142 JOURNEY FROM VILLA DE ST. SALVADOR, 



where the tropas of travellers may be seen approaching at a great 

 distance. 



On the land the buildings are closely encompassed by a gloomy 

 ancient forest, in which a beginning has been made to form planta- 

 tions. In August, of course only two months before our arrival, the 

 Puris had ventured to attack this post. They came for the purpose 

 of plundering the plantations of the soldiers ; and an action ensued, 

 in which they posted themselves behind thickets and trees : the result 

 was, that one of the soldiers and two of their dogs were wounded ; 

 but the Puris lost three men, who were carried off, dead or wounded, 

 by their companions. Since that time the station has remained un- 

 disturbed, and the savages have not appeared again in this part of 

 the coast. The arrows of the Puris w ere collected, and are preserved 

 at the station as trophies. 



The officer who commands at this station sends a permanent post 

 of three men to Itabapuana, at the mouth of the river. This de- 

 tachment is fixed here for an indefinite period, and had been on duty 

 nearly a year : in truth, a disagreeable service in a wilderness where 

 even the provisions are wretched, and the habitations only clay huts, 

 covered with palm-leaves. The house of the officer is indeed spa- 

 cious, containing several rooms, furnished with wooden tressels ; but 

 the roof is so decayed, that it does not keep out the rain. The esta- 

 blishment of this station was occasioned by the massacre of six persons 

 near this spot on the sea-beach below. About six years ago, seven 

 persons returning from Itapemirim, where they had been to church, 

 were attacked by the Puris, and one man only out of the whole 

 company had the good fortune to escape. A young girl, who had 

 fled at the first onset, was overtaken, and cruelly murdered. Their 

 bodies were afterwards found, with the arms and legs separated, and 

 the flesh cut from the trunk. Soon after, the Puris took a soldier in 



