Page:A narrative of travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro.djvu/103

 father, which, as he certainly resembled him, might have been the case. He generally had a large chain round his body and leg as a punishment, and to prevent his running away ;  he wore it concealed under his trousers, and it clanked very  disagreeably at every step he took. Of course this was taken off when he was delivered over to me, and he promised to be  very faithful and industrious if I took him with me. I also agreed with a lame Spaniard to go as pilot, because he said he  knew the river, and some little experience is required at the  time of the Piroróco. He begged for a few milreis beforehand to purchase some clothes ; and when I wanted him to assist  me in loading the canoe he was feasting on biscuit and cheese,  with oil, vinegar, and garlic, washing it down so plentifully  with caxaça that he was quite intoxicated, so I was obliged to  wait till the next day, when, having spent all his money and  got a little sober, he was very quiet and submissive.

At length, all being ready, we started, rowing along quietly with the flood-tide, as there was no wind, and at night, when  the tide turned, anchoring a few miles up the Guamá. This is a fine stream, about half a mile wide in the lower part. A short distance up, the banks are rather undulating, with many  pretty sitios. During ebb-tide we managed generally to anchor near some house or cottage, where we could get on shore and  make a fire under a tree to cook our dinner or supper. Luiz would then take his gun and I my insect-net, and start off into  the forest to make the most of our time till the tide turned  again, when we would continue our voyage, and I generally had  occupation skinning birds or setting out insects till the evening. About, thirty miles above Pará the Piroróco commences. There was formerly an island in the river at this point, but it is said to have been completely washed away by the continual  action of the bore, which, after passing this place, we rather  expected to see, now being the time of the highest tides,  though at this season (May) they are not genially high enough  to produce it with any great force. It came, however, with a sudden rush, a wave travelling rapidly up the stream, and  breaking in foam all along the shore and on the shallows. It lifted our canoe just as a great rolling ocean-wave would do,  but, being deep water, did no harm, and was past in an instant,  the tide then continuing to flow up with very great velocity. The highest tide was now past, so at the next we had no wave,