of a Mass of Native Iron in Brasil. 423 



I examined were precisely of the same shape. The materials of 

 which they consist are wliite sand, whitish clay, and particles of 

 wood. 



Many of them were full five feet in height. 



The "soil of the valleys and low grounds, which are occasionally 

 swampy, is abundantly im])regn3ted with sea-salt, which tlie in- 

 habitants wash out for their own consumption ; but it contains 

 some bitter salts, which render it purgative to those who are not 

 accustomed to it. 



The thermal springs which were pointed out to me, were se- 

 veral, but they hardly deserve the name. 



One of them was at 86 ' of Fahrenlieit when the atmosphere 

 was at 81", 



Another was at 88'', when the atmosphere was at 771°; ^""^ 

 also at 88", when the atmosphere was at SO". 



The water of both of these is the purest I had ever seen. 

 Many small fish were swimming in the basin of the last, from 

 which runs, at all seasons, a considerable rivulet. 



A third was at 90-, when the atmosphere was at 73'. The 

 water very pure. 



A fourth was at 101', when the atmosphere was at SSI''; also 

 at 101 '', when the atmosphere was at 93". 



Taste of the water rather ferruginous, and very brackish, ex- 

 tremely disagreeable and nauseous. No peculiar smell, and 

 very trans])arent, although it deposits iron and lime, and an 

 iridescent film is formed on its surface. Contains no sulphuret- 

 ted gas. The rocks of the neighbourhood contain pyrites not 

 magnetic. 



This spring is called the Mai-d'agoa, and is situated on the 

 left bank of the river Itapicuru, near the water's edge, at a short 

 distance from a place called the Mato-do-cip6. 



It was during this journey that I had an opportunity of seeing 

 that curious plant called Cipo de cuiianam. It grows abundantly 

 between Monte Santo and the river Bendego. It is a climbing 

 plant destitute of leaves; it was so when I saw it, and I believe 

 it to be always the same ; it bears no thorns ; but often growing 

 so as to form an impenetral)le plica which the cattle will hardly 

 approach, nnicli less attempt to break through, because when the 

 juice of this plant sticks totheir hair, it occasions blisters and great 

 irritation. It contains a milky juice, and I suppose that it is an 

 euphorhium. AVhcn I made a cut at the bush witii my hanger, 

 in the dusk of the evening, the wounds inflicted presented a 

 beautifully luminous line, which was not transient, but lasted 

 for several seconds, or a (|uarter of a minute. Having taken a 

 piece of the plant, I bent it in the dark until the skin cracked, 

 when every crack ehowed the same light, which is of a })hos- 

 D d 4 phorescent 



