THE DOG. 



219 



nere we slept. The roads lay through woods, 

 which were thick and close. From hence to the 

 Seara-Meirim, the country was new to me, as I 

 deviated from the road by which I had arrived 

 at Acu, on my way northwards. I now took the 

 shortest road to Natal, but had frequently to 

 cross this winding river. 



Whilst I was at dinner, Mimoza was near to 

 me watching for her share, when suddenly she 

 crept under the bench upon which I sat ; I soon 

 saw what had caused this movement, for the 

 old man, the father of her owner, was coming 

 towards us ; he said that he came for his son's 

 dog. I persuaded him to sell her, and when he 

 was going his way, Mimoza ran out from under 

 the bench, and fawned upon him. I told him 

 to go on, and invite her to follow him ; but 

 upon this she immediately returned growling to 

 her old station under the bench. She had been 

 better treated and better fed with me than when 

 she was with her master. I always fed her my- 

 self, and had several times prevented him from 

 beating her. 



The next day we passed through the Jazendas 

 of Passagem and Barra ; the road was over loose 

 stony ground and we crossed one dry marsh. 

 In the afternoon we travelled from S. Bento to 

 Anjicos, which obliged us to pass over some 

 higher ground, which was very stony and pain- 



