CHAPTER XII. VISIT TO THERESOPOLIS. START FOR THERESOPOLIS-WALLETS AND HOLSTERS-BOOTS AND AND FLOWERS-THE CASTOR-OIL TREE-A HORSE BREAKS DOWN- A FTER a day or two of very heavy rain, the north wind came one evening to our assistance, and blew away the clouds to sea. I and my friend Mr. Malet had been kindly furnished by Mr. Tupper, of Rio, with a letter of introduction to his wife and family, who were residing at his fazenda, or country establishment, at Theresopolis, close to the highest peaks of the Organ Mountains, the distant view of whose curious forms had often struck me with astonishment. We were very anxious to avail ourselves of such a pleasant opportunity of seeing that part of the country, and we START FOR THE MOUNTAINS. 263 thought the change of weather favourable for an immediate start. The usual way of reaching Theresopolis is by a steamer across the harbour, and then by a somewhat rough road up the mountains. the mountains. We did not, however, wish to descend to the level of the sea, unless it were absolutely necessary; and having heard of a path by which we could reach our destination in a long day's work, without leaving the mountains and forests, we determined to go by this overland route. The grand difficulty was to find the way, which did not seem to be known to many of the inhabitants, and we had to send eight miles for a man who was warranted to be a good and trustworthy guide. This involved the loss of a day; but on the 16th of October the weather was still finer than the day before, and we were in high spirits at the prospect of our expedition. At six o'clock in the morning I breakfasted with Mr. Malet at the Legation; the guide came up with three horses and two dogs, and we soon completed our preparations. Mr. Malet had an admirable set of wallets and holsters made by Peat, of Bond Street, and our saddles had been fitted so as to receive them. Each wallet carried a change of clothes, and was fastened at the back of the saddle; and the holsters, containing spare boots, with a revolver and a flask, were adjusted in the usual fashion. The guide had to carry a sketch-book, a bottle of sherry, and some light refreshments, as we knew we should have no chance of getting anything else to eat till we arrived at Theresopolis. We wore long buff riding-boots, fitting loose above the knee, and very thin light-coloured ponchos, which, with their fringe and border of red, blue, or green, are picturesque as well as comfortable. Umbrellas are indispensable in Brazil, and, by way of economising implements, we determined to make them also do duty as whips. About seven o'clock we fairly started; the dogs barked for joy, the guide looked resigned, and none of the party, except the horses, could have dreamed of anything but a pleasant expedition. We filed slowly out of the town, and, passing the beautiful rose-hedges of the Baron Mauà, we followed the new road towards the province of Minas Geraes. Close to our side was a small but rapid river, tumbling merrily over its rocky bed, and sometimes hiding itself under the overhanging mass of trees and flowers. About two miles from Petropolis a sudden turn in the road showed us in the distance some of the mountain group towards which we were bound, and the river banks formed an admirable foreground to the picture. Sloping down to the river on our right, now some hundred feet distant, the ground was covered with characteristic vegetation. Huge araucarias, most truly named puzzle-monkeys, raised their dark heads and. stiff-looking branches to the height of apparently sixty or seventy feet; clusters of aloes fringed the road with their lofty candelabra AN IMMENSE TREE. 265 like spikes of flower; and the river below was overhung by masses of datura, filling the air with the sweetness of their long white bells. A few miles further we left the macadamised road, and crossed the river at Correa. Here are a few stores and immense ranchos, or stabling-sheds, for the mules, which make this one of their halting-places in the journey to and from the mines and plantations. Close to the bridge was a noble clump of trees; the trunk of one of them was enormous, and at a height of about sixty feet from the ground it was ornamented by a fine orchid of very unusual size. A considerable part of the open space near the ranchos was completely shaded by a celebrated wild fig-tree, the branches of which are said to extend to a circumference of four hundred and eighty feet. This, for a single tree, was a tolerable approach to the boundless contiguity of shade' so ardently desired by the desponding Cowper. We were now on the old Minas road, and the change from the new-fashioned Brazil to the old was remarkable. In place of the admirable Macadam, which I shall have to say more of hereafter, we had for the rest of the day to deal with the lumpy ground and quagmires of that ferruginous soil which makes the worst of roads, though it is eminently well adapted for showing off the green glories of the vegetable world. It was cut into deep narrow tracks by the troops of mules continually passing in their wonted fashion, and we met multitudes of them coming down laden with the treasures of the interior. Each is furnished with a substantial packsaddle, peaked like the roof of a barn: their heavy loads of coffee are piled upon this in bags, and drawn together by a rope of hide, tightly twisted with a stick which is used like a tourniquet. They march in Indian file, following their leader, turning when he turns, or crossing the road when, for reasons best known to himself, he chooses to do so. They insist upon going their own way, and if a traveller in the opposite direction attempts to divert them from their course, he will very likely throw the whole troop into inextricable confusion. Some will break away from the road, and get entangled in the bushes, and others will stop in a sulky fit and roll with their burdens on the ground, in which case they often have to be unloaded before they can get up again. We had followed this road for about an hour among a charming variety of beautiful scenery, when our guide suddenly turned up a narrow pathway to the right, and started us upon a track which none but a man who was thoroughly acquainted with the country would have thought of following. Sometimes it was SO narrow that a horse could scarcely pass between the tall bamboos and creepers that interlaced over our heads; sometimes we dived into deep glens with difficult streams at the bottom, and narrow foot-bridges |