1852 .] 
VILLA NOVA. 
883 
had had given to me, there now only remained thirty- 
four, consisting of five monkeys, two macaws, twenty 
parrots and paroquets of twelve different species, five 
small birds, a white-crested Brazilian pheasant, and a 
toucan. 
On the 10th of June we left Barra, commencing our 
voyage very unfortunately for me; for, on going on board, 
after bidding adieu to my friends, I missed my toucan, 
which had, no doubt, flown overboard, and not being 
noticed by any one, was drowned. This bird I esteemed 
very highly, as he was full-grown and very tame, and I 
had great hopes of bringing him alive to England. 
On the 13th we reached Villa Nova, at which place, 
being the last in the new Province, we had to disembark 
to show our passports, as if entering into another king- 
dom ; and not content with this, there is another station 
half a day further down, on the exact boundary-line, 
where all vessels have to stay a second time, and again 
present their papers, as if the great object of the Govern- 
ment were to make their regulations as annoying and 
expensive as possible. At Villa Nova I was glad to get 
some butter and biscuits ; quite a treat, after the scanty 
luxuries of Barra. Here, too, I met the kind priest. 
Padre Torquato, who had entertained us so hospitably on 
our ascent of the river. He received me with great 
kindness, and regretted I could not stay longer with 
him ; he gave me a curious animal, which I had heard of 
but never seen before, a forest-dog, — an animal some- 
what resembling a fox, in its bushy tail and great taste 
for poultry, and apparently very tame and docile. 
The next day we passed Obydos, the strong current of 
