TRANSLATING AND ANNOTATING THE CHAP. XIV OF EXPLORATION OF THE VALLEY OF THE AMAZON, BY WILLIAM LEWIS HERNDON

Abstract

This work presents, in a synthesized way, some considerations regarding the process of translation, analysis and commentary of chapter XIV of the first volume of the book Exploration of the Valley of The Amazon, written by the lieutenant of the United States Navy of America William Lewis Herndon, between 1851 and 1852. The historical and political scenarios for the Amazon of that period are also introduced and contextualized, in order to understand more closely the conditions of possibility for the journeys, the compiled reports and opinions of the expeditionary to have taken place as we know today. At the end of the translation of the chapter rich in details about the old Manaus (Vila da Barra do Rio Negro), we obtained 45 notes, in which we sought to cover in analysis aspects such as those of the economic, social and political life of the population of the city and the region. Seeking success in this proposal, we consulted the original text in its various editions, in order to present a text in English and in Portuguese as accurate as possible, paying special attention to the specific vocabulary of the region at the time. We hope that the bilingual edition of this chapter will contribute to a greater understanding of this exceptional book and of great value to the history of the Brazilian Amazon.

Keywords
Amazon; Translation; Travel Literature; Old Manaus; William Lewis Herndon