April9th——Weleftourmiserablesleeping-placebeforesunrise。Theroadpassedthroughanarrowsandyplain，lyingbetweentheseaandtheinteriorsaltlagoons。Thenumberofbeautifulfishingbirds，suchasegretsandcranes，andthesucculentplantsassumingmostfantasticalforms，gavetothesceneaninterestwhichitwouldnototherwisehavepossessed。Thefewstuntedtreeswereloadedwithparasiticalplants，amongwhichthebeautyanddeliciousfragranceofsomeoftheorchideaeweremosttobeadmired。Asthesunrose，thedaybecameextremelyhot，andthereflectionofthelightandheatfromthewhitesandwasverydistressing。WedinedatMandetiba；thethermometerintheshadebeing84degs。Thebeautifulviewofthedistantwoodedhills，reflectedintheperfectlycalmwaterofanextensivelagoon，quiterefreshedus。Asthevenda[1]herewasaverygoodone，andIhavethepleasant，butrareremembrance，ofanexcellentdinner，Iwillbegratefulandpresentlydescribeit，asthetypeofitsclass。Thesehousesareoftenlarge，andarebuiltofthickuprightposts，withboughsinterwoven，andafterwardsplastered。Theyseldomhavefloors，andneverglazedwindows；butaregenerallyprettywellroofed。
Universallythefrontpartisopen，formingakindofverandah，inwhichtablesandbenchesareplaced。Thebed-roomsjoinoneachside，andherethepassengermaysleepascomfortablyashecan，onawoodenplatform，coveredbyathinstrawmat。Thevendastandsinacourtyard，wherethehorsesarefed。OnfirstarrivingitwasourcustomtounsaddlethehorsesandgivethemtheirIndiancorn；then，withalowbow，toaskthesenhortodousthefavourtogiveupsomethingtoeat。“Anythingyouchoose，sir。”washisusualanswer。Forthefewfirsttimes，vainlyIthankedprovidenceforhavingguidedustosogoodaman。Theconversationproceeding，thecaseuniversallybecamedeplorable。“Anyfishcanyoudousthefavourofgiving？”——“Oh！no，sir。”——“Anysoup？”——“No，sir。”——“Anybread？”——
“Oh！no，sir。”——“Anydriedmeat？”——“Oh！no，sir。”Ifwewerelucky，bywaitingacoupleofhours，weobtainedfowls，rice，andfarinha。Itnotunfrequentlyhappened，thatwewereobligedtokill，withstones，thepoultryforourownsupper。When，thoroughlyexhaustedbyfatigueandhunger，wetimorouslyhintedthatweshouldbegladofourmeal，thepompous，andthoughtruemostunsatisfactoryanswerwas，“Itwillbereadywhenitisready。”Ifwehaddaredtoremonstrateanyfurther，weshouldhavebeentoldtoproceedonourjourney，asbeingtooimpertinent。Thehostsaremostungraciousanddisagreeableintheirmanners；theirhousesandtheirpersonsareoftenfilthilydirty；thewantoftheaccommodationofforks，knives，andspoonsiscommon；andIamsurenocottageorhovelinEnglandcouldbefoundinastatesoutterlydestituteofeverycomfort。AtCamposNovos，however，wefaredsumptuously；havingriceandfowls，biscuit，wine，andspirits，fordinner；coffeeintheevening，andfishwithcoffeeforbreakfast。Allthis，withgoodfoodforthehorses，onlycost2s。6d。perhead。Yetthehostofthisvenda，beingaskedifheknewanythingofawhipwhichoneofthepartyhadlost，grufflyanswered，“HowshouldIknow？
whydidyounottakecareofit？——Isupposethedogshaveeatenit。”
LeavingMandetiba，wecontinuedtopassthroughanintricatewildernessoflakes；insomeofwhichwerefresh，inotherssaltwatershells。Oftheformerkinds，IfoundaLimnaeaingreatnumbersinalake，intowhich，theinhabitantsassuredmethattheseaentersonceayear，andsometimesoftener，andmakesthewaterquitesalt。Ihavenodoubtmanyinterestingfacts，inrelationtomarineandfreshwateranimals，mightbeobservedinthischainoflagoons，whichskirtthecoastofBrazil。M。Gay[2]hasstatedthathefoundintheneighbourhoodofRio，shellsofthemarinegenerasolenandmytilus，andfreshwaterampullariae，livingtogetherinbrackishwater。IalsofrequentlyobservedinthelagoonneartheBotanicGarden，wherethewaterisonlyalittlelesssaltthaninthesea，aspeciesofhydrophilus，verysimilartoawater-beetlecommonintheditchesofEngland：inthesamelaketheonlyshellbelongedtoagenusgenerallyfoundinestuaries。