American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-01-29

graphical position. Like unto most Spanish
towns, Pernambuco has narrow and crooked
streets, and the houses composed OF stone, are
mostly four and five stories in heigth, colored
variously, by paint or succeed; having, in ad-
ditlon to innumerable coigns and decorations,
verandahs to each story, or window, which be-
ing of every imaginable form and every posi-
BILE device, present a continuous and singular
amalgamation, that bewilders the eye of one
accustomed to the wide avenues, and undeviat-
ing uniformity of the towns of our own land
If variety is charming here one may be indulg-
ed too, to an unlimited extent, by viewing the
living panorama of these crowded thorough
fares, interesting because Of their novelty and
never ending variety. In all such exclusively
commercial communities as that of Pernambu-
CO, there cannot be any generality of manners;
nor, should suppose, any universal point OF
social union: there is not indeed. Here indvi-
duals of every cline and of all countries may be
found congregated, but with one object in COM
mon,-gain: and each nation forming circle
within itself the native population preserving
their own forms, and habits; the John Bulls
granting and excaming against all and every
thing but the sold country" and swillng Lon
don porter and swallowing shocking bad Port;
the phlegmatic Iollandcr mbibing inspiring
Schnapps with his own degree; the proud and
scntehtious Spaniard the chattering Poltu-
guese; the gay and debonnair Frenchman; the
Italian and German all, all seek out, like the
clannsh Scotchman, some of his ain countric;
while Uncle Sans calculating" children,
make awkward attempts at conforming TO
the old adage of acting like unto Rome while
within her borders; in which, however, they ge-
morally fail, fire and water having about as
much affinity.
One may observe in and around this port,
and out at sea, often, Is or 20 miles, though
generally on soundings, what | call the ''fish-
ing arrangements of the Brazilians, which sin
gnlar as they are, are no less ingenious; and By
the skill with which they are managed, and
their rapidity of sailing, put TO shame any thing
similar | have ever seen or ever heard Of
These boats are generally composed of four or
five logs, the two outer ones rather the largest
braced together, and sharpened at each end
and of various calibres, from 90 to 40 feet in
length: carry an immense triangular shaped
sail, and have one or two seats, or benches on
them for the steersman and the manager of the
sail. These boats 90 through the water ut an
exceedingly rapid rate, and are managed with
great tact; make no stir scarcely when going
through the water, and it is almost impossible
TO capsize them; vessels in fact, very often run
ming over them, when all the harm done is, that
the fishermen jump off, and when clear rcjoin
their "Jan- Garda" again; (such is their title,
but the meaning could not extract after vari-
Gus enquiries So exceedingly cleverly ma
mayed arc these frail vehicles, that whoever
has not seen a Portuguese Jan-Garda, has
something left for view, worthy Of examination
as to the why and the wherefore. Lying near
and around the various trapiXc's, (pubhc
wharf are the coaster, or more properly speak
ing the "Catamarans'' of the country, answer
ing to the grade of our bay-craft. These are
generally followed out of the trunk of a single
tree! and occasionally of two or three pieces:
have seen them, indeed, composed of single
log, from 35 to as feet in length, and feet in
diameter, and have the never-tailing logs Ga
large and a small one on each side,) lashed to
them. These craft bring to market the vari-
Gus produce of the country, dye-woods, ETC.,
and return to their homes with the multiiarious
products necessary for the planter.
Another object of interest and curiosity to
the stranger is, the great numbers of horses
daily pouring into the city from the interior,
laden with the riches of the soil, and necessa-
ries for the inhabitants The country around
cannot be traversed by wheeled vehicles, SO that
one may readily suppose their numbers very
large. The animals, by the way, are very Pc
tite, having an ambling, shufilng gait, and are
never shod. Seated astride Of his beast, or
leading him by his bride, driving before him,
and often in advance HIMSELF while some half
dozen follow in the rear, comes the horseman;
muieteer would be 4 preferable term--bnt there
are but few of these animals here. The bride
a, Il =, 81 IF 81,
country, dried and woven together, (some,
however, sporting a dry hide over this, when
wishing to accomplish the genteel thing, while
like unto the pommels of a military saddle, in
front and rear, projects two wooden pins, scrv-
ing to hang thereon, things too numerous to
mention; another rope or leather strap passing
under the tail of the beast, braces him fore and
aft, and thus accoutred, thousands enter daily,
and hundreds hourly emerge to and from this
busy spot. Here you may observe long lane
perfectly, some laden with bales of cotton,
ry for the consumption of the citizens, fire.
wood, done into bundles, charcoal in bags,
grass, poultry, etc. There are various open
spaces selected as the mart where these cara
vans resort, generally in front of one Of the
themselves in various ways, while their mer-
chandize is being disposed of. Here, seated ON
a hide, will be three or four of these chaps,
gambling away with infinite gusto, apparently,
their dark eyes and swarthy features cleaning
absolutely with the intense excitement, scarce
Iva word being uttered while the game is in pro.
gress, which is wonderful for Portuguese,
while others are lounging carelessly about, or
chatterng with each other and around in the
shops you may both hear (if you are not en-
tirely deaf,) and see groups of them gesticulat-
ing and expostulatng with fury, with some
shop-keeper, relative to the value of some of
his petty merchandise: some again more pious-
ly inclined, are pouring forth prayers to some
favorite Saint; and not a few have witnessed
employed in detecting with their ''pickers and
stealers," the whereabouts of those unwelcone
visitors in more refined individuals usinp an