26 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



something very unusual ; however, we were allotted three 

 bedrooms for our party. The bedstead frames were iron, 

 with boards to lie on, concealed by half an inch of Indian 

 corn straw, and naught besides save a sheet and a thin 

 coverlet. I slept Brazilian fashion, in trousers, and piled 

 on all the coats and rugs that I had to keep myself warm ; 

 the result was I slept like a top, but when I woke was 

 greeted by sundry groans from my neighbours, who were a 

 mass of bruises, and had not slept a wink, owing to the hard 

 boards. 



July i. At nine, Dr. Rebougas, his friend Senhor Oliveira, 

 our chief, and I left for Queluz, which is about forty-eight 

 kilometres off (thirty miles). Placing our little luggage on 

 a trolly, we four, with the district engineer, got on, and were 

 pushed along for two or three kilometres by four men, till 

 we fell in with the contractor's engine. We then removed 

 our luggage and got on board it. All round the engine is 

 a narrow platform, with a railing to prevent one being 

 jolted off; and in front, between the buffers, is a seat, which 

 is more comfortable but less agreeable ; for when the engine 

 pulls up sharp, as it did once when a herd of cows was on 

 the line, the chances are you will be pitched off on your 

 face. We reached the station of Paraopeba at ten, having 

 been an hour travelling eighteen kilometres. After a short 

 conference with some engineers there (having ordered 

 horses to meet us at the end of the rails, and engaged a 

 cart to take the luggage to Queluz), we left at 11.30. The 

 last six or seven kilometres of rails were very rough, and 

 we crawled along and jumped about horribly. At length 

 by midday, reaching the end of the rails, we got on horse- 

 back, riding for the most part along the line, which is 

 almost ready for laying the rails, even beyond Queluz. On 

 the way we met another district engineer, levelling the 



