CHAP.  XV.

Advantages of early Travelling—­Funelle—­“A Traveller stopped at a Widow’s Gate”—­Bright Eyes and Breakfast—­Smiles and Sighs—­The Fish River—­Cold Lodgings—­Fowl Massacre—­Bad Ways—­Gigantic Ant-hills—­The Campos—­Insect Warriors—­Insinuating Visitors (Tick)—­The Simpleton—­ Bertioga—­A Drunkard—­Cold Shoulders—­Mud Church—­Feasting and Fasting; or, the Fate of Tantalus—­Method in a Slow March—­Gentlemen Hungry and Angry—­No “Accommodation for Man or Horse”—­A Practical Bull—­Curtomi—­ Hospitable Treatment at Grandie—­Horse-dealer—­A “Chance” Purchase—­ Bivouac—­Mule Kneeling—­Sagacious Animal—­Quilos—­A Mist—­Gold-washing —­Ora Branca—­Hazardous Ascent of the Serra D’Ora Banca—­Topaz District —­A Colonel the Host—­Capoa—­Jigger-hunters—­Mineralogical Specimens—­ Mortality of Animals—­Pasturage—­Account of Ora Preta—­Gold Essayed—­ Halt—­Journey resumed—­Arrival at Gongo Soco

Monday, August 4, 1828.—­Our muleteers had no small trouble to collect their animals in readiness for us to start at the appointed time (four in the morning); indeed, they had been full two hours beating about the bush to get them together.  Fortunately, however, these men go to rest so early, that they think little of getting up in the middle of the night, to collect and load their mules, which is a common occurrence, as an early start is desirable for both man and beast, because two hours travelling before sunrise, is not half so fatiguing as one hour after it; the muleteers are also glad to promote any measure that will enable them to complete their day’s journey before sunset, that they may get their supper and go to rest so soon as it is dark, which, in this tropical region, is always at an early hour.  Between nine and ten we arrived at a venda, called Funelle, where we breakfasted on eggs and milk, standing at a counter, there being no other apartments in this small habitation, except the bed-room of a pretty young black-eyed widow, who was laughing and flirting with our party the whole time we remained.  Having made but a third of our intended day’s journey, we were obliged to tear ourselves away from the interesting widow’s fascinations, greatly to the annoyance of some of my companions, who would fain have prolonged the pleasure of her agreeable trifling:—­but malgre the Loves and the Cupids, with the accompaniments of beauty’s witcheries, we were obliged to press forward, towards our quarters for the night, which we proposed to take up at a house called Rosa Gomez, six leagues from Funelle, and nine from Villa Preta, making thirty-six miles to-day.  About a mile or two before we arrived at Rosa Gomez, we passed the Fish River.

Tuesday, August 5.—­We endured a very cold and comfortless night in bad quarters, where, had it not been for the exertions of our own people who were obliged to knock down a few wretched straggling fowls for our use, we should not have been able to procure any thing either for supper, or breakfast, except a disagreeable mess of flour and water.