Paea. 261 



riod lose ten per cent, of their value, and ten per cent, for 

 each following month, until the value of the note is nil. 

 The result has been that many persons trading up the 

 river have lost heavily, and now demand hard money. 

 Change is very scarce in Para. 



The province of Para is governed by a president chosen 

 at Rio, and every four years sends representatives to the 

 Imperial Parliament. The Constitution of Brazil is very 

 liberal ; every householder, without distinction of race or 

 color, has a vote, and may work his way up to high posi- 

 tion. There are two drawbacks — the want of intelligence 

 and virtue in the people, and the immense staff of officials 

 employed to administer the government. There are also 

 many formalities which are not only useless, but a hin- 

 derance to prosperity. Thus, the internal trade of a prov- 

 ince carried on b}'^ Brazilian subjects is not exempt from 

 the passport system. A foreigner finds as much trouble 

 in getting his passport en regie in Para as in Vienna. The 

 religion of Para is Romish, and not so tolerant as in Rio. 

 We arrived during 2ifesta. (When did a traveler enter a 

 Portuguese town on any other than a feast day ?) That 

 night was made hideous with rockets, fire-crackers, camion, 

 and bells. "Music, noise, and fireworks," says Wallace, 

 " are the three essentials to please a Brazilian populace." 

 The most celebrated shrine in Northern Brazil is Our Lady 

 of Nazareth. The little chapel stands about a mile out of 

 the city, and is now rebuilding for the third time. The 

 image is a doll about the size of a girl ten years old, wear- 

 ing a silver crown and a dress of blue silk glittering with 

 golden stars. Hosts of miracles are attributed to Our 

 Lady, and we were shown votive offerings and models of 

 legs, arms, heads, etc., etc., the grateful in memoriam of 

 wonderful cures, besides a boat whose crew were saved by 

 invoking the protection of Mary. The facilities for edu- 



