TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 207 



CHAPTER II. 



JOURNEY FROM VILLA RICA TO THE COROADOS 

 INDIANS ON THE RIO XIPOTO. 



On the 31st of March we left Villa Rica, taking 

 with us only one mule and a driver, because on 

 such excursions it is advisable to have as little bag- 

 gage as possible. The morning was cool, and the 

 fog sinking on the mountains, gave us reason to 

 expect a fine day. We ascended by a broad road 

 over the rocks, and which was partly paved, through 

 the northern part of the town, and over a steep 

 projection of the Morro, whence we had a fine 

 prospect of the majestic Itacolumi, which com- 

 mands the whole surrounding country. In the 

 deep valley, formed by the declivities of this moun- 

 tain and of the Morro, flows the auriferous Ribeirao 

 do Oiro Preto or do Carmo, through verdant mea- 

 dows and between romantic broken rocks. Very 

 near to Villa Rica we passed a spring which is en- 

 closed ; it is chalybeate, and is said to possess very 

 salutary properties. Not far from this we also re- 

 marked several of the pits in the quartzy slate, which 

 we have mentioned before, and which formerly 



