1850.] BARCELLOS. 137 



breakfast with him, which meal was served in an old store- 

 house filled with cables, anchors, cordage, casks, and demi- 

 johns. We had silver forks and spoons, and a dirty towel for 

 a tablecloth, and raw spirits and tough curassow-bird was the 

 fare placed upon it. He, however, gave us a basket of oranges 

 to take to the canoe. 



In a day or two more we passed another decayed village, 

 called Cabuqueno. About Barcellos had first appeared a very 

 pretty little palm growing at the water's edge, a new species of 

 Mauritia^ which was afterwards abundant all the way up. Fish 

 were now more plentiful than in the lower part of the river, 

 and several species occurred not found below. Senhor L. 

 often sent two men in a small canoe to fish early in the morn- 

 ing, and they would by ten o'clock generally come up with 

 sufficient for our breakfast and supper. I began now to take 

 a great interest in the beauty and variety of the species, and, 

 whenever I could, made accurate drawings and descriptions of 

 them. Many are of a most excellent flavour, surpassing any- 

 thing I have tasted in England, either from the fresh or the 

 salt waters ; and many species have real fat, which renders the 

 water they are boiled in a rich and agreeable broth. Not a 

 drop of this is wasted, but, with a little pepper and farinha, is 

 all consumed, with as much relish as if it were the most 

 delicate soup. Our tolda was pretty hot during the day, 

 generally being from 95 to 100 inside. Early in the morning 

 the temperature was about 75, the water at the same time 

 being 85 and feeling quite warm ; at noon or in the afternoon 

 the water would be about 86, and then feel delightfully cool 

 from its contrast with the heated air. 



We had altogether very fine weather ; but every afternoon, 

 or at least four or five times in a week, we had a " trovoa'do," 

 or storm, which came on suddenly, with violent gusts of wind, 

 and often thunder and rain, but passed over in about an hour 

 or two, leaving the atmosphere beautifully mild and clear. A 

 great luxury of this river is the absence of mosquitoes. Sunset, 

 instead of being the signal for discomfort and annoyance, 

 brought us the pleasantest part of the day. We could sit on 

 the top of the tolda, enjoying the cool evening breeze, and 

 sipping a cup of coffee our greatest luxury till the glories of 

 sunset faded rapidly away and the stars shone brightly out 

 above us. At this quiet hour the goat-suckers came out to 



