TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 295 



migrations along the rivers, it seems that they 

 originally spread from the interior to the sea. 

 Those who live together in the Aldea de Valen9a, 

 not far from the road of Rio to Villa Rica, between 

 the rivers Paraiba and Rio Preto, are remains of 

 the same nation. This place was but a few years 

 ago, tiie only one in the province of Rio de 

 Janeiro, in which a considerable number, both of 

 converted and unconverted Indians resided. The 

 situation of the establishment, favoured the inclin- 

 ation of these children of nature, to return from 

 time to time to the great primeval forests on the 

 Paraiba, and farther northward, towards Minas 

 Geraes, whence they, however, always returned to 

 the ecclesiastics of the mission. The introduction 

 of a Swiss colony into Rio de Janeiro, which took 

 place soon after we left that city, and the com- 

 mand of the government that those Indians 

 should clear the forests for the new comers, is 

 stated to be the cause that a great part of them 

 have lately for ever abandoned the village. 



The capitao mor in Areas, delighted at the ap- 

 pearance of several strangers of the nation of his 

 crown-princess, and from such a remote country, of- 

 fered us, in a very friendly manner, when we passed 

 through, his services in forwarding our effects ; 

 because his experienced eye soon discovered the 

 bad condition of our mules, which, by the neglect 

 of our unskilful Arieiro, had become almost unser- 

 viceable i but as the latter assured us that we did not 



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