Hunting a home in Brazil

by James McFadden Gaston

I went to the church to-day for the purpose of witnessing the proceedings of the festa by the vicar; and with the assistance of a number of persons who were attired for the occasion, he went through various incomprehensible manœuvres, that served to attract and interest the large concourse of people. At the close of these performances, rockets and other sonorous fire-works were exploded most profusely.

In the afternoon there was a grand procession of these demonstrative people, in honor of our Lady of Conception, (Nossa Senhora de Conceicão.)

The figure of a female seated on a platform, that rested on a sort of hand-barrow, was carried upon the shoulders of four men, and another figure, representing some of the saints, supported in like manner, accompanied it, while a large rich awning was hoisted upon the ends of six poles in the hands of as many men, under which the old vicar and a brother priest moved forward with certain symbols, among which was a silver cross encircled by a halo of brightness. This other priest is also a friar, and gives his name in full as Frei José de Loro, Director de Tijuco Preto, Ministerio Apostolico Capuchinho. He is from Italy, as is also the old vicar, the former being in this country only eight months, while the latter has been here twenty years, and says he has almost forgotten his native tongue.

Formed into line, with music in full blast, they marched in much apparent solemnity with their heads bowed, throughout the principal streets of the town, accompanied by most of the men, women and children that were present. On the return of the procession, the explosion of fire-works was deafening, and had an appearance in mid-heaven like the bursting of bombshells, when a hot engagement of artillery is progressing.

An address was subsequently made in the church by the vicar, but was not adapted to my limited comprehension of the language.

The proportion of men present was small, and for the most part scrawny specimens, with very shabby dress, having in many instances a sort of cloak (ponché) which covers all other deficiencies of dress. The absence of men having better physique is attributable to their apprehension of being recruited for the army, which induces them to forego the indulgence of public festivities.

The number of women in attendance was very large, and with few exceptions of mixed blood, either of the Indian or negro. Some of them were comely in form and neatly dressed, but far the greater number were downright ugly. Here, more even than at other places, the old and the young have the glands of the neck enlarged, constituting goitre, or, as called here, “papo.” This affection is ascribed to various causes; humidity of the atmosphere, bad diet, or deficiency of nutritious food, sleeping in exposed situations, combined with the water of the serras, are the usual concomitants.

In the vicinity of the Alps, it is known to prevail extensively, and is attributed by some writers to the use of snow-water. But here we have no snow-water, while there exists a geological formation in these serras which corresponds to that mountainous region; and it is highly probable that there exists some peculiar mineralogical principle in the water coming from these elevations which produces this result.

The better class of people are rarely seen with it, yet even those with all the comforts of life are not entirely exempt when living in these situations adjacent to a serra.

The old vicar has a woman with several children in the house with him, who is housekeeper and without a husband; while the youngest of the children indicates clearly its paternity.