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same materials but of much more convenient form, and white- 

 washed within. Near some of the houses we observed inclosures 

 for gardens, which, in some degree, enlivened the prospect, and 

 gave an air of comfort to these rude and simple dwellings. 



I remained here five days, during which 1 was occupied in viewing 

 and examining various parts of the works, of which I shall here 

 attempt to give a general description. 



• This rich river, formed by the junction of a number of streams 

 which will be hereafter noted, is as wide as the Thames at Windsor, 

 and in general from three to nine feet deep. The part now in 

 working is a curve or elbow, from which the current is diverted into 

 a canal cut across the tongue of land round which it winds, the 

 river being stopped just below the head of the canal by an embank- 

 ment formed of several thousand bags of sand. This is a work of 

 considerable magnitude, and requires the co-operation of all the 

 negroes to complete it ; for, the river being wide and not very 

 shallow, and also occasionally subject to overflows, they have to 

 make the embankment so strong as to resist the pressure of the 

 water, admitting it to rise four or five feet. 



The deeper parts of the channel of the river are laid dry by 

 means of large caissons or chain-pumps, worked by a water-wheel. 

 The mud is then carried off, and the cascalhao is dug up and re- 

 moved to a convenient place for washing. This labour was, until 

 lately, performed by the negroes, who carried the cascalhao in 

 gamellas on their heads, but Mr. Camara has formed two inclined 

 planes about one hundred yards in length, along which carts are 

 drawn by a large water-wheel, divided into two parts, the ladles or 

 buckets of which are so constructed that the rotatory motion may 

 be altered by changing the current of water from one side to the 

 other; this wheel, by means of a rope made of untanned hides, 

 works two carts, one of which descends empty on one inclined plane, 

 while the other, loaded with cascalhao, is drawn to the top of the 

 other, where it falls into a cradle, empties itself, and descends in its 

 turn. At a work called Canjeca, formerly of great importance, 



