IN THE VALLEY OF THE RIO CAMAPUAO. 135 



abundantly is maize, and Mr. Roberts, who has had ex- 

 perience all over the world, says the growth here is the 

 most luxuriant he has ever seen. It is used abundantly for 

 making farinha (the kind of "sawdust" also produced 

 from the mandioc root), and as flour, called fuba, for 

 porridge. Canjica, or maize boiled in milk, is a favourite 

 dish. The corn is also made into bread, cakes, and biscuits, 

 as well as being used for feeding cattle, horses, and mules. 



Passing frequently through the many maize-fields, the 

 plants almost seem to grow as one watches them ; and 

 they are so strong and healthy. The seed was only sown 

 some ten weeks ago, and the plants are now eight feet high, 

 the stem a couple of inches thick, and the leaves three or 

 four inches wide. Everything else is green, rank, and 

 beautiful. But while the torrents of rain are descending and 

 the plants are luxuriating in it, there arises at the same 

 time from the valley* and the forests a continual steamy 

 mist, which collects into clouds ; and then, having performed 

 its work here, it is carried off on the wings of the wind, 

 receiving fresh fertilizing power to descend again in 

 another place to give strength, refreshment, and luxuriance 

 to the vegetation elsewhere. 



January 8. About two miles from here, along the 

 valley, lives an old priest, Padre Pinto, who has the most 

 violent antipathy to the railway, so I was in hopes of being 

 able to steer clear of him ; but unfortunately the most 

 satisfactory position for the line is parallel to, and about 

 twenty feet from, his fazenda. The first time we passed, 

 the house appeared all shut up ; but to-day, when we reached 

 it, the old padre thrust his grisly, unshaven face out of one 

 of the windows, and acknowledged our bow. As our break- 

 fast had just arrived, we thought he might have asked us 

 in to eat in the shade, for the sun was blazing and the heat 



