Chap. Hi.] BRAZILIAN CONVICTS. 69 



plumage, and a bird which, from its appearance and song, I 

 took to be a thrush of some kind. Mice are extraordinarily 

 abundant, running about everywhere amongst the bushes. 

 Large butterflies seemed to be absent. I saw only a small 

 blue butterfly {Polyovunatus). A tomtom was being beaten as 

 a call for the convicts, which reminded me of the exactly 

 similar drumming which wearies one on coffee estates in Ceylon. 



On the slope of a hill opposite the fort is a square of open 

 space, roughly pitched with stones, at the top of which is the 

 governor's house, with a row of bread-fruit trees planted in 

 front of it. A black sentry was lolling in front of the house. 



I was told that there was a garrison of about 120 men on 

 the island, and that these, with a few ofificials, constituted the 

 entire non-convict population. There were said to be 1,400 

 convicts on the island. They are all let loose during the day- 

 time, the blacks being locked up at night whilst the whites are 

 allowed to live in their huts with their families, if they have 

 any. They have to answer a roll-call daily, and are flogged if 

 they fail. 



They are all criminals, political prisoners not being confined 

 here ; many of them are murderers, capital punishment not 

 being exacted in Brazil. They have, as a rule, a horribly 

 ruffianly appearance, especially the blacks, and being mostly 

 half naked they appear especially savage. 



All convicts are, however, not of this bestial type. Some 

 few are well educated, and do duty as waiters and interpreters 

 to the governor. The interpreter for the time being was a 

 most gentlemanly-looking fellow, and well dressed. He was 

 well informed, and spoke English and French well ; he was 

 most polite, and on the governor's producing coffee and cake, 

 took a cup with the rest. 



He told us that the ordinary punishment for a convict was 

 50 lashes, but that troublesome ones got as many as 500 lashes 

 delivered with a rod cut from one of the native trees. No one 

 had ever stood to receive more than 250 cuts. After that they 

 were supported by means of rests placed under the arms until 

 the flogging was complete. Then they were taken to the 

 hospital and never seen again. He had known a man receive 

 700 lashes. Two-thirds of the convicts had been flogged 

 during the last seven months. He said he himself had had 

 a misfortune and had got 64 years' imprisonment. He had 

 bought off 20 of these. He would like a Bible and some news- 

 papers. He would sooner die than be flogged. His statements 

 must be taken for what they are likely to be worth. 



The convicts receive a small pay, and are obliged to find 

 their own living. The black ones are obliged to work for ten 



