AND VISIT TO THE PURIS AT ST. FIDELIS, 113 



breeches, when they are employed in the woods near the plan- 

 tations. 



It is only a short time since this horde of Puris settled so near 

 St. Fidelis, and they are supposed to belong to those who manifest a 

 hostile disposition on the sea-coast near Muribecca. So much is 

 certain, that they received at St. Fidelis, in a very short time, the 

 news of a murder committed by their people on the sea-coast, which 

 proves that they have a direct intercourse across the forests ; and it 

 is said that they constantly keep up a communication between the sea- 

 coast and Minas*. 



This fazenda is very pleasantly situated on the beautiful river Pa- 

 raiba, which is here in many places as broad as the Rhine. Thick, 

 dark, lofty forests, alternate M-ith verdant hills, which border the 

 banks, and on which there are numerous fazendas. In some places 

 these wild romantic forests extend far along the shore, and stretch, 

 without interruption, into the country. From the lofty ridges of 

 the mountains, you see below you dark gloomy valleys intersect- 

 ing the wilderness, which is thickly overgrown with lofty gigantic 

 trees, and the silence of which is but seldom broken by the footsteps 

 of the solitary marauding Puri. Behind the fazenda we ascended 

 a rocky hill, from which we had a most enchanting, but at the same 

 time, awe-inspiring view of the immense solitudes. Scarcely had we 

 overtaken the rest of the very numerous company assembled at the foot 

 of the hill, when we perceived the savages issuing from a little valley 

 on one side, and advancing towards us. As they were the first of 

 these people whom we had seen, our joy was great as well as our cu- 

 riosity. We hastened towards them, and surprised at the novelty of 

 the sight, stood still before them. Five men and three or four 



* In Minas they are still numerous : a project was formed there to remove and make 

 slaves of them, in order to civilise them, but the attempt entirely failed. 



Q 



