44 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



outlines of the lofty Organ Mountains ; then, as we wound 

 down the sharp curves of the line, breaks in other moun- 

 tains showed us range beyond range of other more distant 

 blue ridges, sometimes to the south, sometimes to the 

 west, while the next moment all disappeared, and we were 

 passing through a hilly forest, with a few thatched huts, 

 surrounded by bananas, and little dusky children playing 

 around, or a whitewashed brown-tiled house in the centre 

 of a clearing, and an occasional waterfall. 



Rio de Janeiro. 

 July 21. — Though the up-country climate is certainly 

 much more healthy than here, I confess I was delighted 

 last evening to find the thermometer 75° Fahr. instead of 

 35°, and to be able to sleep in the costume de nuit 

 of civilization instead of in trousers under any amount 

 of wraps. Such is the remarkable difference that three 

 thousand feet in altitude makes near the Tropic of Capri- 

 corn in midwinter corresponding to the end of January 

 with you in England. 



I forgot to say I met two of the engineers I had seen 

 at Queluz on my downward journey. The first was at 

 Carandahy, where he arrived the evening I did, coming up 

 country with his wife, five children, and half a dozen slaves. 

 His wife dined with us at table d'hdte, kept her elbows on 

 the table the whole time, used knife and fork alternately to 

 convey the food to her mouth, took up the chicken-bones 

 with her fingers to pick, and finally made dexterous use of 

 the " palito " or toothpick. 



I have been anxiously awaiting letters from home, but 

 none have arrived. The day I was at Paraopeba, I received 

 one packet from the bank at Rio, but the enclosures were 

 all for the other members of the staff. I now find on 



