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PHI MMMH 



76 



RECRUITING. 



necessity. But many were the instances of in- 

 justice which were committed, and could not 

 reach his knowledge. Petitions were sometimes 

 made to the Governor, in particular instances of 

 injustice; but these were often of no avail, for 

 the custom is, that the recruits should be re- 

 turned as being fit for service as soon as possible 

 after their arrival at Recife, and their names 

 placed upon the rolls, from which none can be 

 removed without an order from the sovereign, 

 although the provincial governor should be aware 

 of the true state of the case. 



A young man of respectability was carried 

 before a certain capitam~mor, and the alternative 

 was proposed to him either to marry a young 

 woman whom he had never seen, but who 

 happened to be a burthen to those persons under 

 whose care she was placed, or to become a sol- 

 dier ; — he of course preferred the latter, was 

 sent to Recife, and was obliged to enlist. I 

 heard of many instances of young men being 

 pressed into the service, upon whose exertions 

 depended the support of their parents ; and of 

 others whose lives were spent in idleness, but to 

 whom the protection of the captain was ex- 

 tended; and some of these were unlawfully 

 employed in apprehending others. I was in the 

 daily habit of seeing a young man who led an 

 idle life, and who had no duties to perforin, 

 lying in wait for some of his former com- 



