The most striking objects of vegetation which I observed on the banks of the river, were many trees of considerable size, belonging to the natural order Leguminosæ, bearing large spikes of light-purple flowers; abundance of a curious kind of Cactus, reaching to the height of from twenty to thirty feet, the great fleshy and naked arms of which, stand out like the branches of an enormous chandelier. A most striking difference was to be observed between the verdure of that part of the country which, for upwards of four months, had been under water, and the more elevated parts, on which no rain had fallen for nearly six months. The latter had more the appearance of the deciduous woods of Europe in winter, than such as grow within the tropics are generally supposed to present. It was only here and there, that a tree was to be seen covered with leaves, all the others having lost their foliage, owing to the excessive and long continued drought. In sailing up the river, the prospect would have been dreary, had it not been for the broad belt of arboreous vegetation that clothed its margins. The country between Penêdo and Propiá is of a low hilly character, but about two leagues above the former place, a rather high ridge of mountains is seen on the north side, about eight leagues from the river, called Serra de Priáca; and about four leagues further up, a high conical mountain called the Serra de Maraba is seen, rising from the surrounding flat country like a pyramid, in a N.N.W. direction, about six leagues distant. A market, or fair, is held at this village every Saturday, and as the owner of the canoe wished to make some purchases for his return cargo, I was detained here two days. On the morning after our arrival, I walked a little way into the country behind the town, but found the vegetation so completely scorched up, that not a green thing was to be seen. I then directed my steps to the bank of the river, and collected specimens of two species of Cæsalpinia, which were beautifully in flower, as well as a low shrubby species of Croton, which is very common, its wood, when broken, having a fragrant smell not unlike that of a Calycanthus.
The preparations for the fair created some bustle, as during the whole of the previous day, particularly towards evening, canoes continued to arrive from all quarters with articles for sale; and from the inland part of the country numbers of horses came into the village laden with merchandize. As I slept in the canoe, which was moored amidst a number of others, I was awoke early on the morning of the fair, by the noise of a motley multitude of men, women, and children of all colours, from the deep black African, to the scarcely white inhabitants of Brazil. The place where the market is usually held being then under water, the crowd had assembled on an elevated part of the river bank towards the west end of the town, opposite to which all the canoes were made fast alongside each other. As soon as I was dressed, I took a walk through the crowd to observe the kind of goods exposed for sale, and as might be expected I found them extremely various, consisting, principally, of articles of food and dress. Among others of inferior note may be particularized the following as being the most abundant:—Farinha de Mandiocca, dried beef, large fish, mostly sturgeon, from the river, dried in the sun, sugar in large loaves shaped like cheeses, or in smaller ones in the form of bricks, molasses in large leathern bottles, fresh beef, bananas, soap, shoes, English cotton, cloth and prints, ropes made from the fibre of native plants, tobacco, planks and posts for house building, earthen-ware cooking utensils, and water pitchers, brought by the Indians, leather, hides, rum, &c.
The great variety in the style of dress adopted by these people, is the first thing to strike the eye of a stranger. The better classes wear either light jackets and trowsers, or shirt and trowsers only, over which they put a long dressing-gown of printed cotton, to which is added during the cool of the morning and evening, a cloak of Scotch tartan. They seldom wear stockings, but have their bare feet thrust into a pair of brown leather slippers. The country people generally wear a broad brimmed hat made of leather, and sometimes a leathern jacket; but most commonly their only covering consists of a pair of thin cotton drawers, which reach a little below the knee, and a shirt of the same stuff hanging loose outside of them. The negroes usually dress in the same manner as the whites, but the women have much more taste than the men, many of whom appear literally in rags, though apparently as happy in this attire, as if they were of the best description. I observed here more of the aboriginal inhabitants of Brazil, than I had seen at one time before; many of them bore evident signs of having a mixture of white, and others of black blood in their veins, but not in sufficient quantity to destroy the peculiar obliquity of the eyes, and the lank black hair of the American race.
It was about three o’clock in the afternoon before we could leave Propiá, and at eight we arrived at Traipú, another small village situated on the north bank of the river, about seven leagues further up. At half a league from Propiá we passed a small village called Collegio, and at a further distance of two leagues and a half a still smaller one, called San Bras, both situated on the north side of the stream. As far as the latter village, the appearance of the country on both sides of the river bears much the same appearance as that above Penêdo, but at a distance of a about a league above San Bras, it becomes much higher, the undulating ridges of hills reaching close to the water in many places, thus diminishing the breadth of the stream, and, consequently, increasing the rapidity of the current. The highest part of the country is a hill opposite Traipú, the termination of a range called the Serra de Tabangá. The effects of the drought on the vegetation were still greater here than further down; as far as the eye could reach, nothing like a forest was to be seen, both the hills and valleys being thinly covered with small trees and shrubs, and all, with a few solitary exceptions, denuded of their foliage. On the surface of the ground itself there was no herbaceous vegetation, the red coloured soil alone being seen through the withered bushes. Here and there along the banks a few houses exist, but none were to be observed inland. The only objects that relieved the eye in this desert-like region, were the green bushes which grew along the inundated banks, and the grotesque Cacti abounding in dry rocky places. The latter are the most conspicuous objects that meet the eye of a voyager; some of their trunks are of immense thickness, and their branching tops reach to a great height above the surrounding vegetation. These are certainly the most remarkable looking plants of the many which clothe the surface of our globe, their huge fleshy branches seeming more the work of art than of nature. It is only plants such as these, that are able to retain their verdure during the long droughts to which the country here is subjected. On the rocky places where these grow, there are also many Bromeliaceous plants, which in spite of the want of rain, not only grow luxuriantly but produce their large red clusters of flowers in the greatest perfection. The rocks on which these plants vegetate are of gneiss, in thin layers of a dark colour, full of small garnets, and cropping out at a very obtuse angle towards the south. We remained for the night at Traipú, and at nine o’clock next morning resumed our voyage, but as the wind was very high, we could make no way against the current; at about half a league from the place of our departure we were obliged to halt for some hours on the north bank of the river. This afforded me an opportunity of landing, when I made a few additions to my collections. Among these was a species of Azolla, which existed in the greatest abundance, in a flat muddy place that was slightly flooded. Here also I met with some of the largest Cacti I have ever seen; one in particular was of enormous size, the stem measuring upwards of three feet in circumference, and unbranched to the height of about ten feet; its entire height could not be less than between thirty and forty feet. This and other large kinds of Cactus are called by the inhabitants of this part of the country Sheeke-sheeke, and their fleshy stems and branches, after being stripped of their back and spines, are roasted and eaten in times of scarcity; under similar circumstances they are given raw to cattle. A little below this place on the south side of the river, we passed an old gold-working, situated on the side of a low hill through which a small ravine passes. It seemed to have been a long time since it had been worked, as the heaps of soil which had been thrown out, were covered with the low shrubby vegetation peculiar to the district. Continuing our voyage, towards sunset we came in sight of a small island, called Ilha dos Prazeres, on the top of which there is a church of the same name. Opposite this island, on the north side, we passed the mouth of a small river, called the Rio de Panêma, which takes its rise in the Sertão of the province of Alagoas. On the upper side of the mouth of this river there is a little hamlet, consisting only of a few houses, called Barra de Panêma. A little further up we crossed over to the south side, to land an old negro who had accompanied us from Propiá, and it was with much regret that we were obliged to come to an anchor for the night a little way above this place, for the river here takes a turn to the northward, and although there was a strong breeze, we could not succeed in getting our canoe into a position to enable us to avail ourselves of the favourable wind, notwithstanding the best efforts of our crew, which consisted of three men, assisted by myself and servant; an exposure of our vessel to a side wind would have upset her, and she was too unmanageable to attempt rowing.
On the following morning, before breakfast, I took a walk to a high ridge of gneiss rocks, which is at a little distance from the river, and found a variety of different kinds of Cacti. One of these was a great Melocactus much larger than the one which is so common near Pernambuco; it grows in fissures of the rock where scarcely any soil exists, and its tough roots penetrate to such a depth, that they can with difficulty be withdrawn; living specimens of this (Melocactus Hookerianus, Gardn.) which I sent home, now exist in the collections at Kew and Glasgow. While lying in the canoe, waiting for the breeze, I heard a splashing noise in the water as of heavy rain, but on looking over the side, I found it to be produced by hundreds of small fish; so abundant were they, that having no hook, I had recourse to a bent pin fixed to the end of a thread, and thus in a few minutes I caught above thirty of them. I found them to belong to the tribe Salmonidæ, of which they form a very diminutive species, measuring from two to three inches in length, and from an inch to an inch and a half in depth; they are called by the Indians Piába; the two lower thirds of their depth is of a silvery-white, while the upper third is of a pale lead colour, being in general appearance not unlike a herring in miniature; they are extremely voracious and abundant, especially in shallow water, where they are caught in numbers by children; they make an excellent dish when stewed. From a young man who was fishing in a shallow part of the river with a hand-net, I obtained a few other kinds of fish, and among them one which is very much dreaded by the inhabitants of the banks of nearly all the lakes and rivers in the northern provinces; it is called Piranha by the Brazilians, and is also one of the Salmonidæ, belonging to the genus Serasalmo. It is commonly about a foot in length, but sometimes is as much as two feet long, being very much compressed laterally, and very deep; the back is of a dark brownish colour, and the belly yellowish white, both being thinly marked with reddish spots; the lower jaw projects a little beyond the upper, and both are armed with about fourteen flattish triangular-shaped teeth, upwards of a quarter of an inch in length, and very short. It is most voracious, and is consequently caught with difficulty. Many people are often severely injured by them whilst bathing, and I have repeatedly been shown the scars left by their bites. It is said that ducks frequently lose their legs, in consequence of their voracity, and it is even asserted that where they abound, cattle have been known to perish from their attacks, when going into the water to cool themselves, or to drink.
We resumed our voyage again about eleven o’clock in the morning, and at once reached Lagoa Funda, a small village on the north side of the river, the distance being about two leagues. It contains but very few houses, and takes its name from a large deep lake which runs westward from it, in a direction parallel with the river. During this voyage we came in sight of a range of mountains called the Serra Pão de Assucar, bearing N.N.W. of us; it terminates abruptly towards the W.S.W., and slopes gradually thence to the E.N.E. and is by far the highest range in the district. The country around us was now beginning to assume a verdant appearance, several showers of rain having lately fallen. Shortly after our arrival at this place, owing to the loss of the wind, we were obliged to remain till five o’clock in the afternoon; when the sea breeze reached us, we again started, and were enabled by half past six o’clock to reach another small village called San Pedro. This is situated on an island of the same name, which is about half a league long by a quarter of a league broad, being flat, with a sandy soil; the upper end where the village stands, is open, while the opposite extremity is densely wooded with bushes and small trees.
I passed the night in the canoe, but could get little sleep owing to the mosquitos which were very abundant. Early in the morning, I took a walk over the island, and gathered a few plants; during the day the heat was most intolerable, the thermometer in the shade about noon, indicating 99½°, and as there was not the slightest breath of wind, the oppressive sensation amounted almost to suffocation, the air feeling as if it came from the mouth of an oven. Not a soul was to be seen out of doors, and the few goats and pigs on the island, as well as the dogs, sought the shade of a few trees of Zizyphus which grow by the side of the river near the village. Everything was as still as midnight, the songs of the small birds which I had listened to with delight during my morning’s walk, and the loud shrill cry of the Gavata, a large water bird, as well as the monotonous one of the Bem-te-ve, were now no longer heard, even the trees were motionless, and the mighty mass of yellow water in the river rolled slowly down unruffled by a breeze; all was indeed so still, that one could scarcely help thinking that life had ceased to exist. Having slung my hammock under a Zizyphus tree, I remained in it till the rays of the sun became less powerful. It was six o’clock in the evening before the sea breeze reached the island, and it being then too late to proceed on our voyage, we remained where we were for the night. The sun had no sooner set, and the breeze become more fresh, than the greater number of the inhabitants left their houses, and seated themselves either at their doors or by the side of the river, to enjoy the delicious coolness of the evening air; of course I followed their example, and it was near midnight before I retired to rest.
The number of families on the island amounts to about forty, and they are for the most part civilized Indians. On the evening of our arrival I was presented to their captain, an old man dressed in a leather hat, a pair of coarse cotton drawers, a shirt of the same material, and a pair of leather sandals on his feet, who was sitting under a Zizyphus tree repairing a fishing net. From him I learned that the Indians on the island are decreasing gradually in number, and he sighed when he told me that the day was not far distant when his race would become extinct, or at least be amalgamated with the other inhabitants. Those who still remain unmixed, are short in stature and of a stout make; in disposition they appeared gentle and obliging. I observed a church in the village, but during my visit the priest was absent on the main land.
On the morning of the 28th, the second since our arrival, I again took a walk over the island, and in the centre found a large tract covered with a very prickly species of Opuntia, covered with the Cochineal insect. I also collected several species of Viscum and Loranthus, growing on the branches of Mimosa and Zizyphus trees; while the sandy shores of the south side of the island yielded me abundance of Ehrenbergia tribuloides, Mart., and a Lupin-like kind of Zornia. The morning was comparatively cool, but the day was calm and sultry, the thermometer standing at 96° in the shade. As it was again six o’clock in the evening before the breeze set in, we were once more detained. The setting in of the breeze was accompanied with a curious appearance in the atmosphere; the sun was setting in the west with a fiery redness, surrounded by a mass of red coloured clouds, while from the eastward was seen approaching an immense body of vapour; this, from the distance at which it was seen, had more the appearance of smoke issuing from some great conflagration. This body came slowly on before the wind till at last it reached us, and we could see the small vesicles of which it was composed rolling past. The wind for about five minutes was so hot that every one was glad to take shelter from it, but it soon acquired its usual refreshing coolness. On inquiring of the old captain whether such a phenomenon was often observed, he told me that it was of frequent occurrence at the beginning of the rainy season, and added, that long experience had taught him it was always the forerunner of a great storm (hum temporal.)
On the following day, the first of March, we left the island, about half-past five o’clock in the evening, and had not been gone an hour before the sky towards the N.E. became darkened with a mass of black clouds, the sure harbinger of a coming storm. We were then nearly in the middle of the river, which was about a league broad; and as the storm was approaching with great rapidity, the master of the canoe gave instant orders to run her in to the north shore, but before we had reached the distance, we were overtaken by a gust of wind which laid her nearly on her broadside. A considerable quantity of water was shipped, and the crew lost all command of themselves, one crying to do this, and another that, without anything being done. The lower part of the sail on the lee side was in the water keeping the edge of the canoe down, and had it not been for my exertions and my man Pedro’s assistance, in seizing hold of the rope by which the extreme point of the long boom is drawn up to the mast head, and thus raising it out of the water, the canoe, to a certainty, would have filled, and we should all have been inevitably drowned. Still we were at some distance from the river bank, and the storm was setting in with all its fury, the waves were dashing over the weather gunnel, while the lee side was taking in great quantities of water. In the meantime the sails had been stowed away, and seeing the danger of keeping her broadside any longer to the wind, the master gave orders to run her over to the other side of the river before the wind. We thus steered in an oblique direction nearly three miles before we reached the south side, and during this fearful interval the wind, the rain, thunder and lightning were such as I had never before been exposed to. It was now quite dark, but the vivid flashes both of forked and sheet lightning gave a light, from time to time, as brilliant nearly as noon-day. The canoe ran aground among some small trees to two of which she was made fast; the rain continued to fall in torrents for nearly two hours, and from our unavoidable exposure to its influence we were all drenched to the skin. When the storm had entirely exhausted itself, we found that the wind had died away also, and as we could not resume our voyage, we determined to return with the current to the island of San Pedro. This we accordingly did, and had to remain in our wet clothes during the greater part of the night. In going down I observed a number of large meteors passing from the N.E. to the S.W. following the course of the storm.