TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



^15 



in several places, with the character of the veget- 

 ation reminded us still more than before, that we 

 had passed again from the Alpine district of mica 

 and clay-slate, and from the open campos, into the 

 region of the Serra do Mar. The path grew so 

 narrow that one mule could scarcely go behind the 

 other ; the forest became gloomy as the Inferno of 

 Dante; and the way, growing narrower and steeper, 

 led in mazy windings on the edge of deep precipices, 

 traversed by impetuous torrents, and here and there 

 bordered with detached rocks. The horrors with 

 which this savage solitude filled our souls, was en- 

 hanced by the apprehension of an attack of wild 

 animals or hostile Indians, which occupied our 

 imaginations with the most gloomy ideas and 

 melancholy forbodings, Our joy therefore was in- 

 expressible when we reached the other side of the 

 mountain of the Serra de S. Geraldo, and saw the 

 glimmer of daylight gradually penetrate. After 

 we had conquered a part of the way which de- 

 scended precipitously and resembled a ravine, we 

 overlooked a forest of prodigious extent, bounded 

 towards the S. W. by the Serra da On 9a, which is 

 likewise covered with wood. We had scarcely de- 

 scended into the wide plain between these two 

 mountain chains, which chiefly consist of gneiss, and 

 are about 2500 feet high, when we were surprised 

 by seeing in the narrow path two human figures. 

 They were both naked and their jet black hair hung 

 over their shoulders. They crept along with short 



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