The course of the river was but slightly obstructed with islands, and besides, from one bank to another its width is about two leagues.
The current, too, took along the jangada more steadily, and on the 18th of August it stopped at the village of Pasquero to pass the night.
The sun was already low on the horizon, and with the rapidity peculiar to these low latitudes, was about to set vertically, like an enormous meteor.
Joam Garral and his wife, Lina, and old Cybele, were in front of the house.
Torres, after having for an instant turned toward Joam as if he would speak to him, and prevented perhaps by the arrival of Padre Passanha, who had come to bid the family good-night, had gone back to his cabin.
The Indians and the negroes were at their quarters along the sides.
Araujo, seated at the bow, was watching the current which extended straight away in front of him.
Manoel and Benito, with their eyes open, but chatting and smoking with apparent indifference, walked about the central part of the craft awaiting the hour of repose.
All at once Manoel stopped Benito with his hand and said: "What a queer smell! Am I wrong?
Do you not notice it ?" "One would say that it was the odor of burning musk!" replied Benito.
"There ought to be some alligators asleep on the neighboring beach!" "Well, nature has done wisely in allowing them so to betray themselves." "Yes," said Benito, "it is fortunate, for they are sufficiently formidable creatures!" Often at the close of the day these saurians love to stretch themselves on the shore, and install themselves comfortably there to pass the night.

Crouched at the opening of a hole, into which they have crept back, they sleep with the mouth open, the upper jaw perpendicularly erect, so as to lie in wait for their prey.

To these amphibians it is but sport to launch themselves in its pursuit, either by swimming through the waters propelled by their tails or running along the bank with a speed no man can equal.
It is on these huge beaches that the caymans are born, live, and die, not without affording extraordinary examples of longevity.

Not only can the old ones, the centenarians, be recognized by the greenish moss which carpets their carcass and is scattered over their protuberances, but by their natural ferocity, which increases with age.

As Benito said, they are formidable creatures, and it is fortunate that their attacks can be guarded against.
Suddenly cries were heard in the bow.
"Caymans! caymans!" Manoel and Benito came forward and looked.
Three large saurians, from fifteen to twenty feet long, had managed to clamber on to the platform of the raft.
"Bring the guns! Bring the guns!" shouted Benito, making signs to the Indians and the blacks to get behind.
"Into the house!" said Manoel; "make haste!" And in truth, as they could not attack them at once, the best thing they could do was to get into shelter without delay.
It was done in an instant.