8$ DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE* 
aries, seeing no remedy for this privation, were fain 
to acquiesce, and to receive it as a compliment. 
Next day the duke waited on them, and re- 
ceived them with the same studied politeness as his 
secretary. On their expressing a wish for a 
church, he assured them that they should be im- 
mediately accommodated with one of his own plan- 
ning. After his departure, some dishes made 
their appearance, which, though they in no de- 
gree endangered a breach of temperance, were suf- 
ficient to satisfy the cravings of hunger. The 
duke, however, forgot entirely his promise of 
building a church ; so that, after spending some 
time in vain hope, they were obliged to hire ne- 
groes to construct, with branches of wood, a kind 
of large cottage, in which, with much indignation, 
they began to celebrate the mysteries of the Catho- 
lic faith. The people now began to resort thither ; 
and even the duke attended, though somewhat ir- 
regularly. The fathers now conceived it neces- 
sary to touch upon the domestic state of the 
people ; not one of whom, they observe, had a 
lawful wife, but all herds of concubines, the duke 
being more amply provided than any other. 
The first proposition made upon this subject was 
treated by that prince in the most indignant man- 
ner. It appeared to him an unheard of presump- 
tion in a handful of foreigners, newly arrived, and 
ignorant of the country, to attempt to subvert the 
