the greatest abundance, in a flat muddy place that was slightly flooded. Here also I met with some of the largest _Cacti_ I have ever seen; one in particular was of enormous size, the stem measuring upwards of three feet in circumference, and unbranched to the height of about ten feet; its entire height could not be less than between thirty and forty feet. This and other large kinds of _Cactus_ are called by the inhabitants of this part of the country Sheeke-sheeke, and their fleshy stems and branches, after being stripped of their back and spines, are roasted and eaten in times of scarcity; under similar circumstances they are given raw to cattle. A little below this place on the south side of the river, we passed an old gold-working, situated on the side of a low hill through which a small ravine passes. It seemed to have been a long time since it had been worked, as the heaps of soil which had been thrown out, were covered with the low shrubby vegetation peculiar to the district. Continuing our voyage, towards sunset we came in sight of a small island, called Ilha dos Prazeres, on the top of which there is a church of the same name. Opposite this island, on the north side, we passed the mouth of a small river, called the Rio de Panêma, which takes its rise in the Sertão of the province of Alagoas. On the upper side of the mouth of this river there is a little hamlet, consisting only of a few houses, called Barra de Panêma. A little further up we crossed over to the south side, to land an old negro who had accompanied us from Propiá, and it was with much regret that we were obliged to come to an anchor for the night a little way above this place, for the river here takes a turn to the northward, and although there was a strong breeze, we could not succeed in getting our canoe into a position to enable us to avail ourselves of the favourable wind, notwithstanding the best efforts of our crew, which consisted of three men, assisted by myself and servant; an exposure of our vessel to a side wind would have upset her, and she was too unmanageable to attempt rowing.