352 NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



and a torrent of water was discharged such as I had 

 never experienced except in passing under a waterfall. 

 As each boat came alongside, a seat was let down 

 from the upper deck, and the passengers were hoisted 

 up in turn, those who had not efficient waterproofs 

 being as thoroughly drenched as if they had been 

 dipped in the sea. Four or five times during the day 

 the sky cleared, the blazing sun returned, and the 

 decks were nearly dry, when another downpour of 

 torrential rain drove us all to seek shelter, each 

 shower lasting only from ten to fifteen minutes. 



During the hotter hours of the day a rather strong 

 breeze set in towards the shore, and I have no doubt 

 that it is to its full exposure to this ordinary sea- 

 breeze that the city owes its comparative healthiness. 

 It was interesting to watch the manoeuvres of the 

 catamarans, in which the native fishermen were 

 pursuing their avocations. This most primitive of 

 sea-craft is formed of two or three logs well spliced 

 together, with some weight to serve as ballast fastened 

 underneath. In the forepart a stout stick some ten 

 feet long stands up as a mast and supports a small 

 sail, and amid-ships a short rail, supported on two 

 uprights, enabled the two men who form the crew to 

 hold on when much knocked about by the waves. A 

 single paddle seems to serve as a rudder, but it is not 

 easy to understand how such a rude substitute for a 

 boat is able to work out to sea against the breeze 

 which commonly sets towards the shore. 



A large proportion of the steerage passengers who 

 came on board at Bahia and Pcrnambuco were 

 Portuguese returning to their native country after a 



