mlets flowing north. On going uphill we travelled on
masses of volcanic pellets (elev. 2,500 ft.). To the south we could see a
number of hills, the sides of which showed the great effects of erosion
by wind and water. Nearly all those hill ranges extended from east to
west. A long depression could be observed cutting them from north to
south.

That was a fine day for cloud effects, especially along the horizon,
where they displayed horizontal lines, while they had great ball-like
tops. Higher up, to the north-west, was feathery mist turning the sky to
a delicate pale blue. A heavy, immense stratum of cloud in four perfectly
parallel terraces extended on the arc from west to north.

We descended into a _cuvette_ with the usual cluster of vegetation in the
centre and campos around. To the south-west of that _cuvette_ was an
elongated but well-rounded mountain, extending from east to west, and
beyond, to the S.S.W., in the far distance, an almost identical replica
of it. We travelled on deep volcanic sand on the west slope of the
_cuvette_ and in deep ashes at the bottom until we arrived at the
Sangradorzinho River, flowing north.

June 1st (thermometer min. 551/2 deg. Fahr.; max. 74 deg.; elev. 2,150 ft.). Heavy
mist and rain-clouds, heavy and sultry atmosphere. Sky almost entirely
covered by clouds.

Owing to trouble among my followers and waiting for one of my men, who
had remained behind in a last effort to find the missing horse, we were
unable to leave camp until nearly noon. We rose to an elevation of 2,400
ft., leaving behind the great _cuvette_, and marching over parallel domes
extending from north to south. Between those domes in the depressions
were sandy _cuvettes_ of verdant grass and the usual central _bosquets_.

Cinders and sand were still plentiful, with stunted, thin trees growing
upon them. Several times that day we reached an elevation of 2,550 ft.
After passing a streamlet flowing north, we kept at that elevation for a
considerable distance, after which, having descended 100 ft. (2,450 ft.),
we found ourselves in a most enchanting, oval-shaped _cuvette_ of cinders
well covered with fresh verdure, and in its centre from north to south a
row of _burity_ palms.

That was indeed a day of great surprises in the way of scenery. No sooner
had we left that beautiful _cuvette_ than we came to a magnificent flat
open valley extending from E.S.E. to W.N.W. In its northern part, where a
pool of stagnant wate