We were up next morning in time to see the sun rise from behind the mountains, and as it gradually became warmer the humming-birds and butterflies came out and buzzed and flitted among the flowers in front of our windows.  We had planned to devote the day to a visit to Barra, and it was, therefore, necessary to hurry to the station by eight o’clock to meet the train, where we stopped twenty minutes to breakfast at what appeared to be a capital hotel, built above the station.  The rooms were large and lofty, everything was scrupulously clean, and the dishes most appetising-looking.  Our carriage was then shunted and hooked on to the other train, and we proceeded to the station of Santa Anna, where Mr. Faro met us with eight mules and horses, and a large old-fashioned carriage, which held some of us, the rest of the party galloping on in front.  We galloped also, and upset one unfortunate horse, luckily without doing him any harm.  After a couple of miles of a rough road we arrived at the gates of the Baron’s grounds, where the old negro slave-coachman amused us very much by ordering his young master to conduct the equestrians round to the house by another way.  Beneath the avenue of palm-trees, leading from the gates to the house, grew orange, lemon, and citron trees, trained as espaliers, while behind them again tall rose-bushes and pomegranates showed their bright faces.  Driving through an archway we arrived at the house, and, with much politeness and many bows, were conducted indoors, in order that we might rest ourselves and get rid of some of the dust of our journey.

Santa Anna is one of the largest coffee fazendas in this part of Brazil.  The house occupies three sides of a square, in the middle of which heaps of coffee were spread out to dry in the sun.  The centre building is the dwelling-house, with a narrow strip of garden, full of sweet-smelling flowers, in front of it; the right wing is occupied by the slaves’ shops and warehouses, and by the chapel; while the left wing contains the stables, domestic offices, and other slave-rooms.

[Illustration:  The Slave Village, Fazenda, Santa Anna.]

By law, masters are bound to give their slaves one day’s rest in every seven, and any work the slaves may choose to do on that day is paid for at the same rate as free labour.  But the day selected for this purpose is not necessarily Sunday; and on adjoining fazendas different days are invariably chosen, in order to prevent the slaves from meeting and getting into mischief.  Thursday (to-day) was Sunday on this estate, and we soon saw all the slaves mustering in holiday attire in the shade of one of the verandahs.  They were first inspected, and then ranged in order, the children being placed in front, the young women next, then the old women, the old men, and finally the young men.  In this order they marched into the corridor facing the chapel, to hear mass.  The priest and his acolyte, in gorgeous robes, performed