152 



TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



Their journeys, however short, are never made 

 but on mules. Their stirrups and bits are of 

 silver, and the handle of the great knife, which 

 sticks in the boot below the knee, is of the 

 same metal. In these excursions the women are 

 always carried in litters, either by mules or ne- 

 groes, or dressed in a long blue pelisse and round 

 hat, sit in a kind of arm chair fastened upon a 

 mule. Their dress, except the head, which is only 

 protected by a parasol, is in the French fashion, 

 the borders of their white robes are frequently 

 ornamented with embroidered or printed flowers, 

 and gallant verses. 



We did not stay long at S. Joao d'El Rey, be- 

 cause we expected that everything relative to the 

 gold- washing, and the geognostic particulars of the 

 mines might be examined with more advantage at 

 the capital. Villa Rica. 



The road from this place leads towards the N.E., 

 on the western declivity of the Serra do S. Joze, 

 which, on the whole, has a barren appearance, and 

 takes its direction from S. W., to N.E. Beyond this 

 mountain stands the little town of S. Joze, which 

 has nothing particularly remarkable, except its 

 principal church, which is the handsomest in all 

 Minas. Some of the inhabitants in this valley 

 have planted European fruits in their gardens with 

 great success, they have likewise made trials of 

 oats, barley, and rye ; the latter species of corn 

 seemb liowever not to thrive so well, running up 



