The river Maria Farinha is that which runs up to Jaguaribe; its mouth is wide, and the bar will admit of craft of some size; but the port cannot be considered as being worthy of attention. The horses swim across, but the passage is distressing to them, for the tide runs rapidly. In my way to Recife along the beach, I passed the fort of Pao Amarello, distant from that place four leagues. It is small and built of stone. The garrison is little more than nominal, but it affords a comfortable residence for a captain of the Olinda regiment. The port opposite to which the fort is situated, is nothing more than a slight curve which the coast makes at this spot, by which vessels at anchor can scarcely be said to receive any shelter; but the landing-place is good. Wardenburg, the commander of the Dutch forces which invaded Pernambuco in 1630, landed at Pao Amarello.[132] I was in the habit of conversing with several of the people of colour who resided in my neighbourhood. One man particularly amused me much; he was a short and stout creole black, and a shoemaker by trade. I was greatly entertained with his pompous manner, exalting in terms of extravagant praise the advantages which Itamaraca enjoyed, and the excellencies of Conception which was his native spot, in particular. He lamented much the removal of the mayor and chamber to Goiana, giving me to understand that undue influence had been employed; forgetful of the insignificance of one place and the importance of the other. He also told me with much vehemence of voice and action, that the late vicar had wished to remove the image of our Lady of Conception from the parish church to Pillar; but that the inhabitants assembled, and prevented the accomplishment of the plan. “No,” he said, “if that image was to leave us, we should consider ourselves unprotected, and then indeed would our town be utterly destroyed.” The vicar of whom the man spoke, might have gone to reside at Pillar if he pleased, but _he_ too had his prejudices in favour of the image, and did not like to say Mass before any other in his own parish. Thus images cease to be regarded as the representations of those to whom prayer is to be addressed; a value is placed upon the wood itself, and religion degenerates into unveiled idolatry.[133]