TO THE RIO GRANDE DE BELMONTE. 



269 



Seguro. It is said to have been formerly much more flourishing, but 

 the most opulent of the inhabitants are dead. The river Santa Cruz 

 rises at the distance of but a few days journey, and issues from two 

 principal sources, which unite and flow to the sea. Those sources are 

 so near to the Rio Grande de Belmonte, that a shot fired not far from 

 them, is said to be heard on the latter river, a little above the Ilha 

 Grande, of which we shall speak in the sequel. The Rio Grande de 

 Belmonte, however, soon afterwards takes rather a southerly course. 

 On the upper part of the Santa Cruz, Botocudos rove about ; but 

 nearer to the coast, this river forms the boundary of their territory, 

 the Patachos and Machacalis ranging over the country on the south 

 bank. The plantations higher up the river were ravaged by the Bo- 

 tocudos not long ago, as was the town, in former times, by the Aba- 

 tyras, Aymores, or Botocudos : and only two years ago, the ouvidor 

 found it necessary to establish the station of Aveiros, where there are 

 already some plantations. The country round Santa Cruz is very 

 well adapted to the cultivation of various productions, but the Brazil 

 wood does not grow in such abundance as about Porto Seguro. 



At Santa Cruz I made my tropa immediately cross the river, and 

 took up my abode in the village ( povoagao ) of St. Andre, situated 

 at a small distance from the river on the north bank. 



The inhabitants of this place gave us a very hospitable reception, 

 and several sick persons immediately ^ isited us ; for all travelling 

 strangers are here taken for physicians. Many of them had the ague, 

 a disease which frequently occurs here ; and I was fortunately able to 

 furnish them with some genuine Peru\ian bark. The dwelling in 

 which we took up our quarters for the night was very agreeably 

 situated: the few habitations of St. Andre lay scattered in picturesque 

 groves and tufts of cocoa-trees, under which the ground was clothed 

 with the freshest verdure; where, in the cool of the evening our 

 cattle found repose after a hot journey along the sandy coast. 



