there,
that belonged to a blacksmith. The road by which we travelled is the
high way leading to Rio de Janeiro, and is perhaps the worst in the
country, notwithstanding the great traffic here carried on, not only to
the capital of the Diamond country, but also to that large district to
the N.E. called Minas Novas. The numerous ascents and descents are very
rocky and full of large stones, the last ascent, of greater extent than
the others, about a league from the city, leads to an open flat grassy
country, the summit of the Serro do Trio. To the left we passed some
higher ranges, one of which is the elevated Serra de Itambe; it was a
very arid desolate tract, the few shrubs which grew on it being two or
three species of Lychnophora, called Candeia by the inhabitants, and the grotesque Lychnocephalus tomentosus, together with a few occasional clumps of Vellozia. Shortly
before we reached As Borbas, we gradually descended to a considerable
extent, by a rocky path, and entered a broad valley, which, though more
wooded than the plain above, was still very arid in its appearance.
As some of the mules had strayed during the night, we were delayed at our encampment till near noon on the following day ; this
was not at all agreeable, for we were exposed to a hot sun, without any
means of sheltering ourselves from its influence. As I had now no
animals of my own, I was obliged to submit to the will of the tropeiro,
who did not seem very anxious to proceed rapidly on his journey. We
found the mode of travelling in the southern provinces very different
from that we had been accustomed to in the northern. Horses are seldom
or never used, and only one journey is made in the day, which,
according to the nature of the road, extends from three to four
leagues. The troops, which often consist of as many as from fifty to
one hundred mules, are very well organized, those which are not
conducted by the owner himself being entrusted to an Arrieiro or
muleteer, who, mounted on horseback, follows in the rear of the troop.
It is he who gives the necessary orders for its starting and halting,
looks to the condition of the pack saddles, and takes care the loads
are well balanced, as otherwise they would gall the backs of
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