Chap. VII. CACAO PLANTATIONS. 269 



banks of an interior channel. We were kindly received, 

 as is always the case when a stranger visits these out- 

 of-the-way habitations ; the people being invariably civil 

 and hospitable. We had a long chat, took coffee, and 

 on departing one of the daughters sent a basket full of 

 oranofes for our use down to the canoe. 



The cost of a cacao plantation in the Obydos district 

 is after the rate of 240 reis or sixpence per tree, which 

 is much higher than at Cameta, where I believe the 

 jdeld is not so great. The forest here is cleared before 

 planting, and the trees are grown in rows. The smaller 

 cultivators are all very poor. Labour is scarce ; one 

 family generally manages its own small plantation of 

 10,000 to 15,000 trees, but at the harvest time neigh- 

 bours assist each other. It appeared to me to be an 

 easy, pleasant life; the work is all done under shade, 

 and occupies only a few weeks in the year. The incor- 

 rigible nonchalance and laziness of the people alone 

 prevent them from surrounding themselves with all 

 the luxuries of a tropical country. They might plant 

 orchards of the choicest fruit-trees around their houses, 

 grow Indian corn, and rear cattle and hogs, as intelli- 

 gent settlers from Europe would certainly do, instead of 

 indolently relying solely on the produce of their small 

 plantations, and living on a meagre diet of fish and 

 farinha. In preparing the cacao they have not devised 

 any means of separating the seeds well from the pulp, 

 or drpng it in a systematic way ; the consequence is 

 that, although naturally of good quality, it moulds 

 before reaching the merchants' stores, and does not 

 fetch more than half the price of the same article 



