UNF011TUNA.TE INDIAN SLAVES. 
285 
tlie Rio Brauco and iutreuclied themselves in the neighliourhuod of the 
ruruine. Its Avails are Iniilt of a red tiue-grained saudstoue, probably of 
the ''Old red" which is found in the neighbourhood. The fourteen 
embrasures were supplied with eight nine-pounders. The gun-carriages 
were nearly rotten in general, the majority of the guns on the bare 
ground, and peaceful pasture sprouting at their sides. The eastern face 
' i; the fort formed a bo]ub-])roof casenuite whicli the commandant 
occupied : under it were the sleexnng-quarters of the soldiers. Sixty men 
of the Provincial Militia in white cotton ];)antaloons and jackets with 
black facings, a few sei-geants of the active services and Major Coelho 
formed the garrison. The old condemned English muskets, dating from 
the reign of one of the Georges, might Avell hiixe been handled by the 
poAverful Englisli, Scotch, and Irislimen, but not by those Aveakly 
striplings of Mars, who streaming Avith ])ers])iratiou, Avere worrying 
themselves to do the honours Avith these l)lunderi)usscs. 
531. From the number of vessels" in the neighbourhood of the 
Fort, out of Avhich regular mountains of building material had been 
discharged, it really seemed as if it had been determined to put the 
fortress in a better state of defence to command respect, than that in 
Avhich it at present stood, because even the English Avere no longer to be 
trusted by tlie political party Avhich had hitherto been considered the 
most stable- In spite of the experiences which ^fajoi- Coelho had learnt 
from the fate of Captain Leal, the little nmn A\'as nevertheless full of 
friendship and courtesy. He informed us that he Avas daily expecting 
still more engineer officers to dii'ect operations, and shoAved us the model 
of a new gun-carriage iuATuted by himselP, but Avhicli a])peared, both to 
Mr. Fryer and myself, just as unsuitable as the half-rotten ones that 
were still lieing used. 
532. The discharge of the materials and theii- transport to the Fort 
Avas numaged )»y Indians Avhose language neither the Macusis nor 
Arekunas understood. Tliey Itelonged to various tiiltes on the Rio 
Negro. There Avas sometliing deeply affecting, infinitely disquieting, 
in the mute gestures A\itli AA-hich these poor unfortunates contemplated 
and Avelcomed our free com^ianions, who in return cast a glance of pity 
u]»on these victims of some slave raid, and then one of rage and anger 
upon their drivers. 
533. In a straight line Avith the Fort, along the Itanks, stood the real 
dwelling of the commandant, and of the Friar, the church, and the small 
huts of the vaqueiros. An innumerable host of carrion croAVs had 
settled on a giant Bomhax (jlohosum and seemed to be aAvaiting their 
tieeastomed meal. 
534. The farms of Sao Jose, Sao Bento, and Sao Marco, formerly 
the estates of the Antonio Amorini and Evora already mentioned 
(Vol. I. Sect. 861), now the pi'operty of the GoA^ernment, lie in tlie 
environs of the mouth of the Takutu. Captain Leal received a quarter 
of the profits. The number of cattle that A\'ere every evening driven into 
* — ^The Igariti' of the lirazili;uis is a laiyc j)cculiar boat, only built for thu navigation 
of the Kio Eranco and Rio Nugfo. It lui« a short mast with a sail, and no keel : buw audsteni 
are stumped. 
