August 19, 2025 • 36 mins
Embark on an enlightening journey through Brazil in this captivating first-hand account by an Englishman exploring the vibrant coastal regions of the Northeast just before Brazils independence from Portugal. Kosters travels, which also lead him to the northern port city of Maranh√£o, reveal the rich cultural practices and everyday life of the Brazilian people through a refreshingly objective lens. More than a mere travelogue, this work serves as a compelling ethnographic study that immerses readers in the essence of Brazilian society. (Summary by KevinS)
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section fourteen of Travels in Brazil, Volume one by Henry Coster.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter ten,
part one. The author set sail from Gravesend and arrives
at Pernambuco, state of Hesife, journey to bom Jardin with
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a capitan Moor, and returned to Hessife at the commencement
of the winter. My friends again recommended a return to
a more temperate climate than that of England, and therefore,
understanding that the Portuguese ship, the Seja Picuano, was upon
the point of sailing, I took my passage in her
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she was lying at Gravesend, and on the fourth of
October eighteen eleven I embarked again for Pernambuco. Contrary winds
detained the ship at Portsmouth for about six weeks. On
the twentieth of November, the wind came round to the
northward and eastward, and the signal guns from the ships
of war appointed as convoys awakened us always bustle and confusion.
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At cows were great numbers of persons belonging to the ships,
who were circumstanced as we were, had stationed themselves in
a few hours the vessels were under way, and before
the night closed in all of them had cleared the needles.
The Sejapicano and other Portuguese ships had taken instructions from
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a frigate which was bound to the Mediterranean, intending to
keep company with her as far as her destination, and
theirs obliged them to follow the same course. But in
the morning we discovered that we were with another frigate
which was bound to Lisbon. We soon left her and
were accompanied by other two Portuguese ships. On the night
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of the twenty second we fell in with the Kangaroo
sloop of War, which was bound to the coast of
Africa with a few vessels under convoy. On the twenty
fourth we parted from this convoy and on the twenty
sixth proceeded with only one Portuguese ship. Our passage was
most prosperous. We had no boisterous weather and few calmns.
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On the third of December we fell in with the
Arethusa frigate. When inside of the Canary Islands. The captain
of the Seja was obliged to take the papers of
his ship on board the frigate. The regulations regarding the
slave trade which is carried on by the Portuguese, perhaps
occasion more inquiry than would have otherwise been deemed necessary.
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We crossed the line on the twenty second. In the
evening of the twenty six we stood for the land,
supposing that we had reached the latitude of our port,
but that we were very much to the eastward of it. However,
we made the land about two o'clock in the morning,
which was sooner by several hours than the officers of
the ship imagined we should. This frequent occurs on board
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of those vessels which do not carry chronometers, the calculation
of longitude without their assistance being, of course, rendered extremely
liable to error. At daybreak, it was discovered that we
were somewhat to the northward of Olinda. We entered the
port about nine o'clock and came to anchor in the
lower harbor, called the Posso. The se Ja Picuno is
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one of the heavy deep waist at Brazil ships, requiring
a great number of hands to manage her. The business
of the ship was carried on in a manner similar
in almost all points to that which is practiced on
board of British merchant vessels. There was, However, less cleanliness
observed and poor noise was made. The second officer, who
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is called in the British merchant service the mate, bears
in Portuguese vessels the name of pilot, and the regulations
of their marine confine him to the navigation of the ship,
giving up to an inferior officer the duty of attending
to the discharging or stowage of the hold when loading
or unloading, in all other minutia of the affairs, either
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at sea or in a harbor. I was received unsure
by all those persons with whom I had before had
the pleasure of being acquainted with the same friendliness which
I always experienced at Pernambuco. Several English gentlemen offered me
an apartment in their houses until I obtained one of
my own. I accepted the offer which was made to
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me by him through whose great kindness my health had
been so much benefited after the severe attack of fever
which I had suffered in the preceding year. The first
few weeks were passed in visits to my friends and acquaintance,
with some of whom I occasionally stayed a few days
in the neighborhood of the town, which was now much
deserted according to the usual custom at this season of
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the year. I perceived a considerable difference in the appearance
of Hassiphian of its inhabitants. Although I had been absent
from the place for so short a time. Several houses
had been altered. The heavy somber lattice work had given
place in many instances to glass windows and iron balconies.
Some few families had arrived here from Lisbon, and three
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from England. The ladies of the former had shown the
example of walking to Mass in broad daylight, and those
of the latter were in the habit of going out
to walk toward the close of the day for amusement.
These improvements, being once introduced and practiced by a few persons,
were soon adopted by some who had been afraid to
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be the first, and others who found that they were pleasant.
Formal silks and satins, too, were becoming a less usual
dress on high days and holidays, and were now much
superseded by white and colored muslins and other cotton manufactures.
The men, likewise, who had in former times daily appeared
in full dress suits of black, gold buckles and cocked hats,
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had now in many instances exchanged these for nankeen pantaloons,
half boots and round hats. Even the high and heavy
saddle was now less in use, and that a more
modern form was all the fashion. The sedan chairs in
which the ladies often go to church and to pay
visits to their friends, had now put on a much
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smarter appearance, and the men who carried them were dressed
more dashingly. These cannot fail to attract the attention of
strangers in their gay clothes, their helmets and feathers, and
their nan keyed legs. The country residences, which had been
lately built were also numerous. Lands in the vicinity of
Hasifi had risen in price. The trade of brickmaking was
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becoming lucrative work people were in request, and beside many
other spots of land. The track between the villages of
Posso d'a panella and Montero, in extent about one mile,
which in eighteen ten would covered with brushwood, had now
been cleared. Houses were building in gardens forming upon it.
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The great Church of Corposanto, situated in that part of
the town, which is properly called Hasifi, was now finished,
and various improvements were meditated footnote. Before I came away
in eighteen fifteen, a considerable portion of the sand which
was covered by the tide at high water between Saint
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Antonio and Boa Vista had been raised and houses had
been built upon it. The principal street of Saint Antonio
has been paved, the bridge of Boavista has been rebuilt
of timber, and that between Saint Antonio and Hasifi was
about to undergo considerable repair. The hospitals, likewise were to
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be improved. And as I have heard since my arrival
in England of the appointment of a most worthy man
to the direction of one of them, A trust that
this intention has been acting upon and footnote. The time
of advancement was come, and men who had for many
years gone on without making any change, either in the
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interior or exterior of their houses, were now painting and
glazing on the outside and new furnishing within, modernizing themselves,
their families and their dwellings. The spirit of alteration produced,
in one case, rather ludicrous consequences. There was a lady
of considerable dimensions who had entered into this love of
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innovation and carried it to a vast extent. She was
almost equal in circumference and height. But notwithstanding this unfortunate circumstance,
personal embellishments were not to be despised. She wished to
dress in English fashion, and was herself decidedly of opinion
that she had succeeded. Upon her head, she wore a
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very small gypsy hat tied under the chin. Stays have
only lately been introduced, but this improvement she had not
yet adopted. Still, her gown was to be in English fashion, too,
and therefore was cut and slashed away so as to leave,
most unmercifully in view several beauties which otherwise would have
remained concealed. This gown was of muslin, and was worked
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down the middle and round the bottom in several colors.
Her shoes were as small as could be allowed, but
the unfortunate redundance of size also reached the ankles in
the feet, and thus rendering compression necessary. The superabundance which
nature had lavishly bestowed, projected and hung down over each
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side of the shoes. I became acquainted and somewhat intimate
with the capitin Moore of a neighboring district, from frequently
meeting him in my evening visits to a Brazilian family.
He was about to make the circuit of his district
in the course of a few weeks, and invited one
of my friends and myself to accompany him in this
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review or visit to his officers, to which we readily agreed.
Was arranged that he should make us acquainted in due time,
with the day which he might appoint for, setting out
that we might meet him at his sugar plantation, from
whence we were to proceed with him and his suite
further into the country. The capitan mories captain's major are
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officers of considerable power. They have civil as well as
military duties to perform, and ought to be appointed from
among the planters of most wealth and individual weight in
the several termos, boundaries or districts. But the interest of
family or of relations about the court avocation deviations from
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this rule, and persons very unfit for these situations have
been sometimes nominated to them. The whole aspect of the
government in Brazil as military or men between the ages
of sixteen and sixty must be enrolled either as soldiers
of the line, as militiamen, or as belonging to the
body of the ancest of the regular soldiers. I have
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already spoken in another place of the second class. Each
township has a regiment of which the individuals, with the
exception of the major and adjutant, and in some cases
the colonel, do not receive any pay, but they are
considered as embodied men, and as such are called out
upon some few occasions in the course of the year
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to assemble an uniform and otherwise accoutred. The expense which
must be incurred in this respect of necessity precludes the
possibility of many persons becoming members of this class, even
if the government were desirous of increasing the number of
militia regiments. The soldiers of these are subject to their captains,
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to the colonel, and to the governor of the province.
The colonels are either rich planters, or the major or
lieutenant colonel of a regiment of the line is thus
promoted to the command of one of these in this case,
and in this case only pay. I am inclined to
think that he ought to possess some property in the district,
and that any deviation from this rule is an abuse.
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But I am not certain that the law so ordains
the majors and the adjutants are likewise occasionally promoted from
the line, but whether they are regularly military men or planters,
they receive pay as their trouble and distributing orders in
other arrangements connected with the regiment is considerable. The third
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class that of the ANSAs, consisting of by far the
largest portion of the white persons and a free mulatto
men of all shades have for their immediate chiefs. The
capitowns morees who serve without pay, and all the persons
who are connected with the ordinances are otherwise likewise to
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afford their services gratuitously. Each district contains one capital Moore,
who is invariably a person possessing property in the part
of the country to which he is a pointed is
assisted by a major, captains and al feris who are
lieutenants or incidnts, and by sergeants and corporals. The duties
of the capital more are to see that every individual
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under his command has in his possession some species of arms,
either a firelock, a sword or a pike. He distributes
the governor's orders through his district, and can oblige any
of his men to take these orders to the nearest captain,
who sends another peasant forwards to the next captain, and
so forth, all which is done without pay. A Capitain
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Moore can also imprison for twenty four hours and send
under arrest for trial a person who is accused of
having committed any crime to the civil magistrate of the
town to which his district is immediately attached. Now, the
abuses of this office of Capital Moore are very many,
and the lower orders of free persons are much oppressed
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by these great men, and by their subalterns down to
the corporals. The peasants are often sent upon errands which
have no relation to public business, for leagues and leagues.
These poor fellows are made to travel for the purpose
of carrying some private letter of their chief, or his captains,
or of his lieutenants, without any remuneration. Indeed, many of
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these men in place seldom think of employing their slaves
on these occasions, or repaying the free person so employed.
This I have witnessed times out of number, and have
heard the peasants in all parts of the country complain
it is most heavy grievance. Nothing so much vexes a
peasant as the consciousness of losing his time and trouble
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in a service which is not required by his sovereign.
Persons are sometimes confined in the stocks for days together
on some trifling plea, and are at last released without
being sent to the civil magistrate or even admitted to
a hearing. However, I am happy to say that I
am acquainted with some men whose conduct is widely different
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from what I have above stated. But the power given
to an individual is too great, and the probability of
being called to an account for its abuse too remote,
to ensure the exercise of it in a proper manner.
The free Malattos and free Negroes whose names are upon
the rolls either of the militia regiments which are commanded
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by white officers or by those of their own class
and color, are not, properly speaking subject to the capitin motis.
These officers and the colonels of militia are appointed by
the Supreme Government, and the subaltern officers are nominated by
the governor of each province. The above explanation of the
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state of internal government I thought necessary that the reader
might understand the grounds upon which I was about to
undertake the journey of which some account will immediately be given.
On the twenty eighth of January eighteen twelve, the Capitan
Moore sent one of his servants to summon us to
his plantation and to be our guide. Early on the morning,
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following my friend, myself, our own two servants, and the
boy who had been sent to us by the capital
Moor set out on horseback and high spirits. My friend
and I, expecting to see something new and strange. I
had before, as has already been related, traveled into the
less populous parts of the country, but I had had
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very little communication with the planters. On that occasion. I
proceeded too rapidly to obtain as much knowledge of their
manners in customs as I wished. We proceeded to Olinda
and passed through its wretchedly paved streets with much care.
And when we were descending the hill upon which it
stands on the land side, there was laid open to
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us a considerable extent of marshy ground, which was partly
covered with mangia, planted upon raised beds or hillocks, which
were made of a circular form that the water might
not reach the roots of the plants. The remainder of
the land was still undrained and unproductive. The darkness of
the green of the plants which grow upon marshy ground
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immediately points out the lands that are in the state.
The country which was to be seen in the distance
was covered with wood. We crossed a rivulet, communicating with
the marshy land on each side of the road, and
passed on over some rising ground by several scattered cottages,
until we reached distant from Olinda one lee, the lowland
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surrounding the hill which forms the site of the sugar
plantation of Fragoso. From hence the lands are low and damp,
almost without any rising ground to the sugar plantation of Paulisthus.
The beautiful spots upon this tract of land are numerous.
Cottages are oftentimes to be met with half concealed among
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the trees and brushwood. They are built of mud and
are covered with the leaves of cocoa trees. They have
usually a projecting penthouse with a small area in front
which is clear of weeds. Under this penthouse has slung
the hammock, with its dark colored owner idly swinging backwards
and forwards, who raises his head as he hears the
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horse's footsteps. The dog is basking in the sun, or
lying under the shade, or running out to annoy the traveler,
and the fishing baskets and the gourds hang as chance
directs them, upon the protruding items of the coco les
which cover the lowly hut. Sometimes the sight of these
rude dwellings is enlivened by the figure of a female
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who runs off and conceals herself as the passenger upon
the road looks down the narrow path which leads to
the cottage. The road itself was likewise narrow, for this
was not the great cattle track, and all view of
the country was generally shut out by the wood on
each side, against which the legs of the horsemen are
often brushing, and into which he is obliged to force
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his horse if he should chance to meet a carrier
with his panniers or his cotton bags on either side
of his beast, or one of the carts which are
employed upon the plantations. The mamueiro produces its fruit upon
the stem. The fruit is large, and the pulp of
it is soft, having much resemblance in consistence and in
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taste to a melon that is too ripe. The appearance
of the fruit has some similarity likewise to a small
round melon. To those who are unaccustomed to a country
that is literally covered with woods, which prevent an extensive
view of the surrounding objects and the free circulation of air,
the delightful sensations which are produced by a fine green
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field opening all at once to the site, and swept
by a refreshing breeze cannot possibly be felt. The plantation
of Paullistas is so situated. The buildings were numerous, but
most of them were low and somewhat out of repair.
These are the dwelling house of the owner, which is
spacious and has one story above the ground floor. The
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chapel with its large wooden cross erected upon the center
of the gable end, the mill and square building without walls,
its roof being supported upon brick pillars, the long row
of negro huts, the steward's residents, and several others of
minor importance. These edifices are, all of them scattered upon
a large field which is occupied by a considerable number
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of tame cattle. This is skirted by a dike which
runs in front, but somewhat at a distance from the
dwelling house of the owner, and through it runs the
water which turns the mill. On the opposite side of
the field is the chaplain's cottage, with its adjoining lesser
row of negro huts, its plantain garden, and its wide
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spreading mango trees. Behind it. Beyond the principal house are
low and extensive cane and meadow lands, which are skirted
on one side by the buildings of another small plantation,
and ordered at a great distance by woods which are
situated upon the sides and summit of rising ground. This
valuable and beautiful plantation was in the possession of a
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near relation of our Capitat more, we were acquainted with
the son of the owner, who was chaplain to the estate,
and had invited us to make his residence our resting place.
This we did. He was prepared to receive us, and
after having breakfasted, we proceeded to pay a visit to
the old gentleman at the great house, as the dwellings
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of the owners of plantations are called. He was unwell
and could not be seen, but we were received by
his wife and two daughters. They made many inquiries about England,
and conversed upon other subjects which they supposed we might
be acquainted with. This estate was not much work. The
slaves led a most easy life, and the great house
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was full of young children. Of these urchins, several came
in and out of the room. They were quite naked
and played with each other and with some large dogs,
which were lying at full length upon the floor. These
ebbon cupids were plainly great favorites, and seem to employ
the greater part of the thoughts of the good ladies,
the youngest of whom was on the wrong side of fifty,
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And even the priests laughed at their gambles. These excellent
women and the good priests possess a considerable number of
slaves who are their exclusive property. It is their intention
eventually to emancipate all of them, and that they may
be prepared for the change. Several of the men have
been brought up as mechanics of different descriptions, and the
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women have been taught needlework, embroidery, in all branches of
culinary knowledge. Thus, by the death of four individuals who
are now approaching to old age, will be set free
about sixty persons, men, women, and children. As these people
have been made acquainted with the intentions of their owners
respecting them, it is not surprising that the behavior of
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many of them should be overbearre. To some. The deeds
of manumission have been already passed, conditionally obliging them to
serve as slaves until the death of the individual to
whom they are subject. These papers cannot be revoked, and
yet no ingratitude was apprehended, But among so considerable a
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number of persons, some instances of it cannot, I fear
fail to be experienced. The owners said that all their
immediate relations are rich and not all in need of assistance,
and that, therefore, independent of other reasons connected generally with
the system of slavery, these their children had no right
to work for anyone else. Of the slaves in question,
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only a few are Africans, the major part being Mulattos
and Creole Negroes. We returned to the cottage of the
priest to dinner, and in the afternoon proceeded to the
sugar plantation of Aghiar, belonging to the Capita Moor, which
is distant from Paulistas five Lie, where we arrived about
ten o'clock at night much fatigued. Immediately beyond Paullistas is
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the narrow rapid stream of Parretibi, which near to its
mouth changes this name for that of Dose. In the
rainy season it overflows its banks and becomes unfordable. The
width of it, when it is in the usual state
near to Paullistas, is not above twenty yards. In its
course to the sea, it runs through much marshy ground.
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We passed by four sugar meals this afternoon. That which
bears the name of Utringa Jibacio is situated in an amphitheater,
being surrounded by high hills covered with large trees. These
woods have not been much disturbed and therefore give refuge
to enormous quantities of game, among which the porco domato
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or pig of the woods is common. I never saw
this animal, and therefore cannot pretend to describe it, but
I have often heard it spoken of as being extra
dreamely destructive to mangiuc, and its flesh is good. This
animal is not large and is not unlike the common hog. Footnote.
Bolingbroke says that instances are frequent of some of the
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European swine escaping into the woods where they live wild,
and he adds that their increase has been immense. In
another place, he speaks of a species of this animal
which is peculiar to tropical America and is called the wai,
which he says is about the size of an European hog,
and much like it in shape. The porco domato is
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not the sous tajasu, which is I imagine what Bolingbroke
calls the picoree hog. Voyage to the Demi et cetera
by Henry Bolingbroke in Philip's Collection of Modern Voyages Quium ten,
page fifty seven and one twenty nine. The Taja coup
is to be met with at Marignan, but is not
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known at Pernambuco end footnote. Many criminals and runaway negroes
are harbored in these woods. The inhabitants of Otinga seem
to be shut out from all the rest of the world,
as the path which leads from it is not immediately distinguishable.
The last three leagues which we traversed in the dark
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were covered with almost unbroken woods. The path through them
is narrow, and the branches of the trees crossed in
all directions. Our guide rode in front, and many times
did his head come in contact with them. The dwelling
of the Capita Moor is a large building of one
story above the ground floor, the lower part of which
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forms the warehouse for the sugar and other articles which
the estate produces. We ascended a wooden staircase erected on
the outside of the building, entered a small ante chamber,
and were received by our host and one of his sons,
who conducted us into a spacious apartment beyond a long
table and one of rather less dimensions. A couple of
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benches and a few broken and unpainted chairs formed the
whole furniture of these rooms. Four or five black boys,
who were of a size too far advanced to wear
the bow and arrow, but who were quite as little
encumbered with dress as they still might wield these dangerous weapons,
in the character of cupids, stood all astonishment to view
the strange beings that had just arrived. And at all
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the doors were women's heads peeping to see whom we
might be. The supper consisted, as is usual, of great
quantities of meat placed upon the table without arrangement at
five o'clock in the morning. The capitame Moor. My friend, myself,
and three servants proceeded to the distance of three leagues
without any addition to our party, but we were soon
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joined by the adjutant of the district and several other
officers in uniforms of dark blue with yellow facings, most
monstrously broad, the gay cuffs reaching half way up to
the elbow. They wore round hats with short feathers, straight
swords of most prodigious length and very loose none keen
pantaloons and boots. The former were thrust within the latter,
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which caused the higher part of the pantaloons to appear
to be of preposterous width. We dismounted at a sugar plantation,
being the third we had passed through this morning. Here
we are invited to stay to breakfast, but this we
could not do, and were therefore regaled with pineapples and oraches.
The owner of this place had taken great pains with
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his garden and had reared several fruits which require much care.
But it is strange that, although there are many which
may be raised with very little trouble, still upon far
the greater number of plantations, even ourches are not to
be found. The ant is, I well know, a great
persecutor of this tree. But when care is taken in
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this respect, and a little water is afforded during the
dry months for two or three years, none else is necessary.
Upon the same plantation have been practiced the most monstrous cruelties.
The conduct of the owner towards his slaves is often
spoken of with abhorrence, but yet he is visited and
treated with the same respect which is paid to an
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individual of unblemished character. It is, however, almost the only
instance of which I heard of systematic continued want and enormity.
But it has here occurred and has passed unpunished. And
this one is sufficient, even if none other existed, to
stamp the slave system as an abomination which ought to
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be rooted out. The estate was inherited by the person
in question, with sixty good slaves upon him. Fifteen years
had elapsed since this time to the period of which
I speak, and there were then remaining only four or
five individuals who are able to work. Some have fled
and have escaped, others have died god knows how, and
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others again have committed suicide in sight of their master's residence.
We arrived at midday at Santa Cruz and had now
reached the cotton country. The tract through which we had
passed was for the most part well watered and well wooded,
the marshy lands being less frequently interspersed than upon the
journey of the preceding day. The sugar plantations were numerous.
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We saw eight of them this morning. The ground was
often uneven, and we crossed one rather steep hill. The
lands upon which we had now arrived in those to
which we were advancing are altogether higher, and the grass
upon them was now much burnt up, the first waters
not having yet fallen. The soil in these parts retains
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less moisture than that of the country which we had left,
and soon becomes too hard to be worked. The party
was now much increased, and in the afternoon we proceeded
to Pindoba, a cotton plantation of considerable extent. The owner
of it is wealthy and possesses many slaves. He received
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us in his dressing gown, under which he wore a shirt,
drawers and a pair of stockings. After the first greetings
were over, he brought out a small bottle of liqueurps
made in the country to which he himself helped his guests.
One solitary glass, which was filled and then emptied by
each person, being made use of by the whole party.
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After supper, a guitar player belonging to the house entertained
us until a late hour, whilst our hosts sat upon
a table smoking from a pipe full six feet in length.
Several hammocks were slung in two large apartments, and each
person either talked or went to sleep, or occasionally did
one and the other. No form of ceremony being observed.
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The peasants began to assemble early on the following morning,
as three companies of the Ordinanzas were to be reviewed.
These were the first which were to undergo inspection, as
the capita More proposed visiting again the places which we
had passed on his return, and intended then to perform
this duty. The men wore their usual dress of shirt
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and drawers, and perhaps a nankeen jacket and pantaloons were added,
and most of them had muskets. The capital More came
forth this day in his scarlet uniform and sat himself
down near to a table. The captain of the company,
which was about to be reviewed, stood near to him
with a muster rood. The names of the privates were
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called over by the captain, and as each name was
repeated by the sergeant, who stood at the doorway, the
individual to whom it belonged came in and presented arms
to the Capita Moore, then turned about and retired. It
was truly ridiculous, but at the same time painful to
see the fright which the countenances of some of the
(32:49):
poor fellows expressed, and their excess of awkwardness when they
came to present themselves, whilst others displayed evident self sufficiency.
These were well dressed and performed every maneuver with as
much neatness in promptitude as they were capable of, expressive
of superior knowledge and in hopes of admiration. There were,
(33:09):
of course many absentees, and for the non appearance of
these some reason was given by one of the officers
of the company to which the man belonged, or by
a neighbor. The excuses were usually received as sufficient without
any further inquiry being made. However, the absence of one
of the captains was not thus quietly acquiesced in, and
(33:31):
therefore an officer was dispatched to his house to bring
him to Pandova under an arrest. Whether this proceeded from
some private peak or some zeal for the public service,
I do not pretend to determine. But he soon arrived
in custody. He was put into one of the apartments
of the house which we were inhabiting, and a sergeant
(33:54):
was stationed at the door as a sentinel. The capital
Moor soon, however, relented, upon which he was released and
allowed to return home. At dinner, the great man took
the head of the table, and the owner of the
house stood by and waited upon him. Everything was served
up in enormous quantities, for the party was large, and
(34:14):
this is the custom. There was no sort of regularity observed.
Every man helped himself to the dish which pleased him best,
and this was oftentimes done with a knife which the
person had been making use of upon his own plate,
and by reaching across two or three of his neighbors
for the purpose. A nice bit was not safe, even
(34:35):
upon one's own plate, being occasionally snatched up, and another
less dainty given in return. Much wine was drank during dinner,
and the glasses were used in common. We soon rose
from table, and the party, generally speaking, took the accustomed
safe though or nap after dinner, which is usual in
warm climates. My friend and I walked out in the afternoon,
(34:59):
but there was nothing to tempt us to go far,
for the neighborhood possessed no natural beauty, and the dry
weather had burnt up the grass and had made the
face of the country extremely dreary. Early on the morrow,
about forty persons sallied forth from the village of Bom Jardin.
It is distant from Pindobo one league and a half.
(35:19):
We arrived there at seven o'clock. This village is built
in the form of a square. The houses are low,
but the church is large and handsome. Like the huts
of Assou and of some other places, those of Boonmt
Jardine are not whitewashed, and therefore the mud of which
they are composed remains in its original color. The place
(35:40):
contains about five hundred inhabitants. We ascended a steep hill
to arrive at it, and on the opposite side still
another of equal height is to be surmounted, and proceeding
farther inland, the village is situated upon a break of
the hill. The soil is chiefly composed of red earth,
approaching in places to a bright scarlet with veins of
(36:02):
yellow running through it. This is the description of soil
which is said to be the best adapted to the
growth of cotton bum. Jardeem is a great rendezvous for
the hawkers who are proceeding to the Certann, and for
others who merely advance thus far. It is distant from
Hasifi twenty good leagues in a northeast direction. End of
(36:24):
Section fourteen.
Section fourteen of Travels in Brazil, Volume one by Henry Coster.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter ten,
part one. The author set sail from Gravesend and arrives
at Pernambuco, state of Hesife, journey to bom Jardin with
(00:23):
a capitan Moor, and returned to Hessife at the commencement
of the winter. My friends again recommended a return to
a more temperate climate than that of England, and therefore,
understanding that the Portuguese ship, the Seja Picuano, was upon
the point of sailing, I took my passage in her
(00:44):
she was lying at Gravesend, and on the fourth of
October eighteen eleven I embarked again for Pernambuco. Contrary winds
detained the ship at Portsmouth for about six weeks. On
the twentieth of November, the wind came round to the
northward and eastward, and the signal guns from the ships
of war appointed as convoys awakened us always bustle and confusion.
(01:08):
At cows were great numbers of persons belonging to the ships,
who were circumstanced as we were, had stationed themselves in
a few hours the vessels were under way, and before
the night closed in all of them had cleared the needles.
The Sejapicano and other Portuguese ships had taken instructions from
(01:30):
a frigate which was bound to the Mediterranean, intending to
keep company with her as far as her destination, and
theirs obliged them to follow the same course. But in
the morning we discovered that we were with another frigate
which was bound to Lisbon. We soon left her and
were accompanied by other two Portuguese ships. On the night
(01:52):
of the twenty second we fell in with the Kangaroo
sloop of War, which was bound to the coast of
Africa with a few vessels under convoy. On the twenty
fourth we parted from this convoy and on the twenty
sixth proceeded with only one Portuguese ship. Our passage was
most prosperous. We had no boisterous weather and few calmns.
(02:15):
On the third of December we fell in with the
Arethusa frigate. When inside of the Canary Islands. The captain
of the Seja was obliged to take the papers of
his ship on board the frigate. The regulations regarding the
slave trade which is carried on by the Portuguese, perhaps
occasion more inquiry than would have otherwise been deemed necessary.
(02:38):
We crossed the line on the twenty second. In the
evening of the twenty six we stood for the land,
supposing that we had reached the latitude of our port,
but that we were very much to the eastward of it. However,
we made the land about two o'clock in the morning,
which was sooner by several hours than the officers of
the ship imagined we should. This frequent occurs on board
(03:01):
of those vessels which do not carry chronometers, the calculation
of longitude without their assistance being, of course, rendered extremely
liable to error. At daybreak, it was discovered that we
were somewhat to the northward of Olinda. We entered the
port about nine o'clock and came to anchor in the
lower harbor, called the Posso. The se Ja Picuno is
(03:25):
one of the heavy deep waist at Brazil ships, requiring
a great number of hands to manage her. The business
of the ship was carried on in a manner similar
in almost all points to that which is practiced on
board of British merchant vessels. There was, However, less cleanliness
observed and poor noise was made. The second officer, who
(03:45):
is called in the British merchant service the mate, bears
in Portuguese vessels the name of pilot, and the regulations
of their marine confine him to the navigation of the ship,
giving up to an inferior officer the duty of attending
to the discharging or stowage of the hold when loading
or unloading, in all other minutia of the affairs, either
(04:08):
at sea or in a harbor. I was received unsure
by all those persons with whom I had before had
the pleasure of being acquainted with the same friendliness which
I always experienced at Pernambuco. Several English gentlemen offered me
an apartment in their houses until I obtained one of
my own. I accepted the offer which was made to
(04:30):
me by him through whose great kindness my health had
been so much benefited after the severe attack of fever
which I had suffered in the preceding year. The first
few weeks were passed in visits to my friends and acquaintance,
with some of whom I occasionally stayed a few days
in the neighborhood of the town, which was now much
deserted according to the usual custom at this season of
(04:53):
the year. I perceived a considerable difference in the appearance
of Hassiphian of its inhabitants. Although I had been absent
from the place for so short a time. Several houses
had been altered. The heavy somber lattice work had given
place in many instances to glass windows and iron balconies.
Some few families had arrived here from Lisbon, and three
(05:16):
from England. The ladies of the former had shown the
example of walking to Mass in broad daylight, and those
of the latter were in the habit of going out
to walk toward the close of the day for amusement.
These improvements, being once introduced and practiced by a few persons,
were soon adopted by some who had been afraid to
(05:36):
be the first, and others who found that they were pleasant.
Formal silks and satins, too, were becoming a less usual
dress on high days and holidays, and were now much
superseded by white and colored muslins and other cotton manufactures.
The men, likewise, who had in former times daily appeared
in full dress suits of black, gold buckles and cocked hats,
(06:00):
had now in many instances exchanged these for nankeen pantaloons,
half boots and round hats. Even the high and heavy
saddle was now less in use, and that a more
modern form was all the fashion. The sedan chairs in
which the ladies often go to church and to pay
visits to their friends, had now put on a much
(06:21):
smarter appearance, and the men who carried them were dressed
more dashingly. These cannot fail to attract the attention of
strangers in their gay clothes, their helmets and feathers, and
their nan keyed legs. The country residences, which had been
lately built were also numerous. Lands in the vicinity of
Hasifi had risen in price. The trade of brickmaking was
(06:45):
becoming lucrative work people were in request, and beside many
other spots of land. The track between the villages of
Posso d'a panella and Montero, in extent about one mile,
which in eighteen ten would covered with brushwood, had now
been cleared. Houses were building in gardens forming upon it.
(07:06):
The great Church of Corposanto, situated in that part of
the town, which is properly called Hasifi, was now finished,
and various improvements were meditated footnote. Before I came away
in eighteen fifteen, a considerable portion of the sand which
was covered by the tide at high water between Saint
(07:28):
Antonio and Boa Vista had been raised and houses had
been built upon it. The principal street of Saint Antonio
has been paved, the bridge of Boavista has been rebuilt
of timber, and that between Saint Antonio and Hasifi was
about to undergo considerable repair. The hospitals, likewise were to
(07:49):
be improved. And as I have heard since my arrival
in England of the appointment of a most worthy man
to the direction of one of them, A trust that
this intention has been acting upon and footnote. The time
of advancement was come, and men who had for many
years gone on without making any change, either in the
(08:10):
interior or exterior of their houses, were now painting and
glazing on the outside and new furnishing within, modernizing themselves,
their families and their dwellings. The spirit of alteration produced,
in one case, rather ludicrous consequences. There was a lady
of considerable dimensions who had entered into this love of
(08:31):
innovation and carried it to a vast extent. She was
almost equal in circumference and height. But notwithstanding this unfortunate circumstance,
personal embellishments were not to be despised. She wished to
dress in English fashion, and was herself decidedly of opinion
that she had succeeded. Upon her head, she wore a
(08:52):
very small gypsy hat tied under the chin. Stays have
only lately been introduced, but this improvement she had not
yet adopted. Still, her gown was to be in English fashion, too,
and therefore was cut and slashed away so as to leave,
most unmercifully in view several beauties which otherwise would have
remained concealed. This gown was of muslin, and was worked
(09:16):
down the middle and round the bottom in several colors.
Her shoes were as small as could be allowed, but
the unfortunate redundance of size also reached the ankles in
the feet, and thus rendering compression necessary. The superabundance which
nature had lavishly bestowed, projected and hung down over each
(09:36):
side of the shoes. I became acquainted and somewhat intimate
with the capitin Moore of a neighboring district, from frequently
meeting him in my evening visits to a Brazilian family.
He was about to make the circuit of his district
in the course of a few weeks, and invited one
of my friends and myself to accompany him in this
(09:57):
review or visit to his officers, to which we readily agreed.
Was arranged that he should make us acquainted in due time,
with the day which he might appoint for, setting out
that we might meet him at his sugar plantation, from
whence we were to proceed with him and his suite
further into the country. The capitan mories captain's major are
(10:19):
officers of considerable power. They have civil as well as
military duties to perform, and ought to be appointed from
among the planters of most wealth and individual weight in
the several termos, boundaries or districts. But the interest of
family or of relations about the court avocation deviations from
(10:39):
this rule, and persons very unfit for these situations have
been sometimes nominated to them. The whole aspect of the
government in Brazil as military or men between the ages
of sixteen and sixty must be enrolled either as soldiers
of the line, as militiamen, or as belonging to the
body of the ancest of the regular soldiers. I have
(11:02):
already spoken in another place of the second class. Each
township has a regiment of which the individuals, with the
exception of the major and adjutant, and in some cases
the colonel, do not receive any pay, but they are
considered as embodied men, and as such are called out
upon some few occasions in the course of the year
(11:24):
to assemble an uniform and otherwise accoutred. The expense which
must be incurred in this respect of necessity precludes the
possibility of many persons becoming members of this class, even
if the government were desirous of increasing the number of
militia regiments. The soldiers of these are subject to their captains,
(11:45):
to the colonel, and to the governor of the province.
The colonels are either rich planters, or the major or
lieutenant colonel of a regiment of the line is thus
promoted to the command of one of these in this case,
and in this case only pay. I am inclined to
think that he ought to possess some property in the district,
and that any deviation from this rule is an abuse.
(12:08):
But I am not certain that the law so ordains
the majors and the adjutants are likewise occasionally promoted from
the line, but whether they are regularly military men or planters,
they receive pay as their trouble and distributing orders in
other arrangements connected with the regiment is considerable. The third
(12:29):
class that of the ANSAs, consisting of by far the
largest portion of the white persons and a free mulatto
men of all shades have for their immediate chiefs. The
capitowns morees who serve without pay, and all the persons
who are connected with the ordinances are otherwise likewise to
(12:49):
afford their services gratuitously. Each district contains one capital Moore,
who is invariably a person possessing property in the part
of the country to which he is a pointed is
assisted by a major, captains and al feris who are
lieutenants or incidnts, and by sergeants and corporals. The duties
of the capital more are to see that every individual
(13:12):
under his command has in his possession some species of arms,
either a firelock, a sword or a pike. He distributes
the governor's orders through his district, and can oblige any
of his men to take these orders to the nearest captain,
who sends another peasant forwards to the next captain, and
so forth, all which is done without pay. A Capitain
(13:36):
Moore can also imprison for twenty four hours and send
under arrest for trial a person who is accused of
having committed any crime to the civil magistrate of the
town to which his district is immediately attached. Now, the
abuses of this office of Capital Moore are very many,
and the lower orders of free persons are much oppressed
(13:58):
by these great men, and by their subalterns down to
the corporals. The peasants are often sent upon errands which
have no relation to public business, for leagues and leagues.
These poor fellows are made to travel for the purpose
of carrying some private letter of their chief, or his captains,
or of his lieutenants, without any remuneration. Indeed, many of
(14:21):
these men in place seldom think of employing their slaves
on these occasions, or repaying the free person so employed.
This I have witnessed times out of number, and have
heard the peasants in all parts of the country complain
it is most heavy grievance. Nothing so much vexes a
peasant as the consciousness of losing his time and trouble
(14:42):
in a service which is not required by his sovereign.
Persons are sometimes confined in the stocks for days together
on some trifling plea, and are at last released without
being sent to the civil magistrate or even admitted to
a hearing. However, I am happy to say that I
am acquainted with some men whose conduct is widely different
(15:04):
from what I have above stated. But the power given
to an individual is too great, and the probability of
being called to an account for its abuse too remote,
to ensure the exercise of it in a proper manner.
The free Malattos and free Negroes whose names are upon
the rolls either of the militia regiments which are commanded
(15:24):
by white officers or by those of their own class
and color, are not, properly speaking subject to the capitin motis.
These officers and the colonels of militia are appointed by
the Supreme Government, and the subaltern officers are nominated by
the governor of each province. The above explanation of the
(15:44):
state of internal government I thought necessary that the reader
might understand the grounds upon which I was about to
undertake the journey of which some account will immediately be given.
On the twenty eighth of January eighteen twelve, the Capitan
Moore sent one of his servants to summon us to
his plantation and to be our guide. Early on the morning,
(16:06):
following my friend, myself, our own two servants, and the
boy who had been sent to us by the capital
Moor set out on horseback and high spirits. My friend
and I, expecting to see something new and strange. I
had before, as has already been related, traveled into the
less populous parts of the country, but I had had
(16:26):
very little communication with the planters. On that occasion. I
proceeded too rapidly to obtain as much knowledge of their
manners in customs as I wished. We proceeded to Olinda
and passed through its wretchedly paved streets with much care.
And when we were descending the hill upon which it
stands on the land side, there was laid open to
(16:48):
us a considerable extent of marshy ground, which was partly
covered with mangia, planted upon raised beds or hillocks, which
were made of a circular form that the water might
not reach the roots of the plants. The remainder of
the land was still undrained and unproductive. The darkness of
the green of the plants which grow upon marshy ground
(17:10):
immediately points out the lands that are in the state.
The country which was to be seen in the distance
was covered with wood. We crossed a rivulet, communicating with
the marshy land on each side of the road, and
passed on over some rising ground by several scattered cottages,
until we reached distant from Olinda one lee, the lowland
(17:32):
surrounding the hill which forms the site of the sugar
plantation of Fragoso. From hence the lands are low and damp,
almost without any rising ground to the sugar plantation of Paulisthus.
The beautiful spots upon this tract of land are numerous.
Cottages are oftentimes to be met with half concealed among
(17:53):
the trees and brushwood. They are built of mud and
are covered with the leaves of cocoa trees. They have
usually a projecting penthouse with a small area in front
which is clear of weeds. Under this penthouse has slung
the hammock, with its dark colored owner idly swinging backwards
and forwards, who raises his head as he hears the
(18:13):
horse's footsteps. The dog is basking in the sun, or
lying under the shade, or running out to annoy the traveler,
and the fishing baskets and the gourds hang as chance
directs them, upon the protruding items of the coco les
which cover the lowly hut. Sometimes the sight of these
rude dwellings is enlivened by the figure of a female
(18:36):
who runs off and conceals herself as the passenger upon
the road looks down the narrow path which leads to
the cottage. The road itself was likewise narrow, for this
was not the great cattle track, and all view of
the country was generally shut out by the wood on
each side, against which the legs of the horsemen are
often brushing, and into which he is obliged to force
(18:59):
his horse if he should chance to meet a carrier
with his panniers or his cotton bags on either side
of his beast, or one of the carts which are
employed upon the plantations. The mamueiro produces its fruit upon
the stem. The fruit is large, and the pulp of
it is soft, having much resemblance in consistence and in
(19:19):
taste to a melon that is too ripe. The appearance
of the fruit has some similarity likewise to a small
round melon. To those who are unaccustomed to a country
that is literally covered with woods, which prevent an extensive
view of the surrounding objects and the free circulation of air,
the delightful sensations which are produced by a fine green
(19:42):
field opening all at once to the site, and swept
by a refreshing breeze cannot possibly be felt. The plantation
of Paullistas is so situated. The buildings were numerous, but
most of them were low and somewhat out of repair.
These are the dwelling house of the owner, which is
spacious and has one story above the ground floor. The
(20:04):
chapel with its large wooden cross erected upon the center
of the gable end, the mill and square building without walls,
its roof being supported upon brick pillars, the long row
of negro huts, the steward's residents, and several others of
minor importance. These edifices are, all of them scattered upon
a large field which is occupied by a considerable number
(20:28):
of tame cattle. This is skirted by a dike which
runs in front, but somewhat at a distance from the
dwelling house of the owner, and through it runs the
water which turns the mill. On the opposite side of
the field is the chaplain's cottage, with its adjoining lesser
row of negro huts, its plantain garden, and its wide
(20:48):
spreading mango trees. Behind it. Beyond the principal house are
low and extensive cane and meadow lands, which are skirted
on one side by the buildings of another small plantation,
and ordered at a great distance by woods which are
situated upon the sides and summit of rising ground. This
valuable and beautiful plantation was in the possession of a
(21:11):
near relation of our Capitat more, we were acquainted with
the son of the owner, who was chaplain to the estate,
and had invited us to make his residence our resting place.
This we did. He was prepared to receive us, and
after having breakfasted, we proceeded to pay a visit to
the old gentleman at the great house, as the dwellings
(21:32):
of the owners of plantations are called. He was unwell
and could not be seen, but we were received by
his wife and two daughters. They made many inquiries about England,
and conversed upon other subjects which they supposed we might
be acquainted with. This estate was not much work. The
slaves led a most easy life, and the great house
(21:53):
was full of young children. Of these urchins, several came
in and out of the room. They were quite naked
and played with each other and with some large dogs,
which were lying at full length upon the floor. These
ebbon cupids were plainly great favorites, and seem to employ
the greater part of the thoughts of the good ladies,
the youngest of whom was on the wrong side of fifty,
(22:14):
And even the priests laughed at their gambles. These excellent
women and the good priests possess a considerable number of
slaves who are their exclusive property. It is their intention
eventually to emancipate all of them, and that they may
be prepared for the change. Several of the men have
been brought up as mechanics of different descriptions, and the
(22:36):
women have been taught needlework, embroidery, in all branches of
culinary knowledge. Thus, by the death of four individuals who
are now approaching to old age, will be set free
about sixty persons, men, women, and children. As these people
have been made acquainted with the intentions of their owners
respecting them, it is not surprising that the behavior of
(22:58):
many of them should be overbearre. To some. The deeds
of manumission have been already passed, conditionally obliging them to
serve as slaves until the death of the individual to
whom they are subject. These papers cannot be revoked, and
yet no ingratitude was apprehended, But among so considerable a
(23:18):
number of persons, some instances of it cannot, I fear
fail to be experienced. The owners said that all their
immediate relations are rich and not all in need of assistance,
and that, therefore, independent of other reasons connected generally with
the system of slavery, these their children had no right
to work for anyone else. Of the slaves in question,
(23:41):
only a few are Africans, the major part being Mulattos
and Creole Negroes. We returned to the cottage of the
priest to dinner, and in the afternoon proceeded to the
sugar plantation of Aghiar, belonging to the Capita Moor, which
is distant from Paulistas five Lie, where we arrived about
ten o'clock at night much fatigued. Immediately beyond Paullistas is
(24:06):
the narrow rapid stream of Parretibi, which near to its
mouth changes this name for that of Dose. In the
rainy season it overflows its banks and becomes unfordable. The
width of it, when it is in the usual state
near to Paullistas, is not above twenty yards. In its
course to the sea, it runs through much marshy ground.
(24:28):
We passed by four sugar meals this afternoon. That which
bears the name of Utringa Jibacio is situated in an amphitheater,
being surrounded by high hills covered with large trees. These
woods have not been much disturbed and therefore give refuge
to enormous quantities of game, among which the porco domato
(24:50):
or pig of the woods is common. I never saw
this animal, and therefore cannot pretend to describe it, but
I have often heard it spoken of as being extra
dreamely destructive to mangiuc, and its flesh is good. This
animal is not large and is not unlike the common hog. Footnote.
Bolingbroke says that instances are frequent of some of the
(25:14):
European swine escaping into the woods where they live wild,
and he adds that their increase has been immense. In
another place, he speaks of a species of this animal
which is peculiar to tropical America and is called the wai,
which he says is about the size of an European hog,
and much like it in shape. The porco domato is
(25:36):
not the sous tajasu, which is I imagine what Bolingbroke
calls the picoree hog. Voyage to the Demi et cetera
by Henry Bolingbroke in Philip's Collection of Modern Voyages Quium ten,
page fifty seven and one twenty nine. The Taja coup
is to be met with at Marignan, but is not
(25:58):
known at Pernambuco end footnote. Many criminals and runaway negroes
are harbored in these woods. The inhabitants of Otinga seem
to be shut out from all the rest of the world,
as the path which leads from it is not immediately distinguishable.
The last three leagues which we traversed in the dark
(26:19):
were covered with almost unbroken woods. The path through them
is narrow, and the branches of the trees crossed in
all directions. Our guide rode in front, and many times
did his head come in contact with them. The dwelling
of the Capita Moor is a large building of one
story above the ground floor, the lower part of which
(26:39):
forms the warehouse for the sugar and other articles which
the estate produces. We ascended a wooden staircase erected on
the outside of the building, entered a small ante chamber,
and were received by our host and one of his sons,
who conducted us into a spacious apartment beyond a long
table and one of rather less dimensions. A couple of
(27:01):
benches and a few broken and unpainted chairs formed the
whole furniture of these rooms. Four or five black boys,
who were of a size too far advanced to wear
the bow and arrow, but who were quite as little
encumbered with dress as they still might wield these dangerous weapons,
in the character of cupids, stood all astonishment to view
the strange beings that had just arrived. And at all
(27:24):
the doors were women's heads peeping to see whom we
might be. The supper consisted, as is usual, of great
quantities of meat placed upon the table without arrangement at
five o'clock in the morning. The capitame Moor. My friend, myself,
and three servants proceeded to the distance of three leagues
without any addition to our party, but we were soon
(27:46):
joined by the adjutant of the district and several other
officers in uniforms of dark blue with yellow facings, most
monstrously broad, the gay cuffs reaching half way up to
the elbow. They wore round hats with short feathers, straight
swords of most prodigious length and very loose none keen
pantaloons and boots. The former were thrust within the latter,
(28:09):
which caused the higher part of the pantaloons to appear
to be of preposterous width. We dismounted at a sugar plantation,
being the third we had passed through this morning. Here
we are invited to stay to breakfast, but this we
could not do, and were therefore regaled with pineapples and oraches.
The owner of this place had taken great pains with
(28:30):
his garden and had reared several fruits which require much care.
But it is strange that, although there are many which
may be raised with very little trouble, still upon far
the greater number of plantations, even ourches are not to
be found. The ant is, I well know, a great
persecutor of this tree. But when care is taken in
(28:51):
this respect, and a little water is afforded during the
dry months for two or three years, none else is necessary.
Upon the same plantation have been practiced the most monstrous cruelties.
The conduct of the owner towards his slaves is often
spoken of with abhorrence, but yet he is visited and
treated with the same respect which is paid to an
(29:13):
individual of unblemished character. It is, however, almost the only
instance of which I heard of systematic continued want and enormity.
But it has here occurred and has passed unpunished. And
this one is sufficient, even if none other existed, to
stamp the slave system as an abomination which ought to
(29:34):
be rooted out. The estate was inherited by the person
in question, with sixty good slaves upon him. Fifteen years
had elapsed since this time to the period of which
I speak, and there were then remaining only four or
five individuals who are able to work. Some have fled
and have escaped, others have died god knows how, and
(29:55):
others again have committed suicide in sight of their master's residence.
We arrived at midday at Santa Cruz and had now
reached the cotton country. The tract through which we had
passed was for the most part well watered and well wooded,
the marshy lands being less frequently interspersed than upon the
journey of the preceding day. The sugar plantations were numerous.
(30:20):
We saw eight of them this morning. The ground was
often uneven, and we crossed one rather steep hill. The
lands upon which we had now arrived in those to
which we were advancing are altogether higher, and the grass
upon them was now much burnt up, the first waters
not having yet fallen. The soil in these parts retains
(30:41):
less moisture than that of the country which we had left,
and soon becomes too hard to be worked. The party
was now much increased, and in the afternoon we proceeded
to Pindoba, a cotton plantation of considerable extent. The owner
of it is wealthy and possesses many slaves. He received
(31:02):
us in his dressing gown, under which he wore a shirt,
drawers and a pair of stockings. After the first greetings
were over, he brought out a small bottle of liqueurps
made in the country to which he himself helped his guests.
One solitary glass, which was filled and then emptied by
each person, being made use of by the whole party.
(31:23):
After supper, a guitar player belonging to the house entertained
us until a late hour, whilst our hosts sat upon
a table smoking from a pipe full six feet in length.
Several hammocks were slung in two large apartments, and each
person either talked or went to sleep, or occasionally did
one and the other. No form of ceremony being observed.
(31:45):
The peasants began to assemble early on the following morning,
as three companies of the Ordinanzas were to be reviewed.
These were the first which were to undergo inspection, as
the capita More proposed visiting again the places which we
had passed on his return, and intended then to perform
this duty. The men wore their usual dress of shirt
(32:08):
and drawers, and perhaps a nankeen jacket and pantaloons were added,
and most of them had muskets. The capital More came
forth this day in his scarlet uniform and sat himself
down near to a table. The captain of the company,
which was about to be reviewed, stood near to him
with a muster rood. The names of the privates were
(32:28):
called over by the captain, and as each name was
repeated by the sergeant, who stood at the doorway, the
individual to whom it belonged came in and presented arms
to the Capita Moore, then turned about and retired. It
was truly ridiculous, but at the same time painful to
see the fright which the countenances of some of the
(32:49):
poor fellows expressed, and their excess of awkwardness when they
came to present themselves, whilst others displayed evident self sufficiency.
These were well dressed and performed every maneuver with as
much neatness in promptitude as they were capable of, expressive
of superior knowledge and in hopes of admiration. There were,
(33:09):
of course many absentees, and for the non appearance of
these some reason was given by one of the officers
of the company to which the man belonged, or by
a neighbor. The excuses were usually received as sufficient without
any further inquiry being made. However, the absence of one
of the captains was not thus quietly acquiesced in, and
(33:31):
therefore an officer was dispatched to his house to bring
him to Pandova under an arrest. Whether this proceeded from
some private peak or some zeal for the public service,
I do not pretend to determine. But he soon arrived
in custody. He was put into one of the apartments
of the house which we were inhabiting, and a sergeant
(33:54):
was stationed at the door as a sentinel. The capital
Moor soon, however, relented, upon which he was released and
allowed to return home. At dinner, the great man took
the head of the table, and the owner of the
house stood by and waited upon him. Everything was served
up in enormous quantities, for the party was large, and
(34:14):
this is the custom. There was no sort of regularity observed.
Every man helped himself to the dish which pleased him best,
and this was oftentimes done with a knife which the
person had been making use of upon his own plate,
and by reaching across two or three of his neighbors
for the purpose. A nice bit was not safe, even
(34:35):
upon one's own plate, being occasionally snatched up, and another
less dainty given in return. Much wine was drank during dinner,
and the glasses were used in common. We soon rose
from table, and the party, generally speaking, took the accustomed
safe though or nap after dinner, which is usual in
warm climates. My friend and I walked out in the afternoon,
(34:59):
but there was nothing to tempt us to go far,
for the neighborhood possessed no natural beauty, and the dry
weather had burnt up the grass and had made the
face of the country extremely dreary. Early on the morrow,
about forty persons sallied forth from the village of Bom Jardin.
It is distant from Pindobo one league and a half.
(35:19):
We arrived there at seven o'clock. This village is built
in the form of a square. The houses are low,
but the church is large and handsome. Like the huts
of Assou and of some other places, those of Boonmt
Jardine are not whitewashed, and therefore the mud of which
they are composed remains in its original color. The place
(35:40):
contains about five hundred inhabitants. We ascended a steep hill
to arrive at it, and on the opposite side still
another of equal height is to be surmounted, and proceeding
farther inland, the village is situated upon a break of
the hill. The soil is chiefly composed of red earth,
approaching in places to a bright scarlet with veins of
(36:02):
yellow running through it. This is the description of soil
which is said to be the best adapted to the
growth of cotton bum. Jardeem is a great rendezvous for
the hawkers who are proceeding to the Certann, and for
others who merely advance thus far. It is distant from
Hasifi twenty good leagues in a northeast direction. End of
(36:24):
Section fourteen.
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