TRAVELS IN BRAZILe 



&3 



Arara-ita-guaha, i. e. the place where the araras 

 eat stones, and formerly had given the same 

 name to the town. These rocks consist of the 

 same stone, belonging to the sandstone formation, 

 which is found about Ypanema. Its surface is 

 covered with a fine yellowish grey marl, containing 

 here and there imbedded fragments of sandstone ; 

 which marl is also found in other places, for ex- 

 ample, on the hills of the town, exhibiting an 

 efflorescent white salt, probably alum. It is said to 

 have been observed, that after the end of the rainy 

 season the araras and other birds flock hither from all 

 the neighbouring country, to rub off with their bills, 

 and lick up, the saline efflorescence of the stone. 

 We could not be witnesses of this singular scene ; 

 on the contrary, the whole country, which was in 

 itself so melancholy, fi-om the dark v/aters of the 

 river, appeared as if dead. The licking of the 

 ground by animals in the hotter part of Brazil, 

 where the surface of the earth, in extensive tracts, 

 produces salt, and particularly saltpetre, is how- 

 ever, of very ordinary occurrence, to which we 

 shall revert in the sequel. Not far from the town 

 several large rolled pieces of greenstone are visible 

 in loam ; lime also is said to be found in the neigh- 

 bourhood. 



It was from Porto Feliz that the Paulistas set out 

 upon their first expedition to explore the interior 

 of the SertoeSy lying to the west. Thirst of gold, 

 and love of adventures excited them, so far back 



