TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 265 



bows and arrows in their hands. Alarmed at this 

 sudden appearance, we at first feared that an attack 

 was intended ; but as they hesitated to attack us,- 

 we laid our arms on the ground, and went towards 

 them with friendly countenances, making signs to 

 them, that we had laid down our arms, and would 

 do them no harm. As soon as we got up to 

 the nearest of the first troop, we clapped him on 

 the shoulder, again pointed to our fowling pieces 

 lying at a distance, showed them our plants and 

 animals, and gave them to understand that these 

 were our only occupation, and they might there- 

 fore quietly pursue their way. 



One of them, who had already seen us at the 

 fazenda of Guidowald, became, on this, more 

 familiar, and appeared to confirm to his comrades, 

 in a few words, the truth of our statement, and so 

 we parted on good terms. We met with another 

 adventure before we reached the Serra de S. Ge- 

 r^ldo, or Serra de S. Joze. In a thick coppice, we 

 passed an Indian hut, from which an old naked 

 woman, who, as Custodio afterwards told us, was 

 his relation, spoke a few words to him. She 

 asked him with concern, whither he was going, 

 and whether he was carried away by force ; but 

 when he joyfully answered, that he was going to 

 see the great capitao, and would soon return him- 

 self as capitao, she smiled, and took leave of him. 



After this we rapidly crossed the mountain, and 

 proceeded in the direction of N.W. to the little 

 Arraial de S Joze Barboza, where we intended 



