Travels in the Brazils, 81 



eount of the formerly established gold-works. Mims de Ca^-- 

 tello is situated near them, at about five days' journey up the 

 river. But this country was so molested by the Tapuyas, that 

 the few Portuguese settlers residing there abandoned it about 

 thirty years ago, and came down to the Villa and its neigh- 

 bourhood. Up the stream, on the Ttapemirim, still dwell the 

 barbarous hordes of the Tapuyas, but particularly that of the 

 Furls ; and, as the Mineiros affirm, a yet wilder race, to which 

 they give the name of Maracas, The massacre at Ciri is im- 

 puted by some to these last savages. Considerably down the 

 river roam the Botociidos, the true tyrants of this solitude. It 

 is related, that once, after loud shrieks and great clamour, 

 proceeding from the neighbouring wood, had been heard, at a 

 iazenda, situated on the river, some wounded Puris came 

 there and sought protection of the Portuguese, informing them 

 that the Botocudos had fallen upon them and killed a great 

 number of their tribe. From all this it appears at least evi- 

 dent, that these woods are filled with hostile, independent 

 savages. The Tapuyas, according to the current report on 

 the Itapemirim, destroyed, about fifteen years ago, forty-three 

 Portuguese settlers. Nevertheless, a way has been opened 

 through this unsafe wilderness, extending from the Minas de 

 Castello to the boundaries of the Minas Geraes, a distance of 

 twenty-two leagues. The Capitan Mor of the district received 

 us, on the production of our passports, very politely, and im- 

 mediately supplied us in our dwelling with a number of the 

 necessaries of life ; as wood, water, and other requisites, for 

 for which we returned him our personal thanks at his fa- 

 zenda. This estate lies on the river, surrounded by fine 

 meadows, where cattle of every description feed. 



After a stay of some days we left this place. At a small dis- 

 tance from the town the river is crossed near its embouchure. 

 In the swamps we found in great abundance the Jatropha mens, 

 which afffected the naked feet of our hunters more than the 

 most pungent nettle; for the small prickles of these plants pe- 

 netrate even through the clothes. In the low marshy lands, and 

 on the river-banks of the whole coast, the beautiful blood-red 

 Tije {Tnagara Brasilia, Linn.) is very common; on the con- 

 trary, it is seldom found on the mountains and in the interior 

 woods. At the mouth of the Itapemirim we found large flocks 

 of a species of Mew, {Larus) and also Sea-swallows, (Sterna) ; 

 Vlov evs,{Charadrius) and Sand- pipers, ( Trmga) stocked the coast; 

 oh the sand of which the little night-swallow^s (Caprimulgus)* 



* Prgbably the same bird which Vieillot calls Caprimulgus Popetus. ^ek 

 ilistoire naturelle des oiaeaux de VAmerique septentri. Vol. I* Tab. 94. ' 



VoyA6E5 and Travels^ ]So. 3, Vol. Ill, H 



