beautiful
night. My hammock and poncho were both too wet to sleep in, so I had to
lie down on the top of two trunks for my bed, with my saddle for a
pillow, near a large fire we had previously kindled.
On
the following morning, the eighth of September, we continued our
journey, and at eleven o'clock halted under some trees by the river
side. Our route was through a richer country than any I had yet seen in
the province, it being well wooded with large trees, the greater part
of which were in leaf; near the houses, which ap-gfared more numerous
than hitherto, grew large plantations of cotton, tobacco, sugar-cane,
and mandiocca. On the branches of a large tree by the roadside I
collected the first Orchideous plant I had seen during the journey; a
long round-leaved kind of Oncidium. The tree on which it grew was theUmari [Geoffreya superba), but
only on the under side of the branches, the long leaves hanging down
like so many whips, intermingled with its large panicles of yellow
flowers. It is called by the natives of the Sertao " Rabo de Tatii,"
from the resemblance of the leaves to the tail of the armadillo.
Shortly after we halted, I went out with my gun in search of something
for my dinner, but could find only parroquets, which were very
numerous, flying from tree to tree, and keeping up an almost continual
cry of Parroquet—Parroquet. I fired at some which were seated on a tall
tree, and one of those which fell being only wounded, kept up a
continued scream whenever I attempted to approach it; this being heard
by its companions, several hundreds of them again returned to the
tree, and having once more fired among them, they were again brought
back by the screams of the dying, nor did they cease to re-appear in
the same manner till I had killed more than was sufficient for us all
to eat. On the afternoon of this day we travelled about two leagues,
and rested at a small sugar plantation (Engenho de Ra-padura). It being
the day of San Gonzalvo, the people were dancing and making merry
before the house; I obtained leave from the owner to let me pass the
night in the mill, two sides of which were open. On alighting from my
horse I laid down my straw hat, containing a silk pocket-handkerchief,
on an old log of
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