As far as I could learn, only one Englishman had visited this part of the country; several of the inhabitants still remembered Drs. Spix and Martius, and the house in which they resided was pointed out to me by the old Barão, who was then, however, a person of but small note in the place. During the four months I passed in this city, I met with the greatest civility and hospitality from all classes of society, much more, indeed, than in any other place in the empire in which I resided for any period. The Barão was particularly obliging, for besides providing a house for me, he sent my horses to one of his fazendas to graze, and I was a frequent guest at his table: he dines quite in the old baronial fashion, his table, which is very long, extending from one end to the other of a large room. He himself sits in a chair at the head of it, and his guests are seated on long forms placed on each side, the lowest places being often filled by his commonest shepherds. Captain Antonio de Moraes, the father of my young friend, and Captain Faria, I particularise among a host of others to whom I am indebted for innumerable services; indeed, I shall ever look back on my stay at Oeiras, as one of the most pleasant portions of my pilgrimage in Brazil. On the afternoon of the 22nd of July, we bade adieu to the city of Oeiras, and commenced our overland journey to Rio,—a journey which, though both tedious and painful, yielded me a far more abundant harvest of novelties than I anticipated. It was my intention to leave in the morning, but while preparing to do so, one of the men I had engaged to go as far as the southern extremity of the province of Piauhy, came to inform me that he had changed his mind: I instantly applied to the Barão for his assistance in procuring another, and as soon as he learned what had occurred, he sent for the man, who, still refusing to go, was sent to prison. He then kindly informed me, that he would allow me the use of a soldier, and having sent for one, told him that if he served me faithfully, he would give him his discharge on his return. I did not much like the look of this man, his face having one of the most cut-throat expressions I ever saw: I had no help but to accept his services, though in the end I was glad to get rid of him, as he proved to be one of the most insolent, lazy, and sulky fellows I ever had in my service. Captain Moraes and several other of my friends accompanied me for about a league from the city, when, with their hearty wishes for a safe return to my native country, we parted. About a league further we encamped for the night, under some large trees by the side of a small stream.