164 



STAY AT CAPITANIA, 



from Capitania we obtained a night's lodging in the Uttle village of 

 Praya Molle. 



Here upon a verdant plain, very little above the level of the sea, 

 are situated several scattered habitations. In one of these we met 

 with a very friendly reception ; and as all its inmates had much 

 taste for music, we were very agreeably entertanied in the evening 

 with music and dancing. The son of our host, who was very skilful 

 in the art of making guitars, played, and the other young people 

 danced the baduca, making strange contortions with the body, beat- 

 ing time with their hands, and snapping two fingers of each hand 

 alternately, in imitation of the Spanish castanets. Though the Por- 

 tuguese have a great natural talent for music, yet no instrument is 

 seen in Brazil in the country except the guitar. If a love of music 

 and dancing is general among the country-people, so also is hospi- 

 tality, at least in most parts. We found it so here ; for our hosts 

 exerted themselves to the utmost to amuse us, and make the time 

 pass agreeably. 



Leaving Praya Molle, we arrived the next morning early at the 

 village of Carapebupu. From this place forwards, woods extend 

 along the sea-coast bordering the creeks and covering the points of 

 land. 



In these forests, now that the summer was just setting in, numerous 

 butterflies of various kinds, especially iii/mphaks, were fluttering 

 about. We found here the remarkable bag-shaped nest of a little 

 bird of the tody genus, which always builds near the nests of a cer- 

 tain species of wasps, ( marimboiido,) for the purpose, as it is affirmed, 

 of securing itself from the attacks of its enemies. I attempted to 

 approach the nest of the bird, but was prevented by the wasps, which 

 actually made their appearance immediately. In the thickets along 

 the coast, dwell poor detached families, who subsist by fishing, and 



