134 



JOURNEY FROM VILLA DE ST. SALVADOR 



gems, Linn, and an intermediate kind between fucus incisifoliiis and 

 latifolius. Turn. Hist. Fuc.) In a long narrow creek behind the 

 downs, we had the good fortune to shoot one of the diving cormo- 

 rants. To the north of this place the coast, at some distance from 

 the beach, is overgrown with many kinds of shrubs, among which the 

 most frequent are the pitangeira, ( tugenia pedmiculata,) a new 

 species of sophoj-a with yellow flowers, the hexagonal cactus, and 

 many other varieties of this genus stunted by the wind. Accompanied 

 by Messrs. Freyreiss and Sellow, I preceded our train, and we reached 

 before night the fazenda Manclinga, which stands detached on the 

 sea-shore. Our people, who were detained by a narrow channel, did 

 not arrive till the next morning. Here w^e met with the post, which 

 goes from Rio to Villa de Victoria, but no farther northward, and 

 received letters, which afforded us an agreeable occupation for the 

 evening. 



From Mandinga we proceeded northwards along the strand, wading 

 through deep sand which is constantly wetted by the sea. This way 

 over the sand is convenient and agreeable to the rider, but the mules 

 and horses, which are not yet accustomed to the sight and noise of 

 the rolling surf, are often averse to this convenient route. A tropa 

 passing over the smooth white sand, on the edge of the blue ocean, 

 is a pleasing sight, when beheld from a considerable distance ; for 

 unless where the coast makes a great bend, you may see to so great 

 a distance before you, that the animals look like little points. On 

 the projecting tongue of land, w here the coast is exposed to the most 

 violent dashing of the surf, stones are found which are often perforated 

 in the most extraordinary manner by the water. Some kinds of 

 plover and sand-pipers animate the coast, on which there are found 

 but few species of shells and fucus. After we had proceeded some 

 leagues along this beach, a path led us to some lagoas surrounded by 

 woody eminences. Our whole train suffered from excessive thirst ; 



