The Republican journal., 1904-11-17
MAzIl|AN FESTIVALS.

wAL'l'A',! -o"'"1o'
a.rsu That are a Mixture of Fun
SN n.lOion Fireworks, Professions
aiPt'gsIs-
.,rrpspondence of The Journal.
I'M IANEIRo, October Sth, 1904.
fV ,.,-to Brazil is likely to be start
W. .ts day of his arrival by the vio-
" ,tae Of bells, as if the whole
N ,4on fire. He soon learns, how
N .sst the noisy demonstration
N Indicate a general conflagra-
a" might we'll be supposed, but is
V~ ...I the regular services of the
.r those of some special fiesta.
.o,et bells tangled out of tune"
rjtd by boys with might and
+" .ta 20 up into the belfries for
-p,,e they begin at the first
dava and keep it up at inter
" ..H.aoat the day till far into the
nA ou saints days, which are
nauy as the days in the year,
... .. .tft cessation of the ear-split-
..- One gets used to it in
.4t most things in this weary
.teu misses the accustomed
-.. ..faLIe sense of something
..s.. Loud be nigh when re-
-...u.t r. own quieter country.
... .lhngs that traveller in
o... ..,- get used to with any de-
.. -.. -taction is the surprising
s.,.r.. ot festivals, which incon-
.,-s.. .l 1t every turn; for none of
.M.c asses will work on
.n. .ss they can possibly help it,
,,5.r .o~- who are in debt to their
.m.... , au he legally compelled to
.t Is me rule to close govern
..-.are- uu all those days, so that
...,I.,s- / an official character can
,..... ACTED Ships cannot get their
z.t,, lpels, and if you want to
.rms5 ~ IS no office open at which
-..- "cket, nobody to wise your
,s..aa.t sOi wen money changer to
5rr--- ,a4 Brazilian coins into the
,.-,a., 4 the country to which you
-- pnE .t cargador to transport
a. baggage,
na,.. aspects the festivals of all
.y SALTS are alike, universally an
,aqee The preceding day by
....ar.s # fireworks at noon and the
1gng i bells III the evening. During
e. fiesta also, whether it continues
5- ial r Week, inceSsant bell-ring-
ggaaa large of rockets is kept up.
l.- bTal aus appear to be excessively
mE If rHr5technics. If you give a
g-. .o'u--kinned toddler a medic,
S-aD INVESTING it in candy or
s-aag4W rs a Northern urchin
wl. Ho PUSHES to the nearest shop
&MN rptdoes or fireworks. And
2-a.. tcildren of larger growth,
g.r .-ud IN this country or an
gae. sending up of rockets is
laa1 .e most prominent feature of
4'gas eDration, under the belief
.'a' -a}er- aIe thus carried to heaven.
tlsl- tr idea was handed down
t0u H Indian re-worshiping an
='.- aas borrowed from the
-.a-sa Turks, | cannot tell you:
t;+tttatIy prevails throughout all
Na4. America, from Mexico to Cape
aH'l uNug the islands of the sea:
~- g .al.latarly INDUCED in by the
e'-7. 'a--es who can least afford to
'i7 ltf.er scanty earnings. Strange
'. .t 'avurite spot for letting off
-~- ITS pyrotechnics are the
'--.-a- ud ehurch-tops and at fu-
e souls day and Easter es-
t5aef mand them. The missiles
raU.ted so as to explode high
IT'D With cracking sound,
al" ' they descend in beautiful
'.-f- Nute smoke, if in the day
'a' he meteoric showers in the
4.a-tS. looks very odd to see a
H0l'4ioIS lot Of fire works let off from
q ''-'ria -oof in the glazing noon
'a' >1n' If but here it is a matter of
-'@''' e'eI} lay occurrence. l am told
Via. 1t .rts' me hundred thousand dol
'-' '' -F'e7ded every year in Rio alone
'l' -'eN'" and wax, the latter sub
''lst be- ronSumed in the incredible
--4'9ri' i randles which are kept
'~'l'i4 p the affairs, before the
''- l'7' aa0 around the unburied dead.
'' "'I- ,arge sums of monev, but
s''"' gaze and taste are bestowed upon
'lT 4a'IAment Of the churches for these
-'' Ids Nonletimes rows of blazing
'PFI' aft drranged in front of the
.''. 'iom iioor to roof to look like
PYRAMIDS, or semi-cones of light,
.'lT'41leS IN a succession of arches.
.'" 'tI.eTed texts, and anon the whole
l. ''.t', u med with what appears to
''''u walls or curtains of flame. All
., . 'allIrs are made from vegetable
,r,9 2'e wax, imported from the coast
I ,-'i'lca for this express purpose and
,'''' peTtumed. No animal oils are
g. USED In the poorest churches of
'"1'1 Jhal which supplies the lamns