Page:A narrative of travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro.djvu/298

 266 TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON. [June,

the Government were to make their regulations as annoying and expensive as possible. At Villa Nova I was glad to get some butter and biscuits ; quite a treat, after the scanty luxuries of Barra. Here, too, I met the kind priest, Padre Torquato, who had entertained us so hospitably on our ascent of the river. He received me with great kindness, and regretted I could not stay longer with him ; he gave me a curious animal, which I had heard of but never seen before, a forest-dog, — an animal somewhat resembling a fox, in its bushy tail and great taste for poultry, and apparently very tame and docile.

The next day we passed Obydos, the strong current of the river, now at its height, carrying us down with great rapidity ; and the succeeding night we had a tremendous storm, which blew and tossed our little vessel about in a very alarming manner. The owner of the canoe, an Indian, was much frightened ; he called upon the Virgin, and promised her several pounds of candles, if she would but save the canoe ; and, open- ing the door of the little cabin where I was sleeping, cried out in a most piteous voice, " Oh ! meu amigo, estamos perdidos " (Oh ! my friend, we are all lost). In vain I tried to comfort him with assurances that, as the vessel was new and strong, and not too heavily laden, there was no danger, — although the night was pitch dark, and the wind blew in the most fierce and furious gusts imaginable. We did not know whether we were in the middle of the river or near the side, and the only danger we were exposed to, was of our drifting ashore or running aground. After about an hour, however, the canoe came to a stop, without any shock whatever, and remained perfectly still, although the wind still blew. It was so dark that nothing was to be seen, and it was only by stretching his arm down over the side, that the master ascertained that we had drifted into one of the large compact beds of floating grass which, in many places, line the banks of the Amazon for hundreds of yards from the shore. Here, therefore, we were safely moored, and waited for the morning, sleeping comfortably, with the know- ledge that we were out of all danger.

The next day, by noon, we reached the mouth of the Tapa- joz, and went in the montaria to Santarem, to make some purchases and visit my friends. I found old Captain Hislop ; but Mr. Bates, whom I most wished to see, had left a week before on an excursion up the Tapajoz. Having laid in a stock