The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-01-19
BAHIA.
.,..st and Oldest City In Brazil.

~ BEAHL, December -, 1904.
l'''J Rtazil is so interesting to the
'@ q, Bahia, with its precipitous
W antique architecture, sedan
~ mongrel citizens. 1t bears
~ noeb similarity to Rio as does
~ o, r46 New Orleans to prim
4,n Boston. Its massive stone
are of the very quaintest de-
Wv and most of the dwellings are
W. mn the verge of breezy cliffs
H oau, huttresSes of masonry.
'.,...as.rud skyward more stories
ot4rr, in South America, for
4.,,,u that houses do in New
.ol ..tago-because they could
,a.m guough in a horizontal
..,., anal inre, therefore, obliged to
..-,. ..I. Bahia is also the
uo of Brazil, being the
a Grace, the Archbishop,
ar 10y its 81 churches, as
As IN Cambridge and New
.-, jarvard and Yale.
.I tau set foot in Bahia you
.4 Fl once into the heart of
mn5ou and the center of its
p'5ItY, for the landing is
..a.. busy market-place, and the
. n- street that outlines the
l.- original San Salvador,
-.. - u1udred years ago, and
.... e.f,, commercial houses. 1t
..... lining with negroes and
..p.e vuaSe complexion is not
n5I.. lhough their noses are
"a, 4tt .d their hair trife less
.emOei for the city's population
sr-ei H1ut ten to one. Among
trst-,NH ri minority are many
a.1 SIND ar.nan merchants, the
sguo y predominating, and a
Yankees Who are engaged in the
rr3 trla.go trade. In those two
de-. lf uumerce this port has as
.rs-. otb the United States as
.g-N NJ. india rubber and Rio with
,es- W,Eh i'll every case the ex-
.tr the importations. Rice,
4 diamonds dye-woods, oranges,
aH- considerable quantities.
s.- o.a than those of this sec
ra..F .e impossible to imagine,
sp u direct from Western
aaH luo or three generations.
gH-jf opposite the dark con-
II .r. portion of Brazil was in
If a4.s Iue great rendezvous for
4e u the slave trade. By
qr t. 1tNer day I came across
...l1H OseOrdS which show that
rW r.auguese of the 18th and
eHurts characterized the traffic
lNMrrO. rYT the spiritual ransom
ares. ard arried it on under the
a: H.1autr0phy ostensibly to
4r- pagan captives as brands
G HlWg and bring them to a
s@+ry where they might be
sp. rt al the same time reward
.UiV bad been SO kind as to steal
iUN q t homes and families by
Il tur unpaid toll. There are
ga NHl-s uere to add a touch of
on o. 81. prevailing ebony, for
..r save, We're first emanclpated
HUa UNt work for love or money,
+ .rt nttrs imported a few ship
So .cs. But the experiment
@. 1N brilliant success, and
ct aduced the negroes to
.i nus MeetS numbers of Creole
.1s-.--e- proud as peacocks in
-54~u turbans, white gowns
0at# If gold ornaments, be-
7tH.u- Under the name, par ex-
4'- i}ahains. With bare feet
Isl @jo ieh-heeled slippers. they
Ra9ll 4.th a majestic gaia car
r tt' comes only from perfect
-l Topraons, and cannot be &C
'Fl Trough any amount of cultiva-
10! tae wasp wasted, narrow-hip-
e3n-.u.Ned women of colder eli
-7 9egfueS who work about the
'Ns' display remarkable muscular
s0intut If the arms and shoulders,
I's. have skulls of astonishing
4aGss ii oue may judge by the
4'4' LH7y bear upon them, heavy
wy. !. rush an ordinary Uranium.
f.ahs eoneeivable is toted on top
~+ head eyeept such enormous bar
NJ sugar sad bales of cottons as a
%9'ua not Stagger under. These
'''tdrn' are slung upon poles, by
~ nj .optS, and then carried ON
shoulders of several together.
"'N5ere gou see tall, athletic dar-
uV'hg about in gangs of four or
'''0 their burdens suspended be-
WI 'iem Like the coffee-carriers
''' zach gang has a leader, and they
: ''0 shout as they go; but instead