2.20 THE LIFE OF 



pure water, that their linen is white beyond al! 

 imagination. 



,y The hofpitality of the Rio-grandians far exceeds 

 all I ever faw in any other part of the world ; 

 they are not contented with the cool civility 

 which is dignified with the name of hofpitality 

 in other countries; they court the fociety of 

 ftrangrers, merely for the fake of heaping bene- 

 iits upon thern, and they are ever upon the 

 watch for opportunities to do fervice to all that 

 approach their dwellings. I have already faid 

 a {tw words on the manner in which the officers 

 were treated, but Brazilian hofpitality flopt not 

 here; the inhabitants followed the very foldicrs 

 in the flreets, giving them" invitations to their 

 houfes, and prefling favours upon them. How 

 the foldiers returned thefe acfts of lyindnefs will 

 be feen hereafter. 



Befides the regular forces, the whole males 

 are enrolled in the militia, and form, if not per- 

 haps the befl difciplined, by far the beft dreffed 

 corps in the world ; their wailTcoats and 

 breeches are generally filk, as are the linings of 

 their coats ; thefe, with the exceflive whitenefs 

 and cleannefs of their linen, render their ap-, 

 pearance truly elegant. 



The orderly and civilized manners of this 

 elegant corps formed a ftriking contrafl: to the 

 pthavjour of our Britifh foldiers (two Serjeants, 



twq 



