MR. WEIRS JOURNAL. 343 
ril 1st—Accompanied by a young German of the name of Swartz, 
who undertook to guide me to the place, I started this morning for the 
caverns, which we ultimately found, after having missed our way several 
times. Apparently no one had visited the place for many months, the 
road being all grown over with creepers and other rank plants, and I doubt 
much whether we would have found the caves at all, if we had not got a 
man who lived near at hand to take us to the exact spot. | 
The entrance to the first cave we visited is а narrow hole in the rock, 
apparently a pure limestone, of which the surrounding hills seem mainly 
composed. A few yards to the right of the entrance, a considerable stream 
become united with other pendent ones from above, and seemingly form 
pillars supporting the roof of the cave. 
The second cavern is entered on the other side of the hill under which 
both are situated. The stream of water also enters here, and the narrow 
tunnel through which it flows must extend quite through to the other 
cavern. But the entrance to this one is not on the same level as the 
water, but is situated in the rock, about 50 or 60 perpendicular feet above 
it; nor is the stream anywhere visible in this cavern, although it must 
flow directly beneath it throughout its whole extent. The shape and 
dimensions of this cave are nearly the same as the other, and they are 
both very beautiful. I brought away from this a small stalactite and a 
small piece of the rock. Another cave exists about halfa-mile up the 
stream, but as it can only be entered when the stream is very low, we 
could not get in on account of its being somewhat swollen. 
These caves are all well worth being visited, but they must be small in 
comparison with others in the same rock farther north; one in particular 
I was told of, which, according to report, would require days to see it all. 
. No doubt many other caverns yet remain to be discovered ; for the rock 
in which they occur extends for many leagues through forests as yet quite 
trackless and unexplored. 
April 8th.—Returned to Antonina with plants of Hymenophyllums, 
Trichomanes (six species of these), and various other plants, amongst them 
several of No. 471 (Hillia Brasiliensis, Cham.) —the epiphytal shrub, with 
large salver-shaped white flowers, I have formerly spoken of. I hoped to 
have been able to get seeds of this, but they are not yet ripe. 
April 17th to 19th.—In Paranagua. 1 
April 21st to 26th.—At sea. Arrived in the harbour of Rio this morning, 
but, as it was Sunday, could not disembark my plants. 
