After eating pretty heartily of our cold victuals with hot coffee, I indulged my curiosity by going into the end of the house where the family were clustered around the small fire upon the dirt floor, and saw in the imperturbable don’t-care expression of the woman that no situation in life is so debased but that it affords satisfaction. While that filthy creature sat on the ground smoking her pipe, with a few small fish in a pan and a little sour and stinking farina in another vessel as the only provision for the wants of her household, she doubtless had less concern for the future than many who are surrounded by the comforts of life. The idleness and the niggardliness of this class of people here[[23]] presents a most despicable view of life, and the worst feature of all is, that they seem entirely reconciled to this mode of living. I felt a constant apprehension of vermin while in this shanty, and my only consolation was, that “life as it is” could be seen and studied in a phase that was not often presented for my observation.
When we were ready for sleep sundry doors and benches were brought into use for spreading our mats; and, Dr. Shaw taking a place with me, the irregularities of the door proved worse than last night.
Wednesday, December 6, 1865.
After a night long to be remembered in the annals of rancho lodging, we were glad to make an early rise, and all sung out with one accord, let us go away, “vamos embora! vamos embora!” Our escort insisted that we should remain until some coffee was prepared, and a pigeon, shot by Major Meriwether on yesterday, being boiled at the same time, we enjoyed a taste of it with some crackers, which constituted a very dainty repast.
In the mean time one of the boys of the family was presented to Dr. Shaw for prescription, and viewing his state as the result of the impoverished state of the blood, he directed that some vinegar should be put into a bottle with nails, and that he take fifteen drops of this fluid three times a day. In the absence of other remedies this was a good expedient, and could not perhaps be improved if the whole materia medica were at hand.
The older son, who was nearly grown, hoping for some improvement of his sanguiferous system, also applied to the Doctor for the exercise of his skill.
On bringing him up Mr. Jackson, who was acting as interpreter, suggested, that as the other was to take the vinegar, this fellow might perhaps derive benefit from taking the nails, and he urged this more especially as he was complaining of a stiff neck, that might be modified by swallowing a few of these large iron spikes. The Doctor, however, thought that a double dose of the vinegar would suffice, with the use of a plunge bath and good scrubbing every morning. This latter clause might have been recommended as a prophylactic to the whole family, with the free use of soap, &c.
Getting into our dug-out the expedition was continued up the river, and, after ascending five or six miles, the stream became shallow and very swift in its course from the serra, which was now very near. Our canoe was stopped at a flat, broad sandy beach, having large pebbles intermixed with stones at one extremity, and we availed ourselves of the latter to erect a small monument to the folly of the personage who accompanied us on this voyage. He had, in compliance with our request to see the lands suited for agricultural purposes, transported us upon water to a point from which there was no egress, even on foot, and, in the mean time, he was industriously occupied in delineating upon the sand the course of the river, and its tributaries, with the crests of the serras intervening, by which he undertook to illustrate the desirableness of the lands for the settlement of our people. After concluding his comments upon this sketch he manifested great anxiety to know how we were pleased with the country. To this I returned the rather equivocal answer, that all were satisfied with his drawing and explanations, and were ready to return in the canoe to Conceicão.
In our descent of the river we stopped at one of the four settlements on the margin, and a woman in great trepidation commenced hallooing, in a tremulous voice, João! João! Efforts were made to quiet her fears by Senor Ferreira, and to convince her that our mission was one entirely of a pacific nature, but she did not seem satisfied until the man João came to the house, and then another girl came out also to see the curious strangers.
Here was seen perhaps one of the best samples of the lands of this section, it being immediately at the foot of the serra, and thus receiving the deposits of decayed vegetable matter and portions of soil that are washed from its sides by the rains. Vegetation was quite vigorous, and the ground that was intended for the growth of a crop was preoccupied to a great extent with weeds and shrubbery, indicating a good soil, but a want of industry and a want of the proper information for its cultivation. We were shown a specimen of the sugar-cane growing in the midst of rubbish from the fallen timber, and choked by a growth of grass which still showed the adaptation for this crop, and all were of the impression that, with judicious management, the cane would yield profitably in this land.