Page:A narrative of travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro.djvu/256

 224 TRAVELS ON THE RIO NEGRO. [September;

a fine wind, which took us across the great bays above Barra ; and about four in the afternoon we landed on a sandy beach, near which were a couple of cottages. Here Mr. S. found some handsome new flowering shrubs and trees, and I obtained five specimens of a small fish, a pacu new to me, so we both had work till supper-time ; after which meal we hung our redes under the bushes as we best could, and passed an agreeable night. The next morning we bade each other farewell ; Mr. S. returning to Barra, and I pursuing my voyage up the river. On arriving at a sitio, where I had on the way down left my montaria in order that it might not be stolen in Barra, I found my precaution had been of no avail, as it had been stolen a few days before by an Indian of the Rio Branco. He had had his own canoe taken from him near that place, by a man going to the Solimoes, who tried to compel the owner to go also, and so, in self-defence, the Indian took mine to pursue his journey. I had no remedy, so we went on, trusting to buy a montaria somewhere shortly. We had several strong " trovoados," which were rather dangerous, owing to my canoe being very much loaded. One came on with great violence from the other side of the river, raising tremendous waves, which would have driven us on shore and broken our boat all to pieces, had there not luckily been some bushes in the water, to which we fastened prow and poop, and remained tossing and rolling about more than an hour, baling out the water as fast as it came in, and in constant fear of shipping a sea that would send us to the bottom.

The same evening I overtook Frei Joze', who was on a pastoral and trading visit to Pedreiro. We stayed at the same place to sleep, and I went to converse a little with him in his canoe, which was large and commodious. Our conversation turning on the prevalence of the small-pox in Para, he related an anecdote of his own diplomatic powers with respect to that dreadful disease, on which he appeared to pride himself con- siderably.

" When I was in Bolivia," said he, " there were several nations of very warlike Indians, who plundered and murdered travellers on the way to St a . Cruz. The President sent the soldiers after them, and spent much money in powder and ball, but with very little effect. The small-pox was in the city at the time, and the clothes of all who died of it were ordered to be burnt,