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descended the two noblemen of that name, who now hold high 

 official situations under the Prince Regent. His Excellency the 

 Conde^s steward furnished me and my worthy friend with mules, 

 and Mr. Lucas, the Judge, obligingly ordered every necessary to be 

 provided for our journey. We rode through Mariana, and arrived 

 at Alto de Chapada, a village, three miles distant from it, situated 

 on an elevation in the midst of a fine plain. We soon afterwards 

 i^ached a very high and confined situation, between two perpen- 

 dicular mountains, from whence we had a bird's eye view of the 

 village of St. Sebastian. From this steep we descended, with great 

 difficulty, on foot, to the Rio del Carmen at its base, over which h 

 a very high-arched and picturesque bridge. Passing this ravine we 

 proceeded a full league by the rivar side, through a rich country 

 abounding in fine sloping hills and fertile plains, watered by nume- 

 rous streams which flow into the river in various directions, and all 

 of which bear vestiges of having been formerly washed for gold. 

 The road side exhibited similar remains, and seemed to have been 

 at some period connected with the river, which, in this part, is as 

 large as the Thames at Windsor. We passed through San Giatanha, 

 a straggling thinly peopled village, and proceeding about three 

 miles further, arrived at an indifferent house, called Lavras Velhas, 

 wh^re we halted for the night, having performed half our journey. 

 The owner of this place found it difficult, with thirty or forty ne- 

 groes, to maintain himself deceptly, though the land was susceptible 

 of every species of culture, and needed only the hand of industry 

 to render it productive. Every thing about the establishment ex- 

 hibited a pitiful spectacle of neglect, indifference, and sloth. It is 

 but justice to add that he treated us with the greatest civihty, and 

 amply supplied our necessities. 



Leaving Lavras Velhas at eight next morning, we passed Moro 

 dos Arreas, the country presenting still finer valleys and excellent 

 timber, but totally destitute of cattle. Ascending a high hill we 

 were immerged for about an hour in a cloud, and exposed to some 



