26o 



TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON, 



day, and now that the requisition was signed, I had a blank 

 form given me to go and get stamped in another office, in a 

 distant part of the city. Off I had to go, — get the stamp, 

 which took two clerks to sign, and paid my eight vintems for 

 it j armed with this, I returned to the police-office, and now, 

 to my surprise, the passport was actually made out and given 

 me ; and on paying another twelve vintems (sixpence), I was 

 at liberty to leave Barra whenever I could ; for as to leaving it 

 whenever I pleased, that was out of the question. 



The city of Barra, the capital of the Province and the 

 residence of the President, was now in a very miserable con- 

 dition. No vessel had arrived from Para for five months, and 

 all supplies were exhausted. Flour had been long since finished, 

 consequently there was no bread ; neither was there biscuit, 

 butter, sugar, cheese, wine, nor vinegar; molasses even, to 

 sweeten our coffee, was very scarce ; and the spirit of the 

 country (caxaga) was so nearly exhausted, that it could only be 

 obtained retail, and in the smallest quantities : everybody was 

 reduced to farinha and fish, with beef twice a week, and turtle 

 about as often. This state of destitution was owing to there 

 having been a vessel lost a month before, near Barra, which 

 was coming from Para ; and at this time of the year, when the 

 river is full, and the winds adverse, the passage frequently 

 takes from seventy days to three months,— having to be per- 

 formed almost entirely by warping with a rope sent ahead in 

 a canoe, against the powerful current of the Amazon. It may 

 therefore be well imagined that Barra was not the most agree- 

 able place in the world to reside in, when, joined to the total 

 absence of amusement and society which universally prevails 

 there, the want of the common necessaries of life had also to 

 be endured. 



Several vessels were leaving for Para, but all were so com- 

 pletely filled as not to have room for me or my baggage ; and 

 I had to wait in patience for the arrival of a small canoe from 

 the Solimoes, in which Senhor Henrique guaranteed me a 

 passage to Para. 



Before proceeding with my journey, I will note the few 

 observations that occur to me on the character and customs 

 of the inhabitants of this fine country. I of course speak solely 

 of the province of Para, and it is probable that to the rest of 

 Brazil my remarks may not in the least apply ; so different in 



