TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



^07 



CHAPTER II. 



JOURNEY FROM VILLA RICA TO THE COROADOS 

 INDIANS ON THE RIO XIPOTO. 



On the 31st of March we left Villa Rica, taking 

 with us only one mule and a driver, because on 

 such excursions it is advisable to have as little bag- 

 gage as possible. The morning was cool, and the 

 fog sinking on the mountains, gave us reason to 

 expect a fine day. We ascended by a broad road 

 over the rocks, and which was partly paved, through 

 the northern part of the town, and over a steep ' 

 projection of the Morro, whence we had a fine 

 prospect of the majestic Itacolumi, which com- 

 mands the whole surrounding country. In the 

 deep valley, formed by the declivities of this moun- 

 tain and of the Morro, flows the auriferous Ribeirao 

 do Oiro Preto or do Carmo, through verdant mea- 

 dows and between romantic broken rocks. Very 

 near to Villa Rica we passed a spring which is en- 

 closed ; it is chalybeate, and is said to possess very 

 salutary properties. Not far from this we also re- 

 marked several of the pits in the quartzy slate, which 

 we have mentioned before, and which formerly 



