288 STAY ON THE RIO GRANDE DE BELMONTE, 



for the first time, a very remarkable bird, the nniuma or Brazihan 

 crane, (palamcdea corniita, Linn, or horned screamer, Latham,) 

 which is not rare, so far up the river. This beautiful bird, of the 

 size of a large goose, but with longer legs and neck, has on the fore- 

 head a thin horny excrescence, four or five inches long, and at the 

 fore joint of each wing, two strong pointed spurs. It is shy, but 

 soon betrays itself by its loud call, which, though much more sono- 

 rous and stronger, has some resemblance in its modulations to the 

 cry of our wild pigeon, ( coliimha oe?ias,J but accompanied with some 

 strange guttural notes ; this call sounds through the wilderness, and 

 afforded a new amusement to our hunters. Several of these birds, 

 frightened by the dashing of our oars, flew towards the forest : in 

 their flight they resembled the iirubu or carrion vulture, ( viiltur aura. 

 Linn.) 



In the afternoon we came to a bend of the river, where we were 

 overtaken by a dreadful tempest, with torrents of rain and furious 

 wind, by which our large covered canoe was violently shaken. It 

 soon passed over, however, and when the sky cleared up, we saw 

 nearly before us the island of Cachoeirinha, on which the Quartel dos 

 Arcos is built. This military post was established two years and a 

 half ago, by M. Marcellino da Cunha, ouvidor of the district, by 

 order of the governor, Conde dos Arcos. At first a destacamento of 

 about sixty men had been stationed three days' journey up the river, 

 at the place called the Salto ; but as the Indian soldiers posted there 

 were very discontented, they were withdrawn to the island of Cacho- 

 eirinha, and Captain Juliano Frz. Leao, commandant of the Quartel 

 of Minas Novas, occupied that place with ten or twelve men, who 

 still form the Quartel do Salto. A few clay-huts, covered with straw, 

 stand on the hither extremity of the island, which is partly cleared of 

 wood, and brought into cultivation. The farther end is still covered 

 with lofty forests. Mandiocca plantations have been formed here, 



