THE AUTHOR SETS SAIL FROM GRAVESEND AND ARRIVES AT PERNAMBUCO.—STATE
OF RECIFE.—JOURNEY TO BOM JARDIM WITH A CAPITAM-MOR, AND RETURN TO
RECIFE.
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 Portugueze ship Serra Pequeno was upon the point
of sailing, I took my passage in her. She was lying at Gravesend, and
on the 4th October, 1811, I embarked again for Pernambuco.
Contrary winds detained the ship at Portsmouth for about six weeks. On
the 20th November, the wind came round to the northward and eastward,
and the signal guns from the ships of war, appointed as convoys,
awakened us. All was bustle and confusion at Cowes, where 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 weigh,
and before the night closed in, all of them had cleared the Needles.
The Serra Pequeno and other Portugueze ships had taken instructions
from a frigate, which was bound to the Mediterranean, intending to keep
company with her as far as her destination and their’s 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 Portugueze ships. On the night of the
22d, 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 24th we parted
from this convoy, and on the 26th proceeded with only one Portugueze
ship. Our passage was most prosperous; we had no boisterous weather,
and few calms. On the 3d December, we fell in with the Arethusa
frigate, when in sight of the Canary islands. The captain of the Serra
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
Portugueze, perhaps occasioned more enquiry than would otherwise have
been deemed necessary. We crossed the line on the 22d. In the evening
of the 26th we stood for the land, supposing that we had reached the
latitude of our port, but that we were 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 frequently occurs on board of those vessels which do
not carry chronometers; the calculation of longitude without their
assistance being of course rendered extremely liable to error. At
day-break, 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 harbour called the Poço.
The Serra Pequeno is one of the heavy deep-waisted 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 practised on board of British merchant vessels; there was
however less cleanliness observed, and more noise was made. The second
officer, who is called in the British merchant service the mate, bears
in Portugueze vessels that 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, and all other minutiæ of the
affairs either at sea or in a harbour.
I was received on shore 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 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 staid a few days in the neighbourhood of the
town, which was now much deserted, according to the usual custom, at
this season of the year.
I perceived a considerable difference in the appearance of Recife and
of its inhabitants, although I had been absent from the place for so
short a period. Several houses had been altered; the heavy sombre
lattice work had given place, in many instances, to glass windows and
iron balconies. Some few families had arrived here from Lisbon, and
three from England; the ladies of the former had shown the example
of walking to mass in broad day-light; and those of the latter were
in the habit of going out to walk towards the close of the day, for
amusement. These improvements being once introduced and practised by
a few persons, were soon adopted by some, who had been afraid to be
the first, and by 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 coloured 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, 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 of 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 smarter appearance, and
the men who carried them were dressed more dashingly. These cannot
fail to attract the attention of strangers, in their gay cloaths,
their helmets and feathers, and their naked legs. The annexed print
represents one of these equipages.
[Illustration: _A Lady going to Visit._]
The country residences which had been lately built, were also numerous;
lands in the vicinity of Recife had risen in price; the trade of
brick-making was becoming lucrative; work-people were in request; and
besides many other spots of land, the track between the villages of
Poço da Panella and Monteiro, in extent about one mile, which in 1810
was covered with brushwood, had now been cleared; houses were building
and gardens forming upon it. The great church of Corpo Santo, situated
in that part of the town which is properly called Recife, was now
finished, and various improvements were meditated[70]. The time of
advancement was come, and men, who had for many years gone on without
making any change either in the 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.
This spirit of alteration produced, in one case, rather ludicrous
consequences. There was a lady of considerable dimensions, who had
entered into this love of 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 very small gypsey 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 down the middle and round the bottom in several colours;
her shoes were as small as could be allowed; but the unfortunate
redundance of size also reached the ankles and the feet, and thus
rendering compression necessary; the superabundance which nature had
lavishly bestowed, projected and hung down over each side of the shoes.
I became acquainted and somewhat intimate with the _Capitam-mor_ of
a neighbouring 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 review or visit to his officers,
to which we readily agreed. It 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 _Capitaens-mores_, captains-major, are 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, have
occasioned deviations from this rule; and persons very unfit for these
situations, have been sometimes nominated to them. The whole aspect
of the government in Brazil is military. All men between the ages of
sixteen and sixty, must be enrolled either as soldiers of the line,
as militia-men, or as belonging to the body of _Ordenanças_. Of the
regular soldiers, I have 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,
to assemble in 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 was
desirous of increasing the number of militia regiments. The soldiers
of these are subject to their captains, 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,
he receives 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; 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 in distributing orders, and in other arrangements connected
with the regiment is considerable.
The third class, that of the _Ordenanças_, consisting of by far the
largest portion of the white persons and of free mulatto men of
all shades, have for their immediate chiefs the _Capitaens-mores_,
who serve without pay, and all the persons who are connected with
the _Ordenanças_, are obliged likewise to afford their services
gratuitously. Each district contains one _Capitam-mor_, who is
invariably a person possessing property in the part of the country
to which he is appointed. He is assisted by a major, captains, and
_alferes_, who are lieutenants or ensigns, and by sergeants and
corporals. The duties of the _Capitam-mor_ are to see that every
individual 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
any pay. A _Capitam-mor_ 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 _Capitam-mor_
are very many, and the lower orders of free persons are much oppressed
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 the chief,
of his captains, or of his lieutenants, without any remuneration.
Indeed, many of these men in place, seldom think of employing their
slaves on these occasions, or of paying the free persons so employed.
This I have witnessed times out of number; and have heard the peasants
in all parts of the country complain: it is a most heavy grievance.
Nothing so much vexes a peasant as the consciousness of losing his
time and trouble 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
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 insure the exercise of it in a proper manner.
The free mulattos and free negroes whose names are upon the rolls,
either of the militia regiments which are commanded by white officers,
or by those of their own class and colour, are not, properly speaking,
subject to the _Capitaens-mores_. 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 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 28th January, 1812, the _Capitam-mor_ sent one of his servants
to summon us to his plantation, and to be our guide. Early on the
morning following, my friend, myself, our own two servants, and the boy
who had been sent to us by the _Capitam-mor_, set forth on horseback
in high spirits; my friend and I expecting to see something new and
strange. I had before, as has been already related, travelled into
the less populous parts of the country; but I had had very little
communication with the planters. On that occasion, I proceeded too
rapidly to obtain as much knowledge of their manners and 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 us a
considerable extent of marshy ground, which was partly covered with
mandioc, 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
immediately points out the lands that are in this 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, and by several scattered
cottages, until we reached, distant from Olinda one league, the low
lands surrounding the hill which forms the site of the sugar plantation
of Fragozo. From hence the lands are low and damp, almost without any
rising ground, to the sugar plantation of Paulistas. The beautiful
spots upon this track of country are numerous; cottages are oftentimes
to be met with, half concealed among the trees and brushwood; they are
built of mud, and are covered with the leaves of coco-trees. They have
usually a projecting pent-house with a small area in front, which is
clear of weeds; under this pent-house is slung the hammock, with its
dark-coloured owner, idly swinging backwards and forwards, who raises
his head as he hears the horses’ footsteps; the dog is basking in the
sun, or lying under the shade, or running out to annoy the traveller;
and the fishing baskets and the gourds hang as chance directs upon the
protruding stems of the coco-leaves, which cover the lowly hut. Some
times the sight of these rude dwellings is enlivened by the figure of a
female, 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 horseman are often brushing,
and into which he is obliged to force 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 print represents one of the cotton-carriers. In the fore ground is
described the species of palm tree called Tucum[71], and immediately
behind it is the Mamoeiro, which produces its fruit upon the stem; the
fruit is large, and the pulp of it is soft, having much resemblance in
consistence and in 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 field, opening all at once to the sight, and
swept by a refreshing breeze, cannot possibly be felt. The plantation
of Paulistas 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 chapel, with its large wooden cross erected upon the
centre of the gable end; the mill, a square building without walls,
its roof being supported upon brick pillars; the long row of negro
huts, the steward’s residence, and several others of minor importance.
These edifices are all of them scattered upon a large field, which
is occupied by a considerable number 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 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 bordered at a
great distance by woods, which are situated upon the sides and summit
of rising ground.
[Illustration: _A Cotton Carrier._]
This valuable and beautiful plantation was in the possession of a near
relation of our _Capitam-mor_. 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 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 enquiries
about England, and conversed upon other subjects which they supposed we
might be acquainted with. This estate was not much worked; the slaves
led a most easy life, and the Great House 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 ebony cupids were plainly
great favourites, and seemed to employ the greater part of the thoughts
of the good ladies, the youngest of whom was on the wrong side of
fifty; and even the priest laughed at their gambols. These excellent
women and the good priest 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 women have been taught needle-work, embroidery,
and 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 behaviour of many of them should
be overbearing. 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 feared; but among so considerable
a number of persons, some instances of it cannot, I fear, fail to be
experienced. The owners said that all their own immediate relations
are rich, and not at 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 any one else. Of
the slaves in question, 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 Aguiar, belonging to the
_Capitam-mor_, which is distant from Paulistas five leagues, where we
arrived about ten o’clock at night, much fatigued. Immediately beyond
Paulistas is the narrow but rapid stream of Paratibi, which near to
its mouth changes this name for that of Doce. In the rainy season it
overflows its banks, and becomes unfordable. The width of it, when it
is in the usual state, near to Paulistas, is not above twenty yards. In
its course to the sea, it runs through much marshy ground. We passed
by four sugar-mills this afternoon; that which bears the name of
Utringa _de baixo_, is situated in an amphitheatre, 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 do mato_, 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 extremely destructive
to mandioc, and that its flesh is good. This animal is not large, and
is not unlike the common hog[72]. Many criminals and runaway negroes
are harboured in these woods. The inhabitants of Utinga seem to be
shut out from all the rest of the world, as the path which leads from
it is not immediately distinguished. The last three leagues, which we
traversed in the dark, were covered with almost unbroken woods; the
path through them is narrow, and the branches of the trees cross it in
all directions; our guide rode in front, and many times did his head
come in contact with them.
The dwelling of the _Capitam-mor_ is a large building of one story
above the ground floor: the lower part of which 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 anti-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 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
if 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 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 _capitam-mor_, my friend, myself,
and three servants proceeded to the distance of three leagues without
any addition to our party; but we were soon 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 elbows; they wore round hats with short feathers, straight
swords of most prodigious length, and very loose nankeen pantaloons
and boots; the former were thrust within the latter, 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 were invited to stay to breakfast, but
this we could not do, and were therefore regaled with pine-apples
and oranges. The owner of this place had taken great pains with 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 oranges are not to be found. The ant is, I well know, a great
persecutor of this tree, but when care is taken in 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 practised
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 individual of
unblemished character. It is however almost the only instance of which
I heard of systematic, continued, wanton 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 be rooted out. The estate was inherited by the person in
question, with sixty good slaves upon it; fifteen years have elapsed
since that time to the period of which I speak, and there were then
remaining only four or five individuals who were able to work. Some
have fled and have escaped, others have died, God knows how, and others
again have committed suicide in sight of their master’s residence.
We arrived at mid-day at Santa Cruz, and had now reached the cotton
country. The track 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; 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 and 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 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 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 liqueur 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. After supper a guitar player belonging to the house
entertained us until a late hour, whilst our host sat upon a table
smoking from a pipe of fully 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 or ceremony being
observed.
The peasants began to assemble early on the following morning, as three
companies of the _Ordenanças_ were to be reviewed. These were the
first which were to undergo inspection, as the _capitam-mor_ purposed
visiting again the places through which we had passed on his return,
and intended then to perform this duty. The men wore their usual dress
of shirt and drawers, and perhaps a nankeen jacket and pantaloons were
added, and most of them had muskets. The _capitam-mor_ 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 the muster-roll. The names of the privates were called over
by the captain, and as each name was repeated by the sergeant, who
stood at the door-way, the individual to whom it belonged came in and
presented arms to the _capitam-mor_, 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 poor fellows expressed, and their
excessive awkwardness when they came to present themselves; whilst
others displayed evident self-sufficiency; these were well-dressed
and performed every manœuvre with as much neatness and promptitude as
they were capable of, expressive of superior knowledge and in hopes
of admiration. There were 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 neighbour. The excuses
were usually received as all-sufficient, without any further enquiry
being made. However the absence of one of the captains was not thus
quietly acquiesced in, and therefore an officer was dispatched to his
house to bring him to Pindoba under an arrest. Whether this proceeded
from some private pique, or from 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 was stationed at the door as a sentinel. The _capitam-mor_
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. Every thing was served up in
enormous quantities, for the party was large and 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
the knife which the person had been making use of upon his own plate,
and by reaching across two or three of his neighbours for the purpose.
A nice bit was not safe even 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
_sesta_ or nap after dinner which is usual in warm climates. My friend
and I walked out in the afternoon, but there was nothing to tempt us to
go far, for the neighbourhood 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 for the village
of Bom Jardim. It is distant from Pindoba one league and a half. 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 Açu and of some other places, those of Bom Jardim are not
white-washed, and therefore the mud of which they are composed remains
in its original colour. The place contains about 500 inhabitants.
We ascended a steep hill to arrive at it, and on the opposite side
still another of equal height is to be surmounted in 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 yellow running through it; this is the
description of soil, which is said to be the best adapted to the growth
of cotton. Bom Jardim is a great rendezvous for the hawkers who are
proceeding to the Sertam, and for others who merely advance thus far.
It is distant from Recife twenty good leagues, in a N. E. direction.
My friend and I walked out and descended the hill by a path which led
us to the bed of the river, for there was now no water in it. Great
want of water is often experienced at Bom Jardim, but I think that if
wells of sufficient depth were dug, a supply might be obtained[73].
On our return to the village, we discovered that Mass was about to be
said, and therefore we accompanied some of our party to the church.
It was crowded; indeed it is a remark which I was frequently led to
make, that on Sundays and Holidays when the peasantry assemble at the
church doors, their numbers must astonish those persons who merely pass
through the country without opportunities being afforded to them of a
more minute examination. The cottages upon the road side do not promise
so numerous a population as is on these occasions to be seen; but from
the thickness of the woods and the lowness of the huts, even when a
view of the country is by any accident to be obtained from a high hill,
the dwellings of the lower orders of people are not to be perceived;
they are scattered all over the country; and narrow paths which appear
impassable or nearly so, and are scarcely to be observed, often lead to
four or five huts, situated in the centre of a wood or upon some low
ground, adapted to the cultivation of mandioc and maize.
One company was reviewed at Bom Jardim, and from hence a captain was
deputed to continue the review further into the country. We rode this
afternoon one league to the house of Captain Anselmo, being so far upon
our return. On our way to this place we saw the woods on one side of
the road on fire. In the dry season the grass and brushwood become so
completely parched, that the least spark sets a whole track of country
in a blaze. I mean that the fire will sometimes run on for a league,
and even more. It will occasionally blaze forth most violently, and
catching the branches of the large trees, the flames will at intervals
flash above their summit;—it will then subside, but continue smothered
in the hollow of some aged tree, or in a heap of leaves which still
retain some moisture; but a breath of air spreads it abroad, and it
again runs on with violence. The peasants almost invariably smoke as
they go along, and oftentimes they ask for a lighted piece of wood at
a cottage which they may chance to pass. It is astonishing to see with
what unconcern they will hurl this from them still unextinguished,
knowing, as they do full well, the consequences which frequently have
ensued. The act of setting fire to a wood is subject to punishment by
law, if intention or even carelessness can be proved. The crop of canes
of some estates have, in many instances, been injured by these means.
Captain Anselmo resides upon a cotton plantation which is his own
property, and is cultivated by about forty negroes. The house is
situated upon the shelf of a steep hill, with a beautiful plain below,
upon which trees are thickly scattered. At the foot of the hill is a
large fishpond, through which a rivulet runs in the rainy season. The
owner has lately inclosed a piece of land, and was making a garden
upon the borders of the pond. The dwelling-house was new and had a
second floor; it was very clean and well furnished. This was the most
pleasantly situated and the best arranged mansion which we visited
during this journey; the huts for the slaves were well built and looked
comfortable. Here we were entertained with such music as has as yet
found its way into these parts of the country. Three negroes with
bagpipes attempted to play a few tunes whilst we were at dinner, but
they seemed to play in different keys from each other, and sometimes
each appeared to have struck up a tune of his own composing. I think
I never heard so bad an attempt at producing harmonious sounds as
the _charameleiros_ made. The possession of a band of these bespeaks
a certain degree of superiority, consequently the planters pride
themselves upon their musicians.
Our party could not let pass this opportunity of being together without
practising the amusement of the _intrudo_[74], although the usual time
of its celebration was yet distant one week. On the day subsequent to
that of our arrival, dinner was scarcely over before the _farinha_, the
bananas, the rice, and other dainties upon the table, were hurled at
each other’s heads; soon the smart uniform coats were taken off, and in
his shirt sleeves each man began this civil war with heart and soul.
Every thing was borne with perfect good humour, and at last, fatigued
and bedaubed, all of us retired to the hammocks which had been provided
for the party. But as our evil stars would have it, a brave captain
closed quietly all the shutters (as the moon was shining very bright
into the room) and then he placed himself near to an enormous jar of
water, which stood in one corner of the apartment, and with a small
pitcher in his hand soon dealt around him its contents, awakening us
with repeated showers, and obliging us to take shelter under the chairs
and tables. This, and other jokes allied to it, continued until the
break of day, when we prepared for a continuation of our journey. One
company was reviewed here.
We proceeded to the house of Captain Paulo Travasso, distant one
league. As was our usual custom, my friend and I walked out soon after
our arrival, and in returning, instead of pursuing the path, which was
rather circuitous, we attempted to climb up a bank, that we might the
sooner reach the house; my friend was before me, and as he scrambled up
it, his foot slipped, which caused him to catch at the stump of a small
plant, that grew upon the side of the bank. He gave up his idea of
going by that way to the house, and returned to me, bringing with him
the plant, with its root and the earth about it. On going to throw it
away, he perceived upon his hand the glitter of a substance which made
us return to the spot. We gathered some more of the earth, and this
gentleman, who had long resided upon the coast of Africa, judged the
substance which was mixed with it to be gold dust.
At this place the _intrudo_ was continued more violently than before;
for even the blackened pots and pans from the kitchen were introduced
to besmear each other’s faces. We obtained here a view of the females
belonging to the house; but every where else, they had been too
rigorously guarded, or were naturally too reserved to enable us to
see them. Some excuse was made by the young men who were acquainted
with the family, to draw them into the sport; and the ladies and their
slaves were nothing loath to see and to participate in what was going
forwards. A circumstance occurred which created much laughter, and
which is but too characteristic. One man whom we met at this place,
had all along begged of those who were engaged in the sport, that they
would not wet him, because he was unwell; however it was seen that he
did not observe towards others that forbearance which he entreated
from them towards himself. One of our party seeing this, attacked him
with a large silver ladle filled with water; the man ran out of the
house, and the other followed; but when they were at some distance from
it, he turned upon his pursuer, and drawing his knife, stood at some
distance, threatening to stab him if he advanced. The other, striking
his left side at the place in which knives are usually carried,
likewise threatened him, and without delay advanced towards him, having
picked up a thick stick as he approached. But his adversary did not
like the thoughts of a close combat, and soon set off at full speed,
with his knife in his hand. In this manner, he entered the back door of
the house, whilst he of the silver ladle took the front door. They met
in the apartment from which they had started, when the latter opened
his waistcoat and shewed that he had not a knife; thus proving before
the whole party, that he of the knife had run away from one who was
unarmed. This was quite sufficient; the women made a general attack
upon him: he went to the stable, mounted his horse, and set forth;
but his misfortunes had not yet ended, for the path by which he must
retreat lay under two of the windows of the house, and as he passed,
two large tubs of water drenched him and his steed, which immediately
quickened its pace, amidst the hooting of every one present.
We continued our journey in the afternoon to a sugar plantation, the
property of Captain Joam Soares, where we remained until the following
day. Some of us were tired of the _intrudo_, and therefore sought
shelter in the mill and adjoining out-houses, when we saw the sport
again commencing; but we were about to be attacked, when we gained the
roofs of one of the buildings, and from hence could not be dislodged.
I had frequently seen the _saboeiro_ or soap tree, which is to be
chiefly found in these districts. It is a large shrub, which puts forth
numerous branches in every direction, so that when it is in full leaf,
it has somewhat the appearance of trees that have been clipped, (as was
formerly practised in gardens,) which is increased by the leaves being
small and growing very close to each other. The receptacle of the seed
is about the size of a small plum; when this is put into water, and
rubbed with some violence, it produces the same effect as that which is
caused by soap in water, and it has the same property of cleansing[75].
The _pao do alho_ or garlic tree, is to be met with in great abundance
in these districts. The name is derived from the similitude of the
smell of the leaves and the wood of this plant to garlic. The tree
abounds so greatly, and, I suppose, reminded the first settlers so much
of one of their favourite European culinary ingredients, that it has
given name to a town, and to a whole district.
About five o’clock in the afternoon we proceeded to Limoeiro, a large
and thriving village[76]. It is composed of one street of about three
quarters of a mile in length, which is closed at one end by the church
and vicarage: this building belonged formerly to the Jesuits. The trade
of Limoeiro with the interior is considerable, and particularly on the
day of the market, which is held weekly, the bustle is excessive. These
days seldom pass without some murders being committed, or at least many
wounds and blows being given; but the markets of Nazareth or Lagoa
d’Anta are those which are particularly famed for the disturbances that
usually take place there. These became so considerable at one time,
that the governor found it necessary to issue orders for a patrole to
keep the peace on market days.
Limoeiro contains about six hundred inhabitants, and is increasing
daily. It stands upon the banks of the river Capibaribe, which was at
this time quite dry. The distance from Recife is fourteen good leagues.
We were entertained by the vicar, who has taken very little pains to
have a decent residence, and cannot fail to be somewhat indifferent
about his own life, for every step to which we advanced as we ascended
to the apartments above, promised to be the last that would hold us.
The floors of the rooms into which we were ushered, seemed to be laid
out as traps to ensnare those who might not tread cautiously; some of
the boards were broken, and large holes remained; others were loose,
and it was dangerous to pass over them; and besides the several
perils of this mansion, substances which are not pleasant to the
nose might unwarily be trampled upon. Never did I see so miserable a
dwelling, whose inhabitant might with so much ease have bettered the
state in which we found it. However, I ought not to complain, for to
counterbalance all this, we had a teapot, sugar basin, and other parts
of the equipage of silver.
The _Capitam-mor_ had still several posts to visit, which would delay
him for a considerable time; therefore as my friend was anxious to
return to Recife, we left our party, with much regret, and were
accompanied in the morning by the adjutant, who was about to return
home. I had been greatly amused, and wished to have seen the conclusion
of the affair. At Limoeiro, several companies were to be reviewed,
and from thence the _Capitam-mor_ proceeded to Pao do Alho[77] and
Nazareth, or Lagoa d’Anta[78], two large villages of considerable
importance. Both of them are within a few leagues of the place from
which we separated from our companions. We returned to Santa Cruz,
passed through that village, and were entertained at the house of the
adjutant. We reached Aguiar in the afternoon, being received at that
place by one of the _Capitam-mor_’s sons, a young man of eighteen years
of age; and we also saw the _Capitam-mor_’s interesting wife, who is
likewise his niece; she was about fifteen years of age, he being about
forty-six. We slept there, and stopped at Paulistas on the following
day at noon, from whence we proceeded to Recife on the evening of the
6th February.
I heard one of the sugar planters bitterly complaining of his poverty,
and that his want of hands to work his mill obliged him to give up the
cultivation of much of the best land of his estate. Soon after he had
uttered these complaints, the conversation turned upon saddle-horses
and their trappings; and he then told us that he had lately purchased a
new saddle and bridle, which he wished us to see. These new trappings
were most superb affairs; the saddle was made of morocco leather and
green velvet, and silver headed nails and plates of the same metal
were profusely scattered and placed upon all parts of this and of the
bridle. He told us that the whole had cost him four hundred _mil reis_,
about 110_l._ This sum of money would have purchased four slaves. But
the matter did not end here, for he opened a drawer in which were
strewed several broken silver spoons, spurs, &c. and he said that he
was collecting a sufficient quantity of this metal for the purpose of
having his groom’s horse ornamented in the same manner as his own.
The free persons of colour who inhabit the track of country through
which we passed are more numerous than I had previously imagined. The
companies of Ordenanças vary much in strength; some consist of one
hundred and fifty men and more, and others of not above fifty. The
peasantry of the _Mata_, that is, of the country which lies between
the plentiful well-watered districts of the coast and the Sertoens,
have not a general good character. The miserable life which they,
oftener than others, are obliged to lead from the want of water and of
provisions, seems to have an unfavourable effect upon them; they are
represented as being more vindictive and more quarrelsome, and less
hospitable than their neighbours. To say that a man is a _matuto da
mata_, a woodman of the wood, is no recommendation to him.
During this journey I heard the following story; and as I was
acquainted with the person to whom the circumstances occurred, I can
vouch for its veracity. A Brazilian who had been wealthy, but who
had, through many imprudencies, and from many deeds which deserve a
much severer name, reduced himself to a state of comparative poverty,
resided in this part of the country at the time I travelled through
it. He was a man of loose morals and savage disposition, but of
most pleasant manners. He had in one particular instance, which
pre-eminently stamped his character, behaved in a most shameful manner
to a lady to whom he professed himself to be attached. He had possessed
many slaves; but at the time the following occurrences took place
three or four only remained, and of these one alone was in health.
Apprehensive of being assassinated by some of the persons whom he had
injured and insulted, he usually kept the doors and windows of his
residence well secured, excepting one entrance which was likewise
closed at dusk. One evening, three men knocked at the door, and asked
leave to pass the night in some of the out-houses of the plantation;
the owner answered from within, but did not open the door, saying
that they might sleep in the mill. About an hour afterwards there was
another knock, and a person requested that some fruit might be sold
to him. The owner fetched some, and inconsiderately opened the door
to give it to the man; but when he looked out, all the three were
there, and as he reached the fruit to one of them, a second fired, and
the greatest part of the shot entered the abdomen. The known courage
of the wounded man made these fellows hesitate in approaching him
immediately, by which means he had time to reach his sword, which stood
near to where he was, and he was enabled to close and bolt the door.
This being done, he reached his bed with great difficulty, expecting
that every minute would be his last. The men tried to gain admittance
through some of the doors or windows; but not succeeding in this, they
rode off. As soon as the slave who was in health heard the report of
the gun, and saw his master wounded, he left the house, recollecting
(which is somewhat surprising) to lock the door; he made all haste to
a neighbouring plantation, distant one league. The owner of the place
to which the slave had fled, ordered a hammock to be prepared, and
set off with sixteen negroes; he was accompanied by his chaplain, who
brought with him a candle, and all the other necessary appendages to
the bed-side of a dying Catholic. They arrived, and found the wounded
man in a state which led them to suppose that he could not live many
hours; but he was confessed, and anointed with the holy oil, and thus
prepared for the worst. Then they put him into the hammock, and his
neighbour had him conveyed to his residence. The person who related
this story to me, did not fail to add, that a lighted candle was
carried in a lantern, that the wounded man should not run the risk of
dying without having the light in his hand, as is the custom. A surgeon
was sent for to Iguaraçu, which is distant several leagues, and he
succeeded in extracting almost all the shot. Notwithstanding the delay,
and other unfavourable circumstances, I saw this man in good health in
1813. Whilst he still remained in a dangerous state at the house of his
friend, a Sertanejo Indian, well armed, passed through the place, and
asked one of the negroes if he was still alive. It was generally said
that he must remove to some far distant part of the country, otherwise
he might daily expect another attack, and particularly as his enemies
were Sertanejos. The men who had attempted to murder him were dressed
after the manner of these people, and were seen on the following day
travelling towards the interior. They mentioned at some of the cottages
at which they stopped, that they believed they had prevented one man
from eating any more _piram_, which is equal to an European using in
the same manner the word bread. The person whom they had attacked could
not be sure of the quarter from whence the blow proceeded; for many
were those from which he might have expected it. In Brazil, injured
persons or their relatives must either allow their own wrongs and those
of their families to go unpunished, or they must themselves undertake
the chastisement of him who has committed the crime. The evil proceeds,
immediately, from the vastness of the country, and from the want of
attention in the government to counteract this disadvantage.