NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



513 



destroy a friend, soon turn their rage to lamentation, and as soon forget 

 what they have done and felt. One of my clerical friends, with whom 

 I conversed on the subject, acknowledged that due pains had not been 

 taken to bring them within the common bonds of society. The persons 

 who had been specifically appointed to assist in their civilization, either 

 wanted zeal in the service, or sufficient firmness to encounter many diffi- 

 culties and some danger. It was forgotton, too, that it must require a 

 length of time, and sacrifices on the part of the teachers, as well as on 

 that of the Indians, to bring about an approximation in modes of 

 thinking, and manners of acting, so extremely dissimilar. About twenty 

 years before the time of my visit, a number of these people had been 

 long kept about the Government-house, and an amelioration was gra- 

 dually taking place in their manners ; when the Governor's Lady took 

 offence at some of their wild vagaries, and procured their immediate, 

 and I fear permanent, banishment to their native woods. Thus, for a 

 woman's fancy, a considerable branch of this neglected tribe was doomed 

 to a protracted infancy, and eventual extermination. 



At some distaii -e to the North-west of Villa Rica, these tribes have 

 acquired the first rudiments of civilization ; they form themselves into 

 bands, I am told, for the purpose of robbery, and even plunder from troops 

 of mules, articles which they formerly thought of no value. It is said that 

 they have among them fire-arms, and contrive the means of procuring 

 flints and gunpowder. This produces among themselves a perpetual war 

 which can end in nothing but extermination, while the white people, 

 acting more in concert, stand by, and unmoved, see them destroy 

 each other. 



In this state of society, it is evident, that every one must be able 



and prepared to defend himself; hence, probably, it is, that we notice 



in this part of the country, a kind of habitual ferocity among the lower 



ranks, who also themselves go out sometimes in bands to plunder, and who 



defy the arm of power ; hence also, strangers meeting on the road, pass each 



other at a distance, with great marks of suspicion, and most appear armed. 



I one day saw coming into the town two white females mounted on horse- 



3 T 



