Cuap. IX. PUCHERUMS. 221 
fishes were visible in the clear depths for many yards round, to find 
sooner or later, sometimes 24 hours afterwards, a considerable number 
floating dead on the surface. 
The people occupy themselves the greater part of the year with their 
smal] plantations of mandioca. All the heavy work, such as felling and 
burning the timber, planting and weeding, is done in the plantation of 
each family by a congregation of neighbours, which they call a 
“‘pucherum ”—a similar custom to the “bee” in the backwood settle- 
ments of North America. They make quite a holiday of each pucherum. 
When the invitation is issued, the family prepares a great quantity of 
fermented drink, called in this part Taroba, from soaked mandioca 
cakes, and porridge of Manicueira. This latter is a kind of sweet 
mandioca, very different from the Yuca of the Peruvians and Macasheira 
of the Brazilians (Manihot Aypi), having oblong juicy roots, which 
become very sweet a few days after they are gathered. With these 
simple provisions they regale their helpers. The work is certainly done, 
but after a very rude fashion ; all become soddened with Taroba, and 
the day finishes often in a drunken brawl. 
The climate is rather more humid than that of Santarem. I suppose 
this is to be attributed to the neighbouring country being densely 
wooded, instead of an open campo. In no part of the country did I 
enjoy more the moonlit nights than here in the dry season. After the 
day’s work was done I used to go down to the shores of the bay, and 
lie all my length on the cool sand for two or three hours before bed- 
time. The soft pale light, resting on the broad, sandy beaches and 
palm-thatched huts, reproduced the effect of a midwinter scene in the 
cold north when a coating of snow lies on the landscape. A heavy 
shower falls about once a week, and the shrubby vegetation never 
becomes parched up as at Santarem. Between the rains the heat and 
dryness increase from day to day : the weather on the first day after the 
rain is gleamy, with intervals of melting sunshine and passing clouds; 
the next day is rather drier, and the east wind begins to blow ; then 
follow days of cloudless sky, with gradually increasing strength of 
breeze. When this has continued about a week, a light mistiness begins 
to gather about the horizon, clouds are formed, grumbling thunder is 
heard, and then, generally in the night-time, down falls the refreshing 
rain. ‘The sudden chill caused by the rains produces colds, which are 
accompanied by the same symptoms as in our own climate ; with this 
exception the place is very healthy. 
June 7th.—The two young men returned without meeting with my 
montaria, and I found it impossible here to buy a new one. Captain 
Thomas could find me only one hand. This was a blunt-spoken but 
willing young Indian, name Manoel. He came on board this morning 
at 8 o’clock, and we then got up our anchor and resumed our voyage. 
The wind was light and variable all day, and we made only about 
fifteen miles by seven o’clock in the evening. The coast formed 
a succession of long shallow bays with sandy beaches, on which the 
waves broke in a long line of surf. Ten miles above Altar do Chad isa 
conspicuous headland, called Point Cajettiba. During a lull of the wind, 
