331 



CAME T A. 



side of the island has several sand-flats, that are barely covered at low 

 water. They seem entirely detached from the land and have deep water 

 close around them. 



Our pilot must have steered by instinct, or the direction of the wind; 

 for most of the time he could see no land, so thick and heavy was the 

 rain. He grinned with delight when we ran under the lee of the 

 island, and I nodded my head approvingly to him, and said, hem feito 

 piloto, (well done pilot.) 



We breakfasted on the island, and ran with the flood-tide to its south- 

 ern extremity; where, turning to the north, we had the flood against us, 

 and were compelled to stop. 



The Bay of Limoeiro is about ten miles wide; runs north and south, 

 and has the Tocantins pouring in at its southern extremity. Thirty-nine 

 miles from the mouth of that river is situated the flourishing town of 

 Cameta, containing, by the official statement for 1848, thirteen thousand 

 seven hundred and forty-two free, and four thousand and thirty-eight 

 slave inhabitants. I suppose in this case, as in others, the inhabitants 

 of the country houses for miles around are included in the estimate. 



Baena, in speaking of the condition of this town in 1833, says : 



" The city and its ' termo' (a territorial division of a Comarca, which 

 is agajn a territorial division of a province) has a population of eight 

 thousand and sixty-eight whites, and one thousand three hundred and 

 eighty-two slaves. The major part are to be found in the town on holy- 

 week, or any of the great festivals; but for the most time, they live dis- 

 persed among the adjacent islands, on their cocoa plantations and farms. 



" They cultivate mandioc, cocoa, cotton, rice, tobacco, urucu, and 

 sugar-cane. They make much oil from the andiroba nut, which they 

 collect on the islands, and also lime from fossil shells. 



" The women paint gourds and make ewers and basins of white clay, 1 

 which they paint very beautifully. They also make figures of turtle 

 doves and crocodiles from the same clay. 



" The inhabitants enjoy a fine climate, charming views, the clear and 

 good water of the river, abundance of fish, and every kind of game, 

 which is found on the margin of the river and on the islands — such is 

 the fertility which nature spontaneously offers; and much more would 

 they enjoy had they a better s)^stem of cultivation on those lands, all 

 admirably fitted for every kind of labor. 



" There are those who say that the water of the Tocantins has a cer- 

 tain subtle, petrifying quality, which causes attacks of gravel to those 

 who use it." 



According to M. Castelnau, who descended this river from near the 



