excited a great commotion, of words at least; and the English fetchers
and carriers of news have agreed that there will be some serious
insurrection on the part of the soldiers, to defend the Emperor from
some indefinite oppression of the Assembly. I believe it is true that
the Assembly itself, being convinced that their vote concerning the veto
is impolitic and unjust, have determined to cancel it; and it is equally
true, that there have been some military clubs, whose language has been
rather violent on the subject. But that there are the slightest grounds
for expecting any serious disturbance, I cannot think. The Emperor
appears too sincere in his desire to see the greatest possible
prosperity in Brazil, to encourage any violent proceedings to overawe
the Constituent Assembly; and at the same time he has too much spirit to
submit to terms, from any quarter, derogatory to his dignity and rights.
I have just received his proclamation on the occasion, which I doubt not
will produce a good effect. These proclamations are agreeable to the
taste of the people; and in fact are the only channels through which
they can learn any thing of the disposition of the Emperor in the
present state of the country. To-day's is as follows:--
"Brazilians!
"On not a few occasions have I laid open to you my mind and my heart: on
the first you will always find engraven constitutional monarchy, on the
last your happiness. I am now desirous of giving you a fresh assurance
of my sentiments, and of my detestation of despotism, whether exercised
by one or by many.
"Some of the municipalities of the northern provinces have given
instructions to their deputies, in which the spirit of democracy
predominates. Democracy in Brazil, in this vast empire, is an absurdity;
and not less absurd is the pretending to give laws to those who are to
make them, threatening them with the loss or diminution of powers which
the constituents neither have given nor have power to give.
"In the city of Porto Alegre, the troops and the people, the junta of
government and the civil and ecclesiastical authorities, have also just
committed an error, which they have confirmed, or rather aggravated, by
solemn oath. Troops which ought to obey the monarch holding a council;
incompetent authorities defining an article of the constitution, which
is the business of the General Constituent and Legislative Assembly (and
such is the veto, whether absolute or suspensive);--are most scandalous
absurdities, and crimes which would merit the severest punishment, but
for the consideration that they were suggested by ignorance, or produced
by base deceptions.
"Listen not therefore to those who flatter the people, or to those who
flatter the monarch: they are equally base, and moved by personal and
low interests; and under the mask of liberality or that of servility,
seek alike, only to rear their proud and precarious fortunes on the
ruins of their country. The times in which we live are full of
melancholy warnings. Let us use the catastrophes of foreign nations as
beacons.
"Brazilians! confide in your Emperor and Perpetual Defender, who seeks
no legal powers; nor will he ever suffer those to be usurped which
belong to him of right, and which are indispensable in order that you
may be happy, and that this empire may fulfil the high destinies suited
to its boundaries of the wide Atlantic, and the proud floods of the
Plata and the Amazons. Let us await reverently the constitution of the
empire, and let us hope that it may be worthy of us.
"May the Supreme Disposer of the Universe grant us union and
tranquillity, strength and constancy; and the great work of our liberty
and independence will be accomplished.
THE EMPEROR."
9_th August_.--The day on which the Pes de Chumbo predicted an
insurrection has passed in perfect tranquillity, excepting for one
melancholy accident. Their Imperial Majesties, as had been appointed,
went to the Gloria church to return thanks for the Emperor's recovery.
They were attended by the officers of state, and of the household, and
as many officers of the different regiments as could attend. While the
company were all on their knees, and just as the sacring-bell announced
the elevation of the Host, the Chamberlain, Magalhaens, was struck with
apoplexy, and died.
12_th_.--This day, as well as yesterday and the day before, there have
been illuminations and dressed operas on account of the Emperor's
recovery; and to-night a vessel, prize to the squadron, arrived,
bringing news of their wellbeing, and of the arrival of many prizes at
Bahia and Pernambuco. As officers and men from the Imperial ships cannot
be spared in sufficient numbers to work the prizes into port, Lord
Cochrane makes sure of their going thither by starting the water,
excepting what is sufficient for a certain number of days, and cutting
away the main and mizen masts, so that they must run for the ports to
leeward. Seamen will appreciate this.
_August 14th_.--I went with M. Plasson, a very intelligent Frenchman, to
whom I am indebted for a good deal of information about this country, to
the museum, which I had seen in a hurried way, on my first visit to Rio.
It is greatly improved since I was here, both externally and internally.
The minerals of the country form the richest part of the collection. The
diamonds, both colourless and black, surpass any thing I have seen; but
I believe the crystals of gold to be the most precious articles here:
there are several pieces of native gold, weighing three or four ounces;
and some beautiful specimens of silver, as fine and as delicate as a
lady's aigrette. I confess that the fine coloured copper, and the
beautiful grained iron, pleased me as well as most things: some of the
latter specimens yield 99 parts of iron. These are from the mines of St.
Paul's, and I was shown some specimens of coal, as fine as Scotch coal,
that has been recently discovered in the immediate neighbourhood of
those very mines. The amethysts, topazes, quartzes of all colours, are
innumerable: there are beautiful jaspers with veins of gold, and all
manner of gorgeous works of nature, fit for Aladdin's cave, and the
insects, especially the butterflies, fit to flit about in it. But the
other branches of natural history are not rich here. Of birds there are
few of note, beyond a splendid set of toucans; and of quadrupeds, a few
monkies, two fawns like the roe-deer[117], and some very curious
armadillos, are all I remember. The collection of Indian weapons and
dresses is incomplete, and wants arrangement: this is a pity; for
by-and-by, as the wild natives adopt civilised habits, these will be
unattainable. The African curiosities are scarcely better kept, but some
of them are very curious in their kind. One very remarkable one is a
king's dress made of ox-gut, not in the state _le valliant des cubes_,
but carefully cleaned and dried, as we do bladders. It is then split
longitudinally, and the pieces sewed together, each seam being set with
tufts or rather fringes of purple feathers; so that the vest is light,
impervious to rain, and highly ornamental from its rich purple stripes.
There is another entirely of rich Mazarine blue feathers; a sceptre most
ingeniously wrought of scarlet feathers; and a cap of bark, with a long
projecting beak in front, and a quantity of coloured feathers and hair
behind, ornamented with beads. Besides all these things, there is the
throne of an African prince of wood, beautifully carved. I could wish,
since the situation of Brazil is so favourable for collecting African
costume, that there were a room appropriated to these things, as they
are curious in the history of man.
[Note 117: I have eaten of the venison, and it is like roe-deer.]
_15th_.--The feast of Our Lady of the Assumption, called here Nossa
Senhora da Gloria, the patroness of the Emperor's eldest child, is
celebrated to-day, and of course the whole of the royal family attended
Mass in the morning and evening. I was spending the day with Mrs. May,
at her pleasant house on the Gloria hill, and we agreed to go in the
afternoon to see the ceremony. The church is situated on a platform,
rather more than half way up a steep eminence overlooking the bay. The
body is an octagon of thirty-two feet diameter; and the choir, of the
same shape, is twenty-one feet in diameter. We entered among a great
crowd of persons, and placed ourselves within the choir; and shortly
afterwards the Imperial party entered, and I was not disagreeably
surprised at being most pleasantly recognised. The salutation, as this
evening's service is called, was well performed as to music, and very
short: after it, for the first time, I heard a Portuguese sermon. It was
of course occasional. The text, 1 Kings, chap. ii. ver. 19.--"And the
king rose up to meet his mother, and bowed himself unto her, and sat
down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the "king's mother,
and she sat on his right hand." The application of this text to the
legend of the Assumption is obvious, and occupied the first division of
the discourse. The second part consisted in an application of the
history of the early part of Solomon's reign to the present
circumstances of Brazil; the restoration of the kingdom, the triumph
over faction, and the institution of laws, forming the grounds of
comparison. The whole people of Brazil were called upon to join in
thanksgiving and prayers to the Virgin of Glory: thanksgiving that she
had given to her people, as rulers, the descendants of the Emanuels, the
Johns, and the Henrys of Portugal, and of the Maria Theresas of Austria;
and prayers that she would continue her gracious protection, and that
most especially to the eldest hope of Brazil, named after her and
dedicated to her. The whole was gravely and properly done, with as
little of the appearance of flattery to the illustrious persons present
as possible, and did not last above fifteen minutes. On this occasion,
the veadors, and other persons attendant on the Imperial family, wore
white silk surplices, and bore torches in their hands.
I went in the evening to a ball and concert at the Baronesa de Campos:
on entering, I was met by the young ladies of the family, and led up to
their grandmother; and after paying my compliments to her, I was placed
among the division of the family where I had most acquaintance. There
were only two Englishwomen besides Lady Cochrane and myself, and these
were the wives of the consul and the commissioner for the slave
business. A foreign gentleman present remarked, that though we were but
four, we hardly conversed together. This was perfectly true: I like,
when I am in foreign society, to talk to foreigners; and think it
neither wise nor civil to form coteries with those of one's own nation
in such cases. Several rooms were open, for cards; the stakes, I fancy,
were high. The tea-room was no sooner full, than tea was handed round;
and I perceived that some of the older servants, with great respect
indeed, spoke to such of the guests as they were acquainted with. After
tea, I had the pleasure of again hearing Dona Rosa sing, and almost
grudged my gayer companions their ball, which broke in upon that "sober
certainty of waking bliss," which music inspires into all, and
especially to those who have known sorrow. I am no musician; but sweet
sounds, especially those of the human voice, whether in speaking or
singing, have a singular power over me.
After the first dance was over, we walked all about the house, and found
a magnificent dining-room as to size, but scarcely furnished to
correspond with the rest of the house; the bed-rooms and dressing-rooms
of the ladies are neat and elegantly fitted up with English and French
furniture; and all as different as possible from the houses I saw in
Bahia. I am told that they are likewise as different from what they were
here twenty years since, and can well believe it; even during the twelve
months of my absence from Rio, I see a wonderful polishing has taken
place, and every thing is gaining an European air.
I took the liberty of remarking to one of the ladies, the extreme youth
of some of the children who accompanied their mothers this evening; and
saying, that in England we should consider it injurious to them in all
respects. She asked me what we did with them. I told her that some of
them would be in bed, and others with their nurses and governesses. She
said we were happy in that: but that here, there were no such persons,
and that the children would be left to the care and example of the
slaves, whose manners were so depraved, and practices so immoral, that
it must be the destruction of the children; and that those who loved
their children must keep them under their own eyes, where, if they were
brought too forward in company, they at least could learn no ill. I love
to collect these proofs of the evils of slavery--even here where it
exists in a milder form than in most countries.--I left the dancers
busily engaged at twelve o'clock, and I heard that they continued the
ball until three. There is no peculiarity in the dancing here; the
ladies of Rio being like ourselves, the pupils of the French, in that
branch of the fine arts.
_19th_.--Sir T. Hardy gave a ball and supper to English, French, and
Brazilians: where every thing was handsome, and well-ordered; and every
body pleased.
_20th_.--I had long wished to see a little more of the neighbourhood of
Rio than I have hitherto done; and had resolved on riding at least to
Santa Cruz, about fourteen leagues from hence, and as the road is too
well travelled to fear extraordinary accidents, and I am not timid as to
common inconveniences, I had determined to hire a black attendant and go
alone. This determination, however, was over-ruled by Mr. and Mrs. May,
whose brother, Mr. Dampier, kindly offered to escort me. I confess I was
very glad to be relieved of the absolute charge of myself, and not a
little pleased to have the society of a well-bred, intelligent young
man, whose taste for the picturesque beauties of nature agrees with my
own.--I think that if there is one decided point in which
fellow-travellers agree, however different in age, temper, or
disposition, there may always be peace and pleasant conversation, more
especially, if, as is our case, they travel on horseback. A difference
of opinion is so easily evaded by a reference to one's horse, which may
always go too fast or too slow, or exercise one's tongue or one's whip
without any offence to one's two-legged companion.--We were well tried
to-day. I had taken it into my head, that after having postponed our
journey from week to week on one account or an other, if we did not
begin it this day we never should go at all: and, therefore, though the
afternoon was most unpromising, we left Mr. May's at half-past four
o'clock, that we might reach Campinha, the first stage, to sleep; for,
alas! these horses are not like my Chilian steeds, that would carry me
twenty leagues a day without complaining. We mounted then, Mr. Dampier
on a tall bay horse high in bone, with a brace of pistols buckled round
him, in a huge straw hat, and a short jacket; I on a little grey horse,
my boat-cloak over my saddle; otherwise dressed as usual, with a straw
riding hat, and dark grey habit; and our attendant Antonio, the merriest
of negroes, on a mule, with Mr. Dampier's portmanteau behind, and my bag
before him.--We proceeded by the upper part of the town, and along the
well-trodden road to San Cristovaŏ, and after crossing the little hill
to the left of the palace, entered on a country quite new to me. From
the western side of the entrance to Rio Janeiro, a high mountainous
ridge extends close to the sea, as far as the Bay of Angra dos Reyes,
formed by Ilha Grande and Marambaya. On the northern side of this ridge
there is a plain, here and there varied by low hills, extending quite to
the most inland part of Rio de Janeiro, and reaching in a winding
direction to the bay of Angra dos Reyes: itself having probably at no
very remote period been covered with water, connecting these two bays,
and insulating the mountains above mentioned. Along this plain our road
lay between grand scenery on the one hand, and soft and beautiful
landscape on the other; but to-night all was dark and louring; the tops
of the mountains were wrapped in mists, that rushed impetuously down
their sides, or through their clefts, and every now and then a hollow
sound of wind came from out of them, though the blast did not quite
reach us. Under this sort of cloud we passed the picturesque Pedragulha,
and the little port of Benefica, formed by a creek of the Rio. By the
time we reached Praya Pequena, where a good deal of produce is embarked
for the city, the clouds had closed dully in, and the grand mountain
mists had lost their character. Still we went on, leaving the bay
entirely: and first we passed the Venda Grande, where every necessary
for horse or man travelling, is to be sold; then the Capon do Bispo, a
pretty village, which the rain clouds made me long to stop at; and then
the stone bridge of Rio de Ferreira, where the rain at length began to
fall in large cold drops; then tremendous gusts of wind came out of the
mountain gaps, and long before we reached the Casca d'ouro, the
protection of cloaks and umbrellas had ceased to avail. There we might
have stopped; but having been told that the Venda of Campinha was the
best resting-place, we resolved to proceed, and with some pains
prevailed on my horse to go on: we reached the venda. But if it be
delightful, after a long wet ride in a dark and boisterous night, to
arrive at a place of rest, it is at least as wretched to be turned from
the door where you hope to find shelter, with dripping clothes and
shivering limbs; yet such was our fate. There was nothing at the venda
to eat, no place for us, none for our horses, and so we set out again to
brave the pitiless storm; a few yards, however, brought us to a low
cottage on the road side, and there we knocked. A mulatto serving-man
came round cautiously to reconnoitre from the back of the house, when
having ascertained that we really were English travellers benighted and
wet, the front door was opened, and we found within a middle-aged very
kind-looking woman, and her little daughter; her name is Maria Rosa
d'Acunha. Her husband and son were absent on business, and she and the
little girl were alone. As soon as we had changed our wet clothes, and
had provided for the horses, which our hostess put into an empty
building, she gave us warm coffee, bread and cheese, and extended her
hospitable care to the negro. She gave Mr. Dampier her son's bed, and
made up a couch for me in the room where she and the child slept. These
people are of the poorest class of farmers, not possessing above four or
five slaves, and working hard themselves. They appear happy however, and
I am sure are very hospitable.
_21st_.--This morning looked at least as threatening as yesterday, but
we determined to go as far as the Engenho dos Affonsos, for whose owner,
Senhor Joam Marcus Vieira, we had letters from a friend in town.
Accordingly we took leave of our kind hostess, who had made coffee early
for us, and proceeded along a league of very pretty road to the
Affonsos. Where that estate joins Campinha there is a large tiled shed
where we found a party of travellers, apparently from the mines, drying
their clothes and baggage after the last night's storm. A priest, and
two or three men apparently above the common, appeared to be the masters
of the party; the baggage was piled up on one side of the shed, and the
arms were stuck into the cordage which bound it. There was a great fire
in the middle, where a negro was boiling coffee, and several persons
round drying clothes. Generally speaking, the men we met on their way
from the mines are a fine, handsome race, lightly and actively made.
Their dress is very picturesque. It consists of an oval cloak, lined and
bordered with some bright colour such as rose or apple green, worn as
the Spanish Americans wear the poncho. The sides are often turned up
over the shoulders, and display a bright coloured jacket below. The
breeches are loose, and reach to the knee, and loose boots of brown
leather are frequently seen on the better sort, though it is very common
to see the spurs upon the naked heel, and no boot or shoe of any kind.
The higher classes have generally handsome pistols or great knives, the
others content themselves with a good cudgel. A short league from the
last house of Campinha, brought us to Affonsos, where we presented our
letter, and were most kindly welcomed.--The estate belongs in fact to
the grandmother of Senhor Joaŏ Marcus, who is a native of St.
Catherine's, and a widow. His mother, and sister, and brother, and two
dumb cousins also reside here, but he is only an occasional visitor,
being married, and living near his wife's family. The dumb ladies, no
longer young, are very interesting; they are extremely intelligent,
understanding most things said in Portuguese by the motion of the lips,
so that their cousin spoke in French, when he wished to say any thing of
them; they make themselves understood by signs, many of which, I may say
most, would be perfectly intelligible to the pupils of Sicard or
Braidwood. They are part of a family of eight children, four of whom are
dumb, the dumb and the speakers being born alternately. One of them made
breakfast for us, which consisted of coffee, and various kinds of bread
and butter.
After breakfast, as the day continued cold and showery, we were easily
prevailed on by our host to remain all day at Affonsos. I was indeed
glad of the opportunity of spending a whole day with a country family.
The first place we visited after breakfast was the sugar-mill, which is
worked by mules. The machinery is rather coarse, but seems to answer its
purpose.
The estate employs 200 oxen and 180 slaves as labourers, besides those
for the service of the family. The produce is somewhere about 3000
arobas of sugar, and 70 pipes of spirits. The lands extend from Tapera,
the place where we met the travellers, and where 200 years ago there was
an aldea of reclaimed Indians, about a league to Piraquara. There are
about forty white tenants who keep vendas, and other useful shops on the
borders of the estate near the roads, and exercise the more necessary
handicrafts. But a small portion of the estate is in actual cultivation,
the rest being covered with its native woods; but these are valuable as
fuel for the sugar-furnaces, and timber for machinery, and occasionally
for sale. The owners of estates prefer hiring either free blacks, or
negroes let out by their masters[118], to send into the woods, on
account of the numerous accidents that happen in felling the trees,
particularly in steep situations. The death of an estate negro is the
loss of his value, of a hired negro, only that of a small fine; and of a
free black, it is often the saving even of his wages, if he has no son
to claim them.
[Note 118: The wages from a patac and half to two patacs per day,
besides food.]
Wheat does not grow in this part of Brazil, though in the southern and
inland mountainous districts it thrives admirably. The luxury of wheaten
bread is introduced everywhere, North America furnishing the flour.
Wherever one travels in this neighbourhood, one is sure of excellent
rusk at every venda, though soft bread is rare.