no 



THE TOCANTINS 



This is called the tombadilha or quarter-deck, and when 

 the canoe is heavily laden it goes under water as the 

 vessel heels over to the wind. There are two masts, 

 rigged with fore and aft sails. The foremast has often 

 besides a main and top sail. The fore part is planked 

 over at the top, and on this raised deck the crew work 

 the vessel, pulling it along when there is no wind, by 

 means of the long oars already described. 



As I have just said, my luggage was embarked in the 

 morning. I was informed that we should start with the 

 ebb-tide in the afternoon, so I thought I should have 

 time to pay my respects to Dr. Angelo and other friends, 

 whose extreme courtesy and goodness had made my 

 residence at Cameta so agreeable. After dinner the 

 guests, according to custom at the house of the Correias, 

 walked into the cool verandah which overlooks the river, 

 and there we saw the Santa Rosa, a mere speck in the 

 of&ng miles away, tacking down river with a fine breeze. 

 I was now in a fix, for it would be useless attempting to 

 overtake the cuberta, and besides the sea ran too high 

 for any montaria. I was then told, that I ought to have 

 been aboard hours before the time fixed for starting, 

 because when a breeze springs up, vessels start before 

 the tide turns ; the last hour of the flood not being very 

 strong. All my precious collections, my clothes, and 

 other necessaries, were on board, and it was indispensable 

 that I should be at Para when the things were disem- 

 barked. I tried to hire a montaria and men, but was 

 told that it would be madness to cross the river in a small 

 boat with this breeze. On going to Senhor Laroque. 

 another of my Cameta friends, I was relieved of my 

 embarrassment ; I found there an English gentleman, 

 Mr. Patchett of Pernambuco, who was visiting Para 

 and its neighbourhood on his way to England, and who, 

 as he was going back to Para in a small boat with four 

 paddles, which would start at midnight, kindly offered 

 me a passage. The evening from seven to ten o'clock 

 was very stormy. About seven, the night became in- 

 tensely dark, and a terrific squall of wind burst forth, 

 which made the loose tiles fly over the house tops ; to 

 this succeeded lightning and stupendous claps of thunder, 

 both nearly simultaneous. We had had several of these 

 short and sharp storms during the past month. At 

 midnight when we embarked, all was as calm as though 



