84 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



and of our Lord ; there was also a large banner, repre- 

 senting Christ with outstretched arms in the act of blessing ; 

 then the image of the Virgin, followed by a number of tiny- 

 girls in white, with wreaths and veils ; then all the men 

 from the neighbourhood in four rows, walking in Indian 

 file. The priest closed the procession, dressed in a white 

 and gold cope, under a canopy carried by six men ; and 

 behind him came a huge mixed mass of women and children. 

 They passed twice through the village, from the cross at 

 one end to the cross at the other end, the church bells 

 making the most terrific din the whole time. 



For the last ten days it has been uninterruptedly 

 fine, cloudless, and grilling from lo a.m. to 4 p.m. (ther- 

 mometer 100° to 120° Fahr. in the sunshine), though, with 

 cool breezes, and very cold at night, the thermometer 

 going down to 36° or 37°. 



September 4. — Just before breakfast, an old nigger and 

 negress appeared grinning at the door of my tent, and 

 produced from a bag a fine "tatu" (armadillo), which they 

 requested me to accept. I took it with pleasure ; but, of 

 course, gave them some money, and also a nip of cachaga 

 to the old man. It is an invariable custom, when you go to 

 see any of the fazendeiros, for them to offer you a " matar 

 bicho " — literally, " kill the worm," that is, a nip of spirits. 

 And it is generally the second remark addressed to you 

 on riding along, when you stop at a house, the first greeting 

 being always " appeia," that is " alight." 



We had the armadillo for dinner. The flesh is white 

 and very delicate, but rich and preferable to pork. We also 

 added some more ortolans to our larder, and " nhambu," 

 a kind of grouse, with white flesh ; and " biscoitos de 

 polvilho," "broas" (cakes made from "fuba," or ground 

 maize), and " cara, " or yams. I may here mention the 



