6o A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



were met in the town by an old gentleman, who invited us 

 to stay with him. He took us home and introduced us to 

 his wife and two pretty daughters, who sat on a bench 

 opposite us while we were eating a vegetable dinner ; and 

 behind them was a group of giggling black servant-girls. 

 The old man meanwhile took his long knife from under his 

 arm and prepared a cigarette. I have not yet mentioned that 

 every man and boy carries a knife, with a blade from nine 

 to twelve inches long, in a case ; those who wear waistcoats 

 place it in the armhole, hanging inside the vest ; and those 

 who have none carry it in their belt. These knives are 

 very useful, and mine host, who keeps a general shop, 

 recommended me to buy one, saying it would do for any- 

 thing, from killing a pig to cutting bread and cheese, or 

 the palha (maize leaf) for a cigarette. The natives make 

 their cigarettes in milho straw, and they have always a 

 supply of the leaves which enclose the ear of the milho ; 

 these they scrape and cut into shape, and stow away, some- 

 times behind their ears, sometimes inside their hats, so 

 that they are ready at any moment to squat down, take 

 out a couple of inches of " twist " tobacco, cut it up, 

 " rub it out of the flake," and roll it up in a straw into a 

 cigarette. 



Our host, who is a capitao (captain) in the army, was 

 much excited about the railway, and longing for its con- 

 struction. He said that though now there is a fair export, 

 considering the dearness of transport, when the railway is 

 open the incentive to production will be much greater, and 

 the exports could be increased to any extent. The country 

 all round is very rich, and produces coffee, "sugar, cach- 

 aga, rice, milho, beans, came secca,* pigs, castor-oil, and 

 " farinha de mandioca," which are carried down to the rail- 

 * Sun-dried beef. 



