"Unequaled river, in very truth," said Manoel; "and I do not
understand all its sublime beauties. We are going down it, however,
like Orellana and La Condamine did so many centuries ago, and I am
not at all surprised at their marvelous descriptions."

"A little fabulous," replied Benito.

"Now, brother," said Minha seriously, "say no evil of our Amazon."

"To remind you that it has its legends, my sister, is to say no ill
of it."

"Yes, that is true; and it has some marvelous ones," replied Minha.

"What legends?" asked Manoel. "I dare avow that they have not yet
found their way into Para--or rather that, for my part, I am not
acquainted with them."

"What, then do you learn in the Belem colleges?" laughingly asked
Minha.

"I begin to perceive that they teach us nothing," replied Manoel.

"What, sir!" replied Minha, with a pleasant seriousness, "you do not
know, among other fables, that an enormous reptile called the
_'minhocao,'_ sometimes visits the Amazon, and that the waters of the
river rise or fall according as this serpent plunges in or quits
them, so gigantic is he?"

"But have you ever seen this phenomenal minhocao?"