498 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



We reached the flat summit at half-past four, and there beheld 

 one of the most wonderful views that it had ever fallen to our 

 lot to contemplate. The harbour, with its numerous islands, 

 the sea outside to the north and south, and the country 

 around, were all spread out before us as in a map, and steeped 

 in the most exquisite serene evening sunlight. The distant 

 mountains were of a delicate purple tint, with here and there 

 only just enough haze resting on them to add to their beauty. 

 From our lofty situation we counted no less than fifty-four 

 rocks and islands in the harbour. We remained enjoying the 

 prospect till after five p.m., when we began to descend, as the 

 sun was rapidly going down, and we were anxious to get on 

 our way before the darkness should overtake us. It was long 

 past sunset when we got back to Boa Vista, but a magnificent 

 starlight night, many fireflies adding to the illumination. 

 After halting at a venda to refresh ourselves after our exer- 

 tions, we began to descend the hill to Anderahy, but not 

 until we had occupied a few minutes in gazing with admira- 

 tion at the splendid spectacle presented by the city of Eio, 

 which, brilliantly lighted up, resembled a large delta formed 

 of streams of fire. On the following day we visited the 

 remarkable valley of boulders below Tijuca, and two days 

 later walked to the sandy sea-beach beyond Botafogo, where, 

 on a former occasion, I had observed the swift -running 

 crabs. Not far from this beach I met with three species of 

 sensitive plants, all distinct from that observed on our visit 

 on the way out to the Botanic Gardens. Of these, one was a 

 Mimosa, a second appeared to be referable to the genus Cassia, 

 while the third, which was the most feebly sensitive of the lot, 

 was an j^schynomene. On marshy ground, not far from the 

 beach, a stout coarse-growing fern, the Chrysodiurn aiireum, 



