linen. The sword they have totally thrown aside (except in office), and cocked hats are going out of fashion. Shoe and knee buckles, of solid gold, and of their own manufacture, are very common; and they are fondly attached to every species of finery. On their return home these gala clothes are instantly taken off, and a gown or thin jacket adopted by some in their stead, while others content themselves with remaining in their shirts and draw

ers.

"The usual dress of the ladies is a single petticoat over a chemisc. The latter is composed of the thinest muslin, and is generally very much worked and ornamented: it is made so full at the bosom, that, on the smallest movement, it drops over one or both shoulders, leaving the breast perfectly exposed; and, besides this, is so transparent, that the skin is every-where visible underneath. This violation of feminine delicacy appears the more disgusting, as the complexion of the Brasilians is in general very indifferent, approaching to an obscure tawny colour. Stockings are scarcely ever used; and, during the rainy season, which is to them cold, they shuffle about in a pair of slippers, and are accommodated with a thick blue and white cotton wrapper, or a woollen great coat faced with shag, similar to the German cavoys. When attending mass, a deep black silk mantle, worn over the head, conceals the transparent costume beneath. They let the hair grow to a great length: it is twisted, fast. ened in a knot on the head, and always loaded with a profusion of pomatum and powder of tapioca. On some public occasions, and visits of

ceremony to each other, a few ladies of rank adopt the European dress.

"The singular custom of permitting the nail of the thumb, or forefinger (sometimes both), to grow to a hideous length, and then pairing it to a sharp point, is common to both sexes. This excrescence, however, is not without its use, as it serves the men to divide the fibres from the tobacco leaf, and cut it into shape preparatory to the rolling it into segars, to the smoking of which they are greatly addicted. Their viols and guitars are also thrummed with this nail, the flourishing display of which adds, in their conception, a beauty to the instrument. And lastly, these sacred nails are considered as distinguishing the wearers for an easy indolence, which in this country is no trivial recommendation.

"The carriages of Bahia are merely a few cabrioles. The int qualities of the city rendering this mode of conveyance inconvenient; they are less common than at Rio Janeiro; but chairs abound in proportion, and are to be procured in every street. These chairs are not like ours, but are much higher, and ́ open on the sides from top to bot tom, so that a person on stepping in is at once seated. They are carried on the shoulders of two stout negroes, by means of two fixed pieces of wood, projecting from the upper part of the chair both before and behind. On the top they are profusely ornamented with carving and gilding, and are hung with deep curtains of silk or stuff, stampt with gold and silver leaf to a variety of patterns.

"The richness of these chairs, and the gaudy livery of the bearers,

are

are articles in which the Brasilian gentry endeavour to excel; and sometimes they proceed in this point to the most ridiculous extreme. I once observed at Rio a chair completely loaded with cupids and other emblematic carving, and carried by two robust blacks, clothed in a light blue silk jacket, short pantaloons, and a petticoat over them (similar to that of a waterman,) the whole deeply vandyked with a red pink. This flaming dress formed so strange a contrast with their delicate skins, for they were without either shoes or stockings, that it seemed alto. gether the completest burlesque on equipage that could possibly have been attempted.

"It appears to foreigners a strange deprivation to which the females of this country are subjected, who cannot pass the streets with out being closely shut up in a chair, or secluded in a cabriole; yet such is the force of custom, that none are seen openly except within doors.

"Bahia has a Portuguese comic theatre, under the management of an Italian. The house, with us, would be termed a barn, and its avenues are so dirty as to render the going to it very disagreeable. The actors, drama, and scenery, equally wretched; the music is the best, and only tolerable, part of the performance.

are

"The chief amusements of the citizens are the feasts of the different saints, professions of nans, sumptuous funerals, the holy or passionweek, &c. which are all celebrated in rotation with grand ceremonies, a full concert, and frequent processions. Scarcely a day passes that

some one or other of these festivals does not occur; and thus is pre. sented a continued round of opportanities for uniting devotion and pleasure, which is eagerly embraced, particularly by the ladies. On grand occasions of this kind, after coming from church, they visit each other, and have a more plentiful dinner than common under the term banquet ;* during and after which they drink unusual quantities of wine; and, when elevated to an extraordinary pitch, the guitar or vio. lin is introduced, and singing com. mences: but the song soon gives way to the enticing negro dance. I use this term as best assimilating with the amusement in question, which is a mixture of the dances of Africa, and the fandangoes of Spain and Portugal. It consists of an individual of each sex dancing to an insipid thramming of the instrument, always to one measure, with scarcely any action of the legs, but with every licentious motion of the body, joining in contact during the dance in a manner strangely im modest. The spectators, aiding the music with an extemporary chorus, and clapping of the hands, enjoy the scene with an undescribable zest. The orgies of the dancing girls in India never equalled the flagrancy of this diversion. It is not that minuets or country dances are not known, and practised by the higher circles; but this is the national dance, and all classes are happy when, throwing aside punctilio and reserve, and, I may add, decency, they can indulge in the interest and raptures it excites. The cf.ct of this scene on a stranger can hard

be

be conceived; and though, as an amusement, it may be intentionally harmless, it certainly breaks down the barriers of decency, and of course paves the way to depravity and vice.

"These amusements, with parties into the country, and a few others of a trifling nature, added to the enervating idleness in which the Brasilians are plunged, constitute their whole happiness; a happiness

very incomplete and unsatisfactory, while subject to the effects of those baleful passions, avarice, revenge, and cruelty. Happily, however, the two latter have considerably declined from Bahia to the southward as. sassination there is seldom known to take place, and never but on the greatest provocation: though still in use, the lurking knife is sheathed, and murders are scarcely more common than with us."

VOL. XLVII,

3 Z

CONTENTS: