26^ 



JOURNEY FROM CARAVELLAS 



ed this place again in November, a large ounce had taken up her 

 abode in the neighbourhood, and daily carried off some of the cattle 

 belonging to the inhabitants of the villa. Mundeos were made, and 

 the ounce's cub was fortunately killed ; but the animal still prowled 

 about the country, and filled the long nights with her doleful bowl- 

 ings. Hereupon the Indians placed some spring guns in a path which 

 she used to take, and attained their object. The ounce was dis- 

 patched, and I purchased the skin at Trancozo, which shewed me 

 that the animal belonged to the variety which is called, in the Sertam 

 of the Capitania of Bahia, by the name of cangussu, and which is dis- 

 tinguished by a greater number of smaller spots. 



The situation of Trancozo is particularly agreeable : from the end 

 of the steep eminence near the church, we had a grand and exten- 

 sive view of the calm, shining, dark-blue mirror of the ocean ; the 

 junction, which was very evidently to be seen, between the green sea 

 water and the dark-blackish water of the river, gave the prospect a 

 particular charm. The proud tops of the lofty cocoa palms waved 

 over the low huts of the Indians, and the whole extent of the surround- 

 ing campo was covered with verdure. All these elevated heaths or 

 flats are intersected by deep dells, some of which are of considerable 

 breadth ; from the middle of the eminences, the whole appears to be 

 a continuous plain ; it is only on the edge that you perceive the dells. 

 At the bottom of the valleys flow little streams, which join the Itapi- 

 tanga. The valley at the foot of the eminence of Trancozo is a fine 

 meadow, diversified with shrubs, in which the beautiful pigeon here 

 called pucafu or cafaroba, and in the systems columha rvfina^ is fre- 

 quently met with. Thickets and high reed-like grass line the banks 

 of the little stream, upon which a lancha was now building. The 

 more distant forests at the back of Trancozo are inhabited by Pata- 

 chos. Father Ignacio, the worthy old priest of the place, told me, 

 that these savages often show themselves in the villa ; they always go 



