April, 1832. 



RIO DE JANEIRO. 



29 



and mimosae. The latter, in some parts, covered the surface 

 with a brushwood only a few inches high. In walking 

 across these thick beds, a broad track was marked by the 

 change of shade, produced by the drooping of their sensitive 

 petioles. It is easy to specify the individual objects of 

 admiration in these grand scenes ; but it is not possible 

 to give an adequate idea of the higher feelings of won- 

 der, astonishment, and devotion, which fill and elevate the 

 mind. 



April 19th. — Leaving Socego, during the two first days, 

 we retraced our steps. It was very wearisome work, as the 

 road generally ran across a glaring hot sandy plain, not far 

 from the coast, I noticed that each time the horse put its 

 foot on the fine siliceous sand, a gentle chirping noise was 

 produced. On the third day we took a different line, and 

 passed through the gay little village of Madre de Deos. 

 This is one of the principal lines of road in Brazil ; yet it 

 was in so bad a state, that no wheel vehicle, excepting the 

 clumsy bullock-waggon, could pass along. In our whole 

 journey we did not cross a single bridge built of stone ; and 

 those made of logs of wood were frequently so much out of 

 repair, that it was necessary to go on one side to avoid them. 

 All distances are inaccurately known. The road is often 

 marked by crosses, in the place of milestones, to signify 

 where human blood has been spilled. On the evening of 

 the 23d we arrived at Rio, having finished our pleasant 

 little excursion. 



During the remainder of my stay at Rio, I resided in a 

 cottage at Botofogo Bay. It was impossible to wish for any 

 thing more delightful than thus to spend some weeks in so 

 magnificent a country. In England any person fond of natural 

 history enjoys in his walks a great advantage, by always 

 having something to attract his attention ; but in these fer- 

 tile climates, teeming with life, the attractions are so 

 numerous, that he is scarcely able to walk at all. 



The few observations which I was enabled to make were 

 almost exclusively confined to the invertebrate animals. The 



