Travds in the Brazils, lit 



dians. They nevertheless keep up the customs of their native 

 country ; their feast days are observed with all due ceremonies, 

 they eat heartily all sorts of poultry, and have little difficulty 

 in finding subsistance in the w^oods Their cane huts are very 

 neat and clean ; their beds are a perfect pattern of neatness, 

 being provided with fine white hangings, hung in a most taste- 

 ful nianner looped up with brass-hooks, these beds make a 

 striking contrast with their poverty stricken reed huts in which 

 they are placed. 



The Chinese sleep on a fine reed mat, and rest their heads 

 on a small round cushion, we saw them eat their dinner of 

 rice after their Chinese fashion with two chop-sticks, they re- 

 ceived us civilly when we visited them, and in but indifferent 

 Portuguese, spoke in exalted terms of their beloved country, 

 and how much superior it was to the Brazils. They opened their 

 chests and shewed us some coarse porcelain and a great many 

 fans which they had brought with them for sale, on arrival, and 

 had kept with very great care. We penetrated into the woods 

 with our huntsmen and with some lazy Mamelukes who lived 

 at this place. A quantity of game was killed, amongst which 

 was the great sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) of Linn. 



Here we were very near having the misfortune to lose M. 

 Freyreis ; he went out in the morning to enjoy the chace, but 

 did not return as usual at noon ; evening came on, and dark- 

 ness spread around, yet he did not appear. Our anxiety in- 

 creased each minute, I sent people out in various directions to 

 fire off their pieces, in order to give him signals where to find 

 them. At last we heard at a distance the weak sound of a 

 gun let oft\ We dispatched the Indians quickly with lighted 

 torches towards the spot from whence the sound proceeded ; 

 fortunately they found the object of our deep anxiety, and 

 brought him back safely to us at midnight. Fatigued and 

 entirely exhausted he reached the Fazenda, and related to us 

 his dangerous adventure ; he was invited by a pleasing spot to 

 follow the windings of a narrow path which suddenly broke 

 off, he went farther and farther, and when he sought to return 

 he had wholly lost the direction of the path. The day was 

 now rapidly declining, and as he went further on he marked 

 the trees, in order to find out where he had before been; 

 however, all his endeavours to regain the path were fruitless, 

 he at length ascended a hill, hoping by a more extended view 

 better to find his way : this also was of no avail, on all sides 

 he saw only the impervious untrodden wood. At last he came 

 to a brook, and followed its course in the expectation of 

 reaching J.lcabaca, and by its shore of finding his way back 

 to the Fazenda ; this too failed him, the brook soon ending 



