Chap. YI. 
EXPENSES AT PARA. 
413 
residents, and considerable importations of money on 
account of the steamboat company and foreign mer- 
chants. Para, in 1848, was one of the cheapest places 
of residence on the American continent ; it was now one 
of the dearest. Imported articles of food, clothing, and 
furniture were mostly cheaper, although charged with 
duties varying from 18 to 80 per cent., besides high 
freights and large profits, than those produced in the 
neighbourhood. Salt codfish was twopence per pound 
cheaper than the vile salt pirarucu of the country. 
Oranges, which could formerly be had almost gratis, 
were now sold in the streets at the rate of three for a 
penny ; large bananas were a penny each fruit ; tomatos 
were from two to three pence each, and all other fruits 
in this fruit-producing country had advanced in like pro- 
portion, Mandioca-meal, the bread of the country, had 
become so scarce and dear and bad that the poorer 
classes of natives suffered famine, and all who could 
afford it were obliged to eat wheaten bread at four- 
pence to fivepence per pound, made from American 
flour, 1200 barrels of which were consumed monthly ; 
this was now, therefore, a very serious item of daily 
expense to all but the most wealthy. House-rent was 
most exorbitant ; a miserable little place of two rooms, 
without fixtures or conveniences of any kind, having 
simply blank walls, cost at the rate of 18^. sterling a 
year. Lastly, the hire of servants was beyond the 
means of all persons in moderate circumstances ; a lazy 
cook or porter could not be had for less than three or 
four shillings a day, besides his board and what he 
could steal. It cost me half-a-crown for the hire of a 
