Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03

distinctively Portuguese face-thin, bronze,
with burning eyes whose most promi-
nent expression is of unsuitable curiosity
and next Of suspicion; cotton shirt and trou-
| sers the former rolled to the elbows. the latter
the knees, his brown feet bare or thrust into
homemade slippers. He Journeys on horne
back, perched on top Of two large oblong bags
OF sugar strapped on each side Of the animal.
followed by train Of mules, each similarly
laden. The master leads the procession. his
feet thrust forward under the horses nose; the
mule next him is, perhaps, ridden by . trained
monkey in lieu Of human drivers; the next by q
pair OF screaming parrots, another by splen-
did golden breasted, green coated, scarlet and
alert to the business in hand that of getting the
cargo safely to port, as the master himself.
There are rawhides to protect the sugar from
rains and heavy dews, and night after night
the calvacade has peacefully csmped by the
wayside, the Sertanejo to sleep in his hammock
slung between two trees, with the starry sky
Tor counterpane, monkey parrots, ct al. in the
branches above and the animals tethered near.
At the first peep of dawn all are astir. and hav-
ing packed his load-two big obiong bundles on
each beast as before and every monkey and
parrot IN his own particular place--the sertanejo
goes behind bis horse, seizes hold Of his tail,
puts his foot on the hook joint and
leaps on top Of the load as il ascending
flight OF stairs. ESery mule Of the
troop has been educated to understand
that this is the signal to take his place In the
train, and in an instant the cavalcade is canter-
ing down the green valley under the dew drop
ping trees that overhang the highway.
They invariably stop the last night
In Caxanga-partly from habit and be-
cause there are vendas on purpose (similar
to the mesones Of Mexico and the posados
Of Peru and also to fortify himself for tomor-
rows conflict with traders presumably sharper
than himself, SO that during the semi-annual
sugar harvest time this little hamlet, notoriously
sleepy and quiet by day, suddenly wakes up to
a few turbulent and boisterous nights, when
gaming runs high and rum flows freely. But at
daylight the Sertanejo is again on the road.
pull of his hat and mutter a prayer to the
patron saint Of travellers in its wooden shrine
and Gathering into the Trapixe quarter Of the
port before the sun is fairly up.
BUSY MARKET.
Until within few years the sunrise hour was
the busiest time in Pernambuco, and during the
sugar season Trapixe market presented a scene
which for varied interest could hardly be sur
passed in the world. There were the country
Sertsnejos in full force, with their horses,
mules and sugar bags; the city merchants in
dainty suits Of white linen, delicately lingering
samples OF sugar; vendors of cakes. oranges,
dulces and beverages. screaming their wares in
high falsetto; wood dealers with twin bundles
OF faggots strapped to their donkeys sides;
poultry sellers, also on muleback, with huge
cane cages filled with fowls which vociferoueiy
advertise themselves; cows and goats, each with
its muzzled offspring tied to its tail, driven the
rounds to be MIXED to the order Of customers:
Gathering monkeys. shrieking parrots, captive
song birds, perfect babel of sounds--the heart
OF 1t all the Traplxe sugar market, and sugar
the moving cause.
Nowadays the railways and coasters, which
bring in two-thirds of the crop, and the new
sugar exchange, which opens at a. M. have
somewhat modified the scene by lessening the
number OF Sertanejos but have by no means
done away with the latter or diminished their
picturesqueness. The ordinary price Of sugar
at Pernambuco is 8 cents per pound for brown
sugar and for white The white sugars are
almost exclusively sent to the various brazilian
ports and up the Rio de Ia Plata. while the
brown goes to the United States and England.
FANNIE b. WARD.