The New York herald., 1868-05-22
BRAZIL


by Order-Braxiliau Farming and Tele-
Graphy-A Fish observation-disclosures
Trespassng-Humaita Still Resisting
Steamers Sunk-Troops Wanted-Irishmen
In BraziI-The San Christovan Tramroad
Omnibus Line.
RIO JANEIRo, April 25, 1868.
With the cessation of the equinoctial gales came
period Of deuging showers, which seemed to aim at
setting the city anoat. Now In their turn they have
been superseded bya spell Of delicious, cool morn
ings and evenings, with warmish days, and whose
smoky, dusky sky so much resembles the Indian
summer Of the States that cannot avoid ascribing
it to like cause, inaspuch April here is the same
period Of autumn whose functions are performed in
the northern hemisphere by October. We used to
ascribe the hazy atmosphere Of the Indian summer
to the burning Of the great prares west Of the Mis-
sssppi; but do not see how this explanation would
suit Southern Brazil where the praries are still fresh
and verdant. More probably the hazy atmosphere Of
the Indian summer, and this phenomenon itself, is
the result Of some periodical meteoric occurrence
whose true nature will some day be discovered.
Passion Week here, like In all strictly Catholic
countries, was week Of ceremonies and process
sions which have lost nothing Of their demOnstra-
tive character by their translation to Brazil and
their employment to operate through the sight upon
the obtuse perceptions of the red and black stocks OF
the population Of Brazil On Thursday commenced the
more elaborate ceremonies Of the Holy Week. On
that day the Emperor and Empress each washed
the feet Of twelve poor persons, in commemoration
of our SaviOur's act towards his disciples upon the
first initiation Of the Feast Of the Sacrament At its
installation the action was significant and sublime;
as performed here 1s00 years after, the contrast Is
suggestive and by no means edifying. The ceremony
ia looked upon as an important one, and all the
functionaries Of state, active and honorary, with
their wives, are expected to be present. AS GUS
tomary with Brazilian ladies in devotional eX-
ercises they dressed plainly In black silk Ia cos
tune by the way not becoming to theiryellow tnged
complexions); but the gentlemen In their official
or honorary uniforms and with their crosses Of the
imperial Orders, look, when gazed on from above,
mass of glittering gold embroidery and sparkling
gems. In row are seated the twelve poor old men
selected for the occasion to represent the Twelve
Apostles, their bare feet scrubbed and secured pre-
viously to the tenth power of cleanliness. The En-
peror moves towards them, attended by cloud of
priests; one bearing the water ever, another the
basin, another the towel. The ever carrier, stand
ing on one side Of the outsretched feet pours little
water on them, which is caught by the basin holder
on the other side while the Emperor, half kneeling
touches the moistened feet with finger, gives
silver patacoon (s1 to the impoverished apostle and
proceeds to the next the priest ociating with the
towel giving hasty and careless rub with it to
finish or the operation. The twelve fnished they
are bundled or with short courtesy to invest
their dollar In snuff or other luxuries OF the
poor. While this is being done by the Emperor
q similar scene is enacted in another part
Of the chapel, wherein the Empress figures as
first performer. At night time it is considered in
selves by visiting the churches, which are all fes-
tooned with mourning drapery. This custom af
1ords good opportunity to the gentlemen TO- see the
dressed then In their finest toilets, with their jew
els ornamentng their hair, necks and bos0ms, their
large black eyes sparkling and the sallOw tint OF day
lost In the blanching gaslight, the new conner who
judging Of them by the show upon the streets and at
the windows, has been tolerably increduous about
Brazilian beauty begins he gazes on their well
filed forms, their abundant black hair their well de-
fined eyebrows and their regular features, to under
amount of beauty to be found among the Brazilian
better classes, when few generations removed from
the Portuguese and (but this must whisper In your
ears from the African progentrix who Is usually to
be found somewhere engrafted on the root OF the
geneaogcai tree On Good FRIDAY grea1 ceremony M Is
monks and devotees attend In solemn form upon the
pal-cOvered litter which Is supposed to contain the
body Of Jesus on its way to the sepuchre. In most
OF the cities and towns number Of negroes dressed
to represent the rejoicing Jews, dance and sing be-
fore the litter, entirely destroying any feeling OF
reverence which the anniversary would excite; but
/ am glad to say that some OF the newspapers are
beginning to castigate the practice, and probably
few years more will put an end to custom which
is at once indecent and insulting.
While going along the street on the afternoon of
Good Friday stranger Is apt TO be astonShed at the
multitude Of scarecrows or Guy Fauxs he sees stand
ing up in the courts and groceries. These are Ju-
ious individuals, and on Saturday at eleven A. NJ
when the mourning ends, the hallelujah is chanted
burst out crowds of boys, black, yellow and white,
dragging their Judas through the street and soundly
20 ring a nnce 0ns an sbo %n %n ie m sG
consumed These customs have been handed down for
many centuries and might be disregarded as puerie
folks; but unfortunately they contribute to maintain
that prejudice and hatred OF the Jews which was the
bane Of Portugal imported thence into Brazil; and
even at the present day In Rio, Jew, known to be
such parts of the city shouted at and abused
by the boys, sometimes even pelted with stones an
amusement which the lower class OF Portugal, who
swarm in Rio, themselves scarcely more intelligent
less brutazed than the negroes, are too ready to
And while on the topic OF the Portuguese may say
that, although hardworking and saving, the Portu-
thorough deteslation OF the other foreigners, and
more especially Of the foreign ladies. Previous to the
lillian ladies' were never to be seen upon the streets
at any hour, unless attended by their husbands or
parents In fact only while going TO mass, or some-
times for short time the cool OF the afternoon
were they to be seen at all. But the foreign ladies
soon broke through the Brazilian rule and
walked and visited shops freely without es-
cort and have, in Rio, been in part successful in
inducing more liberty among the Brazilian ladies,
so in few years the polite Brazilian gentlemen Of
foreign fair SEX and now take 1t as matter OF
course, generally taking on their hats e when y they
ever, with the Portuguese here. They seem never to
| learn, and an unattended female no matter how
| respectable, is not safe from insulting words and
| demonstrations from them, they even waiting for
her TO have opportunity OF displaying their bestial
Ill breeding, so that Portuguese beast" Is CON-
mon term applied To them.
A little affair has occurred which testfes to the
peculatng propensties OF Brazilian officials gen
tleman bought some tribe in grocery and received
| 1t wrapped up in piece OF manuscript. ON looking
over 4 he found # to be q government document
| on which was the endorsement and signature OF the
chief Of the department. ordering to be filed among
| the archives but 1t had with others been sold by
| trouble himself with making row about 1t, for 1t
| was only unit among q multitude OF peculations,
and every one thinks that 1t would take more than
Hercules to clean the Augean stable OF the Brazilian
| public service.
| centrifugal bullet thrower has been brought here
from Belgium stated 10 throw 200 to 300 balls min
| ute. II was purchased there for the Brazilian gov
| ernment which has the idea OF trying IL IN Para-
| Quay