TABOLEIROS AND CAMPINAS. 



14.5 



the name of a ridge of hills ; but is enough to 

 break the ocean-like flatness and immensity 

 which these plains sometimes present to the 

 traveller ; after proceeding for hours, the same 

 distance still seems to remain for him to traverse. 

 These are the campinas. I passed over some 

 spots covered with high trees, which in our own 

 country would be called woods of considerable 

 extent; but in Brazil, they could not be ac- 

 counted of sufficient magnitude to compose a 

 distinguishing feature in the naked regions which 

 I traversed. The impression which a recollection 

 of this portion of land left upon my mind, is of 

 a flat uncovered country. 



I heard very little of beasts of prey ; they had 

 removed to better districts, I suppose ; nor were 

 we much troubled with snakes. But my people 

 never failed, in taking up our quarters, to look 

 well around, which proves their frequent ap- 

 pearance, else this cautious behaviour would not 

 have become habitual with them. I merely say, 

 that they are not plentiful in this barren part ; 

 for elsewhere, near lakes and large pools of 

 water, in fertile districts, the rattle of the snake, 

 of which this is the distinguishing mark, is often 

 heard. We saw a small kind of rabbit, near 

 rocky ground, which is called moco. The cara- 

 pato or tick, and the chigua had entirely disap- 

 peared, since we left the dry lake, near Natal. 

 The chigua has been so often described, that a 



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