaciers that we undertake our present journey1 hoping to reach the ,serra of ,baturit4 ,april #fth4--,pacatuba 7at the foot of the ,serra of ,aratanha74 ,after endless delays and difficulties about horses1 servants1 and other preparations for our journey1 we succeeded in getting off on the afternoon of the #c;d4 ,the mode of travelling in the interior as well as the character of the people1 makes it almost impossible to accomplish any journey with promptness and punctuality4 ,while the preparations for our excursion were going on1 neighbors and acquaintances would stroll in to see how things were advancing2 one would propose that we should postpone our departure till the day after to-morrow1 on account of some trouble about the horses2 another that we should wait a week or two for more favorable weather4 ,evidently it did not occur to any one that it could be of much importance whether we started to-day or to-morrow1 or next week or next month4 ,the lotus-eaters in the 8land in which it seemed always afternoon0 could not have been more happily indifferent to the passage of time4 ,now this calm superiority to laws obeyed by the rest of mankind1 this ignoring of the great dictum 8tempus fugit10 is rather exasperating to a man who has only the fortnight intervening between two steamers in which to accomplish his journey1 and knows the time to be all too short for the objects he has in view4 ,these habits of procrastination are much less marked in those parts of ,brazil where railroad and steam travel have been introduced2 though it cannot be said that promptness and despatch are anywhere familiar qualities in this country4 ,our delays in this particular instance were in no way owing to any want of interest in our plans2 on the contrary1 we met here1 as everywhere1 the most cordial sympathy with the objects of the expedition1 and the ,president of the province1 as well as other persons1 were ready to give every assistance in their power4 ,but a stranger cannot of course expect the habits of the people to be changed to suit his convenience1 and we did but share in the general slowness of movement4 ,however1 we were at last on the way2 our party consisting of ,major ,coutinho1 ,senhor ,pompeo1 ,government ,engineer of the province1 whom the ,president had kindly detailed to accompany us1 ,mr4 ,agassiz1 and myself4 ,we had a servant1 also provided by the ,president1 one of his guard1 and two men1 with a couple of pack-mules for baggage and provisions4 ,we started so late in the day1 that our first ride was but a league or so out of the town2 short as it was1 however1 we did not escape several showers1 always to be expected at this season4 ,yet the ride was pleasant2 a smell as of huckleberry meadows came from the low growth of shrubs covering the fields for miles around1 and the very earth was fragrant from the rain4 ,as we left the city1 low clouds1 full of distant showers1 hung over the serras1 and gave them a sombre beauty1 more impressive1 if less cheerful1 than their sunshine look4 ,at six o'clock we reached ,arancho1 a village where we were to pass the night4 ,as we rode in at dusk1 it seemed to me only a little cluster of low mud-houses2 but ,i found1 by daylight1 there were one or two buildings of more pretentious character4 ,we stopped at the end of the principal street1 before the venda 7village inn74 ,at the door1 which opened across the middle1 allowing its lower half to serve as a sort of gate1 stood the host1 little expecting guests on this dark1 rainy night4 ,he was a fat old man1 with a head as round as a bullet1 covered with very short white curly hair1 and a face beaming with good nature1 but reddened also by many potations4 ,he was dressed in white cotton drawers with a shirt hanging loose over them2 his feet were stockingless1 but he had on a pair of the wooden-soled slippers1 down at heel1 of which you hear the 8clack1 clack0 in every town and village during the rainy season4 ,he opened the gate and admitted us into a small room furnished with a hammock1 a sofa1 and a few chairs1 the mud walls adorned with some coarse prints1 of which the old gentleman seemed very proud4 ,he said if we could be satisfied with such accommodation as he had1 the gentlemen to sling their hammocks in the sitting-room with him1 the ,senhora to sleep with his wife and the children in the only other room he had to offer1 he should be happy to receive us4 ,i confess that the prospect was not encouraging2 but ,i was prepared to meet with inconveniences1 knowing that even a short journey into the interior involved discomforts1 and when the hostess presently entered and made me heartily welcome to a corner of her apartment1 ,i thanked her with such cordiality as ,i could muster4 ,she was many years younger than her husband1 and still very handsome1 with an ,oriental kind of beauty1 rather enhanced by her dress4 ,she wore a red muslin wrapper1 somewhat the worse for wear1 but still brilliant in color2 and her long black hair hung loose and unbraided over her shoulders4 ,an hour or two later supper was announced4 ,we had brought the greater part of it with us from the city1 but we invited all the family to sup with us1 according to the fashion of the country4 ,the old gentleman completed his toilet by adding to it a gaudy-flowered cotton dressing-gown1 and seating himself at the table1 contemplated the roast-chickens and claret with no little satisfaction4 ,from the appearance of things1 such a meal must have been a rarity in his house4 ,the mud floor of the kitchen where we supped was sloppy1 and its leaky roof and broken walls were but dimly lighted by the coarse guttering candles made from the ,carnauba palm4 ,i presently heard a loud gobbling close by my side2 and1 looking down1 saw by the half-light a black pig feeding at a little table with the two children1 assisted also by the dog and the cat4 ,supper over1 ,i proposed to go to the common sleeping apartment1 preferring to be in advance of my companions4 ,it was a little room1 some ten feet square1 behind the one where we had been received1 and without any window4 ,this is not1 however1 so great an objection here1 where the roofs are so open that a great deal of air comes from above4 ,once ensconced in my hammock ,i began to watch the arrival of my room-mates with some curiosity4 ,first entered a young girl and her little sister1 who stowed themselves away in one of the beds2 then came the servant-maid and hung herself up in her hammock in a corner2 and lastly arrived the landlady1 who took possession of the other bed1 and completed the charms of the scene by lighting her pipe to have a quiet smoke before she went to sleep4 ,i cannot say the situation was favorable to rest2 the heavy showers which rattled on the tiles throughout the night penetrated the leaky roof1 and1 however ,i changed my position in the hammock1 it rained into my face2 fleas were abundant2 the silence was occasionally broken by the crying of the children1 or the grunting of the pig at the door1 and for my part ,i was very glad when five o'clock called us all to get up1 our plan being to start at six and ride three leagues before breakfast4 ,however1 on a journey of this kind1 it is one thing to intend going anywhere at a particular time and quite another to accomplish it4 ,when we met at six o'clock in readiness for our journey1 two of the horses were not to be found2 they had strayed away during the night4 ,though accidents of this kind are a constant subject of complaint1 it does not seem to occur to any one to secure the horses for the night2 it is indeed far easier to let them roam about and provide for themselves4 ,the servants were sent to look for them1 and we sat waiting1 and losing the best hours of the morning1 till1 in their own good time1 men and beasts reappeared4 ,we were at last on the road at half past eight o'clock2 but1 unhappily1 it was just during our two hours of inaction that the rain1 which had been pouring in torrents all night1 had ceased for a time4 ,we had scarcely started when it began again1 and accompanied us for a great part of the way on our long three leagues' ride4 ,we came now for the first time on the ,carnauba palm 7,copernicia cerifera71 so invaluable for its many useful properties4 ,it furnishes an admirable timber1 strong and durable1 from which the rafters of all the houses in this region are made2 it yields a wax which1 if the process of refining and bleaching it were understood1 would make an excellent candle1 and which1 as it is1 is used for light throughout the province2 from its silky fibre very strong thread and cordage are manufactured2 the heart of the leaves1 when cooked1 makes an excellent vegetable1 resembling delicate cabbage2 and1 finally1 it provides a very nourishing fodder for cattle4 ,it is a saying in the province of ,cear1 that where the ,carnauba palm abounds a man has all he needs for himself and his horse4 ,the stem is tall1 and the leaves so arranged around the summit as to form a close spherical crown1 entirely unlike that of any other palm4#aje ,if we had to lament the rain1 we were fortunate in not having the sun on our journey1 for the forest is low and affords but little shade4 ,the road was in a terrible condition from the long-continued rains1 and though there are no rivers of any importance between the town and the ,serra of ,monguba1 to which we were bound1 yet in several places the little streams were swollen to a considerable depth2 and1 owing to the broken condition of the bottom1 full of holes and deep ruts1 they were by no means easy to ford4 ,after a fatiguing ride of four hours1 during which we inquired1 two or three times1 how far we had still to go1 and always received the same answer1 8uma legua10 that league never seeming to diminish with our advance1 we were delighted to find ourselves at the little bridle-path which turned off from the main road and led us to the fazenda of ,senhor ,franklin de ,lima4 ,the traveller is always welcome who asks hospitality at a ,brazilian country house1 but ,major ,coutinho had already stayed at this fazenda on previous journeys1 and we shared the welcome given to him as an old friend4 ,the hospitality of our excellent hosts repaid us for all the fatigues of our journey1 and our luggage being still on the road1 their kindness supplied the defects of our toilet1 which was in a lamentable condition after splashing through muddy water two or three feet deep4 ,mr4 ,agassiz1 however1 could not spare time to rest2 we had followed a morainic soil for a great part of our journey1 had passed many boulders on the road1 and he was anxious to examine the ,serra of ,monguba1 on the slope of which ,senhor ,franklin has his coffee plantation1 and at the foot of which his house stands4 ,he was1 therefore1 either on foot or on horseback the greater part of this day and the following one1 examining the geological structure of the mountain1 and satisfying himself that1 here too1 all the valleys have had their glaciers1 and that these valleys have brought down from the hillsides into the plains boulders1 pebbles1 and dbris of all sorts4 ,in this pleasant home1 in the midst of the bright1 intelligent circle composing the family of ,senhor ,franklin1 we passed two days4 ,after breakfast we dispersed to our various occupations1 the gentlemen being engaged in excursions in the neighborhood2 the evening brought us together again1 and was enlivened with music1 dancing1 and games4 ,the ,brazilians are fond of games1 and play them with much wit and animation4 ,one of their favorite games is called 8the market of saints02 it is very amusing when there are two or three bright people to act the prominent parts4 ,one person performs the salesman1 another the padre who comes to purchase a saint for his chapel2 the company enact the saints1 covering their faces with their handkerchiefs1 and remaining as motionless as possible4 ,the salesman brings in the padre1 and1 taking him from one to another in turn1 describes all their extraordinary miraculous qualities1 their wonderful lives and pious deaths4 ,after a few introductory remarks on the subject of the purchase1 the handkerchief is drawn off1 and if the saint keeps his countenance and remains immovable during all the ridiculous things that are said about him1 he comes off scot free2 but if he laughs he is subject to a forfeit4 ,there are indeed few who stand the test2 for if the salesman has any tact in the game1 he knows how to seize upon any funny incident or characteristic quality connected with the individual1 and give it prominence4 ,perhaps the reader1 knowing something of our hunt for glaciers1 may guess this saint1 ,major ,coutinho being salesman4 8,this1 ,senhor ,padre1 is rather a stout saint1 but still of most pious disposition1 and1 ,o meu ,padre6 a wonderful worker of miracles2 he can fill these valleys with ice1 he covers the mountains with snow in the hottest days1 he brings the stones from the top of the serra to the bottom1 he finds animals in the bowels of the earth and brings out their bones40 8,ah60 replies the padre1 8a wonderful saint1 truly6 such an one as ,i need for my chapel2 let me look upon his face40 ,handkerchief withdrawn1 and the saint in question of course loses his forfeit4 ,yesterday1 after breakfast1 we left our pleasant friends and came on to the little village of ,pacatuba1 a league farther inland1 and most picturesquely situated at the foot of the ,serra of ,aratanha4 ,here we are fortunate in finding an empty 8sobrada0 7two-storied house71 in which we shall establish ourselves for the two or three days we mean to spend in this neighborhood4 ,we have had it swept out1 have hung our hammocks in the vacant rooms1 which1 with the exception of a straw sofa and a few chairs1 are innocent of furniture2 and if we find it rather forlorn within doors1 we have at least beautiful views from all our windows4 ,april #gth4--,pacatuba4 ,we have already ascertained that our exploration must be confined to the serras in the midst of which we find ourselves2 for every one tells us that1 in the present state of the roads1 it would be impossible to go to ,baturit and return in the short time we have at our disposal4 ,however1 ,mr4 ,agassiz is not disappointed2 for he says a farther journey could only give him glacial phenomena on a larger scale1 which he finds here immediately about him in the greatest perfection4 ,on this very ,serra of ,aratanha1 at the foot of which we happen to have taken up our quarters1 the glacial phenomena are as legible as in any of the valleys of ,maine1 or in those of the mountains of ,cumberland in ,england4 ,it had evidently a local glacier1 formed by the meeting of two arms1 which descended from two depressions spreading right and left on the upper part of the serra1 and joining below in the main valley4 ,a large part of the medial moraine formed by the meeting of these two arms can still be traced in the central valley4 ,one of the lateral moraines is perfectly preserved1 the village road cutting through it2 while the village itself is built just within the terminal moraine1 which is thrown up in a long ridge in front of it4 ,it is a curious fact that1 in the centre of the medial moraine1 formed by a little mountain stream making its way through the ridge of rocks and boulders1 is a delicious bathing pool1 overgrown by orange-trees and palms4 ,as ,mr4 ,agassiz came down from the serra yesterday1 heated with his hunt after glaciers under a tropical sun1 he stopped to bathe in this pool4 ,he said1 as he enjoyed its refreshing coolness1 he could not but be struck with the contrast between the origin of this basin and the vegetation which now surrounds it2 to say nothing of the odd coincidence that he1 a naturalist of the nineteenth century1 should be bathing under the shade of palms and orange-trees on the very spot where he sought and found the evidence of a cold so intense that it heaped the mountains with ice4 ,april #ith4--,yesterday1 at seven o'clock in the morning1 we left ,pacatuba for the house of ,senhor da ,costa1 lying half-way up the serra1 at a height of about eight hundred feet above the level of the sea4 ,the path up the serra is wild and picturesque1 lined with immense boulders1 and shaded with large trees2 while here and there a little cascade comes brawling down over the rocks4 ,in this climate1 a road so broken by boulders is especially beautiful1 on account of the luxuriance of the vegetation4 ,exquisite vines1 shrubs1 and even trees spring up wherever they can find the least soil in which to strike root2 and many of these isolated rocks are gardens in themselves4 ,one immense boulder in the path is split1 and from its centre springs a palm all draperied in vines4 ,of the native trees1 the ,genipapu 7,genipa braziliensis71 the ,imbauba 7,cecropia71 the ,carnauba 7,copernicia cerifera71 the ,catol 7,attalea humilis71 and the ,pa d',arco 7,tecoma speciosa7 are most prominent4 ,the latter is so named because the ,indians make their bows from its tough1 elastic wood4 ,though not native to the soil1 bananas1 cocoa-nut palms1 orange-trees1 as well as cotton and coffee shrubs1 are abundant4 ,the cultivation of coffee1 which thrives admirably on the slopes of all the serras1 is the great source of prosperity here2 but1 at least in the sitios we have visited1 it is difficult to judge of the extent of the plantations on account of the irregular manner of planting4 ,the crops are1 however1 very large1 and the coffee superior in quality4 ,i found the climb up the precipitous serra exceedingly fatiguing4 ,the people who live on the mountain come and go constantly1 even with their children1 on horseback2 but as our horses were from the city1 and unaccustomed to mountain paths1 we had preferred ascending on foot1 especially as the rains had made the road more rough and broken than usual4 ,a mountain scramble in this country is very different from the same thing in temperate climates4 ,the least exertion induces excessive perspiration2 and if1 when thus drenched to the skin1 you stop to rest1 you are chilled by the slightest breeze4 ,i was very glad when1 after about an hour's climbing1 we reached the sitio of ,senhor da ,costa1 on the slope of the serra4 ,donna ,maria laughed at me for coming up on foot1 and said ,i should have mounted like a man1 as she does1 and ascended the serra on horseback4 ,indeed1 ,i think a lady who is obliged to make a journey in the interior of ,brazil should dress ,bloomer-fashion and mount en cavalier4 ,a lady's seat on horseback is too insecure for dangerous mountain roads1 or for fording streams2 and her long skirt is another inconvenience4 ,nothing can be more picturesque than the situation of this sitio4 ,it is surrounded by magnificent masses of rock1 which seem embedded in the forest1 as it were2 and by its side a cascade comes leaping down through the trees1 so hidden by them that1 though you hear the voice of the water constantly1 you only see its glimmer here and there among the green foliage4 ,the house itself stands on a fine specimen of moraine1 flanked on one side by a bank of red morainic soil1 overtopped by boulders4 ,it is so built in among huge masses of rock that its walls seem half natural4 ,at the foot of the mountain spreads the ,serta1 stretching level for the most part to the ocean1 though broken here and there by billowy hills rising isolated from its surface4 ,beyond it many miles away may be seen the yellow lines of the sand-dunes on the shore1 and the white glitter of the sea4 ,the ,serta 7desert7 is beautifully green now1 and spreads out like a verdant prairie below4 ,but in the dry season it justifies its name and becomes a very desert indeed1 being so parched that all vegetation is destroyed4 ,the drought is so great during eight months of the year1 that the country people living in the ,serta are often in danger of famine from the drying up of all the crops4#ajf ,after this long dry season the rains often set in with terrible violence1 and it is at this time that epidemics are developed1 such as prevail now4 ,it rains day and night for weeks at a time1 till everything is penetrated with dampness2 and when the hot sun comes out upon the soaked and steaming earth1 it is far more injurious than in the dry season4 ,one cannot wonder at the prevailing sickness1 for the humidity seems to permeate everything with subtle power4 ,the walls1 the floors1 the very furniture1--your hammock at night and your clothes in the morning1--feel damp and have a sort of clammy chill2 and the sun comes out with such fitful gleams1 that1 intense as is its heat while it lasts1 nothing becomes thoroughly dried4 ,toward nightfall we went to see the sunset from a boulder of enormous size1 which seems to have stopped inexplicably on the steep descent4 ,it juts out from the mountain-side1 and commands even a more extensive view than the house above4 ,i could not help thinking1 as we stood on the edge of this immense mass of rock1 that1 as it seemed to have stopped for no particular reason1 it might start again at any minute1 and bring one to the bottom of the serra with unpleasant rapidity4 ,april #ajth4--,yesterday afternoon we returned to ,pacatuba1 descending the serra much more rapidly and with far less fatigue than we had ascended4 ,we would gladly have availed ourselves longer of the pleasant hospitality of our hosts1 who very graciously urged us to stay2 but time is precious1 and we are anxious not to miss the next steamer4 ,donna ,maria's kindness followed us down the mountain1 however1 for scarcely had we reached the house before an excellent dinner--stewed fowls1 beef1 vegetables1 etc4--arrived1 borne on the heads of two negroes4 ,when ,i saw the load these men had brought so steadily down the same path over which ,i had come rolling1 pitching1 tumbling1 sliding1--any way1 in short1 but walking1--,i envied their dexterity1 and longed to be as sure-footed as these shoeless1 half naked1 ignorant blacks4 ,to-day we leave ,pacatuba for the house of ,senhor ,franklin1 on our way back to ,cear4 ,april #abth4--,on the #ajth we returned to ,monguba1 where we passed that day and the following night at the fazenda of our friends1 the ,franklins4 ,the next morning we had intended to start at six o'clock on our way to the city4 ,no sooner were the horses at the door1 however1 and the pack-mules ready1 than a pouring rain began4 ,we waited for it to pass1 but it was followed by shower after shower1 falling in solid sheets4 ,so the day wore on till twelve o'clock1 when there was a lull1 with a prospect of fine weather1 and we started4 ,i could not help feeling some anxiety1 for ,i remembered the streams we had forded in coming1 and wondered what they would be after these torrents4 ,fortunately1 before we reached the first of them1 we met two negroes1 who warned us that there was a great deal of water on the road4 ,we hired them to come on with us1 and guide my horse4 ,when we reached the spot it really looked appalling4 ,the road was inundated to a considerable distance1 and the water rushed across it with great violence1 having in many places a depth of four or five feet1 and a strong current4 ,if there had been a sound bottom to rely upon1 the wetting would have been nothing2 but the road1 torn up by the rains1 was full of holes and deep gullies1 so that the horses1 coming unexpectedly on these inequalities1 would suddenly flounder up to their necks in water1 and recover their footing only by kicking and plunging4 ,we crossed four such streams1 one man leading my horse while the gentlemen followed close behind1 and the second negro walking in front to see where it was possible to pass without getting completely out of depth4 ,these streams1 not quite deep enough to allow the horse to swim1 and with such a broken bottom that he is in constant danger of falling1 are sometimes more difficult of passage than a river4 ,we met with only one accident1 however1 which1 as it did no harm1 was rather ludicrous than otherwise4 ,the negroes had left us1 saying there was no more deep water in the road1 and when we came presently to a shallow stream we entered it quite confidently4 ,it was treacherous1 however1 for just on its edge was a soft1 adhesive bog-mud4 ,in entering1 the horses stepped across this quagmire1 but their hind legs were instantly caught in it4 ,major ,coutinho1 who was riding at my side1 seized my bridle1 and1 spurring his own horse violently1 both the animals extricated themselves at once by a powerful effort4 ,our servant1 who followed behind1 was not so fortunate2 he was mounted on a small mule1 which seemed likely to be swallowed up bodily for a moment1 so suddenly did it disappear in the mire2 the man fell off1 and it was some minutes before he and his animal regained the road1 a mass of mud and dripping with water4 ,we reached ,cear at five in the afternoon1 having made a journey of five leagues4 ,every one tells us that the state of the roads is most unusual1 such continuous rains not having been known for many years4 ,the sickness in the city continues unabated1 and a young man who was attacked with yellow-fever in the next house before we left has died in our absence4 ,everywhere on our journey we have heard the same complaints of prevalent epidemics1 and the authorities are beginning to close the schools in the town on account of them4 ,the steamer is due in a day or two1 and we are making our preparations for departure4 ,we should not bid good by to ,cear without acknowledging the sympathy shown by the ,president of the ,province1 ,senhor ,homem de ,mello1 in the objects of the expedition4 ,mr4 ,agassiz has received a collection of palms and fishes1 the directions for which he had given before starting for the ,serra1 but the expenses of which are defrayed by the ,president1 who insists upon their being received as a contribution from the province4 ,mr4 ,agassiz is also greatly indebted to ,senhor ,felice1 at whose house we have lodged1 for efficient help in collecting1 and to ,senhor ,cicero de ,lima for a collection of fishes and insects from the interior4 ,i conclude this chapter with a few passages from notes made by ,mr4 ,agassiz during his examination of the ,serra of ,aratanha and the site of ,pacatuba4 8,i spent the rest of the day in a special examination of the right lateral moraine1 and part of the front moraine of the glacier of ,pacatuba2 my object was especially to ascertain whether what appeared a moraine at first might not1 after all1 be a spur of the serra1 decomposed in place4 ,i ascended the ridge to its very origin1 and there crossed into an adjoining depression1 immediately below the ,sitio of ,captain ,henriquez1 where ,i found another glacier bottom of smaller dimensions1 the ice of which probably never reached the plain4 ,everywhere in the ridges encircling these depressions the loose materials and large boulders are so accumulated and embedded in clay or sand that their morainic character is unmistakable4 ,occasionally1 where a ledge of the underlying rock crops out1 in places where the drift has been removed by denudation1 the difference between the moraine and the rock decomposed in place is recognized at once4 ,it is equally easy to distinguish the boulders which here and there have rolled down from the mountain and stopped against the moraine4 ,the three things are side by side1 and might at first be easily confounded2 but a little familiarity makes it easy to distinguish them4 ,where the lateral moraine turns toward the front of the ancient glacier1 near the point at which the brook of ,pacatuba cuts through the former1 and a little to the west of the brook1 there are colossal boulders leaning against the moraine1 from the summit of which they have probably rolled down4 ,near the cemetery the front moraine consists almost entirely of small quartz pebbles2 there are1 however1 a few larger blocks among them4 ,the medial moraine extends nearly through the centre of the village1 while the left-hand lateral moraine lies outside of the village1 at its eastern end1 and is traversed by the road leading to ,cear4 ,it is not impossible that eastwards a third tributary of the serra may have reached the main glacier of ,pacatuba4 ,i may say1 that in the whole valley of ,hasli there are no accumulations of morainic materials more characteristic than those ,i have found here1--not even about the ,kirchet2 neither are there any remains of the kind more striking about the valleys of ,mount ,desert in ,maine1 where the glacial phenomena are so remarkable1 nor in the valleys of ,lough ,fine1 ,lough ,augh1 and ,lough ,long in ,scotland1 where the traces of ancient glaciers are so distinct4 ,in none of these localities are the glacial phenomena more legible than in the ,serra of ,aratanha4 ,i hope that before long some members of the ,alpine ,club1 thoroughly familiar with the glaciers of the ,old ,world1 not only in their present1 but also in their past condition1 will come to these mountains of ,cear and trace the outlines of their former glaciers more extensively than it has been possible for me to do in this short journey4 ,it would be an easy excursion1 since steamers from ,liverpool and ,bordeaux reach ,pernambuco in about ten days1 arriving twice a month1 while ,brazilian steamers make the trip from ,pernambuco to ,cear in two days4 ,the nearest serra in which ,i have observed traces of ancient glaciers is reached from ,cear in one day on horseback4 ,the best season for such a journey would be ,june and ,july1 at the close of the rainy season1 and before the great droughts of the dry season have began40 ----- ,footnote #ajd3 ,the prosperous province of ,cear has found in ,senator ,pompeo a worthy exponent of its interests2 not only does he represent the province at ,rio de ,janeiro1 but1 by the publication of careful statistics1 has largely contributed to its progress4--,l4 ,a4 ,footnote #aje3 ,for a very interesting treatise on this palm1 and the various branches of industry it may be made to subserve1 see 8,notice sur le ,palmier ,carnauba10 par ,m4 ,a4 de ,macedo1 ,paris1 #ahfg1 #h4 ,footnote #ajf3 ,but for the existence of a shrub allied to our hawthorn1 and known to botanists as ,zizyphus ,joazeiro1 the cattle would suffer excessively during the drought4 ,this shrub is one of the few plants common to this latitude which does not lose its foliage during the dry season1 and1 happily for the inhabitants1 all the herbivorous domesticated animals delight to feed upon it4--,l4 ,a4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,public ,,institutions ,,of ,,rio ,,de ,,janeiro4--,,organ ,,mountains4 ,,voyage ,,from ,,cear4--,,freshets ,,at ,,pernambuco4--,,arrival ,,at ,,rio4--,,collections4--,,vegetation ,,about ,,rio ,,as ,,compared ,,with ,,that ,,on ,,the ,,amazons4--,,misericordia ,,hospital4--,,charities ,,connected ,,with ,,it4--,,almsgiving ,,in ,,brazil4--,,insane ,,asylum4--,,military ,,school4--,,the ,,mint4--,,academy ,,of ,,fine ,,arts4--,,heroism ,,of ,a ,,negro4--,,primary ,,school ,,for ,,girls4--,,neglected ,,education ,,of ,,women ,,in ,,brazil4--,,blind ,,asylum4--,,lectures4--,,character ,,of ,,the ,,brazilian ,,audience4--,,organ ,,mountains4--,,walk ,,up ,,the ,,serra4--,,theresopolis4--,,visit ,,to ,,the 8,,st4 ,,louis0 ,,fazenda4--,,climate ,,of ,,theresopolis4--,,descent ,,of ,,the ,,serra4--,,geology ,,of ,,the ,,organ ,,mountains4--,,the ,,last ,,word4 ,may #bith4--,we arrived in ,rio more than a month ago1 having left ,cear on the #afth of ,april4 ,there was nothing worth recording in our voyage down the coast1 except that at ,pernambuco we found the country even more overflowed by the recent rains than it had been at ,cear4 ,going to breakfast with our friends1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,r----1 only four or five miles from the city1 we passed through portions of the road where the water was nearly level with the floor of the carriage2 and temporary ferries were established by negroes1 who were plying rafts and canoes between the shores for the benefit of foot-passengers4 ,a mile or two beyond ,mr4 ,r----'s house we were told that the road1 though one of the most frequented in the neighborhood of the city1 had become quite impassable4 ,we saw many overflowed gardens and houses abandoned because the water was already above the windows of the ground-floor4 ,we had a warm welcome back to the beautiful bay of ,rio1 on board the 8,susquehanna10 just then in the harbor4 ,captain ,taylor sent his boat at once to our steamer1 and we were soon on his deck1 received so cordially by him and his officers1 and by a party of ,american friends who were making a visit to his ship1 that it seemed like an anticipation of our arrival at home4 ,there is nothing so pleasant as an unexpected meeting with one's own fellow-citizens on coming into a foreign port1 and this was a delightful surprise to us4 ,we are again in our old quarters in the ,rua ,direita1 and1 except that our fellow-travellers are all scattered1 it would seem as if we had stepped back a year4 ,since our return1 ,mr4 ,agassiz has been arranging and despatching to the ,united ,states the numerous specimens which have been sent in during our absence4 ,among them is the large and very complete collection made for him by the ,emperor last summer1 when in command of the army at the ,south4 ,it contains fishes from several of the southern fresh-water basins1 and includes a great number of new species4 ,taken in connection with the ,amazonian collections and those from the interior1 it affords material for an extensive comparison of the faun of the southern and northern fresh-waters in ,brazil4 ,our excursions since our return have been only in the neighborhood of the city to ,petropolis and the ,dom ,pedro ,railroad4 ,we are surprised1 on returning to this road while our ,amazonian impressions are fresh in our minds1 to find that the vegetation1 the richness of which amazed us when we first arrived in ,brazil1 looks almost meagre in comparison to that with which we have since been familiar4 ,it is dwarfed1 to our eye1 by the still more luxuriant growth of the north4 ,yesterday was ,mr4 ,agassiz's birthday1 again made very bright to us by the cordial testimony of kind feeling and sympathy from his friends and country people4 ,in the evening we were pleasantly surprised by a torchlight procession in his honor1 formed by the ,german and ,swiss residents of ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,the festivities concluded with a serenade under our windows by the ,german club4 ,june #dth4--,when we were in ,rio de ,janeiro last year1 ,mr4 ,agassiz was so much occupied with the plans of the expedition that he was unable to visit the schools of the city1 its charitable institutions1 and the like4 ,being unwilling to leave ,brazil without knowing something of the public works in its largest capital1 we are now engaged in 8sight-seeing40 ,this morning we visited the ,misericordia ,hospital4 ,perhaps it will give a better idea of this institution1 and of the influences under which it at present exists1 to speak of it first as it was formerly4 ,nearly forty years ago there was in ,rio de ,janeiro a hospital called 8,de la ,misericordia40 ,its wards were low1 its entries were confined and close1 its staircases steep and narrow4 ,according to the accounts of physicians who were medical students there in those days1 its internal organization was as sordid as its general aspect4 ,the floors were wet and dirty1 the beds wretched1 the linen soiled2 and the absence of a system of ventilation made itself the more felt on account of the want of general cleanliness4 ,the corpses awaited burial in a room where the rats held high festival2 and a physician1 who has since occupied a distinguished position in ,rio de ,janeiro1 told us that when1 as a student1 he went to seek there the materials for his anatomical studies1 he often found life stirring in this chamber of the dead1 and startled away these unseemly visitors4 ,such1 in brief1 was the ,misericordia ,hospital at the time when ,brazil secured her independence4 ,let us see what it is now4 ,on the same spot1 though occupying a much larger space1 stands the present hospital4 ,when completed1 it will consist of three parallel buildings1 long in proportion to their breadth1 connected by cross corridors enclosing courts between them4 ,the central edifice1 intended for male patients1 has been long in use4 ,the front building1 looking on the bay1 is nearly completed1 and is to be devoted to the stores1 to accommodations for hospital physicians1 nurses1 c4 ,the rear building1 not yet begun1 will be for the use of women and children1 who now occupy the old hospital4 ,let us look first at the central division4 ,we enter a spacious hall tiled with marble4 ,a smaller hall1 leading out of it1 connects with one or two reception-rooms1 where visitors are received1 and medicines given out gratis to poor applicants4 ,a broad staircase of dark wood brings us to the wide corridors1 on which the wards open1 and which look out upon green gardens enclosed between the buildings1 where convalescents may be seen strolling about1 or resting in the shade4 ,at the first ward we are received by a ,sister of ,charity1 who1 in the absence of the ,superior1 is to show us the establishment4 ,a description of one ward will answer for all1 since they are identical4 ,it is a long1 lofty room1 the beds in rows on either side1 facing outward1 and having a broad1 open space down the centre4 ,the beds are arranged two and two in pairs1 each pair being divided by a door or window4 ,between every two beds is a little niche in the wall1 with a shelf to draw out underneath4 ,in the niche are one or two pitchers or goblets holding the patient's drink2 on the shelf is his mug1 ready to his hand4 ,to a height of some six or eight feet the wall is wainscoted with blue-and-white porcelain tiles4 ,they are easily washed1 do not contract dampness1 and look very cool and fresh4 ,the floor is made of the dark ,brazilian wood1 partly inlaid1 and waxed carefully2 not a stain is to be seen anywhere on its shining surface4 ,the bedding consists of a well-stuffed straw-mattress below1 with a thick hair-mattress above4 ,the sheets and pillow-cases are spotless4 ,indeed1 everything in this fresh1 well-aired1 spacious room bespeaks an exquisite order and neatness4 ,the bath-rooms are in convenient relation to the wards1 furnished with large marble bath-tubs1 and with hot and cold water in abundance4 ,from the public wards we pass into large corridors1 upon which open private apartments for the use of persons who1 not having convenient arrangements at home1 or being strangers in the city1 prefer1 in case of illness1 to go to the hospital4 ,the rent of these chambers is exceedingly moderate2--for a room to one's self1 #a4ej a day2 for a room shared with one other person1 #a a day2 for a bed in a larger room occupied by half a dozen1 but withdrawn from the general throng1 #ge cents4 ,these charges include medical attendance1 nursing1 and food4 ,from the wards devoted to ordinary diseases1 fevers and the like1 we went to the surgical wards4 ,it need not be said that here the same neatness and care prevailed2 the operating rooms1 the surgery lined with cases containing instruments1 lint1 bandages1 c4 were all in faultless order4 ,from this building--looking1 as we went1 into the kitchen1 where the contents of the great shiny copper kettles smelt very invitingly--we passed through a paved court to the old hospital1 in which are the wards for women and children4 ,this gave us an opportunity of comparing1 at least in its general arrangement1 the ancient establishment with the modern one4 ,the neatness and order prevailing throughout make even this part of the hospital attractive and cheerful2 but one feels at once the difference between the high1 airy rooms and open corridors of the new building and the more confined quarters of the old one4 ,in both parts of the hospital the mingling of color impresses the stranger4 ,blacks and whites lie side by side1 and the proportion of negroes is considerable1 both among the men and women4 ,the charity of the ,misericordia is a very comprehensive one2 it includes not only maladies susceptible of cure1 but has also its ward for old and infirm persons1 who will never leave it except for their last home4 ,the day before our visit a very aged woman had been buried thence1 who had lived under this roof for seventeen years4 ,there is also a provision for children whose parents die in the hospital1 and who have no natural protector4 ,they remain there1 receive an elementary education1 being taught to read1 write1 and cipher2 and are not turned into the world until they are of age to marry or to enter into service4 ,there is a chapel connected with the hospital1 and many of the wards are furnished with an altar at one end1 above which is placed a statue of the ,virgin1 a crucifix1 or a picture of some saint4 ,i could not help asking myself if regular religious services would not be a wise addition to all charitable institutions of this kind1 whether ,protestant or ,catholic4 ,to the respectable poor1 their church is a great deal4 ,many a convalescent would be glad to hear the ,sunday hymn1 to join in the prayer put up for his recovery2 and would think himself the better1 body and soul1 because he had listened to a sermon4 ,to be sure1 in our country1 where creeds are so various1 and almost every patient might have his own doctrinal speciality1 there might be some difficulties which do not exist where there is a state religion1 and one form of service is sure to suit all4 ,still1 many would be comforted and consoled1 and would come without asking whether the clergyman were of this or that denomination1 if they felt him to be genuine and truly devout4 ,i have presented the old hospital and the present one in direct contrast1 because the comparison gives a measure of the progress which1 in some directions at least1 has taken place during the last thirty or forty years in ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,it is true1 that all their institutions have not advanced in proportion to their benevolent establishments2 charity1 like hospitality1 may be said to be a national virtue among the ,brazilians4 ,they hold almsgiving a religious duty1 and are more liberal to their churches and to the public charities connected with them than to their institutions of learning4 ,unhappily1 a great deal of their liberality of this kind is expended upon church festas1 street processions1 saint days1 and the like1 more calculated to feed superstition than to stimulate pure religious sentiment4 ,we should not leave the ,misericordia without some allusion to the man to whom it chiefly owes its present character4 ,jos ,clemente ,pereira would have been gratefully remembered by the ,brazilians as a statesman of distinguished merit1 who was intimately associated with more than one of the most important events in their history1 even had he no other claim on their esteem4 ,he was born in ,portugal1 and distinguished himself as a young man in the ,peninsular war4 ,though he was already twenty-eight years of age when he left ,europe1 he seems to have been as true a lover of ,brazil as if born on her soil4 ,his merit was soon recognized in his adopted country1 and he occupied1 at different times1 some of the highest offices of the realm4 ,the early part of his political career fell upon the stormy times when ,brazil was struggling for her national existence as an independent ,empire2 but during the more tranquil close of his life he seems to have been chiefly occupied in works of benevolence1 in founding charitable institutions1 and even in personal attendance upon the sick and suffering4 ,the name of this benevolent ,brazilian is associated not only with the ,misericordia hospital1 but also with the admirable asylum for the insane at ,botafogo1 which bears the name of the present ,emperor4 ,a great part of the funds for this establishment were obtained in an original way1 which shows that ,pereira knew how to turn the weaknesses of his countrymen to good account4 ,the ,brazilians are addicted to titles1 and the government offered distinctions of this kind to wealthy citizens who would endow the insane asylum4 ,they were to be either commendadores or barons1 the importance of the title being in proportion to the magnitude of their donations4 ,large sums were actually obtained in this way1 and several of the titled men of ,rio thus purchased their patents of nobility4 ,when ,i first arrived in ,rio de ,janeiro1 mere chance led me to visit this asylum4 ,entering as a stranger1 ,i saw only the outer rooms1 listened to the evening service in the chapel for a few moments1 and was struck with the order and quiet which seemed to prevail4 ,it certainly never would have occurred to me that ,i was in an insane hospital4 ,to-day ,mr4 ,agassiz and myself1 accompanied by our friend ,dr4 ,pacheco da ,silva1 passed several hours there1 and saw the whole establishment in detail4 ,the building faces upon ,botafogo ,bay1 having the beach immediately before it2 on its right the picturesque gap1 one side of which is made by the ,pa de ,assucar1 and on its left the beautiful valley running up toward ,corcovado4 ,thus1 looking on the sea and surrounded by mountains1 it commands exquisite views on every side4 ,the plan of the building1 in its general arrangement1 is not unlike that of the ,misericordia4 ,it is a handsome solid stone structure1 rather long in proportion to its height1 and consists of two parallel buildings1 connected by cross corridors4 ,these corridors enclose courts1 planted with trees and flowers1 and making very pleasant gardens4 ,the entrance hall is in the centre1 and has on either side the statues of ,pinel and ,esquirol1 the two ,french masters in the treatment of mental diseases4 ,the statues have no merit as works of art2 but it was pleasant to see them there1 as showing a recognition of what these men have done for science and for humanity4 ,a broad1 low staircase of dark wood leads up to the chapel4 ,here we looked with interest at the ornaments on the altar1 because they are the work of the patients1 who take great pleasure in making artificial flowers and other decorations for the church4 ,on the same floor with the chapel is a large hall1 where stands the statue of the youthful ,emperor ,dom ,pedro ,segundo4 ,opposite to it is that of ,pereira4 ,it is worthy of note that this statue was presented by the ,emperor1 and at his request placed opposite his own4 ,the face1 quite in keeping with the history of the man1 is expressive both of great benevolence and remarkable decision4 ,connected with this hall are several reception-halls1 parlors1 and antechambers2 indeed1 too much room is assigned to mere state apartments in an establishment where space must be precious4 ,one of this suite of rooms was devoted to the various fancy-work made by the patients1--embroidery of all sorts1 artificial flowers and the like4 ,thence we passed to the wards4 ,as in the ,misericordia1 the rooms are very large and high1 wainscoted with tiles1 and opening upon wide corridors1 which look out into the enclosed gardens4 ,some of the dormitories have fifteen or twenty beds1 but many of the sleeping-rooms are smaller1 it being better1 no doubt1 to separate the patients at night4 ,we saw but little indication of suffering or distress among them4 ,there were one or two cases of religious melancholy1 with the look of fixed1 absorbed sadness characteristic of that form of insanity4 ,we were met once or twice by the vacant stare1 and heard the senseless chatter and laugh always to be found in these saddest of all asylums for human suffering4 ,but1 on the whole1 an air of cheerfulness prevailed2 with few exceptions all the patients were occupied1 the women with plain sewing or embroidery1 the men with carpentering1 shoemaking1 or tailoring1 making cigars for the use of the establishment1 or picking over old cordage4 ,the ,superior told us that occupation was found to be the most efficient remedy1 and that though work was not compulsory1 with few exceptions all the patients preferred to share in it4 ,the whole service of the house--washing1 sweeping1 waxing the floors1 cleaning the chambers and putting them in order--is performed by them4 ,sunday is found to be the most difficult day1 because much of the ordinary occupation is suspended1 and the patients become unruly in proportion as they are unemployed4 ,from these apartments1 where all were busy and comparatively quiet1 we passed to a corridor enclosing a large court1 where some of the lunatics1 too restless for employment1 were walking about1 gesticulating and talking loudly4 ,the corridor was lined on its inner side with chambers devoted to the use of those whose violence made it necessary to confine them4 ,the doors and windows were grated1 the rooms empty of furniture1 but well lighted1 spacious1 and airy2 not at all like cells1 except in being so strongly secured4 ,they were mostly without occupants2 but as we passed one of them a man rushed to the door1 and called out to us that he was not a prisoner because he was mad1 but that he had killed ,lopez1 and was now the rightful ,emperor of ,brazil4 ,this corridor led us to the bath-rooms1 which are really on a magnificent scale4 ,a number of immense marble tubs are sunk in the tiled floors4 ,they are of different depths1 adapted for standing1 sitting1 or lying down1 and have every variety of arrangement for douche1 shower1 or sponge baths4 ,this hospital1 like the ,misericordia1 is under the care of the ,sisters of ,charity1 and is a model of neatness and order4 ,the ,superior has a face remarkable for its serenity1 expressive at once of sweetness and good sense4 ,from her we learned some interesting facts respecting insanity in this country4 ,she says furious maniacs are rare1 and that violence generally yields readily to treatment4 ,she also told us that insanity is more common among the poor than among the better classes4 ,though the asylum contains apartments for private patients1 there are seldom more than eight or ten persons of this description to occupy them4 ,this is not because they have any choice of establishments1 for there is no other insane hospital in ,rio de ,janeiro1 though there are one or two 8,maisons de ,sant0 where insane persons are received4 ,there were more blacks among the patients than we had expected to see1 the general impression being that insanity is rare among the negroes4 ,we left this hospital impressed by its superiority4 ,a country which has so high a standard of excellence in its charities can hardly fail1 sooner or later1 to bring its institutions of learning and its public works generally up to the same level4 ,excellence in one department leads to excellence in all4 ,from the hospital we continued our walk to the military school1 some quarter of a mile farther4 ,it stands in the gap between the ,pa de ,assucar and the opposite range of hills1 and has the ,botafogo ,bay on one side1 the ,praia ,vermelha on the other4 ,here1 as elsewhere in the public schools of ,rio de ,janeiro1 there is a progressive movement2 but old and theoretical methods still prevail to a great degree4 ,the maps are poor2 there are no bas-reliefs1 no large globes1 few dissections or chemical analyses1 no philosophical experiments1 and no library deserving the name4 ,the school1 however1 has been in efficient operation only six years1 and improvements in the building1 as well as in the apparatus for instruction1 are made daily4 ,so far as its domestic economy is concerned1 the appointments of the establishment are excellent2 indeed1 one is rather inclined to criticise it as over-luxurious for boys educated to be soldiers4 ,the school-rooms and dormitories1 as well as the dining-room1 where the tables were laid with a nice service of crockery and glass1 and also the kitchens1 were clean and orderly4 ,we cannot but wonder that the streets of ,rio de ,janeiro should be dirtier and more offensive than those of any other city we have visited1 when we see the scrupulous neatness characteristic of all its public establishments4 ,the observance of cleanliness in this respect shows that the ,brazilians recognize its importance1 and it seems strange that they should tolerate nuisances in their streets which make it almost impossible to pass through many of them on foot4 ,june #gth4--,yesterday we visited the ,mint1 the ,academy of ,fine ,arts1 and a primary school for girls4 ,of the ,mint it is scarcely fair to judge in its present condition2 a new building is nearly completed1 and all improvements in machinery are wisely deferred until the establishment is removed4 ,when this change takes place1 much that is antiquated will be improved1 and its many deficiencies supplied4 ,there is little knowledge of1 or interest in1 art in ,brazil4 ,pictures are as rare as books in a ,brazilian house2 and though ,rio de ,janeiro has an ,academy of ,fine ,arts1 including a school of design and sculpture1 it is still in too elementary a condition to warrant criticism4 ,the only interesting picture in the collection derives its attraction wholly from the circumstances connected with it1 not at all from any merit in the execution4 ,it is a likeness of a negro who1 in a shipwreck off the coast1 saved a number of lives at the risk of his own4 ,when he had brought several passengers to the shore1 he was told that two children remained in the ship4 ,he swam back once more and brought them safely to the beach1 but sank down himself exhausted1 and was seized with hemorrhage4 ,a considerable sum was raised for him in the city of ,rio1 and his picture was placed in the ,academy to commemorate his heroism4 ,of the public school for girls not much can be said4 ,the education of women is little regarded in ,brazil1 and the standard of instruction for girls in the public schools is low4 ,even in the private schools1 where the children of the better class are sent1 it is the complaint of all teachers that they are taken away from school just at the time when their minds begin to develop4 ,the majority of girls in ,brazil who go to school at all are sent at about seven or eight years of age1 and are considered to have finished their education at thirteen or fourteen4 ,the next step in their life is marriage4 ,of course there are exceptions2 some parents wisely leave their children at school1 or direct their instruction at home1 till they are seventeen or eighteen years of age1 and others send their girls abroad4 ,but usually1 with the exception of one or two accomplishments1 such as ,french or music1 the education of women is neglected1 and this neglect affects the whole tone of society4 ,it does not change the general truth of this statement1 that there are ,brazilian ladies who would be recognized in the best society as women of the highest intelligence and culture4 ,but they are the exceptions1 as they inevitably must be under the present system of instruction1 and they feel its influence upon their social position only the more bitterly4 ,indeed1 many of the women ,i have known most intimately here have spoken to me with deep regret of their limited1 imprisoned existence4 ,there is not a ,brazilian senhora1 who has ever thought about the subject at all1 who is not aware that her life is one of repression and constraint4 ,she cannot go out of her house1 except under certain conditions1 without awakening scandal4 ,her education leaves her wholly ignorant of the most common topics of a wider interest1 though perhaps with a tolerable knowledge of ,french and music4 ,the world of books is closed to her2 for there is little ,portuguese literature into which she is allowed to look1 and that of other languages is still less at her command4 ,she knows little of the history of her own country1 almost nothing of that of others1 and she is hardly aware that there is any religious faith except the uniform one of ,brazil2 she has probably never heard of the ,reformation1 nor does she dream that there is a sea of thought surging in the world outside1 constantly developing new phases of national and individual life2 indeed1 of all but her own narrow domestic existence she is profoundly ignorant4 ,on one occasion1 when staying at a fazenda1 ,i took up a volume which was lying on the piano4 ,a book is such a rare sight1 in the rooms occupied by the family1 that ,i was curious to see its contents4 ,as ,i stood turning over the leaves 7it proved to be a romance71 the master of the house came up1 and remarked that the book was not suitable reading for ladies1 but that here 7putting into my hand a small volume7 was a work adapted to the use of women and children1 which he had provided for the senhoras of his family4 ,i opened it1 and found it to be a sort of textbook of morals1 filled with commonplace sentiments1 copybook phrases1 written in a tone of condescending indulgence for the feminine intellect4 ,women being1 after all1 the mothers of men1 and understood to have some little influence on their education1 ,i could hardly wonder1 after seeing this specimen of their intellectual food1 that the wife and daughters of our host were not greatly addicted to reading4 ,nothing strikes a stranger more than the absence of books in ,brazilian houses4 ,if the father is a professional man1 he has his small library of medicine or law1 but books are never seen scattered about as if in common use2 they make no part of the daily life4 ,i repeat1 that there are exceptions4 ,i well remember finding in the sitting-room of a young girl1 by whose family we had been most cordially received1 a well-selected library of the best literary and historical works in ,german and ,french2 but this is the only instance of the kind we met with during our year in ,brazil4 ,even when the ,brazilian women have received the ordinary advantages of education1 there is something in their home-life so restricted1 so shut out from natural contact with external influences1 that this in itself tends to cripple their development4 ,their amusements are as meagre and scanty as their means of instruction4 ,in writing these things ,i but echo the thought of many intelligent ,brazilians1 who lament a social evil which they do not well know how to reform4 ,if among our ,brazilian friends there are some who1 familiar with the more progressive aspect of life in ,rio de ,janeiro1 question the accuracy of my statements1 ,i can only say that they do not know the condition of society in the northern cities and provinces4 ,among my own sex1 ,i have never seen such sad lives as became known to me there1--lives deprived of healthy1 invigorating happiness1 and intolerably monotonous1--a negative suffering1 having its source1 it is true1 in the absence of enjoyment rather than in the presence of positive evils1 but all the more to be deplored because so stagnant and inactive4 ,behind all defects in methods of instruction1 there lies a fault of domestic education1 to be lamented throughout ,brazil4 ,this is the constant association with black servants1 and1 worse still1 with negro children1 of whom there are usually a number in every house4 ,whether the low and vicious habits of the negroes are the result of slavery or not1 they cannot be denied2 and it is singular to see persons1 otherwise careful and conscientious about their children1 allowing them to live in the constant companionship of their blacks1 waited upon by the older ones1 playing all day with the younger ones4 ,it shows how blind we may become1 by custom1 to the most palpable dangers4 ,a stranger observes at once the evil results of this contact with vulgarity and vice1 though often unnoticed by the parents4 ,in the capital1 some of these evils are fast disappearing2 indeed1 those who remember ,rio de ,janeiro forty years ago have witnessed1 during that short period1 a remarkable change for the better in the state of society4 ,nor should it be forgotten that the highest authority in the community is exerted in the cause of a liberal culture for women4 ,it is well known that the education of the ,imperial princesses has been not only superintended1 but in a great measure personally conducted1 by their father4 ,july #hth4--,i was prevented yesterday from going to the ,blind ,asylum with ,mr4 ,agassiz1 but ,i transcribe his notes upon this1 as well as upon the ,marine ,arsenal1 which he also visited without me4 8,the building is old and in a ruinous condition4 ,i was not allowed to go over it1 everything being brought to the reception-room for my inspection1 though ,i told the director that ,i did not care about the external arrangements1 but simply wished to know by what means the privations of the blind were alleviated in his establishment4 ,the same processes of routine prevail here as in other schools and colleges ,i have seen in ,rio4 ,this1 however1 is not peculiar to ,portuguese or ,brazilian habits of instruction4 ,the old habit of overrating memory1 and neglecting the more active and productive faculties of the mind1 still prevails more or less in education everywhere4 ,i learned little of the general system pursued4 ,the teachers were more anxious to show off the ability of special pupils in reading1 writing from dictation1 and music1 than to explain their methods of instruction4 ,vocal and instrumental music seemed the favorite occupation2 but though it is very pathetic to hear the blind deplore their misfortune and express their craving for light in harmonious sounds1 it does not1 after all1 give much information as to the way in which their calamity is relieved4 ,i should add1 that their musical performance is excellent1 and does great credit to their ,german professor4 ,it struck me that very little use was made of object-teaching1 such as is so much in vogue for children in ,germany4 ,there are not as many models in the whole establishment as would be found in any nursery in certain parts of ,germany4 ,the maps also are very poor4 8,one of the most interesting of the public establishments at ,rio de ,janeiro is the ,marine ,arsenal4 ,from the ,gulf of ,mexico to ,cape ,horn there is not to be found on the ,atlantic coast another port where a vessel of war1 or even a merchant vessel of large tonnage1 could undergo important repairs4 ,the machine-shops and saw-mills are well directed1 and are deficient in none of the improvements belonging to modern establishments of the kind4 ,the dock is large and constructed of granite4 ,a considerable number of large vessels have been built at this shipyard during the last few years1 and all its appointments have been constantly improving under the direction of several successive ministers of the navy4 ,such an establishment is1 in fact1 a necessity for ,brazil2 possessing as she does eleven hundred leagues of coast1 it is impossible for her to depend upon other countries for her maritime supplies4 ,the ,marine ,arsenal sends out from its school and shipyard many able engineers and clever artisans1 who carry into ordinary branches of industry the ability they have acquired in the public service4 ,indeed1 this establishment may be considered as a sort of school of industrial arts1 furnishing the country with good workmen in various departments of labor40 ,this week ,mr4 ,agassiz has concluded another course of six lectures given at the ,college of ,dom ,pedro ,,ii42 the subject1 8,the ,formation of the ,amazonian ,valley1 and its ,productions40 ,it is worthy of remark1 that the appearance of ladies on such occasions no longer excites comment4 ,there were many more senhoras among the listeners than at the previous lectures1 when their presence was a novelty4 ,a ,brazilian audience is very sympathetic2 in this they resemble a ,european assembly more than our own quiet1 undemonstrative crowds4 ,there is always a little stir1 a responsive thrill1 when anything pleases them1 and often a spoken word of commendation or criticism4 ,june #ajth4--,theresopolis4 ,yesterday1 accompanied by ,mr4 ,glaziou1 ,director of the ,passeio ,publico1 and ,dr4 ,ngeli1 we started on an excursion to the ,organ ,mountains1 leaving ,rio in the boat for ,piedade1 and stopping on our way at the little island of ,paquet4 ,this is one of the prettiest islands of the harbor1 abounding in palms1 populous with pleasant country-houses1 and having a very picturesque shore1 broken into bays and inlets4 ,we reached the little cluster of houses called ,piedade about five o'clock1 and took the omnibus to the foot of the serra4 ,the hours of public conveyance on this road seem ingeniously arranged to prevent the traveller from seeing its beauties4 ,the greater part of the four hours' drive is made after nightfall2 and the return offers no compensation1 the second journey taking place before daybreak4 ,we passed the night at the foot of the serra1 and started at seven o'clock the next morning to walk up the mountain4 ,it is impossible to describe the beauty of this walk1 especially on such a day as we were favored with1 varying between sunshine and shade1 and with a fresh breeze which saved us any discomfort from the heat4 ,the road winds gently up the serra1 turning sometimes with so sharp an angle that below we could see all the ground we had travelled over4 ,on one hand is the mountain-side1 clothed with a vegetation of surpassing beauty1 bright with crimson parasites1 with the rich purple flowers of the ,quaresma and the delicate blue blossoms of the ,utricularia1 as fragile and as graceful as the harebell4 ,on the other hand1 we looked down sometimes into narrow gorges1 clothed with magnificent forest1 from which huge masses of rock projected here and there2 sometimes into wider valleys opening out into the plain below1 and giving a distant view of the harbor and its archipelago of islands surrounded by mountains1 the whole scene glittering in the sunshine1 or veiled by shadows1 as the fitful day showed it to us4 ,illustration3 ,garrafa1 among the ,organ ,mountains4 ,the ascent may be easily accomplished on foot in three or four hours4 ,we had nothing to urge us forward1 however1 except a growing desire for breakfast1 appeased every now and then by an orange1 of which we had a good supply in the tin case for plants1 and many a slow train of laden mules passed us in their upward march1 and left us far behind as we loitered along1 though not lazily4 ,on the contrary1 ,mr4 ,agassiz and his friends found plenty of occupation in botanizing and geologizing4 ,they stopped constantly to gather parasites1 to study ferns and mosses1 to break boulders1 to collect insects and the little land-shells found here and there along the road4 ,we saw one most beautiful insect1 hardly larger than a lady-bug1 but of the most exquisite colors and gleaming like a jewel on the leaf where it had alighted4 ,in breaking the stones along the roadside ,mr4 ,agassiz found many evidences of erratics1 several of them being ,diorite1 entirely distinct from the rock in place4 ,the surfaces of the boulders were universally decomposed and covered with a uniform crust1 so that it was necessary to split them in order to ascertain their true nature4 ,from distance to distance along the road were immense fragments of rock1 sometimes twenty or thirty feet in height4 ,these huge masses were frequently seen hanging on the brink of steep declivities1 as if1 having broken off from the heights above1 and rolled down1 they had been prevented from advancing farther by some obstacle1 and had become gradually embedded in the soil4 ,many of these boulders were clothed in soft1 thick reindeer moss1 so like the reindeer moss of the ,arctics that1 if specifically distinct1 the difference could not be detected except by the most careful examination4 ,it suggests the question whether there are any representatives of the tropical flora among the lichens and pines of the high north4 ,as we advanced1 the character of the vegetation changed considerably1 and we began to feel1 by the increasing freshness of the air1 that we were getting into higher regions4 ,the near view became more beautiful as we approached the heart of the mountains1 coming under the shadow of their strange peaks1 which looked sharp and attenuated from a distance1 but changed into wonderful masses of bare rock1 very grand in their effect1 as we drew closer to them4 ,we reached the hotel at ,theresopolis at about two o'clock4 ,after our long walk1 the answer we received to our inquiry about breakfast at the little grocery adjoining the inn was rather discouraging4 ,what could they give us on short notice8 8,only four eggs and some sausage40 ,however1 the master of the hotel made his appearance1 opened his house1 where1 to judge from its closed doors and windows1 the advent of guests is rare1 and comforted us with the information that breakfast 8pode se arranjar40 ,indeed1 from the dish of eggs which made its appearance soon afterwards1 we might have supposed that all the hens in the village had been called upon to contribute1 and we enjoyed a breakfast for which mountain air and exercise had supplied the best sauce4 ,the village of ,theresopolis is very prettily situated1 lying in a dip between the mountains and commanding a magnificent view of the peaks1 one of which stands out like a tall1 narrow tower against the sky4 ,near it is another sharp summit1 on the extreme point of which a large boulder is placed4 ,it looks as if a touch would dislodge it2 and yet for how many a long year has it held its place there through storm and sunshine6 ,we looked up at this huge fragment of rock on its dizzy height1 and wondered whether it was erratic1 or simply an effect of decomposition on the spot1--a point impossible of decision at that distance4 ,if the latter1 it seems strange that the weather should have worn and excavated such a mass underneath1 without destroying its upper surface1 thus detaching it from the mountain1 till it stands1 as now1 in bold relief1 only supported by a single point of attachment on the extreme summit4 ,we spent the rest of the day in a walk to a very pretty cascade which comes rushing down through the wood a mile or two from the village4 ,june #aath4--,we left the inn at half past seven this morning1 to pass the day again in rambling4 ,following the main road for a quarter of a mile or so beyond the village1 we presently turned to the left into a narrow1 shady pathway4 ,it led us through the woods to the edge of a deep basin sunk between the mountains1 on the slopes of which were strewn many immense boulders4 ,a curious feature of the ,organ ,mountains which we have observed repeatedly even in this short excursion is1 that between their strangely fantastic forms the country sinks down into well-defined basins1 which usually have no outlet4 ,following the brink of such a basin for a couple of miles1 and crossing an intervening ridge1 we came out upon a kind of plateau overhanging another depression of the same character1 and commanding a magnificent view of the chain1 in the very centre of which it seems to be1 for the mountains rise tier upon tier around it on every side4 ,on this plateau stands the fazenda called ,st4 ,louis1 belonging to ,mr4 d',escragnolle4 ,the exquisite beauty of the site and the hospitality of its owner have made this fazenda a favorite resort for travellers4 ,the grounds are laid out with much taste1 and ,mr4 d',escragnolle's success in raising many of the ,european fruits and vegetables1 as well as those of his own country1 makes it the more to be regretted that this beautiful region should be so little cultivated4 ,pears1 peaches1 strawberries1 thrive admirably1 as also do green peas1 asparagus1 artichokes1 and cauliflowers4 ,the climate strikes a happy medium between the heat in the neighborhood of ,rio de ,janeiro1 which brings these products to too rapid a development1 drying them up before they have time to mature1 and the sharp cold of higher mountain regions4 ,but though at so short a distance from the capital1 the transport is so difficult and expensive that ,mr4 d',escragnolle1 instead of sending the produce of his farm to the city market1 as he would gladly do1 feeds his pigs with cauliflowers4 ,we passed the rest of the day most delightfully in this charming country place4 ,mr4 ,agassiz and ,mr4 ,glaziou ascended one of the near mountain summits1 but did not gain so extensive a view as they had hoped1 on account of an intervening spur4 ,they were able to distinguish three parallel ridges1 however1 separated by intervening depressions4 ,toward evening1 while the mountains were still bright with the purple glory of the sunset1 though shadows were settling over the valleys1 we started on our return1 bidding good by with great regret to our kind host1 who warmly pressed us to stay4 ,the path we had followed in the morning1 without giving a thought to its irregularities1 seemed quite broken and difficult by night4 ,the slopes along which it ran were changed1 in the dim light1 to sudden precipices1 and we picked our steps with care between rocks and over fallen logs and rivulets4 ,it was bright starlight as we came out of the woods upon the high road4 ,the village lay below1 its lights twinkling cheerily1 and the peaks and towers behind it drawn with strange distinctness against the night sky4 ,illustration3 ,organ ,mountains4 ,june #abth4--,barreira4 ,this morning at seven o'clock we were on our way down the serra4 ,mr4 ,agassiz deplores the necessity which obliges him to leave this region after so short an examination of its striking features4 ,a naturalist might pass months here1 and find every day rich in results4 ,as we left the hotel the sun was just gilding the highest summits1 while white clouds rose softly from the valleys1 and1 floating upward1 broke into fleecy fragments against the mountain-sides4 ,having the day before us1 we descended as slowly as we had mounted the serra1 stopping almost at every step to gather plants1 to examine rocks1 to wonder at the strange position of the immense boulders hanging often just on the brow of some steep declivity4 ,i wandered on beyond the others and sat down to wait for them on the low stone wall1 forming a parapet on the edge of the road4 ,directly before me rose the bare1 rocky surface of one of the great peaks2 a vapory white cloud hung midway upon it2 shadows floated over it4 ,on the other side ,i looked down upon wooded valleys and mountains in strange confusion1 while far below1 stretching out to the sea1 lay the billowy plain tossed into endless soft green waves4 ,the stillness made the scene more impressive1 the silence being only occasionally broken by the click of hoofs1 as a train of mules came cautiously down the flagged road4 ,while ,i sat there a liteira passed me slung between mules2 a mode of travelling fast disappearing with the improvements of the roads1 but still in use for women and children in certain parts of the country4 ,we stopped to breakfast at a little venda about half-way down the serra2 here the boulders are most remarkable from their great size and singular position4 ,we reached the inn at the bottom of the serra between two and three o'clock1 and are now sitting in the little piazza1 while a drenching rain1 which fortunately did not begin till we were under shelter1 swells the stream near by1 and is fast changing it to a rapid torrent4 ,i will add here such observations respecting the geological structure of this mountain range as ,mr4 ,agassiz has been able to make in our short excursion4 8,the chain is formed by the sharp folding up of strata1 sometimes quite vertically1 in other instances with a slope more or less steep1 but always rather sudden4 ,to one standing on the hill to the east of ,theresopolis1 the whole range presents itself in a perfect profile2 the axis1 on either side of which dip the almost vertical beds of metamorphic rocks composing the chain1 occupies about the centre of the range4 ,to the north1 though very steeply inclined1 the beds are not so vertical as in the southern prolongation of the range4 ,the consequence of this difference is the formation of more massive and less disconnected summits on the north side2 while on the south side1 where the strata are nearly or quite vertical1 the harder sets of beds alone have remained standing1 the softer intervening beds having been gradually disintegrated4 ,by this process have been formed those strange peaks which appear from a distance like a row of organ-pipes1 and have suggested the name by which the chain is known4 ,they consist of vertical beds isolated from the general mass in consequence of the disappearance of contiguous strata4 ,the aspect of these mountains from ,rio is much the same as from ,theresopolis1 only that from the two points of view--one being to the northeast1 the other to the southwest of the range--their summits present themselves in the reverse order4 ,when seen in complete profile their slender appearance is most striking4 ,viewed from the side1 the broad surfaces of the strata1 though equally steep1 exhibit a triangular form rather than that of vertical columns4 ,it is strange that the height of the ,organ ,mountain peaks1 so conspicuous a feature in the landscape of ,rio de ,janeiro1 should not have been accurately measured4 ,the only precise indication ,i have been able to find is recorded by ,liais1 who gives #g1jjj feet as the maximum height observed by him4 8,these abrupt peaks frequently surround closed basins1 very symmetrical in shape1 but without any outlet4 ,on account of this singular formation1 the glacial phenomena which abound in the ,organ ,mountains are of a peculiar character4 ,at first1 ,i was at a loss to explain how loose masses of rock1 descending from the heights above1 should be caught on the edges of these basins1 instead of rolling to the bottom4 ,but their position becomes quite natural when we remember that the ice must have remained in these depressions long after it had disappeared1 or nearly disappeared1 from the slopes above4 ,hindered from advancing1 these huge masses of rock have become gradually embedded in the soil1 and are now solidly fixed in positions which would be perfectly inexplicable1 unless we suppose the basin to have been formerly filled with something which offered an obstacle to their farther descent4 ,moraines also abut upon these depressions1 coming to an abrupt close upon their margin4 ,morainic soil--that is1 masses of drift with all sorts of loose materials buried in it--abounds everywhere in this region2 but1 on the whole1 the glacial phenomena are difficult to study1 because the heavy growth of forest has covered all inequalities of the soil1 and1 except where sections have been made or ground has been cleared1 the outlines are lost40 ,this was our final excursion in ,brazil4 ,the next morning we returned to the city2 and the few remaining days were spent in preparations for departure1 and in bidding farewell to the friends who had made ,rio de ,janeiro almost like a home to us4 ,among the pleasant incidents of this last week1 was a breakfast given by ,mr4 ,ledgerwood1 who was then conducting the business of the ,american legation in the temporary absence of our ,minister1 ,general ,webb4 ,this occasion1 at which ,mr4 ,agassiz was invited to meet several members of the ,brazilian administration1 gave him an opportunity of expressing his sense of their uniform kindness and consideration in furthering to the utmost the scientific objects which had brought him to ,brazil4 ,on the following day 7the #b;d of ,july71 we sailed for the ,united ,states1 carrying with us to our northern home a store of pleasant memories and vivid pictures to enrich our life hereafter with tropical warmth and color4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,general ,,impressions ,,of ,,brazil4 ,,religion ,,and ,,clergy4--,,education4--,,law1 ,,medical1 ,,and ,,scientific ,,schools4--,,high ,,and ,,common ,,schools4--,,public ,,library ,,and ,,museum ,,in ,,rio ,,de ,,janeiro4--,,historical ,,and ,,geographical ,,institute4--,,social ,,and ,,domestic ,,relations4--,,public ,,functionaries4--,,agriculture4--,,zone s ,,of ,,vegetation4--,,coffee4--,,cotton4--,,t imber ,,and ,,other ,,products ,,of ,,the ,,amazons4--,,cattle4--,,territorial ,,subdivision ,,of ,,the ,,great ,,valley4--,,emigration4--,,foreigners4- -,,paraguayan ,,war4 ,i cannot close this book1 written for the most part by another hand1 without a few words as to my general impressions of ,brazil4 ,no one will expect from me an essay on the social and political aspects of the whole country1 even had ,i remained there long enough to acquire the right of judgment on these matters4 ,i am so unaccustomed to dealing with them that my opinions would be entitled to little weight4 ,there is1 however1 another point of view1 more general1 but perhaps more comprehensive also1 from which every intelligent man may form an estimate of the character of a people which1 if sincere1 will be in the main sound and just1 without including an intimate knowledge of their institutions1 or the practical working of their laws4 ,my scientific life has brought me into relations with a world wholly unknown to me before2 under conditions more favorable than were possible for my predecessors in the same region1 ,i have studied this tropical nature1 so rich1 so grandiose1 so instructive2 ,i have seen a great ,empire founded in the midst of unlimited material resources1 and advancing to higher civilization under the inspiration of a sovereign as enlightened as he is humane4 ,i must have been blind to everything except my science1 had ,i not a word to say of ,brazil as a nation1--of her present condition and her future prospects4 ,there is much that is discouraging in the aspect of ,brazil1 even for those who hope and believe as ,i do1 that she has before her an honorable and powerful career4 ,there is much also that is very cheering1 that leads me to believe that her life as a nation will not belie her great gifts as a country4 ,should her moral and intellectual endowments grow into harmony with her wonderful natural beauty and wealth1 the world will not have seen a fairer land4 ,at present there are several obstacles to this progress2 obstacles which act like a moral disease upon the people4 ,slavery still exists among them4 ,it is true that it is on the wane2 true that it has received a mortal blow2 but the natural death of slavery is a lingering illness1 wasting and destroying the body it has attacked4 ,next to this ,i would name1 among the influences unfavorable to progress1 the character of the clergy4 ,in saying this ,i disclaim any reference to the national religion4 ,it is of the character of the clergy ,i speak1 not of the church they represent4 ,whatever be the church organization in a country where instruction is still so intimately linked with a state religion as it is in ,brazil1 it is of infinite importance that the clergy themselves should not only be men of high moral character1 but of studious1 thoughtful lives4 ,they are the teachers of the people1 and as long as they believe that the mind can be fed with tawdry street processions1 with lighted candles1 and cheap bouquets2 and as long as the people accept this kind of instruction1 they will be debased and enfeebled by it4 ,shows of this kind are of almost daily occurrence in all the large cities of ,brazil4 ,they interfere with the ordinary occupations1 and make working days the exception rather than the rule4 ,it must be remembered that in ,brazil there is no laborious1 cultivated class of priests1 such as have been an honor to ecclesiastical literature in the ,old ,world2 there are no fine institutions of learning connected with the ,church4 ,as a general thing1 the ignorance of the clergy is universal1 their immorality patent1 their influence very extensive and deep-rooted4 ,there are honorable exceptions1 but they are not numerous enough to elevate the class to which they belong4 ,but if their private life is open to blame1 the ,brazilian priests are distinguished for their patriotism4 ,at all times they have occupied high public stations1 serving in the ,legislative ,assembly1 in the ,senate1 and even nearer to the throne2 yet their power has never been exerted in favor of ,ultramontane tendencies4 ,independent religious thought seems1 however1 rare in ,brazil4 ,there may perhaps be scepticism2 but ,i think this is not likely to be extensively the case1 for the ,brazilians are instinctively a believing people1 tending rather to superstition than to doubt4 ,oppression in matters of faith is contrary to the spirit of their institutions4 ,protestant clergymen are allowed to preach freely2 but1 as a general thing1 ,protestantism does not attract the ,southern nations1 and it may be doubted whether its advocates will have a very wide-spread success4 ,however this may be1 every friend to ,brazil must wish to see its present priesthood replaced by a more vigorous1 intelligent1 and laborious clergy4 ,in order to form a just estimate of the present condition of education in ,brazil1 and its future prospects1 we must not consider it altogether from our own stand-point4 ,the truth is that all steady progress in ,brazil dates from her declaration of independence1 and that is a very recent fact in her history4 ,since she has passed from colonial to national life her relations with other countries have enlarged1 antiquated prejudices have been effaced1 and with a more intense individual existence she has assumed also a more cosmopolitan breadth of ideas4 ,but a political revolution is more rapidly accomplished than the remoulding of the nation which is its result1--its consequence rather than its accompaniment4 ,even now1 after half a century of independent existence1 intellectual progress in ,brazil is manifested rather as a tendency1 a desire1 so to speak1 giving a progressive movement to society1 than as a positive fact4 ,the intellectual life of a nation when fully developed has its material existence in large and various institutions of learning1 scattered throughout the country4 ,except in a very limited and local sense1 this is not yet the case in ,brazil4 ,i did not visit ,san ,paolo1 and ,i cannot therefore speak from personal observation of the ,faculty which stands highest in general estimation2 ,i can1 however1 testify to the sound learning and liberal culture of many of its graduates whom it has been my good fortune to know1 and whose characters as gentlemen and as students bear testimony to the superior instruction they have received at the hands of their ,alma ,mater4 ,i was told that the best schools1 after those of ,san ,paolo1 were those of ,bahia and ,pernambuco4 ,i did not visit them1 as my time was too short2 but ,i should think that the presence of the professional faculties established in both these cities would tend to raise the character of the lower grades of education4 ,the regular faculties embrace only medical and legal studies4 ,the instruction in both is thorough1 though perhaps limited2 at least ,i felt that1 in the former1 in which my own studies have prepared me to judge1 those accessory branches which1 after all1 lie at the foundation of a superior medical education1 are either wanting or are taught very imperfectly4 ,neither zology1 comparative anatomy1 botany1 physics1 nor chemistry is allowed sufficient weight in the medical schools4 ,the education is one rather of books than of facts4 ,indeed1 as long as the prejudice against manual labor of all kinds exists in ,brazil1 practical instruction will be deficient2 as long as students of nature think it unbecoming a gentleman to handle his own specimens1 to carry his own geological hammer1 to make his own scientific preparations1 he will remain a mere dilettante in investigation4 ,he may be very familiar with recorded facts1 but he will make no original researches4 ,on this account1 and on account of their personal indolence1 field studies are foreign to ,brazilian habits4 ,surrounded as they are by a nature rich beyond comparison1 their naturalists are theoretical rather than practical4 ,they know more of the bibliography of foreign science than of the wonderful fauna and flora with which they are surrounded4 ,of the schools and colleges in ,rio de ,janeiro ,i have more right to judge than of those above mentioned4 ,several of them are excellent4 ,the ,ecole ,centrale deserves a special notice4 ,it corresponds to what we call a scientific school1 and nowhere in ,brazil have ,i seen an educational institution where improved methods of teaching were so highly appreciated and so generally adopted4 ,the courses of mathematics1 chemistry1 physics1 and the natural sciences are comprehensive and thorough4 ,and yet even in this institution ,i was struck with the scantiness of means for practical illustration and experiment2 its professors do not yet seem to understand that it is impossible to teach any of the physical sciences wholly or mainly from text-books4 ,the facilities granted to pupils in this school1 and perhaps still more in the military school1 are very great4 ,the instruction is entirely gratuitous1 and in the military school the students are not only fed and clothed1 etc42 they are even paid for their attendance1 being considered as belonging to the army from the time they enter the school4 ,the ,dom ,pedro ,segundo ,college is the best school of that class ,i have seen in ,brazil4 ,it may be compared to our ,new ,england high schools1 and fully deserves the reputation it enjoys4 ,of the common schools ,i saw little4 ,of course1 in a country where the population is sparsely scattered over very extensive districts1 it must be difficult to gather the children in schools1 outside of the large cities4 ,where such schools have been organized the instruction is gratuitous2 but competent teachers are few1 the education very limited1 and the means of instruction scanty4 ,reading1 writing1 and ciphering1 with the least possible smattering of geography1 form the groundwork of all these schools4 ,the teachers labor under great difficulties1 because they have not the strong support of the community4 ,there is little general appreciation of the importance of education as the basis without which all higher civilization is impossible4 ,i have1 however1 noticed throughout ,brazil a disposition to give a practical education1 a training in some trade1 to the poor children4 ,establishments of this kind exist in almost all the larger cities4 ,this is a good sign2 it shows that they attach a proper value to labor1 at least for the lower classes1 and aim at raising a working population4 ,in these schools blacks and whites are1 so to speak1 industrially united4 ,indeed1 there is no antipathy of race to be overcome in ,brazil1 either among the laboring people or in the higher walks of life4 ,i was pleased to see pupils1 without distinction of race or color1 mingling in the exercises4 ,it is surprising that1 in a country so rich in mineral wealth1 there should exist no special ,mining ,school1 and that everything connected with the working of the mines should be under the immediate supervision of the ,minister of ,public ,works1 without the assistance of a special office for the superintendence of mining operations4 ,nothing would more speedily increase the value of the mineral lands of the whole country than a regular geological survey1 which has not yet been begun4#ajg ,the ,imperial ,library at ,rio de ,janeiro should not be omitted from an enumeration of its educational establishments4 ,it is very fairly supplied with books in all departments of learning1 and is conducted in a very liberal spirit1 suffering no limitation from religious or political prejudice4 ,in fact1 tolerance and benevolence are common characteristics of the institutions of learning in ,brazil4 ,the ,imperial ,museum of ,natural ,history in the ,capital is antiquated2 to any one acquainted with ,museums which are living and progressive1 it is evident that the collections it contains have been allowed to remain for years in their present condition1 without additions or improvements4 ,the mounted animals1 mammalia and birds1 are faded2 and the fishes1 with the exception of a few beautifully stuffed specimens from the ,amazons1 give no idea of the variety to be found in the ,brazilian waters4 ,a better collection might be made any morning in the fish-market4 ,the ,museum contains some very fine fossil remains from the valley of the ,san ,francisco and from ,cear1 but no attempt has as yet been made to arrange them4 ,the only learned society deserving a special mention is the ,historical and ,geographical ,institute4 ,its ,transactions are regularly published1 and form already a series of many volumes1 full of valuable documents1 chiefly relative to the history of ,south ,america4 ,the meetings are held in the ,imperial ,palace of ,rio1 and are habitually presided over by his ,majesty the ,emperor4 ,i cannot close what ,i have to say of instruction in ,brazil without adding that1 in a country where only half the nation is educated1 there can be no complete intellectual progress4 ,where the difference of education makes an intelligent sympathy between men and women almost impossible1 so that their relation is necessarily limited to that of the domestic affections1 never raised except in some very exceptional cases to that of cultivated companionship1 the development of the people as a whole must remain imperfect and partial4 ,i believe1 however1 that1 especially in this direction1 a rapid reform may be expected4 ,i have heard so many intelligent ,brazilians lament the want of suitable instruction for women in their schools1 that ,i think the standard of education for girls will steadily be raised4 ,remembering the antecedents of the ,brazilians1 their inherited notions as to what is becoming in the privacy and restraint of a woman's life1 we are not justified1 however false these ideas may seem to us1 in considering the present generation as responsible for them2 they are also too deeply rooted to be changed in a day4 ,on several occasions ,i have alluded in terms of praise to the working of the institutions of ,brazil4 ,nothing can be more liberal than the ,constitution of the land2 every guaranty is therein secured to the freest assertion of all the natural rights of man4 ,and yet there are some features in the habits of the people1 probably the results of an antiquated social condition1 which impede the progress of the nation4 ,it should not be forgotten that the white population of ,brazil is chiefly descended from the ,portuguese1 and that of all ,europe ,portugal is the country which at the time of the discovery and settlement of ,brazil1 had least been affected by the growth of our modern civilization4 ,indeed1 the great migrations which convulsed ,europe in the ,middle ,ages1 and the ,reformation1 upon which the new social order chiefly rests1 have scarcely affected ,portugal2 so that ,roman ways1 ,roman architecture1 and a degenerate ,latin were still flourishing when her ,transatlantic colonies were founded2 and1 as in all colonies1 the conditions of the mother country were but slowly modified4 ,no wonder1 therefore1 that the older structures of ,rio de ,janeiro should recall1 in the most surprising manner1 the architecture of ancient ,rome1 as disclosed by the excavations of ,herculaneum and ,pompeii1 and that the social condition of ,brazil should remind us of the habits of a people among whom women played so subordinate a part4 ,it seems to me that even now the administration of the provinces1 as in the ,roman civilization1 is calculated to enforce the law1 rather than to develop the material resources of the country4 ,i have been surprised to find young lawyers almost invariably at the head of the administration of the provinces1 where practical men1 conversant with the interests of agriculture1 commerce1 and the mechanical arts1 would1 in my opinion1 have been better adapted to the pressing duty of stimulating all pursuits connected with the active life of a young and aspiring nation4 ,the exaggerated appreciation of political employment prevailing everywhere is a misfortune4 ,it throws into the shade all other occupations1 and loads the government with a crowd of paid officials who uselessly encumber the public service and are a drain upon the public funds4 ,every man who has received an education seeks a political career1 as at once the most aristocratic and the easiest way of gaining a livelihood4 ,it is but recently that gentlemen have begun to engage in mercantile pursuits4 ,it seems to me1 that1 though the character and habits of the ,brazilians are not those of an agricultural people1 ,brazil is an essentially agricultural country1 and some occurrences in her recent history confirm this view4 ,brazil had formerly a great variety of agricultural products1 but now the number of plants under culture is rather limited4 ,agricultural operations are at present centred upon coffee1 cotton1 sugar1 tobacco1 mandioca1 some cereals1 beans1 and cocoa4 ,owing to her climate and her geographical position1 the vegetable zones of ,brazil are not so marked as those of other countries4 ,it would not be difficult to divide the whole ,empire1 with reference to its productions1 into three great regions4 ,the first of these1 stretching from the borders of ,guiana to ,bahia1 along the great rivers1 is more especially characterized by the wild products of the forest3 ,indian-rubber1 cocoa1 vanilla1 sarsaparilla1 and an infinite variety of gums1 resins1 barks1 and textile fibres still unknown to commerce in ,europe and the ,united ,states4 ,to these ,brazil might add spices1 the monopoly of which belongs now to the ,sunda ,islands4 ,the second region1 extending from ,bahia to ,santa ,catarina1 is that of coffee4 ,the third1 from ,santa ,catarina to ,rio ,grande1 and in the interior of the high plateaux1 is that of the grains2 and1 in connection with their culture1 the raising of cattle4 ,rice1 which is easily grown throughout ,brazil1 and cotton1 which yields magnificent crops in all the provinces1 bind together these three zones1 sugar and tobacco following in their train4 ,an important step with reference to agriculture1 which has scarcely been thought of as yet1 is the cultivation of the heights of the ,organ ,mountains1 as well as those of the ,serra do ,mar and the ,serra do ,mantiqueira4 ,on these high lands might be raised all the products characteristic of the warmer portions of the temperate zones1 and ,rio de ,janeiro would receive daily from the mountains in her immediate neighborhood all those vegetables and garden fruits which she now procures in small quantities and at high prices from the provinces bordering on the ,la ,plata4 ,the slopes of these ,serras might also be covered with plantations of cascarilla1 and1 as the production of quinine must sooner or later be greatly diminished by the devastation of the ,cinchora-trees on the upper ,amazonian tributaries1 it is the more important that their culture should be introduced upon the largest scale on the heights above ,rio4 ,the attempts of ,mr4 ,glaziou in that direction deserve every encouragement4 ,the sugar-cane has long been the chief object of cultivation in ,brazil1 and the production of sugar is still considerable2 but within several years the planting of sugar-cane has given way in many districts to that of coffee4 ,i have taken pains to ascertain the facts respecting the culture of coffee during the last fifty years2 the immense development of this branch of industry and the rapidity of the movement1 especially in a country where labor is so scarce1 is among the most striking economical phenomena of our century4 ,thanks to their perseverance and to the favorable conditions presented by the constitution of their soil1 the ,brazilians have obtained a sort of monopoly of coffee4 ,more than half the coffee consumed in the world is of ,brazilian growth4 ,and yet the coffee of ,brazil has little reputation1 and is even greatly underrated4 ,why is this8 ,simply because a great deal of the best produce of ,brazilian plantations is sold under the name of ,java or ,mocha1 or as the coffee of ,martinique or ,bourbon4 ,martinique produces only six hundred sacks of coffee annually2 ,guadaloupe1 whose coffee is sold under the name of the neighboring island1 yields six thousand sacks1 not enough to provide the market of ,rio de ,janeiro for twenty-four hours1 and the island of ,bourbon hardly more4 ,a great part of the coffee which is bought under these names1 or under that of ,java coffee1 is ,brazilian1 while the so-called ,mocha coffee is often nothing but the small round beans of the ,brazilian plant found at the summits of the branches and very carefully selected4 ,if the fazendeiros1 like the ,java planters1 sold their crops under a special mark1 the great purchasers would learn with what merchandise they have to deal1 and the agriculture of ,brazil would be greatly benefited4 ,but there intervenes between the fazendeiro and the exporter a class of merchants--half bankers1 half brokers--known as commissarios1 who1 by mixing different harvests1 lower the standard of the crop1 thus relieving the producer of all responsibility and depriving the product of its true characteristics4 ,if the provinces adjacent to ,rio de ,janeiro offer naturally the most favorable soil for the culture of coffee1 it must not be forgotten that coffee is planted with advantage in the shade of the ,amazonian forest1 and even yields two annual crops wherever pains are taken to plant it4 ,in the province of ,cear1 where the coffee is of a superior quality1 it is not planted on the plains1 or in the low grounds1 or in the shadow of the forest1 as in the valley of the ,amazons1 but on the slopes of the hills and on the mountain heights1 to an elevation of from fifteen hundred to two thousand feet and more above the level of the sea1 in the ,serras of ,aratanha and ,baturit and in the ,serra ,grande4 ,the channels opened to these products should augment their importance1 and should give rise to numerous establishments in the valley of the ,amazons4 ,the increased exportation of cotton from ,brazil during the last few years is a still more marked feature in its industrial history than the large coffee crops4 ,when1 towards the close of the last century1 cotton began to assume in ,england an importance which has ever since been increasing1 ,brazil naturally became one of the great providers of the ,english market4 ,but it soon lost this advantage1 because our ,southern ,states acquired1 with an extraordinary rapidity1 an almost complete monopoly of this product4 ,favored by exceptional circumstances1 ,north ,america succeeded1 about the year #ahdf1 in furnishing cotton at such low rates that all competition became impossible1 and the culture of cotton was almost abandoned in other countries4 ,brazil1 however1 persisted4 ,her annual production showed a slow but steady progress2 even the cessation of the slave-trade did not interrupt this advance4 ,indeed1 it is a striking fact1 which may well be mentioned in this connection1 that the statistics of ,brazilian agriculture have been steadily rising ever since the abolition of the slave-trade4 ,when the ,rebellion broke out in our ,southern ,states1 ,brazil thus found herself prepared to give a considerable impulse to the cultivation of a product as much sought for as bread in time of famine4 ,spite of the want of population1 which is an obstacle to all industrial enterprises in ,brazil1 she found labor1 and1 what was still more important1 free labor1 for this object4 ,it seemed as if it were a point of national honor to show what could be done4 ,provinces like ,san ,paolo1 where a foot of ground had never before been planted with cotton2 others1 as for instance ,alagoas1 ,parahyba do ,norte1 ,cear1 where the cultivation of cotton had been abandoned1 produced extraordinary quantities1--so large1 indeed1 that two lines of steamers were established1 and have prospered1 between ,liverpool and the above-mentioned ports1 chiefly for the transport of this crop4 ,it will be remembered that during the whole of this time ,brazil was in want of laborers1 that she received no foreign capital for this undertaking1 that she imported neither ,coolies nor ,chinese1 that almost immediately after the movement began her war with ,paraguay broke out1 and yet her production of cotton has quadrupled and quintupled4 ,this fact assumed such importance in the estimate of industrial interests at the late ,paris ,exposition1 that an exceptional prize was awarded to ,brazil1 on the ground that1 in supplying the ,european market so largely with this indispensable staple1 she had rendered it independent of the former monopoly of the ,united ,states4 ,it is true that the same prize was also granted to ,algeria and to ,egypt4 ,but the ,brazilian planter had not1 like the colonists of ,africa1 the stimulus of a large subsidy from government2 he could not1 like the ,viceroy of ,egypt1 seize #hj1jjj men in a single district and transport them to his plantations2 neither did he1 like the ,egyptian fellah1 abandon all other branches of agriculture in order to devote himself exclusively to that of cotton4 ,in fact1 the general interests of agriculture prospered in ,brazil1 in the midst of this new enterprise4 ,i have insisted on these facts1 which ,i think are little known1 because they seem to me to show a greater energy and vitality than is usually supposed to exist in the productive forces of ,brazil4 ,to stimulate this movement1 the government has recently taken the initiatory steps in the organization of an ,agricultural ,school in the vicinity of ,bahia1 in which all the modern improvements suggested by the progress of science and invention1 are to be tested in their application to the natural products of the tropics4 ,the importance of the basin of the ,amazons to ,brazil1 from an industrial point of view1 can hardly be overestimated4 ,its woods alone have an almost priceless value4 ,nowhere in the world is there finer timber1 either for solid construction or for works of ornament2 and yet it is scarcely used even for the local buildings1 and makes no part whatever of the exports4 ,it is strange that the development of this branch of industry should not even have begun in ,brazil1 for the rivers which flow past these magnificent forests seem meant to serve1 first as a water-power for the saw-mills which ought to be established along their borders1 and then as a means of transportation for the material so provided4 ,setting aside the woods as timber1 what shall ,i say of the mass of fruits1 resins1 oils1 coloring matters1 textile fibres1 which they yield8 ,when ,i stopped at ,par1 on my way home to the ,united ,states1 an exhibition of ,amazonian products1 brought together in preparation for the ,world's ,fair at ,paris1 was still open4 ,much as ,i had admired1 during my journey1 the richness and variety of the materials native to the soil1 ,i was amazed when ,i saw them thus side by side4 ,there ,i noticed1 among others1 a collection of no less than one hundred and seventeen different kinds of highly valuable woods1 cut from a piece of land less than half a mile square4 ,of these many were dark-colored1 veined woods susceptible of a high polish1--as beautiful as rosewood or ebony4 ,there was a great variety of vegetable oils1 all remarkable for their clearness and purity4 ,there were a number of fabrics made from the fibres of the palm1 and an endless variety of fruits4 ,an empire might esteem itself rich in any one of the sources of industry which abound in this valley1 and yet the greater part of its vast growth rots on the ground1 and goes to form a little more river-mud or to stain the waters on the shores of which its manifold products die and decompose4 ,but what surprised me most was to find that a great part of this region was favorable to the raising of cattle4 ,fine sheep are fed on the grassy plains and on the hills which stretch between ,obydos and ,almeyrim1 and ,i have rarely eaten better mutton than at ,erer1 in the midst of these serras4 ,and yet the inhabitants of this fertile region suffer from hunger4 ,the insufficiency of food is evident2 but it arises solely from the inability of the people to avail themselves of the natural productions of the soil4 ,as an instance of this1 ,i may mention that1 though living on the banks of rivers which abound in delicious fish1 they make large use of salt cod1 imported from other countries6 ,while travelling upon the ,amazons1 ,i have often asked myself what would be the best plan for developing the natural resources of that incomparable region4 ,no doubt the opening of the great river to the commerce of all nations was a first step in the right direction2 and this measure in itself shows what extraordinary progress ,brazil is making1 for it is hardly more than half a century1 since1 owing to the narrow policy and jealous disposition of the ,portuguese government1 the greatest traveller of modern times was forbidden to enter the valley of the ,amazons2 while to-day a scientific errand of a similar character is welcomed and fostered in every possible way by the government of a nation now independent of ,europe4 ,but a free competition is a necessary complement to the freedom already granted1 and competition is scarcely possible where monopolies are kept up4 ,i hold1 therefore1 that all the exceptional facilities granted by the ,brazilian government to private companies are detrimental to its best interests4 ,there is1 however1 another direct obstacle to progress which ought at once to be removed1 since the change could in no way injure the general welfare4 ,the present limitation of the provinces of ,par and of the ,amazons is entirely unnatural4 ,the whole valley is cut in two transversely1 so that its lower half is of necessity a bar to the independent growth of the upper half4 ,par1 being made the centre of everything1 drains the whole country without vitalizing the interior4 ,the great river which should be an international highway has become an inland stream4 ,but suppose for a moment that the ,amazons1 like our ,mississippi1 were made the boundary between a succession of independent provinces on either side of it2 suppose that on the southern banks of the ,amazons the province of ,teff should extend from the borders of ,peru to the banks of the ,madeira1 the province of ,santarem from the ,madeira to the ,xingu1 and that of ,par be reduced to the country east of the ,xingu1 including the ,island of ,marajo2 each of these separate provinces would then be at once bounded and traversed by great streams1 securing the double activity of competition and the stimulus of internal conveniences4 ,in like manner should the lands on the northern banks of the ,amazons form several independent provinces2 that of ,monte ,algre1 for instance1 extending from the ,rio ,trombetas to the sea2 that of ,manaos1 from the ,rio ,trombetas to the ,rio ,negro2 and perhaps that of the ,hyapura1 enclosing the present wilderness between the ,rio ,negro and the ,solimoens4 ,it will1 no doubt1 be objected that such a change would involve an administrative staff quite disproportionate to the present population2 but the government of such provinces1 even with the few inhabitants they might number1 if organized upon the plan of the territorial governments of our infant ,states1 would only stimulate local energies1 and develop local resources1 without interfering in the least with the central government4 ,moreover1 any one familiar with the working of the present system in the valley of the ,amazons must be aware that all the cities started during the past century along the great river and its tributaries1 far from progressing1 are going to ruin and decay2 and this is unquestionably owing to the centralization at ,par of all the real activity of the whole country4 ,without a much denser population1 the best efforts of ,brazil to increase its prosperity must be slow and ineffective4 ,no wonder1 then1 that1 immediately after the declaration of independence1 ,dom ,pedro ,i4 attempted to attract ,german emigrants to his new empire4 ,from that period dates the ,colony of ,san ,leopoldo1 near ,porto ,algre1 on the ,rio ,grande do ,sul4 ,it was not1 however1 till the year #ahej1 when the slave-trade was actually abolished1 and it was no longer possible to import labor from ,africa1 that these colonization schemes assumed a more definite and settled character4 ,in this attempt the planters and the government were agreed1 but with a different object4 ,the plan of the government1 undertaken in perfect good faith1 was to create a laboring population1 and a class of small landed proprietors4 ,the planters1 on the contrary1 accustomed to compulsory labor1 thought only of recruiting their slave ranks by substituting ,europeans for ,africans4 ,this led to terrible abuses2 under pretence of advancing their passage-money1 poor emigrants1 and especially the ignorant ,portuguese from the ,azores1 were virtually sold under a contract which they subsequently found it very difficult to break4 ,these abuses have thrown discredit upon the attempts of the ,brazilian government to colonize the interior1 but the iniquities practised under the name of emigration are now corrected4 ,in fact1 the colonies established directly by the government1 on public lands1 have never suffered wrong2 on the contrary1 the ,german settlements in ,sta ,catherina1 on the ,rio ,grande do ,sul and on the ,san ,francisco do ,sul are very prosperous4 ,the best evidence of the improvement in the condition of the colonists1 and of the more liberal spirit of the nation towards them1 is the spontaneous formation in ,rio de ,janeiro of an international society of emigration independent of all government influence1 consisting of ,brazilians1 ,portuguese1 ,germans1 ,swiss1 ,americans1 ,french1 c4 ,the objects of this society1 of which ,mr4 ,tavares ,bastos is one of the most influential members1 are1 first1 to reform the constitution in all which may place the foreigner at a disadvantage2 second1 to redress the wrongs of the emigrants2 third1 to provide them with such assistance and information as they may need on arriving4 ,this society has been in existence only two years1 but has already rendered valuable services4 ,it is to be hoped that the government will persevere in the liberal course it has entered upon1 and1 above all1 put an end to the unnecessary legal formalities by which the emigrant is prevented from taking immediate possession of his new home4 ,this is especially important in the region of the ,amazons1 where the new-comer finds none of those facilities which welcome the emigrant in the ,united ,states4 ,i cannot too often repeat1 also1 that all monopoly of transport in the ,amazons should speedily be abolished4 ,as soon as the wild products of its shores are subjected to a regular culture1 even of a very imperfect kind1 and are no longer gathered at random1--as soon as organized labor1 directed by an intelligent activity1 takes the place of the thoughtless and uncertain efforts of the ,indians1 the variety and excellence of its staples will be increased beyond all expectation4 ,as it is1 a little foresight would prevent an immense deal of suffering in this fertile region1 where food abounds and people die of hunger4 ,accustomed to live upon fish1 the natives make little use either of milk or meat1 and the fine pasturage which might maintain herds of cattle is allowed to run to waste4 ,careless of the inclemency of the weather when gathering the harvest of the forest1 they scarcely build a shelter against the heavy rains1 allow their wet clothes to dry upon their skin1 and expose themselves to constant alternations of heat and cold4 ,add to this1 that they do not hesitate to drink stagnant water1 if it be nearer at hand than spring water1 and we have causes enough for the prevalence of intermittent fever and malarious diseases1 without attributing them to a climate which is in the main salubrious1 and far more moderate in temperature than is generally supposed4 ,the false notions generally current1 even in ,brazil1 in regard to the climate of the ,amazons might have been removed long ago1 were the public officers of the northern provinces of the ,empire not interested in keeping up the delusion4 ,the ,amazonian provinces are made stepping-stones to higher employments4 ,the young candidates who accept these posts claim a reward for the disinterestedness they have shown in exposing themselves to disease1 and make the reputed fatality of the climate an excuse for leaving these remote stations after a few months' sojourn4 ,the northern provinces of ,brazil need an administration less liable to change1 and based upon patient study of their local interests1 and a faithful adherence to them4 ,it is impossible that the president who comes for six months1 and is daily longing for his return to the society and amusements of the larger cities1 should even initiate1 far less complete1 any systematic improvements4 ,like every country struggling for recognition among the self-reliant nations of the world1 ,brazil has to contend with the prejudiced reports of a floating foreign population1 indifferent to the welfare of the land they temporarily inhabit1 and whose appreciations are mainly influenced by private interest4 ,it is much to be regretted that the government has not thought it worth while to take decided measures to correct the erroneous impressions current abroad concerning its administration1 and that its diplomatic agents do so little to circulate truthful and authoritative statements of their domestic concerns4 ,as far as ,i know1 the recent ,world's ,fair at ,paris was the first occasion when an attempt was made to present a comprehensive report of the resources of the ,empire1 and the prizes awarded to the ,brazilians testify to their success4 ,imperfect as is this sketch1 ,i trust ,i have been able to show1 what ,i deeply feel1 that there are elements of a high progress in ,brazil1 that it has institutions which are shaping the country to worthy ends1 that it has a nationality already active1 showing its power at the present moment in carrying on one of the most important wars ever undertaken in ,south ,america4 ,neither is this struggle maintained by ,brazil for selfish ends2 in her conflict with ,paraguay she may truly be counted among the standard-bearers of civilization4 ,the facts which have come to my knowledge respecting this war have convinced me that it originated in honorable purposes1 and1 setting aside the selfish intrigues of individuals1 inevitably connected with such movements1 is carried on with disinterestedness4 ,it deserves the sympathy of the civilized world1 for it strikes at a tyrannical organization1 half clerical1 half military1 which1 calling itself a republic1 disgraces the name it assumes4 99 99 99 99 99 ,will my ,brazilian friends who read this summary say that ,i have given but grudging praise to their public institutions1 accompanied by an unkind criticism of their social condition8 ,i hope not4 ,i should do myself great wrong did ,i give the impression that ,i part from ,brazil with any feeling but that of warm sympathy1 a deep-rooted belief in her future progress and prosperity1 and sincere personal gratitude toward her4 ,i recognize in the ,brazilians as a nation their susceptibility to lofty impulses and emotions1 their love of theoretical liberty1 their natural generosity1 their aptness to learn1 their ready eloquence2 if also ,i miss among them something of the stronger and more persistent qualities of the ,northern races1 ,i do but recall a distinction which is as ancient as the tropical and temperate zones themselves4 ----- ,footnote #ajg3 ,i deeply regret that ,i could not visit the mining districts of ,brazil4 ,especially would ,i have liked to examine for myself the ,cascalho1 in which the diamonds are found4 ,from collections which ,i owe to the kindness of ,dr4 ,vieira de ,mattos in ,rio de ,janeiro1 and ,senhor ,antonio de ,lacerda in ,bahia1 ,i am prepared to find that the whole diamond-bearing formation is glacial drift4 ,i do not mean the rocks in which the diamonds occur in their primary position1 but the secondary agglomerations of loose materials from which they are washed4 ,,appendix4 ,i4--,,the ,,gulf ,,stream4 ,as the results of the systematic investigation of the ,gulf ,stream upon a plan laid out by ,dr4 ,a4 ,d4 ,bache1 and executed1 under his direction1 by his most able assistants1 have hardly yet been presented in a popular form1 a sketch of the whole may not be out of place here4 ,this investigation embraced not only surface-phenomena1 but the whole internal structure and movement of this wonderful current4 ,it is well known that the ,gulf ,stream has its origin in the equatorial current which1 starting from the ,gulf of ,guinea1 flows for a time in a westerly direction1 till it approaches ,cape ,st4 ,roque4 ,this great projection of the eastern coast of ,south ,america interrupts its onward progress1 and causes it to divide into two branches1 one of which follows the coast of ,brazil1 in a southerly direction1 while the other continues its course to the northwest1 until it reaches the ,caribbean ,sea4 ,after pouring into that basin1 the great stream turns to the east to enter the ,atlantic again off ,cape ,florida4 ,the high temperature of the equatorial current is owing to its origin in the tropical zone1 its westward course being determined by the rotation of the earth and by the trade-winds4 ,on issuing from the ,gulf of ,mexico the stream is encased between the island of ,cuba and the ,bahamas on one side and the coast of ,florida on the other4 ,here it meets the ,atlantic in a latitude where the ocean-waters have no longer the high temperature of the tropics1 whereas the stream itself has acquired an increased warmth on the shoals of the ,gulf4 ,this accounts for the great difference of temperature between the waters of the stream and those of the ocean to the east of it2 while the still greater cold of the sea-water on its western side1 between the ,gulf ,stream and the continental shore1 is explained by the great ,arctic current1 pouring down from ,baffin's ,bay1 and skirting the shore of ,north ,america as far as the ,coast of ,florida1 until it is lost in that latitude under the ,gulf ,stream4 ,the object of ,dr4 ,bache's investigation was to trace the mutual relations of these two great currents of warm and cold water1 flowing side by side in opposite directions1 and to discover the conditions which regulate their movements and keep them within definite limits4 ,the investigation is even now by no means complete1 though it has been going on for many years4 ,it has1 however1 been ascertained that1 while the ocean-bed deepens more or less rapidly as we recede from the shore1 forming a trough in which the ,gulf ,stream flows1 this trough is limited on its eastern side by a range of hills trending in the direction of the current1 outside of which is another depression or valley4 ,indeed1 the sea-bottom exhibits parallel ridges and depressions1 running like the shore of the continent itself1 in a northeasterly direction4 ,the water presents differences of temperature1 not only on the surface1 but at various depths below4 ,these inequalities have been determined by a succession of thermometric observations along several lines1 crossing the ,gulf ,stream from the shore to the ocean water on its eastern side1 at intervals of about a hundred miles4 ,the observations have been made first at the surface1 and then at successively greater depths1 varying from ten to twenty1 thirty1 one hundred1 two hundred1 and even three and four hundred fathoms4 ,this survey has shown that1 while the ,gulf ,stream has a temperature higher than that of the waters on either side1 it is also alternately warmer and colder within itself1 being made up as it were of distinct streaks of water of different temperature4 ,these alternations continue to as great a depth as the observations have been carried1 and are found to extend even to the very bottom of the sea1 where this has been reached4 ,the most surprising part of this result is the abruptness of the change along the line where the two great currents touch each other4 ,so sharp is this division that the boundary of the ,arctic current is now technically designated as the 8,cold wall0 of the ,gulf ,stream4 ,of course as the latter flows northward and eastward it gradually widens1 and its temperature is lowered2 but even as far north as ,sandy ,hook the difference between its temperature at the surface and that of the surrounding waters is still marked4 ,off ,cape ,florida the width of the ,gulf ,stream is not over forty miles2 off ,charleston it is one hundred and fifty miles2 while at ,sandy ,hook it exceeds three hundred miles4 ,the inequality of the bottom may be appreciated by the soundings off ,charleston1 where1 from the shore to a distance of two hundred miles1 the following depth was successively measured3 #aj1 #be1 #ajj1 #bej1 #cjj1 #fjj1 #cej1 #eej1 #dej1 #dge1 #dej1 and #djj fathoms4 ,the following table may give some idea of the temperature of the stream in connection with its depth3-- ,off ,sandy ,hook1 at successive distances from the coast1 of #ajj1 #aej1 #bjj1 #bej1 #cjj1 #cej1 and #djj miles1 the temperature near the surface to a depth of thirty fathoms averages3 #fe1 #ff1 #fd1 #ha1 #hj1 and #ge ,fahr42 at a depth of between forty and a hundred fathoms it averages3 #ej1 #eb1 #ej1 #dg1 #gb1 #fh1 and #fe ,fahr42 at a depth below three hundred fathoms it averages3 #cg1 #ci1 #dj1 #cg1 #ee1 #eg1 and #ee ,fahr4 ,the rapid rise of the temperature after the fourth column of figures indicates the position of the ,cold wall4 ,for further details see the ,united ,states ,coast ,survey ,report for #ahfj1 page #afe1 and the accompanying maps1--which should be copied into all our school atlases4 ,,ii4--,,flying-,,fishes4 ,the motions of animals vary greatly with reference to the medium in which they live4 ,our present knowledge renders it1 however1 necessary that we should weigh these differences with reference to the structural character of the organs of locomotion themselves1 as well as to that of the peculiar resistance of the element in which they move4 ,when we speak of the flight of ,birds1 of ,insects1 of ,fishes1 of ,bats1 c41 and designate their locomotive organs indiscriminately as wings1 it is evident that the character of the motion and not the special structure of the organs has determined our nomenclature4 ,we are influenced by the same consideration when we give the name of fins to the organs of all animals which swim in the water1 be they ,whales1 ,turtles1 ,fishes1 ,crustacea1 or ,mollusks4 ,it requires but a superficial acquaintance with the anatomy of the flying-fishes to perceive that their organs of flight are built upon exactly the same pattern as the pectoral fins of most fishes1 and differ entirely from the wing of birds1 as also from the wing of bats1 the latter being in all essentials a paw1 identical with the paw of ordinary quadrupeds1 save the length of the fingers and the absence of nails on the longest of them4 ,no wonder1 then1 that the flight of the flying-fishes should entirely differ from that of birds or bats4 ,i have had frequent occasions to observe the flying-fishes attentively4 ,i am confident not only that they change the direction of their flight1 but that they raise or lower their line of movement repeatedly1 without returning to the water4 ,i avoid the word falling designedly1 for all the acts of these fishes during their flight seem to me completely voluntary4 ,they raise themselves from the surface of the water by rapidly repeated blows with the tail1 and more than once have ,i seen them descend again to the surface of the water in order to repeat this movement2 thus renewing the impulse and enabling themselves to continue for a longer time their passage through the air4 ,their changes of direction1 either to the right and left or in rising and descending1 are not due to the beating of the wings1 that is to say1 of the great pectoral fins1 but simply to an inflexion of the whole surface1 in one or the other direction1 by the contraction of the muscles controlling the action of the fin-rays1 their pressure against the air determining the movement4 ,the flying-fish is in fact a living shuttlecock1 capable of directing its own course by the bending of its large fins4 ,it probably maintains itself in the air until the necessity of breathing compels it to return to the water4 ,the motive of its flight seems to me to be fear2 for it is always in the immediate neighborhood and in front of the vessel that they are seen to rise2 or perhaps at a distance when they are pursued by some large fish4 ,now that ,i have studied their movements1 ,i am better able to appreciate the peculiarities of their structure1 especially the inequality of the caudal fin4 ,it is perfectly clear that the greater length of the lower lobe of the caudal is intended to facilitate the movements by which the whole body is thrown out of water and carried through the air2 while the amplitude of the pectoral fins affords only a support during the passage through the lighter medium4 ,nothing shows more plainly the freedom of their movements than the fact that1 when the surface of the sea is swelling into billows1 the flying-fishes may hug its inequalities very closely and do not move in a regular curve1 first ascending from and then descending again to the level of the water4 ,nor do they appear to fall into their natural element1 as if the power that had impelled them was exhausted2 they seem rather to dive voluntarily into the water1 sometimes after a very short and sometimes after a rather protracted flight1 during which they may change their direction1 as well as the height at which they move4 ,the most common flying-fishes of the ,atlantic belong to the genus ,exocetus1 and are closely allied to our ,billfish 7,belone74 ,j4 ,mller has shown that they differ greatly from the ,herrings1 with which they were formerly associated1 and should form a distinct family1 to which he has given the name of ,scomberesoces4 ,the other flying-fishes belong to the family of the ,cottoids1 of which our common ,sculpins are the chief representatives4 ,,iii4--,,resolutions ,,passed ,,on ,,board ,,the ,,colorado4 ,resolved1 ,that the cordial thanks of this meeting are due to ,professor ,agassiz for the highly interesting and instructive lectures which he has delivered daily during our voyage1 and which1 though intended more immediately to prepare his party for their proposed expedition1 have furnished to all of us a rich repast4 ,resolved1 ,that the ,professor and his companions will carry with them to their beneficent work the earnest prayers and good wishes of all with whom they have been associated on board this ship1 that health and abundant success may be vouchsafed to them4 ,resolved1 ,that in this mission of science from one country convulsed by war to another not entirely at peace1 we behold the humanizing and pacific influence of its aims and studies1 and that we cannot but look forward to a day when nations engaged in the common pursuits of science and industry1 and bound together by commerce and by enlightened views of interest and of ,christian duty1 will refer all questions in dispute to peaceful arbitrament rather than to one of violence and bloodshed4 ,resolved1 ,that in the facilities afforded by the government of the ,united ,states to this scientific expedition1 in the munificent contribution of a single citizen of ,boston towards its expenses1 and in the generous manner in which the owners of this ship have placed its unsurpassed comforts and luxuries at the free use of ,professor ,agassiz and his party1 this meeting beholds a pledge of the profound and growing interest of our entire people in the advancement of liberal and useful knowledge4 ,resolved1 ,that we cannot approach the capital of ,brazil for the purpose of leaving this party1 without expressing our admiration for the personal and political character of him who presides over this vast ,empire1 and who may well be held forth to all rulers as a model of intelligence1 of virtue1 and devotion to the public weal4 ,resolved1 ,that we cannot close this part of our voyage without tendering to ,captain ,bradbury1 and his subordinate officers1 our special thanks1 not only for the masterly manner with which their vessel is handled1 but for their unwearied devotion to the comfort of their guests4 ,,iv4--,,dom ,,pedro ,,segundo ,,railroad4 ,the part taken by ,american engineers in this great undertaking induces me to give here a short account of its history4 ,the decree conceding to one or more companies the entire or partial construction of a railway which1 commencing in the municipality of ,rio de ,janeiro1 should terminate in such points in the ,provinces of ,minas and ,st4 ,paulo as should be most advantageous1 was promulgated in #aheb4 ,a company was organized with a capital of thirty-eight thousand ,contos of reis1 or nineteen millions of dollars2 the general plan being to construct a trunk line from the city of ,rio de ,janeiro to the ,river ,parahyba1 a distance of about #fg miles from the coast4 ,a contract was made with an ,english engineer1 ,mr4 ,edward ,price1 for the building of the first section of this road1 extending a distance of #ch miles1 from ,rio de ,janeiro to ,belem4 ,for the construction of the second section1 which embraced the mountain barrier separating the valley of ,parahyba from the sea-coast1 and in which the greatest difficulties were therefore to be encountered1 it was proposed by ,senhor ,christiano ,b4 ,ottoni1 ,president of the road1 to employ ,american engineers1 and if possible to engage the services of men who had actually constructed railways across mountain ranges in the ,united ,states4 ,to this effect1 ,colonel ,c4 ,f4 ,m4 ,garnett was engaged as chief engineer1 and came to ,brazil in #ahef1 accompanied by ,major ,a4 ,ellison1 as his principal assistant4 ,colonel ,garnett remained in the country somewhat more than two years1 during which time the portion of the road known as the second section1 and extending from ,belem to ,parahyba1 was laid out and its construction commenced1 surveys being also made of the branches up and down the river1 constituting the third and fourth sections4 ,on ,colonel ,garnett's departure1 ,major ,ellison remained as chief engineer1 having his brother1 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,s4 ,ellison1 associated with him in the direction of the road4 ,in ,july1 #ahfe1 at which time the road was actually completed as far as ,barro de ,pirahy1 the company being unable to raise funds for the continuation of the work1 it was assumed by the government1 as a national undertaking1 and ,major ,ellison1 resigning his position1 was succeeded by ,mr4 ,wm4 ,s4 ,ellison as chief engineer4 ,the difficulties of construction throughout the second section were immense2 indeed1 there was an almost universal distrust of the practicability of the work4 ,even after it was considerably advanced1 it would probably have been abandoned but for the energy of the ,president1 who shared the confidence of the engineers1 and pushed forward the enterprise almost single-handed1 in spite of the incredulity of its friends and the objections of its opponents4 ,the sharpness of the mountain spurs rendering it impossible in many cases to pass around them1 tunnels became necessary1 and fifteen were actually made1 varying from #cjj to more than #g1cjj feet in length1 forming1 in the aggregate1 three miles of subterraneous line4 ,of those tunnels1 three pass through rock decomposed to such a degree that lining throughout was necessary1 while the rest are pierced1 for the greater part1 through solid rock1 though requiring the same precaution occasionally4 ,the total length of lining with masonry is #e1gjj feet4 ,in the course of this operation constant danger and difficulty arose from the breaking in of the rock1 and in one instance the whole mountain spur through which the tunnel had been driven parted from the main mass and1 sliding down1 obliterated the work1 so that it was necessary to begin the perforation again1 contending continually against the enormous pressure of the loose superincumbent dbris4 ,were this the fitting place1 it would be interesting to give the history of this enterprise more in detail2 especially that of the work connected with building the great tunnel and the temporary track which was in use when ,i first passed over the road4 ,suffice it to say1 that all that portion of the road which is included within the second section is a triumph of engineering1 which excites the admiration of the most competent judges1 and is in the highest degree creditable to those under whose direction it has been accomplished4 ,v4--,,permanence ,,of ,,characteristics ,,in ,,different ,,human ,,species4 ,as my special object of study in the ,amazons had reference to the character and distribution of the fluviatile faun1 ,i could not undertake those more accurate investigations of the human races1 based upon minute measurements repeated a thousand-fold1 which characterize the latest researches of anthropologists4 ,a thorough study of the different nations and cross-breeds inhabiting the ,amazonian ,valley would require years of observation and patient examination4 ,i was forced to be satisfied with such data as ,i could gather aside from my other labors1 and to limit myself in my study of the races to what ,i would call the natural history method2 viz4 the comparison of individuals of different kinds with one another1 just as naturalists compare specimens of different species4 ,this was less difficult in a hot country1 where the uncultivated part of the population go half naked1 and are frequently seen entirely undressed4 ,during a protracted residence in ,manaos1 ,mr4 ,hunnewell made a great many characteristic photographs of ,indians and ,negroes1 and half-breeds between both these races and the ,whites4 ,all these portraits represent the individuals selected in three normal positions1 in full face1 in perfect profile1 and from behind4 ,i hope sooner or later to have an opportunity of publishing these illustrations1 as well as those of pure negroes made for me in ,rio by ,messrs4 ,stahl and ,wahnschaffe4 ,what struck me at first view1 in seeing ,indians and ,negroes together1 was the marked difference in the relative proportions of the different parts of the body4 ,like long-armed monkeys the ,negroes are generally slender1 with long legs1 long arms1 and a comparatively short body1 while the ,indians are short-legged1 short-armed1 and long-bodied1 the trunk being also rather heavy in build4 ,to continue the comparison1 ,i may say that if the ,negro by his bearing recalls the slender1 active ,hylobates1 the ,indian is more like the slow1 inactive1 stout ,orang4 ,of course there are exceptions to this rule2 short1 thick-built ,negroes are occasionally to be seen1 as well as tall1 lean ,indians2 but1 so far as my observation goes1 the essential difference between the ,indian and ,negro races1 taken as a whole1 consists in the length and square build of the trunk and the shortness of limbs in the ,indian as compared with the lean frame1 short trunk1 deep-cleft legs1 and long arms of the ,negro4 ,another feature not less striking1 though it does not affect the whole figure so much1 is the short neck and great width of the shoulders in the ,indian4 ,this peculiarity is quite as marked in the female as in the male1 so that1 when seen from behind1 the ,indian woman has a very masculine air1 extending indeed more or less to her whole bearing2 for even her features have rarely the feminine delicacy of higher womanhood4 ,in the ,negro1 on the contrary1 the narrowness of chest and shoulder characteristic of woman is almost as marked in the man2 indeed1 it may well be said1 that1 while the ,indian female is remarkable for her masculine build1 the ,negro male is equally so for his feminine aspect4 ,nevertheless1 the difference between the sexes in the two races is not equally marked4 ,the female ,indian resembles in every respect much more the male than is the case with the ,negroes2 the females among the latter having generally more delicate features than the males4 ,on following out the details concomitant with these general differences1 we find that they agree most strikingly4 ,in a front view of an ,indian woman and a ,negress the great difference is in the width between the breasts of the former as compared with their close approximation in the latter4 ,in the ,indian the interval between the two breasts is nearly equal to the diameter of one of them2 while in the ,negro they stand in almost immediate contact4 ,but this is not all2 the form of the breast itself is very different in the two4 ,the ,indian woman has a conical breast1 firm and well supported1 the point being turned so far sideways that the breast seems to arise under the arm-pit1 the nipple being actually projected on the arm in a full-faced view of the chest4 ,in the negress the breast is more cylindrical1 looser1 and more flaccid1 the nipple being turned forward and downward1 so that in a front view it is projected on the chest4 ,in the ,indian the inguinal region is broad and distinctly set off from the prominence of the abdomen1 while in the ,negro it is a mere fold4 ,as to the limbs1 they are not only much longer in proportion in the ,negro than the ,indian2 their form and carriage differs also4 ,the legs of the ,indians are remarkably straight1 in the ,negro the knees are bent in1 and the hip as well as knee-joint habitually flexed4 ,similar differences in other parts of the body are visible from behind2 in the ,indians the interval between the two shoulders1 the shoulder-blades being comparatively short in themselves1 is much greater than in any other race4 ,in this respect the women do not differ from the men1 but share in a feature characteristic of the whole race4 ,this peculiarity is especially noticeable in a profile view of the figure1 in which the broad rounded shoulder marks the outline in the upper part of the trunk and tapers gradually to a well-shaped arm1 terminating usually in a rather small hand2 the little finger is remarkably short4 ,in the ,negro1 on the contrary1 the shoulder-blades are long and placed more closely together1 the shoulder being rather slim and narrow1 and the hand disproportionately slender1 though the fingers are more extensively webbed than in any other race4 ,in this respect there is little difference between male and female1 the build of the male being more muscular1 but hardly stouter2 in both1 a profile view shows the back and breast projected forwards and backwards of the arm4 ,the proportions between the length and width of the trunk1 as compared with each other1 and1 measured from the shoulder to the base of the trunk1 hardly differ in the ,indian and ,negro2 this renders the difference in the relative length and strength of the arms and legs the more apparent4 ,i need not allude to the difference of the hair2 everybody knows the heavy1 straight black hair of the ,indian1 and the wrinkled1 woolly hair of the ,negro4 ,nor is it necessary for me to recall the characteristic features of the ,whites in order to contrast them with what has been said above of the ,indians and ,negroes4 ,only a few words more concerning half-breeds are needed to show how deeply seated are the primary differences between the pure races4 ,like distinct species among animals1 different races of men1 when crossing1 bring forth half-breeds2 and the half-breeds between these different races differ greatly4 ,the hybrid between ,white and ,negro1 called ,mulatto1 is too well known to require further description4 ,his features are handsome1 his complexion clear1 and his character confiding1 but indolent4 ,the hybrid between the ,indian and ,negro1 known under the name of ,cafuzo1 is quite different4 ,his features have nothing of the delicacy of the ,mulatto2 his complexion is dark2 his hair long1 wiry1 and curly2 and his character exhibits a happy combination between the jolly disposition of the ,negro and the energetic1 enduring powers of the ,indian4 ,the hybrid between ,white and ,indian1 called ,mammeluco in ,brazil1 is pallid1 effeminate1 feeble1 lazy1 and rather obstinate2 though it seems as if the ,indian influence had only gone so far as to obliterate the higher characteristics of the ,white1 without imparting its own energies to the offspring4 ,it is very remarkable how1 in both combinations1 with ,negroes as well as ,whites1 the ,indian impresses his mark more deeply upon his progeny than the other races1 and how readily1 also1 in further crossings1 the pure ,indian characteristics are reclaimed and those of the other races thrown off4 ,i have known the offspring of an hybrid between ,indian and ,negro with an hybrid between ,indian and ,white resume almost completely the characteristics of the pure ,indian4 ,,vi4--,,sketch ,,of ,,separate ,,journeys ,,undertaken ,,by ,,different ,,members ,,of ,,the ,,expedition4 ,it is not possible for me to give here at length the narrative of the separate journeys undertaken by my young companions4 ,to do them any justice1 their reports should be illustrated by the accompanying maps1 geological sections1 c41 which are more appropriate in a special scientific account4 ,i trust that ,i shall hereafter find resources for publishing all these materials in a fitting manner2 but1 in the mean while1 ,i should do a wrong to my own feelings as well as to my assistants1 did ,i not add to this volume such a sketch of their separate work as will show with how much energy1 perseverance1 and intelligence they carried out the instructions ,i had given them4 ,it will be remembered by the reader that one object was kept constantly in view throughout this expedition1--namely1 that of ascertaining how the fresh-water fishes are distributed throughout the great river-systems of ,brazil4 ,all the independent journeys1 of which short sketches are given in this summary1 were laid out with reference to this idea2 the whole expedition being1 in fact1 a unit so far as its purpose and general plan were concerned4 ,in this sense my own exploration1 and those of all my assistants1 belong together1 as parts of one connected scheme4 ,that detachment of the party which was conducted by ,mr4 ,orestes ,st4 ,john left ,rio de ,janeiro on the #ith of ,june1 #ahfe4 ,this company consisted of ,messrs4 ,st4 ,john1 ,allen1 ,ward1 and ,sceva4 ,the first two were to reach the ,atlantic coast by way of the ,rio ,san ,francisco and the ,rio ,paranahyba2 while ,mr4 ,ward was to descend the ,tocantins to the ,amazons1 and ,mr4 ,sceva to remain for some time in the fossiliferous region about ,lagoa ,sancta for the purpose of collecting4 ,as far as ,juiz de ,fora they followed the road described in the foregoing narrative4 ,thence they crossed the ,serra do ,mantiqueira to ,barbacena1 and kept on from that place through ,lagoa ,dourada and ,prados across the ,rio ,carandahy to the divide separating the head-waters of the ,rio ,grande on the south from those of the ,rio ,paraopeba on the north4 ,they crossed the ,paraopeba just above the water gap of the ,serras of ,piedade and ,itatiaiassu1 traversing the former ,serra into the mountain valley in which the village of ,morro ,velho is situated4 ,they thus found themselves successively in the basins of the ,rio ,parahyba1 the ,rio ,la ,plata1 and the ,rio ,san ,francisco2 all these great streams being fed by rivulets which arise in this vicinity4 ,on leaving the mountainous districts they continued their route through alternate campos and wooded tracts to ,gequitib1 passing through ,sabur1 ,santa ,luzia1 ,lagoa ,sancta1 and ,sette ,lagoas4 ,at ,lagoa ,sancta1 as had been previously agreed1 ,mr4 ,sceva left the party1 with the purpose of exploring the caves of that region in search of fossil bones1 and making skeletons of mammalia4 ,he remained for some time in this neighborhood1 and brought away a number of specimens1 though he did not succeed in finding many fossils1 the caves having been already despoiled of their fossil remains by ,dr4 ,lund1 whose indefatigable researches in this direction are so well known4 ,mr4 ,sceva1 however1 made very valuable collections of other kinds1 and ,i am indebted to him for numerous carefully prepared specimens of ,brazilian mammalia1 which now await mounting in the ,museum4 ,on leaving ,lagoa ,sancta1 ,mr4 ,sceva returned to ,rio de ,janeiro1 taking his collections with him4 ,he passed some days there1 in order to repack and put in safety his own specimens as well as those which had been sent back to ,rio by other members of the party4 ,he then proceeded to ,canta-,gallo1 and passed the remainder of the time in collecting and preparing specimens from that part of the country1 until he joined me subsequently at ,rio just before we returned to the ,united ,states4 ,his contributions to our stores were exceedingly valuable1 both on account of the localities from which they came and from the care with which they were put up4 ,mr4 ,ward had already separated from his fellow-travellers at ,barbacena1 on his way to the ,tocantins1 taking the route by ,ouro-,preto and ,diamantina4 ,and in order to keep together the adventures of the little band who left ,rio in company1 ,i may give here a short sketch of his journey1 before completing the account of the route pursued by ,messrs4 ,st4 ,john and ,allen4 ,after leaving the valley of the ,rio ,parahyba and crossing the ,mantiqueira the party found itself in the water-basin of the ,rio ,grande1 one of the principal tributaries of the ,rio ,parana1 which1 emptying into the ,rio ,la ,plata1 reaches the ocean below ,buenos ,ayres4 ,eastward of this basin1 on the ocean-side of the great ridge which bounds the valley of the ,rio ,san ,francisco1 arise several large rivers1--the ,rio ,doce1 the ,rio ,mucury1 and the ,rio ,jequitinhonha4 ,it was one of my most earnest desires to secure the means of comparing their inhabitants with each other and with those of the great rivers flowing north and east4 ,as will be seen hereafter1 ,mr4 ,hartt1 with the assistance of ,mr4 ,copeland1 had undertaken to explore the lower course of these rivers2 but it was equally important that specimens should be obtained from their head-waters4 ,while1 therefore1 ,mr4 ,st4 ,john and his companion pursued their way across the region drained by the head-waters of the ,rio ,san ,francisco1 ,mr4 ,ward crossed the mountains1 passing from one river-basin into another1 in order to examine as many of the tributaries of the ,rio ,doce and the ,rio ,jequitinhonha as possible4 ,to him ,i owe the materials necessary for a general comparison of the river faun in these different basins4 ,his journey was a laborious and a lonely one4 ,separating from his companions at ,barbacena he kept on by ,ouro-,preto and ,santa ,barbara into the basin of the ,rio ,doce1 which he followed nearly to the point where the ,rio ,antonio empties into it4 ,this part of the journey gave him an opportunity of making a collection not only in the head-waters of the ,rio ,doce1 but in one of its principal tributaries also4 ,thence crossing the ,serra das ,esmeraldas ,mr4 ,ward entered the water-basin of the ,rio ,jequitinhonha1 commonly called ,rio ,belmonte on the maps1 and after passing ,diamantina explored several arms of this great stream4 ,the collections he made in this region are of special interest with reference to those gathered by ,messrs4 ,hartt and ,copeland on the lower course of the same rivers1 and in many other streams along the ,atlantic coast between ,bahia and ,rio de ,janeiro4 ,having accomplished this part of his journey1 ,mr4 ,ward crossed the ,san ,francisco at ,januaria1 making a number of excursions in that vicinity2 then passing in a northwesterly direction over the ridges which separate the valley of the ,san ,francisco from that of the ,tocantins1 he followed the whole course of this great stream to the ,amazons4 ,it was a daring and adventurous journey to be accomplished with no other companionship than that of the camarado who served him as guide1 or the ,indian boatmen who rowed his canoe1 and it was a day of rejoicing for our whole party when we heard1 in the month of ,january1 #ahff1 of his safe arrival in ,par1 whence he embarked a few weeks later for the ,united ,states4 ,from ,lagoa ,sancta1 where they parted from ,mr4 ,sceva1 ,messrs4 ,st4 ,john and ,allen kept on to ,januaria together1 but at this point ,mr4 ,allen1 whose health had been failing from the time he left ,rio de ,janeiro1 found himself unable to prosecute the journey farther1 and he resolved to strike across the country to ,bahia1 taking in charge the collections they had brought together thus far4 ,after a short rest at ,januaria1 he made his way to ,chique-,chique on the ,rio ,san ,francisco2 and his separate journal begins from the time he left this point1 on his journey to ,bahia4 ,it gives a very full account of the physical features of the region through which he passed1 of the geographical character of the soil1 and of the distribution of plants and animals1 including many original observations concerning the habits of birds1 with a detailed itinerary of the route through ,jacobina1 ,espelto1 and ,caxoeira4 ,prostrated by illness as he was1 he has nevertheless furnished a report the character of which shows how completely his interest in the work overcame the lassitude of disease4 ,from ,januaria ,mr4 ,st4 ,john followed the ,san ,francisco to the ,villa do ,barra1 where he made a short stay1 and then resumed his journey by land through the valley of the ,rio ,grande to the ,villa da ,santa ,rita1 thence to ,mocambo and across the table-land separating the basin of the ,rio ,san ,francisco from that of the ,rio ,paranahyba4 ,at ,paranagu he remained several days1 and made a considerable collection from this vicinity4 ,thence he followed the valley of the ,rio ,gurugueia to ,manga1 one hundred and twenty leagues from ,paranagu4 ,at ,manga he embarked on one of the singular river-boats made of the leafstalks of the ,buriti palm1 and descended the ,paranahyba to the villa of ,san ,gonallo4 ,here he stayed for some time to collect1 and forwarded from this vicinity a considerable number of specimens1 chiefly reptiles1 birds1 and insects4 ,his next station was at ,therezina1 the capital of the province of ,piauhy1 where he made one of the most interesting collections of the whole journey from the waters of the ,rio ,poty4 ,the ,poty is a tributary of the ,paranahyba1 into which it empties below ,therezina4 ,in examining this collection1 ,i was particularly struck with the general similarity of the fishes contained in it to those of the ,amazons4 ,they exhibit throughout the same kind of combination of genera and families1 although the species are entirely distinct4 ,thus1 from a zological point of view1 the basin of the ,parahyba1 though completely separated from it by the ocean1 would seem to belong to the ,amazonian basin1 as it unquestionably does from a geological point of view4 ,the character of the drift deposits along the ,rio ,gurugueia and the ,rio ,paranahyba shows this area to have been continuous with the basin in which the ,amazonian drift was deposited2 and the similarity of their zological features is but another evidence1 from an entirely different source1 of the extensive denudations which have isolated these regions from one another by removing the tracts which formerly made them a unit4 ,from ,therezina ,mr4 ,st4 ,john proceeded to ,caxias1 and finally arrived in ,maranham1 by the way of the ,rio ,itapicur1 on the #hth ,january1 #ahff2 having completed a journey of more than seven hundred leagues in seven months1 over a route the greater part of which had never been examined from a zological or geological point of view4 ,his collections1 though necessarily limited by the difficulty of transport and the insufficient provision of alcohol1 were very valuable1 and arrived at their destination in good condition4 ,of his geological observations ,i have said little2 but it is from him ,i have obtained the data which have enabled me to compare the basin of ,piauhy with that of the ,amazons4 ,he made careful geological surveys wherever he was able to do so1 and has recorded the result of his observations in a manner which shows that he never lost sight of the general relations between the great structural features of the country through which he passed4 ,at ,maranham1 the intermittent fever1 under which ,mr4 ,st4 ,john had been suffering during the latter part of his journey1 culminated in a severe illness1 from which he recovered under the care of ,dr4 ,braga1 who took him into his own house1 and did not allow him to leave his roof until he was restored to health4 ,from ,maranham ,mr4 ,st4 ,john joined me at ,par1 where ,i had an opportunity of comparing notes with him on the spot4 ,during the first two months of his stay in ,rio de ,janeiro1 ,mr4 ,hartt was chiefly occupied with ,mr4 ,st4 ,john in examining sections of the ,dom ,pedro ,railroad1 of which he prepared a very clear and careful geological survey1 with ample illustrations4 ,on the #aith of ,june1 #ahfe1 he left the city to explore the coast between the ,rio ,parahyba do ,sul and ,bahia2 being accompanied by ,mr4 ,edward ,copeland1 one of our volunteers1 who gave him very efficient assistance in collecting1 during the whole time they remained together4 ,at ,campos1 on the ,rio ,parahyba1 they obtained a large number of fishes1 beside other specimens4 ,from that point they went up the ,rio ,muriahy for some distance1 and then1 returning to ,campos1 ascended the ,rio ,parahyba to ,san ,fidelis1 where they again added largely to their collections4 ,taking mules at ,san ,fidelis1 they traversed the forest northward to ,bom-,jesu1 on the ,rio ,itabapuana1 and then descended that river1 stopping to collect at ,porto da ,limeira and at the ,barra4 ,thence they followed the coast to ,victoria2 and it was their intention to have proceeded northward to the ,rio ,doce1 but1 for want of mules and money 7their supplies having given out71 they were obliged to make ,nova ,almeida1 their farthest point4 ,thence they returned by way of ,victoria to ,rio de ,janeiro in a sailing-vessel4 ,in the course of this journey they obtained valuable collections both on the ,rio ,itapemrim and at ,guarapary4 ,mr4 ,hartt also made a careful study of the geology of the coast1 the result of which forms an interesting portion of his report4 ,on their return to ,rio1 ,mr4 ,hartt and ,mr4 ,copeland were detained for some time by the failure of a steamer4 ,they occupied themselves in the mean while in various work for the expedition1 making excursions in the vicinity1 and collecting in the harbor of ,rio4 ,disappointed in the steamer1 they started on board a sailing-vessel1 and had a slow and tedious voyage to ,san ,matheos1 collecting on their way wherever the stopping of the vessel enabled them to do so4 ,neither did ,mr4 ,hartt neglect1 on every such occasion1 to examine the coast1 and the phenomena connected with its general rise1 of which he obtained unquestionable evidence4 ,from ,san ,matheos1 where they made considerable collections1 they took conveyance to the ,rio ,doce1 and ascended this river for ninety miles to the first fall1 ,porto de ,souza4 ,descending its course again to ,linhares1 they explored the river and lake of ,juparana1 and then returned to ,san ,matheos2 making large marine collections at ,barra ,secca1 half-way between the ,rio ,doce and ,san ,matheos4 ,thence they proceeded to the ,rio ,mucury1 stopping a few days at its mouth to collect1 and then ascending the river to ,santa ,clara4 ,here ,mr4 ,copeland remained1 and secured a fine collection of fishes2 while ,mr4 ,hartt crossed over the river ,peruhype to the ,colonia ,leopoldina4 ,on his return he was detained for some days by illness1 but was soon able to resume his journey2 and he and ,mr4 ,copeland then went on with ,mr4 ,scheber#ajh to ,philadelphia1 in the province of ,minas ,geraes1 collecting on the way at the ,rio ,urucu1 and afterwards at ,philadelphia4 ,along the coast1 and indeed throughout his whole journey1 ,mr4 ,hartt continued his geological observations1 which he carefully recorded4 ,from ,philadelphia he and his companion proceeded by land to ,calho1 on the ,rio ,arassuahy2 making a detour from ,alah to ,alto dos ,bois1 in order to study the drift and the geological structure of the elevated ,chapadas4 ,at ,calho they also made good collections of fishes4 ,returning to ,calho from a visit to ,minas ,novas and a study of its gold-mines1 ,mr4 ,hartt descended the ,rio ,jequitinhonha three hundred and sixty miles to the sea4 ,mr4 ,copeland had preceded him in order to make an excursion to ,caravellas2 and they met again at ,cannavieiras4 ,at ,cannavieiras they made good collections1 and then ascended the ,rio ,pardo to its first fall1 fishing and geologizing along their route4 ,they visited also ,belmonte1 and then went southward to ,porto ,seguro1 where they stayed for several days1 collecting corals and marine invertebrates4 ,here1 as at several other points along the coast1 ,mr4 ,hartt made a careful examination of the stone-reefs4 ,his researches on these 8recifes10 which constitute so remarkable a feature along the ,atlantic coast of ,brazil1 are exceedingly interesting2 and ,i do not know that any geologist has made a more careful and connected examination of them4 ,he believes them to be formed by the solidification of beach ridges2 the lower part of which being cemented by the lime dissolved from the shells contained in them remains intact1 while the upper portion was carried off by storms2 thus leaving a solid wall running along the coast1 broken through here and there1 and divided from the land by a narrow channel4 ,he studied the coast reefs both at ,santa ,cruz and at ,porto ,seguro1 and ascertained their southward extension to the ,abrolhos4 ,from ,porto ,seguro ,messrs4 ,hartt and ,copeland went northward to ,bahia1 touching at several points along the coast1 and thence returned to ,rio de ,janeiro1 whence we sailed together for the ,united ,states in the month of ,july1 #ahff4 ----- ,footnote #ajh3 ,this gentleman1 who is thoroughly familiar with the whole country1 was untiring in his attentions to ,messrs4 ,hartt and ,copeland1 and gave them1 so far as he could1 every facility for their researches4 ,cambridge3 ,stereotyped and ,printed by ,welch1 ,bigelow1 ,co4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,transcriber',s ,,notes #a4 ,silently corrected typographical errors4 #b4 ,retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed4 #c4 ,enclosed italics font in underscores4