I began almost to despair of ever effecting a
passage, and, even up to the present day, am at a loss to understand
how we succeeded in escaping from this inextricable mass.
The little town of Canto Gallo is situated in a narrow valley, and
contains about eighty houses. The venda stands apart, the town not
being visible from it. The temperature here is warm as in Rio
Janeiro.
On my return to the venda, after a short walk to the town, I applied
to my landlady, in order to obtain a near and really correct idea of
a Brazilian household. The good woman, however, gave herself very
little trouble, either in looking after the house or the kitchen; as
is the case in Italy, this was her husband's business. A negress
and two young negroes cooked, the arrangements of the kitchen being
of the most primitive simplicity. The salt was pressed fine with a
bottle; the potatoes, when boiled, underwent the same process--the
latter were also subsequently squeezed in the frying-pan with a
plate, to give them the form of a pancake; a pointed piece of wood
served for a fork, etc.
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