Our journey took us again through the village of Mamanguape; and a little distance beyond it, I left the road, accompanied by the guide, and went to the principal house of a sugar plantation, where we asked for a night’s lodging. I was told that the master was not at home, and great doubts seemed to be entertained of taking us in. Whilst we were talking at the door, a young man of dark colour came up, mounted a horse which was standing there without a saddle, and rode off, seemingly avoiding to observe that there were any strangers present. One of the black women said, “Why did not you speak to him, for he is one of our young masters.” I now enquired and discovered that the owner of the place and his family were mulattos. This was the only instance of incivility I met with, and the only occasion on which a night’s lodging was denied to me during the whole course of my stay in Brazil. We lodged this night under a tree, distant about one hundred yards from the engenho, near to a neat and comfortable looking cottage, of which the owner was an elderly woman; she was civil to us, and expressed her sorrow at the treatment which we had received. There had been very little rain here, for the grass in the field of the plantation had still a parched look, and the cattle were in bad condition.
Towards the evening of the following day we reached a hamlet, and at one of the cottages I obtained permission to pass the night. There was a pent-house standing out from the front; these are usual even for dwellings of wealthy persons. Under it I slung my hammock, but was surprised to find, that though the house was inhabited, still the door was shut, and that the person within spoke to us, but did not open it. This I thought strange, and began to suppose that he might be afflicted with some contagious disorder and had been forsaken by his friends, or rather, that his family had been advised to remove to some neighbouring cottage. But the guide explained, saying that the man had been bitten by a snake, and that the bite of this species only became fatal if the man who had received it saw any female animal, and particularly a woman, for thirty days after the misfortune. As the lower orders imagine that all snakes are poisonous, it is not surprising that many remedies or charms should be quoted as efficacious. It is well known that many of those reptiles are innoxious, but as this is not believed by the people in general, it is naturally to be supposed that any cause rather than the true one is ascribed on a recovery from a bite.
On the morrow we left these good people in expectation of their friend’s restoration to health at the allotted period, and proceeded to dine on the banks of the river Paraiba, at a spot which was not far distant from the plantation of Espirito Santo, where we had slept on our way northwards. The river was still as dry as it had been during the drought, that is, the pools or hollows in the bed of it had water in them, but they did not contain a sufficient quantity to overflow, unite, and form a stream. We arrived upon the banks about ten o’clock, and heard from several persons of a report which had been spread, that the river was filling fast. About twelve o’clock the water made its appearance, and before we left it the river was three feet deep. We afterwards heard that the stream was not fordable at five o’clock of the same afternoon, and that it continued to run with great rapidity for some days. I went round to Espirito Santo and spoke to the capitam-mor, but did not dismount, as I was more and more anxious to end my journey. We slept at a single cottage about two leagues beyond, and on the following morning again set forth. About noon, for I had pushed on without resting until this hour, we were descending a long and steep hill, when a violent shower of rain came on, which soon caused a torrent to run with much noise and velocity through the gullies in the road. The clay of which the hill was composed was rendered excessively slippery, and far from proceeding more quickly, the horses became more cautious; and on these occasions it is needless to attempt to urge them forwards faster than they themselves are willing to go; they are aware of the danger of a false step, and nothing the rider can do will make an old roadster alter his usual manner of proceeding. At the foot of the hill stood a venda or liquor shop, at which travellers were in the habit of putting up. Most of the hamlets contain one of these places, and we had met with them much more frequently since we had entered upon the great cattle road. Wet as we were, through and through, it would have been impossible to go on further this day, therefore we were thankful in having a house so near; indeed, the rain continued during the greatest part of the afternoon. We had descended into a narrow and beautiful valley, much of which was covered with flourishing plantations of sugar cane, looking very green and luxuriant. This was not the first night that I had seen the beautiful luminous insect, elater noctilucus, which is called by the Portugueze cacafogo. It is to be met with chiefly in well wooded lands, and emits at intervals a strong but short lived light.
After leaving this place the next morning, we discovered that we had lost some trifles belonging to our baggage. I sent the guide and another man back to seek for them; but they returned unsuccessful. We had, it is true, seldom taken up our lodgings in public houses, but perhaps if we had done so oftener, I should have had more reason to complain; however as it is, this was the only occasion upon which I lost any part of my baggage, with a suspicion of theft attached to its disappearing.
We rested at mid-day near Dous Rios, and in the afternoon passed through that place, arriving at Goiana about sunset. It will be remembered that I purchased some of my horses at Goiana; now on my return, two of the same animals were still with me, and this alone proves that they were of the best kind. When we were distant from Goiana about one league, one of them made towards a narrow path to the right of the road, and was prevented by his driver from turning up into it, but immediately after passing it, he began to flag, and in a few minutes I was under the necessity of having him released from his load, and of desiring one of the men to lead him, otherwise he would have turned back. He had from this time the appearance of being quite fatigued. I can only account for the circumstance by supposing that the path led to his former master’s residence, and that the animal had proceeded thus far in expectation of ending his journey here.
I was received by my friends at Goiana in their usual friendly manner; but I found that the town was in a dreadful state from the scarcity of provisions. One person was said to have died of hunger, and I was told by an inhabitant that several respectable women had been at his house to beg for farinha, offering to pawn their gold ornaments for it.
On the morning of the 15th February, I left Goiana, and assisted my people in crossing the river. As soon as they were all safe on the Recife side of it, I pushed on accompanied by Julio and Feliciano, all three of us being mounted upon our best horses. We rested during the heat of the day at Iguaraçu. My horse recognized the place, for as he entered the town, he quickened his pace, and without being guided, went up to the door of the inn, from whence he refused to stir again until I dismounted. We arrived a little after sunset at the Cruz das Almas. John was prepared for me, but did not expect me for one or two days.
The following morning I rode to Recife, and was received by my friends as one who had been somewhat despaired of; and even my particular friend to whom I had written, did not expect me so soon. When I returned home in the evening, the rest of the party had arrived; and Feliciano and his two companions set off two days afterwards on their return to Searà[58]. Julio likewise left me, with which I was much displeased.[59]