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dom refreshed by a breeze, tends to multiply the immense swarms 

 of mosquitos, which constitute one of the plagues of the Torrid 

 Zone. The neighbouring island, on the contrary, being more ele- 

 vated, has the advantage of a freer air, and is therefore less 

 annoyed by these troublesome insects. It has the reputation of pro- 

 ducing the best sugar, rum, and pulse, as well as the finest cattle 

 in all Brazil, and these advantages, joined to its convenient situation, 

 must render a plantation upon it highly valuable. In common with 

 the opposite shore, and the rocks observable in various parts of the 

 straits, it appears to be composed of the same primitive granite I 

 have before described. Near the town of St. Sebastian's, I found 

 some large pieces of basalt, which, when struck, emitted a very clear 

 sound ; I saw also some fragments of lime-stone, but these probably 

 were part of some vessel's ballast, which had been thrown overboard 

 in the bay, and washed ashore. 



Having at length hired a canoe, we embarked for a village 

 about five miles distant, called Bayro, where we arrived safe, and 

 staid all night at the house of a fisherman, who undertook the 

 charge of our navigation until we should arrive at Zapitiva. Bayro 

 is a pretty but poor village, built near the beach, and is chiefly 

 noted as being the place where most of the earthen-ware used at 

 Rio de Janeiro is made. The clay for this purpose appears to be a 

 decomposition of feld-spar. Here is a large convent, well built, 

 and finely situated. 



About nine in the morning, we embarked in our canoe, which 

 was forty feet long, covered with an awning, and rowed by six men. 

 In the afternoon we arrived at Porcos, a fine, bold, conical island, 

 with good anchorage, but no port. Its coasts abound with excellent 

 fish. Here was stationed a guard of soldiers to prevent contraband 

 trade, and to give information respecting it ; the officer, an ensign, 

 made us welcome to all he had, and treated us with great kindness 

 during our short stay. Leaving this plaoe at two in the morning, 

 we rowed through an archipelago of islets, and arrived at Porto 



