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 29th. 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- 



