±22 



A VOYAGE TO 



which dashed along without paying much attention 

 to any one, we were constantly exposed to the 

 danger of being run over. Great numbers rode 

 also on stud horses of a small size, with tails sweep- 

 ing the ground; but a still greater number of both 

 sexes, were carried about in a kind of sedan chair of a 

 curious construction, and generally ornamented with 

 gilding. The curtains were sometimes drawn aside 

 for the purpose of peeping out. The men who were 

 thus carried along were generally priests and nobles, 

 as I judged by their ribbons and decorations; for it is 

 not the custom in this country to lay aside any insig- 

 nia of distinction, to be used only on days of ceremo- 

 ny or parade. Nothing surprised me more than the 

 number of persons I saw in the street with decorations 

 of one kind or other; I could not but think that in be- 

 coming so common and being so frequently exhibited, 

 they must cease to impart dignity or importance to the 

 wearers. Contrasted with the habits and opinions of 

 our country, where man is by nature a noble and dig- 

 nified being, this idle and silly display produced in 

 my mind the very reverse of respect. The town 

 seemed to be crowded with inhabitants of every color 

 and hue, but the proportion of those who with us 

 would be called white, was by far the least consider- 

 able. The Portuguese are generally of a very dark 

 complexion, but the number of negroes and of the 

 mixed race was such, as to give a different cast in the 

 general appearance of the population, from that of any 

 town I have ever seen. We were continually meet- 

 ing pairs of lazy lounging soldiers, who it seems are 

 constantly walking in the streets with their bayonets, 

 for the purpose of preventing disturbance; their in- 



