Year: 1874

wafer. Ab was no longer u l1ch blue


or bright green, but dull muddy


color. The ships PROV was due


south, and we were south Of tht


equator and in the waters of tht


Amazon, which pushed themselves
long way into the ocean. Everybody


was on the look out for land, ant


once or twice we thought we coull


discover the outlines Of MarajC


away off to our tight in the west


but were mistaken.


Our second mRte assembled tht


foremost and took his seat upon one


of the yard arms, with his field glass


in hand. About 8 o'clock We caught


sight of Brazil, low down OH the ho-


rizon in front of us. First in one


spot, then in another, tho thick greer


tropical yerdure was seen, until the


whole line of coast came in yiew.-


About noon we got fully into the


river, which is very wide, and the


ship slowly turned her PROV III


stream to the northwest. Yonder on


our left is the coast Of tho main land


of South America; on our right is


the island Of Maraio, or Joannos, q


large island in tie mouth of the Am


azon. The branch or mouth of the


Amazon which we entered, is the


southern one, and is sometimes called


Para river.


The shore on each side presents
the same appearance. There could
scarcely be said to be any banks, as
the water seemed to overflow the low
land, though the dense growth OF
vegetation prevented our seeing any
distance back. There We're, of course,
no hills. ] was disappointed in not
seeing large trees, as expected
The majority seemed to be not more
than one foot in diameter, with no
branches, simply some long feathery
leaves growing right at the top
There is a dense growth Of under
brush among them, all looking very
tropical. We saw no habitations for
q long distance up. The pictures in
Maury's "1[anual Of Geography, "
page 0A, is a first rate representation
of the banks of The river, if one i'm
AGNES the vegetation a bright green,
AS we steamed along the river, We
about two o'clock p. III, a
small light ship on our right, which
is manned, they say, by Indians, and
is stationed there to guide vessels
around d ehoal Of rocks, which ex-
tends nearly across the river at that
point, aud Il I mistake not, also to re-
ceiye pilots who guide the vessels up
aid down the river from chat point to
Para. To our left, and some dis
tance in front, we could see a line Of
white foam reaching from the shore
on the southeast almost across the
river. This was the line Of shoals.
Just about this time we came in
sight Of another ship steaming on
ahead of US. Many surmiscs had
been made the previous day and all
ahat morning, as to whether we would
meet The "South America" on her
honeward course another of the
ships in Garrison's line The ships
always meet in The river. and we had
written letters home to be sent bnck
by the "South America. Some
thought sho had already passed out
and Steering more to the West, We
had failed to see her.


Now, when the ship was seen
ahead Of us, it was supposed that it
was the "South- America" and that
she was behind time, and was just
getting to Para ahead Of us. No
one could make her out. We failed
to get pilot, so it devolyed upon
the captain to pilot us up to port,
which we could not reach until morn
ing. Nothing occurred the rest Of
the day, but we continued passing
the same low densely covered shores
On both sides. I had noticed, as we
came in sight of land, dark clouds
hanging low along the horizon, but
the afternoon was bright and pleas
ant. Ab dark, however, it began to
rain, and we returned below very
early.


About 8 o'clock a ehrill whistle
was suddenly heard at q short dis
tance, which was Immediately an
swered by our ship. We had met
the "South America" coming down
from Para. We quickly ran up to
the landing at the head Of the steps
to see. The night was pitchy dark,
the rain was coming down in perfect
torrents. Oh, how it pouredl We
stood at the doorleading out on deck.
They were burning blue lights at the
sides Of both ships, which lighted up
the intervening water, and directed
the men in the boat. The ship which
is going home always sends the boat.
II was a strange view. The blue
lights gave a very peculiar glare to
everything, the rain drops glistened
beautifully. These, lights shining
out through tho darkness, and the
dim outlines Of the ship lying at a
distance, all our sailors running
around baro-footed in their long oil
cloth overcoats, with the water ankle
deep, the light in the little boat, and
the noise Of the oars as they rowed
toward us, all formed a very roman
tic, picturesque scene, especially rs
It was in the mouth Of The Amazon.
The mail-bags were exchanged, the
boat put off to its own ship, the blue
lights ceased to flare, and all again
became dark and quiet except tho
usual, constaat, regular thud Of the
like the bent Of q great
heart in the midst Of the old ship,
and we were holding on our course.
We lay down and sleep and dreamed
as sweetly, for aught know, as ever
did in my little trundle bed on the
banks Of Camp Branch, in old Spen-