































86 THE CRUISE OF THE ABROLHOS. 
coast scarcely elevated above the water, and a beach waibiill 
by a sea as quiet as an inland lake. The water here ioiii 
shore is very shallow, owing to the very gentle slope of the 
bottom, and not only for that reason is it quiet, but because 
very extensive reefs, lying between the main-land and the 
islands of the Abrolhos, break the force of the waves, md 
protect the coast. iE 
I hired at Caravellas, for the exploration of the Abrolhos — 
region, a little launch, the Abrolhos, and three men, the | 
captain being a Dane, who for many years had followed the 
life of a fisherman among the Abrolhos reefs, and, as it wil 
hereafter be seen, konmsi them perfectly. $ 
It was a glorious morning early in last September, the | 
month that closes the Biadiiian winter, that we embarked. 
Up went the long, narrow, triangular sails to the § 
masts, Jaco blew from his big horn a few cornet-like notes, 
that went breaking with strange echoes through the cocoi- 
palm groves on the river bank below the town, and we 
dropped down stream. Next day, for we had been delayed — 
at the mouth of the river, we were beating by dawnlight ott 
of the entrance. After sticking fast on a sand-bank or two: 
we soon stood off towards the islands. Near the shore ™ 
water was very turbid and reddish; but leaving the land 5 
soon became clearer, and the yellowish tint gave way ' 
green. The sounding-line showed a depth of about six 
metres, with a white sandy bottom, which gave to the 
a whitish appearance. There was not a cloud in the sky; 
and the low sun looked warmly down on the waves ripp 
under the last breath of the dying land-breeze. 2 
About seven miles from the land I observed that 
water ahead was spotted by dark brownish patches of ¢ 
irregular in outline, and resembling the shadows cast ? 
little clouds. Occasionally one might mark the break? 
of a wave over one of these patches. “These are thel 
peirões,” * said Jacó. This is the name given in B 

* Pronounced Shipayrdéngs. The singular is “ Chapeirão,” pronounced ghăpat 

