96 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



work pleasanter than was possible with the thermometer 

 at 138° F. 



Vicente left here to-day to return to Pitanguy. I shall 

 miss him very much. For six weeks he was my only com- 

 panion besides the men, and he has been so kind and 

 helpful in a thousand ways. Just as he was mounting his 

 horse, he was stung in the left ear by a large wasp, which 

 went so far in that we could not even feel it for some 

 time. It was finally killed by pouring in a little cachaga, 

 and then we took it out. The pain must have been very 

 great. 



Early on the morning of the 8th, I was awakened by 

 our first great thunderstorm. In a few minutes the ditch 

 round the tent was full, and streams poured over the floor. 

 I had to get up and remove everything I could out of 

 the wet. 



Our number was increased on Michaelmas Day by the 

 arrival of Mr. Roberts, and since then we have somewhat 

 changed our mode of life. Instead of having breakfast 

 before going out, our general routine is as follows : up at 

 sunrise, and have three or four raw eggs beaten up with 

 a little cachaga and water, some bread and coffee ; then go 

 out on the work till about midday, when our breakfast 

 is brought out to us, consisting of stewed or roast fowl, 

 with rice, feijoes, and bread ; then work again after about 

 an hour's rest, returning to camp in time to change clothes 

 wash, and hunt for carrapatos before dinner, which we have 

 just after sunset. 



My routine on retiring for the night is to lay a grass 

 mat in the hammock, then a sheet of waterproof, and a 

 blanket which has been aired or dried during the day ■ 

 then, after a final hunt for carrapatos, and sponging with 

 diluted carbolic acid, sprinkle some of it on all the blankets 



