Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-23

half glass of heated milk, into which they
pour the coffee. 1 don't know why they In
Eist on serving my coffee in glass, and
cannot talk enough OF the lingo to find out.
DON'T LIKE THE HOURS.
A good breakfast is served from II A. NJ.
to p NJ, where l am living at the "Del-
monico's'' or "Chamberlin's," of Para, kept
by a Frenchman, and which is patronized
bv the English and American residents.
Through this association 1 manage to get
vhatI want from the bills of fare. Every
thing is served by plates or courses; and
everybody drinks elaret, genuine Brazil
claret, at their meals, which is also an extra
charge. l find no fault with the French
Portuguese cooking, but 1skick every day
against going out in the boiling sun for
breakfast at IL A. NJ. and dining after dark.
sat one is never satisfied in this world.
As boy, at home, and in later years also,
when 1 had to rise and dress in the cold OF
winter morning, before day break, used to
complain about the hardShips of having to
''get up in the night to eat breakfast by
candle light; and here have a chance to
sleeD till noon and cannot appreciate 1t. 1t
occurs TO me that everything is done by con-
traries here. To get into cool climate you
go south. The rule of the road is to turn to
the left, and street cars are always on the
wrong track
CoURTESIEs OF THE BRAzILIANs.
When gentlemen friends meet after an alb
sence, or are about to separate, they em-
brace each other warmly, each giving the
other three pats on the back. When the
ladies meet, they kiss each other on one
cheek and then turn the other. A very
clever Brazilian TO whom l have talked
about the customs assured me that he never
ie 10 ofrl for Id
all know that we reverse that sort of thing;
with US allthe kissing is done before marry
ing, and not after. The ladies wait tor the
gentlemen to recognize them first, as l dis
covered to my eIn barrassment Now L hit
nv hat to almost all the ladies, and receive
6 pleasant smile and nod in acknowledge
ment. The cultivated Brazilian at home is
most hospitable, and always as courteous
and polite a Frenchman, of whom am
frequently reminded by them.
The life of a Consul in the tropics is not
necessarily the unhappy lot" it has been
pictured in this correspondence, as much
depends upon the character and habits of
the man as on that of the position he fills.
The duties are, as a rule, light, and in gen.
eral terms confined to looking alter the in
terests OF American trade and welfare of
American seamen.
ONE OF THE CoNsUL'S DUTIES.
The other day a clustering big fellow,
full OF cachaca, or the rum OF the country,
come to the consulate, and in a loud man
ner demanded reliet in the way OF some
easy. When 1 mildly intimated that the
Government did not send ME out here to play
bartender or 10 make a gin mill OF the con-
sulate, he rolled up his shirt sleeves, show
ing brawny arm. tattooed all over with
sailors emblems, and declared tnat either 1
or him had got to die. l kept my seat, but
quietly opened a drawer in which l keep an
American revolver, and cooled him down by
observing that I hoped he wouldn't put me
10 the expense of paving his funeral ex-
psnses out Of my slender salary, or of max
ing report to the department of the
effects" lie was wearing.
he lett, and, when sobered up, called
again TO apologize, and declared be would
fight for the American Consul; and be-
leve be would. On another occasion a
Young lrishman was sent to me by the
British Consul with the request that would
send him 10 New York on the American
ship sailing that day. When I reminded
him that il was the duty of the English
Consul TO take care OF Irish subjects of
Great Britain, he left muttering curses on
the English Government.
he HAD BEEN POSTED.
C0Ou alltT ne Cdlletl IN anu ueCl1r6Q llHl-
self an American seaman in distress. l sus-
peCJed that he had been advised by some one
ana was attempting 10 beat his free transit
bv our ship; but he had been so well coached
Iaat all the questions that 1 could put failed
10 discoucert him. l gave him note to the
captain oi the ship, with a request TO allow
him TO work his passage, which was grace
tully granted; and when l told the Irishman
10 go aboard the American ship he was so
overcome with gratitude that he reached
across nv desk, as l shook his hand, and at
tempted to kiss me- but l escaped.
One evening while seated in the consulate
looking vaInly and sorrowfully over the
Amazon toward the North Star which now,
as ever, is Just below our horizon, heard a
voice in the rear o. the large building hum
ming, or plaintivelv singing, that dear old
song, "Aw,y Down Upon the Suwanee
iver." Always passionately fond of music,
especially o. this character, 1 was strongly
attracted toward the voice, expecting to find
an American, who, like myself, was "lar,
far away" from home. Instead, however, /
discovered that the sweet sounds came from
about as unprepossessing looking a colored
man as I've ever seen. Though he had a
viIlaiuous expression on his countenance
when in repose, yet when he discovered that
he was taIking TO an American recently from
the South, he griEned all over his face with
delight.
THE SOSGSTER HOMEwARD BOUND.
/ ascertained that he was an American
citizen, born and raised on plantation neal
Savannah, Ga, had been to sea some years
ana came out here in an English ship of the
Amazon Company's.
When l asked him if he didn't want to &C
home he said: 81 done left thar like foo
niger, and don't never speck to git back
thar no noah. When l offered to send him
home rs an American seaman he was FLIED
TO overfowIng with gratitude, and has come
10 the consulate every day since, with hat il
hand, SowIng and smiling, while he offer!
his services TO the Consul.
It is a true story, aud the colored Ameri
can leaves on the steamship Advance
carrying with him several Brazilian parrots
as presents to some lady friends at home.
have sent also a number of the beautiful
gold bugs" for mounting, as we'll as som,
OF the rich and rare feathers of the Eigrett;
bird, ana a number of leaves of the golC
and silver and velvet plants. 1 mention
these 10 say that 1 can supply duplicates Il
friends. There was also sent to the zooiogi
cal garden at Washington a rare monker
from the upper Amazon, with beard and
peculiar caudal appendage.
J. o. KERBEY.