Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV. Borba—Tobacco—Island of Araras—Piedras do Uruas— Cachocrina— Exaltacion—Manicore—Mundurucu Indians—Marmelos—Bayetas— Junia—Mission of San Pedro—Crato—Old penal settlement—Umaitd —Parentcntin Indians—Missionary efforts unable to reclaim these savages—Praia of Tamandoa—Turtles—San Antouio. The first village arrived at in the ascent of the Madeira is Borba, an old Jesuit settlement about twelve hours' steam from the junction of the Madeira and Amazon. Tobacco of excellent quality is grown at Borba, and fetches about two milreis, or four shillings, per pound. The method of preparing the tobacco is very simple, the picked leaves being strung up in the roof of the hut until properly dried, when they are, by hand, pressed into a stick-like form of an inch and a half in diameter, and being tied closely round with split cane, are sold in " masas " of from four to six feet in length. Ascending the river, Sapucaia-oroca and Arauna- cuara, rubber gatherers' huts are passed, and the Island of Araras is reached on the third day's steaming in the river. This island is of considerable size, and is the property of the Amazon Steam Shipping Company of Para. It is very rich in rubber and nut trees, and sarsaparilla and other drugs are found there, but no minerals. About three hours' steam above this island, " Las Piedras de Uruas," or the Rocks of Uruas, are reached. These form the first danger to navigation, and, uncovered at low water, leave only a channel of about fifty yards wide, a rather tortuous passage for the steamer. A careful pilot can, however, always take a steamer drawing not more than eight feet through with perfect safety; while from high to half-flood water, the rocks offer no obstruction whatever. Next in order, Cachoerina and Exaltacion are passed, the f...