312 
England and Brazil for Ever ! 
809. After the ceremonies of greeting came the turn of political 
affairs when Captain Leal maintained that he could not leave Pirara 
until he received orders from Para. Mr. Bingham on the other hand 
informed him through my brother who also here had to act as inter- 
preter, that he had already brought with him the most deiinite instruc- 
tions from London according to which, with the march-in of the British 
troops not a Brazilian was to be allowed in Pirara, and he could there- 
fore no more permit him than Friar Jose to make a longer stay. Captain 
Leal recognised that he had to yield to force. 
870. With the exception of four soldiers his mounted escort 
consisted of vaqueiros in short brown leather jackets and trousers, the 
head covered with a broad straw hat. The wild-looking horses were of 
medium size and carried saddles, also covered with brown leather: a 
guitar hung from some of the latter so that the riders could have been 
taken at first sight for a troupe of wandering minstrels rather than for 
the military escort of a high officer on a not exactly peaceful mission. 
871. As the Commandant and the Friar were our guests during 
their stay, the officers like ourselves supplied the table with all the 
delicacies in their possession so as to make the first meal as sumptuous 
as possible which we absolutely succeeded in doing. The Friar became 
especially lively after the emptying of only a few bottles of champagne, 
which, as he asserted, he had not tasted for 30 years. Stiff ceremony 
relaxed more and more with every bottle of wine until at last the guitar 
was sent for and Aberisto came forward with several vaqueiros to play 
and sing: striking some simple chords on his instrument for half an hour 
at a time he accompanied the jubilant Friar and Captain Leal as they 
relieved one another by turns with their songs of folk and freedom, and 
improvised sentimental ditties respectively. Any stranger who might 
have noticed us would have had difficulty in imagining two hostile parties 
at this free and easy dinner party. Even our own Mr. Youd was 
cheerier and brighter than ever and although speaking but broken Por- 
tuguese he entered into friendly conversation with the Friar, so that hei’e 
again one would never have dreamt that the latter had previously driven 
out the former, or that the former was now anxious to reciprocate. 
Only Captain Leal in the middle of his sentimental songs now and again 
cast over the assembled company the most penetrating glances that 
distinctly enough betrayed the hostile instincts raging within his breast, 
which he yet tried as far as possible to hide beneath a smooth and jovial 
exterior. At dessert Captain Leal drank to the health of the Queen of 
England, Lieutenant Bingham to that of the Emperor of Brazil, and I 
to the King of Prussia’s: during the toasting, guns were fired, rockets 
were lighted, and God save the Queen and Buie Britannia were struck up 
on the bugles. One can imagine what an impression all this must have 
made upon the Indians thronged in numerous groups around the house 
as they stared in astonishment at the fizzing rockets shooting into the 
skies, as they listened to the thunder of the cannon and the general 
goingson, as well as at the shouting and the singing in our quarters that 
were now arranged as for a dining-room. 
