3^26 



TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



few days before by a venomous serpent (schiraraca) 

 and died of the wound. A vial of eau de luce^ 

 which we left in this hospitable house as a remedy 

 against similar accidents, obtained us blessings from 

 the whole family. The country about Mogy is 

 already pretty well cultivated ; but the want of 

 labourers, which has been partly caused by the 

 march of the militia to the south, seems to be at 

 present very sensibly felt. 



On the last day of the year, after we had passed 

 a wood, and a desolate tract of meadow ground 

 which was for the most part swampy, and a pretty 

 country-house, called Caza Pintada, three leagues 

 and a half from the capital, we beheld before us, 

 from the eminence of Nossa Senhora da Penha, 

 the city of S. Paulo, standing upon a hill in a 

 plain, which is partly covered with bushes or 

 groves. Several large buildings give it, on this 

 side, a very grand appearance ; the most remark- 

 able are — the residence of the governor, formerly 

 the Jesuits' college ; the Carmelite convent ; and 

 the episcopal palace. When we arrived in the city, 

 we found, by the kind attention of one of our 

 countrymen, a house ready for our reception, and 

 fitted up as well as circumstances permitted. Mr. 

 Daniel Peter Miiller, Lieut.-colonel in the Royal 

 Portuguese Engineers, whose father was at first 

 clergyman of the Protestant German congregation, 

 and afterwards secretary to the Society of Sciences 

 at Lisbon, has retained, though brought up in Por- 



17 



