CEARA. 445 



fronting the town, making it impossible, at certain states 

 of the tide and in stormy weather, for any boat to land, 

 unless it be one of these jangadas (catamarans), over which 

 the waves break without swamping them. At about nine 

 o'clock in the evening a custom-house boat came out, and, 



* 



notwithstanding the lateness of the hour and the rough sea, 

 we determined to go on shore, for we were told that in the 

 morning the tide would be unfavorable, and if the wind 

 continued in the present quarter it might be still more dif- 

 ficult, if not impossible, to land. It was not without some 

 anxiety that I stood waiting my turn to enter the boat; for 

 though at one moment it rose, on the swell of the sea, close 

 to the stair, in the twinkling of an eye it was a couple of 

 yards away. Some presence of mind and agility were 

 needed in order to make the leap just at the right instant ; 

 and I was glad to find myself in the boat and not in the 

 water, the chances being about even. As we rode in over 

 the breakers, the boatmen entertained us with so many sto- 

 ries of the difficulty of landing, the frequent accidents, and 

 especially of one which had occurred a few days before when 

 three Englishmen had been drowned, that I began to think 

 reaching the shore must be more perilous than leaving the 

 ship. As we approached the town the scene was not with- 

 out its picturesque charm. The moon, struggling through 

 gray, watery clouds, threw a fitful light over the long sand- 

 beach, on which the crested waves were driving furiously. 

 A number of laden boats were tossing in the surf, and the 

 roar of the breakers mingled with the cries of the black 

 porters, as they waded breast high through the water, un- 

 loading the cargoes and carrying their burdens to the shore 

 on their heads. We were landed much in the same way, 

 the boatmen carrying us over the surf. This is the ordi- 



