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.
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