36 



CHARLES DARWIN 



fifty feet above the ground. The woody creepers, themselves 

 covered by other creepers, were of great thickness: some 

 which I measured were two feet in circumference. Many of 

 the older trees presented a very curious appearance from 

 the tresses of a liana hanging from their boughs, and resem- 

 bling bundles of hay. If the eye was turned from the world 

 of foliage above, to the ground beneath, it was attracted by 

 the extreme elegance of the leaves of the ferns and mimosse. 

 The latter, in some parts, covered the surface with a brush- 

 wood only a few inches high. In walking across these thick 

 beds of mimosae, a broad track was marked by the change 

 of shade, produced by the drooping of their sensitive petioles. 

 It is easy to specify the individual objects of admiration in 

 these grand scenes ; but it is not possible to give an adequate 

 idea of the higher feelings of wonder, astonishment, and 

 devotion, which fill and elevate the mind. 



April ipth. — Leaving Socego, during the two first days, 

 we retraced our steps. It was verv wearisome work, as the 

 road generally ran across a glaring hot sandy plain, not 

 far from the coast. I noticed that each time the horse put 

 its foot on the fine siliceous sand, a gentle chirping noise 

 was produced. On the third day we took a different line, 

 and passed through the gay little village of Madre de Deos. 

 This is one o_ the principal lines of road in Brazil; yet it 

 was in so bad a state that no wheeled vehicle, excepting the 

 clumsy bullock-wagon, could pass along. In our whole jour- 

 ney we did not cross a single bridge built of stone; and 

 those made of logs of wood were frequently so much out of 

 repair, that it was necessary to go on one side to avoid them. 

 All distances are inaccurately known. The road is often 

 marked by crosses, in the place of milestones, to signify 

 where human blood has been spilled. On the evening of the 

 23rd we arrived at Rio, having finished our pleasant little 

 excursion. 



During the remainder of my stay at Rio, I resided in a 

 cottage at Botofogo Bay. It was impossible to wish for 

 anything more delightful than thus to spend some weeks 

 in so magnificent a country. In England any person fond 

 of natural history enjoys in his walks a great advantage, by 



