CAMPOS NOVOS 219 



goats, pigs, turkeys, and chickens. Most of the buildings 

 were made of upright poles, with roofs of palm thatch. 

 One or two were of native brick, plastered with mud, 

 and before these there was an enclosure with a few 

 ragged palms, and some pineapple plants. Here we 

 halted. Our attendants made two kitchens : one was 

 out in the open air, one was under a shelter of ox-hide. 

 The view over the surrounding grassy hills, riven by 

 deep, wooded valleys, was lovely. The air was cool and 

 fresh. We were not bothered by insects, although 

 mosquitoes swarmed in every belt of timber. Yet there 

 has been much fever at this beautiful and seemingly 

 healthy place. Doubtless when settlement is sufficiently 

 advanced a remedy will be developed. The geology of 

 this neighbourhood was interesting — Oliveira found 

 fossil tree-trunks which he believed to be of cretaceous 

 age. 



Here we found Amilcar and Mello, who had waited 

 for us with the rear-guard of their pack-train, and we 

 enjoyed our meeting with the two fine fellows, than 

 whom no military service of any nation could produce 

 more efficient men for this kind of difficult and respon- 

 sible work. Next morning they mustered their soldiers, 

 muleteers, and pack- ox men, and marched off. Reinisch 

 the taxidermist was with them. We followed in the 

 late afternoon, camping after a few miles. We left the 

 ox-cart at Campos Novos ; from thence on the trail was 

 only for pack-animals. 



In this neighbourhood the two naturalists found many 

 birds which we had not hitherto met. The most con- 

 spicuous was a huge oriole, the size of a smaU crow, with 

 a naked face, a black-and-red bill, and gaudily variegated 

 plumage of gi-een, yellow, and chestnut. Very interest- 

 ing was the false bell-bird, a grey bird, with loud, 



