and dozens of little black children, which crawled in together, at
every opportunity. As long as the idea of slavery could be banished,
there was something exceedingly fascinating in this simple and
patriarchal style of living: it was such a perfect retirement and
independence from the rest of the world.
As soon as any stranger is seen arriving, a large bell is set tolling,
and generally some small cannon are fired. The event is thus announced
to the rocks and woods, but to nothing else. One morning I walked out
an hour before daylight to admire the solemn stillness of the scene; at
last, the silence was broken by the morning hymn, raised on high by the
whole body of the blacks; and in this manner their daily work is
generally begun. On such fazendas as these, I have no doubt the slaves
pass happy and contented lives. On Saturday and Sunday they work for
themselves, and in this fertile climate the labour of two days is
sufficient to support a man and his family for the whole week.
April 14th.--Leaving Socego, we rode to another estate on the Rio
Macae, which was the last patch of cultivated ground in that direction.
The estate was two and a half miles long, and the owner had forgotten
how many broad. Only a very small piece had been cleared, yet almost
every acre was capable of yielding all the various rich productions of
a tropical land. Considering the enormous area of Brazil, the
proportion of cultivated ground can scarcely be considered as anything,
compared to that which is left in the state of nature: at some future
age, how vast a population it will support! During the second day's
journey we found the road so shut up, that it was necessary that a man
should go ahead with a sword to cut away the creepers. The forest
abounded with beautiful objects; among which the tree ferns, though not
large, were, from their bright green foliage, and the elegant curvature
of their fronds, most worthy of admiration. In the evening it rained
very heavily, and although the thermometer stood at 65 degs., I felt
very cold. As soon as the rain ceased, it was curious to observe the
extraordinary evaporation which commenced over the whole extent of the
forest. At the height of a hundred feet the hills were buried in a
dense white vapour, which rose like columns of smoke from the most
thickly wooded parts, and especially from the valleys. I observed this
phenomenon on several occasions. I suppose it is owing to the large
surface of foliage, previously heated by the sun's rays.
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