S2S 



BRAZILIAN PLANTER. 



being received at that place by one of the Capi- 

 tam-mor's sons, a young man of eighteen years 

 of age ; and we also saw the Capitam-mor's 

 interesting wife, who is likewise his niece ; she 

 was about fifteen years of age, he being about 

 forty-six. We slept there, and stopped at 

 Paulistas on the following day at noon, from 

 whence we proceeded to Recife on the evening 

 of the 6th February. 



I heard one of the sugar-planters bitterly com- 

 plaining of his poverty, and that his want of 

 hands to work his mill obliged him to give up 

 the cultivation of much of the best land of his 

 estate. Soon after he had uttered these com- 

 plaints, the conversation turned upon saddle- 

 horses and their trappings ; and he then told us 

 that he had lately purchased a new saddle and 

 bridle, which he wished us to see. These new 

 trappings were most superb affairs ; the saddle 

 was made of morocco leather and green velvet, 

 and silver headed nails and plates of the same 

 metal were profusely scattered and placed upon 

 all parts of this and of the bridle. He told us 

 that the whole had cost him four hundred mil 

 reis, about 110/. This sum of money would 

 have purchased four slaves. But the matter did 

 not end here, for he opened a drawer in which 

 were strewed several broken silver-spoons, spurs, 

 &c. and he said that he was collecting a suffi- 

 cient quantity of this metal for the purpose of 



