164 THE TOCANTINS. Chap. IY. 



admit of cargo being piled high above the water-hne. 

 At the stern is a neat square cabin, also raised, and 

 between the cabin and covered fore part is a narrow 

 piece decked over, on which are placed the cooking ar- 

 rangements. This is called the tombadilha or quarter- 

 deck, and when the canoe is heavily laden it goes under 

 water as the vessel heels over to the wind. There are 

 two masts, rigged with fore and aft sails. The foremast 

 has often besides a main and top sail. The fore part is 

 j)lanked over at the top, and on this raised deck the 

 crew work the vessel, pulling it along when there is 

 no wind, by means of the long oars already described. 



As I have just said, my luggage was embarked in the 

 morning. I was informed that we should start with the 

 ebb-tide in the afternoon, so I thought I should have 

 time to pay my respects to Dr. Angelo and other 

 friends, whose extreme courtesy and goodness had made 

 my residence at Cameta so agreeable. After dinner the 

 guests, according to custom at the house of the Correias, 

 walked into the cool verandah which overlooks the 

 river, and there we saw the Santa Kosa, a mere speck 

 in the offing miles away, tacking down river with a 

 fine breeze. I was now in a fix, for it would be useless 

 attempting to overtake the cuberta, and besides the 

 sea ran too high for any montaria. I was then told, 

 that I ought to have been aboard hours before the 

 time fixed for starting, because when a breeze springs 

 up, vessels start before the tide turns ; the last hour 

 of the flood not being very strong. All my precious 

 collections, my clothes, and other necessaries, were on 

 board, and it was indispensable that I should be at 



