Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-19

crowded and interlaced with growth as to be
impenetrable to mortal footsteps, the lands SO
traversed by vines as to make the building of
an impossibity. We take natures
highway and sail over the river so studded
with islands, across the lagoon SO overspread with
aquatic plants that we know not where land
begins and water ends miles of the Victoria
Rega rearing its white urns, while cranes and
herons stalk over the leaves as if they were on
land. The bed of the Amazon slopes toward
the ocean in so gradual descent that the river
strays into network of innumerable channels
which often intersect each other at right angles,
and form an astonishing number of islands.
So broad is the river, that in distance of one
thousand two hundred mics above the ocean,
one cannot see across from shore to shore.
The excess of the hot and dry season which
usually prevails in the tropics, gives place, in
the valley of the Amazon, u a climate of de-
hgbtful evenness, perpetual summer. The
rain season moves gradually from north TO
south along the valley, so that it continually
feeds some of the rivers innumerable tributa-
rIes. The temperature, restrained within q
maximum of "a degrees, and a minimum OF
rs, causes constant evaporation, and the con-
sequent luxuriauce OF vegetation, of which
one who has not seen it can hardly form
conception. One point in which these tropi-
cal forests differ from ours, is the entire ab
sence of the trees which form the striking fea-
lures of our mort hern woods. There are no
oaks, pires, maple, willows. hck ories,-none
a all. Another point IS the Heterogeneous
ness OF the vegetation. at home oaks grow
with oaks, pines with pines bat here We se-
dom see two trees or plants OF cne kind 10
proximity. There are tall trees of strange va
rIeties, and beneat- them not a low growth of
underbrush- but an absolutely impenetrabie
thicket and curtain of verdure, crowding,
climbing, starred over with parasites, whose
bread, light green leaves shine against the
dsrk foliage like stars, and which cling TO and
climb every thing with their brilliant flowers.
Among the most conspicuous trees is that
which bears the Brazil nut of cur commerce,
which grows to enormous height and lifts its
cone of green leaves above the other trees OF
the wood. Another lofty tree is allied to the
small pant which we call mallows. This also
rises 20 an incredible height, spreading its um-
brella Of foliage about the forest. The great
est number of trees are palms, ard they are
more nearly allied to grass than to any other
species OF our vegetation. Some varieties OF
the palm grow low, the leaves springing from
the ground, and forming an elegant vase o
leaves and fruit. The slender trunks Cf 9th
ers spring up TO the height OF a hundred feet
before shooting cut their broad fans of beautiful
leaves, and there are palm vines which c.Mt
hundreds of feet over the forest. cllnging tC
other growths with their crimzo leaves
/ Prof. Agassiz referred to the infinite varlet,
and Dumberless uses of the palm, and its enor
nous size, and ne exhibited some interesting
dried specimens, one being five or six time
his own height he held it OF the stage, tbs
stem as straight lead pencil, and slende
as q mans wrist till the top, where it wa
fringed with leaves. The varieties of palu
bear fruits, which correspond with our nuts
apricots, cherries, grapes, and frequently ii
such uxuraut clusters, as it would be hardl,
possible for man to Ift. He showed
brush of wlry tibres, of 8 weight and size whcl
ne managed with difficulty. This was on
cluster of fruit stems denuded OF their berries
The palms are Of surprising 5Jssty AID beau
y. TIE professor had seen Two men seate
in the axil cf leaf, and the leaves some
times 80 or 40 feet il leng b, and from 10 t
! - in width.