64 Zerao's Memoir relative to the 



their occupations for the more easy means of obtaining sub- 

 sistance, by petty mercantile transactions; the abuse of thifr 

 custom brings with it other evils, which shall be noticed. 

 Hence it is that each family is obliged to employ slaves who 

 work extremely ill in their different crafts of smiths, carpen- 

 ters, goldsmiths, &c. &c, besides the necessary tools for such 

 occupations. The causes of the indolence, ignorance, and 

 inactivity, which are so prevalent, arise from the abuse of 

 commerce; and in a still greater degree, from a faulty public 

 education. The inhabitants of a warm and debilitating coun- 

 try, whilst they can find easier means of subsistance, will 

 never be roused to bodily or mental exertion. 



All the inhabitants of the Rios de Senna, live by the 

 interior commerce, and the fruits ill or well cultivated on 

 their lands by the natives. The mercantile transactions are 

 entirely carried on by slaves belonging to the inhabitants, 

 who have acquired a knowledge of the country, they are 

 called Massambazes; and go forth every year attended by 

 other slaves as carriers of goods proper for the trade, and in due 

 time they return with gold, ivory, and slaves ; others, be- 

 sides this commerce, keep a number of slaves employed in 

 the mines, which yield them gold at a trifling expense. 

 The indolent and inactive lord (senhor) whose business 

 requires neither a speculation, nor even a combination of 

 ideas, passes his days either in sleeping, smoaking, or drink- 

 ing tea, or if by any chance he should sally forth from his 

 house, it is at sun-rise, when he offers a ridiculous spectacle 

 of fastidious state, and indolent stupidity, being swung in a 

 hammock (machila) which is carried by four miserable slaves. 

 The abundance and cheapness of provisions enables the infe- 

 rior classes, without either funds or means of their own, to 

 subsist in perfect idleness, following up the same kind of 

 traffic, in which they are willingly assisted by people who 

 are ready to lend goods of every kind on credit. Such trades- 

 people as are banished, or come from Europe to seek their 

 fortunes, instantly abandon their former occupations for 

 commercial undertakings, and follow at a venture in the 

 same track ; the liberality of the inhabitants encouraging an 

 idleness at once fatal to their own and the public welfare ; 

 continuing, moreover, as they still do, to practise the same 

 criminal vice which caused their banishment. Such is the 

 manner in which commerce is here abused, and the slow 

 progress of agriculture marks its bad effects ; totally adverse, 

 as it is, to energy or persevering care, or the rendering of 

 superior intelligence and combined ideas of any sort of value. 



A good education can alone eradicate these mistaken no- 

 tions, and instil other and better ones into the minds of the 

 people ; but for this we may seek in vain, throughout th« 



