■i 



16 



CONSUMPTION. 



the most part covered with wood ; and cottages 

 and mandioc lands are interspersed. The vil- 

 lage consists of one street, composed of small 

 dwellings. The inhabitants are mostly related 

 to each other, and the free persons are of mixed 

 blood* The clan is large, but there does not 

 reside here any wealthy white man ; they are a 

 quiet, inoffensive people. The old man at whose 

 house we staid whilst the neighbours assembled 

 to hear mass, was respected by all the rest ; he 

 had the management of all their weighty con- 

 cerns, as being the richest person of the place, 

 though even his property was small ; and as he 

 was connected in natural or religious relation- 

 ship with the major part of the inhabitants. 

 When the priest and I went into the house, we 

 found a large party sitting round a table and 

 playing at cards, which these persons continued 

 to do until the church-bell rang, and the priest 

 went out to prepare for saying mass. The ma- 

 jority of the people of all classes, excepting In- 

 dians, have a great propensity to gaming. 



There lived at this village formerly a poor 

 man who died of consumption, dragging on for 

 dome time a miserable existence. The opinion 

 is general in Pernambuco and other parts which 

 I visited, that consumption is contagious ; and 

 from this notion, any person so afflicted is im- 

 mediately separated from the rest of the family. 

 A hovel is erected at a distance from any habita- 

 tion, and the miserable patient is removed to itj 



