AND JOURNEY TO THE RIO DOCE. 



181 



the distance of sixty paces, fell flattened to the ground, without pe- 

 netrating, and that these coats are therefore a suflicient defence 

 against arrows. 



At Capitania and other places they make this kind of coats of silk ; 

 these are indeed much lighter, but far more expensive. In the last 

 action near Linhares, an uncommonly strong Botocudo discharged an 

 arrow with extraordinary force, and at a short distance, at one of the 

 soldiers. It penetrated the coat, and wounded the wearer but slightly 

 in the side; yet even an arrow that is repelled always gives a violent 

 shock. 



A road has latterly been made from the fazenda of Bomjardim to 

 the Quartel do Riacho ; this road passes by a lagoa, called Lagoa 

 dos Ind'ios^. At that place there is a second station called Quartel 

 d'Aguiar. Some Indian families reside there, and eight Indian 

 soldiers do the duty. The civilised Indians behave well as soldiers 

 against their savage })rethren. The latter therefore bear a violent 

 hatred against them, and are said to aim at them first, because they 

 consider them as traitors to their country. Some distance beyond 

 Linhares, in the woods, is the second station of Linhares (the village 

 itself being considered as the first station), with twenty-three soldiers : 

 on the south side of the Rio Doce two stations have been established 

 higher up the river beyond Bomjardim. The station of Anadya con- 

 sists of twelve soldiers; and that of Porto de Souza, which is the most 

 advanced, has twenty men. At Linhares there are eight of the coats 

 described above, at Porto de Souza four, and at Anadya one : the 

 men who wear them are always obliged to make the first attack in 

 case of an action. 



The commanding officer at Linhares has a very troublesome duty. 



* After I had been at Linhares three soldiers were murdered on this road by the Boto- 

 cudos, in April 181G ; a particular account of which event will be given in the sequel. 



