LIFE IN TEFFE. 213 
with sugar. The green hill behind the town, on which 
cows and sheep are grazing,* slopes up to the forest, and 
makes a pretty background to the picture. In approachino- 
the village, many little inlets of the lake and river give 
promise of pleasant canoe excursions. Through our friend 
Major Coutinho we had already bespoken lodgings, and 
to-day finds us as comfortably established as it is possible 
for such wayfarers to be. Our house stands on an open 
green field, running down to the water, and is enclosed 
only on two sides by buildings. In front, it commands a 
pretty view of the beach and of the opposite shore across 
the water. Behind, it has a little open ground planted 
with two or three orange-trees, surrounding a turtle-tank, 
which will be very convenient for keeping live specimens. 
A well-stocked turtle-tank is to be found in almost every 
yard, as the people depend largely upon turtles for their 
food. The interior of the house is very commodious. On 
the right of the flagged entry is a large room already 
transformed into a laboratory. Here are numerous kegs, 
cans, and barrels for specimens, a swinging-shelf to keep 
birds and insects out of the way of the ants, a table for 
drawing, and an immense empty packing-case, one side 
of which serves as a table for cleaning and preparing 
birds, while the open space beneath makes a convenient 
cupboard for keeping the instruments and materials of 
one sort and another, used in the process. After a little 
* It is a curious fact, that though a large number of cows were owned in 
Teffe, and were constantly seen feeding about the houses, milk was among the 
unattainable luxuries. Indeed, milk is little used in Brazil, so far as our 
observation goes. It is thought unhealthy for children, and people will 
rather give coffee or tea to a two-year-old baby than pure milk. The cows 
arc never milked regularly, but the quantity needed for the moment is drawn 
at any time. 
