Leaves Parnaguá—Arrives at Saco do Tanque—Carrapatos a great pest to Travellers and Cattle—Vegetation of the Country—Crosses the Serras da Batalha and de Mato Grosso, the boundary of the Province of Piauhy—Descends into the district of Rio Preto—Account of the Cherente Indians—Arrives at Santa Rosa—Crosses the River Preto—Reaches the desolate Region of Os Geräes—Passes over the elevated table-land Chapada da Mangabeira—Arrives at the Indian Mission of Duro—Description of these Indians—Reaches Cachoeira—Crosses the Serra do Duro—Fords the River Manoel Alves—Arrives at Almas—Galheiro Morto—Morhinos—Abundance of Wild Honey—Description of several kinds of Bees—Reaches Nossa Senhora d’Amparo—Mato Virgem—Goître not uncommon—Passes Sociedade—Arraial da Chapada—And arrives at Natividade. It was with much difficulty that I procured in Parnaguá a person to replace the soldier who accompanied us from Oeiras; chance threw in my way a mulatto, who having come with a large drove of cattle from the province of Goyaz, was therefore acquainted with the tracks through the unfrequented country into which we were now about to enter. We left Parnaguá on the 29th of September, and continuing our journey nearly in a southerly direction, we arrived at a little fazenda, called Saco do Tanque, on the 7th of October, the distance being about twenty-six leagues. It was late in the afternoon when we left Parnaguá, and being nearly dark by the time we reached the head of the lake, we halted there for the night under some trees. Towards morning we felt so chilly in our hammocks, that we were glad to get up and warm ourselves at a large fire, which the men kept burning all night. As we rode along the side of the lake, we saw several capivaras and alligators, which upon our coming near them made for the water.