TO THE RIO GRANDE DE BELMONTE. 



255 



various kinds of fine timber, of which however no use is made, there 

 are several sandy islands, between which the flood now formed con- 

 siderable waves. Its sandy or marshy banks are covered with man- 

 grove bushes, and are at present haunted only by herons, and some 

 species of sand-pipers and gulls, since the Aymores or Botocudos 

 have driven away the inhabitants by their ferocious attacks. Near 

 the river, on the north bank, dwelt at the period of our visit a family 

 from Prado, whom the ouvidor had sent hither to ferry travellers 

 over, and who lived by fishing. But as there is no protection in 

 these solitary wildernesses, they abandoned the place a short time 

 afterwards. I found in their hut a quantity of fish, part of which 

 was just caught ; and we provided ourselves with a supply for supper 

 but had to pay a high price for them. The man took advantage 

 of the hunger which was evident in the looks of the travellers, fatigued 

 with the heat of the day, and demanded for his provisions thrice 

 their value. 



From this place the country became rather more open ; here great 

 numbers of the five and six-angled cactus grow on the dry sandy 

 heights, and threaten the feet of the beasts with their sharp thorns. 

 A league and a half to the north of Corumbao, the river Cramemoan 

 falls into the sea. As far as that place you traverse a wide plain 

 covered with many reedlike grasses, low aricuri and guriri palms, 

 fine shrubs, &c. among which is a beautiful violet-coloured clittoria, 

 which has a ligneous and upright stem : here and there marshy spots 

 occur. Inland on the left, the eye enjoys a fine and extensive view 

 to the mountains towards Minas Geraes ; nearer in the foreground 

 you distinguish a high mountain, about the fall of the river Prado, 

 called Morro de Pascoal (which Lindley erroneously calls Monte 

 Pascoa,) and which serves as a land-mark to ships at sea : it belongs 

 to the Serra dos Aymores. This plain affords the botanist ample 

 amusement and occupation. 



