82, A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



each, cocks and hens i6d., sugar M. a kilo., cacha§a ^d. 

 a pint, white (Portuguese) wine a milreis, and"laranginha" 

 (orange gin) two milreis a bottle, pork i2d. a kilo., eggs 

 a halfpenny each. Swedish safety matches are yd. per 

 packet. 



August 30. — I caught a small scorpion about an inch 

 and a half long. In the evening I made a pleasant dis- 

 covery. I have rigged up a stand for my washing-basin, 

 composed of four sticks stuck in the ground ; it has four 

 trays for holding soap, flannel, sponges, etc. I had also 

 placed some guava marmalade on the lowest shelf, and for 

 some days I have seen armies of the cabe^udo ant marching 

 up the legs of the stand empty, and descending with lumps 

 of the sweet stuff ; but I could not find where they lived. 

 To-night I went to my pillow (the saddle-bags) to take 

 out two small cakes I placed there yesterday, and to my 

 horror found at least two hundred ants consuming these 

 delicacies, one of which was half eaten ! " I went for them," 

 and prevented their devouring any more by gobbling up 

 the remainder, and then " taught them not to do it again," 

 with carbolic acid. Tracing them out, I found they had 

 dug a nest under my pillow, eaten two canvas straps of the 

 saddle-bags, and had a store of sweet stuff besides. I dis- 

 posed of the colony, and slept peacefully with my head 

 over their hole. Now I remove my mat every day to 

 examine. 



Fortunately these ants are harmless, for they swarm, 

 and two have just crossed this paper with outstretched 

 mandibles to inspect what I was saying about their defunct 

 relatives, 



September i. — The chief arrived last night, and to-day 

 I have been showing him the work. He is satisfied, and 

 specially praised the state of the camp and the men, saying 



