Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-11-21

running in direct line for the mouth OF
the Amazon. Nor did we see more than
three vessels during the same time, the
route Of the steamer being a different
one from that Of sailing vessels; The
shortness of the days now began to at
tract attention, and the suddenness with
which night followed the setting OF the
sun. 1t was not so sudden as one might
believe it to be from Scott's description in
Rokeby," where he says the sun sinks
at once, and all is night" But really,
the early following OF the darkness ss
soon as the sun went down had some
thing in it somewhat weird and startling.
The sudden, heavy, warm showers which
met us as we neared the Amazon, on the
seventh day out, were little rsmarka-
BILE. On the eighth day the FIRST lands OF
Brazil appeared, long, low, white line
Of sand banks, on point of which called
Adelante q light house is placed. The
yellow color of the water soon showed
that we were fairly in the mouth OF the
mighty river, though nowhere except at
the point named was land visible Only
think of a river one hundred and eighty
miles wide. For hours the steamer
moved onward more slowly and eau
tiously, awaiting the arrival OF pilot,
who came aboard in the afternoon. Be
fore night, lands appearing on either side,
though at great distances, made US real
ize more fully that we were really in a
river, and not on great lake, as II
seemed. About ten at night the lights
of the city of Para came in view--a
single line of lamps along the levee. We
passed q fort some ten miles below it,
and soon after dropped anchor about
mile from the shore, from which, as the
noise of the machinery ceased, came the
pleasan. tones of the church bells
mingled with the strains of military
band.
The next morning, under bright sky
we went early ashore in small sail boats
carrying some six or eight persons each
On landing we saw and felt that we were
in q country differing widely from our
own. Everything was new the people,
among whom there were very few of pure
Caucasian blood; the trees, not fami-
liar one to be seen; the houses-every.
thing was different from anything we had
ever seen before. The houses in partic
ular looked odd, the fronts of most oi
them, even the warehouses, being covered
with glazed tiles, which gave them re-
markably fresh, clean look. These tiles
are about six inches square and i've
eighths of an inch thick. One side i
enameled and embossed or painted with
figures in colors, generally blue ano
green. They are attached to the wall BY
cement, and, as there is no frost to loosen
them nor smoke to darken their surface
they retain the bright, new appearance o.
the house for an unlimited time. The
smallness of the patterns, however, gives
an unpleasant effect to the whole
at least to Americans. The heavy
roofs of red tiles were noticeable,
looking awkward, but probably the
best that could be used in this damp eli
mate. A multitude of strange, black
scrsggy, unclean birds, that looked like
a cross between a crow and buzzard, hop
ped about the streets, or sat in rows on
the ewes of the houses, apparently in sol.
emn convention awaiting the settlement
of some "new school" or old school
question. Negroes, too, darkened the
picture on all sides, many of them in cos
tunes approaching as near as possible
the first of fashions. The trees planted
on the wharf and rudely boxed in were
delicate-leaved palms, such as would be
the glory of an American greenhouse.
The fruits and vegetables carried about
on the negroes heads, or sitting at the
store-deors in baskets, were OF strange
kinds. All was new, strange and ex-
citing to the crowd of passengers who
pressed along up the street, gazing at the
novelties, and. gazed at in turn by the
wondering natives. A few steps brought
us to a sort of market place where, along
with any number of fruits and vege-
tables, were monkeys and parrots, and
other birds of rare and beautiful kinds,
and at prices cheap beyond all belief.
But we could not tsrry among these-we
wanted to see the city-so, engaging a
grand old hack that would hold six. to
carry four as long as we desired, for five
dollars, we started at brisk pace for
the public buildings and the suburbs.
II need hardly be said that Para is
built on a site nearly on dead level, but
high enough to escape inundstion. Its
streets are paved with rocks that look like
iron ore, in the business part of the city
in the outskirts they are made OF red
sand or gravel, which makes them very
handsome and pleasant to travel on. IL
must be confessed that the impression
made by a tour of four or five miles
through the best parts Of the city was not
pleasant In many places, on either SIDE
Of the street or road, there was deep
ditch. reminding us Of Chicago, made for
drainage, and full of water, out OF which
we're growing wster-plants, some of great
beauty. The fences were made OF rude
poles eight feet high, tied together with
vines, and overgrowu with masses Of
creepers and shrubs in the greatest con-
fusion. Orange trees loaded with unripe
fruit were occasionally seen, and large
hushes covered with brilliant flowers.
But the =hols wore an air OF
neglect, discomfort and unhealthi-
sess that was anything bat pleas
ing 70 an American. One street
San Joss-vas really beautiful, With iis
avenue Of palms, some half 3 mile long.
They we're Of that kind which takes on =
sort Of bulb for= just above the Eround,
and then mount up straight ss = column
and taperiA to the top, where the i'm
uense leaves spread out on al SIDES as