1848.] 



POLITE LETTER. 



41 



" Senhor Joze Antonio Correio Seixus 6^ Co.^ Baiao» 



"Friends and Gentlemen, — 



" Knowing that it is always agreeable for you to have 

 an opportunity of showing your hospitable and generous 

 feelings towards strangers in general, and more particularly to 

 those who visit our country for the purpose of making dis- 

 coveries and extending the sphere of their knowledge ; I do 

 not hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity which the 

 journey of Mr. Charles Leavens and his two worthy companions 

 presents, to recommend them to your friendship and protection 

 in the scientific enterprise which they have undertaken, in 

 order to obtain those natural productions which render our 

 province a classic land in the history of animals and plants. 



" In this laborious enterprise, which the illustrious {elites) 

 travellers have undertaken, I much wish that they may find in 

 you all that the limited resources of the place allows, not only 

 that whatever difficulties they encounter may be removed, but 

 that you may render less irksome the labours and privations 

 they must necessarily endure ; and for men like them, devoted 

 to science, and whose very aliment is Natural History, in a 

 country like ours abounding in the most exquisite productions, 

 it is easy to find means to gratify them. 



" I therefore hope, and above all pray you to fulfil my wishes 

 in the attentions you pay to Senhor Leavens and his com- 

 panions, and thus give me another proof of your esteem and 

 friendship. 



" Your friend and obedient servant, 



"JoAO AuGUSTO Correio.'* 



After reading the letter Senhor Seixus told us that he was 

 going to Baiao in two or three days, and that we could either 

 remain here, or have the use of his house there till he arrived. 

 We determined to proceed, as we wished to send back the 

 men Senhor Gomez had lent us, and therefore returned to our 

 canoe to be ready to start the next tide. In the morning I 

 went on ahead in the montaria, with Alexander, to shoot some 

 birds. We saw numbers of kingfishers and small green-backed 

 swallows, and some pretty red-headed finches (Tanagra gularis)^ 

 called here " marinheiros," or sailors : they are always found 



