along
the road, but on the ascent of a small hill I observed many round
blocks of a coarse whitish sandstone. On the journey we crossed several
rivers, which although very small, or wholly dried up in the arid
season, were now so much swollen by the recent rains, that we could
with difficulty pass some of them. After crossing the Serra we entered
a fine valley about a league in length, well wooded with large trees,
and having a small river running through the centre of it; the end to
the westward was pretty well cleared of trees, and there is a little
hamlet called Rosario, beyond which we had nearly half a league to
travel before reaching our resting-place. On this journey were found several new species of the beautiful genus Angelonia, one of the most remarkable being a fine climbing shrubby species (A. bracteata, Benth.); on dry rocky places I observed several kinds of Cactus, which are not so common on the western side as they are on the east of the Serra de Ibiapaba. The genus Loam, so very common in Chili and Peru, has only few representatives in Brazil; one which I have called Zoasa rupestris, was
found here in rocky places by the side of a stream just before we
reached our resting-place; like other species of this genus, the whole
plant stings very powerfully, and hence, in common with other stinging
plants, it is called by the inhabitants Cancancao. As the sun shone
out brightly during our stay at Marmeleira, we were enabled to
dry all our clothes and other things that had been soaked by the rains.
Here I prescribed for the mistress of the house, who was in a very
delicate state of health; in return for this we were abundantly
supplied with milk, which at this season is plentiful. In the afternoon
we travelled three leagues further, and towards dusk arrived at a place
consisting of a few small houses called Os Defuntos, near which is a
marsh abounding with frogs; the loud and disagreeable sounds they
produced could only be compared to the half-howling, half-barking noise
of a large kennel of hungry dogs. On some trees near the marsh several
large owls were seen, attracted no doubt by the frogs, which they are
said to destroy in great numbers for food.
On the following morning after travelling about five leagues
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