MULATTO MARRIAGE. 



369 



for a few days after her death, unsettled ; the 

 rude instruments upon which they were in the 

 habit of playing in the evening at their doors, 

 were laid aside ; — all merriment was disconti- 

 nued for some time. 



I was requested about this period to be bride's- 

 man at the marriage of a mulatto couple. I 

 agreed, and on the day appointed, set forth for 

 Paratibi, accompanied by a free servant and a 

 slave on horseback. I arrived about ten o'clock, 

 and found a large party of people of colour 

 assembled ; the priest soon arrived, and he too 

 was of the same cast. Breakfast of meat and 

 piram (a paste made offarinha) was placed upon 

 the table ; some part of the company sat down 

 and ate, others stood, doing the same, and 

 others again, as if they were afraid of losing a 

 minute's conversation, continued to talk loudly, 

 and without ceasing. I have witnessed few such 

 scenes of confusion. At last we proceeded to 

 the church, to which I begged to be permitted 

 to ride, for the distance was considerable, and I 

 was somewhat lame from an accident ; as soon 

 as the ceremony was over, we returned to the 

 house. The bride was of a dark brown colour, 

 for her father was a negro, and her mother of 

 mixed blood ; she was dressed in a rose-coloured 

 silk gown, and a black veil was thrown over her 

 head and shoulders ; she wore white shoes and 

 white stockings with open clocks. The bride- 



VOL. I. BB 



