EDUCATION 



243 



is done with the Indians on the Tapajos in salsaparilla, 

 balsam of copauba, India-rubber, farinha, and other 

 productions. I was told the average annual yield of the 

 Tapajos in salsaparilla, was about 2000 arrobas (of 32 lbs. 

 each). The quality of the drug found in the forests of 

 the Tapajos, is much superior to that of the Upper 

 Amazons, and always fetches double the price at Para. 

 The merchants send out young Brazilians and Portuguese 

 in small canoes to trade on the rivers and collect the pro- 

 duce, and the cargoes are shipped to the capital in large 

 cubertas and schooners, of from twenty to eighty tons 

 burthen. The risk and profits must be great, or capital 

 scarce, for the rate of interest on lent money or overdue 

 accounts is two-and-a-half to three per cent, per month ; 

 this is the same, however, as that which rules at Para. 

 The shops are numerous, and well-stocked with English, 

 French, German, and North American wares ; the retail 

 prices of which are very little above those of the capital. 

 There is much competition amongst the traders and shop- 

 keepers, yet they all seem to thrive, if one may judge from 

 external appearances ; but it is said, that most of them 

 are over head and ears in debt to rich Portuguese mer- 

 chants of Para, who act as their correspondents. 



The people seem to be thoroughly alive to the advan- 

 tages of education for their children. Besides the usual 

 primary schools, one for girls, and another for boys, there 

 is a third of a higher class, where Latin and French, 

 amongst other accomplishments, are taught by professors, 

 who, like the common schoolmasters, are paid by the pro- 

 vincial government. This is used as a preparatory 

 school to the Lyceum and Bishop's seminary, well-en- 

 dowed institutions at Para, whither it is the ambition 

 of traders and planters to send their sons to finish their 

 studies. The rudiments of education only are taught in 

 the primary schools, and it is surprising how quickly and 

 well the little lads, both coloured and white, learn reading, 

 writing, and arithmetic. But the simplicity of the Portu- 

 guese language, which is written as it is pronounced, or 

 according to unvarying rules, and the use of the decimal 

 system of accounts, make these acquirements much easier 

 than they are with us. Students in the superior school 

 have to pass an examination before they can be admitted 

 at the colleges in Para, and the managers once did me the 

 honour to make me one of the examiners for the year. 



