Before I left there was a rather sharp contest for the Presidency of the Municipal Chamber, and most of the voters took a lively interest in it.There was also an election of members to represent the province in the Imperial Parliament at Rio Janeiro, in which each party strove hard to return its candidate.On this occasion, an unscrupulous lawyer was sent by the government party from the capital to overawe the opposition to its nominee; many of the half-castes, headed by my old friend John da Cunha, who was then settled at Ega, fought hard, but with perfect legality and good humour, against this powerful interest.They did not succeed -- and although the government agent committed many tyrannical and illegal acts, the losing party submitted quietly to their defeat.In a larger town, I believe, the government would not have dared to attempt thus to control the elections.Ithink I saw enough to warrant the conclusion that the machinery of constitutional government would, with a little longer trial, work well amongst the mixed Indian, white, and negro population, even in this remote part of the Brazilian empire.I attended also, before I left, several assize meetings at Ega, and witnessed the novel sight of negro, white, half-caste, and Indian, sitting gravely side by side on the jury bench.
The way in which the coloured races act under the conditions of free citizenship is a very interesting subject.Brazilian statesmen seem to have abandoned the idea, if they ever entertained it, of making this tropical empire a nation of whites with a slave labouring class.The greatest difficulty on the Amazons is with the Indians.The general inflexibility of character of the race, and their abhorrence of the restraints of civilised life, make them very intractable subjects.Some of them, however, who have learned to read and write, and whose dislike to live in towns has been overcome by some cause acting early in life, make very good citizens.I have already mentioned the priest, who is a good example of what early training can do.
There can be no doubt that if the docile Amazonian Indians were kindly treated by their white fellow-citizens, and educated, they would not be so quick as they have hitherto shown themselves to be to leave the towns and return into their half wild condition on the advancing civilisation of the places.The inflexibility of character, although probably organic, is seen to be sometimes overcome.
The principal blacksmith of Ega, Senor Macedo, was also an Indian, and a very sensible fellow.He sometimes filled minor offices in the government of the place.He used to come very frequently to my house to chat, and was always striving to acquire solid information about things.When Donati's comet appeared, he took a great interest in it.We saw it at its best from the 3rd to the 10th of October (1858), between which dates it was visible near the western horizon just after sunset, the tail extending in a broad curve towards the north, and forming a sublime object.Macedo consulted all the old almanacs in the place to ascertain whether it was the same comet as that of 1811, which he said he well remembered.
Before the Indians can be reclaimed in large numbers, it is most likely they will become extinct as a race; but there is less difficulty with regard to the Mamelucos, who, even when the proportion of white blood is small, sometimes become enterprising and versatile people.Many of the Ega Indians, including all the domestic servants, are savages who have been brought from the neighbouring rivers-- the Japura, the Issa, and the Solimoens.Isaw here individuals of at least sixteen different tribes, most of whom had been bought, when children, of the native chiefs.
This species of slave-dealing, although forbidden by the laws of Brazil, is winked at by the authorities, because without it, there would be no means of obtaining servants.They all become their own masters when they grow up, and never show the slightest inclination to return to utter savage life.But the boys generally run away and embark on the canoes of traders; and the girls are often badly treated by their mistresses-- the jealous, passionate, and ill-educated Brazilian women.Nearly all the enmities which arise amongst residents at Ega and other place, are caused by disputes about Indian servants.No one who has lived only in old settled countries, where service can be readily bought, can imagine the difficulties and annoyances of a land where the servant class are ignorant of the value of money, and hands cannot be obtained except by coaxing them from the employ of other masters.
