The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-10-27
Oddities of Life in Brazil.

BLACk-AND-TAN THE PREVAILING
COLOR. THE BoToCUDos, OR ''BARREL-
BUNG' INDIANS, AND THE MANDRUCUs
OR 'BEHEADERs.'
special Correspondence of the Journal I
PARA, Brazil, Sept. 10th, 1892. Speak
we forgot to mention the great annual
''Corteja,' which during the days of the
Empire was the chief social event of
he year in every city. Up to the last
few months of pretended Republicanism
eorteia always occurred on Dom Pedro S
birth day, and might also be given on
every anniversary OF his ascension to the
hrone, OF on the natal days of any mem
her OF the royal family, from away back
80 Pedro |. OF grandfather King Jeao-as
pleasure loving folk in the United States
celebrate Washington birth day, Saint
Patrick s the Fourth of July and divers
other occasions, by balls, ct cetera. But
about it and decidedly more manwol-
ship than would be tolerated in the
Land of the Free. 1t was well enough
when the kind old Emperor himself receiv-
ed the homage of his people: but in places
remote from the Capital, where he was
obliged to receive it by proxy, SO to speak,
HE ceremonies were almost barbalic
1t is only very little time, Ia few days
before the recent fall of the Empirc) that
ceremonious coIteia was held. in this
enlightened city of Para in honor of En-
press Theresa birthday. The President
NJ the province issued deliberately gotten
NJ invitations, bidding all the foreign
oonsuls and local authorities and church
lignitaries and prominent citizens general
~, and the failure of an invited person
20 attend would have been looked upon as
equivalent to declaring himself at 'outs''
with the ruling powers. According to
universal custom in those gala DAYS, the
'onsuls appeared in their uniforms, the
President and officers of the army and
navy in full regimentals, the archbishop
heir respective orders, judges in
their sombre toggey, membersof the
corporation in their quaint dresses,
md the crowd Of civilians in black
iress suits. decorated with all the badges
and stars and crosses and ribbons they
Gould muster for the occasion. whether
Ytl,1p1 i11lA1,itpG o1, ho1.rgun6
As usual the ceremony began with Te
Dcum in the cathedral; after which
Inc gorgeous, but motley asscmblage,
marched i'll solemn procession to the
'Palaeio' headed by a military band
llaying national airs. Arrived 1T tile
palace, the President led the way up Il
tight OF stairs and paused before a heavily
ultaned dool-until an aid dt-camp dra-
natically pushed aside the portiere and
invited the company to enter the Chamber
u state. Then all filed into long room
hung with green and gold hghted by Il
inc of windows overlooking the river.
iichly cultained With green and cold
damask, looped with bullion. At the
farther end OF the hall, under a superb
aanopy OF green and cold. tronted by an
elevated dsis. stood the only articles of
furniture in the immense Chamber of
~tate-two life sized portraits. more or
less works of art, by native artists, OF
Dom Pedro H. and the Empress. The
President of tho province solemnly took
His stand upon one side of the pictures
md the Archbishop on the others side flank
ad by such lesser dignitalies as the Clief
Justice. the General at arms. commander
If the National Guard. etc. Then with
4ravest t0rmalitY the procession advanced.
single file, down the center OF the room the
tunsuls coming first and strictly accold-
Ing to the rules Of precedence At the
foot Of the dais each person paused and
made three profound salaams-tiIst to the
portraits, then to the authorities OH the
right, then TO those On the left; and then
letrcated crawtish fashion, out by side
'Ioor, not daring to turn his back upon
those counterfeit presentments OF ROY
atty, the COrtejo was over When
All had thus saaamed themselves out of
he august presence. the President with
a few distinguished guests whom he had
specially invited, stood in the windows
If the palace and reviewed the troops as
they detiled before him. amid martial
music and the booming of cannon At
night, OF rather next morning. the cele-
bration was concluded by the inevitable
fireworks and brilliant ball in the thea
ter OF ''Our Lady of the Peace attend
ed by all the beauty, wealth and fashion
Of the vicinage.
The ladies Of Para are as renowned for
their beauty as the bellies OF Lima, but
one seldom gets a glimpse of any female
member of the aristocracy on the streets.
for they live as secluded, almost, as their
Moorish Observation-Disclosures. even taking
their ailin@S in closed carriages Only at
church. the theater and corteio Jos may they
he seen; and then the curious stranger is
apt to be disappointed Though their
black eyes are beautiful, and hair glossy
and abundant. their features are Portu-