NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



Had the Courtier been capable of feeling disgrace, the presence of 

 the Major would have proved to him an imfortunate circumstance ; for 

 my companion was provoked to put him in mind of a dirty transaction 

 which had occurred before. He had been employed by this personage, 

 who was a Purveyor to the Royal household, to purchase some articles 

 for him of British merchants, and had sent in the goods with a specifica- 

 tion of their exact cost, and an additional charge for commission. This 

 commission had been deducted from the account, had been repeatedly 

 demanded in vain, and was now again charged on the great man as a 

 debt. He listened, put on an air of importance, and coolly replied, — 

 " I have been a merchant myself, and when employed as an agent, as 

 has frequently been the case, I always charged for the articles from ten 

 to twelve per cent, more than I paid ; if you have not done the same 

 you are a fool ; I never will pay any commission." Such a bare-faced 

 avowal of a gross abuse of the Royal confidence gave a finishing touch to 

 the scene ; affording a fresh evidence, that Jesuits have not been the 

 only plunderers of the country, nor have cottages alone been subject to 

 pillage. 



It cannot be said that in the case of the indigo, just mentioned, 

 deception was originally intended ; ignorance may possibly have been 

 the foundation of the evil. But it seems that the profit, arising from the 

 mixture of lime, threw in the way of the manufacturers a temptation 

 which they knew not how to resist. Thus it has proved Avith other 

 commercial men in the country, and in other lines of business. Frauds 

 have prevailed to such a degree, that it has become necessary to establish 

 in almost every port Inspectors, whose duty it is to examine the produce 

 of the country, intended for exportation, to detect adulteration, and 

 thus prevent the loss which would otherwise be eventually sustained. 

 The Cotton and Sugar, especially, are examined, marked, and registered ; 

 and should deception be discovered, even after it is gotten into a foreigii 

 market, redress may be obtained by returning the packages with proper 

 certificates. 



Such instances of meanness, arrogance, and fraud, would not have 



