Chap. II. GREAT WIDTH OF RIVER. 85 



young Indian, named Manoel. He came on board this 

 morning at eight 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 Chao is a 

 conspicuous headland, called Point Cajetuba. During 

 a lull of the wind, towards midday, we ran the cuberta 

 aground in shallow water and waded ashore, but the 

 woods were scarcely penetrable, and not a bird was to 

 be seen. The only thing observed worthy of note, was 

 the quantity of drowned winged ants along the beach ; 

 they were all of one species, the terrible formiga de fogo 

 (Myraiica saevissima) ; the dead, or half-dead bodies of 

 which were heaped up in a line an inch or two in height 

 and breadth, the line continuing without interruption 

 for miles at the edge of the water. The countless 

 thousands had been doubtless cast into the river whilst 

 flying during a sudden squall the night before, and after- 

 wards cast ashore by the waves. We found ourselves 

 at seven o'clock near the mouth of a creek leading 

 to a small lake, called Aramana-i, and the wind having 

 died away, we anchored, guided by the lights ashore, 

 near the house of a settler, named Jeronymo, whom I 

 knew, and who, soon after, showed us a snug little 

 harbour, where we could remain in safety for the night. 

 The river here cannot be less than ten miles broad ; it 

 is quite clear of islands and free from shoals at this 

 season of the year. The opposite coast appeared in the 



