DAILY LIFE ON BOARD 



i8i 



at a distance from the banks and free of mosquitoes, 

 which although swarming in the forest, rarely came many- 

 yards out into the river at this season of the year. The 

 strong current at a distance of thirty or forty yards from 

 the coast steadied the cuberta head to stream, and kept 

 us from drifting ashore. We all slept in the open air, 

 as the heat of the cabins was stifling in the early part of 

 the night. Penna, Senhora Katita, and I slung our 

 hammocks in triangle between the mainmast and two 

 stout poles fixed in the raised deck. A sheet was the only 

 covering required, besides our regular clothing ; for the 

 decrease of temperature at night on the Amazons is never 

 so great as to be felt otherwise than as a delightful cool- 

 ness after the sweltering heat of the afternoons. We used 

 to rise when the first gleam of dawn showed itself above 

 the long, dark line of forest. Our clothes and hammocks 

 were then generally soaked with dew, but this was not 

 felt to be an inconvenience. The Indian Manoel used to 

 revive himself by a plunge in the river, under the bows 

 of the vessel. It is the habit of all Indians, male and 

 female, to bathe early in the morning ; they do it some- 

 times for warmth's sake, the temperature of the water 

 being often considerably higher than that of the air. 

 Penna and I lolled in ®ur hammocks, whilst Katita pre- 

 pared the indispensable cup of strong coffee, which she 

 did with wonderful celerity, smoking meanwhile her early 

 morning pipe of tobacco. Liberal owners of river craft 

 allow a cup of coffee sweetened with molasses, or a ration 

 of casha9a, to each man of their crews ; Penna gave them 

 coffee. When all were served, the day's work began. 

 There was seldom any wind at this early hour ; so if 

 there was a remanso along the shore the men rowed, if 

 not there was no way of progressing but by espia. In 

 some places the currents ran with great force close to 

 the banks, especially where these receded to form long 

 bays or enseadas, as they are called, and then we made 

 very little headway. In such places the banks consist 

 of loose earth, a rich crumbly vegetable mould, supporting 

 a growth of most luxuriant forest, of which the currents 

 almost daily carry away large portions, so that the stream 

 for several yards out is encumbered with fallen trees, 

 whose branches quiver in the current. When projecting 

 points of land were encountered, it was impossible, with 

 our weak crew, to pull the cuberta against the whirling 



