They evidently looked upon me as an agent of the English government, engaged in some new movement for the suppression of slavery.

They could not divine what a "missionario" had to do with the latitudes and longitudes, which I was intent on observing.

When we became a little familiar, the questions put were rather amusing: "Is it common for missionaries to be doctors ?" "Are you a doctor of medicine and a 'doutor mathematico' too?
You must be more than a missionary to know how to calculate the longitude! Come, tell us at once what rank you hold in the English army." They may have given credit to my reason for wearing the mustache, as that explains why men have beards and women have none; but that which puzzled many besides my Cassange friends was the anomaly of my being a "sacerdote", with a wife and four children! I usually got rid of the last question by putting another: "Is it not better to have children with a wife, than to have children without a wife ?" But all were most kind and hospitable; and as one of their festivals was near, they invited me to partake of the feast.
The anniversary of the Resurrection of our Savior was observed on the 16th of April as a day of rejoicing, though the Portuguese have no priests at Cassange.

The colored population dressed up a figure intended to represent Judas Iscariot, and paraded him on a riding-ox about the village; sneers and maledictions were freely bestowed on the poor wretch thus represented.

The slaves and free colored population, dressed in their gayest clothing, made visits to all the principal merchants, and wishing them "a good feast", expected a present in return.