BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 499 



shallow, varying from two to four fathoms in depth, and 

 often only allowing the passage of Sumacas and other small 

 craft, when the tide is deep and the water high. 



Here, as at Joazeiro, there is a toll paid for crossing the 

 Parnahyba, which is farmed out by government. The charge 

 for each passenger is but small, and his luggage is put across 

 for nothing. On reaching the north shore, we were in the 

 Province of Maranhao, and after pursuing our way for about 

 six leagues, we met at the Fazenda Sucuriu, an official per- 

 sonage, the commandant, who commiserating our feeble state, 

 showed us much kindness. His good intentions, however, 

 had like to have proved the death of Dr. Spix, for he recom- 

 mended the use of an ointment, to mitigate the pain caused 

 by his inflamed ulcers, without giving us any correct direc- 

 tions for its application. About noon we left his hospitable 

 roof and proceeded about three leagues further to Perdido, 

 where we were obliged to encamp in the open air, without 

 shelter, and suspend the nets for our hammocks to trees. 

 This had hardly been done, when evening closed in dark and 

 gloomy, and a fearful storm burst forth. The rain quickly 

 penetrated the leaves overhead, and the wind, after extin- 

 guishing our fire, threatened to overturn our slight shelter. 

 I clung fast to my thoroughly soaked bed, too weary to quit 

 it; when near midnight, our French attendant, the only 

 attached and faithful person around us, roused me to fearlul 

 consciousness by his exclamations that Dr. Spix was dying. 

 When I hurried to him in great alarm, I found him cold and 

 pale as death, motionless and seized with dreadful spasms, 

 the hard places on his body showing that the application of 

 the ointment had been of almost a poisonous tendency. 

 Immediate aid was doubtless necessary ; but how was it to 

 be obtained in this desert place, with the elements raging 

 all round us with the utmost fury ? Necessity, however, is 

 the mother of invention ; I sent back some of the negroes 

 to the last Fazendas, to procure what was requisite for 

 making a bath, and in the meantime, I pounded down a 

 quantity of sulphur that we had brought from Rio for the 



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