chestednotessankintoawhisper.Alone,Ishouldhavebeenignorantofthenamesofthesegiantgrowths,butourmenofsciencepointedoutthecedars,thegreatsilkcottontrees,andtheredwoodtrees,withallthatprofusionofvariousplantswhichhasmadethiscontinentthechiefsuppliertothehumanraceofthosegiftsofNaturewhichdependuponthevegetableworld,whileitisthemostbackwardinthoseproductswhichcomefromanimallife.Vividorchidsandwonderfulcoloredlichenssmolderedupontheswarthytree-trunksandwhereawanderingshaftoflightfellfulluponthegoldenallamanda,thescarletstar-clustersofthetacsonia,ortherichdeepblueofipomaea,theeffectwasasadreamoffairyland.Inthesegreatwastesofforest,life,whichabhorsdarkness,struggleseverupwardstothelight.Everyplant,eventhesmallerones,curlsandwrithestothegreensurface,twiningitselfrounditsstrongerandtallerbrethrenintheeffort.Climbingplantsaremonstrousandluxuriant,butotherswhichhaveneverbeenknowntoclimbelsewherelearntheartasanescapefromthatsombershadow,sothatthecommonnettle,thejasmine,andeventhejacitarapalmtreecanbeseencirclingthestemsofthecedarsandstrivingtoreachtheircrowns.Ofanimallifetherewasnomovementamidthemajesticvaultedaisleswhichstretchedfromusaswewalked,butaconstantmovementfaraboveourheadstoldofthatmultitudinousworldofsnakeandmonkey,birdandsloth,whichlivedinthesunshine,andlookeddowninwonderatourtiny,dark,stumblingfiguresintheobscuredepthsimmeasurablybelowthem.Atdawnandatsunsetthehowlermonkeysscreamedtogetherandtheparrakeetsbrokeintoshrillchatter,butduringthehothoursofthedayonlythefulldroneofinsects,likethebeatofadistantsurf,filledtheear,whilenothingmovedamidthesolemnvistasofstupendoustrunks,fadingawayintothedarknesswhichheldusin.Oncesomebandy-legged,lurchingcreature,anant-eaterorabear,scuttledclumsilyamidtheshadows.ItwastheonlysignofearthlifewhichIsawinthisgreatAmazonianforest.
Andyettherewereindicationsthatevenhumanlifeitselfwasnotfarfromusinthosemysteriousrecesses.Onthethirddayoutwewereawareofasingulardeepthrobbingintheair,rhythmicandsolemn,comingandgoingfitfullythroughoutthemorning.Thetwoboatswerepaddlingwithinafewyardsofeachotherwhenfirstweheardit,andourIndiansremain