36 RIO DE JANEIRO CHAP. II 
with long, lank, black hair. As to their policy, or manner 
of living when at home, I could not learn anything. 
The military here consist of twelve regiments of 
regulars, six Portuguese and six Creoles, and as many of 
provincial militia, who may be assembled upon occasion. 
To the regulars the inhabitants show great deference, for as 
Mr. Forster told me, if any of the people did not pull off 
their hats when they meet an officer, he would immediately 
knock them down, which custom renders the people remark- 
ably civil to strangers who have at all a gentlemanlike 
appearance. All the officers of these regiments are expected 
to attend three times a day at “Sala” or the viceroy’s 
levée, where they formally ask for commands, and are 
constantly answered “there is nothing new.” This policy 
is intended, as I have been told, to prevent them from going 
into the country, which it most effectually does. 
Assassinations are, I fancy, more frequent here than in 
Lisbon, as the churches still take upon themselves to give 
protection to criminals. One accident of the kind happened 
in the sight of S. Evans, our coxswain, a man whom I can 
depend upon. He saw two people talking together, to all 
appearance in a friendly manner, when one suddenly drew 
a knife, stabbed the other twice, and ran away pursued by 
some negroes who likewise saw the act. What the further 
event of this was I could not learn. 
Of the country I know rather more than of the town, as 
I was ashore one whole day. In that time I saw much 
cleared ground, but chiefly of an indifferent quality, though 
doubtless there is much that is very good, as the sugar and 
tobacco which is sent to Europe from hence plainly testify ; 
but all that I saw was employed in breeding cattle, of which 
they have great plenty, though their pastures are the worst 
I ever saw on account of the shortness of the grass. Con- 
sequently the beef sold in the market, though tolerably 
cheap, is so lean that an Englishman can hardly eat it. I 
likewise saw great plantations of Jatropha Manihot, which is 
called in the West Indies Cassada, and here Farinha de Pao 
or wooden meal, a very proper name, for the cakes they make 
