Part 11

On first arriving here, the inharmonious sounds which begin to annoy the ear about Avi Maria, sent forth by field-crickets, frogs, toads, and other reptiles, are quite alarming to a stranger, who anticipates at every step, if he walks into a shacara, to encounter some venomous creature. It is custom alone that reconciles this loud, unceasing, nocturnal clamour. Lizards are very numerous, some of a green colour. They are timid, and are constantly seen running across the roads, up walls, or rustling amongst the hedges. The vampire-bat is very large here, and if they can get access to the stables will fix upon a horse, and suck the blood. I have seen the back of a horse quite saturated with it, in consequence of a bite from one of them. They are said to fan their wings, during this sanguinary proceeding, in order to assuage the pain which their bite creates. It is supposed that they would fix upon the human body in the same way; and this is probable, from the following circumstance. In consequence of the excessive heat, I was in the habit of leaving open the shutter of my bed-room. One evening I discovered a vampire-bat, as large as two hands, upon the bed-post, and, by a blow, stunned it, so that it could not escape by the window, but secreted itself in the room. During the night it got twice upon the bed, but the heat preventing a sound sleep, I was quickly awakened by its attempts.

It is too well known, perhaps, to remark that the Brazil is not the seat of literature; in fact, its total absence is marked by the prohibition of books generally, and the want of any single medium through which its inhabitants can attain even to a knowledge of the existing state of the world, or what is passing in it. The inhabitants are principally involved in great ignorance and pride, its usual consequence; an acquirement of the modes and ceremonies attached to the pompous observance of their religion appearing to be deemed quite adequate to all the purposes of the present system of society. A liberal literary institution of any kind throughout the state, or a stimulus to a man of talent, would be looked for in vain. A gazette, published twice a week, is printed at the royal press, the only one established here; but it affords to the people no intelligence of the state of their own country or that of others. It is the size of a sheet of small letter-paper, and is filled with the arrivals and departures of vessels, and some advertisements, while occasionally two or three heads are extracted with caution from the English newspapers. In the whole of the Brazil there is only one other gazette, and that is published at Bahia. Its neighbouring colony of Spanish South America has already begun to dispel the ignorance in which it was alike enveloped, by the establishment of several public colleges in different places, and the liberal and free introduction of books, which will fast promote the spirit of learning that partially begins to dawn. Jealousy, which acquires a greater sway, from this confined state of education and knowledge, obtains unbounded influence over the minds of many of the Brazilians, and operates in some instances to such a degree that its victims are degraded much below the savage: they do not declare their resentment openly, and demand frankly that redress or explanation which a man sustaining a real or imaginary injury from another has a right to require; but they seek in privacy the destruction of the object who may have created in their breasts sentiments of revenge, frequently resting upon a false and unjust foundation, but which the inveteracy of this diabolical passion will allow them neither to investigate nor to solicit what in Europe is deemed a fair and honourable satisfaction. Jealousy is a highly praiseworthy feeling when it is regulated with candour and justice, but allied with the vile cowardice of clandestine assassination, perpetrated by the hands of the party themselves, or through the medium of a hired agent, it is of all others the most wicked and hellish that can actuate the human mind.

That instances have occurred in the Brazil wherein both those modes have been practised, for the gratification of this passion, unjustly indulged, is but too true. An English gentleman, who has resided in the Brazil nearly forty years, informed me of a circumstance which he witnessed in this city, previously to the arrival of the royal family. A British officer, whose ship was taking in refreshments here, on passing through the Palace Square to a boat waiting to take him on board his vessel, suddenly received a _facada_ by a person who drew a knife from under a capote, or cloak, (which the Brazilians are in the habit of wearing), concealed for the purpose, and which terminated his existence. It was said that this wretch had unjustly encouraged a feeling of jealousy against the British officer in regard to his wife, or some part of his family. Many of the Brazilians carry knives, hid under the sleeve of their capotes, which they throw and use with great dexterity. I was horror-struck to see at Rio the samples of an importation of knives from England, manufactured expressly for this purpose. In cases of quarrels amongst themselves they frequently use them, and quickly fold the capote around the left arm, which serves for a sort of shield.

Religious _festas_, as has been before stated, are occurring weekly, and amongst other _funçons_, as they are called, one annually takes place in the beautiful island of Paquata, one of the fairest and most picturesque in the bay. The English merchants are generally applied to for subscriptions for this festival, which they accord with their accustomed liberality. It is a delightful water excursion, which, added to the charms of the island itself, induce all the world to be of the party, and under the religious cloak of these occasions, females always appear in public. A worthy captain of an English merchantman was induced, upon one of those festivals, recently, to accompany a party in his own boat; and, the mode of refreshment being of the pic-nic kind, he came in contact with an adjoining group, including several females, to whom he was tempted to pay some attention, and thereby unconsciously excited the jealousy of a monster in the shape of a human being, who was of the party; and at the moment of his departure from the island, the boat having only proceeded some yards, a knife was thrown with such unerring aim at him that it produced his immediate death. That blacks, slaves, and others, are hired to commit such atrocities, by the payment of a small recompense, is a fact affirmed to be notorious; one authenticated instance will be sufficient to show that it is too correct. It is within a short period that the inhabitants of Pria Flemingo were much shocked at the discovery of a dead body upon that beach, decapitated, and in a state of nudity, so that no trace was left to find out who the unfortunate individual might be. This mysterious circumstance excited deep interest, and produced the offer of a reward for the detection of the perpetrator of so foul a deed. During the interval that the matter was involved in uncertainty, it was known to the friars of a monastery that one of their members was missing; but, it would appear, nothing was said by them regarding the lost brother, from the apprehension, probably, that something vicious or improper might arise out of the investigation, not quite honourable to their sect. At last, from a fear of detection, and a consciousness of guilt, the real culprit came to the determination of communicating the affair to the King, presuming upon the known mercy of his Majesty, which is so unbounded that few persons have suffered the punishment of death since he ascended the throne, although it is possible the royal forbearance may have frustrated, in some instances, the just expiation of guilt.[14] On this occasion also the criminal was not brought to justice, who, it is ascertained, was a fidalgo, whose jealousy was roused by the frequent visits the friar already mentioned paid to his wife, for the professed purpose of exacting the confessional duties of herself and family. It is not ascertained whether he had any real cause or not for the excitement of this passion; he unquestionably conceived he had, from the measures which he adopted of engaging two or three blacks to embrace an opportunity of murdering the friar, severing the head from the body, and divesting him of his sacerdotal robes. The discovery of the body was made under circumstances that did not involve those who found it in any difficulty; but it is possible that an innocent individual finding a dead person, unacquainted with the customs of the country, might be subjected to some inconvenience; and I had almost got into such a predicament myself. Not far from the Campo de St. Christovao, a beach leading to the point of Cajú affords an interesting view of the bay. I had just entered upon it one evening, in September, on horseback, when I was startled at the appearance of a dead man extended upon the sand, which the receding tide had just deposited there: he was very well dressed, in the habit of a sailor, and, the hair being of an auburn colour, I concluded he was the mate of an English ship. My endeavours to procure the aid of some Portuguese at a short distance were unavailing; no one would approach; and two or three persons in a cabriolet, who passed close by, regarded me and the dead sailor with indifference. I also addressed myself to the next person who came up on horseback; he dismounted, and I immediately found that he was an Englishman: he turned the body over, when the face appeared terribly mangled; he suggested that the property upon the person should be secured, which amounted to upwards of one pound in Portuguese money, a silver watch, a gold brooch, and other things, of which an account was taken and delivered to my care, with which I purposed going directly to the minister of police, and to request that the body might be taken care of, as it was impossible to get any one in the neighbourhood to take it in, or even come near the place. After paying two negroes to move the body from the beach, and place it under a hedge, I set off to carry my intentions into effect. On the road to the city I met an English gentleman, to whom I stated the matter; he requested me by no means to go to the police-office, as I should unquestionably be detained and lodged in prison till I proved that I was not the cause of the man’s death. This information deterred me from proceeding farther; but the idea that this unfortunate individual might have a wife, children, and friends at home, determined me to prepare an account of his person, with a view of posting it at the custom-house next morning, which might have led to an identification of his person. I previously called upon Mr. Harrison, a highly-respectable and long-resident merchant here, and he effectually convinced me of the hazardous consequences of a further interference in it. One gentleman said, “If you see a dead body, gallop off;” another, “If you perceive a dispute, from which one of the parties is likely to lose his life, fly, or you may be compelled to prove that you were not accessory to his death.” I immediately deposited the property at the British Consul’s office, being under some apprehension, but I never heard more of the matter. No doubt the body became a prey to the dogs and wild birds, and the friends of this poor man will most probably never hear of his fate.

Upon being detected in the commission of a crime, the perpetrator frequently flies to the altar of a contiguous church; where I once saw a criminal remain for several hours, being privileged from capture till an order was obtained from the bishop for his arrest. This, like many other observances of the Roman Catholics, is a practice derived from the Mosaic law.

The circumstances attending the execution of the criminal alluded to in the last note were rather singular, although common here upon such occasions. He was conducted on foot for a considerable distance through the streets, accompanied by padres, to the place of execution. There he was laid upon his back against the upper part of the ladder attached to the scaffold, and, on the rope being fastened round his neck, he was pushed off, with a negro upon his shoulders to accelerate his death. The head and hands were afterwards severed from the body and placed at each angle of the gallows, as represented in the plate.

The regular military force of Rio de Janeiro, and the immediately surrounding district, may be estimated at five thousand men, consisting of two regiments of infantry and one of cassadores from Portugal, some regiments of Brazilian infantry and cavalry, mulattoes and blacks, including the royal guard, exceedingly ill mounted and ineffective. The police of the city consists of a regiment of infantry and cavalry; this department appears to be well arranged. Although the principal plan for the protection of the Brazil is the militia law, to which all the inhabitants are liable, yet, in point of discipline they are very deficient, but in dress and equipment they reach mediocrity. None of the regular regiments are in a state of good discipline; those from Portugal are the best, but they are dissatisfied with the Brazilian service, and I was assured by one of their officers that they have relaxed very much in their duty. The mining districts and the other adjoining provinces are furnished with light cavalry, to which may be added the militia, who are usually called out for exercise on Sundays and holidays. The force at Monte Video amounts to eight thousand men, under General Le Cour, and the troops under General Rego (the Captain-General) at Pernambuco, are decidedly under the best discipline. Those two officers served with Lord Wellington in the peninsular campaign. The thirty-eighth British regiment proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope put into Rio de Janeiro for refreshment; the men being permitted occasionally to go on shore were soon recognised by one of the regiments from Portugal as their companions in war. The salutations which occurred between them induced the King to make some inquiries respecting this regiment, when he expressed his desire to see them reviewed, which the commanding officer acceded to. Boats were furnished to convey them up the bay to the Campo of St. Christovao, where they went through their evolutions with such precision that the royal family, and nearly the whole population of Rio and its vicinity, assembled upon the spot, were much gratified, and spoke highly of their fine military appearance.

Since the removal of the court to the Brazil, a bank has been established in this city, which commenced upon the plausible plan of affording great facility to commerce, by discounting bills at the rate of six per cent.; but this banking company soon curtailed these accommodations, on finding that, through private channels and agents, they could obtain ten, twelve, and fifteen per cent. by making loans, and advancing their notes upon securities not of the first character and validity. In order to provide against this sort of traffic, and acquire an unfair advantage over the public, they had the address to convince the King that they were entitled to have a prior claim over the property of an insolvent before other creditors, and, in consequence, his Majesty, (then Prince Regent,) passed laws, of the 24th September, 1814, and the 16th February, 1816, conceding to them certain preferences; and, by a decree of the 29th November, 1818, he granted them the full privilege of a first and distinct claim, before all other creditors, which is tantamount to the important public right the British government, by virtue of extents, have over the national property in the hands of any individual, and which every state can, with equal justice, practise for the security of its revenue. But that such a preference should be allowed to a body of merchants, trading for gain, over other claimants precisely in the same circumstances, is an innovation upon the laws of commerce not founded in justice. In most instances, our own countrymen will be found to be the greatest sufferers, their liberal accommodations being too often unfairly taken advantage of. The bank declared a dividend of twenty per cent. last year; and, notwithstanding the profitable operations which afforded such a result, it was very recently involved in a temporary embarrassment, arising principally from the want of a competent knowledge of those financial arrangements, foresight, and ingenuity, so important and essential in the direction of a banking concern. In this dilemma, the directors received effectual pecuniary aid from the English house of Messrs. Samuels, Phillips, and Co. established here, with the same promptitude which marks the financial transactions of its connexions in Europe.

The revenue raised in the Brazil is computed at from six to seven millions sterling, including the pecuniary aid the government receives from Portugal, but which sum is not adequate to the demands upon the treasury; many remaining in arrears, and others, with more influence, getting their claims liquidated, after much delay. The military establishment would not appear to require a very large sum, the militia not creating an item of much expense, and the navy being in a very inefficient state: it would, therefore, be difficult, on a first view of the subject, to account for an expenditure at all proportionate to the income arising from any apparent establishments for the security of the state; but as no details of the financial situation of the country, or the appropriation of the revenue, are ever published, the cause of the embarrassment under which the treasury labours can only be arrived at through the medium of piece-meal information. From the aggregate of such intelligence it is fair to conclude that the great item which disorganizes the financial wheel has its origin not only in the great accumulation of individuals about the court, but also in every department of the state. The King is a man of an easy and amiable disposition, and, from a wish to do something for every one, it is manifest, he has been led to sanction the increase of public situations to an extent beyond what is required. Few European courts, comparatively speaking, have so many persons attached to them as the Brazilian, consisting of fidalgos, ecclesiastics, and numerous attendants. Few governments have so prodigious a number employed in the discharge of public affairs, compared with those holding appointments here. In addition to the three hundred mules and horses at St. Christovao, there is an equal number in the stables at the city, not kept for the use of the royal family alone, but for the supply of fidalgos and the numerous individuals composing the retinue of the court; and, with all this expense, there is no appearance of splendour or elegance. The carriages are large unwieldly cabriolets, drawn by mules; and a fidalgo will be seen using the whip rigorously from his seat in the vehicle, although a postilion is mounted upon one of the mules, to whose management one would expect the whole matter to be left.

The extraordinary number of persons about the court and government are easily distinguished from their practice of wearing cocked hats. The ribands and orders at the button-holes of clerks, and the prodigious display of stars by fidalgos, merchants, and even shopkeepers, which their taste for public show induces them daily to exhibit, prove that these sort of decorations are procured with much facility in the capital.

Many of the claims upon the treasury are satisfied by bills upon the other captaincies, and few military or other persons, receiving appointments to distant places, do not take an order upon the treasury of that province for the liquidation of their arrears; and the provincial _erarios_ are frequently in the same difficulties, in consequence of those demands. The treasury of Rio draws largely upon Bahia and Pernambuco. The latter has generally of late liquidated such demands to the amount of thirty contas of reas (about £9000) per month; but it is not unusual for English merchants receiving those securities to hold them for a long period before payment can be obtained.

The Brazilian government unquestionably might boast of being one of the richest in the world, if the immense capabilities of the country were administered with energy and spirit, and a due regard paid to the measures requisite to derive only a fair portion from them of the advantages they present. The revenue of the Brazil arises principally from the following imposts, viz. one-fifth upon all gold; a decimo upon all productions of the land, upon the annual value of all houses and shacaras, upon slaves, upon the exchange of proprietorship of slaves and property. A duty upon all articles passing the river Parahiba into the mining and interior districts, is collected at a register established for the purpose; and imposts are paid on passing various rivers with mules and horses. New negroes also pay an additional duty on entering the interior districts. All cattle entering the province of Rio de Janeiro pay a tax of nearly ten per cent.; the beef, besides, pays a duty of five reas per pound.

The customs are a very important branch of revenue, and may be estimated to produce at Rio from five to six hundred thousand pounds sterling per annum, of which the English merchants pay upwards of three hundred thousand pounds, and that body collectively do not contribute upon the whole much less than six hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling annually to the Brazilian customs: fifteen per cent. is paid by them upon all imports, (which by-the-bye is at present very unfairly levied, but more of that hereafter,) and certain duties upon produce exported, which does not appear to be at all equal at the different maritime towns. At Pernambuco fox instance, cotton pays six hundred reas per arobe. White sugar sixty reas per arobe, and brown sugar thirty reas, which, upon the average price of those articles when I left that city, was from six to ten per cent. And at Rio a duty of two per cent. at the market price was, in 1819, laid, generally, upon all produce exported. Coffee previously paid eighty reas per arobe, at a fixed price of two milreas and a half per arobe; and the price in 1819 being about four milreas and two hundred reas, the government collected the two per cent. upon the difference betwixt the two milreas and a half and the current value, which created some perplexity in levying the tax upon that article; and as eighty reas upon the fixed price is about two per cent. it would obviate this difficulty by repealing that law, and allowing the two per cent. to apply to the market price of coffee as well as other articles. The only advantage to be obtained by the government, by continuing this mode, would be in the event of coffee falling in value below two milreas and a half.