VII 
AT MANAOS 
241 
the father selects a certain dogma and attempts to 
explain it, but finds it rather difficult ; he hums and 
haws, and at last says, "In short, my dear, you 
will know all about it some time, but now it does 
not make any matter to you." " Then, pray, papa," 
inquires the little boy (and most unanswerably, / 
think), " what matter does it make to the poor 
little boys and girls ? " 
17, 185 1. 
My landlord, who lives on the opposite side of 
the street, a few months ago lost five slaves, who 
ran away from him up the Rio dos Purils, whither 
they were tracked by the police, and about a week 
ago all were returned to their owner. One of these 
was still so refractory that it was judged necessary 
to chain him by the leg to a post in the yard. At 
7 o'clock the same evening his master crossed the 
yard to go down to the river and bathe by moon- 
light. In passing near the slave the latter made a 
spring at him with a knife which he had concealed in 
his bosom and stabbed him in the side ; but, fortu- 
nately perceiving the movement, he sprang back 
and the wound was very slight. The fellow, thus 
balked in his murderous attempt, set the haft of the 
knife against the post and with desperate resolution 
thrust it into his own stomach. The following 
morning, as I went to bathe, his fellow-slaves were 
carrying the dead body, sewed up in a sack, down to 
a canoe, intending to throw it into the middle of the 
river. They were laughing and joking as if they 
carried a dead dog ; nor did the event seem to pro- 
duce the least impression on the neighbours. So 
much for the "beauties" of the slave system ! . . . 
VOL. I . R 
