42 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



On telling him that I was at an Indian settlement a 

 little below the great fall in the Demerara, and that a 

 strange and sudden noise had alarmed all the Indians, 

 he said the same astonishing noise had roused every 

 man in Fort St. Joachim, and that they remained under 

 arms till morning. He observed, that he had been 

 quite at a loss to form any idea what could have caused 

 the noise ; but now learning that the same noise had 

 been heard at the same time far away from th& Bio 

 Branco, it struck him there must have been an earth- 

 quake somewhere or other. 



Good nourishment and rest, and the unwearied atten- 

 tion and kindness of the Portuguese commander, stopped 

 the progress of the fever, and enabled me to walk about 

 in six days. 



Fort St. Joachim was built about five-and- 

 JoacMnf*' forty years ago, under the apprehension, it 

 is said, that the Spaniards were coming from 

 the Rio Kegro to settle there. It has been much neg- 

 lected ; the floods of water have carried away the gate, 

 and destroyed the wall on each side of it ; but the 

 present commander is putting it into thorough repair. 

 When finished, it will mount six nine, and six twelve 

 pounders. 



In a straight line with the fort, and within a few 

 yards of the river, stand the commander's house, the 

 barracks, the chapel, the father confessor's house, and 

 two others, all at little intervals from each other ; and 

 these are the only buildings at Fort St. Joachim. The 

 neighbouring extensive plains afford good pasturage for 

 a fine breed of cattle, and the Portuguese make enough 

 of butter and cheese for their own consumption. 



On asking the old officer if there were such a place 



