On the following day I was chiefly occupied in visiting every part of the establishment. The distil-house, sugar-engine, and corn-mill, were very much out of repair; the two latter were worked by horizontal water-wheels of great power. The buildings of the _fazenda_ form a square, the southern side being occupied by the house, and the three others consisting of dwellings for the negroes, storehouses, carpenters’ and blacksmiths’ shops, and other offices equally useful.
Having requested to see the cattle, I was shown seven fine well proportioned cows; their calves were old, and they being unaccustomed to be milked regularly, gave very little. I signified to the people my wish to instruct them in the way of making butter after the English mode; and the carpenter hearing my description of a churn, readily assured me that he could make one, and set about it forthwith in the following manner. He procured a trunk of a tree of the length and girth required; sawed it length-wise in two equal parts, which, (after hollowing them sufficiently, and preparing a bottom), he joined with two iron hoops so tightly as to hold water. The churn-staff and top were soon finished: but now an unexpected difficulty occurred; here was no place free from dust and dirt to serve for a dairy, nor any pan fit to hold the milk. All the cooking-pots that could be spared were cleaned for this purpose, but they were quite of the wrong make, being wide at the bottom and narrow at the brim. They were, however, laid by along with the churn, to be used the first time the cows were milked. The good lady of the house assisted in our preparations, and seemed much interested in them.
In the afternoon I rode out to see the gold-washings. On the way thither I observed a man training a horse, with a cord attached to the bridle in one hand, and a whip in the other. Two pieces of leather, in the form of breechings, were sewed to two iron rings; one part was put over the back of the animal, the other part slipped down as a breeching; the part on the back was to prevent its slipping lower. To these rings were tied cords from the horse’s fore-feet, capable of being shortened or lengthened at pleasure. The horse being put in motion, took very short fore-steps, somewhat like those of the chargers in equestrian performances. Horses thus trained are here called _pacers_, and are in great request among persons of distinction of both sexes, their gait being very easy and graceful.