416 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



— " He muito bonito," — It is very fine ! Could I have passed such a 

 spot without admiration, I should have thought myself destitute of one 

 capacity for joy, — if without feehngs of devotion and gratitude, — 

 incapable of praising that Being who, having formed, looked upon 

 creation and pronounced it good. 



As we descended by a winding road, cut out of the side of a 

 hill, we noticed iron ore, which seemed to be rich. At the bottom we 

 heard, through the mist, the stroke of a small church-bell, and its 

 sound was peculiarly grateful, not only because it was the first time 

 such tones had met our ears since we left the city, it harmonized exactly 

 with my feelings, and though of little signification in itself, served to 

 gratify a mind already disposed to be pleased. The name of the village 

 whence the sound proceeded is, we were told, Simon Pre. 



Going on a few miles further, over gentle hills rendered black with 

 preparation for tillage, we reached the Register of Mathgeus Barboza. 

 It is formed by mud walls enclosing a large area, through which the 

 public road passes. Having announced my arrival to an officer on duty 

 at the entrance, and left my animals and gun under a long shed on the left 

 hand, I proceeded to the upper end, to pay my respects to the Superinteu' 

 dent, whom I found a person of gentlemanly manners, well acquainted 

 with the natural and civil history of the Province, through every part 

 of which he had travelled, and ready not only to converse upon these 

 topics, but to give to strangers such information as he was aware they 

 would require. Passing through the farther gateway, and wandering 

 at perfect liberty, I took a short walk, looked at the country, the 

 building, and the river. On my return to the shed, where my Negro 

 had been left with the mules, he presented to me a large plate of 

 oranges and sweetmeats, telling me they had come from the house which 

 was opposite to us, with compliments and good wishes. He had 

 seen no one but the black man who brought them, and was not aware 

 that either of us had been observed. This present, so unexpected, was 

 very acceptable, for the day being hot rendered me thirsty, and, in such 

 cases, it is safer to eat fruit than to drink water. 



