454 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



circular, and its situation and size are much like those of Halifax, in 

 Yorkshire. The surrounding scenery is roughly mountainous, and exhibits 

 a strange mixture of roundly formed hills and broken rocks, of barren- 

 ness and verdure, of poverty of soil and richness of vegetation, of gardens 

 in a desert, and of comfort amidst desolation. After gazing with wonder 

 and delight upon a landscape so singular, I reflected — is this the town of 

 which, for ten years past, I have heard so much ! Where can its well 

 known extensive business be transacted ? Where the goods it receives 

 be consumed ? Where are the residences of its merchants, their ware- 

 houses and shops ? Where the habitations of their customers and 

 servants ? Where the culture which yields them supplies, and furnishes 

 a surplus for export ? 



Having enjoyed for a time this fine bird's eye view of the place, 

 having dressed myself and dismissed the servants, I mounted, proceeded 

 down the hill, and rode to the house of my friend, where I was cordially 

 and courteously received. He was evidently surprised, and seemed 

 disappointed at my early appearance, being ready to set off with some 

 other friends to Estiva, where they understood I should that day dine. 

 Sincerely glad that such ceremony had been prevented, though grateful 

 for the intended civility, I willingly availed myself of other marks of 

 kindness, and was soon completely domesticated in his house. 



When entering the town I noticed that the figures over the last 

 door in the street were 887, and concluded that this was the exact 

 number of thresholds in the place, for it is the custom of the Brazilians 

 to enumerate the entrances, and not the houses themselves. The general 

 appearance of St. John is that of all Portuguese towns of the same 

 class; the houses are low, whitewashed, and furnished with latticed 

 windows; the streets are narrow, crooked, far from uniform, and very 

 slippery, being paved with large smooth blue stones, with a channel in 

 the middle. The site of the buildings is so irregular that they overtop 

 and overlook each other, the conspicuous points being selected for public 

 offices and the best private houses. Most of these have painted window- 

 shutters, if not also glazed windows, and communicate a gaiety and 



