greatest abundance, and reached to the height of about five feel, the Chresta spharocephala of
De Candolle; it has large leaves, which, together with the stem and
branches, are covered with a white woolly substance, and is much
branched at the top, each branchlet being terminated by a large globose
compact head of purple flowers. As there was a good watering place in a
wood a little beyond Cabeceira, we preferred going there, rather than
remaining at the house, to which we were invited by the owner. During
the whole interval since we had left the province of Goyaz, we never
suffered for want of water as we had done in the dry provinces of the
north. In every part of the country through which we were now
travelling, we found in nearly every valley a little stream of clear,
cool, and delicious water, and during our future progress it became
even more abundant. We were now only two leagues and a half distant
from the Villa de Formigas, but owing to the badness of the roads, we
did not reach it till nearly one in the afternoon, notwithstanding we
left our encampment at an early hour. The country was rather hilly,
and the road stony, but it presented one great advantage to the
traveller, which I knew well how to appreciate, in the bridges which
are to be found crossing all the little streams that intersect the
roads. They are constructed of wood, and however rude, they save the
traveller much trouble, and prevent the risk of damage to the luggage,
as we too often experienced on our journey between Arrayas and San
Romao. Immediately on entering the Villa we passed over an excellent
bridge of considerable span, one of the best I had yet seen in the
interior; it crossed a small river which passes through a portion of
the town. Having letters of recommendation to the Vigario of the
district, Padre Antonio Gonsalves Chaves, I proceeded at once to his
house, where we met with a most hospitable reception ; an excellent
breakfast was immediately prepared, and good quarters provided us, in
an empty house belonging to him, adjoining the one which he inhabited.
The
Villa of Montes Claros de Formigas, is of small dimensions, containing
a population of about 1,000 souls, but in respect to its situation, the
arrangement of its streets, and the neat and
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