LIFE IN ENTRE RIOS, MINAS GERAES. 147 



placed a candle, sometimes in a candlestick, oftener 

 propped up against some support ; the letters and news- 

 papers are then portioned out into several heaps for the 

 principal people in the town, the remainder for nonentities 

 placed together in a bundle, those which have again to be 

 sent off to different places are placed apart. Then every 

 one seizes his own parcel. Confusion, as may be surmised, 

 often occurs.* 



I bought to-day a sixpenny bottle of Pink's Oxford 

 and Cambridge Sauce, for 1280 reis, that is about 2s. \\d.\ 

 I wanted Worcester, but could not get it. Some sauce 

 is really needed to help to disguise the bad cooking. 



Our cook always goes home soon after dinner. To-night 

 she and her children went out, extending their hands as 

 usual, asking for our blessing, while we were listening to 

 the delightful music of " Semiramide," followed by " Ecoutez 

 moi," and other choice pieces, from the piano of the pleasant 

 and talented young lady over the way. 



The Feast of the Purification (Candlemas Day, Feb- 

 ruary 2) was a grand " festa " here. The town was filled 

 with gay throngs, and the church bells kept ringing the 

 whole day. In the evening there was a great " bailie," or 

 ball, to which some of the staff went. It was kept up till 

 midnight. 



Our office is in the chief's house, some five minutes' 

 walk down the street. It has a large garden, in which are 

 many apricot trees, now borne down by the weight of their 

 fruit ; but, as usual, the trees are practically wild, no care 

 is ever bestowed upon them, and it is hardly possible to 

 pick off an apricot that has not, at least, one worm or 



* Owing to our remonstrances, and after writing a letter to the head office 

 at Rio de Janeiro, a, slight amelioration was eventually effected, and at least 

 the incoming letters were marked with the dated office stamp, which, before 

 our protest, was as a rule dispensed with. 



