ond that row of vertical red rocks was a more or less
confused mass of hills, some dome-like, others of a more elongated form,
but still with a well-rounded sky-line. The water of the stream had now
changed colour altogether, and had become of a deep green. Islets could
be seen far, far away to the left side of the river, mere white dots and
lines along the water-line, most of them having white sand-beaches around
them; while on the right bank the great red walls in sections continued
for many miles. As we neared the mouth of the Tapajoz, the river had
the immense width of 14 kil. On the right, after going through the
Passagem dos Surucue, we passed the mountain of Jaguarary, which stood
prominent along a flat elevation on the right bank.

We halted in the afternoon at a picturesque little place called
Prainha--prettier than any I had seen so far, because of its frontage
battlement, with its numerous staircases to allow the people of the
various houses to go down to the water. A tiny church stood farther back
on a prominence.

Late at night we arrived at Santarem, at the junction of the Tapajoz
River with the Amazon. At that spot the man X and poor Benedicto insisted
on leaving me, so they received their full pay, and Benedicto a very
handsome present of money; after which they disembarked. As the sum I
paid Benedicto was a considerable one, so that he might be well off for
the rest of his days, I warned him not to waste it in buying all kinds of
absurd things.

We halted at Santarem for several hours. What was not my astonishment,
just before we departed, to find that Benedicto had gone into a store and
had spent over L25 sterling in buying innumerable tins of jam--in fact,
he had bought up the entire supply which was in the store! When I asked
him what he did that for, he said he was very fond of jam. With his
friends and a number of people he had quickly collected round him, they
opened tin after tin, ravenously devouring the contents, so that within a
short time he would have none left.

Brazilians of all classes are hopelessly improvident.

CHAPTER XXIII

Santarem to Belem (Para)--The Amazon--From Belem to Manaos--The
Madeira-Mamore Railway

SANTAREM was an old settlement of no great interest. It had a few
relatively fine ancient buildings and many ugly new ones.

Early on November 6th the steamer proceeded on her way to Belem (Para).
On leaving Santarem we first emerged into the great Am