of the Province of Ceard in the North of Brazil. 77 



slightly elevated ridges covered with a species of Cactus, and a 

 large Bromelia. Their strata, like those farther down, are 

 almost vertical. In this tract Carnahuba palms become less 

 numerous, and small dicotyledonous trees and shrubs more 

 abundant, but all of them in the dry season, at which time I 

 passed, destitute of leaves. These deciduous woods, which 

 often cover large tracts of country, are called Catingas by the 

 Brazilians. These tracts are still farther characterized by 

 three large species of Cacti belonging to the genus Cereus. 

 During the next twenty leagues, which brought me to the 

 Villa do led, the nature of the country differs in again becom- 

 ing more level, consisting of large open campos or vargims, 

 the vegetation of which, during the dry season, is quite burnt 

 up ; but they are said to yield abundance of grass during the 

 rains ; and the Catingas or deciduous woods are much larger 

 than they are farther down. The rocks are gneiss and quartz, 

 and in several places large tracts are covered with fragments 

 of the latter more or less rounded. At about ten leagues be- 

 low led, the monotonous level of the country is A^aried by a 

 mountain range, which makes its appearance to the eastward. 

 This is the Serra de Pereira. It runs from the south-west to 

 the north-east. It is sixteen leagues in length, but its greatest 

 height is not more than 1000 feet above the level of the plains 

 in which it is situated. The structure of its south-west extre- 

 mity, at least, is entirely primitive, but near its base I observed 

 a coarse red conglomerate containing rounded fragments of 

 both primitive and secondary rocks. 



The Villa do led, which is one of the finest in the interior 

 of the north of Brazil, is situated on the east bank of the Rio 

 Jaguaribe, in the middle of one of the large open campos which 

 I have already described, and during the dry season is one of 

 the most miserable places imaginable to live in. The coun- 

 try around it is then so much dried up that not a green leaf 

 is to be seen ; and the river, which during the rains is of con- 

 siderable size, becomes quite dry. The houses are all built of 

 brick, which are made from a very good kind of clay found in 

 the neighbourhood, and are all whitewashed on the outside 

 with a white limestone, which is found about ten leagues to 

 the west of the villa. 



