TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



113 



broken up by them, the bridges carried away, and 

 the low grounds suddenly converted into lakes. A 

 traveller who has never had to endure, out of Eu- 

 rope, similar struggles with weather and roads, 

 and at the same time with anxiety for the convey- 

 ance of valuable effects, can scarcely form an idea 

 of the hardships of such an enterprise. Exposed 

 from morning to night to torrents of rain, we were 

 obliged to direct our whole attention to the guid- 

 ance of the mules, which could scarcely proceed 

 in the bottomless roads ; we were forced either to 

 wade or to swim through the overflowed mountain 

 streams which we had to pass. If in the evening 

 we at length met with an open shed, or a dilapi- 

 dated hut, we had to spend the greater part of the 

 night in drying our wet clothes, in taking our col- 

 lections out of the chests and again exposing them 

 to the air. Often we had not even the comfort of 

 resting ourselves round the fire, because the wet 

 wood emitted more smoke than flame. In this 

 gloomy wilderness we met with but a few huts, 

 chiefly inhabited by mulattoes, and, besides milk 

 and black beans, no kind of provision was to be 

 expected. 



This unfavourable weather, before the com- 

 mencement of which the inhabitants are engaged 

 in planting or sowing, and by which they are pre- 

 vented from pursuing any occupation out of doors, 

 from hunting and travelling, seemed to be an 

 invitation to them to enjoy entertainments at home. 



VOL. II. I 



