RIO JANEIRO. 47 



comfort, and not only an annoyance and inconvenience to the inhabi- 

 tants themselves, but is shared by the stranger in passing through the 

 streets. 



We of course saw all that was to be seen in Rio. The churches 

 claimed our first attention. They are richly decorated in the interior, 

 with massive gold and silver ornaments, and at this time glittering 

 w T ith gems and precious stones. On some of the altars of the saints it 

 is the practice to suspend the diseased parts of the body in wax, in 

 honour of the cure supposed to have been effected by the saints' inter- 

 cession. The sight of these is truly disgusting, although they are far 

 from being well executed. The chapel of St. Cecilia was visited on 

 the saint's day, 25th November. The music was very fine, from a 

 large choir, consisting, besides the organ, of flutes, hautboys, horns, 

 and basses of all kinds, with about ten vocalists, two of whom were 

 eunuchs, about seventy years of age. The music consisted of selec- 

 tions from the best masters. The performers were about seventy in 

 number. The steps of the church and the street were strewed on this 

 occasion with orange-leaves. A number of females present were 

 seated on the floor of the church, dressed in black, with white lace 

 shawls, and wreaths of flowers round their heads. Fireworks, as 

 usual in such ceremonies, were set off in front of the church at the 

 beginning and end of the service. 



The Misericordia has now become much out of repair, and I 

 understood had fallen off in its charitable usefulness, but it still shows 

 the remains of its former splendour. Few monks were seen about, 

 and dead bodies were laid out in the Green House. At the time we 

 visited it there were eight, the greater part of whom were negroes. A 

 monk was seen saying a hasty prayer over the bodies, which were at 

 once thrown into the trench, when they were sprinkled with lime, 

 placing one layer over the other, until the hole, about six feet square 

 and as many deep, is filled or level with the surface. After one of the 

 trenches is filled, another is dug by the side of it. The crowded state of 

 this place of interment is but too evident from the number of skulls and 

 bones lying about, some still with portions of flesh adhering to them. 



On the same evening, whilst this scene was still fresh in our minds, 

 and as if in strong contrast with it, we met the funeral of a person of 

 distinction. A black hearse, ornamented with black plumes, was 

 drawn by mules. The driver had a cocked-hat and black plume. 

 The coffin was covered with a scarlet pall ornamented with silver. 

 About twenty altar-boys, in their church dress, preceded the hearse, 

 which was surrounded by about the same number of black servants, 



