9« 



MAMANGUAPE. 



plishment of what I was deemed incapable of per « 

 forming. I was cheered by my recollection of the 

 knowledge I had of the language, and by the 

 determination I felt within me of conforming to 

 the customs of the people, — of submitting to 

 their prejudices. I was not old enough to have 

 contracted any habits, too deep to be laid aside 

 when necessary. These thoughts were inter- 

 rupted by the cry of " Jezus," which was re- 

 peated every half minute in a dismal voice ; I 

 called to the guide, supposing it to proceed 

 from some person in distress ; he waked, and 1 

 told him what had made me call to him, — he 

 said, it was only some person helping another, 

 " a bem morrer" that is, that some dying per- 

 son, which I found was the usual custom, had 

 a friend to repeat the word " Jezus" until the 

 sufferer expired, that it might not be forgotten, 

 and, perhaps, to keep the devil off. 



I dined the following day at the village of 

 Mamanguape, situated upon the banks of a dry 

 river ; it is a thriving place. These more mo- 

 dern villages have been built in one long street 

 upon the road, the older ones in a square. It 

 had then about three hundred inhabitants ; but 

 I have since heard, that the number is more 

 than doubled, and that new houses are building. 

 The river can scarcely be reckoned of any 

 advantage to the village ; but the place forms 

 a convenient break between Goiana and Rio 



