If I were heading for Manaus and had room in my tropical kit for just one book, my choice would unquestionably
be
Henry Walter Bates' "The Naturalist on the River Amazons", the wonderful account of his 11 years spent travelling
deep inside the Amazon basin.
Bates set off by ship from Liverpool to Pará (Belém) on the 26th April 1848, when he was only 23 years old.
What an adventure that must have been.
While compiling this photo-illustrated version, I discovered that remarkably some of the places he visited
have not changed that much, while, sadly, many of the indigenous tribes he describes no longer exist.
I have added photos and illustrations whenever possible, and welcome any further contributions or corrections!
A must read for anyone enthralled by the majestic beauty of the Amazons.
Henry Walter Bates' "The Naturalist on the River Amazons", the wonderful account of his 11 years spent travelling
deep inside the Amazon basin.
Bates set off by ship from Liverpool to Pará (Belém) on the 26th April 1848, when he was only 23 years old.
What an adventure that must have been.
While compiling this photo-illustrated version, I discovered that remarkably some of the places he visited
have not changed that much, while, sadly, many of the indigenous tribes he describes no longer exist.
I have added photos and illustrations whenever possible, and welcome any further contributions or corrections!
A must read for anyone enthralled by the majestic beauty of the Amazons.
-
You
can download the whole photo-illustrated book in PDF format, which will allow
you to navigate better, jump chapters
and perhaps skip the one about 'ants', which is a bit challenging unless you're an ant-lover!
obs: download version= you get much better quality text + photos.
But your perseverance will pay off: there are dozens and dozens of personal, funny, sometimes intriguing tales
of his adventures into the tropical greeness.
Also, keep in mind that some of his observations must be taken within the context of its time.
and perhaps skip the one about 'ants', which is a bit challenging unless you're an ant-lover!
obs: download version= you get much better quality text + photos.
But your perseverance will pay off: there are dozens and dozens of personal, funny, sometimes intriguing tales
of his adventures into the tropical greeness.
Also, keep in mind that some of his observations must be taken within the context of its time.
Without further ado - To the Jungle!
