ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
2 s. 8 d. to 8s. per litre; coffee, 6s. 6d. per kilo; lard, 6s. 6d. 
per kilo; purified lard in tins, 16s. to 20 s. per 2 kilos. 
Bars of the commonest laundry soap, 4s. each bar; 
chickens, 10s. to 15s. each; eggs, 10s. to 12s. a dozen; 
small tins of sardines (containing five sardines) of the 
most inferior kind, 10s. to 15s. a tin; a one-pound tin of 
the commonest French salt butter, 15s. 
A genial banquet was offered me on my arrival. The 
schoolmistress was set to prepare an excellent and plenti¬ 
ful meal. The mayor and all the notabilities of the place 
in their Sunday clothing came to fetch me at the house of 
the firm of Orlando Brothers, where I had been most hos¬ 
pitably sheltered, and where I had been requested to wait 
for them. At the appointed time they arrived — in frock 
coats, and each carrying an umbrella. 
“ Is it raining? ” I inquired in my astonishment, at 
seeing the array of articles which I had not seen for several 
months, especially as a few minutes before I had been 
outside and it was a lovely starlit night. 
“ Oh, no, indeed, it is not raining; we carry the um¬ 
brellas in due honour to you! ” they replied in a chorus, 
accompanied by a grand bow. 
This was such an extraordinary compliment that it 
really took me some time before I could grasp the meaning 
of it. It seemed that according to the social rules of 
Diamantino, Matto Grosso, no one could be considered 
fully dressed unless carrying an umbrella. Rain or shine, 
the people of Diamantino carried their umbrellas on grand 
occasions. 
After that one of the gentlemen pulled out of his 
pocket a long slip of paper and proceeded to read a speech 
of welcome. I answered in a few humble words. An¬ 
other gentleman — there were eight altogether — pro¬ 
duced another slip, which he duly read in a sonorous voice. 
Again I replied as best I could. Then, as I was getting 
really anxious lest some one else should be speechifying 
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