202 



JOURNEY FROM THE RIO DOCE 



undertaking, and entered Villa de Mucuri, amidst the acclamations 

 and fcui' dejoie of the inhabitants. It was now determined to open 

 a road through those forests, in the track ( picade ) of the captain ; 

 and to this end they waited only the arrival of the ouvidor. By 

 degrees, the woodmen who were ordered for the purpose from St. 

 Matthew's, Vicoza, Porto Seguro, Trancozo, and other places on the 

 east coast, and who were mostly Indians, arrived and were set to 

 work. 



Between the mountains of Minas Geraes and the thinly peopled 

 east coast, there are extensive wilds, in which rove many hordes of 

 the aboriginal savage tribes, who will in all probability long remain 

 independent of the Portuguese. Measures are taking to construct 

 roads in different directions through these wilds, in order to facilitate 

 the carriage of the products of Minas to the poorer and thinly peopled 

 coast, and give them a quicker communication with the chief cities 

 and the sea. As the rivers afford the means of the most speedy 

 communication, it has been resolved to make these roads along them. 

 One has been opened on the Mucuri, another on the Rio Grande de 

 Belmonte, a third on the Ilheos, and two others are making on the 

 Espirito Santo, and on the Itapemirim, to Minas. 



The forests near the Mucuri are chiefly inhabited by Patachos. 

 Botocudos rove but occasionally through them to the coast. Several 

 other tribes of savages reside in these wildernesses : on the frontiers the 

 Maconis, the Malalis, and others, live in fixed settlements. The Ca- 

 puchos, the Cumanachos, Machacalis, and Panhamis, still rove about 

 in the woods. These last four tribes are said to have formed an al- 

 liance with the Patachos, in order that thus united they may be able 

 to oppose the more numerous Botocudos. To judge from the simila- 

 rity of language, manners, and customs, these tribes seem to have a 

 near aflfinity with each other. Of the Maconis, who live alone, many 

 were baptised twenty years ago, and others by Captain Bento Lou- 



