296 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



any casual assistance for replacing them, but only to make a halt. 

 Within a few years too, mules and carts have, in some measure, super- 

 seded this excessive drudgery. 



Between the distance of four and twelve miles, a large proportion 

 of the land is appropriated to the pasturing of cows. Tlieir milk is 

 conveyed to the city in large tin cans, on the heads of negroes, who run 

 along with it cheering their labour by a song. It is subject to the 

 examination of the Police-Officers, who, if they find it adulterated, pour it 

 down in the street, and send the vender to prison. The price of milk 

 varies from sixpence to a shilling per pint, and, through an unfavourable 

 state of the exchange, has occasionally been double tliat price. In this 

 same district much sugar-cane is planted, a considerable part of Avhich 

 goes to the city as food for cattle. Negroes, too, are fond of it when 

 young and soft ; in their hands it is perhaps hardly to be accounted food 

 so much as a gratification. 



At a greater distance than twelve miles the influence of the capital 

 is not so directly felt. There a portion of every farm is left uiider its 

 natural wood, for supplying the city with fuel and charcoal. The 

 cleared parts are planted with Coffee, Sugar, Rice, Mandidca, or Milho, 

 according to the quality of the soil, and the prevailing taste of the 

 district. Mandioca is usually converted into Farinha on the spot ; Rice, 

 Coffee, and Milho, are there prepared for the market ; Cane is generally 

 connected with some Mill and Distillery. The banks of the streams are 

 chiefly selected for habitations and culture. Recently persons of 

 a new description have arisen in these parts, who convey the produce 

 from the farms to the city ; those who proceed by land, with their 

 clumsy Carros, and Mules, are mostly very poor, but some respect- 

 able men have established boats for the purpose, and make a good 

 subsistence. 



There is great simplicity in the usual management of a farm. The 

 master and his family commonly reside upon it, and, except a Feitor or 

 Bailiff", who sometimes has a family also, are the only white people. On 

 the Farm of Maranbaya my friend would willingly have employed free 



