96 A NATURALIST ON THE " CHALLENGER." 



friend, as we rode up a long street to the other end of the town. 

 Here is an open common-like space surrounded by houses, which 

 serves as tobacco and cattle market. We stopped at an inn close 

 to the market. 



The inn was a one-storied house, consisting of an eating room 

 fronting the street, and two sleeping rooms, and a kitchen behind. 

 The eating room had large windows with jalousies, but no glass, 

 looking out upon the market. It had a cement floor, a trestle 

 table at one end for eating on, a small table opposite with a red 

 curtained box upon it, containing the household gods, the Virgin 

 in plaster, and Sta. Antoinetta in china, and a half round table 

 with an inkstand for the use of those customers who could write. 



The host, an old Brazilian, greeted us with great politeness, 

 and we bowed according to custom to the assembled guests. 

 The company consisted of about half-a-dozen cattle dealers, who 

 were in animated discussion concerning the prices of stock. 

 One of them, who was quite black, was evidently the sharpest of 

 the lot, and a wag. Presently there came in a dirty coarse- 

 looking grey-haired man with a black skull-cap on; he wore a 

 dilapidated black garment something like an Inverness cape. 

 He was chief vicar of the town ; he was in considerable excite- 

 ment, and addressed himself to the black cattle dealer, who 

 produced a letter for him. 



The reverend gentleman had not got his spectacles with him, 

 so the host proceeded to spell out the letter aloud. It appeared 

 that the vicar did a bit of general trading, and had sent some 

 horses, mules, and slaves to a neighbouring fair, in hopes of a 

 good price. The letter was to inform him that he had made a 

 bad speculation, and that no buyer had been found. The vicar 

 was in a great rage, and made an excited oration about the 

 hardships of his position and terrible depreciation in the value 

 of slaves, and left. He was said to receive £60 per annum as 

 stipend and fees in addition. 



We had some excellent fresh beef for dinner, fried in small 

 pieces with garlic and potatoes and carrots, and with it farinha, 

 the coarse meal made from cassava root, the fine siftings from 

 which are tapioca. The farinha is universally used here, and is 

 very good with gravy. 



