268 TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



sist of plants, which are found only in them.* 

 Towards the summit, immense masses of rock, and 

 rifts of the whitish quartz-slate stand out between 

 the grassy spots. A prodigious block is parti- 

 cularly remarkable, which has separated from the 

 summit, and hangs below it rather obliquely, and 

 is plainly seen from Villa Rica.t 



About noon we were at the foot of the highest 

 conical summit, which is partly covered with grass 

 and low bushes, and partly showing a bare wall of 

 rock ; we left the mules on which we had been 

 able to ride conveniently so far, to graze in the 

 barren campos, and ascended the last part of the 

 mountain. From the summit we enjoyed a grand 

 and extensive prospect over all the surrounding 

 mountain chains, which are commanded by the 

 colossal Itacolumi, the highest mountain of the 

 comarca of Oiro Preto, as the nucleus of a great 

 system of mountains. The steep iron-stone moun- 

 tain of Itaubira, with its two picosj, one of which 



* To these belong several kinds of the species Laurus, 

 Vochisia, Annona Uvaria, Xylopia, Myrtus, Inga, Wei- 

 mannia, Styrax, Bauhinia, Coccoloba, Chiococca, Amajovea, 

 Chomelia, Sapium, Gymnanthes, Spixia entwined with Paul- 

 linias and Echites. Botanising is often impossible here, on 

 account of the swampy soil, or dangerous from the resort of 

 large serpents. 



■f This rock has given rise to the Indian name of Ita (stone), 

 and Columi (little son), as if it were the son of the principal 

 summit. 



:j: According to Von Eschwege's measurement, this moun- 

 tain is 4895 feet above the surface of the sea. 



