RIO DE JANEIRO AND ITS ENVIRONS. 73 
wanderers had to eat. It seems hardly fair, having shared 
their fatigues, that I should not also share their refresh- 
ment and be invited to sit down at table with them. 
Doing, therefore, as I would be done by, I shall give 
our bill of fare, and take an opportunity of saying a word 
at the same time of the characteristic Brazilian dishes. 
In the first place we had black beans stewed with came 
secca (dried meat), the invariable accompaniment of every 
meal in Brazil. There is no house so poor that it does 
not have its feijoes, no house so rich as to exclude this 
homely but most excellent dish, a favorite alike with high 
and low. Then tliere was chicken stewed with potatoes 
and rice, almost as marked a feature of the Brazilian 
cuisine as the black beans. Beside these, there were eggs 
served in various ways, cold meat, wine, coffee, and bread. 
Vegetables seem to be rare, though one would expect a 
plentiful variety in this climate.* At Posse Mr. Agassiz 
found a cordial co-operator in Mr. Charles Taylor, who 
expressed a warm interest in his scientific researches, and 
kept one of the collecting cans that he might fill it with 
fishes from the neighboring rivers and streams. f 
Our kind friend Senhor Joao Baptista da Fonseca, 
who was our guide and our host on this journey, had 
neglected nothing which could contribute to the success 
* This observation was confirmed by our year's travel. The Brazilians care 
little for a variety of vegetables, and do not give much attention to their culti- 
vation. Those they do use are chiefly imported in cans from Europe. 
t On our return from the Amazons a year later we heard with great regret 
of the death of Mr. Taylor For many months he took an active part in the 
objects of the Expedition, being himself a good naturalist, and not only made 
valuable collections for Mr. Agassiz, but also strnie admirable colored draw- 
ings of fishes and insects, which it is hoped maj be published at a future time 
with the other scientific results of this journey. 
4 
