218 THE LOWER AMAZONS. Chap. VI. 



youtli to accompany me as servant — a short, fat, yellow- 

 faced boy named Luco, whom I had already employed 

 at Para in collecAing. We weighed anchor at night, 

 and on the following day found ourselves gliding along 

 the dark-brown waters of the Moju. 



Joa5 da Cunha, like most of his fellow-countrymen, 

 took matters very easily. He was going to be absent 

 in the interior several years, and therefore intended to 

 diverge from his route to visit his native place, Cameta, 

 and spend a few days with his friends. It seemed not 

 to matter to him that he had a cargo of merchandise, 

 vessel, and crew of twelve persons, which required an 

 economical use of time ; " pleasure first and business 

 afterwards" appeared to be his maxim. "We stayed at 

 Cameta twelve days. The chief motive for prolonging 

 the stay to this extent was a festival at the Aldeia, tAvo 

 miles below Cameta, which was to commence on the 

 21st, and which my friend wished to take part in. On 

 the day of the festival the schooner was sent down to 

 anchor off the Aldeia, and master and men gave them- 

 selves up to revelry. In the evening a strong breeze 

 sprang up, and orders were given to embark. We 

 scrambled down in the dark through the thickets of 

 cacao, orange, and coffee trees which clothed the high 

 bank, and, after running great risk of being swamped 

 by the heavy sea in the crowded montaria, got all aboard 

 by nine o'clock. We made all sail amidst the "adeos" 

 shouted to us by Indian and mulatto sweethearts from 

 the top of the bank, and, tide and wind being favour- 

 able, were soon miles away. 



Our crew consisted, as already mentioned, of twelve 



