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368 



DEATH OF A FEMALE SLAVE. 



to offer, but he would have dressed some fish, 

 and he gave us some wild fruits. The sail of a 

 jangada was extended for us, and we laid down 

 for some time to converse. At a late hour we 

 set off" homewards, and from carelessness lost 

 our way ; we wandered through the paths of 

 the woods of Maranguape, until we judged 

 (rightly, as it happened) that we were ia the 

 road which would lead us to Jaguaribe. There 

 was much merriment notwithstanding the dis- 

 aster, for we knew that day-light would end our 

 difficulties, and it was now past two o'clock. 



The mill was continually at work ; I usually 

 took the first watch, and superintended the 

 business until midnight ; several of my neigh- 

 bours and their families came to amuse them- 

 selves in conversation, and others came for the 

 purpose of eating sugar-cane, of which every 

 one who has tasted must be fond. 



About this time a female slave died in child- 

 bed who was generally regretted. She was a 

 good servant, and an excellent wife and mother. 

 The grief of her husband bore much the appear- 

 ance of insanity ; he would not cat until the 

 following day, and then he only tasted food 

 from the persuasion of one of his children. 

 Until the time of my departure from Pernam- 

 buco, he had not recovered his former spirits, 

 and he never spoke of his wife without tears in 

 his eyes. Even some of the other slaves were, 



