the sombre hues of the surrounding foliage. The Ubussu grew here
in great numbers; the equally remarkable Jupati palm (Rhaphia
taedigera), which, like the Ubussu, is peculiar to this district,
occurred more sparsely, throwing its long shaggy leaves, forty to
fifty feet in length, in broad arches over the canal. An infinite
diversity of smaller-sized palms decorated the water's edge, such
as the Maraja-i (Bactris, many species), the Ubim (Geonoma), and
a few stately Bacabas (Oenocarpus Bacaba). The shape of this last
is exceedingly elegant, the size of the crown being in proper
proportion to the straight smooth stem. The leaves, down even to
the bases of the glossy petioles, are of a rich dark-green
colour, and free from spines.

"The forest wall"--I am extracting from my journal-"under which
we are now moving, consists, besides palms, of a great variety of
ordinary forest trees. From the highest branches of these down to
the water sweep ribbons of climbing plants of the most diverse
and ornamental foliage possible. Creeping convolvuli and others
have made use of the slender lianas and hanging air roots as
ladders to climb by. Now and then appears a Mimosa or other tree
having similar fine pinnate foliage, and thick masses of Inga
border the water, from whose branches hang long bean-pods, of
different shape and size according to the species, some of them a
yard in length. Flowers there are very few. I see, now and then,
a gorgeous crimson blossom on long spikes ornamenting the sombre
foliage towards the summits of the forest. I suppose it to belong
to a climber of the Combretaceous order. There are also a few
yellow and violet Trumpet-flowers (Bignoniae). The blossoms of
the Ingas, although not conspicuous, are delicately beautiful.
The forest all along offers so dense a front that one never