2768. ROUND THE WORLD. 35 



sent to prison, though it should appear that he did 

 not know their extent. 



The inhabitants, which are very numerous, consist 

 of Portuguese, negroes, and Indians, the original 

 natives of the country. The township of Rio, which, 

 as I was told, is but a small part of the Capitanea, or 

 province, is said to contain 37,000 white persons, 

 and 629,000 blacks, many of whom are free ; making 

 together 666,000 in the proportion of seventeen to 

 one. The Indians, who are employed to do the King's 

 work in this neighbourhood, can scarcely be consi- 

 dered as inhabitants ; their residence is at a distance, 

 from whence they come by turns to their task, which 

 they are obliged to perform for a small pay. The 

 guard-boat was constantly rowed by these people, 

 who are of a light copper colour, and have long 

 black hair. 



The military establishment here consists of twelve 

 regiments of regular troops, six of which are Portu- 

 guese and six Creoles ; and twelve other regiments 

 of provincial militia. To the regulars the inhabit- 

 ants behave with the utmost humility and submission ; 

 and I was told, that if any of them should neglect to 

 take off his hat upon meeting an officer, he would 

 immediately be knocked down. These haughty seve- 

 rities render the people extremely civil to any stranger 

 who has the appearance of a gentleman. But the 

 subordination of the officers themselves to the Viceroy 

 is enforced with circumstances equally mortifying, 

 for they are obliged to attend in his hall three times 

 every day to ask his commands j the answer constantly 

 is, " There is nothing new." I have been told, that 

 this servile attendance is exacted to prevent their go- 

 ing into the country j and if so, it effectually answers 

 the purpose. 



It is, I believe, universally allowed, that the women, 

 both of the Spanish and Portuguese settlements in 

 South America, make less difficulty of granting per- 

 sonal favours, than those of any other civilized 



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