MULATTOS. 



213 



tance, and the woman is decidedly of dark 

 colour, for even a considerable tinge will pass 

 for white ; if the white man belongs to the lower 

 orders, the woman is not accounted as being 

 unequal to him in rank, unless she is nearly 

 black. The European adventurers often marry 

 in this manner, which generally occurs when 

 the woman has a dower. The rich mulatto 

 families are often glad to dispose of their daugh- 

 ters to these men, although the person who has 

 been fixed upon may be in indifferent circum- 

 stances ; for the colour of the children of their 

 daughters is bettered, and from the well-known 

 prudence and regularity of this set of men, a 

 large fortune may be hoped for even from 

 very small beginnings. Whilst I was at Jagua- 

 ribe, I was in the frequent habit of seeing a 

 handsome young man, who was a native of the 

 island of St. Michael's. This person happened 

 to be with me on one occasion when the com- 

 mandant from the Sertam was staying at my 

 house. The commandant asked him if he could 

 read and write, and being answered in the 

 negative, said, " Then you will not do," and 

 turning to me, added, " I have a commis- 

 sion from a friend of mine to take with me 

 back to the Sertam a good-looking young Por- 

 tuguese of regular habits, who can read and 

 write, for the purpose of marrying him to his 



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