CEAKA. 461 
over which I had come rolling, pitching, tumbling, sliding, 
any way, in short, but walking, I envied their dexterity, 
and longed to be as sure-footed as these shoeless, half naked, 
ignorant blacks. To-day we leave Pacatuba for the house 
of Senhor Franklin, on our way back to Ceara. 
April 12^A. On the 10th we returned to Monguba, 
where we passed that day and the following night at the 
fazenda of our friends, the Franklins. The next morning 
we had intended to start at six o'clock on our way to the 
city. No sooner were the horses at the door, however, and 
the pack-mules ready, than a pouring rain began. We 
waited for it to pass, but it was followed by shower after 
shower, falling in solid sheets. So the day wore on till 
twelve o'clock, when there was a lull, with a prospect of 
fine weather, and we started. I could not help feeling some 
anxiety, for I remembered the streams we had forded in 
coming, and wondered what they would be after these tor- 
rents. Fortunately, before we reached the first of them, we 
met two negroes, who warned us that there was a great deal 
of water on the road. We hired them to come on with us, 
and guide my horse. When we reached the spot it really 
looked appalling. The road was inundated to a consider- 
able distance, and the water rushed across it with great vio- 
lence, having in many places a depth of four or five feet, 
and a strong current. If there had been a sound bottom 

to rely upon, the wetting would have been nothing; but 
the road, torn up by the rains, was full of holes and deep 
gullies, so that the horses, coming unexpectedly on these 
inequalities, would suddenly flounder up to their necks in 
water, and recover their footing only by kicking and plung- 
ing. We crossed four such streams, one man leading my 
horse while the gentlemen followed close behind, and the 
