CHAPTER VI 
Inquisitiveness — Snakes — A Wonderful Cure — Butterflies — 
A Striking Scene 
T WENTY-NINE kilometres from the “ Merry 
Rest ” we arrived at the little town of Pouso Alto 
— duly translated “ high camp ” — situated 2,750 
feet above the sea level on an elevation between the two 
rivers Piracanjuba and the Furmiga, which afterwards 
became the Rio Meio Ponte, throwing itself into the 
Paranahyba River. 
Pouso Alto was like all the other villas or settlements 
of Goyaz, only perhaps a little larger. The same white¬ 
washed houses with doors and windows decorated with 
blue, the same abandoned, deserted look of the principal 
square and streets; in fact, another “ city of the dead.” 
Only two men drinking in the local store were visible in 
the whole village. 
The usual impertinent questions had to be answered. 
“ Who are you? Why do you come here? Is your 
country as beautiful as ours? Have you any cities as 
large as ours in your country? How much money have 
you? Are you married? You are English; then you 
come here to steal our gold and diamonds.” 
“ Have you any gold and diamonds here? ” 
“No!” 
“No, you cannot travel for pleasure. The English 
travel only to take away all the riches from other 
countries! Those instruments you carry” (a compass 
and two aneroids) “ are those that tell you where to dig 
for gold! ” 
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