1830.] Anecdotes of Brazil. 619 



business of the day commences; the public functionaries move with stately 

 step, in their antiquated cocked hats and formal cut coats, to the scene of 

 their duties. The avenues leading to the custom-house are crowded 

 with men of every clime. Observe near its door that group of English 

 merchants, how their air of purse-proud arrogance sinks into one of ob- 

 sequious reverence as they salute the administrador, who is passing them 

 in all the pride and dignity of office. Mark well the gray eye of another, 

 how it dances with delight on his well-packed bales, his commission on 

 which he is mentally calculating. How finely his ruddy complexion and 

 tight European attire contrast with the sallow cheek and sombre habili- 

 ments of the solemn friar, who invokes his charity in the name of St. 

 Francis ! That flight of rockets proclaims that high mass has commenced 

 at the imperial chapel, while the party of German lancers, proceeding to 

 mount guard at the palace, leads back the memory to the parades of Ber- 

 lin and Vienna. The sun has now attained its meridian height ; the 

 business of life ceases; the streets are deserted, save by a solitary foreigner 

 whom curiosity or ennui has led forth to brave its torrid heat. The more 

 indolent Brazilian courts the balmy pleasures of the siesta, till the length- 

 ened shadows proclaim the close of day. All again is bustle and anima- 

 tion. The beautiful drives in the environs of the city are crowded with 

 horsemen and vehicles of every description, from the clumsy iroquitana 

 or sege of the native, driven by a monkey-looking black postillion, in 

 huge cocked hat and cumbrous boots, to the neat stanhope of the English 

 resident, or the more stylish equipage of some member of the corps diplo- 

 matique. At this hour the great square of the palace presents in pleas- 

 ing variety all the lights and shadows of Brazilian life. In the fore- 

 ground of its various groupings stands out with pictorial effect, in his 

 singularly wild and picturesque costume, the tall Mineheiro (or inhabit- 

 ant of the mines) ; the magnificent outline of his gigantic figure is partly- 

 concealed by his dark-blue poncho, which descends in ample folds to his 

 heavily spurred heel ; his sable eyebrow shades an eye of fire ; and his 

 savage gloom of countenance, heightened by the raven curls and large 

 slouched hat, reminds the spectator of some dark creation of Salvator's 

 pencil. His mustachoed lip curls with derision as he turns his back on the 

 foreign trader, to whom he has just disposed of a parcel of uncut topazes 

 for a sum four times their value. Near to him are a party of Botocudo 

 Indians, staring at all around them with an air of savage wonder, their 

 distended ears resting on their shoulders, and mutilated lips presenting a 

 unique spectacle of disfigured humanity. Inhaling the evening breeze 

 in her richly gilded balcony is a dark-eyed daughter of Brazil; her 

 female attendants are directing her attention to the religious procession 

 issuing from the neighbouring church : but she heeds them not ; her 

 lustrous eye is fixed with ardent gaze on the martial figures of a party 

 of foreign officers of the guard lounging beneath her own door. Among 

 them you may distinguish the yellow-haired German, the fiery Italian, 

 the lively Frenchman, and haughty Briton, disjointed fragments of the 

 mighty hosts that formerly met in fierce conflict on the banks of the Bi- 

 dassoa, bivouacked amid the burning palaces of Moscow, or escaped the 

 horrid butchery of Leipsic, or the " king-making field" of Waterloo. 

 The fiery orb of day now descends with headlong speed into the lustrous 

 bosom of the western wave, 



" Not as in northern climes, obscurely bright, 

 But in one unclouded blaze of living light." 

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