The more the faculty became acquainted with the terrific activity, and invariably fatal results of this poison, the more zealously did science bestir itself to discover some means of neutralizing the operation of the curaré. Quite recently the preparations of iodine-natron, when administered in certain proportions, have been recognized as antidotes; dissolved with the curaré they seem entirely to obviate its evil effects. Careful observation and a gradual acquaintance with the properties of the curaré, have further led to the conclusion that it may be regarded as a remedy in certain cases, and it has actually been administered with good results to animals affected with tetanic convulsions. May it be reserved to the physicians of our native country, to elicit from the quantity of this subtle and singular poison, which they may expect to receive through the kindness of Dr. de Lagos, such results as shall make its remedial properties available for man, instead of leaving its baleful energies as at present solely directed to the destruction of organic life!
In the company of our Brazilian friends, already mentioned, we also visited the most interesting of the public charities and educational institutions of Rio.
On the occasion of a visit we paid to the in part newly-erected Casa de Correçâo, which is managed on what is known as the Auburn system, we were shown three Mozambique negroes, who, in 1852, had been smuggled in a "slaver" from the east coast of Africa into Brazil, there to be sold as slaves, despite the interdicts against the introduction of slaves, then actually in force. The vessel was, however, captured by the Brazilian cruisers, and the negroes forthwith restored to liberty, when, in their own interest, and with the view of preventing their being a second time sold into bondage, they were removed to a quarter of the prison away from the rest, and specially set apart for what are called "free Africans," where they had been carefully educated and instructed in various handicrafts, all at the expense of the State. As a vocabulary of the idioms spoken by the Mozambique negroes, was an especial desideratum of the class of philosophic history in our Imperial Academy of Sciences, and there seemed to be but little prospect of our expedition visiting the eastern coast of Africa, we gladly availed ourselves of this unexpected opportunity to compile the wished-for vocabulary, in which Professor Portoalegre, Director of the Academy of Fine Arts, materially assisted us. Two of these negroes, Camillo and Ventura, were born in Quillimani, and belonged to the Mananpi race; the third, Jeremias, was born about sixty days' journey from the coast, of the Maqua race, and spoke a dialect of the Mozambique idiom. Ventura, a youth of, at the outside, seventeen years of age, related that he could perfectly remember having been stolen one night from his parents in Quillimani, when he was brought to a slave-dealer named Jones, after which he was shipped off in a wretched leaky vessel to the coast of Brazil. On our asking these three swarthy fellow-labourers, hearty of aspect and neatly clothed, who had been so carefully tended by the State, and earned, one as a house-servant, the other two as stonemasons, thirty milreis (£3 3s.) a month, whether they did not feel themselves better off in Rio than in their own home,—they, with one accord, answered that they longed to return to Quillimani, where it is hardly requisite to work above six months, and the rest of the year may be consumed in a genuine "dolce far niente" existence, instead of being compelled, as in Rio, to work the whole year round!
In spite of long-continued efforts, the vocabulary turned out much less complete than we wished, in consequence of the limited capacity of these negroes. We did not content ourselves, however, with merely transcribing the answers to our questions, but also endeavoured to obtain a more accurate idea of the precise meaning attached to each, by repeating each of the words of the Mozambique language, and translating into it from the questions put in Portuguese. This method seemed to be the most effectual for ensuring the correctness of the pronunciation, so as to permit of its being afterwards reduced to writing. In the arrangement of the vocabulary, we availed ourselves of what is known as Gallatin's method, as it appeared to us more complete and comprehensive than that sent to our academy by the celebrated naturalist and traveller, Dr. Martius, of Munich, with a request that it should have his list of Latin words translated into the various languages hitherto unknown, or such idioms as have been as yet but little examined and investigated.
The race, to which these three negroes belonged, seems to have been already converted to Christianity. At least, they all had Christian names, but could give us no information either as to certain heathenish rites in their own country, or concerning an idol of carved ivory which we showed them, brought from the east coast of Africa, and the method of worshipping it.
Two of the most elegant edifices of Rio Janeiro, worthy indeed of being placed side by side with the largest charitable establishments in Europe, are the immense palace-like Hospital of the Santa Casa da Misericordia, in which between 8000 and 9000 patients are received and treated annually, and the really splendid Lunatic Asylum (Asylo dos Alienados), in the cove of Botafogo. The latter institution, founded in 1841, which, whether as regards the tastefulness of its architecture or its munificent endowment, can hardly be rivalled anywhere, owes its existence to one of the most estimable benefactors of his native country, Don José Clemente Pereira, Minister of the Interior at the time of its erection. This genial, benevolent soul, deeply acquainted with the human heart and its weaknesses, hit, as we were told, upon the following eminently original and ingenious method of raising the sums required. All grades of the various Brazilian orders, as well as the titles of Baron, Count, and Marquis, were put up for sale at fixed prices, the proceeds resulting from which purposes were applied to the erection and endowment of the asylum! And thus arose, at the south end of the cove of Botafogo, a splendid palatial edifice—a monument less of humanity and love of our afflicted neighbours, than of the vanity and frailty of poor human nature, the tributes to which erected it. Unfortunately, in this establishment, mere succour is all in all, and the cure seems entirely lost sight of, the sanative treatment of the patients lagging far behind their careful supervision; in short, it being rather a place for the safe confinement than the recovery of those deprived of their reason.
One of the most instructive examples of how little the inhabitants of Rio make use of the natural capabilities of the site of their capital, is incontestably furnished by a piece of ground immediately adjoining the Lunatic Asylum, which has been dignified with the name of the Botanic Garden. With the exception of a very fine alley of hundreds of graceful king-palms (Oreodoxa regia), which present a magnificent spectacle, growing as they do with such admirable regularity as to appear rather artificial columns than planted trees, the eye encounters nothing but uncultivated land, abounding with the commonest vegetation, alternating with badly-selected nursery plantations, although both in the climate and the soil every facility is at hand for enabling this garden to be made a means of representing the vegetation of every zone of the globe. Even a large tea plantation, for the cultivation of which 10,000 Chinese were imported at the cost of Government, and from which, if the experiment had proved successful, the most important results might have been anticipated, stood there uncared-for and untended, a melancholy witness of how things are inaugurated in Brazil, and then suffered to fall through. When we enquired how long the garden had been laid out, our guide, a witty Portuguese, replied with a sarcastic smile; "Since the beginning of the world!" In that part of the garden which adjoins the Lagune, called Rodrigo das Freitas, stands a common mud hovel, with broken windows, and doors hanging by the hinges. This was pointed out to us by a labourer as the spot at which the Emperor alights and reposes when he visits the Botanical Garden.
Singular to say, Brazil possesses no regular university! The jealousy with which any one city invested with certain privileges and prerogatives is regarded by the rest, is the reason that induced the Government to separate the medical and juridical classes, so that each of the four chief cities of the Empire benefits by the presence of a certain portion of the students. Thus the medical schools are in Rio Janeiro and Bahia, while those of jurisprudence are held in St. Paul and Pernambuco. The entire number of students attending these establishments amounted of late years, on an average, to upwards of a thousand. Great prominence has been assigned by Government, especially of late, to the extension of public instruction. In March, 1857, there were throughout Brazil, 2452 schools, (765 private, and 1687 public,) in which instruction was given to 82,243 children of both sexes.[39] A school of industry, having for its object the instruction of able-bodied persons, was opened in 1856, and classes for teaching natural philosophy and political administrative science, are in process of being introduced. Amongst the scientific establishments of the country, the Historico-Geographical Institute occupies the first place, the meetings of which are generally attended by the Emperor as honorary president. This institution, which occupies in Brazil about the same position as the Academy of Sciences in Vienna, directs its special attention to the publication of old documents and manuscripts relating to the history of Brazil and the aboriginal population; but investigations relating to natural history are also included in its domain of enquiry. The sittings are held every alternate Friday. The naturalists of the Novara attended one of these meetings, which took place in one of the wings of the palace. At half-past 6 p. m., the Emperor entered the hall, in plain clothes, attended by two chamberlains. All the gentlemen present approached one after the other and respectfully kissed the hand of their sovereign. On this occasion we remarked that even ladies, when presented to the head of the State, were accustomed to kiss his hand. The Imperial Honorary President, whose simple apparel was relieved only by the star of some order worn on the breast, took his seat at the upper end of a long, wide table, covered with green cloth. The associates, with the exception of the Vice-President and Secretaries, seemed to have no fixed seats, but sat in the order of their arrival. During the sitting there was the most marked absence of ceremony, and the business was transacted in the freest and easiest manner.
[39] Among the higher class of educational institutions, the College of Pedro Segundo ranks foremost, and is at present attended by about 900 students.
The proceedings were uninteresting, the greatest portion of the time being occupied in reading over the minutes of the last sitting, and replying to certain strictures upon the incapacity of land-surveyors in Brazil. Sir Robert Schomburgk had, in one of his works published in 1843, upon the subject of New Guinea, made some disparaging observations as to the method of admeasurement pursued in Brazil, and one member of the society, Dr. Schüch de Capanema, seemed to consider it his duty in his double capacity as a Brazilian and an engineer, to protest—somewhat tardily it must be owned!—against these, according to his opinion, unjust remarks. After the discussion was over, a manuscript was next brought forward concerning some of the native tribes; His Majesty expressed a wish to have this treatise read. The secretary accordingly made the attempt, but the writing was so illegible, that he was obliged to abandon the task. At the conclusion of the meeting, which lasted upwards of three hours, His Majesty conversed very affably with the Austrian gentlemen, and presented each with a copy of a national poem, "Conferaçao dos Tamoyos," by a native poet, Gonçalves de Magalhaes, and recently printed at His Majesty's expense, which relates the wars of the Tamoyos with the Portuguese residents of San Vincente—the last struggle of that heroic Indian race, the founding of Rio, and the subjugation of the entire force, under Nictheroy, by the Portuguese.