98 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 
and crowded with spectators. First in order came the 
religious part of the procession ; a long array of priests 
and church officials carrying lighted candles, pyramids of 
flowers, banners, &c. Then came the host, under a canopy 
of white satin and gold, supported by massive staffs ; the 
bearers were the highest dignitaries of the land, first 
among them being the Emperor himself and his son-in- 
law, the Duke of Saxe. In strange contrast with these 
solemnities was the stuffed equestrian figure of St. George, 
a huge, unwieldy shape on horseback, preceded and followed 
by riders almost as grotesque as himself. With him came a 
number of orders resembling, if not the same as, the Free- 
Masons, the Odd Fellows, and like societies. The better 
educated Brazilians speak of this procession as an old 
legacy from Portugal, which has lost its significance for 
them, and which they would gladly see pass out of use, as 
it is already out of date. 
This evening Mr. Agassiz gave the closing lecture of his 
course. It is to be followed next week by a lecture from 
Dr. Capanema, the Brazilian geologist, and there will be 
an attempt made to organize courses of public lectures on 
the same plan hereafter. Our numbers are gradually di- 
minishing. Last week the party for the interior, consisting 
of Messrs. St. John, Allen, Ward, and Sceva, started, and 
Messrs. Hartt and Copeland leave in a day or two to under- 
take an exploration of the coast between the Parahyba do 
Sul and Bahia. 
June 30A. On the 21st we left Rio on our way to 
the province of Minas Geraes, where we were to pass a 
week at the coffee fazenda of Senhor Lage, who received 
us so courteously on our former visit to Juiz de Fora, 
and who was so influential in projecting and carrying out 
