[195] “Il faut que les graines se naturalisent au pays, et quand cela est fait elles produisent a merveille. J’ai experimenté qu’ayant sémé des pois qui venoient de France, ils rapportoient trés peu, les seconds rapportoient davantage, mais le troisiémes produisoient d’une maniere extraordinaire pour le nombre, la grosseur et la bonte.”—Nouveau Voyage, &c. tom. i. p. 367.
[196] Du Tertre speaks of the same occurring in the Columbian Islands.
[197] Again Labat, “On employe le suc des oranges aigres avec un succès merveilleux et infaillible à guerir les ulcéres quelque vieux et opiniátres qu’ils puissent être.”—Nouveau Voyage, &c. tom. iii. p. 254.
The orange is cut into two pieces, and is rubbed violently upon the sore.
[198] History of Brazil, vol. i. p. 216.
[199] This was not the case at one time in the French islands. “Quand quelque commandeur abuse d’une negre, l’enfant mulastre qui en vient est libre, et le pere est obligé de le nourrir et de l’entretenir jusqu’a l’age de douze ans, sans l’amende à laquelle il est encore condamné.”—Histoire des Antilles &c. tom. ii. p. 460.
Labat tells us that “Le roi a fait revivre par sa Declaration la loi Romaine, qui veut que les enfans suivens le sort du ventre qui les a portez,” and this revival took place in 1674, when the king took the islands from the Companies which had held them during his pleasure.—Nouveau Voyage &c. tom. ii. p. 192.
[200] The majority of the clergy of Pernambuco, both regular and secular, are of Brazilian parentage. The governor is an European, and so are the major part of the chief officers, civil, military, and ecclesiastical; but the bishop is a Brazilian, and so is the ouvidor.
[201] Our wicked stage coach and post chaise system.
[202] The term of Senhor or Senhora is made use of to all free persons, whites, mulattos, and blacks, and in speaking to a freeman of whatever class or colour the manner of address is the same. Dr. Pinckard says, in his “Notes on the West Indies,” “the title of Mrs. seems to be reserved solely for the ladies from Europe, and the white Creoles, and to form a distinction between them and the women of colour of all classes and descriptions.”