RECOLLECTIONS OF BRAZIL. 391 



the other six, the dulce far niente, will be regarded as the summum 

 bonum of existence. 



The sun was just making his exit through the balconies of the 

 west,, as we alighted at the residence of the Padre Vigario, de Villa 

 Vicoza ; but such was the impatience of my travelling companion, 

 that he would have dragged me off immediately to the spot on which 

 was centred all his hopes ; had I not told him that we should need 

 the light of the moon to read the inscriptions, upon which you know 

 Amigo every thing depends. No lover, I believe, ever more anxiously 

 awaited the hour of assignation with his mistress, than did this man, 

 the rising of the moon, but all things have an end, and at last we 

 reached the object of our research, it was a large plain covered with 

 small mounds ranged in rows, and surmounted with flat stones, 

 placed perpendicularly, on the flat surface of which was burnt in a 

 bright red colour some Indian characters, which it would have puz- 

 zled a Champolion to have decyphered ; as I stood amid this scene 

 of death, and by the pale light of the silvery moon, and gazed upon 

 these relics of a civilization long extinct, I insensibly fell into a re- 

 verie, from which I was aroused by my companion, who in a tremu- 

 lous tone of voice, inquired if I had made out the inscriptions. No, 

 nor does there live a man on this earth who can decypher 

 them, was my reply ; " but by referring to some of your dictionaries, 

 do you not think you may yet succeed." Not a whit better, these 

 characters are those of the Gentios as you call them, and in all pro- 

 bability of a race which no longer exist ; it is therefore bootless to 

 attempt to decypher them. We retraced our steps to the Vigario's 

 house in silence, and when left alone with our reverend host, I could 

 not help expressing my astonishment to him, at the mania of my 

 companion. " These golden legends," said he, " are the curse of 

 Brazil, there is not a province in which there is not some tradition of 

 rich mines that were formerly discovered, and of which all traces 

 have been lost, and thus the wretched inhabitants dream away their 

 existence in the pursuit of these fabulous II Dorados, neglecting the 

 pursuits of agriculture, on a soil that almost spontaneously produces 

 the fruits of every clime. Your companion is not only convinced of 

 the existence of this treasure, but what will surprise you still more, 

 he is certain that you perfectly understand the characters, and that 

 you have only feigned ignorance in order to appropriate the whole 

 treasure to yourself, take care of him, therefore, for the people of 

 these parts are a vindictive race/' I laughed heartily at this commu- 

 nication of the good padre, and resolved to be even with my suspi- 

 cious friend. Near the Villa de Pernaiba there was an Indian tomb, 

 and which from the hideous noises that ensued from it, was supposed 

 by the simple inhabitants of the country, to be the abode of an evil 

 spirit, but which on exploring it, an act in their opinion, of almost 

 super-human courage, I found proceeded from myriads of vampire 

 bats, who had made it their head-quarters. I accordingly arranged 

 my plan of campaign, and to speak a la Jomini, resolved to make this 

 my objective point. The next morning I found him pacing the 

 Verandah with a brow black as Erebus. He scarcely noticed my 

 morning greeting. After enjoying for some time his disappointment, 



