Page:The naturalist on the River Amazons 1863 v2.djvu/21

 a few days during the festivals. They have, however, spacious town-houses, some of them two stories high, with massive walls of stone or adobe. The principal citizen, Senhor Miguel Pinto de Guimaraens, is a native of the place, and is an example of the readiness with which talent and industry meet with their reward under the wise government of Brazil. He began life in a very humble way; I was told he was once a fisherman, and retailed the produce of his hook and line or nets in the port. He is now the chief merchant of the district; a large cattle and landed proprietor; and owner of a sugar estate and mills. When the new National Guard was formed in Brazil in 1853, he received from the Emperor the commission of colonel. He is a pale, grave, and white-haired, though only middle-aged, man. I saw a good deal of him, and liked his sincerity and the uprightness of his dealings. When I arrived in Santarem he was the delegado of police. He is rather unmerciful both in and out of office towards the shortcomings, in private and public morality, of his fellow-countrymen; but he is very much respected. The nation cannot be a despicable one, whose best men are thus able to work themselves up to positions of trust and influence.

The religious festivals were not so numerous here as in other towns, and such as did take place were very poor and ill attended. There is a handsome church, but the vicar showed remarkably little zeal for religion, except for a few days now and then when the Bishop came from Pará, on his rounds through the diocese. The people are as fond of holiday making