1 68 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



so that he can hardly drag himself about, and the malady- 

 seems gradually extending to the other side. He is always 

 in pain, has the most awfully cadaverous face, with' sad 

 eyes, which glare at you from cavernous orbits ; he cannot 

 sit still a moment, but twists and contorts his face with the 

 most frightful grimaces, groans, and cries out, "Oh, my back ; 

 oh, my stomach, Santa Maria," etc. He has the greatest 

 objection to the railway, saying it will entirely destroy his 

 pig-breeding {criagdo de porcos). I tried to reason the 

 matter out with him, but he would not be convinced, and 

 insisted that the railway must be moved to the other side 

 of the valley, which is, he says, much the better situation 

 for it. As a matter of fact, however, that would be the 

 most inconvenient route imaginable. However, I said I 

 would see what could be done about altering the position 

 of the line somewhat. I also spoke about the matter to 

 the fiscal engineer, who has lately been here again. On 

 Sunday I visited Padre Pinto, and told him that I had 

 done all I could, and had arranged with the fiscal 

 engineer to see what alterations could be made in con- 

 struction, in case of my not being here. The poor padre 

 was greatly affected, and wept, and on my leaving sent 

 over his nephew with two bottles of vinho virgem for me. 

 He now wishes me to go in every day once or twice to take 

 coffee, and is becoming quite a nuisance by his well-meant 

 kindness. 



April 20. — This evening all the remaining members of 

 the staff came up to my house, and Bithell stayed on after 

 the others were gone. About midnight we heard a 

 party of serenaders outside ; they have been about for 

 the last two or three evenings, and last night the fiscal 

 engineer was with them. To-night their party included 

 the Public Prosecutor and two or three others. They came 



