NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



227 



The fire soon drove us from this scene to the beach, where a clean 

 hide spread under a shady tree, served us for a table cloth and a carpet, 

 dn which the Major, myself and companion, sat down together. The 

 presence of the master had unlocked some hidden stores, for two yellow 

 plates and a cup made their appearance. After dinner, the hide became 

 our couch, and we reposed upon it, until the sun was so far declined as 

 to awaken the sympathies of the woods, and revive the spirits of man. 



Horses are trained for the exercises of the field by fastening a dry 

 hide to the back part of the saddle, and allowing it to trail on the ground. 

 As the horse moves, the hide rattles, and the noise alarms him ; he 

 attempts to fly, when it beats against his heels, and he kicks at it 

 violently ; but soon convinced that all his alarm and rage are fruitless, he 

 learns to be patient and quiet. In this state a person mounts and compels 

 him to move forward ; at first gently, afterwards at an increased pace. 

 He begins with trampling upon the hide, but this incommodes him, 

 perhaps almost throws him down backwards ; he then sets down his feet 

 more carefully and safely. The contrivance induces him also to keep an 

 eye turned on the object behind ; while the rider takes him over rough 

 or boggy ground, obliging him at the same time, to look forward and 

 mark where he is going. Thus he forms a habit of quickly discerning 

 danger and avoiding it, from whatever quarter it may come. So much 

 are the Brazilian horses in general, fenced against alarms, that 1 hardly 

 ever met with one of the description which we call skittish. 



The Lagoa dos Patos spreads into a wider expanse above Cangazu ; 

 its Western shore is bold, not rugged, and is cut by several rivers, whose 

 mouths furnish places of resort for yatchs employed in bringing down pro- 

 duce to St. Pedro. The most important of these streams are the Camapuam, 

 round breasts, and the Jacuy, or water of Jacus. — The sources of the former 

 are on the verge of the Province, whence it proceeds with a rapid and dis- 

 turbed current, for a hundred miles ; receiving in its course, as is reported, 

 fourteen streams from the South and fifteen from the North, It falls 

 into the Lake about the middle of its Western side, by five different 

 channels, and on that account is often called the Five Fingers. Light 



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