338 



THE CHURCH. 



their heads, thus doubling their work. When the load was deposited, 

 the captain, who does no work himself unless his gang is pressed, arrays 

 them in military fashion, and marches them back for another load. 



For carrying barrels, or other bulky and heavy articles of merchan- 

 dise, there are trucks, drawn by oxen. 



Churches are large and abundant in Para. The cathedral is one of the 

 finest churches in Brazil. Its personnel, consisting of dignitaries, {digni- 

 dades,) canons, chorists, and other employes, numbers seventy-four. 



A large convent of the Jesuits, near the cathedral, having a very 

 ornate and pretty chapel attached, is now used as a bishop's palace, and 

 a theological seminary. The officers of the seminary are a rector, a 

 vice -rector, and six professors ; its students number one hundred and 

 fifteen ; its rental is about five thousand dollars, of which one thousand 

 is given from the provincial treasury ; and it teaches Latin, the lan- 

 guages, philosophy, theology, history, geography, and vocal and instru- 

 mental music. 



There are but two convents in Para — one of the order of St. Anthony, 

 and one of Shod Carmelites. 



I attended the celebration of the festival of the Holy Cross, in the 

 chapel of the convent of the Carmelites. There was a very large, well- 

 dressed congregation, and the church was redolent of the fragrance of 

 sweet-scented herbs, strewn upon the floor. There were no good 

 pictures in the church, but the candlesticks and other ornaments of the 

 altar were very massive and rich. In the insurrection of the Cabanos 

 the church property was spared ; but I am told that, though they have 

 preserved their ornaments, the priests have managed their property 

 injudiciously, and are not now so rich in slaves and real estate as 

 formerly. 



I imagine that the priesthood in Brazil, though quite as intelligent 

 and able as their brethren of Peru, have not so great an influence in 

 society here as there. This is seen in an anecdote told me of a rigid 

 Chefe de Policia, who forbid the clergy from burying one of their digni- 

 taries in the body of the church during the prevalence of the yellow 

 fever ; but compelled them, much against their will, to deposit the body 

 in the public cemetery, and accompanied the funeral procession on 

 horseback to see that his orders were obeyed. It is also seen in the fact 

 that the provincial assembly holds its sessions in a wing of the Carmelite 

 convent, and that a part of the church of the Merced is turned into a 

 custom-house and a barracks. 



There are forty-one public primary schools in the province, educating 

 one thousand and eighty-seven pupils. This gives a proportion of one 



