The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-03

charity; and. even then. not left long TO re-
pose in peace--barely long enough
for the comparative safety of the liv-
manned of you unconsumed by the
quick-lime that is hberally thrown in at
the time of interment the only liberal
thing about III. would be pitched into the
general charneI heap of detached bones
heads without trunks aud trunks without
heads-to await the semi-annual burning.
"Oh schwer ests, in der Fremde sterben
unbeurinc"-but nobody can realize how
sad 1t is to die unwept in foreign lands I'M
TIL he hnds himself In danger OF trying 1t.
RIOS ~BEUATIFUL BAY.
am not going to bore you with a de-
scription of the unriyalled beauties of
Rios bay. for other travellers have one it.
time and time again. Enhanced by his
tory and tradition. they are ever more en-
trancing than when the ancient mariners
discovered them, that January day, $50
years ago; when, sailing through the mar
row gateway from the ocean into the bay,
they fancied themselves entering the
mouth of q mighty river that led TO the
enchanted land and christened il Rio de
Janeiro. river of January" from the
month ID which the event occurred. There
is the Pao do Assuear Portuguese for
"sugsr-loaf") barring the entrance as
1T rises aDTuptlJ lfOIn Ine sea LIZ Iect,
the Gavea, with its natural fo~rtltication
on top. which human foot has never scaled:
Corcovado. the colossal human back
Botofoga: ilha DIES Cobras, the rocky
"island OF snakes" Ilha des Ratos. island
of rats" and all the rest of them, Enclosed.
as by a wall. within a misty background
of mountains, draped with eternal
verdure; the white city, with It's
countless towers In the foreground
surrounded by an amphitheater of ragged
oNnhfa an Anr1 md ~ chat fhaV
exaggerate the calm of the water and the
smile of perpetual midsummer. There are
plenty OF pictures TO show you how 1t
looks, better than mere words could do.
Yet.no picture can do IaintesL Justice To
tropical scenery. The contour, and even
the colors may be reproduced. but 1t lacks
the full glory of equatorial sun md sky,
the living green. the ever-shifting clouds
which IN these regions of strong contrasts
distinctly change the tint of foliage and
flowers wherever their shadows
fall. the indescribable glow and in
tensity of animal and vegetable life.
the hot air that visIbiy thTobs
and palpitates. Some of us, feeling all this
for the first time. realize in the depth of
our souls that some mistake in natures
plan cast our lines in the cold and color
less north; or is it the natural mans
vague, instructive recognition of the birth
place of his kindf Gazing at the imperial
palms of Rio, than which none finer can be
found In the world, Que remembers that all
the traditions of earth speak of Paradise as
q place where palm trees grow. Who ever
heard of heaven or the Garden of Eden To-
Gated where winter relgns during half the
year, The most unpoetical of Yankee
preachers tell OF the palm trees of Para
dise"-not altogether. let us hope. on ac-
count of the pleasant ALTERATION; and the
dear old orthodox hymns describe Its eli
mate as high. eternal nOOn."
NOT A
But Brazil must be o long way from Par
adise. or the place has greatly changed
since Ewes peccadIllO. The flowers have
no perfume. the birds no song. death is
frIghtfully busy everywhere. and the peO-
ple-well. the kindest thing to be said of
them is that the majority are not such as
one would like to associate with through
eternity. a tangled mass of wild. luxur-
liant vegetation crowds close to the city.
full OF birds of the most brilliant plumage,
bugs that look like living jewels, and
blossoms of vivid scarlet. purple and
gold that make the woods appear
ablaZe. There are no delicate hues nor
gentle tints. but everything is intense
The whole country seems painted red and
yellow, unprotected from the seOrching
rays OF the sun. because the palm trees
grow too tall to cast n shadow-their round,
smooth trunks, like exaggerated telephone
pOACos WV Adh0tC AOC
from the ground before the first great leaf
shoots out. Alas, 1.-The trail of the ser
pent is over it all" In TACT as we'll as figur-
atlvely. Many of the gem-like bugs are
fatal IN their sting, and you never touch
q leaf or flower without the uncom :
Portable consciousness that under 1t death
may be lurking in some gulse. And the
tarantulas. We thought that long ago in
the hot lands of Mexico we had made the
acquaintance of pretty respectable speci-
mens-so far as size goes-of those hairy
denominations; but none of then could
hold n candle TO those that abound in
Brazil. Ever since we came there has been
one lurking IN the hotel bedroom, visible
only at intervals. when, as if animated
with IN impish desire to torment strangers,
he Will dart from some unknown source
and scud across the floor rolled mp in u
brown, woolly ball as large as O hens egg.
The instant his spidership appears VIC
rush frantically to the bell rope and sum-
mon the servants. when general hunt IS
~lnaugurated; but always TO no purpose for
the wretch puts himself out of sight like q
second harlequin. The very best advice |
can offer to the uninitiated coming TO Bra
I'll Is this: Never step out of bed slipper
less, IN the dark. nor put a bare foot down
by day without first looking sharp to where
1t Is going, nor don your hose. nor shoes,
nor any other article OF clothing
without first treating IL like q bottle of
medicine, Ito be well shaken before taken"
Never get into bed without first inspecting
the curtains and looking carefully between
the sheets and under the pillows. Never
poke careless fingers under a table-spread.
or rug. or into any darkened corner. nor
Tashly walk into a thicket. or clumpo of
flowers. or even among rank grass. Never
take active exercise IN the hottest part of
the day, nor expose yourself to the
chilly, poisen-laden CewS of night, nor
drink water when you are heated, or leo
water ut any time. Eschew bananas and
most fruits as you would so much arsenic.
Whenever You meet an overpowering
stencil IN the streets land that will be at
almost every step In some localities), dom
stop TO scold about il. but cover mp your
nose and mouth with your handkerchief
and flee as from a pestilence-which it
really is. Avoid. If o can, any spot
where an old wall is being torn down, or
bit of pavement being taken up. or a drain
disturbed, for those are the very places
where the deadly germs of fever lie dor
ment till disturbed. And don't be fright
ened ont or your senses If, while being
entertained in q Brazilian home, you
find q big snake comfortably asleep
in our rocking-chair. or cooled under your
pillow, OF feel his Shiny length drawn
slowly across your neck in the night time.
It Is only the useful and harmless house
snake which people keep. as we at the
North do cats. for DISCRIMINATING mice and
reaches. L have not vet learned how TO
spell his Portuguese name. but have been
introduced to HIM, so to speak. a number
of times. and live IN houTly dread of his
attempting TO cultivate a closer acquaint-
to twelve feet long. and Is dressed In
gray, notified with black. Already We
have been offered several of these sO-called
beauties" to take homo with us, rs souve-
Mrs of pleasant ~ visits: and whenw we have
declined the honor. without being quite