CHAPTER XL 



ON THE RIO NEGRO. 



Difficulties of Starting — Descending the Falls — Catching an Alligator 

 — Tame Parrots — A Fortnight in Barra — Frei Joze's Diplomacy — 

 Picklinga Cow-Fish — A River Storm — BraziHan Veracity — Wanawaca 

 — Productiveness of the Country — A Large Snake — Sao Gabriel — 

 Sao Joaquim — Fever and Ague. 



At length, on the ist of September, after another week's delay, 

 having succeeded in procuring two more Indians and a pilot, I left 

 on my long-desired voyage. One Indian I could only persuade 

 to go, by sending four others to assist him for three days in 

 clearing his mandiocca rhossa, without doing which he would 

 not leave. My canoe went fully loaded, as I took a quantity 

 of farinha and miscellaneous goods for Senhor L., and I had 

 some little fear of the passage of the falls, which was not 

 diminished by my pilot's being completely stupefied with his 

 parting libations of caxiri. He was also rather fearful, saying, 

 that the canoe was overloaded, and that he did not know the 

 channel well below Sao Gabriel ; and that from there to Camanau 

 I must get another pilot. 



The rapids, before arriving at Sao Gabriel, are not very 

 dangerous, and much to my satisfaction we arrived there in 

 safety, about four in the afternoon. We there partially un- 

 loaded, to pass the narrow channel at the Fort, which was also 

 accomplished with safety ; though not without danger at one 

 point, where the canoe got out of the proper course, and the 

 waves dashed in rather fearfully. I then succeeded in agreeing 

 with a good pilot to take us down the next morning, and was 

 much relieved by his informing me, that, the river being very 

 full, the falls were not dangerous, and the canoe would pass 

 with perfect safety without more unloading. I therefore will- 



