85 



CHAPTER IV. 

 BAHIA. 



Harbour and Town of Bahia. Religious Procession. Black Angels. 

 Land Planarians. Clicking Butterfly. Primaeval Forest. Shooting 

 Humming Birds and Toucans. Caxoeira. Mewing Toads. Excur- 

 sion to Feira St. Anna. Mule Riding. Former Highway Robbers. 

 Inn at Feira St. Anna and its Guests. The Fair. Anteaters Eaten 

 as Medicine. Vaqueiros. Tailing Cattle. Horse Dealing. German 

 Settler in the Country. Driving Cattle in the Bush. Farm Slaves. 

 Preparation of Cassava. Overburdened Ant. Three-toed Sloth. 

 Slavery in Brazil. 



Bahia, Brazil, September 14th to 25th, 18*3. — The ship ap- 

 proached Bahia under steam and sail, on September 14th. It 

 was all the morning almost a dead calm, and at noon the stock 

 of coal came to an end, with the exception of a few bushels 

 which had to be reserved for steaming to anchorage amongst 

 the shipping in the harbour. The ship crept slowly towards 

 shore in the afternoon, under sail, at the rate of about a mile an 

 hour. 



As the shore was approached, swarms of a butterfly, a Heli- 

 conia (H. narcea), filled the air, and settling on the ship, alighted 

 everywhere and penetrated even into the ward-room. With 

 these a few beetles, flies, and a Hymen opterous insect came on 

 board, whilst a land bird settled in the rigging. 



The anchor was dropped in the harbour at about half-a-mile 

 from shore. The city of Bahia or San Salvaclos lies on the 

 north side of a wide and extensive bay, the Bahia de todos 

 os Santos, or Bay of All Saints. On the north side of the bay is 

 a slightly elevated ridge, stretching east and west, on which the 

 town is built, and under the lee of which is the anchorage for 

 shipping. 



The town resembles Lisbon in the general appearance of its 

 buildings. These are mostly whitewashed, with very numerous 



