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PROVINCE OF RIO DE JANEIRO. 



reptiles, are quite alarming to a stranger, who anticipates at every step, if he 

 walks into a shacara, to encounter some venomous creature. It is custom alone 

 that reconciles this loud, unceasing, nocturnal clamour. Lizards are very nu- 

 merous, some of a green colour. They are timid, and are constantly seen 

 running across the roads, up walls, or rustling amongst the hedges. The vam- 

 pire-bat is very large here, and if they can get access to the stables will fix 

 upon a horse, and suck the blood. I have seen the back of a horse quite 

 saturated with it, in consequence of a bite from one of them. They are said 

 to fan their wings, during this sanguinary proceeding, in order to assuage the 

 pain which their bite creates. It is supposed that they would fix upon the 

 human body in the same way ; and this is probable, from the following circum- 

 stance. In consequence of the excessive heat, I was in the habit of leaving 

 open the shutter of my bed-room. One evening I discovered a vampire-bat, as 

 large as two hands, upon the bed-post, and, by a blow, stunned it, so that it 

 could not escape by the window, but secreted itself in the room. During the 

 night it got twice upon the bed, but the heat preventing a sound sleep, I was 

 quickly awakened by its attempts. 



It is too well known, perhaps, to remark that the Brazil is not the seat of 

 literature ; in fact, its total absence is marked by the prohibition of books 

 generally, and the want of any single medium through which its inhabitants 

 can attain even to a knowledge of the existing state of the world, or what is 

 passing in it. The inhabitants are principally involved in great ignorance and 

 pride, its usual consequence ; an acquirement of the modes and ceremonies 

 attached to the pompous observance of their religion appearing to be deemed 

 quite adequate to all the purposes of the present system of society. A liberal 

 literary institution of any kind throughout the state, or a stimulus to a man of 

 talent, would be looked for in vain. A gazette, published twice a week, is 

 printed at the royal press, the only one established here ; but it affords to the peo- 

 ple no intelligence of the state of their own country or that of others. It is the 

 size of a sheet of small letter-paper, and is filled with the arrivals and depar- 

 tures of vessels, and some advertisements, while occasionally two or three 

 heads are extracted with caution from the English newspapers. In the whole 

 of the Brazil there is only one other gazette, and that is published at Bahia. 

 Its neighbouring colony of Spanish South America has already begun to dispel 

 the ignorance in which it was alike enveloped, by the establishment of several 

 public colleges in different places, and the liberal and free introduction of 

 books, which will fast promote the spirit of learning that partially begins to 



