The Republican journal., 1892-08-11

lldl ulc- PdVeo tcIIdCe, Will lllc-CoNeIcu
and she'll ornamented benches, urns and
statuary, and ladies and gentlemen prom
enade here on certain afternoons to the
music of military bands. Another tram
+ way line leads from the central plaza of
the upper town down into portion of the
J old San Salvador, where the streets are so
narrow that there is barely room for the
car to pass, and when it comes rafting
along pedestrians have to dodge inside the
shop doors. This part of Bahia is now
occupied almost exclusively by negroes,
and dirt, poverty and squalor reign. On
this trip there are but two things worth
getting out of the car for-an old Jesuit
church at the foot of the bluff, and the
open air market. The former is built en-
tirely of white marble, brought from Lis
bon, and like all of Bahias sixty-seven
churches is very interesting by reason of
its peculiar architecture and adornments.
Some of them are square, two or three
are round and a number are built in the
form of cross. All have marble pave
ments, in many places Worn into hollows
by the knees of generations of worship
pers; their affairs are covered with curl
ous wood-carNings and their ceilings adj
mirably trescoed by monks who returned
to dust some centuries ago. 1t is not in
name only that Bahia enjoys eccelesiasti-
cal supremacy, for it is the see of the only
Archbishop in Brazil, and its churches
far exceed those of any other city, both
in number and magnilicence. More nuns
and friars have lived and died here than
i'll all the converts elsewhere in the coun-
Try, and the multitude OF Saints, cruel
fixes, holy-water, urns; etc, that abound
in the shops show that the traffic in those
articles is still floulshing. Among other
culosities which the stranger may inspect
is an image factory, where saints and
angels are made to order, OF repaired if
any have been SO unfortunate as to lose
a nose OF leg, OF any other member.
In the market square there are three
things-besides the people-which spec
tally attract the attention of foreigners:
| tobacco, done up in hard round rolls
! wrapped with shredded palm leaves, the
ing in length from one to four yards; the
beautiful linen lace which the women
make by hand, somewhat resembling the
finest Torchon; and the feather flowers
II al. IL,
glass covered boxes. These flowers are
peculiar to Brazil and for many years We're
peculiar to Bahia being made by nobody
else but the nuns of Santa Catarna, who
derived considerable revenue from their
sale. But in course of time the art spread
beyond the convent walls and is now car
ricd on to some extent both in Para and
Rio. The flowers are constructed entire
ly from the feathers of birds-in their
natural colors, it is claimed. but though
Brazilian birds have more varied and bril-
liant pnma9e than those of any other
part of the world. | am inclined to be
lievc that some Of these tintS are due to
the dye-pot At any rate the flowers are
perfect limitations OF nature So exact in
every detail that you may put Il cluster of
them beside another from the garden and
find it impossible to tell (which is which
except by the sense OF smell OF touch.
There are hyacinths and violets in their
delicate blues and puppies, pansies in end
less variety, roses, lilies, carnations, pas
sion flowers, orange blossoms and all the
gorgeous blooms OF the tropics. OF course
they are OK pensive, and some of the bou-
quets are rendered more costly by tiny
humming birds Suspended over them by
invisible wires-the winged gems for
which this country is famous, preserved
by taxidemry
The third tram way line leads along the
semi-circular shore of the bay to the
northern extremity Of the city, called
Montserrat. 1t passes the Carmelite con-
vent, the summer homes Of wealthy
Creole and Portuguese citizens, the Leper
Hospital, the Yellow Fever Hospital and
a picturesque row of tumble down fortiti-
cations. On the extreme point Of the
tongue of land called Montserrat stands
little church, which the Portuguese Friars
built more than two hundred and fifty
years ago. The inscription over its door
! way is still legible, despite sea gales and
equatorial rains, Virgin fol concebi
| da sem peccado originate and it's mush-
room shaped altar of carved mahogany is
/ worth coming far to see. The view Of
Bahia and it's surroundings from this
| point is truly magniticent-.the antique
town, with its queer buildings Struggling
up and down the hill sides; the numerous
grass grown forts, the varied shipping
! the palm covered island of Itaparica and
! the white-cappcd pillows beyond, and on
i the other hand lilnitless sea of verdure
stretching to the horizon. Returning to
town, We may leave the tram and make
several short excursions on foot. In the
upper city there is the cid Cathedral,
which js said to be the largest and most
costly church editce III Brazil; and close
by it is the Arhepscopal palace AID
= ~ Il