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Plata. This circumstance will sufficiently explain the form of this 

 mighty ridge of mountains, namely, that the highest and steepest^ 

 side fronts the sea, and that the other shelves more gradually and 

 with more frequent outlets to the plains of the interior. This part of 

 the road is lined by fine trees and large thickets on both sides. The 

 heavy rains of the season (December) had damaged it in various 

 parts ; the readiest mode of repairing these breaks is to cut down 

 several trees, about seven inches diameter, place them across, and 

 fasten them down with hooked stakes. The mules which travel 

 these rugged declivities, though far more hardy than horses, fre- 

 quently fall victims to fatigue ; we observed some dead by the way- 

 side. In the course of our route we passed several parties of negroes 

 and some of Indians, working at repairs in the road, or making new 

 branches from it. Some of them I noticed with swellings in the 

 neck, though very different from those I have observed in Derby- 

 shire and other mountainous countries. In the case of these Indians 

 not only there appeared that protuberance from the glands com- 

 monly called a wen, but lumps of from half an inch to three inches 

 in diameter hung from it in an almost botryoidal form. 



After crossing several rivulets and passing a few houses, we arrived 

 at a tolerable inn, belonging to an officer of militia, where we were 

 soon provided with plenty of milk, coffee, and fowls. It is distant 

 sixteen or twenty miles from St. Paul's, and may be considered as 

 half-way between that town and Santos. The owner, who was 

 much surprised to see Englishmen, treated us with every civility, 

 and procured us a change of saddle-mules. While they were 

 preparing, he shewed us a tract of land in front of his house, tole- 

 rably well-cleared, where we took an hours shooting. We then 

 proceeded through a much more open country, which bore the 

 traces of former cultivation, and seemed of late to have been much 

 neglected. As we drew nearer St. Paul's, the road improved, and 

 was enlivened by a greater number of habitations in its vicinity. 



