Page:The naturalist on the River Amazons 1863 v1.djvu/211

 members of a family in these retired places are familiar with strangers; but these people had lived a long time in the capital, and therefore were more civilised than their neighbours. Their father had been a prosperous tradesman, and had given them the best education the place afforded. After his death the widow with several daughters, married and unmarried, retired to this secluded spot, which had been their sitio, farm or country house, for many years. One of the daughters was married to a handsome young mulatto, who was present and sang us some pretty songs, accompanying himself on the guitar.

After dinner I expressed a wish to see more of the creek, so a lively and polite old man, whom I took to be one of the neighbours, volunteered as guide. We embarked in a little montaria, and paddled some three or four miles up and down the stream. Although I had now become familiarised with beautiful vegetation, all the glow of fresh admiration came again to me in this place. The creek was about 100 yards wide, but narrower in some places. Both banks were masked by lofty walls of green drapery, here and there a break occurring through which, under over-arching trees, glimpses were obtained of the palm-thatched huts of settlers. The projecting boughs of lofty trees, which in some places stretched half-way across the creek, were hung with natural garlands and festoons, and an endless variety of creeping plants clothed the water frontage, some of which, especially the Bignonias, were ornamented with large gaily-coloured flowers. Art could not have assorted together beautiful vegetable forms so