2.54 



THE RIVER PARAIBA. 



deep. We afterwards heard that the stream was 

 not fordable at five o'clock of the same after- 

 noon, and that it continued to run with great 

 rapidity for some days. I went round to Espirito 

 Santo and spoke to the capitam-mor, but did not 

 dismount, as I was more and more anxious to 

 end my journey. We slept at a single cottage 

 about two leagues beyond, and on the following 

 morning again set forth. About noon, for I had 

 pushed on without resting until this hour, we 

 were descending a long and steep hill, when a 

 violent shower of rain came on, which soon 

 caused a torrent to run with much noise and 

 velocity through the gullies in the road. The 

 clay of which the hill was composed was ren- 

 dered excessively slippery, and far from pro- 

 ceeding more quickly, the horses became more 

 cautious ; and on these occasions it is needless 

 to attempt to urge them forwards faster than 

 they themselves are willing to go ; they are 

 aware of the danger of a false step, and nothing 

 the rider can do will make an old roadster alter 

 his usual manner of proceeding. At the foot/of 

 tjie hill stood a venda or liquor shop, at which 

 travellers were in the habit of putting up. Most 

 ot" the hamlets contain one of these places, and 

 we had met with them much more frequently 

 since we had entered upon the great cattle road. 

 Wet as we were, through and through, it would 

 have been impossible to go on further this day, 



