46 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



in some parts of the forest, but I have not yet 

 seen them. 



2Qth. What a difference between this coun- 

 try, and that which I have left ! I scarcely know 

 which to call my own : should it not be that 

 where I lived during my happy childhood with 

 my dear Mamma ? The kindness and affection 

 of all my friends here will, I am sure, soon make 

 this country dear to me also ; but beautiful I 

 can never think it, when I recollect Brazil, and 

 all its various charms, and all the innumerable 

 flowers and trees that are at this moment in bril- 

 liant beauty; while here, the principal flowers 

 are all gone by, and symptoms of the decay of 

 autumn already appear. 



It was just about this season that you used 

 to take us to the cottage you had on the La- 

 goa de Bodingo Freitas. What various amuse- 

 ments we had there ! The road along the slope 

 of the mountain was so pretty, among myrtles, 

 begonias, and paullinias ; and there we were 

 always sure of finding the diamond-beetle ; and 

 then when gradually descending from the hill, 

 we drove along the banks of the sea covered with 

 lofty ferns ; and when you used to allow us to 

 stop on the shore and search for sea-stars, ur- 

 chins, shells, and plants. Oh, those were happy 

 times ! Or when we used to go with you to the 



