KOTES ON BRAZIL. 



315 



Among the productions of this farm, the owner enumerated Ipe- 

 cacuanha ; but on attemptmg to show us the plant, found, as he alledged, 

 that the sheep had eaten all the leaves. Doubting the fact, we ques- 

 tioned him closely ; yet he persisted in maintaining that the sheep ate it 

 with avidity, and that it did them no harm. There were certainly many 

 of the roots in the ground, for we easily drew out some of them with a 

 knife. I have since found reason to believe that this was the white 

 Ipecacuanha, which is the mildest species. 



While we were taking some refreshment, the two sons of our host 

 returned from the woods, the elder having shot a large monkey, which 

 was to be skinned and cooked for dinner. He exhibited a high degree 

 of that boobyhood which is common to the overgrown youths of Brazil ; 

 while his brother appeared sharp and active. Both complained bitterly 

 of the restraint in which they were held by the Government, which had 

 forbidden the sale of gunpowder, and seized some parcels of it. — 

 The father contrived to give us his younger son as our guide to 

 Saquarema, and entreated us not to think of proceeding farther with- 

 out a guide. 



Sequarema, hanging on the Northern slope of a hill, which termi- 

 nates the Restinga or long tongue of land, commencing at Ponta Negra, 

 consists of a church, about fifty houses arranged in a broad street, and 

 as many scattered huts. From the church is a fine view of the ocean 

 and neighbouring lake, though the country in general is not striking, 

 and towards the East is flat and naked. On the summit of the hill, is 

 one of the Telegraphs communicating with the Capital ; and round its 

 Eastern base a rough, shallow channel, by which the waters of the lake 

 are discharged into the sea. In the lake we noticed some large herons 

 fishing, and many gansos. Among the singularities of the place is a 

 charnel house, fully exposed to the public view. 



We lodged at the house of a Spaniard, who, by his attentive and 

 pleasing manners, showed himself to be a man of a superior cast. He 

 had, indeed, no better substitute for beds than boards and mats ; but he 

 set out a table for us in an inner room, after the European mode, and 



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