pass over a certain ridge forming a portion of a large clump of rounded hills, called the Serra do Cortume, which rise to a height of about five thousand feet. I have, therefore, come to this place to find out whether I can get workable ascending and descending grades.

The result of the day's work was that, after going about for some hours and a good deal of wood-cutting, I found the lowest point of the ridge, and on returning to camp I made a detailed sketch plan, by which I am glad to find the route marked on my original rough outline map is certainly the best; so now it only remains to go over it with the level.*

August 19th being Sunday, some of my men went over with me to São Amaro, which is some eight miles off, to attend the service, as a propitious beginning to the regular work of to-day (August 20th). I enjoyed the charming ride much; the service was quiet and reverent, and the priest gave a good sermon on "Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance." The church was crowded, and after service we were entertained at the house of one of my men (Arturo) who lives there.

Camp No. 2.

August 26.—I have now had a week of good work, but unfortunately lost one day owing to having to change camp. The reason was this. A few days ago a case of small-pox broke out in a cottage about five minutes' walk above us; it was a man who had come home from a distance. I thought we were pretty safe, but finding the people from that cottage washed their clothes in the stream we drank from, ordered the men to fetch the water from a source

* The grades worked out satisfactorily without any heavy cutting, and the detailed plans and sections were approved of and passed by the President of the Province early in 1884. Construction began January 6, 1885.

further away. I found out next day that, to save trouble, they were still using the original stream, and then a sort of panic arose. So I had to shift camp, and, fortunately, this is a much better site in every respect-in another small valley concealed from the road by bushes, and more picturesque, though not five minutes' walk over the brow from the old camp. Now to resume my journal.

August 22.-The place where my line crosses the divide is a low ridge (1012 m., or 3329 ft.), from the neighbouring Serra do Cortume, and is for some distance covered by dense "capoeira," or second growth after the virgin forestmata virgem-has been cut down. This is one of the most abominable kinds of stuff to go through, owing to the thick undergrowth of creepers, etc. I first cut a path from a neighbouring horse-track down to the desired point, where, along the summit, there is a long, broad "vallo," or ditch, which is a boundary of the property of Major João Ferreira, of the Fazenda do Cortume, to whom I shall refer later. I next set out lines both ways, and had picadas cut to the east and west. Then, leaving three men to construct a rough bridge over the vallo, and a stile on the further side to prevent cattle crossing, I went forward with two menJoscelino and Antonio da Costa Campo, sons of my guide Fortunato-to drive lines ahead, coming across exposed rocks near the summit, and then passing numerous gullies twenty or thirty feet deep, with sometimes a nasty bit of marsh at the bottom.

In the evening Aleixo and his wife came to visit me, bringing a beautiful hot cake for "o Senhor Doutor" (myself). They told us of the neighbouring “bichiga " (smallpox); hence the hullaballoo I mentioned in a former letter. August 24.--A nigger came in early, bringing four newlaid eggs as an offering to the Senhor Doutor. I went

hunting about in the mist for the site of a new camp till eleven. Then I removed the camp, with the aid of my men and four horses; and finally six men and two lads brought over bodily the thatched rancho, or shed, I had had constructed to protect the cook's fire when it rains; being all tied together with "llianas," it was quite flexible, and none the worse for its removal. The next day the camp was perfumed all day long by the burning of a wood called "camará," which smells like incense.

August 26. Went off about 9.30, for São Amaro, where there was a special intercession at the church to keep off the small-pox. I passed crowds of people on the road. I called upon the padre, who is nice, but requires "drawing out." There is a large wooden cross in front of the church, with the implements of the Passion—nails, ladder, pincers, etc.-nailed on it. All the women and some of the men kiss it most reverently before entering the church. There are no seats, but a fixed barrier between the nave and the chancel. The womens quat or kneel in the body of the church, the men and boys standing or kneeling in the chancel.

August 27.—I have been inconvenienced by not getting my luggage. When the ox-cart reached Paraopeba, on the 15th, I was very busy; so, after seeing that the instruments, etc., were laden up, I left my personal baggage to others. The result was that all went wrong-it never came! and I had to send back for it. Then, again, there was a muddle, and, though my instructions were very plain, the landlord did not know what to send; so this morning the "carreiro" (ox-cart driver) arrived early, asking for instructions, but stating at the same time that he would not go back, as the small-pox was very bad at Paraopeba. (Nice for me, who had worn one shirt for a fortnight!)

Then there was