NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



56S 



Among these, a tax had been laid upon navigating vessels, and, from 

 the loose manner in which the Edital was drawn up, the duty had been 

 levied upon all such vessels, even on boats and canoas ; during this period 

 it was repealed, so far as related to vessels of the latter description. 

 Upon this, many of them were employed in the Fisheries of the Bay, 

 and the occupation was soon afterwards encouraged, by granting a pre- 

 mium to the first canoa or boat which arrived at the beach, with fresh- 

 caught fish, after the clock had struck at noon. Thus wholesome dinners 

 were provided for the people, and so many found it their interest to 

 employ themselves as Fishermen, that it became necessary to prescribe 

 the kind of nets, and limit the meshes which they should use. Indeed, 

 the taste of the people had so greatly changed, that, round the whole 

 Bay, multitudes resorted to fishing, not only as a mode of gaining 

 money, but to draw, in an idle way, a bare subsistence from the water* 

 rather than labour in cultivating the soil — an employment which would 

 have been of incomparably higher value to the state. 



To the important office of Almoteceiro, had been appointed a very 

 clever, but by no means an honest man. In this capacity, he has under 

 his superintendence all kinds of provisions, and every thing which relates 

 to them ; their suitableness for human food, and their times and places 

 of sale ; the Aveights and measures by which they are dealt out ; every 

 thing, in short, connected Avith the supply of the poor. He attends to the 

 cleanness of butcheries, of the streets, lanes, and beaches of the City, to 

 all, that in this respect can promote the health and comfort of the people. 

 In the discharge of these duties he acts by immediate authority from the 

 Sovereign, to whom alone he is amenable, being liable to none of the 

 inferior Courts whatever. 



In addition to these general measures for the promotion of health 

 and comfort, others were adopted, for the purpose of watching over the 

 progress of disease, and for preventing danger from infectious disorders, 

 without exciting alarm. Vaccination was encouraged, and sometimes 

 enjoined. In the Misericordia, a new Ward was built for Lunatics, and 

 another for Females. In other respects also, the usefulness of this 



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