TRAVELS IN BRAZIL, 287 



the serpents, particularly the beautifully coloured 

 ahaetulla, which is seen darting across the road, or 

 killed by the passing caravan. A lichen *, which 

 by its splendid rose-colour is a real ornament to 

 the stems, grows here on trees, especially in moist 

 places. The beauty and the peculiar brilliancy 

 of this plant, have induced Mr. Tonay to use it for 

 dying ; and Vauquelin t, who examined it by the 

 name of cochenille vegetale, observes that the red 

 colour contained in it, has much resemblance with 

 the orseille {dyers' lichen), is less lively and brilliant, 

 and in smaller quantity, but may be advantageous- 

 ly employed in dying silk and wool, but not so well 

 for cotton. In the main valley, between the 

 ranges of mountains we had already passed, and the 

 following, flows the Pirahy (Fish River), the water 

 of which is pretty clear, though its bed is sandy 

 and marshy. As there is neither a bridge nor ferry, 

 the mules had to be unloaded, and swim through, 

 and the luggage carried over on the shoulders of 

 our people. In the deepest place, a narrow plank 

 {pinguela) had formerly been laid for foot passen- 

 gers ; but it had been unfortunately carried away 

 by the water, so that Mr. Ender, crossing over on 

 horseback, got entangled, to our terror, in a deep 

 hole, from which he did not extricate himself with- 

 out great danger. 



* Spiloraa roseum, Raddi. (Mem. di Fis, Soc. Ital. vol. xviii. 

 p. 349. t.2.) 



t M^moires du Museum, Ann^e 3me, p. 145. 



