BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 493 



toms. On the 15th of May, after climbing the sandstone 

 mountain, the Serra de S. Goncalo, we found ourselves, after 

 descending on the other side, in the little Arayal of the same 

 name, which is a square of low loam cottages, around a de- 

 cayed chapel, the former dwellings of an Indian colony. 



The grandfather of the present Capitan Major of Oeiras, 

 fifty years ago, waged war against several races of Indians, 

 then resident in the western districts of the province, and 

 who by their frequent attacks had become dangerous neigh- 

 bours to the settlers. Those prisoners, captured in the 

 assault, one thousand five hundred in number, were, accord- 

 ing to the custom of the times, sent altogether away from 

 their native place and settled in villages, called Aldeas. Of 

 the formerly powerful tribe, called the Pamelas, we found 

 only a feeble remnant left ; according to the clergyman's list, 

 they are but one hundred and twenty in number, and even 

 some of these are not of unmingled descent. Diseases of 

 various kind, and particularly the small pox, have committed 

 great ravages among them, and others have long ago returned 

 to their original abode. The mournful spectacle of these 

 poor few Indians, creeping about, doing nothing, the dirt 

 and confusion which pervade their sorry dwellings, and the 

 want of kindness which they experience at the hands of their 

 captors, who confide the charge to a set of drunken soldiers ; 

 ^1 these only confirm me in the belief that it is almost impos- 

 sible to colonize successfully a set of uneducated natives. 

 The friend of humanity must ever deplore the cruelties and 

 loss of life which attend these colonizations. No race of 

 Indians has ever become peaceable subjects until they were, 

 »n the first instance subdued by force of arms. To effect this 

 Purpose, Bandeiras (or troops under a banner) have been 

 ievied, the State furnishing them with accoutrements and 

 ammunition, and the peasants supplying the needful provi- 

 Sl ons to prosecute the war for many months. Sometimes 

 whole herds of bullocks were driven to the campaign. The 

 military seldom prosecute their march with any view of 

 coming to an open battle, but rather in such a manner as to 



