280 



BOOKS. 



one afternoon, when he was accosted by an old 

 woman, who said that she had heard of the ar- 

 rival of an Englishman, and wished to know if 

 it was true, as she was going to St. Luiz, and 

 much desired to see this bicho or animal. After 

 some further conversation upon the subject, he 

 told her that the bicho she was speaking to, was 

 the Englishman himself. Of the truth of this, 

 some difficulty was found in persuading her; but 

 when she was confident that it was so, she cried 

 out, " Ai tarn bonito," O, how handsome. She 

 expected to have been shown some horridly ugly 

 beast, which it was dangerous to approach, and 

 was consequently agreeably surprised to find that 

 she was mistaken, and to see flesh and blood in 

 human form, handsomely put together. 



I nearly lost a number of books which I had 

 brought with me ; the box containing them 

 was carried to the custom-house ; they were 

 taken out, and I was desired to translate each 

 title-page, which I did. Though the works 

 were chiefly historical, still I found that the 

 officer who looked over them, was not inclined 

 to let me have them, and a hint was given to 

 me by one of my acquaintance, that they might 

 be considered as irrecoverable; however I made 

 immediately a petition to the Governor, to be 

 allowed to send them on board again ; this was 

 granted, and thus I regained possession. If I 

 had delayed, I am almost certain that I should 



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