ass 



MERCHANTS. 



her, and she accompanied her mother to theii 

 party, where most probably play was likewise 

 the entertainment of the evening. Dancing is an 

 amusement much too violent for the climate, and 

 is only resorted to on some grand occasion. The 

 love of gaming may be easily accounted for 

 where there is little or no taste for reading, and 

 great sums of money are amassed without any 

 means of expending them. Living is cheap ; a 

 fine house, a carriage, and a number of servants 

 may be had for a small sum. The opening of 

 the trade has however given to these people a 

 new turn of expenditure, in the facility oi' ob- 

 taining articles of dress and furniture. 



Two English merchants only were established 

 at St. Luiz ; the commercial transactions of 

 British houses of trade were intrusted chiefly 

 to Portuguese merchants of the place. * Many 

 of these were accustomed to little cferemony, 

 and walked the streets in short jackets, some of 

 them were without neckcloths and a few without 

 stockings ; but others dressed according to the 

 manner of persons in Europe. It was with much 

 difficulty that I could persuade the generality 

 of those with whom I conversed that I had no 

 business to transact ; they could not comprehend 

 the motive by which a man could be actuated 

 who was putting himself, by travelling, to certain 

 inconveniences for the sake of amusement ; in- 

 deed many persons would not be convinced, and 



* A British consul has since been appointed to Maranham. 



