SIAJOR SEMPLE LISLE. 237 



ihcre, — JDine at the hut of a poor Farmer. — Sleep 

 at the houfe of an officer of auxiliary dragoms, 

 Ivhere the entertainment is magnificent, — Remark-^ 

 able fituat ion of Moifiardio. — Manner of marking 

 horfes on the royal farms. — Dexterity of the In- 

 dians in the ufe of tzvo very fingular zveapons. — jf 

 merry prank played on a Farmer. — Torres^ a fort 

 €n the frontiers of the province of Rio Grande, de- 

 fer ipt ion of if ; vafi number of feals there. — Bra- 

 zilian cavalry. — Chara^cr of the inhabitants of- 

 Rio Grande. — Farinha, a root iifed as afuhflitute 

 for bread. — Difficulty in croffiing a large river. — 

 A curious old Frenchman. — Extraordinary mode of 

 fifhing. — Mountains near Laguna. — Part zvitb 

 their former guides. — From Laguna the road to-- 

 wards St.Catharine''s very bad. — Stop at a whale 

 fif^jcry, and next day arrive at St. Catharine's.. 



W E now prepared for our journey, with the 

 fatigues of which we were made fully acquaint- 

 ed, both by the General and others, who kncM^ 

 and had experienced them. They reprcfented 

 to me in very urgent terms, that none but a 

 ftrong man inured to fatigue, could fupporC 

 fuch an expedition, through a country in many 

 places defolate, and in all but thinly inhabited; 

 for my fafety they exprelTcd no apprehenlion, as 

 my habits had ever been of the laborious and 

 cnterpriiing kind ; but they with a well-rneanc 



earneftneis 



