H2 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



for since I have been able to get that I am rapidly recover- 

 ing. This infliction was far worse than carrapatos, besides 

 being horribly disfiguring ; and my appearance, when I 

 came into town with both my hands bandaged up and in 

 slings, excited great compassion. 



January 25. I saw last night a fine comet, due west. 

 It set about 9.30 p.m. The weather has been magnificent 

 and cloudless the last two days, but beautifully cool in our 

 house only 78. 



February I. The townsfolk are very friendly, but 

 Sr. John Baptist is the most benevolent of all. A week 

 ago he sent, one morning very early, a large trayful of 

 cakes, biscuits, bread, and compote of apricots, with his 

 card, " begging forgiveness for such an insignificant 

 remembrance." 



I have already described our house. I must now say 

 a word or two about our garden, which is bounded by stone 

 walls on three sides, and on the fourth by a mass of huge 

 cacti (Cereus .$/>.) thirty feet high, now just coming into 

 flower. In it are some orange trees, and many coffee 

 shrubs (Coffea Arabica), which are now both in flower and 

 fruit, but are wild and uncared for. The walls are over- 

 hung by the huge leaves of a plantation of bananas (Musa) 

 in the next garden. 



A little further up on the other side of the road is a 

 very extensive house, but only of one story. According 

 to the invariable custom which obtains here with all the 

 larger habitations, a large shop or general store is the pro- 

 minent feature, with one or two public sitting-rooms out 

 of it. The house referred to belongs to Senhor Joaquim 

 Ribeiro de Oliveira. This gentleman has two or three 

 sons, two little girls, and a grown-up daughter, who is a 

 very accomplished musician. Senhor Ribeiro paid us a 



