The next place we visited, after quitting the residence of these old ladies, offered every requisite for making the experiment above alluded to. It was a _fazenda_ called Mantiqueira, situated in the largest plain we had hitherto traversed, consisting of rich land watered by numerous streams. The establishment was in a fit state to begin with: the house was falling to ruin, and the grounds about it were overrun with weeds and brushwood. What more desirable situation, exclaimed I to my companion, could an English farmer select! Here cattle of every description are cheap; cows and oxen at two years old may be purchased at 30s. or 40s. per head; excellent horses from 60s. to £8. each; and pigs, poultry, and other live-stock, at a price too trifling to mention. Here is land which, under the influence of this genial climate, is capable of yielding two hundred-fold; here is wood in abundance for every purpose; excellent clay for making bricks; and water at command. Yet all these advantages are lost to the present occupiers, who consider them too cheap to be valuable; and, perpetually hankering after the precious minerals, seem to think that the only standard for estimating the gifts of nature, is the difficulty of obtaining them.
Having passed the hamlet of St. Sebastian, we arrived late in the evening at Borda do Campo, a village consisting of about twenty houses, the best of which is that of Captain Rodrigo de Lima, who, on learning our situation, kindly took us in for the night. While supper was preparing, we had some conversation with him respecting the agriculture and produce of the neighbourhood, in the course of which he paid much attention to our observations, and promised next day to shew us the system he pursued. At the repast, which was speedily announced, he introduced us to his wife and daughter, and a lady who was then on a visit to them. This was an unexpected act of politeness, and one which had never yet been exercised towards us by any master of a family in the whole course of our journey. The few females we occasionally saw at any former place generally secluded themselves on our arrival and during our stay; and, when they came near us by chance, they commonly ran away in as much apparent alarm as if they had been accustomed to be frightened at the name of an Englishman. The ladies appeared in very neat dresses of English manufacture, with a profusion of gold chains about their necks, which are always worn on receiving or paying visits. Their conversation was gay and enlivening; they were very inquisitive respecting the costume of English women, and seemed quite astonished at hearing that they wore caps, it being never the custom among the Brazilian females to cover their heads until advanced in years. They ornament their hair with combs, frequently of gold, and very richly wrought. Wine was introduced, of which the ladies could not be prevailed on to partake: they gave our healths by putting the glass to their lips. After supper, the table was covered with delicious sweetmeats; when, being desirous of paying the lady of the house a compliment, I spoke highly of their excellence, and presumed that the fruits were preserved under her immediate direction; but she assured me to the contrary, and observed that her negress did all that sort of domestic work. I perceived, or imagined, that she was rather offended at my remark, and therefore apologized by saying, that it was not uncommon for the ladies in England to interest themselves personally in the concerns of housewifery. The remainder of the evening passed off very agreeably.