Miquelina was first rented out for 16,000 réis per month, a sum that did not differ much from what most liberated Africans received. Maciel Silva presents the case of Candida, a liberated African woman living in Recife in northeast Brazil in the 1840s, who was hired out for 480 réis per day, which added up to around 14,400 réis per month (Silva, 2007). The same amount was paid by another woman, Dionizia. She was not rented out but worked by herself as a washerwoman in the streets of Rio de Janeiro and had to pay 480 réis daily to her employer. She endured those conditions for 16 years from 1839 to 1855. This work arrangement, by virtue of which Dionizia was responsible for finding work and being paid for it, was a strong argument in her petition of emancipation, since she proved she was able to take care of herself (Cavalheiro, 2015, pp. 138-141).  
From April 1842 until April 1844, Miquelina was rented out to José Martins da Rocha as a wet nurse. Until July 1843, the receipts were signed by Emerenciana Roza de Oliveira. Receipts from August to October 1843 are not attached to the file. Then, in November 1843, José Francisco Ribeiro started signing the receipts, stating that he was doing so for his sister Emerenciana Roza de Oliveira, who was legally responsible for Miquelina. However, in January 1844, José Martins da Rocha paid the fee to a different person. That receipt was signed by José Francisco Ribeiro representing his mother, Rita Maria Joaquina.  
Shifting a liberated African from one employer to another was not impossible. However, it was necessary to file a request with the Ministry of Justice, which had to approve the conveyance and make it public. That had not been the case with Miquelina. The change in the name of the person who received the payment for her services, according to Miquelina's understanding and that of her representative, showed that she was being treated as a slave.  
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[^0]:    11 For a discussion of liberated African women requesting emancipation, see Cavalheiro, 2015, chapter 4.