84 TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



in the same manner as the horned cattle, partly to- 

 show the farmers of the tithes (^contractadores) the 

 annual increase of their herds, partly to brand the 

 animals hi the first year, and to castrate them in 

 the second. The wild horses are most frequently 

 of a brown colour, very rarely white or piebald, 

 and by their disproportionably short thick heads,, 

 and small stature, generally betray their extra 

 European breed. The mules are here handsomer 

 made animals than the horses ; they are commonly 

 equal in size to our European horses ; their colours 

 are black, brown, fallow, or striped like a zebra. 

 They are preferable to the horses, especially on 

 long journeys, because they can better endure 

 hunger and thirst ; and carry with greater security 

 heavier burdens, on an average eight arrobas. At 

 every farm in this part of the country, some com- 

 mon asses are also kept, but this race of animals 

 is by no means so much esteemed here as in the 

 Rio Grande do Sul and in Buenos Ayres, for 

 which reason we had no opportunity of making 

 more particular observations, which we must there- 

 fore leave to future travellers in these countries. 



We have already mentioned, that in consequence 

 of the general custom throughout Brazil, of using 

 for tillage only places in the woods after the trees 

 have been felled and burnt, agriculture has not been 

 extended so much as it deserves, particularly in the 

 province of S. Paulo, which has such extensive 

 campos. The mandiocca root does not thrive ; 



