NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



257 



proceeded to a neighbouring chapel and heard mass. Breakfast was 

 taken on their return, and proved a scene of noisy mirth and good 

 humour. Afterward every one exerted himself to promote his own 

 diversion and that of his companions. Both sexes contended in feats of 

 speed, agility, or strength, with unbounded gaiety and frolic, and gave 

 full play to the buoyancy of their spirits. All this, it is allowed, was 

 not very conformable to our measured deportment in society, and by 

 many will be denounced as ind'ecorous. To me the scene presented the 

 playfulness of nature, untrammelled by forms, remote from prudery and 

 suspicion, from the consciousness of evil committed or intended. And 

 why not be active and airy while nature allows us ? Why resolve that 

 all who are so, let their previous customs and habits be what they may, 

 must necessarily be vicious or vulgar ? 



When the sun rose too high to admit of continued exertion, con- 

 versation, cards, and music, filled up the interval before dinner. The 

 servants, as it was a fish-day, had been employed in drawing the Seine, 

 and had procured an ample supply for those of the company who were 

 unprovided with a dispensation. A Priest, however, who joined our 

 party, kindly offered his utmost influence with the Creator of all good 

 things, to prevent his being displeased with those who might on such an 

 occasion dine on flesh ; yet, agreeable to the established rule, he would 

 not hear of any one mixing flesh with fish in his meal. With a small 

 part of the company I spent an hour in going, in a canoa, to the neigh- 

 bouring rocks, to draw up from the deep some of those singular animals 

 with which the harbour of Rio abounds, and which, I think, would 

 fully repay the Icthyologist's minute investigation. 



Our dinner, like its prelude, had too little form to be, in general, 

 pleasing to an English taste, and its modes would hardly chime with our 

 usual conceptions of comfort; but, as is commonly the case here, it 

 proved a hearty meal, and fitted most of us for repose. Few could have 

 the accommodation of a bed ; many preferred a siesta out of doors, and 

 for them mats were spread under the trees. About four the party 

 re-assembded, seated themselves on the grass, talked, sang, and enjoyed 



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