458 



A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 



least soil in which to strike root ; and many of these iso- 

 lated rocks are gardens in themselves. One immense 

 boulder in the path is split, and from its centre springs a 

 palm all draperied in vines. Of the native trees, the Geni- 

 papu (Genipa braziliensis), the Imbauba (Cecropia), the 

 Carnauba (Copernicia cerifera), the Catold (Attalea hu- 

 milis), and the Pao d'Arco (Tecoma speciosa) are most 

 prominent. The latter is so named because the Indians 

 make their bows from its tough, elastic wood. Though not 

 native to the soil, bananas, cocoa-nut palms, orange-trees, 

 as well as cotton and coffee shrubs, are abundant. The 

 cultivation of coffee, which thrives admirably on the slopes 

 of all the serras, is the great source of prosperity here- ; but, 

 at least in the sitios we have visited, it is difficult to judge 

 of the extent of the plantations on account of the irregular 

 manner of planting. The crops are, however, very large, 

 and the coffee superior in quality. I found the climb up the 

 precipitous serra exceedingly fatiguing. The people who 

 live on the mountain come and go constantly, even with their 

 children, on horseback ; but as our horses were from the 

 city, and unaccustomed to mountain paths, we had preferred 

 ascending on foot, especially as the rains had made the road 

 more rough and broken than usual. A mountain scramble 

 in this country is very different from the same thing in tem- 

 perate climates. The least exertion induces excessive per- 

 spiration ; and if, when thus drenched to the skin, you stop to 

 rest, you are chilled by the slightest breeze. I was very glad 

 when, after about an hour's climbing, we reached the sitio 

 of Senhor da Costa, on the slope of the serra. Donna Maria 

 laughed at me for coming up on foot, and said I should have 

 mounted like a man, as she does, and ascended the serra on 

 horseback. Indeed, I think a lady who is obliged to make a 



