The words were in English.

They were also quaint, for they dealt with life from a point of view which differed widely from that presented by Dom Corria's _finca_.
"Oh, it's fine to be a sailor" [sang Watts], "an' to cross the ragin' main, From Hooghly bar to New Orleens to roam, But I 'ope that my old woman will put me on the chain Next time I want to quit my 'umble 'ome." Possibly the verse was an original effort, because there followed a marked change in tune and meter.
"'Mid pleasures an' palaces----'" he began, when Senhora De Sylva came upon him as he sat on a fence, pipe in hand, with his back braced comfortably against a magnificent rosewood tree.

He stopped, grinned sheepishly, and, not recognizing the lady, tried to cover his confusion by lighting the pipe.
"Are you one of the _Andromeda's_ men ?" asked Carmela, speaking in the clear and accurate English used by her father.
It was well for Watts that the tree prevented him from falling backwards.

He was quite sober, but cheerful withal, as he had nothing to do but sleep, smoke, eat, and drink the light wine of the district, of which his only complaint was that "one might mop up a barrel of it an' get no forrarder." Nevertheless, he received a positive shock when addressed in his own language by a young woman who was obviously of Brazil.

He stared at her so hard that he forgot the steady progress of the slow-burning tand-stikkor match recently ignited.