98 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 



and crowded with spectators. First in order came the 

 religious part of the procession ; a long array of priests 

 and church officials carrying lighted candles, pyramids of 

 flowers, banners, &c. Then came the host, under a canopy 

 of white satin and gold, supported by massive staffs ; the 

 bearers were the highest dignitaries of the land, first 

 among them being the Emperor himself and his son-in- 

 law, the Duke of Saxe. In strange contrast with these 

 solemnities was the stuffed equestrian figure of St. George, 

 a huge, unwieldy shape on horseback, preceded and followed 

 by riders almost as grotesque as himself. With him came a 

 number of orders resembling, if not the same as, the Free- 

 Masons, the Odd Fellows, and like societies. The better 

 educated Brazilians speak of this procession as an old 

 legacy from Portugal, which has lost its significance for 

 them, and which they would gladly see pass out of use, as 

 it is already out of date. 



This evening Mr. Agassiz gave the closing lecture of his 

 course. It is to be followed next week by a lecture from 

 Dr. Capanema, the Brazilian geologist, and there will be 

 an attempt made to organize courses of public lectures on 

 the same plan hereafter. Our numbers are gradually di 

 minishing. Last week the party for the interior, consisting 

 of Messrs. St. John, Allen, Ward, and Sceva, started, and 

 Messrs. Hartt and Copeland leave in a day or two to under 

 take an exploration of the coast between the Parahyba do 

 Sul and Bahia. 



June 30th. On the 21st we left Rio on our way to 

 the pXiSliEcp^Qf^Minas Geraes, where we were to pass a 

 week at the coffee fazenda of Senhor Lage, who received 

 us so courteously on our former visit to Juiz de Fora, 

 and who was so influential in projecting and carrying out 



