178 



STAY AT CAPITANIA, 



of cocoas, especially the elegant palmitto, (in other parts called 

 jissara,) with its tall slender stem, and the small bright green, beau- 

 tiful feathery crown, adorn these dark forests, from the recesses of 

 which the calls of unknown birds strike the car. Below, close to the 

 water, were some splendid flowers, still new to us, among which were 

 a convolvulus (or a plant of that genus) with a remarkably large white 

 flower, and a plant resembling a bean, of the class cliadelphia, with a 

 large deep yellow flower, which twined about the bushes in thick close 

 wreaths. Ajacare, quietly basking in the sun, fled at the sound of 

 our oars. W e soon came to several islands, upon which the people 

 of Linhares had made plantations ; for it is only on these islands that 

 they are quite safe from the savages, who have no canoes, and there- 

 fore cannot cross, except where the breadth and depth of the river 

 are inconsiderable. The officer, called Guarda Mor, resides in the 

 Ilha do Boi (Ox Island) and the priest of Linhares on the Ilha do 

 Bom Jesus. Towards noon we came in sight of Linhares, and landed 

 on the north bank, after having with great exertion made our way 

 against the rapid current, in doing which we broke two of our poles. 



When we reached Linhares, we proceeded to the house of En- 

 sign Cardoso da Rosa, who commanded this post on the Rio Doce : 

 he happened to be just then absent in the part of the settlement on 

 the other side of the river, at the fazenda of Bomjardim, whither we 

 were also invited soon after our arrival. We crossed the broad rapid 

 stream very quickly in a light canoe, which was admirably managed 

 by two negroes of the fazenda, and met with a very friendly and 

 hearty reception in the house of Lieutenant Joao Felippe Calmon, 

 where a cheerful company was assembled. Here we also found the 

 ensign, whom we made acquainted with our views and the object of 

 our journey. We inspected the fazejido, the owner of which has es- 

 tablished the first sugar-works on the Rio Doce. His plantations of 

 sugar-cane, rice, maize, &c. were in a most thriving state ; the man- 



