Page:A narrative of travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro.djvu/243

 1 85 1.] THOUGHTS OF HOME. 211

celebrated umbrella-chatterer was to be found there. The information on this point from several parties was so positive, that, though much inclined to doubt the existence of such a bird at all, I could not rest satisfied without one more trial, as, even if I did not find it, I had little doubt of obtaining many new species to reward me. The worst of it was, that I must go to Barra and return — a voyage of fifteen hundred miles — which was very disagreeable. But there was no remedy, for I had a considerable lot of miscellaneous collections here and at Guia, as well as what I left at Barra, which must be packed and sent off to England, or they might be destroyed by damp and insects. Besides which I could not undertake a voyage on this wild river for several months, without being well supplied with necessaries, and articles for barter with the Indians, which could only be obtained at Barra'; moreover, the best season for ascending would not arrive for two or three months, so that I could do scarcely anything if I remained here. The months of November, December, January, and February, are the "vasante," or low water, and then is the summer-season, when the river presents a totally different and a much more agreeable aspect, being everywhere bordered with fine sandy or rocky beaches, on which one can eat and sleep with comfort at any hour. Fish are then much more abundant ; turtles of a new species are said to be found on the sands, in the upper part of the river, and to lay abundance of eggs ; the delicious fruit of the baccaba and patawa palms are then ripe, and birds and insects of all kinds more easily procurable. These four months I hoped, therefore, to spend there, so as to be able to descend to Barra, and thence to Para, in time to return to England by July or August, with a numerous and valuable collection of live animals. It was on account of these, principally, that I determined to return to England a year before the time I had fixed upon, as it was impossible to send them without personal care and attendance. And so, having once made up my mind to this course, with what delight I thought upon the sweets of home ! What a paradise did that distant land seem to me ! How I thought of the many simple pleasures, so long absent, — the green fields, the pleasant woods, the flowery paths, the neat gardens, — all so unknown here ! What visions of the fireside did I conjure up, of the social tea-table, with familiar faces around it!