NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



305 



About nine miles from Tokai, and upwards of twenty from the city, 

 is a spot which is said to have been formerly the entrance of a harbour, 

 but now blocked up. At this passage the waters of the large lake of 

 America, when swollen by rain, occasionally open themselves a vent ; 

 and sometimes, by order of government, a communication is formed 

 with the sea, for the sake of its fisheries. I once arrived at the bar, as 

 it is called, near the time of low water, and when the tide was running 

 out with great fury. A canoa was waiting to assist passengers in cross- 

 ing, but its master refused to go over with us and our horses until the 

 tide had turned. This gave us an opportunity of watching the current ; 

 it was then about seventy yards wide, and had cut down the bank of 

 sand to the depth of fifteen feet ; the sides of the channel were almost 

 perpendicular, but every instant cru^mbling away through the force and 

 corrosion of the water at their bottom. 



While delayed in this situation, our attention was attracted by a num- 

 ber of brown half-clad country people, who were fishing on the beach. 

 Their long lines, spun, as is common in Brazil, from the fibres of the Aloe, 

 the thread of which is called Ticoom, appeared in some respects, though not 

 in colour, like our whipcord, and were equally strong. Two smaller cords, 

 above a yard long, were attached to the end, each of which had a hook ; 

 and above them a piece of lead, weighing nearly two pounds, was fixed 

 as a sinker ; the other end of the line was fastened round the naked foot 

 of the fisherman. When about to use it, he begins with coiling his line 

 on the sand, turns it up so as that it may run out easily, twists it above 

 the sinker round the thumb of his right hand, and, having swung it 

 above his head, until the sinker has acquired as much momentum as he 

 can manage, discharges it towards the sea, to an astonishing distance, 

 generally beyond the surf. When a fish seizes the bait, the sinker pins 

 him to the bottom, and prevents him from entangling other lines, as well 

 as from running among the rocks, or into places whence he might not 

 be easily drawn. While we continued with these people they seldom 

 failed, on hauling their lines, to find one. or two prisoners; and we car- 

 ried to our temporary home a plentiful and excellent supper, I have 



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