BAHIA. 101 



friend of my companion, and he invited us to pass the night at 

 his house, his farm lying on the road to St. Amaro, by which 

 we were to travel. We had our mules brought up to the inn 

 door, and there gave them a feed of maize to make sure that they 

 got it. We saddled them ourselves in front of the inn, and 

 after much ceremonious shaking of hands with the host, and 

 polite speeches, rode off. 



On the road we passed several herds of cattle, which were 

 being driven towards Baliia. In one of these some of the cattle 

 were very wild. There were three vaqueiros in charge of it, a man, 

 and two lads of from 16 to 18 years of age. There was thick 

 bush on either side of the road, and every now and then the cattle 

 broke away into this. The use of the rough lurcher-like clogs 

 which follow the vaqueiros now appeared. In the thick scrub 

 the vaqueiro could do nothing without his dog. The cattle are 

 out of sight in an instant, and go off dashing full pace through 

 the bushes. The dogs are after them at their heels at once, and 

 drive them, to the vaqueiros, who dash off into the thick of 

 the bushes in pursuit, bending right forward in the saddle, and 

 stooping till their heads are beside their horses' necks, to avoid 

 the branches. 



One cow came full charge down the road behind me, and I 

 had only just time to back my mule into the bush out of the 

 way. One of the lads was after her. He seized her tail just as 

 he was opposite to me, held on for about twenty yards, and then 

 digging in his spurs and shooting forwards, turned her over with 

 a thud. She was up, however, again, and off into the bush in an 

 instant, and he after her with the dog in full pursuit, and I saw 

 him disappear under the branch of a tree with his body laid 

 right back on his horse's rump to avoid it. 



We passed about sunset through a village, where there is a 

 hospital, a very substantial building, erected by the vicar, who 

 diligently collected subscriptions for that purpose for many 

 years. The church was lighted up and the people were going to 

 vespers. One of the villagers was pointed out to me by the 

 German farmer as being the hereditary owner of a large estate 

 worth several thousand pounds, and a number of slaves. He was 

 quite black and dressed in tatters, and looked like a slave him- 



