NEGRO BROTHERHOOD. 



383 



I gained my object of renting the lands through 

 the interest of some persons who were intimately 

 acquainted with the principal officers of the 

 brotherhood. I attended at the council-table 

 of these black directors, and heard the argu- 

 ments for and against the policy of placing the 

 whole of the property in the hands of one per- 

 son ; however the matter was decided as soon 

 as one of them rose up, and reminded the rest 

 that the community was in debt, and that the 

 new tenant was prepared with one year's rent 

 in advance. All objection was silenced by this 

 speech, and the papers were signed without any 

 farther remark. The black gentlemen came 

 down to Jaguaribe to put me in possession of 

 the lands. I had invited several of my friends 

 on this occasion, and blacks and whites all sat 

 down and ate together ; the health of our Lady 

 of the Rosary was drank first ; then that of the 

 chief of the brotherhood and of the new tenant. 

 These fellows amused us much ; for their polite- 

 ness to each other, and to the white persons who 

 were present sat awkwardly upon them ; but 

 was displayed to show the importance which they 

 imagined themselves to possess. The Jiriz or 

 chief of the brotherhood was a shoe-maker at 

 Olinda, and the rest were of the same rank in 

 life, more or less. 



Possession was given to me, and every thing 

 unpleasant seemed to have subsided ; when one 





