244 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



vada, and at the back of our old house at Botafogo ; but 

 I never had time even to think of catching any.* 



When I was in the market, I noticed the pretty French 

 lady (widow) with her little girl, who had come on our 

 steamer from Chili. We had often remarked that this fair 

 one appeared to have captivated by her charms a fellow- 

 passenger, likewise French ; at any rate, there they were 

 together, he busily engaged buying what she asked for. 

 They eventually came on board with half a dozen monkeys 

 and over a dozen birds. 



We weighed anchor at 6.45 p.m., the La France, 

 which arrived a couple of hours after us, having left at six. 

 I found on inquiry that we had shipped a tolerable cargo 

 of sugar, fibre (for mats, etc.), tobacco, and whale oil, which 

 was stowed away by a number of fine stalwart niggers, 

 mostly bared to the waist. 



August I. — I thought the end was come, being awoke 

 by a few quarts of water dashed into my face ; but it was 

 only a little spray, which, concentrated by the ventilator, 

 had come in through the port. The cabin was well wetted. 



August 2. — After a roughish and rainy night we reached 

 Recife, or Pernambuco, at 6.30, and anchored a mile outside 

 the natural harbour, which is formed by a reef extend- 

 ing from the mouth of the river along the whole length of 

 the town. There is a lighthouse on the end of the reef- 

 while a breakwater built from the shore leaves a small 

 opening for vessels to enter into the calm harbour. The 

 rough sea prevented my landing, so I could not form an 

 opinion of the town ; but many good buildings and churches 

 are to be seen on the flat coast, and the north-east shore 



* The monkeys survived through the winter, but their lower limbs gradually 

 became paralyzed, and one died the beginning of June, 1885, the other expiring 

 on Midsummer Day. 



