274 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



inhabitants, who roasted their meat on wooden trivets or stages, whence 

 the oily part dropped into and fed the fire beneath. Near the Southern 

 point of the Serro is the celebrated elevation, sometimes called the 

 Tropical-Hill, more frequently the Friar's Hood, from its supposed 

 resemblance to the cowl of a Franciscan Monk. In its neighbourhood 

 rise several of the springs which form the river Parahyba, the father 

 of waters from the desert. Like the Nile of Ethiopia, it makes a long 

 circuit before it bends its course towards the ocean ; flowing South-west 

 about a hundred and fifty miles, it collects the waters of a very moun- 

 tainous district ; then turning into a contrary direction, and running North- 

 east about two hundred miles, without receiving any fresh contribution, 

 until it is joined by the Piraty. Their united waters, rolling on a hundred 

 miles further, absorb those of the Parahybuna and the Piabuna, two 

 streams coming from the North- West and the South- West. Fifty miles 

 more to the Eastward, the Parahyba is joined by the Pomba ; and about 

 thirty before it reaches the sea, falls into the plains which it has contributed 

 to form. Its whole descent is about six thousand feet ; its bed, through 

 the whole course, is rocky, and occasionally deep; forming an almost 

 continued succession of Rapids, though there are on it few remarkable 

 Cataracts. The banks are generally bold and abrupt ; hence it is subject 

 to floods, which sometimes roll along in wondrous magnitude and with 

 frightful impetuosity. 



Returning to Sepetiva, by the great road leading from St. Paul's to 

 Rio de Janeiro, we passed through St. Joan Marcos, a considerable 

 village in the centre of a coffee district, and reached the Taguah^r. 

 Here we left our horses, and descended the stream. It was evening 

 when we reached the sea ; the sun had set, leaving that brilliant glow 

 upon the water which is almost peculiar to such a climate as this. Our 

 rowers, five in number, stood upright in the canoa with their faces 

 towards the prow, and using their paddles in unison, commenced a 

 cheerful and sweetly soothing African song, the pilot beating time by 

 slightly touching the side of the vessel, at every stroke, with his paddle. 

 The evening continued unu.sually serene, the water was gently ruffled,- 



