The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-24


who not only devoured the drapery at the affairs
but also descended into the graves beneath the
floor and brought up several small pieces OF
linen from the shronds Of the dead; for this Of
fence the friurs commenced an ecclesiastical
prosecution, the result Of which, however, We
did not ascertain Mr. Southey says, in relation
10 these destructive insects, g that having beer
convicted in a similar suit at the Franciscan con
vent at Avignon, they were not only excommu
nicated from the Roman Catholic church, but
were sentenced by the frars TO place OF re-
moyal, within three days, assigned them IN the
centre of the earth. The cknoncal account
gravely adds, that the ants obeyed, and carried
away all their young and all their stores
Concerning the ants, however, we have a
story of our own to tell. The occurrence took
place at Nazerc, and was 10 this wise. One
night while indulging in delightful dreams,
was suddeply awakened by my amable com
panop, who affirmed that something WAS biting
him severely--he knew not what
In the deep silence Of our lonely apartment
we heard distin lily sound like that of a con-
tinual dropping upon the floor We were un-
certain from what it proceeded, but more than
half suspected the true cause but said nothing
to my companon on the contrary even en-
deavored to convince him that the biting OF
which he complained was only imaginary. The
reality however, Of his sufferings made him
proof against any such convict on, and he forth
with arose and lighted lamp It's glimmering
rays shed n feeble light over the apartment, but
sufficient to disclose spectacle such as we hope
never to see again The floor itself was literal
y black with ants and our clothes, which were
hanging on line streatched across the room,
were alive with them. 1t was in vain for us to
attempt to remove them, so we removed our
selves, and spent the remainder OF the night
swinging in our hammocks under the veranda
THE PRIESTS AND PRIEsTcRAFT.
The chief executive of the province is termed
Presidente,' and receives his appointment
direct from the emperor,
In the selection of officials no regard whatever
is paid to color. The president himself was n
wooly headed mulatto, and, not only that, but he
was reputed to be the son of padre; and, as
the padres are excluded from matrimony by the
statutes, his genealogy certainly cannot be OF
the most honorable character.
All are obliged to do military duty at Para /;
none are exempted from this service but padres
and slaves and, rs the duty is very onerous, it
becomes quite desirable to assume the garb OF a
priest. Consequently it is not so much to be
wondered at that the number of these "pious
and highly -favored individuals" in the city alone
amounts to several hundreds.
aBut how, under heavens, do so many of them
earn livelihood" nethnks hear the reader
exclam This, doubtless, would be difficult in
deed, in such heather community, by the prac-
tcc of the principles of religion and virtue
alone. To tell the truth, they do not earn their
living by the practice, but by the practices OF
their profession. Superstition aid them in the
imposition by which they ensnare the unsus-
pecting natives, and wiring from them the earn
ings of their industry and labor.
The most profitable branch Of their profess
siou is that of consecrating small stones shells,
and other articles of trifling value, and then
vending them to the natives at enormous sums,
as sovereign charms against certain diseases or
evil spirits We noticed that every black or
Indian we encountered in the streets, had more
or less of these baubles strung about his neck.
Even Chico our invaluable cook at Nazere, had
at least dozen Of them, for which he had paid
Us many dollars, and sincerely believed in their
power of warding off the different evils for which
they were severally intended. Whenever one
of these "holy trhes" is found in the streets, it
is carried immediately by The finder to one of the
churches, and there suspended on certain
door, where the original owner may, in his
search, recover it again.
BEGGARs.
The beggus of Para are so numerous that
they may be said to constitute a distinct class of
society by themselves. On account of their
great numbers, they are only permitted to make
their professional visits on Saturday. On this
day the streets literally swarm with them. Some
have bandages round their heads; others have
their arms suspended in sings; while many are
affected with blindness, and divers other mala-
dies, which we will not take upon ourselves to
mention.
The Weather people are disposed to be Chart
able towards these poor mendicants. and no one
thinks of refusing them weekly trifle..
DRESS.
The women make use of no more clothing
than is absolutely necessary and the children
of both sexes may be seen running about the
streets continually ina state of utter nudity.
The men, on ordinary occasions, wear white
pantaloons and frock coats, or blouses of the
same material. But no person is considered in
full dress, unless he is habited in black from
head to foot.
Whenever person is invited to a select din
ner party, it is always expected that he should
make his appearance in a coat of sable cloth ;
but, immediately on his arrival, he is invited to
take IL of, and offered one of fine linen as a
substitute.
YELLOW RUMPED oR1oLE.
Overhanging the water with its dropping
branches, was tree of prodigious size, literally
full ofthe long nests of the yelow-rumped oriole.
The novelty of the spectacle did not fail to at
tract our observation, and we halted for a few
moments beneath its shade, in order to scrutinize
the motions of the hundred gay-colored birds
who were chattering and fluttering amid the
thickness of the foliage. The general colors of
those birds were black and yellow, strikingly
blended together, and their notes were shrill and
discordant to the ear.
1t is a Singular fact, by the way, that birds OF
bright plumage, with few exceptions, are not
endowed with the faculty of song, while on the
other hand, the sweetest warblers, such as the
British nightingale and the American mocking-
bird, have n dull and uninvting exterior.
1t is almost impossible TO drive these orioles
from their nesting trees If you have heart so
cruel, you may continue to fire at them for
hours, and may wantonly destroy half their
number, yet the remainder will still hutter
nround the sacred spot vainlv endenvornp to