NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



449 



attended with a slight flashing, so transparent that the stars were seen 

 through it with almost undiminished lustre. I was incUned to persuade 

 myself that it might be the Aurora Australis, but that our latitude was 

 too low to warrant the expectation of such a phenomenon ; it existed only 

 about the zenith, without any particular brightness being discernible on 

 the Southern verge of the horizon ; and luminous appearances in the 

 atmosphere are very common in the warmer regions. The heat of the 

 day, under the influence of a sun almost directly over our heads, had 

 been very oppressive, although the thermometer never rose above 65°. 

 in the shade. 



Among the Birds which we noticed, were the Bustard, the Plover, 

 Partridge, and Owl, a bird like the Wheatear, and several species un- 

 known to any of our party. Some of these, in different degrees, bore some 

 resemblance to the Stock-Dove, and it was remarked that few of them, 

 or any other species, had been seen on the wing. During the heat of the 

 day they hide themselves among the long grass, but in the cool hours of 

 the morning appear upon the road, and the spots of ground destitute of 

 herbage, in great variety and abundance. It is reported that when the 

 Milho is ripe, they arrive in such vast flocks as to destroy, sometimes 

 the whole of the crop. Along some of the bottoms, and in shel- 

 tered situations, we found occasionally coppices composed of brush-wood 

 and stunted timber, which are here called Tiras do Mato ; they contained 

 the Orange, Laurels, Myrtles, and several other species of trees and 

 shrubs common upon the coast, but the Caju alone was seen scattered 

 singly over wdde open spaces, to endure, though not to flourish under, 

 the climate of the Downs. We had travelled to-day twenty miles in a 

 direction West North West, or West and by North; had been eight 

 hours on horseback, and descended three hundred feet. 



Approaching so near to St. John, it was natural to inquire respecting 

 those Gentlemen to whom I had been favoured with letters of introduc- 

 tion. I requested also some account of the Estalagems or Inns of the 

 place, and was assured, that with letters so addressed, it was impossible 



for me to make my abode at one of them ; that it was not the custom of 



3 L 



