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inactive life. I ought to state that the manners of the people here 

 are mild and gentle ; we were every where treated with civility, and 

 all our enquiries were answered with the most friendly marks of 

 respect and attention. 



The air, as we drew nearer the mountains, was fresh and indeed 

 cold. Towards evening we arrived at a farm belonging to a con- 

 vent of nuns in Rio de Janeiro, where we were kindly accommodated 

 for the night. This place is most agreeably situated, and might, 

 under skilful and industrious management, be rendered a paradise. 

 It has excellent clay; fine timber; a good fall of water, which 

 forms a beautiful rivulet, and runs into a navigable river within one 

 hundred yards of the house; a fine extent of arable land, and a still 

 finer of pasture, which peculiarly qualifies it for dairy farming. It 

 is distant only one day's journey from Port Caxhes, whence there is 

 a navigable communication with the metropolis. What a scene for 

 an enterprising agriculturist! At present all is neglected : the house, 

 the out-buildings, and other conveniences are in a state of decay, 

 and the people who manage the land appear, in common with the 

 animals that feed upon it, to be half famished. 



The next morning we proceeded eastward, and crossing the stream, 

 which was at least sixty yards broad and full three feet deep, rode 

 along the farther margin, which is rather more elevated, and pre- 

 sents a view of some fine plains, stretching from thence to the base 

 of the mountains. Journeying in that direction we reached the 

 fine plantation of Captain Ferrera, who received us very politely, 

 and shewed us every attention. This place, bounded by the alpine 

 ridge behind it, is the extreme point to which the river Maccacu is 

 navigable. It is six or seven leagues from the village of that name. 

 The estate maintains about one hundred negroes, who are chiefly 

 employed in raising sugar, cotton, and cofi'ee ; but to me the situa- 

 tion appeared much better calculated for growing grain and feeding 

 cattle, as the weather is at times cold, the evenings are fre- 

 quently attended with heavy dews, and owing to the proximity of 



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