THE CONVICT-ISLAND OF BRAZIL. 39 



a lonely, desolate, and forbidding place. A phrase in common use 

 among the inhabitants of that island expresses better than any- 

 thing else conld the general feeling of the prisoners in regard to 

 their isolation and separation from all that is interesting and 

 attractive to them on earth. For them, and in their minds, the 

 earth is divided into two parts, one of which — that inhabited by 

 themselves — is known as Fernando, the other part is known and 

 usually spoken of as " the world." This term was in constant use, 

 and I frequently heard among them such expressions as these : 

 " When I was in the world/' " This came from the world." 



It is often asked whether there was not great danger in trust- 

 ing one's self with men so many of whom were known to be des- 

 perate characters. This question can not be answered for every 

 one at the same time, because whether there would be danger 

 would depend almost entirely upon how one conducted himself. 

 The commandant was so solicitous regarding my personal safety, 

 when I first began my work on the island, that he wished to send 

 an escort of soldiers with me in order to secure me against pos- 

 sible danger, and it was with difficulty that I persuaded him to 

 allow me to dispense with such cumbersome attendance. 



When working in parts of the island remote from the village I 

 sometimes found it necessary to pass the night in the huts of the 

 convicts. At such times I was never treated otherwise than with 

 respect by them, and I never had the least reason to feel disturbed 

 about my personal security. One day, when alone in my room in 

 the house of the commandant, a tall mulatto came to the door and 

 handed me a begging letter, written in very poor Portuguese. In 

 this letter he called himself my "afflicted fellow-countryman." 

 Addressing him in English, I found that he had been an Ameri- 

 can sailor, and was here for murder. As he seemed eager to 

 be in my service, I employed him ; but, when I informed the 

 commandant of the arrangement, he endeavored to dissuade me 

 from having him about me, assuring me that he was the most un- 

 conscionable, incorrigible criminal in the entire settlement. In 

 spite of these protests, I took my " fellow-countryman " with me, 

 and for three days his services gave entire satisfaction. At the 

 end of that time he was discharged for the only impoliteness 

 shown me during my stay upon the island. 



Abandoned and unscrupulous as so many of the convicts were, 

 I found them susceptible to the ameliorating influences of fair 

 wages and reasonable treatment — a susceptibility due to some ex- 

 tent, perhaps, to the general absence of considerate treatment in 

 their present lives — and when I left Fernando some of those whom 

 I had employed manifested their good- will toward me in a way of 

 their own. On the morning upon which the steamer was to sail 

 for Pernambuco, my collections and baggage had all, as I thought, 



