S72 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



a noisy, turbulent, and overwhelming torrent. Having arrived before 

 any of my companions, I applied for such accommodations as a place so 

 miserable might afford, and was absolutely denied them. Determined 

 however, if possible, to procure a dinner, I went on to a better looking 

 house, which stood about a quarter of a mile further, and on rapping 

 at the half-open door, was pleased to hear the well'remembered voice of 

 Mr. Langsdorff, the Representative of his Imperial Majesty of Russia 

 at the Court of Brazil ; a gentleman already known to the public by his 

 remarks during a voyage and journey round the Globe, by way of 

 California, Japan, Kamptschatca, and Siberia. He had purchased here 

 a very fine estate, and was improving it upon principles little known in 

 Brazil, and deserving of her grateful attention. He showed me a plant which 

 he had discovered in his grounds, having, as he said, the singular property 

 of producing, not only its root and stem, but also its flowers and seed 

 vessels entirely under the surface of the earth. He possessed here also a 

 very fine specimen of the Anta, and for several years has been engaged in 

 forming a complete Cabinet of Brazilian Insects. After dinner, we 

 took a hasty and short walk into his grounds, for this active — 1 had 

 almost said restless Minister, was obliged to return to the city that 

 evening, in order to attend a Levee at Court the next day. 



The first part of my ride to-day, was over soil formed by the action 

 of the waves, the latter part over clayey ground with a sandy bottom, 

 formed most probably by the alluvial matter from the mountains. The 

 country, as far as could be discerned on either hand, was flat, in some 

 measure swampy, and exposed to floods. At Mandioca, the land was 

 a few feet higher, and we found the red clay which is common in 

 every part of Brazil. 



Immediately by the house, begins a new road up the face of the 

 Serro. It is cut out of the side of the mountain, takes the line of a 

 narrow and irregular defile, and is paved with large stones ; the ascent in 

 some places is very steep, but the angles are formed with judgment. 

 There is only one other work of the kind, I believe, in Brazil, which 

 jcommunicates between Santos and St. Paul's. Both of them do great 



