return to
Rio de Janeiro, and our own party for the Mine Country. Soon after noon,
we arrived at Manganga, a distance of four leagues (16 miles), having
passed over a very level country, where the heat of the day was equal in
intensity, to the cold of the morning; the thermometer being, at one
time, upwards of 90 deg. F. This change was to me delightful, as heat
agrees with me at all times, and more particularly while suffering from
an indisposition, the prevalent symptom of which is a sensation of
chilliness. I found my strength very inadequate to bear much fatigue.
Our accommodation, however, was better to-night than the preceding one,
and Captain Lyon being well known on the road, acquainted with the
language, and a man of very agreeable manners, we found every one ready
to do their utmost to serve him, especially the fair sex. In speaking of
the fair sex--or rather, in this case, the female, but not fair--a
pretty young negress came to solicit charity, for the purpose of
enabling her to make up a sum of money to purchase half her freedom, the
other half having been left as a legacy, by her deceased master. This is
doing things by halves with a witness: who would have thought of such
piece-meal generosity, except a thrifty Brazilian Portuguese.

_Friday, August 1_.--Soon after daylight, we set off again with our
whole party: and at eleven, we rested a short time to refresh ourselves
at a venda,[52] which stands at the foot of a rugged and precipitous
range, called the Serra Santa Anna (or St. Ann's Mountain), which we
afterwards passed over, and arrived, about three o'clock, at a
respectable farm-house, in the village of Botaes, where we remained for
the night, having travelled four leagues to-day. Captain Lyon called my
attention this afternoon, to the note of a bird in a wood, when passing
over the mountain, named the Ferreirinho (little Blacksmith), from the
resemblance of the note to the ringing sound of a smart blow from a
small hammer on an anvil, terminating in a sharp whistle.

_Saturday, 2_.--Notwithstanding the inconvenience I had suffered during
the journey of the two preceding days, I felt an increase of strength,
and an abatement of my cough. Fortunately for me, we passed the night in
a warm valley, and did not start this morning till nine o'clock, from
which time our journey over the mountain proved very pleasant, for it
must be remembered, that this is the winter season in this country; and
that the