46 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



in town, though there was ■ really very little to be done. 

 This has prevented my taking any excursions, but I have 

 wandered about the town a good deal, and am beginning to 

 find my way more comfortably. My course of proceeding 

 for the last week has been as follows : rise at 7, coffee ; 

 breakfast at 8 — this occupies an hour — consisting of two 

 dozen oysters, rognons sauUs, beefsteak d. la bordelaise, 

 omelette, bottle of red wine, guayabd (guava marmalade) 

 and bananas, coffee ; then a smoke and letters. Out from 

 10 to 5 ; dinner at 5.30 or 6 — soup, fish, entremet, roti, 

 bananas, and coffee ; then a little stroll, back about 7.30, 

 write business letters, and generally to bed about 8.30. 

 Am roused two or three times during the night by 

 mosquitos or fleas. 



One evening I went to the Theatro Imperial de Dom 

 Pedro II., the finest theatre in Rio, and a really splendid 

 building, to see a new piece lately brought over from Italy, 

 and produced under the superintendence of the author ; 

 it is now creating a great sensation here, and is called 

 " Excelsior.'' It is, in fact, the only true pantomime I have 

 ever seen, as it is entirely in dumbshow. The mise en scene 

 is excellent, the scenery, dresses, etc., superb, and the acting 

 defies criticism. It is supposed to represent the progress 

 of invention and discovery, the fairy Science triumpJiing 

 over the demons of Ignorance, and is a series of splendidly 

 arranged tableaux.* 



The chief fault I have to find with the theatres here is 

 the very long time between the acts, twenty minutes or 

 even longer, when every one goes out and smokes on the 

 balconies in the cool night air; but this results in pro- 

 tracting the entertainment till past midnight. 



* "Excelsior" was produced at the Haymarket Theatre in London, 1885, 

 and was a great succe.';?. 



