TO CARAVELLAS, &C. 



had quenched their thirst the preceding day at noon ; and half a day 

 was lost before they could be brought back : luckily the saddle-mules 

 had not gone so far ; we therefore recovered them sooner, and rode 

 on before. 



In the evening we reached the harra of the St. Matthew, a moderate 

 river, with pleasant banks, clothed with mangrove bushes, and far- 

 ther up with forests. A couple of small vessels lay at anchor on the 

 south bank ; on the north side is the little village called Barra de St. 

 Mattheeus, which consists of twenty-five houses. The river descends 

 from the ancient forests, which are full of free tribes of savages, forms 

 several small cataracts, and is navigable for sumacas about nine 

 leagues up. Its banks are the most productive part of the district, as 

 the ants are said to do but little mischief here ; in the forests there 

 is abundance of jacaranda, vinhatico, putmmiju, cergeira, and other 

 useful kinds of wood. It receives several smaller rivers, among which 

 the Rio de Santa Anna, the Rio Preto, or Mariricu, and the St. Do- 

 mingos, are the most considerable. It was now high, as it was flood- 

 tide, and nobody therefore would pay attention to our calling and 

 firing, to fetch us over with a canoe. We wandered about a long 

 time among the bushes and deep sand, and had almost resigned our- 

 selves to the disagreeable necessity of passing the night where we 

 were, without fire or provisions, when a boat, rowed by two negro 

 slaves, came over and took us in. Our train did not arrive till late 

 in the night ; but they were better provided for this bivouac, as they 

 had with them food, fire, and blankets, and there was a fine spring 

 near the sea-coast to quench their thirst. 



In the little village of Barra de St. Matthaeus, we put up at a venda, 

 the owner of which was called Cap/fam Regejite. Our papers, and 

 the recommendations of the minister, obtained us every where a very 

 good reception. The barra of the river St. Matthew lies, according 

 to Arrowsmith, in 18" 15'; according to others, in 18° 50'; and even 



2 c 



