TO THE RIO GRANDE DE BELMONTE. 



245 



north, visit in a peaceful manner the habitations of the whites, and 

 sometimes offer wax or animals fit for food, in exchange for other 

 necessaries. As these savages had now retired further into the forests, 

 we did not obtain a sight of any of them. The forests on the Alco- 

 bapa contain abundance of useful kinds of timber and plants ; for in- 

 stance, the Brazil wood, but especially a profusion of jacaranda and 

 vinhatico, which is. collected by the civilised Indians, of whom the 

 Villa was originally formed, but who are now for the most part re- 

 placed by whites and negroes. The situation of Alcobapa is healthy, 

 as the sea-breezes constantly purify the air ; but these winds and 

 storms, during a great part of the year, are very disagreeable. Five 

 leagues to the north of the Alcobafa, the Rio do Prado falls into the 

 sea ; the aboriginal inhabitants of these parts formerly called it the 

 Sucurucu*. The way along the coast thither is a firm even sand, but 

 against which the sea dashed with great fury, as a high wind caused 

 a heavy surf. In the thick bushes of the guriri and aricnri palms, 

 which stretch along the shore, and are overshadowed by higher trees 

 of the laurel kind, a small species of penelope is very frequent ; it 

 seems to be nearly related to the parraqua, (penelope parraqua, 

 Timminck.) It is called on the east coast aracuan-]-, and is sought 

 after by the hunter as very good food : in size as well as taste it 

 nearly resembles our pheasants. My spaniel, which constantly 

 hunted in the bushes, found many of these birds, which always rose 

 in pairs with a great noise: it was not easy to fire at them here, as 

 the thicket was too full of prickly plants and too intricate. 



Towards noon we came to another Barra Velha, an ancient mouth 



* The Corograjia BrasUica writes Jucurucu, but the inhabitants of these parts universally 

 pronounce the name Sucurucu. 



t The aracuan appears at hrst sight to be the same with the parraqua ; but is doubtless a 

 (iifl'erent species, as it is always much smaller, and the colour of its plumage also is some- 

 thing diiferent. It seems to be Humboldt's jihasianus garrulus. 



