NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



147 



frittered them into small shreds, which fell to leeward like flakes of snow. 

 In ten minutes the clouds and the weight of the blast had passed over us, 

 the sun shone out clearly, and the wind became steady, though strong. 

 The damage sustained was, our lee-bulwarks and fiddle gone, twenty-six 

 sails destroyed, some of the rigging injured, and a few things washed 

 overboard. 



Such moments try the spirits, and rouse the energies of men. An 

 Albanian burst into tears, and wept bitterly ; yet he was no coward, he 

 was the second man upon the yards, and placed himself in the post of 

 danger. With regret I add, that this poor fellow perished a few months 

 afterwards, together with the vessel. He and some companions had 

 sustained themselves four hours on a floating piece of timber, until 

 day-light, when, despairing of help, he put his hands together, said 

 adieu, plunged downward and rose no more. 



I know not how the mischief of these sudden storms could be avoided, 

 but by a watchful attention to every appearance of change, and timely 

 taking in sail. But this, besides its inconsistency with the spirit of 

 seamanship, and more especially with that which prevails, and ought to 

 be cherished in British sailors, would imply an unreasonable anxiety, 

 and often prove an unnecessary labour. It is better to persevere in the 

 usual course, with due caution, and, in urgent cases, to act as circum- 

 stances may dictate. A few lives and some property may thus be lost ; 

 but a restless timidity would, probably, fail in at least an equal degree, 

 and the common prosperity of enterprizing men and nations would be 

 materially retarded. 



While, at difl'erent times, obliged by calms slowly to navigate the 

 Plata, and more especially when so long confined in the river by the 

 government at Buenos Ayres, a part of our tedious leisure was beguiled 

 by fishing. Hereby we obtained some acquaintance with the inhabitants 

 of the stream, while many welcome additions were made to our dinners. 

 The loss of memoranda, relative to this subject, renders the following 

 notices more imperfect than they might otherwise have been. 



T 2 



