CHAPTER XI.
ARRAYAS TO SAN ROMAO.
Departure
from Arrayas—Reasons for preferring the Route along the Serra Geral—
Passes Gamelleira—Bonita—Reaches San Domingo—San Joiio—San Bernardo—
Curious Fact respecting the Rio San Bernardo—Passes Boa Vista—Country
consists of very elevated table-lands—Its Natural Productions—Arrives
at Capella da Posse—San Pedro—San Antonio—Dores—Riachao—Animals greatly
tormented by large Bats—Habits of these Vampires—Reaches San
Vidal—Flight of Locusts —Passes Nossa Senhora
d'Abbadia—Campinhas—Pasquada — Sau Francisco— Crosses River Carynhenha
and enters the Province of Minas Geraes—Country described—Habits of the
great Ant-eater—Passes Capao de Casca—Descent of the Serra das
Araras—Reaches San Jose—Rio Claro—Boquerao—Santa Maria— Espigao—Taboea
— San Miguel — Crosses River Urueuya — Passes Riachao— Arrives at San
Romao—Town Described—Its Population—Habits of the People— Rio de San
Francisco—Description of the different varieties of the Salmon tribe
found in it.
The necessary preparations having been completed, we started from Arrayas on the afternoon of the 6th of May, my object being now to reach the Villa de San Romao on the Rio de San Francisco; but instead of proceeding southward along the western base of the Serra Geral as far as the parallel of San Romao, the road usually followed by the people of the country, I preferred the less
frequented, and consequently the more difficult route, that leads along
the Serra itself. My reasons for adopting this plan were, in the first
place, because the low country to the westward had already been
travelled over by Pohl and Burchell, and partly by Spix and Martius; and secondly, because I always preferred elevated regions, on account of the greater diversity of vegetation met with in such situations. We were accompanied for about
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