This is another of the large affluents of the Amazon, and seems to
possess a navigable course, even for large ships, of over five
hundred leagues. It rises in the southwest, and measures nearly five
thousand feet across at its junction with the main river. After
winding beneath the shade of ficuses, tahuaris, nipa palms, and
cecropias, it enters the Amazon by five mouths.
Hereabouts Araujo the pilot managed with great ease. The course of
the river was but slightly obstructed with islands, and besides, from
one bank to another its width is about two leagues.
The current, too, took along the jangada more steadily, and on the
18th of August it stopped at the village of Pasquero to pass the
night.
The sun was already low on the horizon, and with the rapidity
peculiar to these low latitudes, was about to set vertically, like an
enormous meteor.
Joam Garral and his wife, Lina, and old Cybele, were in front of the
house.
Torres, after having for an instant turned toward Joam as if he would
speak to him, and prevented perhaps by the arrival of Padre Passanha,
who had come to bid the family good-night, had gone back to his
cabin.
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