66 A YEAR m BRAZIL. 



an hour the bedroom allotted to us, which opened into the 

 street, was full of about twenty men and boys, all come to 

 examine us, as if we were wild beasts. Presently the priest 

 came to pay his respects, and then we retired to a back 

 place for dinner, after which we held another stance for the 

 lads who wished to see the strangers. At 7 p.m. the chief 

 arrived, and after his dinner and a little rest, and paying 

 a short visit, we had a long talk about business till three 

 next morning. 



A ugust 7. — After breakfast we started, a party of eleven, 

 for a ride to examine a proposed alternative route for the 

 line, leaving the bank of the river, which is some distance 

 off, in order to pass near the town. When going over a 

 rotten bridge soon after the ride began, the front left foot 

 of the last horse went through the bridge. He rolled over 

 into the stream, and a stick entered one of his eyes, nearly 

 blinding him. Fortunately, we were all leading our horses, 

 otherwise the rider would probably have been killed. As it 

 happened, the horse emerged on the wrong side of the 

 stream, and much time was lost getting him across again. 

 After riding about four miles, at a good pace for a wonder, 

 we came to a fazenda and sugar-mill on the bank of the 

 Para, where we had coffee. I gathered a species of Datura, 

 and we then rode across country to a valley where there 

 is a fine " cachoeira " (waterfall) ; the stream falls about 

 one hundred feet over a rounded face of rock, which stands 

 at an angle of some forty-five degrees. On the rocks we 

 saw a bull which had evidently fallen over a little cliff, and 

 appeared to be much injured,- so we went to the nearest 

 hut we could find, and told the inmates of the accident. 

 After a most enjoyable day and capital ride, we returned 

 to Sao Gon^alo at 4.30. 



On alighting I saw an armadillo-baiting in the street 



