

SLAVERY. 



24-9 



stop to, and the country was subject to pesti- 

 lential complaints, the town would not be habit- 

 able. 



In the day-time some of the streets of Recife 

 are in part lined with these miserable beings, 

 who are lying or sitting promiscuously upon the 

 footpath, sometimes to the number of two or 

 three hundred. The males wear a small piece 

 of blue cloth round their waists, which is drawn 

 between the legs and fastened behind ; the fe- 

 males are allowed a larger piece of cloth, which 

 is worn as a petticoat ; and sometimes a second 

 portion is given to them, for the purpose of 

 covering the upper parts of the body. The 

 stench which is created by these assemblages is 

 almost intolerable to one who is unaccustomed 

 to their vicinity ; and the sight of them, good 

 God ! is horrid beyond any thing. These people 

 do not, however, seem to feel their situation, 

 any farther than that it is uncomfortable. Their 

 food consists of salt meat, the flour of the man- 

 dioc, beans, and plantains occasionally; the 

 victuals for each day are cooked in the middle 

 of the street in an enormous caldron. At night 

 they are driven into one or more warehouses, 

 and a driver stands to count them as they pass ; 

 they are locked in, and the door is again opened 

 at day-break on the following morning. The 

 wish of these wretched creatures to escape from 

 this state of inaction and discomfort is mani- 



