30
THE AMAZON AND MADEIRA RIVERS.
flat banks are scarcely discernible, leaving us to guess only the wido mouth of the Tocantins to be where sky and water are melting into one blue horizon, into the Estreito do Breves, one of those narrow, intricate channels, through which the powerful Amazon has to send its waters to the Para. Magnificent groups of Muriti palms line its sides, their broad waving fans silvered by the brightest of moonshine. At dawn the Belem, touched at Gurupa and Porto do Moz, small villages, inhabited by Indians and half-castes, leaving at the right the singularly shaped flat hills of Almeirim, the only ones seen on the whole tour.    After Prainha
A   JAN'GADA   IX   THE   BREAKERS.
and Moxte Alegre, two other stations of little importance, we reached at last Santarem, at the mouth of the Tapajoz, a prosperous and pretty little town. There is a certain charm about that sloping hill, covered with whitewashed houses and cottages, and green gardens, and overlooking a white beach full of boats and barques of every size. Tempted by the lovely aspect, we went on shore to stretch our limbs a little, and to gather some statistical notes, if possible; but we had no idea of the difficulties of the latter undertaking. We began by asking the proprietor of a little shop, who was sitting quietly on his doorstep,  and