^G(j TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



Francisco and to Goyaz ; lastly, either to proceed 

 from hence by the river Tocantin to Para, or to 

 return from the interior to Bahia and the coast, 

 there to embark our collections for Europe, and 

 then to penetrate again into the interior of the pro- 

 vinces of Piauhy and Maranhao, and thus at length 

 to reach Para, the object of our wishes. On this 

 journey, through a part of the temperate and the 

 whole of the south torrid zone, we hoped that we 

 should be able to take a comprehensive view of the 

 latter, and its manifold productions, and to make 

 interesting comparisons between the several king- 

 doms of nature, in different latitudes. This plan 

 was determined upon with courage and expedition. 

 Our friends who were acquainted with the country 

 doubted our success in an undertaking which they 

 likened to the flight of Icarus ; but they could not 

 lessen our own confidence, guided by which we 

 indulged in the pleasing hope of a happy termin- 

 ation of our labours. 



Our stay at Mandiocca, and our excursions in 

 the environs, had made us acquainted with most of 

 the requisites for such a journey by land. Our first 

 care, therefore, was to procure a troop of mules, 

 and the most necessary provisions and utensils 

 which every traveller in this country mustabso- 

 lutely have with him, in which we profited by the 

 advice of several Mineiros who had just come to 

 Rio with their caravans. The first requisite, as we 

 were told, was an Arieiro, to whom we should con- 



