102 SAND-HILLS. 



this spot, as there was a spring of brackish water 

 hard by, which was, however, only to be reached 

 by descending a precipice ; the pitcher was fast- 

 ened to a cord, and drawn up, and the person 

 who descended to fill it, ascended the precipice 

 by means of the brushwood which grows upon 

 the side. I did not much like the party, there- 

 fore we took up our lodgings at some little dis- 

 tance from them, and none of us settled regu- 

 larly for the night. I now much regretted not 

 having a dog with me. Our horses passed a 

 wretched night, feeding upon the leaves of the 

 shrubs around us. 



The next morning we continued our journey 

 over the sand-hills to Natal, travelling at about 

 two miles within the hour. The distance from 

 Goiana to Natal is fifty-five leagues. The sand- 

 hills are perpetually changing their situations 

 and forms ; the high winds blow the sand in 

 clouds, which renders it dangerous to travellers ; 

 it is white, and very fine, so that our horses sunk 

 up to the knees at every step, — painful to a 

 very great degree, when the sun has had full 

 power upon it. Poor Julio had mounted upon 

 the haunches of one of the loaded horses, and 

 occasioned our travelling still slower. All was 

 desolate and dreary ; for the great lightness of 

 the sand almost prevented vegetation, though 

 some of the creeping sea-side plants had sue- 

 ceded here and there in establishing a footing. 



14 



