TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 273 



characterised on the other hand, as a production of 

 the tropical chmates, by the variety of the forms 

 of its far-spreading garlands of flowers. We saw 

 in the ravines some boulders, and rolled pieces of 

 greenstone, which lie scattered oh the granite 

 ground. On the morning of the 10th of December, 

 having traversed only well- watered meadows, we 

 arrived at Santa Cruz, and were received in the 

 most friendly manner, by our countryman, Lieu- 

 tenant-colonel Feldner, who happened to be then 

 on the spot. This little place with a population of 

 a few hundred inhabitants, and which only a short 

 time before had received from the king the title 

 and privilege of a town, is situated on a flat sandy 

 eminence, entirely surrounded by a marshy plain, 

 and consists, with the exception of the royal palace, 

 of nothing but wretched clay huts. The principal 

 building, formerly the property of the Jesuits* 

 college at Rio de Janeiro, and at present belonging 

 to the crown-prince, Don Pedro d' Alcantara, to 

 whom it was given by his father, contains the ne- 

 cessary accommodation for the royal family and is 

 surrounded by some dependent buildings. Not- 

 withstanding very extensive pasture grounds, an 

 extraordinary stock of cattle consisting of several 

 thousand head, a number of nearly a thousand 

 negro slaves, who are designed for this estate, and 

 notwithstanding the predilection of the court for this 

 seat, this rich domain is still in the same neglected 

 state in which Mawe found and described it several 



VOL, I. . T 



