SLAVERY.— RELIGIOUS PROCESSIONS. 23 



attention of a strang'er is sure to be arrested by 

 g-ang-s of them heavily laden, proceeding" at a jog-- 

 trot; timing' their steps to a monotonous song" and 

 the noise of a tin rattle filled with stones, carried by 

 their leader. What their domestic condition and 

 treatment may be, I know not, but, among' the 

 slaves one sees out of doors, the frequency of iron 

 collars round the neck, and even masks of tin^ con- 

 cealing the lower part of the face, and secured be- 

 hind with a padlock, would seem to indicate extreme 

 brutahty in those capable of resorting to such means 

 of punishment. Yet these, I was told, were rare 

 exceptions, the Brazilians not being worse task- 

 masters than the people of other slave-holding' coun- 

 tries, — and such may be the case. 



Whatever he may think of the true state of reli- 

 gious feeling-, it soon becomes obvious to a stranger 

 that great care is taken to celebrate the numerous 

 festivals of the Church with all possible pomp and 

 splendour. One day I happened to encounter a 

 procession in honour of St. Januarius, the patron 

 saint of Rio. The number of ecclesiastics taking a 

 part amounted to several hundreds, and a body of 

 military brought up the rear. The streets and win- 

 dows were crowded with people in their holiday 

 costume, bands of music were plajdng, bells were 

 ringing, flowers were scattered about and showered 

 down from the houses. The profusion of tinsel and 

 embroidery was very great, and the balconies and 



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