70 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



I must say it was with the very greatest regret that I 

 began to retrace my steps ; but work had to be done. I was 

 sorry to be unable even to reach Pitanguy, only seven 

 leagues further, and I heard most glowing accounts of that 

 city of about three thousand inhabitants, and of the kind- 

 ness of the people there. Besides, there are to be seen the 

 tapir, "capivara," or water-hog, anacondas twenty metres 

 long, boa constrictors, and the onga, or yellow leopard. It 

 was very tantalizing, too, after having gone so far, to hear 

 of the really wild parts on the Rio Sao Francisco that is 

 to say, wild as far as animals are concerned, for Indians 

 are not within ten days' ride and then to have to return 

 to the tame and comparatively civilized regions. 



However, at the Fazenda Fructuosa we were received 

 with open arms, and the kind hostess, who had taken quite 

 a fancy to me, bewildered me by offering cachaga under 

 the names of " corneo," " samba," and " ristiro," or " ristillo." 

 The whole household, with a dozen female slaves, were busy 

 picking and winnowing Indian corn. Our hostess gave us 

 some excellent Tangerinas de terra (small lemons), looking 

 exactly like oranges. She then led me into a back room, and 

 gave me some water and " ristiri " to wash in. This is the 



first time I have used F. M 's recipe ; you may remember 



he told me never to wash without putting a little spirit into 

 the water. I certainly found it refreshing, but the smell of 

 spirit is so obnoxious I could never use it as a rule. She 

 then took me into their bedroom, away from the others, 

 where were some ladies and children. We had a little confab, 

 and she brought out a bottle of special liquor for my 

 benefit, which was not unacceptable. We were then treated 

 to coffee and hot cakes, after which we again visited the 

 camp, finally reaching Cajuru about six. 



After dinner we went to see the priest. He was at his 



