Chap. II. SCARCITY OF LABOUR. 57 



creatures is given to please the human eye. A Kttle 

 observation and reflection show that this cannot be the 

 case, else why should one sex only be richly orna- 

 mented, the other clad in plain drab and gi'ay ? Surely, 

 rich plumage and song, like all the other endowments 

 of species, are given them for their own pleasure and 

 advantage. This, if true, ought to enlarge our ideas of 

 the inner life and mutual relations of our humbler 

 fellow creatures ! 



We at length emerged from the forest, on the banks 

 of the Una, near its mouth. It was here about one 

 hundred yards wide. The residence of Senhor Danin 

 stood on the opposite shore ; a large building, white- 

 washed and red-tiled as usual, raised on wooden piles 

 above the humid ground. The second story was the 

 part occupied by the family, and along it was an open 

 verandah where people, male and female, were at work. 

 Below were several negToes employed carrying clay on 

 their heads. We called out for a boat, and one of them 

 crossed over to fetch us. Senhor Danin received us 

 Avith the usual formal politeness of the Portuguese ; he 

 spoke Enghsh very well, and after we had an-anged our 

 business we remained conversing with him on various 

 topics connected with the country. Like all employers 

 in this province he was full of one topic — the scarcity 

 of hands. It appeared that he had made gi'eat exer- 

 tions to introduce white labour but had failed, after 

 having brought numbers of men from Portugal and 

 other countries under engagement to work for him. 

 They all left him one by one soon after their arrival. 

 The abundance of unoccupied land, the liberty that 



