Brazilians. 323 



virtues of their progenitors. As men they are generally- 

 inferior to the pure races, and as members of society they 

 are the worst class of citizens." Yet they display consid- 

 erable talent and enterprise, as in Quito; a proof that 

 mental degeneracy does not necessarily result from the 

 mixture of white with Indian blood. " There is, however," 

 confesses Bates, after ten years' experience, " a considera- 

 ble number of superlatively lazy, tricky, and sensual char- 

 acters among the half-castes, both in rural places and in 

 the towns." Our observations do not support the opinion 

 that the result of amalgamation is " a vague compound, 

 lacking character and expression." The moral part is per- 

 haps deteriorated ; but in tact and enterprise they often 

 excel their progenitors. 



Negroes are to be seen only on the Lower Amazon. By 

 the new act of emancipation, such as are slaves continue so, 

 but their children are free. Negroes born in the country 

 are called Creoles. 



Of the white population, save a handful of English, 

 French, and German, the Portuguese immigrants are the 

 most enterprising men on the river. They are willing to 

 work, trade, or do any thing to turn a penny. Those who 

 acquire a fortune generally retire to Lisbon. The Brazil- 

 ians proper are the descendants of the men who declared 

 themselves " free and independent " of the mother country. 

 Few of them are of pure Caucasian descent, for the immi- 

 gration fi'om Portugal for many years has been almost ex- 

 clusively of the male sex. " It is generally considered bad 

 taste in Brazil to boast purity of descent" (Bates, i, 241). 

 Brazilians are stiff and formal, yet courteous and lively, 

 communicative and hospitable, well-bred and intelligent. 

 They are not ambitious, but content to live and enjoy what 

 nature spontaneously offers. The most a Brazilian wants 

 is farina and coffee, a hammock and cigar. Brazilian la- 



