Year: 1868

haoi'ah1e, anu hds grown Ver rdPiuiy
within the last ten years. All the COM
merce of the great Amazon centres on
this place, and it is destined doubtless to
be large city, if the rich country above
is ever opened and settled. Its appear
ance now is not very prepossessing. The
houses are low, and covered of course,
as every house in Brazil is, with tiles.
The walls are built of stone, stucoed on
the outside. The fronts of many of them
are overlaid with variegated porcelaine-
the prevailing color in some being red,
in others blue, green, and even yellow.
These many colored fronts, together with
the gorgeously painted coaches, the half
dressed negro men, the black-haired In
dians, with here and there priest in his
black gown, his cap, sandals, and red
stockings, present tout-ensemble fan
tastic enough to one who for the first
time is set down in the heart of a Brazil
ian city.


After presenting my letters, l sailed
forth on foot to take view of the more
attractive parts of the town. | had not
proceeded far before l discovered that
ten or fifteen days at sea was not very
good preparation for pedestrian exercise.
So concluding that there was nothing par
ticularly interesting to be seen in Para,
on foot-6ack at least, determined to re-
turn to the Consul's Office to meet gentle
man with whom l had promised to dine.
On my way back, being thirsty, stepped
into little shop to buy an orange. l
knew enough of the universal language of
nature to point at the article | wanted,
and was sufficiently versed in Portuguese
to say something like duos (two.) With
the two oranges in my hand, pulled out
two mil reis bill (now worth about 81
of our currency,) and motioned for the
change. After the shop-keeper had
eyed me for about minute, jabbering at
me, in the meantime, an unintelligable
gibberish, a little boy rushed behind
goods-box counter, and then followed
such a jingling and rafting of metal as
l have not heard for long time. When
my patience was well nigh worn out, out
popped the little boy with double hand
full of huge coppers, which he poked at
me for change. involuntarily drew
long whistle-replaced the oranges and
repocketed my paper bill. But for the
benefit of other novices like myself who
may come to Brazil, ] will tell them what
I have since learned, not to be afraid Of
these ampocketa6le coins; but only be
sure the shop-keeper gives you back as
many of them as you are entitled to, roll
them up in piece of paper and carry
them in your hand. You will soon learn
that though inconvenient to carry, it is
far more inconvenient to be without them.


You must not imagine from my de-
scription of the business portion of the
city and my unsuccessful tour of discov-
cry on foot, that there is nothing attrac-
tive in and around Para. Having called
at the Consul's Office at 5 clock, was
met by the gentleman with whom l ex-
pected to dine, with an open carriage.
He drove me first to the Gas works, then
to the Arsenal and Navy-yard, and
around a finely kept public garden filed
mostly with rare plants from Europe.
Anything on land is pleasant to look
upon after a long sea voyage. But it
would be idle for me to attempt de-
scription of the feelings almost akin to
rapture, with which my whole being
glowed, as we drove through the soft,
perfumed air, down one street shaded by
a long avenue of magnificent palms
back through another avenue of mango
trees; and then out of the city along the
road penetrating the rich Amazonian
forest, matted with shrubs and flowers
and towering trees, fragrant and beauti-
full. We returned to the city by the
street on which the wealthy citizens re-
side. These houses are only one story
high, but some of them are very capa-
cious. They extend far back from the
street and are buried in the shade of or
ange, banana, and palm trees. At about
half-past seven We drew up at one of these
beautiful houses, and soon sat down to a
magnificent dinner. 1t was truly re-
freshing to witness such scenes of tropi-
cal beauty as those through which l had
passed that evening; but after dinner,
my heart was thrilled with a new plea
sure, mingled with feelings which
stranger in foreign land alone can ex-
perience, when to an accompaniment on
the piano by his mother, the little son of
my hospitable friend sang, "Little drops
of WATER" "Happy Day." and other
Sabbath School melodies of hOme-which
reminds me that the steamer starts in an
hour to that far off place-and must
close my letter.


Yours truly, G. NASH MORTON.


MINISTERIAL EXAMPLE.-Cecil said,