104 Star anfr TKHeatbet Gossip 



The moon set, and a black pall of clouds spread 

 itself over the dark forests and river ; a frightful 

 crack of thunder now burst over our heads, and 

 down fell the drenching rain. Joaquim leapt ashore 

 through the drowning spray with a strong pole, and 

 tried to pass the cuberta round a small projecting 

 point, whilst we on deck aided in keeping her off 

 and lengthening the cable. We succeeded in getting 

 free, and the stout-built boat fell off into the strong 

 current farther away from the shore, Joaquim 

 swinging himself dexterously aboard by the bow- 

 sprit as it passed the point. It was fortunate for us 

 that we happened to be on a sloping clayey bank, 

 where there was no fear of falling trees ; a few 

 yards farther on, where the shore was perpendicular 

 and formed of crumbly earth, large portions of loose 

 soil, with all their superincumbent mass of forest, 

 were being washed away ; the uproar thus occa- 

 sioned adding to the horrors of the storm. 



The violence of the wind abated in the course of an 

 hour, but the deluge of rain continued until about 

 three o'clock hi the morning ; the sky being lighted 

 up by almost incessant flashes of pallid lightning, 

 and the thunder pealing from side to side without 

 interruption. 



This November storm, in consequence of the moon- 

 ring's meaning not being fully appreciated, might 

 easily have resulted in the loss of the cuberta, with her 

 crew and passengers. The vessel belonged to Penna, 

 a trader of Obydos, who was taking it laden with 

 merchandise to the Rio Negro. 



