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Penna went forward in the montaria to the Pirarucu fishing stations, on a lake lying further inland; but he did not succeed in reaching them on account of the length and intricacy of the channels; so after wasting a day, during which, however, I had a profitable ramble in the forest, we again crossed the river, and on the 16th continued our voyage along the northern shore.
The master had brought from Barra as provision, nothing but stale, salt pirarucu half rotten fish, in large, thin, rusty slabs farinha, coffee, and treacle. In these voyages, passengers are expected to provide for themselves, as no charge is made except for freight of the heavy luggage or cargo they take with them.
Just before dinner it was our habit to take a bath in the river, and then, according to the universal custom on the Amazons, where it seems to be suitable on account of the weak fish diet, we each took half a tea-cup full of neat cashaca, the "abre" or " opening," as it is called, and set to on our mess of stewed pirarucu, beans, and bacon.
When we arrived in the port, our canoe was crowded with the half-naked villagers men, women, and children who came to beg each a piece of salt pirarucu "for the love of God." They are not quite so badly off in the dry season.
One of them was situated in a charming spot, with a broad sandy beach before it, at the entrance to the Parana-mirim do Mucambo, a channel leading to an interior lake, peopled by savages of the Mura tribe. This seemed to be the abode of an industrious family, but all the men were absent, salting Pirarucu on the lakes.
Salt codfish was twopence per pound cheaper than the vile salt pirarucu of the country. Oranges, which could formerly be had almost gratis, were now sold in the streets at the rate of three for a penny; large bananas were a penny each; tomatoes were from two to three pence each, and all other fruits in this fruit-producing country had advanced in like proportion.
The last fresh meat had been shot miles down the river, where a well-placed bullet from the rifle of McKay had downed a fat swamp deer. Since that day not a gun had been fired. The rations now were tough jerked beef and monkey meat, slabs of salt pirarucu fish, and farinha, varied by tinned delicacies from the stores of the Americans.
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