NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



will serve to illustrate the principal appearances in the tides of this 

 singular bay. It sets in with violence through the gorge of the Sugar 

 Loaf ; the main branch of its stream, proceeding up the Eastern side of 

 the bay, passes between Paqueta and Governador, and butts upon the 

 coast to the East of Nossa Senhora da Guia. Hence the bottom there is 

 without mud, and in that part of the shore there is no swampy land ; all is 

 clean and rocky ; the wreck brought down by the rivers, and what is 

 urged on by the current, being thrown into different quarters, to the 

 right and the left. A smaller branch of the current strikes off, near its 

 commencement, and passing between the Square Island and the Fort 

 of St. Joan, proceeds to the bay of Bota Foga. Another divides from 

 the main stream near the Ilha das Cobras, passes by the Magazine and 

 the Ilha dos Frades, and becomes a strong current at the West end of 

 Governador. This marine river, through its whole extent, maintains a 

 deep channel, but casts up to the West a great quantity of sand, 

 producing the shoal water about St. Christophe and Maricana. Having 

 passed the straits of Governador, and being turned from its direct course 

 by the rocks of Irasa, it washes the North-western shore of the island, 

 and in the eddy which it forms with the recoil of the Eastern current has 

 produced the point of Tupiacanga. 



From the entrance of the Rio da Guia we steered for the bluff 

 point of Coroa, ran close to it, soon entered upon shoal water to the 

 Eastward, with a sandy bottom, and with difficulty discovered the 

 channel leading to the Surui, (the quick flowing water). Entering the 

 mouth of that river, which is about sixty yards wide, we found its bed 

 shallow, and sometimes bordered by marshes, though in general the 

 land is bold and lofty, and we were delighted with the variety of views 

 which our course presented. At the port where the larger Saveiros take 

 in their lading, some appearances of violence led us to think ill of the 

 people ; but the impressions made by the country were still singularly 

 agreeable. While dinner was preparing we ascended a gentle eminence, 

 in order to obtain a more complete view of the recess of the mountains 

 into which we had advanced. The prospect was found to be in the best 



