Travels in the Brazils, 109 



better to gain their confidence. Most of these Indians had 

 suffered by the small pox with which they were marked all 

 over in the body^ and which^ Avith the sickness that had fol- 

 lowed^ had so reduced their flesh as to add still more to their 

 disgusting and revolting appearance. 



As the Ouvidor recommended the journey to the Mucuri, we 

 first proceeded to Caravellas and then to the river Alcobaca. 

 The canoe glided smoothly along the Peruipe which winds 

 easterly to the sea, in a large arm of which it falls in con- 

 junction with the Caravellas. Cocoa-palms grow abundantly 

 here and give the land a particularly fine character; the milk 

 of the nut has a bitterish cooling taste, but it becomes flat and 

 insipid when brought to Europe. One tree will produce a 

 hundred fruits, which will fetch about five or six dollars. 

 Some planters have from 300 to 400 of these trees, and render 

 them a profitable object of cultivation. Along the shores, the 

 whole way is covered with Conocarpus and Jricennia, the bark 

 of which is sent to Rio de Janeiro. A tanner at Caravellas 

 employs a number of slaves entirely for the purpose of collect- 

 ing and carrying the bark of these trees, which is called Cas- 

 queiro. There is also another species, the Mangue vermelha, 

 or Conocarpus racemosa, used in tanning, which does not 

 grow so high, and also the egg-shaped leaf Mangue banca, 

 (Ariceneia tomentosa,) the larger bears fruit like a plumb, and 

 grows taller and more slender. 



Our journey towards evening became very pleasant : we 

 sailed from one creek to another, for between Fico^a and Cavellas 

 the number of islands covered with the Mangua-tvee, form a 

 complete labyrinth. In these groves the screams of parrots 

 were heard, they were of the species of the Curica, the Psittacus 

 ochrocephalus of Linneeus, or Amazonicus of Latham. The sin- 

 gular loots of the Afa?2gi-tree attracted our notice, which rise 

 high from the trunk and bend down into the water, where 

 they imbed themselves again in the earth and form a bow in 

 every direction. On the bark of this tree a small sort of 

 oysters and the speckled crab, (Aratu) are found in great 

 quantities. 



A great storm with heavy rain succeeding we were glad to 

 proceed to Caravellas, and took up our residence with the 

 Ouvidor in the house of the Camara. Caravellas is an impor- 

 tant trading town of Tor to Seguro, well built in regular 

 streets with excellent shops, but is unpaved and overgrown 

 with grass; a good church stands close to the Caso da Ca- 

 mara — Caravellas has a good trade in the natural productions 

 of the district, such as Mandiocca- flour, Cotton-wool, &c. 

 About 55,000 Alquieras of flour are sent annually from this 



