NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



187 



US. One of these adventurers was discovered, by his commission and 

 uniform, both of which fell into hands for Avhich they were not designed, 

 to be a Major in the French service. What was wanting in our numbers 

 we endeavoured to make up in sociability.; and circumstances, in othei* 

 respects unpleasant, were favourable to such a purpose. Those of us 

 who were most occupied had not business enough to fill up half our 

 time, and some appeared to have nothing to do. As there was neither 

 inn nor coiFee-house in the place, and as the public billiard tables were 

 places of crowded resort, and too frequently the scenes of noisy broils, we 

 established a sort of English mess-room, and lived much together. 



Domestic life is here little cheered by what we account commodious 

 and well furnished apartments. I hired a house, equal to most in the 

 place; it consisted of a ground-floor only, had a Sala, or sitting-room 

 towards the street, enlightened by one window^ without glass or lattice, 

 and which, when the shutters were open, completely exposed the room 

 and all that passed within it. Behind was an alcove for sleeping, and an 

 unfloored kitchen in a penthouse. For this mansion I paid a rent of 

 twelve Patacas, about twenty shillings per month. 



My agreement obliged me to allow room for a large iron-bound 

 chest, with two locks, belonging to the proprietor of the house, an officer 

 absent on duty. The chest was soon removed from the Sala, and con- 

 verted into a bedstead for my servant. A few days after, the person of 

 whom I hired the house looking in, and not seeing it in its usual place, 

 inquired what was become of it. On being led to its new station, he 

 anxiously asked how it had been removed ; and when he learned that it 

 had been by dragging, of which the boarded floor bore evident marks, 

 he lifted up his hands in consternation, and departed without uttering 

 another word, leaving me in no small wonder what the mysterious coffer 

 might contain. My suspense did not last long ; he quickly returned with 

 the keys, opened the chest, and, to his manifest relief, found the treasure 

 uninjured. This consisted of a tureen and ladle of yellow earthenware, 

 some dishes, plates, cups and saucers, and, I believe, a tea-pot of the 

 same material. I could not restrain a laugh, but he treated the affair 



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