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NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



. The Sala has a curious mixture of gorgeous painting with plastered 

 and white-washed walls. The cornice usually consists of fillets of brown, 

 yellow, light blue, red, pink, and other colours, variously arranged ; but 

 in whatever order placed, show seems to be the chief object. The 

 ceiling is divided into compartments, and painted in a similar manner. 

 Round the bottom is a broad, brown, or deep red border, being a 

 substitute for a washboard. The doors and door-posts are generally 

 yellow, with red, or pink, or blue mouldings. The front of the 

 alcove is sometimes gilded as well as painted, and gives an air of 

 richness to the room, which could not be expected from other portions 

 of its ornament. 



Poor and scanty is the Furniture of the most fashionable apartments. 

 There is generally seen in them a wooden sofa, at once clumsy and 

 fantastical in its form, together with a few chairs of a similar pattern ; 

 most of them are painted red and white, and ornamented with ' groups 

 and wreaths of flowers ; some of them, it may be, made nearly a century 

 agO; In rooms of lower pretensions, the sofa alone appears, or two or 

 three chairs ; instead of such seats, the females use mats, on which they 

 usually sit with their legs folded under them. Sometimes to these is 

 added a small table, holding some of the ensigns of religion, and instru^ 

 ments used in its ceremonies. In the alcove is a well-made, but far from 

 modern, bedstead, furnished with mosquito curtains, a hard mattress, 

 round pillows and bolster, excellent sheets, and a light coverlid. Blankets 

 are never used, a quilt only in cold weather, and night caps very seldom. 

 This small cabin is encumbered with trunks and boxes made of hide, 

 and baskets of various descriptions ; a chest of drawers is a rare article. 



The family commonly occupy the Varanda at the back of the house ; 

 and here are almost as much secluded from the world as they could be in 

 the depths of a forest. The females sit around in their usual posture, 

 and sew or knit, weave lace, tambour, or the hke ; while the men loll 

 on any thing they can find for the purpose, or saunter from room to 

 room. Here also they take their meals ; and iise an old table set upon 

 two tressels, a couple of wooden forms to suit it, and sometimes, if there 



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