Janeiro, made many interesting
excursions in the neighbourhood. One was directed to Petropolis, a
colony founded by Germans in the heart of scenery of the most exquisite
character. Accompanied by Count Berchthold, she sailed for Porto
d'Estrella in one of the regular coasting barks. Their course carried
them across a bay remarkable for its picturesque views. It lies calmly
in the embrace of richly-wooded hills, and is studded with islands, like
a silver shield with emerald bosses. Some of these islands are
completely overgrown with palms, while others are masses of huge rock,
with a carpet of green turf.

Their bark was manned by four negroes and a white skipper. At first they
ran merrily before a favourable wind, but in two hours the crew were
compelled to take to the oars, the method of using which was exceedingly
fatiguing. At each dip of the oar, the rower mounts upon a bench in
front of him, and then, during the stroke, throws himself off again, with
his full force. In two hours more they passed into the river Geromerino,
and made their way through a world of beautiful aquatic plants which
covered the tranquil waters in every direction. The river banks are
flat, and fringed with underwood and young trees; the background is
formed by ranges of low green hills.

At Porto d'Estrella, Madame Pfeiffer and her companion landed, and
proceeded on foot towards Petropolis. The first eight miles lay through
a broad valley, clothed with dense brambles and young trees, and shadowed
by lofty mountains. The wild pine-apples by the roadside were very fair
to see; they were not quite ripe, but tinted of the most delicate red.
Beautiful humming-birds flashed through the air like "winged jewels," and
studded the dense foliage with points of many-coloured light.

After passing through the valley, they reached the Sierra, as the
Brazilians term the practicable mountain-summits. It was three thousand
feet in height, and was ascended by a broad paved road, striking through
the depths of virgin forests.

Madame Pfeiffer had always imagined that the trees in virgin forests had
very thick and lofty trunks; but such was not the case here; probably
because the vegetation was too luxuriant, and the larger trunks have the
life crushed out of them by masses of smaller trees, bushes, creepers,
and parasites.

Frequent truppas, or teams of ten mules driven by a negro, as well as
numerous pedestrians, enlivened the path, and preven