The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-09
ORCHID HUNTING IN BRIzIL.
The Personnel OF the Party aud tie Equip
ment for the Interesting Trip.

UpPrR AMAZON, Jan. pa glorious morn
ing 90 January. / snow. ice. and biting wind.
but clear blue sky, baluy air. the forest redo.
lent with the Fragrance "i 'puill'sr MOVERS anu
resonant with the mus. Of unuumu'r"d birds.
banks of one ut the Thousand cuauncls which
form part ut the mighty river Amazon. more
trau 200 miles from the sea. ami nesting IN
lul" clearing scarce percciilhle against the
htr. ground oi the mighty Tor -. which. unrN-
Ilor.d. unknown. and un.uhabtcd save hy
rowing Indians. stretches south.
Tie chic. object 90 the expedition Is The crl-
lection ot orchids t'ailcd ~ Brazil parasites 3
and moro ,>p' tally the coiccton OF plants oi
the rare and beautiful Ldei,1 Nor,sid"d. u. in
drnt.. fortune should allow W tp reach III al
uo-t inaccessible habitat. few STEPS now
tf.u- u~ GO the river. where our canoe awaits
u--a itrer boat ot the hard wood OF the ruuh-
Try. rude ia construction. tut roomy and passa-
l.y comfortable. and when imprllrd hy the stout
trD- oi our Indian lAi llcrs, cap goo ol Er""i
D. tnldy l0ahinl OF ualn. RrfhinE over, open ~
h.tii ends and while not high enough 10 allow
Us t0 stand. aif1rling good sitting room. Below
tbs is "a little platform oi inra palm stalks,
uIon which we spread our plan ris. ana whlcI
j. o. srryea our bod. Indeed, IA" canoe l. q
d. car home during the whole NuyaE" a. th.
region we hope TO penetrate "0ounds IN u-ers
The baggage was soon packed. each took a
drink oi cINaca; the boat. which had iern I'M
patiently clHlng az lis cahl, was uhtled, mo
crew dipped their ramas tpaddlesl. aud w. lot
r.piliy up the river. while W. ttits pass nSrrsl
throw ours ives ou our backs beneath the lolly,
u,i. Lighting c.gGr',tcS smoked M sllrn'" IN,
l,y ~ the calm quiet of the growing dawn, aud
i-t.nIns to The splash of tne water l'cior- the
PROV ani ils riHplrs against tn' DIES, rs ne
c.ult 'riccd It's way Against the sNlit current.
i.rr" ~ oppression "a thr e.!riy hvrh "A NrlK.-
sr"m- upon tho spirit. and we Peel II IN an l's
iurr. A sense oi the mHEntu ie 81 nature nm !
q. .ti ness oi man t"r'ci - % silence, uhtii
t..' SUI suraLg in glory ti0g there u l.iii~ tWl.
.i-U' n tnr tropics nbo,r TIE horiz3n and
A -unr,-- ou Tine Amazon! What words enn de-
rLeItf iu- ti",.d tosQm oi IA" RIVER Was a
sl,-t OF roll NJ silver the blue SKY archei over
"a il
bank seemed to gittHr in silyery green. ana on
t. tar distant shore the tail palms seemed -
against the horizon like mighty masses OF cpi-
uuus with spreading arrhitruNrS, anu from
every de arose "A burst OF song from the throats
Itounding a point. We were forced too near the
s'nr-, and the cabin Of the can " struck against
hltrs". iraiy tree. In moment IL was covered
VIII tuOusuu Is OF anus. Our la"@ ana h"H,ls
W.T." lu>tHufuueou-ly covered rs " WIN sphrks
Of fire. anal oar gymnasti' performances lp riu
ours. tr- ~ these minute. y"nompus insects
seriously endangered tho safety of the canoe
chang" lu the vegetation attracted our altrh,
tom. The trees were - a different spa les and
n" branches were loaded with various kinds OF
or"Ali--rpld"n irums Of numerous sp-"i"s
oh'dinms aud caltsctums perched IN every
conceivable place. Some were in bloom, ana
the air Was filled with perfume. We immedi'
hte} cent tho boy W the trees, ana IN lew
n"wrnts ~" grnunl WAS covered. A coupe oI
hours work gave us more orchids than We
By 10 the afternoon we reached the creek We
W.T.. in search off, All day we had been pass NJ
orchids ant had seen the glorious cattleyn su,
Irr1t ln tuU bloom; but as We had plenty ol
M, Species We did not stop to gather H. Nlghl
agran came upon US and We tied M 10 the bank
Tine rosy sun the next morning gave us new
courage. and paddle Of half an hour brought
u POO 4. source of the stream in a lovely hul'
lan' The water WAS cieur, AZ II the lake was
"l by deep springs. Skirtng tho shore 81 th'
ds" We aaw new beauties every minute. cav
t"Ya- and other orchids wrr" common gr"H
creeuars were cOVer4d with masses 81 purple
AMI yei.ow flowers Before us Il large tree pro
!"'lrd over the water. and there. on one OF M
* r"iur benches was the rare laeild, the op
le ~ our voyage the fruit ~ all our ton an
Alir. A shout arose from the whole parry
ere was tho plant in fun bloom, WIN lts larg'
gn,l"u petals. thr white liz Yeined by deep pur
Dc and such a truss NJ fowarsl Carefully VI
gathered the plants. and at noon the word wa
given to return,