Sunday, October 22, 1865.
During the morning I was requested to prescribe for a little son of Senor Francisco, and as there was no medicine in the house suited to the case, we rode to the town to learn if iodine, iodide of potash, and syrup of sarsaparilla could be found at the apothecary shop.
All the articles fortunately were on hand, and the keeper of the shop promised to have the medicine ready to-morrow morning. After calling upon several parties in the villa, we were entertained with music on the accordeon by a dark-skinned gentleman, while a parrot was paraded upon the table and supposed to be marching in time to the music, of which, however, I could not have a full appreciation. As will be perceived, this was a Sunday exercise, and in the mean time our old friend, Senor Joaquim, went out to attend mass.
After returning to São Lorenço, the camarada was sent to the villa for our baggage, which had been left behind the day previous.
In the afternoon I was summoned by Mr. Bennaton to join a party who were going out, and found they were preparing for a hunt. I was offered a gun, and the gentlemen of the family were very much surprised at my refusal to accept it, as they had previously understood that I was fond of shooting. Though I declined the gun, the Sabbath was violated by accompanying the huntsmen on horseback. Several shots were fired by different members of the party, at a species of partridge nearly as large as a chicken, but no game was secured, and a shower of rain induced a precipitate return to the house. I told them it was a judgment sent upon us for violating the Sabbath, and resolved not to be again lead into such a departure from my sense of duty. Fortunately our baggage had arrived and afforded us dry clothes.
Shortly after our return, there arrived two visitors from the villa, who were also quite wet, and had to avail themselves of a supply of dry clothes from our host and his son. One of these gentlemen was Senor Dom Aguiar, Municipal Judge, and the other was Senor Lenente Coronal Antonio Carlos de Arruda Botilho, who owns a large fazenda some thirty miles distant, at which he resides.
Having friends and business relations with this place, this latter gentleman is frequently in the villa of Araraquara, and is held in good repute by those residing in the neighborhood. With these people a ride of thirty miles is a small matter, as they frequently set out at or before daylight, and make the distance upon a good mule before breakfasting. From the lateness of the hour at which these gentlemen came, I suppose they expected to remain for the night, and now since they have changed their own clothes for others belonging to the family, there is no alternative. The social relations among people in this country who are on a basis of equality seems to be accompanied with great freedom of intercourse, and liberty in their deportment about the dwellings of each other, while nothing like rudeness, or want of proper personal respect, has attracted my attention.
While it is my purpose to record as far as practicable every thing which may illustrate the industrial resources of Brazil, it also appears to be proper that I should give such incidents as may serve to give an idea of the manners and customs of the people, and this must be done in some cases by implicating myself in scenes that do not comport with my views of propriety, as to-day.
Monday, October 23, 1865.
A letter from the President of the province of São Paulo being received by Mr. Bennaton, from which he inferred that General W. W. W. Wood, of Mississippi, needed his assistance on the way to this point, he proposed to return for the purpose of meeting him. I declined to accompany him, and told him it would suit me better to remain in this vicinity, for the purpose of examining such places as might be conveniently visited during his absence.