CiiAP. III. FESTIVAL OF CORPUS CHRISTI. 91 



trees, and beyond it, over the illuminated houses, appear 

 the thick gi'oves of mangoes near the suburban avenues, 

 from which comes the perpetual ringing din of insect life. 

 The soft tropical moonlight lends a wonderful charm to 

 the whole. The inhabitants are all out, dressed in their 

 best. The upper classes, who come to enjoy the fine 

 evening and the general cheerfulness, are seated on 

 chairs around the doors of friendly houses. There is no 

 boisterous conviviality, but a quiet enjoyment seems to 

 be felt every^vhere, and a gentle courtesy rules amongst 

 all classes and colours. I have seen a splendidly-dressed 

 colonel, from the President's palace, walk up to a 

 mulatto, and politely ask his permission to take a light 

 from his cigar. When the service is over, the church 

 bells are set rins^inof-, a shower of rockets mounts 

 upwards, the bands strike up, and parties of coloured 

 people in the booths begin their dances. About ten 

 o'clock the Brazilian national air is played, and all 

 disperse quietly and soberly to their homes. 



At the festival of Corpus Christi there was a very 

 pretty an-angement. The large green square of the 

 Trinidade was lighted up all round with bonfires. On 

 one side a fine pavilion was erected, the upright posts 

 consisting of real fan-leaved palm trees — the Mauritia 

 flexuosa, which had been brought from the forest, stems 

 and heads entire, and fixed in the ground. The booth 

 was illuminated with coloured lamps, and lined with 

 red and white cloth. In it were seated the ladies, not 

 all of pure Caucasian blood, but presenting a fine sample 

 of Para beauty and fashion. 



The o^randest of all these festivals is that held in 



