128 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 
the resident English clergyman here, who has accompanied 
them on some of their excursions, and put them in the way 
of seeing whatever was most interesting in the neighbor- 
hood. 
On arriving in South America one should land first 
in Bahia, for in its aspect it is the most national and 
characteristic of the cities. As we passed directly through 
the town this morning, we can give but little account of 
it, and yet we saw enough to confirm all that has been said 
of its quaint and picturesque character. On first disem- 
barking, you find yourself at the foot of an almost per- 
pendicular hill, and negro-bearers appear at your side 
to carry you up the steep ascent, almost impassable for 
carriages, in a " cadeira," or curtained chair. This is 
in itself an odd experience for one to whom it is new, 
and the rest of the city, with its precipitous streets, its 
queer houses, its old churches, is as quaint and antique 
as these original carriages. 
July 2Qth. To-day we have the "revers de la me*daille" ; 
we have returned to our prison, and a violent rain drives us 
all to take refuge in the hot, close dining-room, our only 
resort when the weather is bad. 
July 30th. Off Maceio. Last evening, when the rain 
was over and the moonlight tempted every one on deck, 
we had a long conversation with our pleasant travelling 
companion, Mr. Sinimbu, senator from the province of 
Alagoas, on the aspect of slavery in Brazil. It seems to 
me that we may have something to learn here in our own 
perplexities respecting the position of the black race among 
us, for the Brazilians are trying gradually and by install- 
ments some of the experiments which are forced upon 
us without previous preparation. The absence of all re- 
