NOTES ON BRAZIL. S07 



as on a nucleus, the whole Restinga has been formed. Here I repeatedly 

 observed a wild Fig-tree, much larger than that which produces the 

 common fig, and more like the English walnut ; at one of my visits so 

 loaded with fruit as almost to exclude the appearance of Ifaves. Near at 

 hand, on a plant of the Opuntia, I found the Cochineal Insect, and 

 thought its colour excellent. It used, indeed, to be sought in this 

 neighbourhood when labour was less valuable than it now is; more useful 

 pursuits have caused it to be neglected. 



From Praia Grandd a different route conducts along the beach, and 

 then stretches inward to the village of St. Gonzales, This track is 

 '^11 cultivated, and pleasantly sprinkled with small Farm-houses. A 

 little incident occurred here, which led me to doubt whether the song of 

 birds is always an indication of pleasurable feelings. We shot a purple 

 bird, called a Sabiar, whose note is remarkably full and melodious. 

 Though badly wounded it struck up a song, and continued it to almost 

 its latest moment. I was, perhaps, weakly moved by the circumstance, 

 when my companion, a young Portuguese, who picked it up, exclaimed 

 laughing; — "Ah, you sing as you die; well, every one to his taste"; 

 and forbore to shorten its sufferings. 



St. Gonzales is well situated, on rising ground, close to the Northern 

 verge of the mountains of Caarai. An old and miserable Church, stand- 

 ing in the middle of the street, will soon be superseded by a new one, 

 already so far advanced as to reflect credit on the architect. There are 

 about two hundred houses, the greater part of them belonging to people 

 from the Azores, or their descendants, who, though generally residing 

 on their farms, resort hither on religious festivals. They aye remarkably 

 civilized and orderly, so as to render this one of the pleasantest abodes in 

 the country. 



Arriving there late one evening, with no other recommendation 

 than a slight knowledge of a gentleman of Rio, who possessed an estate 

 in the neighbourhood, and whose name X casually mentioned, my abode 

 for the night seemed fixed at a miserable venda, and my companion was 



