Unfortunately, we were unable to learn the names of this kind
of palm; and in the whole course of my voyage, I never met with
another specimen.
We did not leave the gardens before noon: we then proceeded on foot
four miles as far as Batafogo, and thence reached the city by
omnibus.
Herr Geiger had invited Count Berchtholdt, Herr Rister, (a native of
Vienna), and myself to an excursion to the Corcovado mountains; and
accordingly, on the 1st November, at a time when we are often
visited by storms and snow, but when the sun is here in his full
force, and the sky without a cloud, at an early hour in the morning
did we commence our pilgrimage.
The splendid aqueduct was our guide as far as the springs from which
it derives the water, which point we reached in an hour and a half,
having been so effectually protected by the deep shade of lovely
woods, that even the intense heat of the sun, which reached during
the day more than 117 degrees, (in the sun), scarcely annoyed us.
We stopped at the springs; and, on a sign from Herr Geiger, an
athletic negro made his appearance, loaded with a large hamper of
provisions--everything was soon prepared--a white cloth was spread
out, and the eatables and drinkables placed upon it.
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