LETTERS FROM BRAZIL 89 



quets I had used to come and sit on my hand, and 

 wanted to nibble my ring with their Httle sharp beaks. 

 But I had to drive them away and say, "No, no, httle 

 Polly, Louis made me that, and I can't have you break 

 it." So then they used to fly away and find something 

 else to nibble. This interesting nursery tale is for him 

 and not for you. 



TO MRS. THOMAS G. GARY 



Manaos, November 18 

 I HAVE come to the conclusion that the Brazilians do 

 not know either how to work or play. They have not 

 that activity which makes hfe a restless force with 

 us and gives it interest, neither have they that love 

 of amusement that gives zest to the life of the Euro- 

 peans. I have been several times to make calls here 

 with the Barras, and so stately and solemn an occa- 

 sion you cannot imagine, though they are perfectly 

 familiar with the people we go to see. I feel as if they 

 were all tongue-tied, and stumble about in my poor 

 Portuguese simply because I feel the silence so oppres- 

 sive that I must break it or get up and run out of the 

 house. One of the habits here is to send word before- 

 hand when you 're going to make a call ; this is in order 

 that the lady of the house may have time to put up 

 her hair and to put on her gown, which she never does, 

 so far as I can find out except when company comes. If 

 I could only command Portuguese enough, I think I 

 should call all these unconscious sufferers together 

 and tell them what benighted, colorless, crippled lives 



