CHAPTER V.
CEARA. PEENAMBUCO TO CEATO.
The
Author leaves Pernambuco in a Coasting Vessel—Description of the
Voyage— Touches at Cape San Roque—Arrives at Aracaty— Seaport of
Province of Ceara— Town described—its Trade—Whole Province subject to
great droughts—Commencement of Journey into the Interior—Passes Villa
de San Bernado—Arid nature of the Country—Catingas—Arrives at Ico—Town
described—Journey continued—Villa da Lavra de Mangabeira—Gold washings
adandoned—Country begins to improve—Beaches the Villa do Crato—Town
described—Low state of morals among the Inhabitants—Sugar
Plantations—Mode of Manufacture— Coarse kind of Sugar formed into Cakes
called Rapadura, in which state it is used throughout the
Province—State of Cultivation in the Neighbourhood—Productions of the
Country—Serra de Araripe—Different kinds of timber—Wild
fruits—Wandering Tribes of Gypsies frequent—Great religious
Festival—Climate —Diseases.
On
my return to Pernambuco from Maceio, Dr. Loudon kindly afforded me the
use of his country residence, he having removed into the town, and I
remained here from the end of April to the beginning of July. At the
time of going there, the rainy season had just set in, when I observed
the very striking effect winch a few showers had already produced on
the vegetation. Three months before, I had left the whole herbage
scorched and withered while the trees had a brown and sickly
appearance; now all was fresh and verdant; grass and other herbaceous
plants were covering the face of the earth, and bursting into bloom;
and the shrubs and trees had assumed their summer dress, the deep green
of the leaves harmonizing well with their various coloured flowers. The
rainy season is here generally expected to commence about the middle or
end of April, and continues till about the middle of August.
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