Chapter I: Preface

An earnest desire to visit a tropical country, to behold the luxuriance of animal and vegetable life said to exist there, and to see with my own eyes all those wonders which I had so much delighted to read of in the narratives of travellers, were the motives that induced me to break through the trammels of business and the ties of home, and start for

“Some far land where endless summer reigns.”

My attention was directed to Pará and the Amazon by Mr. Edwards’s little book, ‘A Voyage up the Amazon,’ and I decided upon going there, both on account of its easiness of access and the little that was known of it compared with most other parts of South America.

I proposed to pay my expenses by making collections in Natural History, and I have been enabled to do so; and the pleasures I have found in the contemplation of the strange and beautiful objects continually met with, and the deep interest arising from the study in their native wilds of the varied races of mankind, have been such as to determine my continuing in the pursuit I have entered upon, and to cause me to look forward with pleasure to again visiting the wild and luxuriant scenery and the sparkling life of the tropics.

In the following pages I have given a narrative of my journeys and of the impressions excited at the time. The first and last portions are from my journals, with little alteration; but all the notes made during two years, with the greater part of my collections and sketches, were lost by the burning of the ship on my homeward voyage. From the fragmentary notes and papers which I saved I have written the intermediate portion, and the four last chapters on the Natural History of the country and on the Indian tribes, which, had I saved all my materials, were intended to form a separate work on the Physical History of the Amazon.

Several vocabularies of Indian languages, with some remarks on them kindly furnished me by Dr. R. G. Latham, will be found in an Appendix.

In conclusion, I trust that the great loss of materials which I have suffered, and which every naturalist and traveller will fully appreciate, may be taken into consideration, to explain the inequalities and imperfections of the narrative, and the meagreness of the other part of the work, so little proportionate to what might be expected from a four years’ residence in such an interesting and little-known country.

_London, October, 1853._

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PARÁ.

Arrival at Pará—Appearance of the city and its environs—The
inhabitants and their costume—Vegetation—Sensitive
plants—Lizards—Ants and other insects—Birds—Climate—Food of the
inhabitants 1

CHAPTER II.

PARÁ.

Festas—Portuguese and Brazilian currency—M. Borlaz’
estate—Walk to the rice-mills—The virgin forest, its
plants and insects—Milk-tree—Saw and rice-mills—Caripé or
pottery-tree—India-rubber tree—Flowers and trees in blossom—Saüba
ants, wasps, and chegoes—Journey by water to Magoary—The
monkeys—The commandante at Laranjeiras—Vampire bats—The
timber-trade—Boa constrictor and Sloth 18

CHAPTER III.

THE TOCANTINS.

Canoe, stores, and crew—River Mojú—Igaripé Miri—Cametá—Senhor Gomez
and his establishment—Search for a dinner—Jambouassú—Polite
letter—Bãiao and its inhabitants—A swarm of wasps—Enter the
rocky district—The Mutuca—Difficulty of getting men—A village
without houses—Catching an alligator—Duck-shooting—Aroyas, and
the Falls—A nocturnal concert—Blue Macaws—Turtles’ eggs—A slight
accident—Capabilities of the country—Return to Pará 50

CHAPTER IV.

MEXIANA AND MARAJÓ.

Visit to Olería—Habits of Birds—Voyage to
Mexiana—Arrival—Birds—Description of the
Island—Population—Slaves, their treatment and habits—Journey to
the Lake—Beautiful stream—Fish and Birds at the Lake—Catching
Alligators—Strange sounds, and abundance of Animal Life—Walk
back—Jaguar meat—Visit to Jungcal in Marajó—Embarking cattle—Ilha
das Frechas 82

CHAPTER V.

THE GUAMÁ AND CAPIM RIVERS.

Natterer’s hunter, Luiz—Birds and insects—Prepare for a
journey—First sight of the Piroróco—St. Domingo—Senhor
Calistro—Slaves and slavery—Anecdote—Cane-field—Journey into the
forest—Game—Explanation of the Piroróco—Return to Pará—Bell-birds
and yellow parrots 112

CHAPTER VI.

SANTAREM AND MONTEALEGRE.

Leave Pará—Enter the Amazon—Its peculiar features—Arrive
at Santarem—The town and its inhabitants—Voyage to
Montealegre—Mosquito plague and its remedy—Journey to
the Serras—A cattle estate—Rocks, picture-writings, and
cave—The _Victoria regia_—Mandiocca fields—A festa—Return to
Santarem—Beautiful insects—Curious tidal phenomenon—Leave
Santarem—Obydos—Villa Nova—A kind priest—Serpa—Christmas Day on
the Amazon 134

CHAPTER VII.

BARRA DO RIO NEGRO AND THE SOLIMÕES.

Appearance of the Rio Negro—The city of Barra, its trade
and its inhabitants—Journey up the Rio Negro—The Lingoa
Geral—The umbrella bird—Mode of life of the Indians—Return
to Barra—Strangers in the city—Visit to the Solimões—The
Gapó—Manaquerey—Country life—Curl-crested Araçaris—Vultures
and Onças—Tobacco growing and manufacture—The Cow-fish—Senhor
Brandão—A fishing party with Senhor Henrique—Letters from England 163

CHAPTER VIII.

THE UPPER RIO NEGRO.

Quit Barra for the Upper Rio Negro—Canoe and Cargo—Great width of
the river—Carvoeiro and Barcellos—Granite rocks—Castanheiro—A
polite old gentleman—São Jozé—A new language—The cataracts—São
Gabriel—Nossa Senhora da Guia—Senhor L. and his family—Visit
to the river Cobati—An Indian village—The Serra—Cocks of the
rock—Return to Guia—Frei Jozé dos Santos Innocentos 194

CHAPTER IX.

JAVITA.

Leave Guía—Marabitánas—Serra de Cocoí—Enter Venezuela—São
Carlos—Pass the Cassiquiare—Antonio Dias—Indian
shipbuilders—Feather-work—Maróa and Pimichín—A black
Jaguar—Poisonous serpents—Fishing—Walk to Javíta—Residence
there—Indian road-makers—Language and customs—A description of
Javíta—Runaway Indians—Collections at Javíta—Return to Tómo—A
domestic broil—Marabitánas and its inhabitants—Reach Guía 231

CHAPTER X.

FIRST ASCENT OF THE RIVER UAUPÉS.

Rapid Current—An Indian Malocca—The Inmates—A Festival—Paint
and ornaments—Illness—São Jeronymo—Passing the
Cataracts—Jauarité—The Tushaúa Calistro—Singular
Palm—Birds—Cheap provisions—Edible Ants, and Earthworms—A
grand dance—Feather ornaments—The snake-dance—The Capí—A State
cigar—Ananárapicóma—Fish—Chegoes—Pass down the Falls—Tame
Birds—Orchids—Piums—Eating dirt—Poisoning—Return to Guia—Manoel
Joaquim—Annoying delays 273

CHAPTER XI.

ON THE RIO NEGRO.

Difficulties of starting—Descending the Falls—Catching an
Alligator—Tame Parrots—A fortnight in Barra—Frei Jozé’s
diplomacy—Pickling a Cow-fish—A river storm—Brazilian
veracity—Wanawáca—Productiveness of the country—A large Snake—São
Gabriel—São Joaquim—Fever and Ague 316

CHAPTER XII.

THE CATARACTS OF THE UAUPÉS.

Start for the Uaupés—São Jeronymo and Jauarité—Indians run
away—Numerous cataracts—Reach Carurú—Difficult passage—Painted
Malocca—Devil Music—More falls—Ocokí—Curious rocks—Reach
Uarucapurí—Cobeu Indians—Reach Mucúra—An Indian’s house
and family—Height above the sea—Tenente Jesuino—Return to
Uarucapurí—Indian prisoners—Voyage to Jauarité—Correcting the
calendar—Delay at São Jeronymo 341

CHAPTER XIII.

SÃO JERONYMO TO THE DOWNS.

Voyage down the Rio Negro—Arrive at Barra—Obtaining a
passport—State of the city—Portuguese and Brazilian
enterprise—System of credit—Trade—Immorality, and its
causes—Leave Barra—A storm on the Amazon—Salsaparilha—A tale
about Death—Pará—The yellow fever—Sail for England—Ship takes
fire—Ten days in the boats—Get picked up—Heavy gales—Short of
provisions—Storm in the Channel—Arrive at Deal 369

CHAPTER XIV.

THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF THE AMAZON VALLEY 404

CHAPTER XV.

VEGETATION OF THE AMAZON VALLEY 432

CHAPTER XVI.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE ZOOLOGY OF THE AMAZON DISTRICT 446

CHAPTER XVII.

ON THE ABORIGINES OF THE AMAZON 476

APPENDIX.

VOCABULARIES OF AMAZONIAN LANGUAGES 521

MAP
_of the_
RIVER AMAZON
_and the Northern part
OF_
SOUTH AMERICA.
]

TRAVELS
ON THE
AMAZON AND RIO NEGRO.