shrill stridulation of wood-crickets. Now and then a sudden
plunge in the water ahead would startle us, caused by heavy fruit
or some nocturnal animal dropping from the trees. The two Indians
here rested on their paddles and allowed the canoe to drift with
the tide. A pleasant perfume came from the forest, which Raimundo
said proceeded from a cane-field. He told me that all this land
was owned by large proprietors at Para, who had received grants
from time to time from the Government for political services.
Raimundo was quite in a talkative humour; he related to me many
incidents of the time of the "Cabanagem," as the revolutionary
days of 1835-6 are popularly called. He said he had been much
suspected himself of being a rebel, but declared that the
suspicion was unfounded. The only complaint he had to make
against the white man was that he monopolised the land without
having any intention or prospect of cultivating it. He had been
turned out of one place where he had squatted and cleared a large
piece of forest. I believe the law of Brazil at this time was
that the new lands should become the property of those who
cleared and cultivated them, if their right was not disputed
within a given term of years by some one who claimed the
proprietorship. This land-law has since been repealed, and a new
one adopted founded on that of the United States. Raimundo spoke
of his race as the redskins, "pelle vermelho." They meant well to
the whites, and only begged to be let alone. "God," he said, "had
given room enough for us all."

It was pleasant to hear the shrewd good-natured fellow talk in
this strain. Our companion, Joaquim, had fallen asleep; the night
air was cool, and the moonlight lit up the features of Raimundo,
revealing a more animated expression than is usually observable