BEGINNING OF THE RAINY SEASON. 97 



necessary, examine revolver and gun, have a " night-cap," 

 and then "douse the glim." 



We have lately been breakfasting in the most pic- 

 turesque spots beside the stream some six or eight feet 

 wide which flows between moss-covered banks, dotted 

 over with ferns (especially maidenhair), while every few 

 yards rise huge tree-ferns ten to fifteen feet high, besides 

 numerous other small trees or shrubs. Everything com- 

 bines to make a pleasant tout ensemble the delightful 

 shade when the sun is 130 in the open, the delicious mur- 

 muring of the brook, and the verdure ; not to speak of 

 breakfast, the first meal in the day, when one is really 

 hungry after hard work. This luxuriant tropical vegeta- 

 tion is very delightful, and, as yet, is unaccompanied by 

 the enervating damp and heat of the lower regions along 

 the coast 



One evening, as we were passing the Fazenda de Cor- 

 tume, one of the sons asked us to alight and have coffee. 

 The old lady, Dona Gertrude, wife of the major, received 

 us ; she was surrounded by a host of sons and daughters, 

 their wives and husbands, her grandchildren, and two great- 

 grandchildren, the latter running about in a state of nature. 

 The room we were in the entrance hall and dining-room 

 has three doors ; one of them was crowded by the female 

 slaves and their children, many of whom were unclad. It 

 is quite a patriarchal establishment, and I should very 

 much like to know how many people live there probably 

 at least fifty. We both liked the old lady very much ; 

 she is portly, and has a great presence, but is very sad, 

 owing to the illness of her husband, who has been in a bad 

 state of health for over three years. 



We have had five days (October 12 to 16) of cold 

 drizzling rain, but no deluge ; it has been so cold we have 



H 



