Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-02-05
FACTS ABOUT Brazil.
Hho Manner, Customs, Industries and
Language OF It's People.


Language OF It's People.
The twenty provinces of Brazil con-
tain, according to recent reports, IL, 922,-
600 people. OF this population, one
twelfth reside in thirteen cities. Rio
de Jsneiro was given in 1885 popula-
ton of S57,332, Bahia 10000 and Per-
nambuco 100000 The pure whites COM
prise something like IS per cent. of the
total population; Is per cent. or 80 are
full negroes; 35 per cent. are mulattoes,
or descendants of whites and negroes,
Indians and negroes and progressively
white persons, while the remainder are
aboriginal Indians. In the northern
provinces the Indians are most numer-
Gus, and in Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Per-
nambuco and Minas the negroes are
to be found in greater numbers. The
Europeans and their white descendants
live in the seaport towns and the adj
jacent provinces. When the COM
plete emancipation act went into force
recently there were 900, 600 slaves in the
empire. The greater part of the Eu-
ropeans in Brazil are those from the
Latin races, chiefly the Portuguese and
Spanish. The educated classes are
ceremonious, proud, sauve and hospita-
bic. The national character is summed
up in the words mildness and generosity,
with strong flavor of tho vindictive.
In Rio de Janeiro, as in any other polit-
ical or commercial capital of the world,
the European fashions prevail, and the
same is true of the other seaports of
Brazil. But among the common people,
and away from these centers of popula-
ton, the Brazilian OF to-day has not
materially changed during the past half
century; he wears the same kind of
clothes that were worn in his grand
fathers day; his sports are similar:
chicken fights are patronised by clergy
and laity alike. A recent traveller to
Brazil remarks: "The Brazilian takes a
walk in the plaza with his family after
dinner and retires carly, if he does not
go to the club or gaming table. The
people are inveterate gamblers. There
Is no moro disgrace attached to attend
ance upon the faro-table or tho roulette
board than attends stock gambling in
New York. He calls upon the HOLY
Mother when he losses his chips upon
the cards, and says an Ave Maria when
he wins stake. At every religious fes-
tival the cathedrals and churches are
surrounded by gambling booths, and the
priests always go to tho cock fights
after high mass on Sunday. Some of
them breed game chickens and carry
them to tho pit under their priestly
robes" The women of Brazil ENJOY
much more freedom now than formerly.
The social restrictions are passing away.
1t was once n serious olfcnse for a gen.
tleman to bow to lady acquaintance or
address her, except in the presence of
some malo relative and even now no
gentleman will be received at q house
In tho absence Of the father or husband
OF tho lady. The Portuguese language
Is that most generally used by the Eu-
ropeans, and mixture of that with tho
natives Is common in the provinces
away from the large cities and sea coast.
The principal exports of Brazil arc cof-
tee, sugar, cotton, Indla-ruDper, tobacco
and hides. These exports come mainly
to tho United States and Great Britain
In the matter of strictly domestic prod
ucts 1t may be observed that there are
large mining industries, tanning and
hide working, collecting and polishing
precious stones, salt working and SIM
liar Establishments Chicago Inter
Ocean.