themselves to one's toes, underneath the nail, or sometimes to the soles
of the feet. When a person feels an irritation in these parts, he must
immediately look at the place; and if he discern a tiny black point,
surrounded by a small white ring, the former is the _chigoe_, or sand-
flea, and the latter the eggs which it has deposited in the flesh. The
first thing to be done is to loosen the skin all round as far as the
white skin is visible; the whole deposit is then extracted, and a little
snuff strewn in the empty space. The blacks perform this operation with
considerable skill.

Rich as the Brazils are in natural productions, they are wanting in many
articles which Europeans regard as of the first importance. There are
sugar and coffee, it is true; but no corn, no potatoes, and none of our
delightful varieties of fruit. The flour of manioc, obtained from the
cassava plant, which forms a staple portion of almost every dish,
supplies the place of bread, but is far from being so nutritious and
strengthening; while the different kinds of sweet-tasting roots are far
inferior in value to our potato. The only fruit which Madame Pfeiffer
thought really excellent, were the oranges, bananas, and mangoes. The
pine-apples are neither very sweet nor very fragrant. And with regard to
two most important articles of consumption, the milk is very watery, and
the meat very dry.

* * * * *

Our traveller, during her sojourn at Rio 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