Stfi 



78 



I'AKAIBA. 



other wing of the building, and paid a visit to 

 the Ouvidor, a very affable and good-humoured 

 old gentleman. His chaplain, a jolly little friar, 

 and an old acquaintance of Senhor Joaquim, 

 made his appearance, and was afterwards very 

 civil to us during our stay. The prospect from 

 the windows presents Brazil scenery of the best 

 kind ; extensive and evergreen woods, bounded 

 by a range of hills, and watered by several 

 branches of the river, with here and there a 

 white-washed cottage, placed upon their banks, 

 and these, though they were situated on higher 

 spots of land, were still half concealed by the 

 lofty trees. The cultivated specks were so 

 small, as to be scarcely perceptible. 



The lower town consists of^mall houses, and 

 is situated upon the borders of a spacious basin 

 or lake, formed by the junction of three rivers, 

 which from hence discharge their waters into 

 the sea, by one considerable stream. The banks 

 of the basin are covered with mangroves, as in 

 all the salt water rivers of this country ; and 

 they are so close and thick, that there seems to 

 be no outlet. I did not follow the river down 

 to the sea, but I understand that there are in 

 it some fine islands, with good land, quite un- 

 cultivated. * Paraiba was the scene of much 



* A person with whom I was afterwards acquainted, has 

 since cleared one of these islands, and has formed some salt- 

 trorkj upon it. 



