100 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 



the main road into a little wooded path that led to 

 their plantation. As we rode up to the house about 

 a dozen women's heads appeared at the windows, 

 greeting Coutinho in different voices of delight. 

 He is such a favorite everywhere that under his wing 

 we are sure to be greeted with cordiality. 



Well, they all came down (and the all means a 

 legion of daughters, some married and some unmar- 

 ried) and made us most warmly welcome. They took 

 me upstairs, brought me water and towels and a 

 change of clothing, for the baggage had not come and 

 I was thoroughly wet, having waded through all the 

 streams in the country and been rained on into the 

 bargain. They were all very short, little women like 

 the Brazilians generally, and you may imagine I had 

 some diflSculty to get into their clothes. However, 

 I finally made my appearance in a purple skirt and 

 a bright blue rowdy, which I had to wear to hide the 

 gaping of the petticoat. Then I went down and had 

 coffee, and we passed the rest of the afternoon till 

 dinner in playing and singing. The girls are very bright 

 and intelligent and two of them very pretty. They 

 really have a great deal of natural gift for music, espe- 

 cially one of them who sings in a very effective way. 



The first thing that we heard was that the journey 

 to Baturite was out of the question, that is unless we 

 were prepared to pass an indefinite time. The river 

 was greatly swollen by the rains, and if we passed it we 

 might be caught on the other side and not be able 

 to get back for many days. Agassiz did not care, how- 

 ever, for he had already seen enough to show him that 



