Year: 1868




RIO JANEiRo, Feb. 7, 1868,
Ihave just come back from flying visit to the Ex
hange to catch the latest rumors that might be aoat
and declare to you that l feel melancholy in the
extreme and as suicidal as Londoner in Noyem-
Der fog the sight of the long faces which the
chants display in that temple devoted to the rites OF
commerce. Such faces are impossible to be
imagined, much less described; they must be
seen to be appreciated. Nothing that my OPP |
pressed imagination recall to me re-
sembles them more closely than those toy |
'yisages of Indian rubber which children delight |
go much to draw out TO intcrminabe lengths, or
perhaps the countenance of the bon ot0am who too
late has detected superannuated oyster And the
owners Of those facial eonsations appeared as rest
less as hyena in his cage wandering listlessy from
door to table and fro table to the shipping lists to
see II some stray telegraph gave notice OF vessel
from the Plate. II point of fact there is only
much justification for the gloom that hangs over |
every one except some fortunate dealer in shoddy,
who hes the necessary "friend at courtn |
within the arsenal the still more fortunate |
official who finds golden shower descending from
the clouds ana diamond rings and bracelets coming
TO his family idols from unknown benevolence that
seeks nothing in return Of course. Exchange within
a month he's fallen twenty-five per cent and gold has
risen eighty per cent premium, which, though tribes
when compared with the ups and downs which your



still 70 tres in the eyes Of the easy going unspecu
lative merchants OF Brazil. The war, of course, Is
the of all the trouble. Here there have been
army and fleet muddlng away three years trying to
capture q fortress which has already cost the be-
siegers more lives than the whole garrison ever con-
tanned and which seems further from being taken
than it was when the first shot was fired upon it.
The Brazilian general has been reporting for months
that the garrison Is starving, IL Is naked, 1t
is dsanected, it is composed half OF boys Of from
that ,Anani ifiAn nj,
exhausted; that sickness and desertion have
reduced it to 1900 men, while, on the other hand,
his army is in splendid order and equipment and
smouldy for fight" numbering three or four to
one, independent Of fleet OF thirty-fve
for pack of towards and tell them to go in and
VIM Yet the Brazilian troops are not towards;
tom. Give them piece Of beef leather, handful OF
few y p IA, and ;nns thmoeiu
an ofcer in front to wave his sword and shout
piuas to everything from the .'holy religion'' to
his maternal ancestress forty times removed; start
him forward at run, with his usually well de-
his troops win follow him to the -:
that would have shocked the readers Of the HERALD
they will follow his coat TAIL will say, Thorough
bush, through briar through muck thorough
mire,n into any enemy's work that it is possible
for them to jump scramble or wrggle into. But
] am speaking now Of the infantry, who come from
the tropical provinces and are generally small men
Of divers colors which give their battalions rather
motled look as If the clouds had emptied paint pots
of all shades between white ochre and black upon
come chiefly from the Southern pastoral regions and
are almost entirely pure whites OF Portuguese
are born knights they disdan to ride mare or
cultivate the ground or follow any mechanical call
Ing, and wherever they stalk the huge spurs are
You know, fought In Rio Grande do Sui among them,
said they were the finest cavalry In the world, and
that he would undertake anything with them. Ger
tainy they can ride and handle the spear with the
Comanche and their bolas are at least deadly
onnf fhnv forfn1
republic ''on their own hook" and not only held
their own province, more or less for nine years. but
the present general OF the Brazilian army the Mar
quis de Caxas, was sent against them with plenty OF
the money and the blank titles he gained suff-
cient OF the principal leaders TO squash the rebellion
Now the Rio Grandenses are extremely loyal, and
they have furnished half of the troops sent into Para
quay.


understood human nature. Some time AFTER when
little fuss in Mnas Geraes getting troublesome,
he played trick somewhat OF the same calibre.
When revolutionary leader came into his camp TO
negotiate the condding individual found himself
some months Imprisonment to repent his sins or
his credulity So, when the Marquis de Caxias went
OF gold with him, every one expected to ''ir hear
OF his playing one or other OF his trump
nHs came s a%p and out e
nothing came Of il but more cash wanted as month
after month passed without the Gagged Paraguayan
Der OF squatting places half around the Para
guayan frog pond, and he is sitting like
greenback afraid to take the punge and there
he will sit till he has buried the last man in
the ditch and pocketed the last sovereign in Brazil
If some one don't come behind and stimulate his
seat OF honor. Could you not lend us general-a
leetle, leeue general-even "Beast Butler, would do
II he would lead with the ace OF spades, follow with
the ten OF clubs and take the knave OF diamondsS
new President will be wanting down yonder, and
Ben will have a much better chance there than at
home, where he's known Tell him to be on hand
at once and be here by the LIST Of April In time for
the carnival.


Last week. a day or two after the packet from New
York came in whom should see as strolled down
TO the Petropols landing but General Webb. The
dear old mani was glad to see him, with his
frosty pow and his hands In his own pockets. He Is


makes such ne show in his generals ea ueopm and
he Is as great q man as the Emperor himself. He
told me he had come down from that delightful re-
girls to offer the services OF the United States TO fix
up some sort OF peace between the belligerent
Powers that are splitting and snarng without
coming TO the scratch. Would to heaven that he
coud for the only other ending to the war that
can see Is that OF the Kilkenny cats; but whose viii
be the tail left know not, though fear very much
that Brazil, as the fattest, VIII be the first drowned
sore heart-American mediation viii be a wei.
come thing to all parties; and although the
that II was necessary before giving q final
answer 10 consult with the other parties to the ALI.
ance against Paraguay, II IL looked upon az a favor
able opportunity to withdraw honoraby from a
many sided difficulty. Doubtless, too instructions
were sent also 10 the United States Minister'S In La
Plata but probably the death OF General Asboth at
Buenos-Ayres will interfere with this part of the
Rotiaton. However, mediation or even something
stronger from the United States will find an almost
general accepaton In Brazil and La Plata and IL Is
probable enough that Lopez will be glad enough TO
gei rid OF a war which must have severely strained
the resources of 30 small and poor a country.


IL s believed here that the management Of the war
has created some diversities between the Emperor
and his sonsin-law, the Compte d Eu and the Duke
de SAKE The Comte dEu was weary OF the inactisn
10 which the government condemned him, and he
finally declared that he would return to Europe II he
were not allowed to go down 10 Paraguay TO serve
IN any capacity, he did not care what lie even
Ouereu 10 10 inspect the artillery. which been
apparently almost useless IN the campaign. Press
illusions 20 these dsagreements have been semi
officially denied, but they are still believed
To- have q true foundation, especially az the Count
d'Eu suddenly broke up his household and sold his
carriages and stud OF horses. What would you
think your way II district Judge would order
justice OF the piece and constable 10 be arrested,