;i-;>^i«w:y*;: 



192 



THE INDIANS. 



lunate in this respect than any other race with 

 whom they were acquainted. All the Indians 

 of Pernambuco speak Portuguese, but few of 

 them pronounce it well ; there is always a cer- 

 tain twang which discovers the speaker to be an 

 Indian, although the voice was heard without 

 the person being seen ; many of them however 

 do not understand any other language. The 

 Indians seldom if ever speak Portuguese so well 

 as the generality of the Creole negroes. 



It must be perfectly understood, that although 

 there may be some unfair dealings occasionally 

 of the director towards the Indian, still this race 

 cannot be enslaved ; the Indian cannot be made 

 to work for any person against his inclination, 

 he cannot be bought and sold. An Indian will 

 sometimes make over his child, when very young, 

 to a rich person to be taught some trade, or to 

 be brought up as a household servant, but as 

 soon as the child is of an age to provide for 

 itself, it cannot be prevented from so doing ; it 

 may leave the person under whose care it has 

 been placed if it be so inclined. 



Two Indians presented themselves at the gate 

 of the Carmelite convent of Goiana, and re- 

 quested and were permitted to see the prior. 

 They put into his hands a purse containing 

 several gold coins, saying that they had found 

 it near Dous Rios ; they begged that he would 

 order a number of masses to be said in their 



