PROVINCE OF RIO DE JANEIRO. 



61 



by these caravans, their drivers of all complexions, dressed in cotton shirts and 

 trov^^sers, with slouching hats, and combined with the horses and mules, carry- 

 ing persons of rather a superior order coming also from the interior, amount to 

 the aggregate number of at least two thousand passing and re-passing daily. 

 It would be difficult to describe the variety of costume and rude appearance 

 of the latter persons, many of whom are dressed in black or dirty white hats, 

 with prodigious rims, a capote, or cloak, frequently of sky-blue, thrown round 

 the front part of the body, and being crossed' behind them, hangs in folds on 

 each side of the mule. The bits of their bridles, their saddles, and stirrups, 

 are of various antiquated and fantastic shapes. Some wear boots of brown 

 leather, closely fitted to the leg, bound round the top with a strap and large 

 buckle ; others with capotes, large hats, &c. wear neither shoes nor boots, 

 but introduce the great toes only into the stirrups, and with large heavy spurs 

 upon the naked heels, are not the least remarkable amongst these burlesque 

 figures. I have frequently ridden with them, and always found that they were 

 communicative and civil. Their mules, which had performed journeys of two 

 and three months, did not appear to have sustained much injury. These peo- 

 ple mostly frequent certain streets in the city for the disposal of their produce, 

 and the purchase of manufactured goods. The Rua de Candalaria is the great 

 mart for cheeses, brought from the interior. The Rua das Violas, Rua de St. 

 Pedro, &c. are visited by the miners ; and some of the shopkeepers, of whom 

 they buy their return cargo, occasionally purchase from the English merchants 

 three or four thousand pounds of goods in one bargain. 



The other road leading from the Campo St. Anna, does not present so much 

 traffic as the last, and is denominated the old road. It proceeds through the 

 village of Catimby, and from thence to Matta Porcas, one end of which it 

 passes, and advances through the valley, having many good houses by its sides, 

 to Andrahi, contracting afterwards betwixt the mountains into a narrow bridle 

 way, leading to the district of Tejuco. From this road, near the Pedra Moun- 

 tain, a cross road, with some good houses, the principal one recently occupied 

 by Mr. Gill, an English merchant, conducts through this extremity of the valley 

 of Engenho Velho, and at a distance of about half a mile unites itself with a 

 road coming through another portion of the same valley, from the stone bridge 

 near the turn to the palace. After this junction, the road proceeds through 

 the valley of Engenho Novo, and communicates with the great road to the 

 mines. 



The road which turns off at the stone bridge last mentioned is a lane much 



