nSKSHH 



2G 



CAPlBAlilBE* 



left the town, and J was truly pleased with these 

 first looks of the country of which I had become 

 an inhabitant. We again left the river, con- 

 tinuing along the road, still bordered by cot- 

 tages of a better or v/orse appearance, until we 

 reached a small village ; through this we passed, 

 and soon afterwards arrived at the end of our 

 ride. The situation is very picturesque, upon 

 the northern bank of the Capibaribe, and at the 

 foot of a steep hill clothed with wood. On our 

 arrival at the house, we entered immediately 

 from the road into a hall with a brick floor, of 

 which the doors and windows are very large, so 

 as to leave the front very nearly open. We were 

 received by the lady of the house, and her hus- 

 band soon appeared ; they were exceedingly 

 civil, and ordered sweatmeats to be brought 

 out. 



Our English flat saddles created as much sur- 

 prise to the people of Pernambuco, as those oi 

 the Portuguese appeared strange to us. They 

 are high before and behind, which obliges the 

 rider to sit very upright, and the fashion is to 

 be as stiff as possible, and to hold quite perpen- 

 dicularly a switch of most enormous length. 

 The horses are taught a delightful amble, upon 

 which some of them can be made to proceed 

 with great speed. 



The river Capibaribe is navigable during the 

 whole year as far as Apepucos, half a league 



