411 



R A S I L, 



e in- 

 ants. 



phy. 



A v \ss region of South America, extending from 

 the equator to the 33d degree of south latitudie, and 

 from the S5th to about the 56th degree of west 

 longitude from London. It is hounded on the north 

 by the river of the Amazons, which separates it from 

 Portuguese Guiana ; on the south by the Spanish 

 settlement of Buenos Ayres, which prevents it from 

 absolutely reaching the Rio de la Plata ; on the east 

 by the Atlantic Ocean; and on the west by the 

 Spanish back settlements of Peru and Paraguay, 

 from which it is separated by a rude and ill-adjusted 

 boundary. So far as can be calculated from its im- 

 perfectly defined limits, it is 'J:J(X) miles in length and 

 1500 in breadth. This vast region is endowed by 

 nature with the most exuberant fertility, and capable 

 y production hv winch the finest climates of 

 the world are adorned and enriched. Its forests 

 produce every variety of timber which can be em- 

 ployed either for ornament or use ; and the bowels 

 of the earth contain treasures more glittering, though 

 less truly valuable. Gold and diamonds, the first of 

 the metals and of the precious stones, are produced 

 more abundantly in Brasil than in any other region 

 of the world. 



Notwithstanding these vat capacities, however, 

 Brasil, when first visited by Europeans, was almost 

 a desert. Its vast plains were covered with impene- 

 trable woods ; and its subterraneous treasures were 

 known only by the grains of gold dust occasionally 

 washed down by the rivers. Over its wide extent 

 wandered a multitude of scattered tribes, without 

 agriculture, without arts, without government, and 

 exhibiting human society in almost the rudest of 

 possible forms. As it has always, however, been 

 considered by philosophers an interesting object to 

 trace the progress of man even in its earliest stages, 

 the condition and character of these nations have at- 

 tracted general attention, and may deserve to be ex- 

 hibited at some length. 



The physical constitution of the native Bras-Hans is 

 generally represented as excellent. Open air, continual 

 exercise without exhausting fatigue, and a simple 

 diet, preserve them from most of the diseases to 

 which Europeans are incident. Notwithstanding con- 

 tinual exposure to the sun, the colour of their skin 

 was not darker than that of the southern nations of 

 Europe. It was very rarely that persons are to be seen 

 among them with any bodily defect ; but this cir- 

 cumstance, which is common to most savage tribes, 

 may perhaps be accounted for in a way little flatter- 

 ing to their condition. The hardships and rapid 

 migrations to which they are liable, might be such as 

 persons originally infirm could not survive ; hence those 

 only whose constitution was originally sound and en- 

 tire, were enabled to arrive at the age of manhood. In 

 one respect, they were the rudest of all the American 

 tribes. They went without any clothing whatever, 

 even on those parts of the body which modesty most 

 required should be concealed. They removed also all 

 the hairs from their body, even those of the eye-brow 



and eye-lids, though the women retained that which Braiil. 

 grows on the head. To these habits they were so v ^~v~- 

 miK-h attached, that all the efforts of Europeans to 

 persuade them to make use of clothes, proved uni- 

 formly fruitless. Even those who had been taken 

 prisoners and employed in labour, though compelled 

 by severe whipping to put on some articles of Euro- 

 pean dress, never failed, as soon as they were set at 

 liberty for the evening, to throw them off as shackles, 

 and enjoy themselves for some time in their original 

 freedom. Although, however, they rejected all co- Oroa- 

 vering, they were not the less attentive to the embel- men '' 

 lishment of their persons. They painted their bodies 

 with various colours, and covered them with gro- 

 tesque ornaments of bone, shells, and feathers. The 

 men painted their whole body except the face black, 

 either for the purpose of concealment, or for render- 

 ing their appearance terrible to their enemies. Upon 

 this ground, however, they drew layers of various 

 ornamental colours. Among their favourite orna- 

 ments were necklaces and bracelets, made of bone or 

 polished wood, which hung down upon their shoul- 

 ders, and even their breast. War, or feasting, were 

 the two great occasions on which they arrayed them- 

 selves in all this splendour. 



This love pf dress, as is usual among nations com- 

 pletely savage, was chiefly conspicuous in the male 

 sex. The women, who were treated as inferior be- 

 ings, and on whom most of the labour was devolved, 

 had little opportunity or temptation to spend their 

 time in adorning themselves. They used, however, 

 the same species of ornaments as the men, with the 

 exception of plumes, which are peculiar to the lat- 

 ter ; and they shewed a peculiar avidity for every 

 thing out of which necklaces could be made. 



Their agriculture, though entirely rude, was how- Ac;: 

 ever, from the excellent fertility of the soil, sufficient turc. 

 to maintain them in abundance. The day's work of 

 one man is said often to have produced as much as 

 would Bupply him with food during the whole year. 

 The manioc, and other roots resembling it, were the 

 substances chiefly cultivated. These, after being 

 dried and reduced to powder, were boiled into a 

 thick substance, which, after being cooled and pre- 

 served, bore a great resemblance to bread. When 

 setting out on a war or hunting excursion, they boil- 

 ed it till it became hard, and could thus be kept fora 

 considerable time. All these offices fell to the lot of 

 the females ; and they too had the care of preparing 

 that fermented liquor in which these people were ac- 

 customed to indulge with the utmost avidity. The 

 preparation was made in a manner sufficiently dis- 

 gusting. After the roots had been softened by fire, 

 the women seated themselves round the pot, put the 

 different pieces successively in their mouth, chewed, 

 and then spit them into another vessel. This deli- 

 cious pulp was afterwards boiled a second time, anil 

 being poured into earthen vessels, speedily fermented, 

 and produced that liquor, which formed the principal 

 delight of savage banquets. 



