The Republican journal., 1892-08-04

ing people up and down hills in sedan
chairs, which are here called cadeiras A
white man finds it very hard work to as
cend the bluffs on foot, unburdened,
though he takes his time for it; and it is
dangerous, too, in the intense heat. Most
OF the streets between the upper and low
er towns wind by zigzag curves along the
edge of deep ravines, or slant almost per-
pendicularly to and fro, in order to miti-
gate their steepness. There is one street
supported on massive arches, of compari
lively easy grade; but it is long, stony and
unshaded When at last You reach the
upper town, its surface is by no means
level, for in the six miles between its two
extremes the Rio Nermelho at one end
and Monserrat at the other-are more
hills than Rome sits upon, broken by pic
turesque but tiresome gorges. There is a
fine steam which, of course,
lands you in but one spot, when perhaps
yullr destination may be two OF three miles
distant-but no wheeled vehicles what
places of public resort one sees long rows
of curtained cadeiras, waiting for custom
erS exactly as carriages do in Northern
cities and their bearers, hat in hand,
crowd around the approaching pedestrian
with all the eagerness of the U. s., hack
driver, though with somewhat less Of his
impudence, shouting gre, cadeiro, Senior
-''Will you have a chair, sir9' When
You have selected the least dilap,lated
looking palanquin, stepped inside its dusty
musty, faded old curtains, and seated
yourself gingerly on its slippery, straight
backed chair, you are instantly tip-tilted
topsy- turvy, and manage to remain right
end up only by the greatest effort, while
the bearers elevate the poles to their
fully, as much elatcd at the opportunity
of carrying such a weight up the long hill
for a few cents us if they We're sitting at
ease on the top of a coach driving spank
ing pair.
In Bahia, every family with any pre-
tentions to style considers it indispensable
to own two OF three cadeiras, as people in
other parts of the world keep their car
riages; and the rank and standing of its
owner is plainly written on the palanquin
in the expensivencss of its curtains, the
amount of its gliding, the livery of its car
riers, and maybe by the arms emblazoned
upon it. And when the splendor of the
private sedan has departed, it is sold for
public uses. Certainly every lady of the
cadcira, to be carried about by two liver
led housc-negroes, and followed by
retinue of female servants-for to ride
in the plcbean tram-cars which traverse
the upper town in all directions. OF to
descend into the lower one by q public
elevator. would he to lose caste beyond
retrieving.
PaIsing in the market place, you OBJ
serve that the lighter skinned. well-dreSs-
ed, masculine portion Of the crowd, APP
pear to he pe1petlallN tending in one di
rection-toward the big, square elevator
tower. Join the procession OF merchants
in suits of cool white linen. with pale
green sun umbrellas, and planters with
broad brimmcd hats and Jackets of yellow
their smallest parcels, and YOU enter II
massive stone building, backed mp close
under the hlun. In it's semi darkness
You are unpleasantly conscious of a strong
smell Of grease, bewldering display OF
machinery in motion, and a degree of
oxygenless heat which no human creature
could long endure. Deposit 100 refs,
Give cents at the turnstie. grope your
way along a dark, damp, moldy corridor
TO a double elevator, only one ear of winch
is used at a time, and enter the one about
TO ascend. BY tight squeezing it holds a
dozen passengers, and is lighted by tiny
lamp in one corner-which smokes like
''all possessed, as does every made pas
scnuer You feel as if down in deep
well and gasp for breath as the swaying
thing gets in its work, boiling MP and
down with sea sick motion; and present.
ly you are are dumped on top of the bluff,
$50 feet above the starting point. Then.
passing through another self registering
gate you find yourself upon one side of a
/ beautiful little plaza. Fronting it are the
Municipal Palace. the Casa ta Gobernrdor
and other quaint old mansions which look
as if they had otrayed by mistake from
| Portugal.
From the square you have magnificent
| view of the lIarbor and lower town.
| though from such an elevation directly
over it you can distinguish little in the lat
ter but a semi circular sweep of red tiled
| roofs, and in the open spaces between them
multitude of ant-like figures moving
about Just beyond canoes, row boats,
iagandas, launches, dot the habor and
! dart to and fro like living things. Far
| ther out, faint spires of smoke denote
passing steamers and white sails from
many lands resemble painted ships upon
a painted ocean,; and still farther ON
the ultra marine blue OF the tropical sea
blends with the ultra marine blue of the
tropical sky.