BOTANICAL INFOHMATION. 221 



brooks, I suddenly emerged from the bushes which fringe it, 

 and obtained an open prospect over an extensive swampy 

 valley, full of Palms, backed by a remarkable range of square- 

 shaped sandstone hills. Such views are not uncommon in 

 this district, and are little seen elsewhere. 



On the 1st of May, after having been obliged repeatedly 

 to cross the Rio Caninde in its devious course, we reached 

 the Fazenda Pocoes de Baixo, being the first of the 33 Fazen- 

 das in Piauhy, which are maintained at the public cost. Do- 

 mingos Alfonsa, from Mafri near Lisbon, towards the end of 

 the 17th century, established a great number of farms in all 

 parts of the province of Piauhy,. after his numerous inroads 

 on the native Indians had shown him the advantages which 

 this whole tract of country presents for the rearing of cattle. 

 After his decease, the Jesuits became heirs to thirty of these 

 estates, on condition that their profits should be applied to 

 benevolent purposes and for the establishment of new farms. 

 On the expulsion of the Jesuits, this great property fell to the 

 state, by whom the management of the thirty original farms, 

 and of three more, purchased by the Jesuits, was given to three 

 Inspectors. The Inspecfao do Caninde includes eleven Fazendas 

 in the district of Rio Caninde ; that of do Piauhy an equal num- 

 ber on the river of the same name; while do Nazareth has the 

 remaining eleven on the Eio Parnahyba, north of Oeiras. 

 Each Inspector receives an annual salary of 300,000 reis; 

 and has the command of the Vagueiros (shepherds,) who 

 superintend the different Fazendas, (one Vagueiro to each 

 Fazenda,) and who continue in office from three to five years ; 

 being elected, not by the inspector, but by the governor of 

 the province. The pay of these Vagueiros, who frequently 

 serve for years without remuneration, is derived from the 

 fourth part of tlie cattle and horses annually reared. They 

 also have a fxee dwelling, with the produce of pigs, goats, 

 and sheep, and the profits of the butter and cheese — articles 

 not placed to the royal account. The Fazendeiros are also 

 provided with slaves by government, to whom they are only 

 required to give their clothes and food, and they are able to 



