The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-05

The people who settled at st. Catharine also
saw that they were greatly deceived and sub
jectsd to much hard treatment. These emu.
grants, before leaving New York, were told
that on reaching St. Catharine they would re-
ceive $40 inegold, have land cleared, and houses
built for them. None of these promises, now,
ever, were fulfilled; and the settlers suffered
great hardships before they could get snelter
for themselves and families. There were about
three hundred Americans at this place. me
colony was called the american Colony OF
Principe Don Pedro" ,,,
who, as the settlers express 1t, 'treated them
like dogs" During the first year, no crops
were raised, and many persons suffered rom
hunger. About the end Of the second year,
terrible freshet occurred. which swept away
houses and crops, and reduced the colonists TO
extreme destitution. In December, 1868, tne
river was flooded, and no provisions reacheo
the colony for four weeks. Five persons per-
ished in the freshet, and two or three dieG
from starvation. The director refused to give
away the provisions in the storehouse during
this time, and, if the men had not occasionally
secured some game, whole families might have
perished.
reached the American Minister at Rio Janeiro-
who at once reported the facts to the Brazilian
Government, and made q demand upon the
authorities to return the settlers to their
homes. After considerable delay, the Bra
lillian officials announced that passage to the
United States, free of charge, could be had Dy
all persons who reached Rio Janeiro from the
colonies When this news reached the colony
at st. Catharine, those who had sufflclent
means left chartered launch to convey them
to Rio Janeiro.
When but short distance on their journey
a storm came on, and the launch was com,
pletely wrecked. The passengers were saved
BY the natives, but all their clothing and house,
hold goods were lost. They at last reached
Rio Janeiro In destitute condition. Here
they were forced to remain some time for the
vessel to sail, but most of the men obtained
employment here from an American company
engaged In fixing up street lamps.
These colonlsts relate many cases OF suffer-
Ing, and their general appearance proves them
to be true. They say that when they were
about to leave st. Catharine, application was
made to sell the improvements on the dlner-
ent farms to the remaining settlers. This was
refused by the director, and they thus receiy-
ed no remuneration for the labor performed.
It Is charged that these farms and the improve
ments on them were sold by the director, who
appropriated the proceeds to himself
Many mechanics were induced to 60 to these
colonies by the promise of steady. work at
their trades. This story proved to be an en-
city utterly penniless. These emigrants say
that all the English and American settlers are
anxious to return, and are only awaiting
means for transportation. There are large
numbers of German colonists In Brazil who
are barely supporting themselves by their
labor. But as these people were generally
very poor previous to reaching the colonies,
they seem to be more contented than.the SET
tiers Of other nations.