my
native country, for everything brought to my recollection the
remembrance of past times, and of kind friends; the Sugar Loaf, the
Corcovado, the Gavea, and the Peak of Tijuca, were rearing high their
cloudless summits, as if to welcome me back to a place of civilization.
The
most elevated part of this pass is about 3,000 feet above the level of
the sea; the descent of the Serra, from its zigzag nature, is about a
league in length; it is well constructed, being paved with large blocks
of stone, and is kept in excellent repair; as it was rather steep in
some places, and the road was good, I preferred walking down it to
riding. A little beyond the foot of the Serra we passed Mandiocca, the
estate which formerly belonged to M. Langsdorff, the late Russian
consul-general in Erazil, and celebrated traveller : it now belongs to
the government, and has been converted into a gun-powder manufactory.
The Estrella pass is much better than that of the Organ mountains, but
by the latter the journey to Minas is shortened by about sixteen
leagues. A little way beyond Mandiocca we halted at a large rancho,
whence, after having arranged the collections that had been made on the
journey, I started alone for the Porto d'Estrella, with the intention
of embarking there in the evening for Rio de Janeiro, so as to have a
place prepared for the reception of my luggage, previous to its
arrival. The distance I had to ride was about three leagues, through a
flat, generally marshy country, quite like that between Piedade and the
beginning of the ascent to Mr. March's estate.
It
was late in the afternoon when I arrived at the village of Porto
d'Estrella, and as boats can only start for the city after the sea
breeze has ceased to blow, I found that I had arrived much too early,
and not having yet dined, I looked out for a place where I could
procure something to eat. On enquiring of the lad at the venda from
whence the boats start, I was told they were in the habit of preparing
repasts for travellers, and that if I wished him to do so, he would
provide a dinner for me. After waiting with no little patience for
upwards of two hours, I was at last shown into a small dirty back-room,
when a dish of fish fried
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