but the force of the current swept us both over the rapids; Mr. Walker being carried with great force against some rocks, and it was with no small difficulty, that he reached the opposite side below the rapid in a state of great exhaustion. I was more fortunate, being carried down at a place clear of rocks, where I soon regained the same bank of the river I had just left. I returned to the ferry, where I succeeded in crossing, being assisted by one of the men, for I was too low in stature to be able to bear up against the current alone. After this delay we resumed our journey, with the intention of halting during the night at a fazenda about a league further, but finding we had still ample time, we pushed on to a village called Almas, about two leagues to the westward, which we reached about sunset. The country we passed after crossing the river was nearly flat and thinly wooded, but not so much scorched up as that we traversed in the morning. The village of Almas is situated in a hollow, and consists of a few irregular streets, the houses of which are low and of mean appearance, being built of large unburned bricks, made of clay mixed with chopped grass and dried in the sun. The number of its inhabitants amounts to about 800, by far the greater part of whom are blacks and mulattos, and intermixtures between these and Indians. The Juiz de Paz was a creole negro, who could neither read nor write; he was the principal shopkeeper in the village, and annually made a journey to Bahia to purchase goods. The village contains a church, which is in about as ruined a condition as that of Duro, and, in like manner, has no resident priest. Although the neighbourhood presents abundance of excellent ground for plantations, not one was here to be seen. Upon our arrival I fully expected to be able to purchase some farinha, but none was to be had; it was indeed only as a great favour that a person who came to consult me professionally, sold me a little rice. Every one was complaining of the scarcity of provisions, and the want of money, but not a word was said about the indolence and idleness, which no doubt was the cause of the famine that now existed among them. In consequence of almost incessant rains, we were obliged to remain in the village four days.