304 OUTDOOR STUDIES 
early warned that it was very well to learn his 
way about the streets, but far more essential to 
know the way to the brim of his hat. Every 
gentleman touches his hat to every lady, ac- 
quaintance or stranger, in street or balcony. 
So readily does one grow used to this, that I 
was astonished, for a moment, at the rudeness 
of some French officers, just landed from a fri- 
gate, who passed some ladies, friends of mine, 
without raising the hat. “ Are these,” I asked, 
“the polite Frenchmen of whom one reads?” 
—not reflecting that I myself should not have 
ventured on bowing to strange ladies in the 
same position, without special instruction in 
Portuguese courtesies. These little refinements 
became, indeed, very agreeable, only alloyed by 
the spirit of caste in which they were per- 
formed, — elbowing the peasant woman off the 
sidewalk for the sake of doffing the hat to the 
Baroness. I thought of the impartial courte- 
sies shown towards woman as woman in my 
own country, and the spread eagle within me 
flapped his pinions. Then I asked myself, 
“What if the woman were black?” and the 
eagle immediately closed his wings, and flapped 
no more. But I may add, that afterwards, 
attending dances among the peasants, I was 
surprised to see my graceful swains in humble 
life smoking and spitting in the presence of 
