_"egariteas,"_ constructed on a larger scale, of broader design, and
leaving on each side a gangway for the rowers: or _"jangada,"_ rafts
of no particular shape, propelled by a triangular sail, and
surmounted by a cabin of mud and straw, which served the Indian and
his family for a floating home.

These three kinds of craft formed the lesser flotilla of the Amazon,
and were only suited for a moderate traffic of passengers or
merchandise.

Larger vessels, however, existed, either _"vigilingas,"_ ranging from
eight up to ten tons, with three masts rigged with red sails, and
which in calm weather were rowed by four long paddles not at all easy
to work against the stream; or _"cobertas,"_ of twenty tons burden, a
kind of junk with a poop behind and a cabin down below, with two
masts and square sails of unequal size, and propelled, when the wind
fell, by six long sweeps which Indians worked from a forecastle.

But neither of these vessels satisfied Joam Garral. From the moment
that he had resolved to descend the Amazon he had thought of making
the most of the voyage by carrying a huge convoy of goods into Para.
From this point of view there was no necessity to descend the river
in a hurry. And the determination to which he had come pleased every
one, excepting, perhaps, Manoel, who would for very good reasons have
preferred some rapid steamboat.

But though the means of transport devised by Joam were primitive in
the extreme, he was going to take with him a numerous following and
abandon himself to the stream under exceptional conditions of comfort
and security.