to
one of them, and shoved clear of the ship just as she sank; but the
other, he was afraid, had been immediately overwhelmed; indeed, it
seemed scarcely possible that any boat could have lived many minutes in
the heavy sea then running. It was wonderful that the boat he was in
had remained long enough afloat to allow our ship to get near her.

During the whole of that night the hurricane blew as hard as ever, we
continuing to run before it. Every moment I expected to hear that the
ship had sprung a leak, and that we should have to share the fate of the
unfortunate _Vasco da Gama_. We were dreadfully knocked about. Our
bulwarks were stove in, and two of our boats carried away. We lost our
topmasts, and received other damage; but the stout old ship still
battled bravely with the seas. As the morning broke the wind began to
abate. By noon the sun was shining brightly, and the sea had gone much
down.

"Perhaps, after all," observed Tony, "we shall go round the Cape with
you to Quito, and then have to find our way down the Amazon to Para, as
I suppose that will then be the shortest road there."

"I am afraid, young gentleman, you would find that a very long road,"
observed Captain Byles. "As the ship requires repairs, I must run into
Rio de Janeiro, and from thence you will more easily get to Para, though
I should have been very happy to have had your company round Cape Horn."

Tony was much disappointed on hearing this. We had still a long run
before us, and the prospect of Tony and Houlston's company on board for
many days. The Portuguese mate, Mr Lima, had friends at Para, and he
undertook to assist Houlston and Tony in getting there. He was a very
well-mannered, amiable man, and as he spoke a little English, we were
able to converse together. He gave me much information regarding the
Brazils, which is by far the largest country in South America. Although
a very small portion only is cultivated, it is also the richest both in
vegetable and mineral wealth. He told me of its magnificent forests,
its plantations of coffee and tobacco, and certain of its valleys, in
some of which gold in abundance is found, and in others diamonds of
extraordinary value.

"What do you say, Harry--shall we go and hunt for them?" exclaimed Tony
when he heard this.

Mr Lima laughed. "The Government are too wide-awake to allow you to do
that," he observed. "No one is allowed to go into that part of the
country except those