RECRUITING.—IMAGES.—ANIMALS.—MARACAS.—APOLLINARIO,
MANDINGA AND POULTRY.—HIEROGLYPHICS.—FESTIVAL OF OUR LADY OF
CONCEPTION.—FANDANGOS.—THE FORT.—A CHRISTENING.—THE INTRUDO.—THE
AUTHOR LEAVES BRAZIL.
IN the months of August and September, I was fully employed in planting
cane. I hired a number of free labourers, and was under the necessity
in a great measure of attending to the work myself. Of this I shall
take another opportunity of speaking.
About this time were issued orders from the governor for recruiting
the regiments of the line. The men who are required are pressed into
the service. The orders were forwarded to the _Capitaens-mores_, who
again distributed them to the captains. The directions were on this
occasion, and indeed always are, that men of bad character between the
ages of sixteen and sixty shall be apprehended, and sent to Recife for
enlistment; and that every family containing two or more unmarried
sons shall give one for the service of the country. But it is on these
occasions that tyranny has its full sway, that caprice and pique have
their full vent; that the most shameful partiality prevails, that
the most intolerable oppression is experienced; in fact now it is,
that the whole country is seen in arms against itself, and that every
means of entrapping each other are used by the nearest neighbours. It
is one of those impolitic arrangements which are sometimes practised
by governments without perceiving their pernicious effects, and by
which, as in the present case, the bad qualities of mankind are drawn
forth, instead of every thing being done for their correction. Revenge,
violence, deceit, and breach of trust are excited, and instead of
suppression, they meet with encouragement.
The mildness of the provincial government of Pernambuco, under the
present Captain-general, is in none of its proceedings more apparent
than in this. Although this nobleman has for so many years held the
situation of chief of the province, now for the first time were issued
the orders for recruiting; but not until they had become absolutely
necessary from the state of the regiments. And even now, the directions
of the governor to the officers who were to execute his commands were
dictated in the spirit of gentleness;—if this word may be used when
despotism sends forth such mandates as these. The official letter
recommended impartiality, and threatened punishment, in case wounds
were inflicted without the most evident necessity. But many were the
instances of injustice which were committed, and could not reach his
knowledge. Petitions were sometimes made to the governor, in particular
instances of injustice, but these were often of no avail, for the
custom is, that the recruits should be returned as being fit for
service as soon as possible after their arrival at Recife, and their
names placed upon the rolls, from which none can be removed without an
order from the sovereign, although the provincial governor should be
aware of the true state of the case.
A young man of respectability was carried before a certain
_capitam-mor_, and the alternative was proposed to him either to
marry a young woman, whom he had never seen, but who happened to be a
burthen to those persons under whose care she was placed, or to become
a soldier;—he of course preferred the latter, was sent to Recife and
was obliged to enlist. I heard of many instances of young men being
pressed into the service, upon whose exertions depended the support of
their parents; and of others whose lives were spent in idleness, but to
whom the protection of the captain was extended; and some of these were
unlawfully employed in apprehending others. I was in the daily habit
of seeing a young man who led an idle life and who had no duties to
perform, lying in wait for some of his former companions, that he might
give notice to the captain of the place of their concealment.
For some weeks the whole country appeared to be afflicted with a civil
war; parties of armed men were to be seen in all directions, in search
of those who had concealed themselves. An individual who was not well
known could not stir from his home without a pass from the captain of
the district in which he resided, stating him to be a married man,
or naming some other cause of exemption. Nor is a man who is liable
to be pressed, safe in his own house, for the _tropa_ or troop would
surround the cottage in which any of these persons were suspected to
have taken refuge, and they would demand admittance; and if this was
denied, no scruple would be entertained of breaking down the door,
and entering by force; this occurred to my knowledge in many cases,
in several parts of the country. Married men ought to be exclusively
employed in the apprehension of those who are liable to be pressed.
Militia-men are free from acting as oppressors and from being hunted
down; unless the governor applies to the colonels of the regiment to
which they belong. It is among the _Ordenanças_ that the recruiting of
which I am treating is carried on. Negroes and Indians are excluded
from the regiments of the line; the former on the score of colour, and
the latter from their cast; white men and mulattos of all shades being
alone admitted. The great repugnance which is generally felt towards
the service is occasioned by the smallness of the pay, and by the want
of proper cloathing, whilst the almost incessant duty precludes any
hope of working at a trade, or of pursuing any employment that is not
connected with the life of a soldier. Several elderly persons told
me, that in former times the service was arranged in a manner totally
different; that then no difficulty was found in obtaining the number of
men required, but rather, that interest was made for the situation of
a soldier of the line. Each of the forts upon the coast was garrisoned
from the inhabitants of the neighbourhood to a certain number; these
enlisted as soldiers of the line, were embodied, and performed the
duty of the forts, receiving the usual pay; but they were not liable to
removal to any other post; and from their numbers the duty was easy,
by which means they were enabled to have around them their wives and
families, and to follow any trade to which they might have been brought
up. Thus these men had something for which to fight, if the service
required that they should act against any enemy of the State; they had
homes to defend, they had comforts of which they might be deprived,
they had ties which produced local attachments; but the regiments of
the present day are filled up with vagabonds and unmarried men, who
could not be expected to fight with the same ardour as those who had to
provide for the safety of their families; and these unsettled men might
perhaps follow him who gave the highest wages.
The soldier of South America ought to be a being of far different
stamp from the professed soldier of Europe. Any war which it might be
necessary for Brazil to wage against a foreign invader should (indeed
must) be carried on with a direct view to the peculiar advantages of
the country; it would be a _guerilla_ war, a war under the cover of
woods and hills. Therefore, although it may be as well to have a few
disciplined soldiers who may be preserved, for the purpose of forming
the basis of a large force, if circumstances should require it, still
it is not by discipline that success will be ensured; it is through
the affection which the soldiers feel for their government and for
their country, that the result will be propitious or the contrary.
But the limited population will not allow of considerable numbers
of men (comparatively speaking) being cooped up uselessly in forts,
without being of any service to the State, whilst the lands are covered
with woods, and indeed whilst every branch of industry is requiring
additional hands. Besides if you train a large force to military
service, who by being so taught become superior to their countrymen,
and yet form it of the worst of men; if you bring them up without
any affection to the government, and without any hold upon the rest
of the inhabitants, excepting that of being able to injure them; the
likelihood is, that when you require their aid, they will be found
wanting, and perhaps for higher pay may act against those whom they
were expected to defend. If the soldier and the peasant can be combined
usefully in the same person, it is in Brazil that such a system should
be followed.
The foundation of a church which was commenced at the expence of the
_pês de castello_, as the fixed soldiers were called, are to be seen
near to the town of Conception. The building was given up when the
order arrived from the supreme government then at Lisbon, directing
this change of system.
During the recruiting I went to Recife, and in going along by the sea
shore, saw at several cottages parties of armed men, who were waiting
to see if they could entrap any one who might be liable to be pressed.
At the ferry of Maria Farinha there was a large company, which was
stationed there. I happened to be obliged to wait during a shower of
rain at a cottage in which some of these fellows were watching for
their prey. They were talking in high glee of the stratagems which they
had made use of to entrap several recruits, and of the blows which they
had been obliged to give to make some of them surrender. The men who
were stationed here received no pay, and yet they were poor. They would
probably have been quietly at their work at home, without the thoughts
of violence or barbarity which they now entertained, if the perverse
institutions of their country did not bring them forward and teach
them to be ruffians, at first lawfully; but bad habits are not easily
conquered, and the chance is, or rather there is a certainty, that
most of those who had been so employed were rendered worse subjects
than they had been before. The track of coast between the main land
opposite to Conception and the Rio Doce is within one district, and it
was upon this part of the road that the chief disturbance seemed to
be going on. The _capitam-mor_ had taken it for granted that no one
would give his children for the service, and therefore had, without
asking, immediately commenced operations of violence, taking the
people unawares, that as many recruits as possible might be obtained,
and his zeal in the service made manifest. From the Doce to Olinda,
the coast is in the district of Olinda, and here all was quiet; the
_capitam-mor_ had followed the orders of the governor strictly, and
things were as regularly conducted as the system would allow. These
facts are mentioned to shew, that the performance even of the orders
of the provincial governor who resides within a few leagues, depends
upon the individual character of the person to whom they are forwarded.
God grant that I may soon see such a system altered,—that the eyes of
those who have the power of effecting this alteration may be opened,
for their own good as well as for that of the people over whom they
rule.
The river Maria Farinha is that which runs up to Jaguaribe; its mouth
is wide, and the bar will admit of craft of some size; but the port
cannot be considered as being worthy of attention. The horses swim
across, but the passage is distressing to them, for the tide runs
rapidly. In my way to Recife along the beach, I passed the fort of Pao
Amarello, distant from that place four leagues. It is small and built
of stone. The garrison is little more than nominal, but it affords a
comfortable residence for a captain of the Olinda regiment. The port
opposite to which the fort is situated, is nothing more than a slight
curve which the coast makes at this spot, by which vessels at anchor
can scarcely be said to receive any shelter; but the landing-place
is good. Wardenburg, the commander of the Dutch forces which invaded
Pernambuco in 1630, landed at Pao Amarello.[132]
I was in the habit of conversing with several of the people of colour
who resided in my neighbourhood. One man particularly amused me much;
he was a short and stout creole black, and a shoemaker by trade. I
was greatly entertained with his pompous manner, exalting in terms of
extravagant praise the advantages which Itamaraca enjoyed, and the
excellencies of Conception which was his native spot, in particular. He
lamented much the removal of the mayor and chamber to Goiana, giving
me to understand that undue influence had been employed; forgetful of
the insignificance of one place and the importance of the other. He
also told me with much vehemence of voice and action, that the late
vicar had wished to remove the image of our Lady of Conception from
the parish church to Pillar; but that the inhabitants assembled, and
prevented the accomplishment of the plan. “No,” he said, “if that image
was to leave us, we should consider ourselves unprotected, and then
indeed would our town be utterly destroyed.” The vicar of whom the man
spoke, might have gone to reside at Pillar if he pleased, but _he_ too
had his prejudices in favour of the image, and did not like to say Mass
before any other in his own parish. Thus images cease to be regarded as
the representations of those to whom prayer is to be addressed; a value
is placed upon the wood itself, and religion degenerates into unveiled
idolatry.[133]
Another instance of the same description of feeling occurred at Pillar.
Our Lady under that invocation was represented by a small image, which
from age had become very dirty. A priest who used to officiate at
the chapel of the village in question, preferred purchasing a larger
image in the place of directing that the old one should be painted
afresh; he did so, and quietly removing the old image to a house in the
neighbourhood, placed the new Lady upon the altar in its stead; but lo!
many of the inhabitants would not hear mass when they perceived the
change that had been made; however the priest went through the service,
and then returned to his own residence, which was at some distance. The
people discovered that the image still remained in their neighbourhood,
and presently the house in which it was concealed became known.
The owner sent for the priest, being afraid that some disagreeable
consequences to himself might ensue. The priest came, and without
ceremony wrapped up Our Lady in a handkerchief, and rode off with her
to his own house, from whence she was transferred to one of the side
altars of the parish church. Even at the time of which I am treating,
some of the inhabitants came to say their prayers before this image,
unmindful of the inconvenience of the distance.[134]
The sexton of the parish church, who was a mulatto man, had much
peculiarity of character. He had a great deal of penetration, but was
extremely cautious in what he said; and when questions were asked
relating to any affair in which he thought he might become implicated;
he usually answered—“where white men are concerned, negroes must be
silent[135].” This fellow was once holding a candle in the hand of a
dying person, and repeating the word “Jesus,” as is customary; the
patient began to move restlessly, but Gonsalo quietly went on with his
dismal work, and added with perfect unconcern—“Come die, and have done
with your nonsense.”[136]
The creole negro of whom I have above spoken, was fond of shooting
the larger kinds of game, such as antelopes, which are called in the
country _veados_, and _pacas_ (_cavia paca_). This was done in the
following manner. A platform of thick twigs was made among the branches
of a tree, at the height of several feet from the ground, near to some
one of those plants upon whose leaves or fruit these animals feed.
At night two men placed themselves upon this platform, and when the
footsteps of the animal were heard, one of the men would light a small
taper prepared for the occasion, and the other, with his gun ready,
looked round for the game. The animal was allowed to come as near as
it seemed inclined to do unmolested, and was then fired at. The men
immediately descended, and oftentimes did not attempt to find their
prey until the morning; returning to the spot for the purpose. This is
the usual manner of obtaining these animals. The _tatu verdadeiro_ or
legitimate armadillo, was also sometimes caught by him. I requested him
to obtain for me a _tamanduà_, which is a small species of ant-eater;
he brought me one of which the body was about six inches in length, and
the tail about twelve; and the hair of its skin was extremely soft;
the animal was clinging closely to the bough of a tree, and its tail
also was entwining the branch. My black friend, the shoemaker, told
me that he had been ordered to eat the flesh of the _tamanduà_ after
having had an eruptive complaint, and that it was very beneficial for
persons who were recovering from the _bobas_ or yaws. He said that it
had “a taste which was like unto the smell of the ants.” The sloth was
to be seen here occasionally; also the _cotia_ (_cavia caudata_). The
_porco da India_, the guinea-pig, I have only seen in a tame state. At
Jaguaribe, the _capivara_ (_cavia capybara_) was often seen among the
mangroves; the Indians sometimes eat it, but few of the negroes will.
There is also another mangrove animal, which is called in that country
_guachinim_; it feeds on crabs, and from what I could hear, has much
resemblance to a cat, but the tail is much longer; however I never saw
it. Neither did I see the _lontra_ or sea-otter, but the skins of this
animal are much valued for saddle cloths, bearing a higher price even
than the skin of the jaguar.
I heard accidentally, in conversing with persons of the lower ranks in
life, of an instance in which the Indians continued their heathenish
customs. A family resided at a plantation in this neighbourhood, which
had much intimacy with many Indians, but none of the members of it
were of that cast. When the heads of the families were from home, the
young females were in the habit of meeting to amuse themselves. On
one of these occasions, an Indian girl carried one of her companions
into the hut in which she and her parents dwelt, and on this playmate
questioning her, from girlish curiosity, about several gourds which
were hanging up in the room, she appeared much alarmed and said, “You
must not look that way, those are _maracàs_, which my father and mother
generally put into their chest, but they have to-day forgotten them.”
Notwithstanding her entreaties to the contrary, her companion took hold
of one of the gourds, and moving it quickly discovered that there were
pebbles within; they had handles to them, and tufts of hair upon the
top, and they were cut and carved in divers unusual forms. Here this
matter ended, but soon afterwards several of the mulatto women agreed
to watch the Indians, for they knew that they often danced in their
huts with closed doors; this was an uncommon practice and inconvenient
too, for the open air is much pleasanter. They had soon an opportunity
of witnessing one of these meetings. The huts are constructed of
coco-leaves, and through these they managed to obtain a view of what
was going forwards. There was a large earthen pot in the centre;
and round this, both men and women were dancing. A pipe was handed
occasionally from one to the other. Soon afterwards, one of the Indian
girls told one of her companions of a different cast from her own, as
a great secret, that she had been sent to sleep at a neighbour’s hut a
few nights before, because her father and mother were going to drink
_jurema_. This beverage is obtained from a common herb; but I never
could persuade any of the Indians to point it out to me; though when
they positively asserted that they were unacquainted with it, their
countenances belied their words.
I had a visit in October from a strange old man, whose age was
generally supposed to border upon ninety years. He was a creole black,
and had been a slave upon the plantation of Santos Cosmo e Damiam in
the Varzea to the southward of Recife; he had settled at Iguaraçu,
after he obtained his manumission, having married when he was about
seventy years of age, a young woman of his own colour; and he was now
surrounded by a young family. This man did not reckon his age by
years, but by the governors; and as each of these, with few exceptions,
remained at the head of the province only three years, something near
the truth could be collected. This mode of computation is very common.
I have often, on asking the age of any person, received for answer,
that the individual concerning whom the enquiry was made, had been born
in the first, second, or third year of such a governor. The dreadful
famine of 1793 is also an era from which the peasants date many
circumstances.
Old Apollinario was staying at Conception with a friend, and I
requested him to come down to my place every evening for the purpose
of teaching some of the young persons their prayers, a task of which I
knew him to be fond, as he considered this to be a meritorious action;
one by which he would have still further services to plead in his
favour with the Virgin and St. Peter, as he himself told me. When he
came to give his report to me of the progress of each negro, I liked
much to keep him, that I might converse with him. He often spoke of the
Jesuits, under the name of the _Padres da Companhia_; he was fond of
them, but he added, “I must not speak well of them, for our prince does
not like them; and yet they did a great deal of good too.” He said that
they were true and saint-like _padres_, very different to those of the
present day. He was much surprised at my knowing any thing about them;
he said, “You were not alive at the time they were here, and even if
you had been alive, you could not have been in Pernambuco; therefore
how is it that you know of their existence at the time of which I
speak.” I never could make him perfectly comprehend how I obtained my
knowledge of them. But he was not the only person whose comprehension,
thus taken by surprise, could not contain the new ideas which were
imparted, by the knowledge of the existence of books spread all over
the world, and of men who wrote for the instruction of others. Some
of these people with whom I conversed were much puzzled, when I spoke
of the variety of languages and countries in the world; “then,” they
would say, “how is it that people understand each other?” To this I
answered, that these languages were to be acquired by study. “Yes, I
understand you,” they would rejoin “you are all much cleverer than we
are here[137]; we could not learn any language but our own.” These
people were invariably humble, and always ready to receive instruction.
The peasantry of the sugar plantation districts near to the coast, and
the fishermen are of characters nearly similar, but the former are
more favourably spoken of than the latter, and I cannot avoid saying,
that I should prefer as a servant a man who had been brought up as a
planter of mandioc, to one whose life had been passed upon a _jangada_.
These people are said to be less courageous, less sincere, and less
hospitable than the Sertanejos; but they are likewise less vindictive,
more obedient, more easily guided, and more religious; and though their
knowledge is very confined, still their frequent communication with
Recife and other towns renders them, of course, less unacquainted with
what passes in the world, than the inhabitants of the interior. The
free schools which are established in many places are of much service,
and although reading for amusement is totally beyond the comprehension
even of many persons of the secondary rank, still the acquirement of
the rudiments of knowledge prepare them for improvement, when books
begin to make their way. Some of my neighbours, both at Itamaraca
and at Jaguaribe, chanced at times to come in whilst I was reading,
and would be curious to know how it was that I could find amusement
in being so employed. I remember one man saying to me, “You are not
a priest, and therefore why do you read; is that a breviary in which
you are reading?” On another occasion, I was told that I had got the
character among the people of colour in the neighbourhood of being
very holy[138], for that I was always reading. A person who can read,
write, and keep accounts has attained the height of perfection, and is
much respected; or rather of late years, one who does not know how
to do these things is looked down upon. The women particularly, pride
themselves upon the superiority which they enjoy by this means; by
which they are brought to an equality with their husbands. In the above
general character of the free people, I do not include the planters of
large property, for their acquirements are oftentimes considerable;
and the Indians too are quite separate, owing to their degraded
state; however, I include the white persons of small property: it is
surprising, though extremely pleasing, to see how little difference
is made between a white man, a mulatto, and a creole negro, if all
are equally poor and if all have been born free. I say surprising,
because in the English, French, and Dutch colonies, the distinction is
so decidedly marked; and among the Spaniards, lines are even struck
between the several shades of colour.
I recollect Apollinario telling me of his distress on one occasion,
when he resided in the Varzea. He met the vicar of that parish on
horseback with the sacrament, which he had been taking to some sick
person. The rain poured in torrents, and the mud in the road was half
way up to the knees; but yet it was necessary to pay the usual respect,
consequently the old creole went down upon one knee, and as the priest
passed, he cried out, “Pardon me, Sir vicar, for this one knee, but
if I was to put both to the ground, I could not again rise.” He told
me this with perfect gravity, and I perceived that he thought this
circumstance would be recorded against him as one of his heaviest sins.
One day the old man came to me with a face of dismay, to shew me a ball
of leaves tied up with _cypô_, which he had found under a couple of
boards, upon which he slept in an out-house; for he had removed from
the house of his friend in the town to my place. The ball of leaves was
about the size of an apple. I could not imagine what had caused his
alarm, until he said that it was _mandinga_, which had been set for
the purpose of killing him; and he bitterly bewailed his fate, that at
his age any one should wish to hasten his death, and to carry him from
this world before our Lady thought fit to send for him. I knew that
two of the black women were at variance; and suspicion fell upon one of
them who was acquainted with the old _mandingueiro_ of Engenho Velho,
therefore she was sent for. I judged that the _mandinga_ was not set
for Apollinario, but for the negress whose business it was to sweep the
ouhouse. I threatened to confine the suspected woman at Pillar, and
then to send her to Para, unless she discovered the whole affair; this
she did, after she heard me tell the manager to prepare to take her
to Pillar. She said that the _mandinga_ was placed there to make one
of the negroes dislike her fellow slave and prefer her to the other.
The ball of _mandinga_ was formed of five or six kinds of leaves of
trees, among which was the pomegranate leaf; there were likewise two or
three bits of rag, earth of a peculiar kind, ashes which were of the
bones of some animal; and there might be other ingredients besides,
but these were what I could recognise. The woman either could not from
ignorance, or would not, give any information respecting the several
things of which the ball was composed. I made this serious matter of
the _mandinga_, from knowing the faith which not only many of the
negroes have in it, but also some of the mulatto people; however I
explained to every one that I was angry with her from the bad intention
of the scheme, and not from any belief that it would have any effect.
There is another name for this kind of charm; it is _feitiço_, and the
initiated are called _feitiçeiros_; of these there was one formerly at
the plantation of St. Joam, upon the island, who became so much dreaded
that his master sold him to be sent to Maranham.
Old Apollinario was useful to me in taking care of my poultry. I had
great quantities of the common fowl, and as I had cleared the land to
a considerable distance around the house, the fowls had a good range
without being molested by the foxes. I had ducks, turkeys, and pigeons;
the young of these last were frequently destroyed by the _timbu_; this
animal is about the size of a small cat, and has a long tail, which
is scaly and whitish; the colour of the body is dark brown, with two
white stripes from the nose to the tail down the back; the head is
long, and the snout is pointed; it has an abdominal pouch, which is
large. When pursued, it soon surrenders, by coiling itself up in its
tail. I give the description as I received it, for although we watched
oftentimes for the purpose of catching one of these animals, we were
not successful. I had some geese at Jaguaribe and at Itamaraca, but
from what cause I know not, the young ones were scarcely ever reared.
Many other persons had found equal difficulty in this respect with
myself. Guinea-fowls are esteemed, but give much trouble, for their
unaccommodating disposition renders it necessary to keep them separate
from all other kinds of fowl. There is only one pair of peacocks in
Pernambuco; they are in the garden of the widow of a merchant, in the
neighbourhood of Recife. Snipes and wild ducks are to be found in low
marshy grounds; and upon the island at certain times of the year there
were great numbers of wild doves. The bees which I have seen at some
of the farm-houses are preserved in a part of the trunk of the tree in
which they had originally been found; the tree is cut down, and the
portion containing the nest is brought home. The bees are black, and
much smaller than those of Europe, nor is their bite nearly so painful;
the log of wood in which they are preserved is sawed or cut in some
particular manner, which I cannot exactly describe, by which means the
honey can be taken out. The honey is always liquid. It is used as a
medicine rather than as food, for the small quantities of it which are
to be obtained, render the demand of it for the medical men fully equal
to the supply.[139]
In the month of November there arrived a priest upon a visit to the
vicar, whose exertions are incessant on every subject which relates
to the improvement of his country. He had now been staying with a
friend in the province of Paraiba, and had made a drawing of a stone
upon which were carved a great number of unknown characters and several
figures, one of which had the appearance of being intended to represent
a woman. The stone or rock is large, and stands in the middle of the
bed of a river, which is quite dry in the summer. When the inhabitants
of the neighbourhood saw him at work in taking this drawing, they said,
that there were several others in different parts of the vicinity, and
they gave him the names of the places. It was his intention to return
again the following year, and seek them out. I should have brought with
me a copy of this curious drawing, if my departure from Pernambuco had
not been hastened from unavoidable circumstances.
I was invited about this period to attend the funeral of a young
married woman of respectable family. I went about five o’clock to the
house of the vicar, that I might go with him and three other priests.
From hence we adjourned at dusk to the church, where the priests, all
of whom were already in their black gowns, put on over these the short
lace rochet, and the vicar took in his hands a large silver cross.
We walked to the house in which the body was laid; this was habited
in the coarse brown cloth of the Franciscan order, for the deceased
had belonged to the lay sisterhood of the Third Order of St. Francis;
the face was uncovered, and the body was laid upon a bier, the room
being lighted with many torches. The habits in which the bodies of
the deceased lay brothers and sisters of the Third Order are dressed,
are obtained from the convents of St. Francis, and are said to be the
habits of deceased friars; but probably the worn-out dresses of those
who still live are likewise sold, and thus arises a considerable source
of revenue to the convent. There were assembled in the room several of
her male relations and others who had been invited. After a good deal
of chaunting, a wax taper was given to each person present, and these
being lighted, we proceeded to the church which was hard by, walking
in pairs; the bier followed, carried by four persons, and there was
chaunting as we went along. In the middle of the body of the church, a
scaffolding was erected of about four feet from the ground, and upon
this the bier was placed, the attendants standing round whilst the
priests chaunted. The body was soon put into the grave which was in
the church, and there was lime in it. The friends of persons deceased
aim at having as many priests at the funeral as they can collect and
afford to pay; though on the occasion of which I speak, the priests
served without any remuneration, for the young woman was the near
relative of a priest with whom the others were intimate. Likewise
all the neighbours who are of an equal rank with the deceased, are
invited to attend, that the ceremony may be as splendid as possible.
Notwithstanding the manifest inconvenience, and the mischief which the
unwholesomeness of the custom might, and perhaps does cause, all bodies
are buried within the churches. Indeed the prejudice against being
buried in the open air is so great, that even the priests would not
dare to alter this mode of proceeding, supposing that they wished so to
do.
Towards the end of the same month (November) it is customary for
the vicar to determine upon those persons who are to sustain the
expences of the nine evenings previous to the festival of Our Lady of
Conception,—that is to supply the bon-fires, gunpowder, oil, &c. Each
evening is provided for on all these occasions, by one or more persons
of the immediate neighbourhood, and a greater or less expence is
incurred, according to the means and the inclination of the individuals
who have been named. It was my general practice to accompany the vicar
to church on Sundays and holidays, returning with him to his house to
breakfast. I was in the church when he read over the list of the names
of those who were to provide for the nine evenings, and was somewhat
surprised to hear my own in conjunction with that of a neighbour, for
the ninth night. I had however, some suspicion that this would be the
case, for I had heard some whisperings upon the subject among the
secondary people; the custom is, thus to keep the individuals who are
to be concerned ignorant of what is intended. We began on the following
morning to make preparations for the occasion, and sent to Recife for
the colours of several ships, some gunpowder, fireworks, and a few of
the musicians of the band of the Olinda regiment, applying through a
friend for the consent of their colonel. We likewise sent for Nicolau,
a creole black, and a tailor by trade; but whose merry tongue and feet
made him like dancing and singing better than the needle: and we agreed
with him to bring over from the village of Pasmado, a set of _fandango_
performers. The colours were raised upon long staffs, very early in
the morning of our day, in two rows along the area of the town; and
as the sun rose, several guns were fired,—of those which are usually
made use of at festivals; they are composed of a small and short iron
tube, which has a touch-hole of disproportionate dimensions; they are
placed upright upon the ground, and the match is then applied. In the
course of the day the band played, and in the evening were kindled
about twenty bon-fires in the square of the village. The houses were
illuminated with lamps, which were made of the half of the rind of
an orange, each containing a small quantity of oil and cotton. There
were likewise great numbers of large crosses, lighted up in the same
manner in several parts of the square. The church was crowded, and
the noise of the people was great; the guns were fired at intervals;
the musicians of the festival, with violins and violoncellos played
within the church, and the Olinda men on the outside; and rockets
were let off occasionally; indeed the confusion was extreme. Some of
the numerous horses which stood in all quarters, tied to railings or
to door posts or held by little children, whilst their masters were
amusing themselves, took fright and broke loose adding not a little to
the noise and bustle. All the affairs in and about the church ended at
so late an hour, that the _fandangos_ were deferred until the following
evening. The band had been playing close to the door of the vicar’s
residence, which was much crowded with several of the first families of
the island; and in the front of the house a great concourse of people
was assembled. At the moment that the music ceased, an _improvisatori_
or _glozador_, as these persons are there called, set up his voice, and
delivered a few verses in praise of the vicar; he then praised Our Lady
in a strange style, giving her every fine epithet whether appropriate
or not, which came to his recollection. Then he rung changes upon every
body he could think of, and I heard the name of Henrique da Costa, to
which mine was metamorphosed, thrown in every now and then among the
rest. I was praised for my superior piety, in giving so splendid a
night in honour of Our Lady. On the following morning every arrangement
was made for the _fandangos_. A spacious platform was erected, in the
middle of the area of the town, and in front of the vicar’s dwelling,
raised about three feet from the ground. In the evening four bon-fires
were lighted, two being on each side of the stage, and soon afterwards
the performers made their appearance. The story which forms the basis
of this amusement is invariably the same; the parts however, are
not written, and are to be supplied by the actors; but these, from
practice, know more or less what they are to say. The scene is a
ship at sea, which, during part of the time is sailing regularly and
gently along; but in the latter part of the voyage she is in distress.
The cause of the badness of the weather remains for a long time
unknown; but at last the persons who are on board discover that it has
arisen from the devil, who is in the ship, under the disguise of the
mizen-topmast-man. The persons represented, are
The Captain,
The Master,
The Chaplain,
The Pilot or Mate,
The Boatswain,
The _Raçam_, or distributor of the rations,} Two clowns;
The _Vasoura_, or sweeper of the decks, }
The _Gageiro da Gata_, or mizen-topmast-man, _alias_ the Devil.
Twelve men and boys, who are dancers and singers, stand on the stage,
six of them being on each side of it; and the leader of the chorus sits
at the back of the stage with a guitar, with which he keeps the time,
and this person is sometimes assisted by a second guitar player. A ship
is made for the occasion; and when the performers stepped on to the
platform, the vessel appeared at a distance under full sail, coming
towards us upon wheels, which were concealed. As soon as the ship
arrived near to the stage it stopped, and the performance commenced.
The men and boys who were to sing and to dance, were dressed in white
jackets and trowsers; they had ribbons tied round their ankles and
arms, and upon their heads they wore long paper caps, painted of
various colours. The guitar player commenced with one of the favourite
airs of the country, and the chorus followed him, dancing at the
same time. The number of voices being considerable, and the evening
extremely calm, the open air was rather advantageous than the contrary.
The scene was striking, for the bon-fires threw sufficient light to
allow of our seeing the persons of the performers distinctly; but all
beyond was dark, and they seemed to be inclosed by a spacious dome; the
crowd of persons who were near to the stage was great, and as the fires
were stirred and the flame became brighter, more persons were seen
beyond on every side; and at intervals the horses which were standing
still farther off, waiting for their masters.
When the chorus retired, the captain and other superior officers came
forwards, and a long and serious conversation ensued upon the state of
the ship and the weather. These actors were dressed in old uniforms
of the irregular troops of the country. They were succeeded by the
boatswain and the two clowns; the former gave his orders, to which the
two latter made so many objections that the officer was provoked to
strike one of them, and much coarse wit passed between the three. Soon
afterwards came the chaplain in his gown, and his breviary in his hand;
and he was as much the butt of the clowns, as they were of the rest of
the performers. The most scurrilous language was used by them to him;
he was abused, and was taxed with almost every irregularity possible.
The jokes became at last so very indecent, as to make the vicar order
his doors to be shut. The dancers came on at each change of scene, if
I may so say. I went home soon after the vicar’s doors were closed,
and did not see the conclusion; but the matter ended by throwing the
devil overboard, and reaching the port in safety. The performers do
not expect payment, but rather consider themselves complimented in
being sent for. They were tradesmen of several descriptions residing
at Pasmado, and they attend on these occasions to act the _fandangos_,
if requested so to do; but if not, many of them would most probably
go to enjoy any other sport which the festival might afford. We paid
their expences, and gave them their food during their stay; they were
accompanied by their families, which were all treated in the same
manner, to the number of about forty persons.
I here take the opportunity of mentioning another common amusement at
festivals, which is known under the name of _comedias_; but this I did
not chance to see. A stage of the same kind is erected, and regular
farces are performed; but I believe that women do not ever appear upon
these stages, though they do upon the stage of the theatre at Recife.
I slept one night at Pillar, and in the morning following accompanied
the chaplain to the fort, who was going to say Mass at his chapel, as
it was a holiday. The fort is situated upon a projecting sand-bank, and
was formerly quite surrounded by water; but the channel for small craft
which ran between the fort and the island, is now nearly closed by the
accumulation of sand at its mouth[140]. When we dismounted at the gate,
our horses were taken into the fort, and were put into the commandant’s
stable. The sentinel desired me to take off my spurs, and we then
passed through the gate, and along the covered way until we entered the
area in the centre, with the chapel and other buildings along two sides
of it. The commandant is a captain of the Olinda regiment, an elderly
and most formal man, full of etiquette; and all the other officers
are of the same standing. I was introduced to the chief, and we then
proceeded to the chapel. Forgetful of necessary forms, I had placed
myself next to the wall on the right hand side of the chapel; but the
commandant would not give up his right, and therefore reminded me to
move, that he might take that place. As soon as the Mass was ended
we took our leave. Some idea of the state of the works may be formed
from the following anecdote. A former chaplain was dismissed from
his situation owing to the non-observance on his part of established
regulations. The gate was opened for his admission, and that of any
other person who might wish to hear Mass on Sundays and holidays; but
on one occasion, he unfortunately espied the commandant standing in the
area of the fort, through a breach in the walls, upon which, instead
of going round to the gate, he rode unceremoniously through the breach
in his anxiety to greet the commandant, who was much disconcerted at
the occurrence. At the time I was there, the garrison consisted of
militia-men; and an idea of the discipline of these may be formed from
the following circumstance, which took place only a short time before
my visit to the fort. The adjutant, who was between seventy and eighty
years of age, threatened to strike or gently touched with his cane one
of the men who had refused to hear Mass; the fellow way-laid the old
officer one evening, and gave him several blows of which he died. The
soldier absconded, and was not again heard of. The guns were in a very
bad state, and the usual supply of powder was merely sufficient for the
salutes on days of gala; there were indeed some heaps of balls, upon
which the rust surpassed the quantity of sound iron.
In the course of this year some of my friends from Recife came to see
me; I had been often at Amparo, and at the houses of several other
planters; but I do not particularly mention any of these visits, for
they did not discover any thing new. I went to Recife three or four
times. After the commencement of the rains in 1815, I left Itamaraca
with Manoel about four o’clock one afternoon, having been detained thus
late by unforeseen occurrences. The weather was fine, and as the moon
would rise early, I thought that the evening would be pleasant; but
when we were about three leagues from the island, the rain began to
pour, and when we reached the plantation of Inhaman, which is half a
league farther, we were completely wet through. Immediately beyond this
place, the road is on one side bordered by a steep hill, from which the
water ran down in such great quantities, that the horses were nearly
up to their knees in it; however we gained the great cattle track, and
stopped at a liquor shop by the road-side. I bought a considerable
quantity of rum, which I threw over my head and shoulders and into my
boots, and Manoel did the same; each of us likewise drank a good dose
of it. This practice is very general; I had for some time followed
it, and although I had been much exposed to the rain in the course of
the preceding year, had not suffered from it, not having experienced
another attack of ague; but perhaps this is not attributable to
precaution, but to being seasoned to the climate.
When we arrived at the village of Paratibi, night had nearly closed
in. I met with Antonio, (the man who was way-laid when I resided at
Jaguaribe) and he wished me to stay at his cottage, but I preferred
going on, now that we were completely wet through. As we were ascending
the hill beyond Paratibi, I was in hopes of a fine night, for the moon
was clear, but she did not afford us light for many minutes. In the
valley of Merueira the rain again came on, with vivid lightning; and in
going through the wood beyond the valley, the darkness was so great,
as to prevent me from seeing Manoel’s horse, excepting now and then
during the flashes of lightning; although the animal upon which he rode
was of a grey colour, approaching to white, and mine was sometimes
touching his, for he rode in front. When we arrived near to the hill
which descends on the side nearest to Recife, I reminded him to keep to
the left, for the precipice is dangerous on the right hand side; but he
did not understand me or his horse was restive, and was going too much
to the right, when he slipped and fell on one side within a few yards
of the place which he was to avoid. I dismounted to assist Manoel, but
only saw his situation by the flashes of lightning. I asked him after
himself, his horse, and his pistol, and to each question received for
answer that all was well. I then said to him “Where is the road;” for
I had turned round in different ways so frequently in assisting him,
that I had no notion of the direction which we ought to take to find
the road; and indeed at one moment I had formed the idea of remaining
where we were until the break of day. But on again asking Manoel if
he was certain respecting the right direction, his answer was in an
angry voice, for he was wet and bruised, “I see the road, don’t be
afraid Sir.” He led, and I followed him, each leading his horse; we
descended side-ways, for the ground was too slippery owing to the rain
to allow us to advance in any other manner. My horse struck me with
his head several times, and he too every now and then narrowly escaped
falling. The width of the road is about six feet; there is on one side
a precipice of great height, which has been formed by the torrents
in the rainy season; these have caused the ground to fall in, and
have now worn it quite away; on the other side, the declivity is less
perpendicular, but it is covered with the short stumps of trees, among
which there is no possibility of treading safely without a sufficient
light. We reached the bottom without accident, and when we entered the
village of Beberibi, the rain nearly ceased, and the night likewise was
clearer, but the moon had set. We crossed the hill beyond Beberibi very
slowly, and arrived at Agua Fria, the residence of one of my friends
distant from Recife two leagues, between one and two o’clock in the
morning. If the weather had been fine, we should have arrived between
eight and nine o’clock in the evening preceding. The instinct (if I may
so call it) which is possessed by the Indians, by a great number of
the negroes, and indeed by many individuals of mixed casts in finding
out the right roads, often surprised me, but never more than on this
occasion. I could not see any thing, but Manoel certainly did feel that
he was quite sure of being in the right path, else he would not have
spoken so positively; he had a considerable stock of courage; but was
always cool and collected.
At Agua Fria I passed some of the pleasantest hours of my residence
in Brazil. The owner of the place is an English gentleman, to whom I
owe many obligations; we were on most intimate terms, indeed I felt as
much at home at Agua Fria as at Itamaraca. The spot was in the rudest
state when he took possession of it; but although the soil was not
propitious, the _sitio_ (settlement) was advancing; he had built a
good house, and was erecting out-houses, making fences, and planting
useful and ornamental trees. The place had been infested by red ants,
but with much labour they had been destroyed, by digging into the
ground for the nests. Behind the house there was a lake of considerable
extent, which had been formed by the course of a rivulet having been
stopped through the accumulation of loose white sand in the part which
is now the road; so that the road is higher than the lake on one side,
and the land along which the river formerly ran on the other side.
When the waters rise in the winter the lake overflows and runs across
the road, but during the greatest part of the year the road is dry, or
nearly so. If the lake was drained, the settlement of Agua Fria would
be worth ten times its present value, for the boundaries of it are the
channel of the rivulet. This lake is covered over with reeds, rushes
and coarse grass, and the roots of these plants have formed a thick
coating over the water, which would not support the weight of a man,
but much labour is required to cut through it.
There were numbers of _jacarès_ or alligators[141] in this lake, which
rendered it dangerous to work in cutting away the rushes, which it was
necessary to do, for the purpose of forming an open space in which the
horses could be watered and washed, and indeed the grass was eaten by
them when other kinds failed in the dry season. I may here mention some
others of the lizard tribe. The _camaleam_ (_lacerta Iguana_) is often
to be met with; also the _tijuaçu_, which is, I believe, the _lacerta
teguixin_; this is very common. There is likewise the _calango_, which
is smaller than the other two; these three species are all of them
eaten by the lower orders of people. The _vibra_ and the _lagartixa_
are two small species of lizard, which are continually to be seen in
all situations; in and upon the houses, in the gardens and in the
woods; they do good rather than harm, for they eat flies, spiders, &c.
and they are to my eyes very pretty creatures; their activity, and at
the same time their tameness, made me fond of them.
In my rides to Recife through the Merueira wood I always heard the
hoarse croaking of the _sapo cururu_ (_rana ventricosa_), and also of
the _sapo boi_ or ox-toad, both of which made a most disagreeable and
dismal noise; they were particularly active on the rainy night which
I have above described. The constant noise which the crickets make
as soon as the sun sets, fails not to annoy those persons who have
recently arrived in the country; and I recollect that on the first
evening which I spent in the country on my arrival at Pernambuco, I
stopped several times when conversing, as if waiting to let the noise
cease before I proceeded; but this wore off (as it does with every
one), and latterly I did not hear the noise even when it was spoken of
in my presence. However if one of them gets into a house, there is no
resting until it be dislodged, owing to the shrillness of its whistle.
The body of the insect is about one inch or one inch and a half in
length, and the legs are long; the whole of the insect is green. There
is another species which is distinguished by the name of _gryllo
branco_, or the white cricket; it has likewise a sharp whistle; may
not this be the same insect as the former, in a different state? There
is likewise the _gryllo de feijam_ or bean cricket, which is so called
from the destruction which it makes in the plantations of the French
bean; it is of a dusky brown colour, approaching to black.
I was invited in January 1815 to attend a christening at the sugar
plantation of Macaxeira, which is the largest and the most valuable in
every respect of the three in the island. The vicar, another priest, a
captain of the _ordenanças_, and myself, set off early on the morning
of the day appointed. We rode through the plantation of St. Joam, and
spoke to the owner, who was preparing to follow us with all his family.
He is a Portugueze who has accumulated a large fortune in Brazil, and
has married one of the daughters of the owner of the place to which we
were going. This person and his immediate relatives will in the course
of a short time probably possess one half of the island of Itamaraca.
We were received at Macaxeira by the father and uncles of the child;
and afterwards the grandmother, who is a widow lady and the owner of
the estate, made her appearance, and by degrees we saw the younger
ladies of many of the neighbouring families. As soon as the christening
was over, the day was devoted to eating and drinking and playing at
cards. When the men had left the table after dinner, the cloth was
again laid, and the ladies sat down to dine; but one of the priests
declared that this separation was barbarous, and seating himself again,
was followed by several other men, and thus they dined a second time.
The evening ended rather boisterously, but good humouredly; the wine
was poured out into tumblers, and these being as frequently emptied as
if they had been smaller, only a few of the guests returned home the
same night; but those who remained crept off early and quietly on the
following morning.
I accompanied the vicar to Pillar to pass the _intrudo_ at that place.
We set off on the Saturday afternoon, and on our arrival found that
the whole clan from Macaxeira and St. Joam had taken up their quarters
close to the house which we were to inhabit. In the evening a tight
rope dancer was to exhibit in the open air, and at the appointed hour
he took his station, and went through several of the common feats of
activity with considerable neatness. He was paid in a singular manner.
Before he began to dance, the clown cried out, “Here goes to the health
of the vicar,” then, after the performer had danced for a few minutes,
he stopped, and the clown came to our party, and with many jokes and
much pretended ignorance of the vicar’s person, he found him out and
asked for a donation, as is the custom; this being acceded to, and the
vicar having given what he thought proper, the clown returned to the
rope-dancer, upon which a shout was set up by those who were round
about him, which was intended as an acknowledgment for his generosity.
Then the clown mentioned the name of some other person, and so forth.
After the dancer had exhibited to the health of several persons, a
slack rope was hung between two coco trees and at a great height from
the ground: to this the man removed, where he continued dancing until a
late hour to the health of every one whose name his clown could think
of.
On the following day, after the service of the church was over, the
_intrudo_ jokes and tricks began, and before the conclusion of the
sport in the evening, each person had been obliged to change his
cloaths several times. The ladies joined with heart and soul, and
particularly the good old lady of Macaxeira, who was wet through and
through, and yet carried on the war. The priests were as riotous as
the rest, but their superiority of manner even here was perceivable;
their jokes were well timed, and were not accompanied by any brutality
of behaviour; there was a seeming deference in their manner, when they
were drenching the person upon whom they made an attack, and they took
care that what they threw was clean, which with others did not always
happen.
On Monday morning every one rose fresh for action, and to work we
went until three o’clock in the afternoon, scarcely affording time
for eating. We then adjourned to the sea-shore, for the purpose of
witnessing the christening of the king of the Moors. On this day all
the _jangadas_ and canoes were put in requisition; the owners of them
and others of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood were divided into
two parties, Christians and Moors. A stage was erected at low water
mark upon high poles, and this was intended to represent a Moorish
fortress; the affair was so timed that the tide should be at the
height at the commencement of the sport, by which means the stage was
surrounded by the water. Upon the sea-shore were two high thrones,
with canopies made of counterpanes, &c. These were at the distance of
about three hundred yards from each other, and were placed immediately
above high water mark. The Christian king sat upon one of them, and the
Moorish king upon the other, both of them being habited in fine flowing
robes. The affair began by the former dispatching one of his officers
on horseback to the latter, requiring him to undergo the ceremony of
baptism, which he refused to do. Several other couriers passed from
each side, all of whom were on horseback, and fantastically dressed
in loose garments. War being declared the numerous _jangadas_ and
canoes of each party were soon in motion, making towards the fortress
in the water; some were going to assist in protecting it, and others
to obtain possession of it. The persons who were in the fort were now
seen preparing for its defence; there was much firing, and at last,
after many struggles on both sides, it was taken by the Christians. The
Moorish vessels however escaped and landed their crews, the opposite
party doing the same. The armies met on shore and fought hand to hand
for a considerable time, but in the end the Moorish king was taken
prisoner, hurled from his throne, and forcibly baptised. The whole
affair was very gay, for the sands were crowded with people who were
all in their best cloaths, finery of many kinds being displayed—silks,
satins, muslins, and printed cottons; ornaments of gold and of precious
stones; bonnets of straw, and of silks, and ribbons of all colours in
great quantities; shoes, white, black, and of various tints; then there
were coats that had not for many a day seen the light; cotton and cloth
jackets made for the occasion, embroidered waistcoats, and others more
general of less costly materials; pantaloons of nankeen and of various
other light materials; cocked hats, a few of beaver and of straw, and
round ones many; half boots, and shoes and buckles.
There appeared at Pillar one of the _Valentoens_, who had often created
great disturbances in many parts, and although his apprehension was
much desired, he trod the soil of Pillar with great confidence, as if
he was aware that his person was secure owing to his great reputation
for intrepidity; but his safety proceeded from my friend of the
stockade prison not being the chief magistrate of the place for the
year. On the morrow all parties were preparing to return home; we saw
the ladies set off on horseback, and according to a strange custom, a
number of metal pans were collected, and as they went away from the
door the persons who remained beat the pans against each other, so
as to make a gingling noise. This is practised as a joke, and on this
occasion, as is usual, created much laughter.
Shortly after this period I received advices from England, which
rendered necessary my return home. I gave up my plan of residing in
Brazil with reluctance; but I am now much rejoiced that it so happened.
Yet at that time it required some resolution to leave the people,
the place, and the things in which I had taken deep interest,—my
negroes and free people,—my horses and my dogs, and even my cats
and fowls;—the house and the garden which I had been improving and
forming,—and the fields which I had cleared, and was cultivating.
All this, believe me, cost much pain in leaving; but thanks to those
who desired that it should be so. I should have soon become a Brazil
planter; the state in which a man who rules over slaves is placed, is
not likely to make him a better creature than he would under other
circumstances have been. I should perhaps shortly have been totally
unfit to become a member of any other society; my inclinations led me
to like the life which I was leading:—I was young, and was independent
and had power. Although I am fully aware of the evils which attend
a feudal state of society, I liked to have dependants. I might have
become so arbitrary, so much a lover of a half savage life; I might
have contracted so great a relish for rambling, have become so
unsettled, as to have been dissatisfied with what is rational and to be
desired in this world. Until lately I cherished the hope of being able
to return to that country, with the means of crossing the continent
of South America; but I have now given this up from unavoidable
circumstances, and even my wishes have taken another bias; but God
only knows whether it may not yet be my fate to enter into the scheme;
accident, and inclinations over which I have no controul, may so
direct. England is my country, but my native soil is Portugal; I belong
to both, and whether in the company of Englishmen, of Portugueze,
or of Brazilians, I feel equally among my countrymen. My constant
and fervent prayers are offered up for their prosperity, and for a
continuance of that friendship which has borne the test of so many
years. Fresh causes have lately occurred for rivetting the links which
bind the two united nations; their people have fought together, and
neither have been found wanting.