The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1867-09-14

some convenient town or city,
The gentlemen go on hunting ex-
cursions, take the ladies to fishing
parties, &C., as we use to do in
sEauld lang syne." III
Transportation from the interior
is almost entirely by pack mules,
and is. tolerable cheap. Persons
are engaged in the business,
owning from 100 to 5000 or 1000
mules. The country is so broken
that dirt roads of easy grade are
expensive, requiring much cutting.
Free labor lis almost entirely hired
by the day. at from 80 to so cents.
Some work we'll, others do not :;
they don't like to be hurried, are
easily offended, and quit at any
time they see fit. Some planters
quarter them on their land, and
manage to get their labor with
some regularity, generally speak
ing, they cannot be counted on
for more than two or three days
at a time-most of them have lit
tie places of their own which re-
quire their attention every now
and then. The currency of this
country is not specie, as we ex-
pected, but hotes of the Empire
and of the Bank of Brazil. Ihaye
never seen a Brazilian gold coin
in circulation; occasionally we get
a little piece of silver in change.
Gold is about 10 per centpremium
with the brokers. The paper
passes freely throughout the coun-
try. / don't understand their
money system. Neither the Gov
eminent or Bank redeem it's notes
at sight, and yet | have never
heard of a Brazilian refusing to
take them at par. .fEd tnl .TfH
! The Government has gone very
deeply into debt to England in
order to carry ON this Paraguay
war, and they say all its gold goes
to pay that debt. A British SOW
ereign is worth more than five
dollar American gold piece. The
only revenue the government has
is on imports, they do not tax
either land or negroes, except
when sold, then six per cent on
Eamount of value. From here we
expect to sail in two or three days
to the Rio Doce, in the Province
of Espiritu Santo, where is a colo
ny of Americans under the aus
pieces of DIR. Gunter of. Alabama.
We hear very fiatteringl accounts
from there. We aca. see. baa 70
/ You tell me, Papa to speak
boldly of this country. ! have
done SO. | don't believe that /
have written thing but what is
strictly true, as far as my jadg-
ment goes, | am sure oft; others
have seen the same and speak Of
| it differently. What / have writ
ten is my honest opinion, unbiased
by any outside considerations
whatever. You will expect o more
fiattering account, no doubt, and
may think that i am growing
homesick and fail to see the adj,
vantages of the country on that
account; but it is not, so !; it is my
earnest wish to find q suitable
country here and remain, where
we may, at least, be on an equal
! footing with its poorest people. :,
A will be satisfied with a place where
\ | think the family can live com.
fortably, with even a moderate re
muneratiOn for its capital and labor
As yet [ have notfound that place
4 but have not despaired of finding il
by any means. / have not foun(
a place where, with a view of max
j ing a home, | could unhesitatingly
say come. Capt, Jones will say
about the same thing to his father
and ask him to hold on until he
sees more. He likes the country
! If anything, less than / do, ant
,. James less than either. ''i5 10 'a.
When we return from the Doce
1 win look thoroughly into The
! gardening and supply business
: here. Now / am not prepared Il
: say because I have not seen, ex
'cept that some vegetables arr
!. very high !; tomatoes, for instance
at a bit a dozen, and small. Irfsf
potatoes at six to eight cents pei
pound. Whetherthey with othel
} articles can be raised well or not
| don't know. Am told they can
but a mans ears in this country
are a nuisance, and it looks to mt
like a good many have been badl,
fooled by their eyes. o .i99i2s
Mr.. Dunn is here, just from hi.
} country below, where he stayet
} only a few days, all of his people
but one left him. 1t is Thought ht
is on his way to the States. If W,
do not like the Doce river country