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another of similar extent, we crossed a fine open bay, and arrived 

 at the mouth of the Moremim, a picturesque river which presents 

 in its serpentine course a great variety of beautiful scener3\ It was 

 now sun-set; the weather was mild and serene, and we paused 

 awhile to enjoy one of the finest rural prospects which we had ever 

 seen in Brazil — a fine romantic fore-ground, enriched by the vivid 

 foliage of the woods on the banks of the stream, and contrasted by 

 the bold outline of the mountains in the distance, among which we 

 noticed that singular chain of perpendicular rocks, called the Organ- 

 pipe mountains, from their resemblance in form and position to the 

 front of the instrument alluded to. Having advanced two leagues 

 up the river we arrived at a village on its margin, called Porto da Es- 

 trella, a place of great stir and bustle, on account of the hourly 

 arrival of numerous droves of mules laden with produce from the 

 interior. Here are some poor dwellings, and a number of large 

 storehouses for the reception of the produce. The muleteers, being 

 provided with bedding and cooking utensils, never leave their cattle, 

 so that good inns are to them unnecessary. We were shewn into 

 the best in the place, which was as dirty and inconvenient as can 

 possibly be imagined. I shall forbear to detail the discomforts of 

 the night, and merely observe that they were such as to make us 

 early stirrers in the morning. Our soldiers procured us mules, but 

 owing to the great bustle of loading and unloading, we were not in 

 travelling order until ten o'clock. We now proceeded about three 

 leagues along the low land, having the range of mountains on our 

 left, and passing the village of Piadade entered on a beautiful plain 

 at their base. We stopped at a house at which the Prince Regent 

 had passed three nights for the benefit of the air ; but not being 

 able to procure refreshment there, we passed on and began our 

 ascent along an excellent paved road, extending five miles on a 

 very steep elevation along the sides and over the ridges of the 

 mountains. Having rested awhile at the half-way house, which we 

 had been near an hour in gaining, we toiled on, relieving ourselves 



