day, but my guide was attacked with pains in his knee, and could not
ride further. I had, therefore, no resource but to alight at the
priest's, who gave me a hearty welcome; he had a pretty good house,
immediately adjoining the church.

10th October. As my guide was worse, the priest offered me his
negro to replace him. I thankfully accepted his offer, but could
not set off before 1 o'clock, for which I was, in some respects, not
sorry, as it was Sunday, and I hoped to see a great number of the
country people flock to mass. This, however, was not the case;
although it was a very fine day there were hardly thirty people at
church. The men were dressed exactly in the European fashion; the
women wore long cloaks with collars, and had white handkerchiefs
upon their heads, partly falling over their faces as well; the
latter they uncovered in church. Both men and women were
barefooted.

As chance would have it, I witnessed a burial and a christening.
Before mass commenced, a boat crossed over from the opposite bank of
the Parahyby, and on reaching the side, a hammock, in which was the
deceased, was lifted out. He was then laid in a coffin which had
been prepared for the purpose in a house near the churchyard. The
corpse was enveloped in a white cloth, with the feet and half the
head protruding beyond it; the latter was covered with a peaked cap
of shining black cloth.

The christening took place before the burial. The person who was to
be christened was a young negro of fifteen, who stood with his
mother at the church door. As the priest entered the church to
perform mass, he christened him, in passing by, without much