418 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



other, without meeting with a similar instance of friendly attention ; 

 but we have Inns, and therefore, among us, less virtue of this kind may- 

 suffice. When the slaves came again for the empty dishes, I sent back 

 suitable expressions of obligation; and supposing that the Superintendent 

 might have had some concern in the business, requested him to convey a 

 repetition of them. 



While we were at dinner the Mail arrived from Rio de Janeiro, 

 It was contained in a cotton-bag, and carried oi* the back of a black man, 

 who travelled on foot ; which had been found the speediest mode of 

 conveying it. He was without weapons of any kind, and though 

 distinguished by a large cocked hat and a blue jacket with a red collar, 

 he travelled with confidence, and seemed to have no idea of robbery. 

 Having arranged for one letter, at least, to meet me here, I applied at 

 the office, and was surprised to find that the bag would not be opened 

 until ten o'clock at night, or perhaps not until the next morning. I 

 urged the absurdity of such delay, and stated that, before evening, I 

 should have left the place ; remonstrance, however, was vain ; established 

 customs could not be infringed, and one person sagely observed, — " If 

 you are not here the letter will not be lost, you will find it on your 

 return, or else at the city when you arrive there, for it will be carefully 

 sent back again." To argue with such a man was to me impossible ; I 

 left the letter where it was, for the most common of all Portuguese 

 reasons, per for9a, or, in plain English, because I could not help 

 myself. 



The Post-Office at Rio communicates with every part of the Por- 

 tuguese dominions, but the conveyance of letters is tardy, and the 

 delivery uncertain. To obviate this inconvenience, the party writing is 

 flowed to value his letter, and to ensure its safety by paying a premium 

 upon it, but even this is rendered useless by the dullness or contracted 

 spirit of the people, and their scrupulous adherence to forms. I once 

 adopted this mode with some important Documents whidi it was neces- 

 sary to send down to an agent at Rio Grande do Sul. His next letter 

 convincing me that the papers had not been received, I inquired at the 



