Wanderings in South America, the North-West of the United States, and the Antilles, in the years 1812, 1816, 1820, and 1824. With original instructions for the perfect preservation of birds, &c. for cabinets of natural history / By Charles Waterton.

  • Charles Waterton
Date:
1825
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Wanderings in South America, the North-West of the United States, and the Antilles, in the years 1812, 1816, 1820, and 1824. With original instructions for the perfect preservation of birds, &c. for cabinets of natural history / By Charles Waterton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    scnclinp^ out PcH’ciIIgI, oblic[uc, liorizoiitcil, tiiicl pGipGiicliciilui shoots ill all directions, put you in inind of what travellers call a matted forest. Oftentimes a tree, above a hundred feet high, uprooted by the whirlwind, is stopped in its fall ])y these amazing cables of nature ; and hence it is that you account for the phenomenon of seeing trees, not only vegetating, but sending forth vigorous shoots, though far from their perpendicular, and their trunks inclined to every degree from the meridian to the horizon. Their heads remain firmly supported by the bush-rope ; many of their roots soon refix themselves in the earth, and frequently a strong shoot will sprout out perpendi- cularly from near the root of the reclined trunk, and in time become a fine tree. No grass grows under the trees ; and few weeds, except in the swamps. The high grounds are pretty clear of underwood, and with a cutlass to sever the small bush-ropes, it is not difficult walking among the trees. The soil, chiefly formed by the fallen leaves and de- cayed trees, is very rich and fertile in the vallies. On the hills, it is little better than sand. The rains seem to have carried away, and swept into the vallies, every particle which nature intended to have formed a mould. Four-footed animals are scarce, considering how very thinly these forests are inhabited by men. Several species of the animal, commonly called tiger, • though in reality it approaches nearer to the leopard, are 7 First Journey. Soils. Four-footed animals.