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 approaching 

 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 

 are never milked regularly, but the quantity needed for the moment is drawn 

 at any time. 



