Note 15 — Chapter XII · SAN ROMÃO TO THE DIAMOND DISTRICT.

I shall here briefly enumerate the different kinds of forests and woods, which the inhabitants of Brazil distinguish by particular names. These are first, the Matos Virgens, or virgin forests, such as those which exist on the Organ Mountains, and indeed along the whole maritime Cordillera. To these also belong the Capoes of the Campo countries. Next to the virgin forests come the Catingas, the trees of which are generally small and deciduous, and form the connecting link between the virgin forests and the Carrascos, which grow on more elevated tracts than the Catingas, and consist of close growing shrubs about three or four feet high. These are all natural woods, very different from the next I shall mention, to which the name of Capoeira is given; such wooded tracts are formed by the small trees and shrubs, which spring up in lands that have been cultivated or prepared for cultivation, by destroying the virgin forests, which is generally effected by setting fire to them: the trees that then spring up are always very distinct from those which constituted their original vegetation.