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TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 2^9 



deprived us of the hope of passing the night on 

 shore. We therefore adopted the advice of our 

 friendly and cheerful host, to accommodate our- ^ 

 selves as comfortably as we could on the hard 

 benches in the cabin. He, jokingly, wished us 

 success in the result of a fatiguing campaign, which 

 we were now going to undertake in the new coun- 

 try : the uninterrupted good humour of this expe- 

 rienced traveller afforded us, however, a favourable 

 opportunity of learning what was the best antidote i 

 against the disagreeable adventures which we might 

 still encounter. The night rapidly passed away in 

 laying plans for our operations, during our intend- 

 ed stay at Mandiocca, and in the rapturous praises 

 in which our friend broke out, when he spoke of 

 the peaceful retirement of his country-seat, and of 

 the luxuriance and beauty of the surrounding 

 scenery. To the great sorrow of the lazy negroes 

 we remained awake the whole night, and encou- ' 

 raged them to row, as this was the only means by . 

 which we could make any progress, and even then 

 but slowly. The night was damp and gloomy ; 

 we were several times incommoded by numerous 

 swarms of small musquittoes, which, however, soon 

 successively passed over. The morning began to 

 dawn, and we at length drew near to a very low • 

 swampy tract of land, covered with mangle, avi- 

 cennia, conocarpus, and other small strand trees, 

 between which the Inhumerim, an inconsiderable 

 river, flows into the sea. We now left the bay, 



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