CiiAP. lY. ARRIVAL AT PARA. 167 



monastery in a state of decay ; part of the edifice, 

 however, was inhabited by a Brazilian family. The 

 walls are four feet in thickness. The long dark corri- 

 dors and gloomy cloisters struck me as very inappro- 

 priate in the midst of this young and radiant nature. 

 They would be more in place on some barren moor in 

 northern Europe, than here in the midst of perpetual 

 summer. The next turn in the river below Burujuba 

 brought the city of Para into view. The mnd was now 

 against us, and we were obliged to tack about. Towards 

 evening it began to blow stiffly, the vessel heeled over 

 very much, and Senhor Machado, for the first time, 

 trembled for the safety of his cargo ; the leaks burst 

 out afresh, when we were yet two miles from the shore. 

 He ordered another sail to be hoisted, in order to run 

 more quickly into port, but soon afterwards an extra 

 puff of wind came, and the old boat lurched alarmingly, 

 the rigging gave way, and down fell boom and sail with 

 a crash, encumbering us with the wreck. We were then 

 obliged to have recourse to oars, and as soon as we were 

 near the land, I begged Senhor Machado to send me 

 ashore in the boat, with the more precious portion of 

 my collections. 



