egion, with its green leaves ten to
twelve feet long reflecting beautiful shades like silk velvet when
caressed by the wind. I saw one or two specimens of the bread-fruit tree,
with its digitated foliage, and several kinds of pine-apple plants
(_Bromelia_)--some with leaves toothed along their edges, others shaped
more like the blade of a long knife.

I was in great pain, and could not observe much. Also, most of the time
we were at a great distance from the banks, and the river was so wide
that it was almost like being in mid-ocean.

On November 14th we passed Obidos, at the mouth of the Rio Trombetas, the
narrowest point, where the river went through a channel only 2,000 m.
broad, but of extreme depth. The channel was formed by a depression
between two hillocks 250 ft. high or so. The settlement of Obidos
consisted of two long white buildings near the water, and a series of
stores. To the left of the village as we looked at it was a high cliff
extending for some 2,000 m. up stream over a beautiful beach. The cliff
showed patches of red and yellow rock of a brilliant colour, the lower
strata being of a deep red and clearly defined, the upper ones of a raw
sienna colour, the dividing-line between the two colours being somewhat
undulating. There was dense forest on the summit of the cliff. A good
deal of vegetation had crept down and was clinging to the side of the
cliff.

A little white church with a pointed spire stood on the highest point of
the cliff, close to the town. Behind the cliff rose a hill of some
height, upon which the better houses, with red-tiled roofs, were
situated. A wide road led up to them.

The water of the stream was of a dirty yellow, and very turbulent owing
to the strong wind that was blowing and the violent current. Proceeding
up stream, we then came to a hill 300 ft. high on the right, which ended
abruptly in an almost vertical red and yellow cliff plunging into the
water. On the opposite side of the river, along the narrow neck, were
lowlands, quite open and scantily wooded, over which rose great columns
of black smoke, caused by the natives burning down the forest in order to
prepare the land for their plantations. It was at this point that the
entire volume of the Amazon could be gauged at a glance. As you looked up
stream a long bluish line of low forest could be perceived over the
gradually expanding deep yellow river. Dozens upon dozens of columns of
smoke were visible. When night ca