560 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



This perhaps, is the best justification which can be advanced for 

 keeping up a large body of Seamen and Soldiers in Brazil ; her Navy- 

 is too weak to be formidable to an Invader, and Soldiers would be better 

 employed in cultivating the interior than enlarging the frontiers. A 

 feeble enemy may, at any time, ravage the Sea-coast, while a very 

 powerful one would be unable to penetrate the Mantequeira ; and the 

 narrow strip of land contained between these mountains and the sea, 

 must, from natural circumstances, be dependent, in many respects, upon 

 the country behind it. Unfortunately, the Portuguese have emigrated 

 to Brazil, with European ideas and manners ; these are not suited to the 

 country nor the climate, and must therefore be superseded ; would it not 

 then be wise to accelerate the change ? 



When the troops, which composed the Expedition, returned to Rio, 

 they were complimented with the proud epithet of Pernambucanos ; and 

 although they had actually never seen an enemy, were as vain of their 

 exploits as if they had gained the best disputed field. They met there, 

 however, two regiments of uncommon merit, from Portugal, who were 

 distinguished as Talaveirans, because they had been engaged in the 

 battle which bears that name, and in every subsequent affair which had 

 opposed their progress from Torres Vedras to Toulouse. The dialogues 

 and disputes, which occurred between the bloodless hero of Olinda, and 

 him who had bravely marched up to and scaled the breach at St. Sebas- 

 tian's, would have been highly diverting, had they not displayed much 

 ill temper, and laid the foundation of serious affrays, in which some lives 

 were lost. These were generally fomented by the Brazihans, because 

 they hated the people from Portugal ; while all impartial men could not 

 but be struck with the superior discipline, energy, and temper of the 

 men of Talaveira. In this moody state of things, some insane blockhead 

 or desperate traitor obtained an order from the King for a review and 

 a sham fight, to take place a day or two afterwards, around the Palace 

 of St. Christophe, in which the two parties were to try their skill in 

 attack and defence. All sober-minded men became alarmed, and the 

 very day before the review was to take place, it was discovered by acci- 



