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could not linger in this entomological fairyland long, for Mr. Jones 

 was beginning to get badly knocked up with the strenuous life we had 

 been leading ; moreover, we had to return to Castro that same 

 evening, for another good reason was that we had no more food. 

 We arrived back in Castro as the sun was setting, but only after an 

 episode that made me fear for the safety of my two companions, for 

 the small cart in which they were riding completely turned over 

 soon after we had left the Serra. Providentially no bones were 

 broken, and we completed our journey without further incident. It 

 was altogether a trip that will not soon be forgotten. We spent 

 another three or four days with our kind friends Mr. and Mrs. 

 Bickerstaph and thoroughly appreciated the home comforts that they 

 provided us with. The house is about a mile from Castro on high 

 campo land, and for perfect freedom in a glorious climate it would 

 be hard to beat our erstwhile home in campo surroundings. 



On March 29th we organised a little camping expedition to Villa 

 Velha. We made up a party of eight, including the driver of the 

 " carossa," and commenced our progress by taking train to Ponta 

 Grossa. 



A springless four-wheeled covered waggon was engaged at Ponta 

 Grossa, and in this we bumped and jolted for about hve hours over the 

 rough campo, and arrived at 7 p.m. in the dark, approximately near, 

 as we thought, to the rock formation. We could not find running 

 water for some time, but with the aid of Mr. Jones's acetylene lamp 

 we at last found a tiny spring. We were on the slope of a hill, and 

 it was not an ideal place for our tents. We, however, cut some tent- 

 poles, and very quickly had our tent pitched and a fire burning. 

 That night we men slept in the tent, the two ladies occupied the 

 cart, and the driver slept under the cart. The next mornint;, which 

 was deliciously crisp and invigorating, we struck our camp, and 

 moved away some two miles to a more suitable spot, and one nearer 

 to Villa Velha. I was surprised there were not more butterflies on 

 this long-grass-covered campo. Except for a small Euptychia, a 

 Satyrinid, and one or two small Lyctenids, I saw no Lepidoptera till we 

 got down to the shelter of a bit of wood. I found a most beautiful 

 flower in the form of the scarlet gentian, a species with a long, stout 

 stalk and large red flower. We came down to the edge of a small 

 river, fringed with wood, and pitched both our tents in a most 

 delightful spot. It was with difificulty we found a way over the 

 stream, but we at last hit on a natural iiridge formed by a fallen tree. 

 The bran' hes had grown perpendicularly to the trunk, and a pievious 

 traveller had placed a pole along the young growth to form a hand- 

 rail. Once across the stream it was h.ilf an hour's steady walk to 

 reach the rocks, although in (he clear air and dazzling sunlight it did 

 not appear to be more ihan ten minutes' walk. 



Villa Velha is a remarkable mass of soft sandstone rock, which 

 has weathered into most fantastic shapes. The rain falling on 

 the top, and beating against the sides, washes out the softer 



