TO VILLA DE ST. SALVADOR. 



97 



the mertensia dicliotoma. In general, however, among all classes of 

 people in Brazil, taking snufF is preferred to smoking ; for the poorest 

 slave has his snuff-box, generally of tin or horn, and frequently 

 nothing more than a piece of a cow's horn with a cork to it. 



The day had scarcely dawned upon the crowded huts, when the 

 fishermen with great fervour repeated their morning prayers, and 

 then bathed their children in lukewarm water, a practice usual 

 among the Portuguese, which the little ones appeared impatiently to 

 anticipate. After this, mats were spread out before the huts, boiled 

 fish was produced, and we all sat doM u on the ground to breakfast. 

 As soon as we had refreshed ourselves, the fishermen prepared their 

 boat to conduct our mules swimming, over the Barganza, which, near 

 the huts, is bordered with large banks of reeds. Thousands of aquatic 

 birds, especially herons, cormorants, water-hens, divers, and others, 

 build their nests here ; and sometimes also the beautiful rose-co- 

 loured spoonbill is met with. Among the fishermen who conveyed 

 our party over, we particularly noticed an old man with a long 

 beard, and a sabre at his side. A younger man mounted a little 

 horse, and promised to shew us the way through the flooded mea- 

 dows. His dress was original: he wore a cloth cap, a short coat, 

 and breeches reaching only to his knees, and spurs on his naked feet. 

 He was extremely good-natured and obliging, for he always rode 

 before in the meadows, which were partly overflowed to a considera- 

 ble depth, and not without danger, sought out the best track, which, 

 nevertheless, was so fatiguing to our mules, that w^e had every reason 

 to fear that part of our baggage would be thrown into the water. We, 

 however, rode through these inundated meadows, amidst heavy rain, 

 without accident. 



We had crossed the last piece of water in the canoe, near the insu- 

 lated church of St. Amaro, and our train now proceeded over im- 

 mense verdant plains. The whole of this flat country belongs to the 



o 



