328 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



turned on his side, and excited fear that he might not be able to teach 

 the bank. This was attributed partly to the roundness of his body ; but 

 I am persuaded was more owing to his want of shoes, which act as 

 ballast, and afford much assistance to a horse in maintainkig his equipoise. 

 Where horses have to swim for a considerable distance, or amidst peculiar 

 difficulties, a practice which I adopted with a favourite animal appears 

 to me worthy to be recommended. While sitting in the boat, I used to 

 assist him in keeping up his head, by placing his chin in the palm of my 

 hand. In this way, the mouth, naturally ill adapted to the exclusion 

 of the water, was kept shut, and he was enabled to breath through the 

 sides of his lips as well as his nostrils. My horse came in process of time 

 regularly to expect this sort of aid, and manifestly felt confident when it 

 was afforded him. 



The rough ground Northward of St. Joan, skirted on the left by 

 lofty and singularly broken mountains, and on the right by the sea, 

 extends to the river Macahe. The entrance of this river is difficult, and 

 fit only for vessels of the smallest sort ; nevertheless it is said, that, through 

 a very winding channel, it is navigable for thirty miles. On doubling 

 one of the inner sandy points which stretch almost across it, a small village 

 presents itself to advantage, and near it a considerable expanse of water, 

 on which appear a few Saveiros, proper for conveying the produce of the 

 country down the stream, and for short fishing excursions. The neigh- 

 bourhood seems to be thinly peopled, and the inhabitants to be low in 

 the scale of civilization. Off the mouth of this river lie the three 

 islands which give name to the surrounding portion of the ocean. They 

 are of an attractive appearance, and when the wind blows hard from the 

 East, afford shelter to vessels of any burden, either between them or in 

 a small bay on the West of the outermost island in that direction. Under 

 the impression that it is always proper, not only to point out where refuge 

 may be found in danger, but also the best mode of turning it to account, 

 I add, that in making this bay, the island appears like two round knolls 

 joined together by a saddle-shaped ridge, and that the safest anchorage 

 is opposite to the lowest part. In coming into it round the 



