Brazil, the Amazons and the coast . the land is unfit for cul-tivation ; neighboring Indian settlements have their planta-tions of mandioca, but these rarely produce a surplus forsale. Even oranges come from Erere, six or eight milesdistant. The upper village is about three hundred feet above theport; you think it a thousand, toiling up the steep hillsideroad, and wiping the perspiration from your brow. The roadis washed into great gullies, so that it is hardly passable forhorses. Half-way from the bottom there is a little spring,flowing. across the road, and into a hollow below, where agreat
Brazil, the Amazons and the coast . the land is unfit for cul-tivation ; neighboring Indian settlements have their planta-tions of mandioca, but these rarely produce a surplus forsale. Even oranges come from Erere, six or eight milesdistant. The upper village is about three hundred feet above theport; you think it a thousand, toiling up the steep hillsideroad, and wiping the perspiration from your brow. The roadis washed into great gullies, so that it is hardly passable forhorses. Half-way from the bottom there is a little spring,flowing. across the road, and into a hollow below, where agreat tub is placed to receive the tiny cascade. Here thewater-jars are filled, night and morning ; all day the sandy 344 BRAZIL. slope is lively with washerwomen of every shade ; and attwilight the men and boys of the village come here to bathe,after their days work. The hill is worth climbing, if only for the glorious viewthat one has from the summit. You look off over the lakesand channels and meadows of the lowland, and across to the. Looking over the Lowlands fronn Monte Alegre. Amazons, and the blue terra firme of Taperinha and Santa-rem. Westward there are rugged hills of the Ererc chain,and lesser ones sweeping around to Tajiiri on the north, thehighest of all, with its dome a thousand feet above the river;no great elevation, it is true, but in this flat country thehills appear like mountains. To reach Erere or Tajuri youwould have to cross a great tract of sandy campo, like thatof Paracary and Santarem ; even in the village the ground issandy and bare, and the few trees in the outskirts are campo THE MAECURU. 345 species. The great square has no trees at all; the housesaround are neatly whitewashed, and there is a really hand-some church, the finest in the province, it is said, outside ofPara. It was built a few years ago, to take the place of atiny chapel which is still used for minor services. To return to our little party at the port village. We arediscussing the pros and
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