266 



TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON. 



the Government were to make their regulations as annoying 

 and expensive as possible. At Villa Nova I was glad to get 

 some butter and biscuits ; quite a treat, after the scanty luxuries 

 of Barra. Here, too, I met the kind priest. Padre Torquato, 

 who had entertained us so hospitably on our ascent of the 

 river. He received me with great kindness, and regretted I 

 could not stay longer with him ; he gave me a curious animal, 

 which I had heard of but never seen before, a forest-dog, — an 

 animal somewhat resembling a fox, in its bushy tail and great 

 taste for poultry, and apparently very tame and docile. 



The next day we passed Obydos, the strong current of the 

 river, now at its height, carrying us down with great rapidity ; 

 and the succeeding night we had a tremendous storm, which 

 blew and tossed our little vessel about in a very alarming 

 manner. The owner of the canoe, an Indian, was much 

 frightened ; he called upon the Virgin, and promised her several 

 pounds of candles, if she would but save the canoe ; and, open- 

 ing the door of the little cabin where I was sleeping, cried out 

 in a most piteous voice, Oh ! meu amigo, estamos perdidos " 

 (Oh ! my friend, we are all lost). In vain I tried to comfort 

 him with assurances that, as the vessel was new and strong, 

 and not too heavily laden, there was no danger, — although the 

 night was pitch dark, and the wind blew in the most fierce and 

 furious gusts imaginable. We did not know whether we were 

 in the middle of the river or near the side, and the only danger 

 we were exposed to, was of our drifting ashore or running 

 aground. After about an hour, however, the canoe came to a 

 stop, without any shock whatever, and remained perfectly still, 

 although the wind still blew. It was so dark that nothing was 

 to be seen, and it was only by stretching his arm down over 

 the side, that the master ascertained that we had drifted into 

 one of the large compact beds of floating grass which, in many 

 places, line the banks of the Amazon for hundreds of yards 

 from the shore. Here, therefore, we were safely moored, and 

 waited for the morning, sleeping comfortably, with the know- 

 ledge that we were out of all danger. 



The next day, by noon, we reached the mouth of the Tapa- 

 joz, and went in the montaria to Santarem, to make some 

 purchases and visit my friends. I found old Captain Hislop ; 

 but Mr. Bates, whom I most wished to see, had left a week 

 before on an excursion up the Tapajoz. Having laid in a stock 



