I START ON CAMP LIFE. 77 



of the remains of the soup, a chicken, some " toucinho " 

 (salt pork), and farinha. 



After breakfast I went out on one of the ridges to 

 explore, but before long, seeing a storm coming up from 

 the north, had to rush back, and reached the tent just in 

 time to avoid a drenching. The thunder over the wooded 

 range of the Serra do Cortume was very heavy, and accom- 

 panied by a terrific deluge ; but it passed off in an hour, 

 and the sun shone out again with his delightful warmth. 



The only insects that have found me out at present are 

 numberless red ants, with remarkably large heads and 

 powerful mandibles, called cabegudo ; also the usual car- 

 rapatos ; and I have seen several fireflies. 



The canteen I bought at Silver's is most useful ; in 

 fact, at present it forms the whole of my cooking apparatus. 



August 20. Just after the storm on the i/th, the rest 

 of my party arrived, bringing letters and newspapers from 

 England up to the i6th of July, dated Rio, August roth. 

 Much time is lost in the transit of letters up country when 

 they leave the railway. 



On the 1 8th I went exploring, taking men with "machado" 

 (axe) and " fauces " (bill-hooks), while I had " facao " (long 

 knife), aneroid, compass, etc. But I must now explain 

 why I begin work here instead of at either end. 



Having settled upon the general line of route to be 

 surveyed from the Government Trunk Railway (the E. F. 

 Dom Pedro II.) to Brumado, which line, after careful ex- 

 amination and consideration of some six other proposed 

 routes, appears certainly the shortest and most convenient ; 

 I have now to determine whether it is also the most prac- 

 ticable and cheapest, as there is one point nearly half-way 

 that may be troublesome, owing to our being compelled to 



