TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



^19 



The director of the nearest aldeas of the Coroa- 

 dos does not live in the Presidio de S. Joao Bap- 

 tista, though he has a house here, but in his 

 plantation (rossa\ about a league distant, from 

 which he came on the following day to visit us. 

 This custom of residing for the greater part of the 

 year in a remote country-seat, at a distance from 

 the more populous places, prevails throughout 

 Brazil. It has the most injurious consequences on 

 morality and domestic happiness, because the man 

 and wife frequently live separate for months to- 

 gether, which gives occasion to many irregularities. 

 The director informed us that there were at present 

 only a fewCoroados in the neighbouring aldeas, 

 and that most of them were gone to the stream of 

 Buhahe, about twelve leagues to the east, where 

 they were gathering ipecacuanha. In order, how- 

 ever, to gratify our wish, closely to observe some 

 Indians, he invited those who were still on the 

 spot, to come to our lodging, making them many 

 promises. Several came, and sat down in the 

 entrance of the house, where we treated them with 

 brandy. They were all very sullen, silent and 

 distrustful, probably because they were afraid that 

 we should take them away for military service. 

 They were not to be diverted either by friendly 

 treatment, presents, or music ; but thought only 

 of means to escape into their forests. In fact, all 

 of them successively disappeared ; we were there- 

 fore obliged to defer our observations on these chil- 



