NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



had already cut their course down to the solid minerals, the soil was 

 again chiefly red clay. The unusual number of roads, which we met 

 with, some of them displaying the marks of wheels, showed that the 

 country was well inhabited, and that travelling was frequent. 



After advancing twenty-five miles, in a Southerly direction, our 

 progress for the day terminated at Lagoa Dourada, The Morro, on 

 which this toAvn stands is unconnected with any other, and when 

 viewed at a distance, appears exceedingly rough. On gaining its 

 summit, I was surprised to see a thick wood, through which the road 

 passed, while all the lower grounds are perfectly naked. The town is 

 placed in a sort of ravine, full four hundred feet deep. It contains about 

 two hundred whitened houses, of an ordinary kind, some of a smaller 

 description, and a few which are no better than huts. It has three 

 churches, and seven chapels ; an ample provision, surely, for the public 

 devotions of about two thousand inhabitants. They subsist by the pro- 

 duce of Gold Mines, and seem to have laboured with greater success 

 than many of their neighbours, for in no place North of St. John 

 D' El Rey have I noticed so many appearances of comfort. Yet the 

 people in general, too plainly showed themselves to be ignorant, vain, 

 and idle, though not without their share of curiosity. 



Having thrown my powder-flask on the ground, when in eager 

 pursuit of a fine bird, being afterward unable to find it, and the baggage 

 mule, which carried the remainder of my stock, being ordered to spend 

 the night at Olho das Agoas, 1 visited several of the shops, to obtain 

 a small supply of powder for immediate use, and at last succeeded at a 

 private house. In the course of this pursuit, I lighted on a shop more 

 remarkable for the person and qualities of its proprietor than for its stock, 

 of goods, though that was really of a superior kind. He was an uncom- 

 monly diminutive, well proportioned man, perfectly upright, full of 

 vigour and activity, spirited and jocose in his conversation, though 

 eighty-two years of age. Seventy-three of them he had spent in this 

 town, and still acted his part behind the counter. 



Of the few birds which I brought down three wew new to me. 



