38 



PARA 



show that this cannot be the case, else why should one 

 sex only be richly ornamented, the other clad in plain 

 drab and gray ? Surely, rich plumage and song, like all 

 the other endowments of species, are given them for 

 their own pleasure and advantage. This, if true, ought 

 to enlarge our ideas of the inner life and mutual relations 

 of our humbler fellow creatures ! 



We at length emerged from the forest, on the banks 

 of the Una, near its mouth. It was here about one 

 hundred yards wide. The residence of Senhor Danin 

 stood on the opposite shore ; a large building, white- 

 washed and red-tiled as usual, raised on wooden piles 

 above the humid ground. The second story was the 

 part occupied by the family, and along it was an open 

 verandah where people, male and female, were at work. 

 Below were several negroes employed carrying clay on 

 their heads. We called out for a boat, and one of them 

 crossed over to fetch us. Senhor Danin received us 

 with the usual formal politeness of the Portuguese ; he 

 spoke English very well., and after we had arranged our 

 business we remained conversing with him on various 

 topics connected with the country. Like all employers 

 in this province he was full of one topic — the scarcity 

 of hands. It appeared that he had made great exertions 

 to introduce white labour but had failed, after having 

 brought numbers of men from Portugal and other countries 

 under engagement to work for him. They all left him 

 one by one soon after their arrival. The abundance of 

 unoccupied land, the liberty that exists, a state of things 

 produced by the half-wild canoe-life of the people, and 

 the ease with which a mere subsistence can be obtained 

 with moderate work, tempt even the best-disposed to 

 quit regular labour as soon as they can. He complained 

 also of the dearness of slaves, owing to the prohibition 

 of the African traffic, telling us that formerly a slave 

 could be bought for 120 dollars, whereas they are now 

 difficult to procure at 400 dollars. 



Mr. Danin told us that he had travelled in England 

 and the United States, and that he had now two sons 

 completing their education in those countries. I after- 

 wards met with many enterprising persons of Mr. Damn's 

 order, both Brazilians and Portuguese ; their great am- 

 bition is to make a voyage to Europe or North America, 

 and to send their sons to be educated there. The land 



