RIO DE JANEIRO. 



39 



showing more inclination for cleanly habits than 

 if they were mere swine ; and in their yet 

 abused and degraded state they are really little 

 better, 



I visited the chamber of deputies while it 

 was sitting. The house is small, but well 

 adapted for the voice. The speaker sits on a 

 sort of throne j under a canopy, at a table, where 

 he and two clerks seemed to be engrossed in 

 taking notes. The benches for the members 

 are arranged in a semicircle opposite to the 

 throne. What they were about I was not suf- 

 ficiently learned in Portuguese to understand. 



Sept. 24th. — On Thursday we went from this 

 house to dine with ^the French minister ; all 

 the diplomatic corps, with one exception, being 

 invited. The dinner was given in particular 

 to Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton. It was good, con- 

 sidering the climate, — where, as an experienced 



