The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-03

our party, but enjoyed none the Less Tho
strange noises of the forest. the low cry Of SONS
night bird. the distant howl Of the guiaba MON
key, and tho iuttering of bats around the fra
all gave weirdlke like charm to her. Often
when the night voices had ceased low murmur
seemed to come from the forest--a monotone,
soft. soothing, continuous, perhaps the ripple
of multitudinous leaves united in one wave Of
sound.
One bright morning we left the great river and
entered narrow channel, an outlet to one OF
the numerous lakes that border the Amazon.
Ahlgators were plenty, monkeys and parrots
were 10 De seen in the trees and insect life was
aounoant. We soon emerged into a small but
habitat OF that most magnificent of all aquatic
plants. the Victoria regia Here we camped,
and spent several quiet days visiting the bed Of
lilies both day and night. This great plant
was discovered in 1886, I believe, and named
after the Queen of England. 1t is not found in
the Amazon, but in the lakes and shallow
bays bordering the river. Those who havs
only seen the plant as grown in cultivation,
grand as it is, can form no idea of its magnitude
and grandeur in its native waters. We have
seen masses of this plant at least 800 feet in d.
ameter, the whole surface of the water being
covered by the immense leaves and dotted with
great flowers AS the flowers only open at night
1T is then. and especially by moonlight, the
bright moonlight of the tropics which is almost
as bright as day, that it is seen in its full glory
Grand as the masses of this plant are, it perhaps
lmpresses one more where single full-grown
plant is seen In some little bay The great leaves
are more individualized and the flowers show to
better advantage. The young leaves before un-
folding, present solid mass of stout
conical prickles The leaf is petate circular In
outline, and varies from three to six feet ia
diameter. The edge is turned up some two
inches or more, ard the leaves look like shallow
floating trays. Authorities differ greatly as to
the size OF the leaves, some stating that they at
tain the diameter OF twelve feet but on hun
dreds of plants have seen growing in different
localities, have never seen leaf that was more
than six feet across, and the stories told OF
small boys being able to stand on the leaf (see
Orton) are absurd exaggerations. A boy. or
very small child, attempting the experiment.
would have, an immediate opportunity to
upper surface of the leaves is a
rich green color, the under deep purple.
and is transversed by prominent nerves
radiating from the center to the margin; there
are also many smaller nerves, so that the whole
under surface of the leaf is divided into quad
ranguar spaces. These nerves contain air
channels. and are covered with sharp spines The
fower-bud before expansion is pear shaped and
the calyx is covered with prickles. The petals
are numerous, pure white stamens many, rose
colored The flowers are when fully expanded,
about foot in diameter, but vary greatly in diff
ferent plants. The second day the petals change
to rose color, and later to deep reddish purple.
which circumstance has caused many to
it is impossible to convince an Indian
that they are the same plant
The perfume is rich and spicy, at times so pow
erful as to be oppressive. The perfume seems
not to be continuous but. as is the case with
some orchids, to be emitted in puffs; and the
second day the fragrance is wholly lost
If my readers could forego for time all the
luxuries of lfe and perhaps many things which
are considered necessities also, nc moro charm
ing expedition could be imagined than trip to
the middle Amazon valley. The climate ID
healthy, the Indians hospitable, the natural
beauties great. the evils little, that life to
me is more desirable in the tropics than in this
ever changing climate of the United
States. Reluctantly we left this love-
ly lake and drifted down the little
stream. Soon we heard the rushing
sound of the great river whose strong current
rapidly bore US homeward. Late one night we
arrived at the little village tired. yet pleased
with our journey, the objects of which had been
accomplished, namely. the collection Of the leaf
and flower of the Victoria regia.