FAZEXDA LIFE. 119 
adaptation which is not susceptible of the same explana- 
tion. Their social organization, too intelligent, it seems, 
to be the work of any reasoning powers of their own, yet 
does not appear to be directly connected with their struct- 
ure. While we were watching our little insect, a breath 
stirred the leaf and he instantly contracted himself and 
drew back under his roof; but presently came out again 
and returned to his work. 
July ~L4:tJi. I have passed two or three days of this 
week very pleasantly with a party of friends who invited 
me to join them on a visit to one of the largest fazendas 
in this neighborhood, belonging to the Commendador Breves. 
A journey of some four hours on the Doin Pedro Rail- 
road brought us to the " Barra do Pirahy," and thence we 
proceeded on mule-back, riding slowly along the banks of 
the Parahyba through very pleasant, quiet scenery, though 
much less picturesque than that in the immediate vicinity 
of Rio. At about sunset we reached the fazenda, standing 
on a terrace just above the river, and commanding a lovely 
view of water and woodland. We were received with a 
hospitality hardly to be equalled, I think, out of Brazil, 
for it asks neither who you are nor whence you come, 
but opens its doors to every .wayfarer. On this occasion 
we were expected ; but it is nevertheless true that at such 
a fazenda, where the dining-room accommodates a hundred 
persons if necessary, all travellers passing through the 
country are free to stop for rest and refreshment. At the 
time ol our visit there were several such transient guests ; 
among others a couple quite unknown to our hosts, who 
had stopped for the night, but had been taken ill and de- 
tained there several daya. They seemed entirely at home. 
On this estate there are about two thousand slaves, thirty 
