flay
when we arrived, I determined to remain here till the following
morning, so that they might rest. The evening was again cloudy, with
thunder and lightning in the distance, which induced us to construct
our huts of skins, that we might be sheltered in case of rain ; but
none, however, fell.
Early
on the following morning, we started with the intention of going direct
to Duro, an Indian mission about four leagues distant, but when we were
within about a league of it, we entered upon a wrong road, and had gone
nearly two leagues, before the man who acted as our guide, discovered
his mistake; it being then about the middle of the day, we halted to
take breakfast under the shade of a large Vochysia, which
overhung a spring of limpid water; but we had no sooner taken
possession of this spot, than our right to it was called in question by
some thousands of a small bee, not so large as a common house-fly; they
came buzzing about in all directions, from the hollow stem of the large
tree in which they had their habitation; they had no sting, but they
annoyed us very much, by flying about the face, and getting entangled
in the hair. After kindling a large fire, they soon became less
troublesome; the only one of our party who seemed to be much alarmed at
them, was my little monkey, who when they came swarming about his head,
covered it with his hands, and screaming fearfully, leaped upon me, and
hid himself under my jacket.
The
country over which we passed before reaching this place, is of an
undulating character, consisting generally of large open campos, the
soil of which is principally a white sand, and being but scantily
covered with herbaceous vegetation, the glare caused by the bright
sun-shine was very fatiguing to the eyes. On these campos, as well as
on the Chapada da Mangabeira, a dwarf cashew is very abundant, growing
gregariously, and not more than a foot high; I found it both in flower
and in fruit, but the latter is not much larger than a gooseberry. It
seems to be distinct from the arboreous species, and is called by the
Brazilians Cajxl rasteiro. Although the hilly parts of the country are
dry, and have an arid look, the little hollows or valleys which
intersect them, have always a small stream of clear and cool water
flowing through them, and
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