3 o8 MY LIFE 



potatoes, and some salt cod, which were a great improvement, 

 but did not last long. We have also occasionally caught some 

 dolphin and a few fish resembling the acarras of the Rio 

 Negro; but for some time now we have seen none, so that I 

 am looking forward to the " flesh-pots of Egypt " with as 

 much pleasure as when we were luxuriating daily on farina 

 and " fiel amigo." x While we were in the boats we had gener- 

 ally fine weather, though with a few days and nights squally 

 and with a heavy sea, which made me often tremble for our 

 safety, as we heeled over till the water poured in over the 

 boat's side. We had almost despaired of seeing any vessel, 

 our circle of vision being so limited ; but we had great hopes 

 of reaching Bermuda, though it is doubtful if we should have 

 done so, the neighbourhood of those islands being noted for 

 sudden squalls and hurricanes, and it was the time of the 

 year when the hurricanes most frequently occur. Having 

 never seen a great gale or storm at sea, I had some desire to 

 witness the phenomenon, and have now been completely grati- 

 fied. The first we had about a fortnight ago. In the morning 

 there was a strong breeze and the barometer had fallen nearly 

 half an inch during the night and continued sinking, so the 

 captain commenced taking in sail, and while getting in the 

 royals and studding-sails, the wind increased so as to split the 

 mainsail, fore-topsail, fore-trysail, and jib, and it was some 

 hours before they could be got off her, and the main-topsail 

 and fore-sail double reefed. We then went flying along, the 

 whole ocean a mass of boiling foam, the crests of the waves 

 being carried in spray over our decks. The sea did not get 

 up immediately, but by night it was very rough, the ship 

 plunging and rolling most fearfully, the sea pouring in a 

 deluge over the top of her bulwarks, and sometimes up over 

 the cabin skylight. The next morning the wind abated, but 

 the ship, which is a very old one, took in a deal of water, and 

 the pumps were kept going nearly the whole day to keep her 

 dry. During this gale the wind went completely round the 



1 This was the name given by our kind host, Seiior Henrique, at 

 Barra, to dried pirarucii, meaning " faithful friend," always at hand 

 when other food failed. 



