Travels in the Brazils. 



25 



maize, cotton, sugar, and fariiiha. The determination of this gen- 

 tleman to receive no payment for all these articles, obliged us to 

 leave the place sooner than otherwise we should have done. We 

 therefore took our leave, and prepared to set out for Ponta Negra. 



The roads were frequently so marshy, that our beasts with their 

 heavy burthens, were in danger of sinking into them. We rode 

 through thick bushes of a high reedy grass, canna alhexia, and 

 low palm trees. On some hills we saw negroes, who were cutting 

 down the low brushwood with a sort of sickles {jfbuce), fixed to a 

 long pole, thereby preparing the ground for cultivation. Riding 

 by some fazendas we saw thick hedges of orange trees, and w ith a 

 considerable load of birds, and of ripe seeds ; we at last reached 

 the Lagoa da Ponta Negra. This beautiful lake, on its marshy 

 borders, is covered with reeds ; large flocks appeai%l of jassanas 

 {parrajacana, Linn.), and white herons, one of whicli we killed ; 

 their white plumage retains its purity even in marshes, by the aid 

 of their long legs. At a little distance we arrived at a venda, 

 where travellers refresh themselves with cinonade, or rather cold 

 punch. Here we found too that the account of our arrival had 

 preceded us, that the landlords had already projected their specu- 

 lations on our purses. Near this house our eyes were feasted with 

 a most extensive prospect over the sea, the lake, and the country 

 around Rio de Janeiro, now behind us. Further on we found in 

 the- thick bushes that crossed our road, the great annu {crotophaga 

 major, Linn.) in great plenty. His plumage is black, with a cop- 

 per-green and steel blue tinge. We came next to the sand downs, 

 when we beheld the white surges breaking with violence against 

 the forest-mountains. Close behind the coast [praya) rises a cover 

 of the greatest variety of trees, which are kept down by the sea- 

 winds and storms, and rise only gradually. 



In this cover along the coast, betv/een twenty and thirty feet 

 high, (so our journey lay) grew a kind of high thistles (cactus), and 

 the bromelia, frequently ornamented with the finest flowers, is 

 very plentiful. Small lizards rustled in the dry leaves on the 

 ground, whilst the large annee and the tije, (tanagra Brasilia, 

 Linn.) with his blood-red plumage, animate the bushes. 'J'his 

 fine bird is very common, particularly on the sea shore and the 

 banks of rivers. 



Towards evening w^e were between the sea coast and a large 

 reedy marsh, where large flocks of birds retired to rest ; the tije 

 was very numerous, and the red-bellied thrush, (turdus rufivent- 

 ris of the Berlin museum,) called here sabiali, poured forth their 

 sweet evening notes. In the evening the caprimidgus, like a 

 large sphinx of a slate colour, (papilus idomeneus,) fluttered about 

 our horses, and, with a suitable net, we might have caught a 

 great number. I found a dead bat, suspended to the branch of a 

 tree, in whic|i position it had probably died. It belonged to the 



