Lencois
After Salvador we headed into O Sertao or the hinterland of the country inland. It was a vast area of little value to the bandeirantes who were looking for any 'get rich quick' scheme. They found no gold, silver or any other mineral worth exploiting so they left the area for settlers and farmers. It was only in 1822 when diamonds were found in the river beds and a mining rush developed reinforced by a rich discovery in 1844 which encouraged more miners. There were diamonds to be found but they were the lower quality smokey industrial diamonds rather than the gem stone quality that fortune seekers sought.
A bridge over a river en route to the Devils Hole, a swimming hole on a river where diamonds were found.
A view down river from above the waterfall above the Devils Gole.
Te swimming hole below the waterfall at Devil's Hole.
Next was a trek up a butte with great views across the plateau to other buttes.
One of the views back down the main road that passes through the national park.
Another view from the top of the butte.
And then there was a trip down a series of caves and this modest scrape in the ground indicated by our caving guide was the entrance to the cave system.
There were some wonderful stalactites and 'mites.
Plus some columns where the two different types of formations had met to form columns.
Plus plenty of unusual formations.
And even some format.ions where some of the formations has upward facing structures where there had been a draft up through the cave
A nearly formed column.
And more structures.
And there was an opportunity to snorkel in the crystal clear waters of the caves.
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