Cuap. VIL LIFE ON BOARD A CUBERTA. — 141 
with molasses, or a ration of cashaca, to each man of their crews ; Penna 
gave them coffee. When all were served, the day’s work began. There 
was seldom any wind at this early hour; so if there was a remanso 
along the shore the men rowed, if not there was no way of progressing 
but by espia. In some places the currents ran with great force close to 
the banks, especially where these receded to form long bays or exseadas, as 
they are called, and then we made very little headway. In such places 
the banks consist of loose earth, a rich crumbly vegetable mould, 
supporting a growth of most luxuriant forest, of which the currents 
almost daily carry away large portions, so that the stream for several 
yards out is encumbered with fallen trees, whose branches quiver in the 
current. When projecting points of land were encountered, it was 
impossible, with our weak crew, to pull the cuberta against the whirling 
torrents which set round them ; and in such cases we had to cross the 
river, drifting often with the current, a mile or two lower down on the 
opposite shore. There generally sprung up a light wind as the day 
advanced, and then we took down our hammocks, hoisted all sail, and 
bowled away merrily. Penna generally preferred to cook the dinner 
ashore, when there was little or no wind. About midday on these calm 
days we used to look out for a nice shady nook in the forest, with 
cleared space sufficient to make a fire upon. I then had an hour’s 
hunting in the neighbouring wilderness, and was always rewarded by the 
discovery of some new species. During the greater part of our voyage, 
however, we stopped at the house of some settler, and made our fire in 
the port. Just before dinner it was our habit to take a bath in the river, and 
then, according to the universal custom on the Amazons, where it seems: 
to be suitable on account of the weak fish diet, we each took half a tea- 
cupful of neat cashac¢a, the “ abre” or ‘‘ opening ” as it is called, and set 
to on our mess of stewed pirarecu, beans, and bacon. Once or twice a 
week we had fowls and rice; at supper, after sunset, we often had 
fresh fish caught by our men in the evening. The mornings were cool 
and pleasant until towards midday; but in the afternoons the heat 
became almost intolerable, especially in gleamy, squally weather, such as 
generally prevailed. We then crouched in the shade of the sails, or went 
down to our hammocks in the cabin, choosing to be half stifled rather than. 
expose ourselves on deck to the sickening heat of thesun. We generally 
ceased travelling about nine o’clock, fixing upon a safe spot wherein to 
secure the vessel for the night. ‘The cool evening hours were delicious ; 
flocks of whistling ducks (Anas autumnalis), parrots, and hoarsely- 
screaming macaws, pair by pair, flew over from their feeding to their 
resting places, as the glowing sun plunged abruptly beneath the horizon. 
The brief evening chorus of animals then began, the chief performers 
being the howling monkeys, whose frightful unearthly roar deepened 
the feeling of solitude which crept on as darkness closed around us. 
Soon after, the fireflies in great diversity of species came forth and 
flitted about the trees. As night advanced, all became silent in the 
forest, save the occasional hooting of tree-frogs, or the monotonous 
chirping of wood-crickets and grasshoppers. 
We made but little progress on the 2zoth and two following days, on 
account of the unsteadiness of the wind. The dry season had been 
