- LIFE IN ENTRE RIOS, MINAS GERAES. 147 



placed a candle, sometimes in a candlestick, oftener 

 propped up against some support ; the letters and news- 

 papers are then portioned out into several heaps for the 

 principal people in the town, the remainder for nonentities 

 placed together in a bundle, those which have again to be 

 sent off to different places are placed apart. Then every 

 one seizes his own parcel. Confusion, as may be surmised, 

 often occurs.* 



I bought to-day a sixpenny bottle of Pink's Oxford 

 and Cambridge Sauce, for 1280 reis, that is about 2s. \\d.\ 

 I wanted Worcester, but could not get it. Some sauce 

 is really needed to help to disguise the bad cooking. 



Our cook always goes home soon after dinner. To-night 

 she and her children went out, extending their hands as 

 usual, asking for our blessing, while we were listening to 

 the delightful music of " Semiramide," followed by " Ecoutez 

 moi," and other choice pieces, from the piano of the pleasant 

 and talented young lady over the way. 



The Feast of the Purification (Candlemas Day, Feb- 

 ruary 2) was a grand " festa " here. The town was filled 

 with gay throngs, and the church bells kept ringing the 

 whole day. In the evening there was a great " bailie," or 

 ball, to which some of the staff went. It was kept up till 

 midnight. 



Our office is in the chiefs house, some five minutes' 

 walk down the street. It has a large garden, in which are 

 many apricot trees, now borne down by the weight of their 

 fruit ; but, as usual, the trees are practically wild, no care 

 is ever bestowed upon them, and it is hardly possible to 

 pick off an apricot that has not, at least, one worm or 



* Owing to our remonstrances, and after writing a letter to the head office 

 at Rio de Janeiro, a slight amelioration was eventually effected, and at least 

 the incoming letters were marked with the dated office stamp, which, before 

 our protest, was as a rule dispensed with. 



