AND VISIT TO THE PURIS AT ST. FIDELIS. 



125 



to have some connection with the rehgious faith of the inhabitants. 

 Most of the Indians of South America have also a confused idea 

 of a general deluge, and various traditions, which Vasconcellos has 

 noticed. 



We did not accept the invitation of our kind host to pass the 

 night with him, but returned the same day across the Paraiba to 

 St. Fidelis. The Coroados Indians of that place were extremely dis- 

 satisfied with us, because, as they said, we had given so much to the 

 Puris and nothing to them : in order, therefore, to content them in 

 some measure, we purchased a few bows and arrows of them. We 

 then visited Father Joao. The Paraiba passes before the windows 

 of his dwelling, from which you have a most magnificent view of 

 this river, the most considerable in the capitania of Rio de Janeiro, 

 which up to the caxoeira or fall above St. Fidelis, is said to contain 

 seventy-two islands : it runs between the Serra dos Ovgdos and the 

 Serra de Mantiqueira. The stream was now at the lowest ; but in 

 the rainy season, December and January, it overflows its banks 

 to a great extent. 



From this place there is a road over the mountains to Canta Gallo, 

 and another to Minas Geraes. Canta Gallo, first founded by some 

 Paulistas who were seeking for gold, remained long concealed in the 

 great forests, till it was at length discovered by the crowing of a 

 cock, from which it received its name. When the Jesuits settled in 

 Brazil, a very white race of Indians is said to have dwelt in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Canta Gallo. The Jesuits discovered gold dust there, 

 and had it brought by the Indians to the Paraiba, in paper packets, 

 for which they gave them worthless trifles. Our parting from Father 

 Joao was more amicable than our first meeting ; but our farewell of 

 the good old man, who had treated us here with great kindness, was 

 much more cordial. We recrossed the Paraiba to the fazcnda of the 

 quarter-master, and again saw the Puris coming to the sugar-nianu- 



