76 



TRA VELS ON THE AMAZON. [March, 1849. 



became quiet. One after another were put on board in this 

 manner, each offering something interesting, arising from the 

 fury of the animal or the great skill and coolness of the 

 vaqueiros. Once or twice the lasso, which is made of twisted 

 hide, was thrown short of the canoe, and I then admired the 

 rapidity with which an Indian plunged head foremost after it, 

 not stopping even to take the cap from his head ; he then gave 

 the rope to those on board, and mounting on the back of the 

 swimming ox, rode in triumph to the canoe. 



We did not get them all on board without an accident. The 

 principal herdsman, a strong and active Mulatto, was in the 

 corral, driving the cattle to one end of it, Vv^hen a furious ox 

 rushed at him, and with the rapidity of lightning he was 

 stretched, apparently dead, upon the ground. The other men 

 immediately carried him out, and Mr. and Mrs. C. went on 

 shore to attend to him. In about half an hour he revived a 

 little. He appeared to have been struck in the chest by the 

 animaPs head, the horns not having injured him. In a very 

 short time he was in the corral again, as if nothing had hap- 

 pened, and when all were embarked he came on board and 

 made a hearty dinner, his appetite not having suffered by the 

 accident. 



We then proceeded on our voyage, and as soon as we got 

 into the Amazon I again experienced the uncomfortable sensa- 

 tion of sea-sickness, though in fresh-water. The next night we 

 had a very strong wind, which split our mainsail all to pieces. 

 The following day we landed at a little island called Ilha das 

 Frechas (the Isle of Arrows), on account of the quantity of a 

 peculiar kind of reed, used by the Indians for making their 

 arrows, which grows there. We stayed nearly the whole day, 

 dining under the shade of the trees, and roaming about, picking 

 a wild fruit, like a small plum, which grew there in abundance ; 

 there were also many curious fruits and handsome flowers 

 which attracted our attention. Some years ago the island is 

 said to have swarmed with wild hogs, but they are now nearly 

 exterminated. The next day we passed the eastern point of 

 the island of Marajo, where there is a sudden change from the 

 waters of the Amazon to those of the Para river, the former 

 being yellow and fresh, the latter green and salt ; they mix but 

 little at the junction, so that we passed in a moment from one 

 kind of water to the other. In two days more we reached Par^.. 



