TO THE KIVER ESPIllITO SANTO. 



129 



and pleasant habitations. From this spot a painter might make a 

 charming picture of the town and its environs. Our journey was this 

 day very troublesome ; partly because our beasts had become restive 

 from their long repose, and partly because we passed many fazendas 

 where we were detained by the opening of the fences, made on ac- 

 count of the cattle, and our beasts of burden were thus thrown into 

 disorder. We saw in this neighbourhood very fine horned cattle ; 

 indeed, throughout all Brazil, these useful domestic animals are large, 

 very muscular, handsome, and well proportioned. The hides of 

 Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, Rio Grande, and other provinces of 

 Portuguese and Spanish America, are celebrated for their great size. 

 The oxen here have also much larger horns than those of Europe. 

 Numbers of horses are likewise bred in these parts. 



The country was diversified and agreeable : we met, besides, 

 with some new subjects of natural history, among which were a great 

 number of the beautiful bluish kingsfisher (alcedo alci/oji. Linn.), 

 several of which we killed. About noon we reached the house of a 

 lieutenant, in mIiosc absence we were well received by his wife. 

 When we w^ere preparing to depart in the morning, the lieutenant, 

 who had arrived during the night, ordered his horse to be saddled, 

 and accompanied us to Villa de St. Joao da Barra. The weather was 

 uncommonly hot : the shallow pools in the woods, which w ere nearly 

 dried up, were thickly covered with yellow and whitish butterflies, 

 which frequent them for the sake of moisture. These congregations 

 of butterflies in damp places are a sure indication of the approach of 

 the hot season : large flights of them are often seen hovering like 

 clouds in the neighbourhood of water. 



The view of the Paraiba was intercepted by thickets. The sandy 

 soil proved that we were approachmg very near to the sea. Our col- 

 lection was here increased by some beautiful birds, especially kings- 

 fishers ; and when we reached the bank of the river, we found 



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