A Woman's Journey Round The World, From Vienna To Brazil, Chili, Tahiti, China, Hindostan, Persia, And Asia Minor By Ida Pfeiffer
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In Rio
Janeiro, However, There Is Nothing That Can In Any Way Amuse, Or
Atone For The Horrible And Disgusting Sights Which Everywhere Meet
The Eye.
It was not until I had been here several weeks that I became
somewhat accustomed to the appearance of
The negroes and mulattoes.
I then discovered many very pretty figures among the young
negresses, and handsome, expressive countenances among the somewhat
dark-complexioned Brazilian and Portuguese women; the men seem, as
regards beauty, to be less favoured.
The bustle in the streets is far less than what I had been led to
expect from the many descriptions I had heard, and is certainly not
to be compared to that at Naples or Messina. The greatest amount of
noise is made by those negroes who carry burdens, and especially by
such as convey the sacks full of coffee on board the different
vessels; they strike up a monotonous sort of song, to the tune of
which they keep step, but which sounds very disagreeable. It
possesses, however, one advantage; it warns the foot passenger, and
affords him time to get out of the way.
In the Brazils, every kind of dirty or hard work, whether in doors
or out, is performed by the blacks, who here, in fact, replace the
lower classes. Many, however, learn trades, and frequently are to
be compared to the most skilful Europeans. I have seen blacks in
the most elegant workshops, making wearing apparel, shoes, tapestry,
gold or silver articles, and met many a nattily dressed negro maiden
working at the finest ladies' dresses, or the most delicate
embroidery. I often thought I must be dreaming when I beheld these
poor creatures, whom I had pictured to myself as roaming free
through their native forests, exercising such occupations in shops
and rooms! Yet they do not appear to feel it as much as might be
supposed - they were always merry, and joking over their work.
Among the so-called educated class of the place, there are many who,
in spite of all the proofs of mechanical skill, as well as general
intelligence which the blacks often display, persist in asserting
that they are so far inferior to the whites in mental power, that
they can only be looked upon as a link between the monkey tribe and
the human race. I allow that they are somewhat behind the whites in
intellectual culture; but I believe that this is not because they
are deficient in understanding, but because their education is
totally neglected. No schools are erected for them, no instruction
given them - in a word, not the least thing is done to develop the
capabilities of their minds. As was the case in old despotic
countries, their minds are purposely kept enchained; for, were they
once to awake from their present condition, the consequences to the
whites might be fearful. They are four times as numerous as the
latter, and if they ever become conscious of this superiority, the
whites might probably be placed in the position that the unhappy
blacks have hitherto occupied.
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