CHAr. T. SOCIAL CONDITION OF PARA. 41 



Years of conciliatory government, the lesson learnt 

 by the native party and the moderation of the Portu- 

 guese, aided by the natural indolence and passive 

 goodness of the Paraenses of all classes and colours, were 

 only beginning to produce their good effects about the 

 time I am speaking of. Life, however, was now and had 

 been for some time quite safe throughout the country. 

 Some few of the worst characters had been transported or 

 imprisoned, and the remainder after being pardoned were 

 converted once more into quiet and peaceable citizens. 



I resided at Para nearly a year and a half altogether, 

 returning thither and making a stay of a few months 

 after each of my shorter excursions into the interior,* 

 until the 6th of November, 1851, when I started on my 

 long voyage to the Tapajos and the Upper Amazons, 

 which occupied me seven years and a half. I became 

 during this time tolerably familiar with the capital of 

 the Amazons region, and its inhabitants. Compared 

 with other Brazilian seaport towns, I was always told, 

 Para shone to great advantage. It was cleaner, the 

 suburbs were fresher, more rural and much pleasanter 

 on account of their verdure, shade, and magnificent 

 vegetation. The people were simpler, more peaceable 

 and friendly in their manners and dispositions, and 

 assassinations, which give the southern provinces so ill 

 a reputation, were almost unknown. At the same time 



* The following were the excursions alluded to :— Aug. 26 to Sept. 

 30, 1848, I Avent to the AiToyos cataracts on the Tocantins. Dec. 8, 

 1848, to Feb. 11, 1849, I visited Caripl on the Bahia of Marajo. June 

 8 to July 21, 1849, I visited Cameta and the lower part of the Tocan- 

 tins. Lastly, from Sept. 22, 1849, to AprH 19, 1851, I made a pre- 

 liminary voyage to Obydos, the Pdo Negro, and Ega. 



