adieu
to our rocky dwelling, and slept that night in a little hut we erected
in a grove of small palms and tree-ferns, by the side of a small
stream, the sides of which were fringed with beautiful herbaceous
ferns. On the following afternoon we reached the fazenda, after an
absence of six days.
In
order to gratify my desire of examining the virgin forests which exist
on the banks of the Rio Parahyba, I determined to make a hurried visit
there previous to my return to Rio de Janeiro. The Parahyba forms the
boundary between the provinces of Rio and Minas Geraes, but only after
it has been joined by the Para-hybuna. On this expedition I was again
accompanied by Mr. Hockin, and was glad to have so excellent a
companion. We left , the fazenda on the 24th of March, and after a
journey of seven leagues, arrived at a farm called Serra do Capim. We
followed a new road, which was in progress of construction under the
superintendence of Col. Leite, a wealthy planter, leading from
Piedade, over the Organ mountains, towards Minas Geriies, but it was
then in a barely passable condition. By far the greater part of the.
country through which we travelled was in a state of nature, being
covered with virgin forests, abounding in tree-ferns and palms.
The
fazenda where we rested belonged to a gentleman residing in Rio, but
the letter I carried to the manager of the farm procured us a hearty
reception; corn was immediately ordered for our mules, and we were
shortly regaled with an excellent supper. We found our host to be a
kind and intelligent old man, who informed me that he had followed the
profession of apothecary for many years in Minas; like most of the
fazendeiros in Brazil, he acts as physician to the hospital of this
estate, so that he was glad of an opportunity of consulting me on most
of the cases under his charge. Next morning he would not allow us to
depart till after breakfast.
On
leaving this place we soon passed through some of the finest forests I
had yet seen in the province, and in the afternoon arrived at a large
coffee plantation, called Monte Caffe, the distance being about seven
leagues. This fazenda belonged to a Brazilian called
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