YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

BRAZIL.

BRAZIL
VIEWED THKOUGH A NAVAL GLASS
WITH
KOTES ON SLAVERY AHD THE SLAVE TRADE.

Br

EDWABD WILBEEFOECE,
(LATE OFH.M. NAVY.)

Larger constellations burning, mellow moons, und happy skies.
Breadths of tropic shade, and palms in cluster, knots of Paradise.
Never comes the trader, never floats an European flag:
Slides the bird o'er lustrona woodland, swings the trailer from the crag :
Droops the heavy-blossom'd bower, hangs the heavy-fruited tree —
Summer isles of Eden lying In dark purple spheres of sea.
Tennyson's Lockiley HaU.

LONDON:
LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS.
1856.

gtebttateb
TO A YOUNG LADY,
AT HEK OWN" KEQUEST.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER L
Tage
England to Madeira — English spoken — The Banana — Land at Funchal
— In a Circus — Hotels and Horses— Mala Vino Lavere — Jesuitical
—Romantic — -What St. Peter's Keys Lock up — Shops and Streets
— At Sea — Flying Fish — The Portuguese Navy — Amppff tfafi Sir""*
Ships  1

CHAPTER II.
Brazil, Historical, and Touristical — Rio as it Will Be — Rio as it Is —
Mountains, Forts, Beauties, and their Drawbacks — Wealth and
Health — Food — Brazilian Diet in Town and Country . . .21
CHAPTER III.
Naval Mems. — Brazilian Men-of-War — The Bertioga— Shore Boats —
Sketch from Life of a Tradesman — Canoes — Feluccas — Sharks and
other Denizens of the Waters  32
CHAPTER IV.
St. Sebastian — The Palace Square— Pharoux — A little Freedom and
Enlightenment — Take care of the Pence — Pastrycooks— Scenes
in the Palace Square — Those dear Blacks — Who keep Shops
in Brazil — Feather Flowers — A JtSird-iancier — Gloria — Multos
Castra Juvant  42

Viii CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.

foe*
Bring forth the Horse— Horses and Mules— Don Whiskerando— Bota
nical Gardens— John Bull Abroad— Nearly a Shipwreck— Coffer-
Dam—Repairing Leaks— Braganza — The Piratical Nation . . 59

CHAPTER VI.
The Right Honourable— Out in the Country^AJttJfiJSlftjSB^ Washer
women— A Beautiful Situation— English and Foreign Scenery —
The Corcovado — View from the Summit— Appearance of a Tiger
— The Aqueduct  71

CHAPTER VII.
Bahia— Travelling in General — Parisian Sights — The Convent-
Feather Flowers— Live Animals— Opera House and Hotel— To
the Diggings for Beef— Guava Jelly — A Catamaran . . .85

CHAPTER VIII.
Rio de la Plata— Monte Video— Facfs for Naval Officers — Carved
Ostrich Eggs — Cardinals — The Alliance  98
CHAPTER IX.
St. Vincents — Uncivilisation— Come, my Lad, and drink some Beer ! —
Billiards— Aspect of the Island — St. Antonio — The Rover — A
Court-Martial . . . ,  100

CHAPTER X.
Cruising — Results of a Capture— Georgi Grego— Leaf from a Middy's
Note-Book— Wood, Fish, and Jungle — Parrots — The Ocean,
viewed in its Poetical Aspect ........ 112

CHAPTER XI.
Marambya — Mangaratiba — A Village Shop — Fortifications — Villa
Grande — Bays and Headlands — Casatiba — Busios — Victoria —
Porcqs— Fish ........... 121

CONTENTS. IX
CHAPTER XII. Page
Ilha Grande — D03 Rios— The Tentativa — Praya Palmas — Andrea
Smith — Canoeing — Lost in a Wood — In the Water Stream flowing
swiftly 1 — Unexpected Kindness — Green Coffee — A Volunteer —
Albroo— Custard Apples— Lorega — Nautili— Geyser Rock . . 129
CHAPTER XIII.
Casatiba, or Orange Bay — A Delegarde — An Orange Grove — Take a
'Poon, Pig! — Brazilian Avarice — Singular Effects of Brazilian
Tobacco — A Depot for Slaves— St. Sebastian — Portuguese and
Brazilian Builders— Santos  149

CHAPTER XIV.
Port Frio— Wreck of H.M. S. Thetis— The Village and Fort— Cape St.
Thome — Odd Fish— Whales— Coryphenes not Dolphins— Sharks 161

CHAPTER XV.
River and Town of Espiritu Santo— Legend— Fortifications— The Old
Town— What is Truth?— In the Country— Cotton Hammocks-
Shopkeepers — Festivities from Our Own Correspondent— Excel
sior I — Birds of many Feathers— Slave Vessels . . . .172

CHAPTER XVI.
Guarapari— Women of the Country— Nee Vox Hominem Sonat— The
Cane— Benevente— Line of Coast— Piuma— Itabapoama — Itape-
mirim — Assassination .....•••• 1°'

CHAPTER XVII.
Boarding Experienees-RegularJShiyersJ3irl-Our First Prize-The
Magano- Reasons SrTeT^apture^To St. Helena and Back-
Second Prize— On the Look-Out for more— Duchess Anne— Barque
laden with Wool  200

X CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVIII. Paeo
Smugglers and Cntters— Slave Trade Laws — Lieutenant Scaly — Hon
esty not always the Best Policy — Suffering from too much Health
—Midshipman's Logic— Poor Doctor !  212
CHAPTER XIX.
Slavery— The 'UBlackJFever *— " Ladies"— Morals and Education- of
Negrosa— What the Brazilians Think of Us — Brazilian Journalism
—Our Ambassadors— Power of the Church in Brazil— Finis . 221

Arrr-HDix  227

PEEFACE.

This volume contains simply an account of what I saw
on the Coast of Brazil. It is necessarily incomplete and
fragmentary ; the position of a midshipman being such
as to preclude his possessing much knowledge of the
places he visits. But, such as it is, it is all my own,
with the exception of two or three passages, for which
I have to thank a gentleman, whose name I do not
publish, as the officials in the service to which he be
longs are averse to any appearance in print on the part
of their subordinates. While endeavouring to tell my
story in an amusing manner, I have interspersed sundry
practical passages relative to the anchorages and bays
on the coast, which may be of use to captains cruising
in those parts. EDWARD WILBERFORCE.
28, Old Bukmngton Street,
October 2, 1855.

B E A Z I L.

CHAPTER I.
ENGLAND TO MADEIRA — ENGLISH SPOKEN — THE BANANA— LAND AT
FUNCHAL — IN A CIRCUS — HOTELS AND HORSES — MALA VINO
LA VERE — -JESUITICAL — ROMANTIC — WHAT ST. PETER'S KEYS LOCK
UP — SHOPS AND STREETS — AT SEA — FLYING FISH — THE PORTU
GUESE NAVY — AMONG THE SLAVE SHIPS.
We left England in November. The state of our
favoured country at that time was such as I need hardly
describe. Imagine a general dreariness — plenty of mists
and rain, as a sort of preparation to make us ready to
receive snow with resignation — blank days, as dull as an
epic, or the hour of study in a large school-room — ¦
faded leaves, sunsets, and thick shawls ; and you have
before you the aspect of England on our departure for
warmer climates. We had remained long in Plymouth
waiting for orders, in that fearful state of naval uncer
tainty which puts a stop to leave, and, by cooping you
up in your ship, gives you a foretaste of the miseries
that are to come. At last we got our orders, and were
off to sea — away from the Lizard light appearing indis-

tinctly through the fog, across the now quiet Bay of
Biscay, past Cape Finisterre, we steamed perseveringly,
and after a five days' passage caught sight of Madeira,
rising abruptly before us, like the giant out of the sealed
bottle in the Arabian nights. At 8 in the morning, as
the captain came on deck, a breeze sprang up, and we
sighted the island of Porto Santo. Such are the effects
of a captain's appearance on the companion ladder ! At
4 p.m., as I stepped on deck to " resume my chains" (in
the words of Falconer) we were flying past Brazenhead,
the eastern point of Madeira. The cliff at this point is
high and rugged, and the different strata are marked
with wonderful distinctness. I find my journal calls it
a sort of limestone — not that I knew any thing about the
matter; but wishing to pass off for a person scientific in
these respects, I entered it as such with due boldness.
Passing, however, the question whether it was lime
stone or not, I may remark that its appearance was very
much that of a geological map, where the different strata
are painted. We ran quickly under the shade of the
island, its high mountains frowning upon us, alternated
by green valleys sloping down to the sea, and dotted
with white villas, till we cast anchor in the bay of
Funchal. The water was smooth, except close to the
beach, where it swelled into surf, and dashed against
the wall of shingle and pebbles with a fierce roar.

ENGLISH SPOKEN. S
rustling among them hoarsely as it withdrew its wavesl
The town stood at the back of the beach, and above
rose the mountain, clad with nodding groves, from
which peeped forth little cottages in all directions. Our
steamer anchored close to the Loo Eock, and when we
had received pratique, an inundation of shore boats
followed, the vice-consul leading them. Washerwomen,
hotel-keepers, and bumboatmen flocked alongside to
solicit our orders. We retained one, named Sarsfield,
for the midshipmen's berth, and found no reason to re
pent our choice. Most of these people spoke English
tolerably, but one who was not well up in the language
was sadly badgered by the " young gentlemen."
" What have you got ?" was the preliminary question.
" Tomorr ! Tomorr ! every ting tomorr !" was the only
answer, delivered in a tone of despairing earnestness.
Then when he was asked about sundry articles that
were quite strange to him, for fear of losing our custom,
and his own importance, he answered rashly.
" Any eels' feet ?" cried one.
" Eels' feet ! ver fine ! tomorr !"
"Any pigeon's milk?" continued another, to keep up
the badgering.
"Pijin smilk! verfine! tomorr!" and so on for every
article required ; so that, if we had asked for a dozen
Houyhnhnms, or any other outlandish thing, we should

BRAZIL.

have been promised them on the morrow, through the
man's ignorance of English. I remember an old quarter
master whom we were always teazing in the same
manner, who showed more judiciousness in his answers.
On being asked how he would relish a good" dish of
ampelonorums stewed in their skins, and a glass of
grog, he would invariably reply : " Ah, sir, a glass of
grog's a good thing !"
Next day one of the regular bumboats came off, and
I tasted my first banana. This fruit is one that does
not much please your palate at the first trial, but
gradually wins a way to your heart. In fact, it is too
rich, and apt to disagree with one unaccustomed to its
flavour. The plant is cruciferous, and whenever it is
cut open, the form ofthe cross appears inside. If you
cut a banana therefore in the presence of a Portuguese,
he will take it as a mortal insult, and will most probably
stab you, considering your deed to be an insult against
the cross and his religion, and thinking of course that
cutting a fruit open must be infinitely more criminal in
the eyes of God, than cutting open a human being. The
banana is the most generally useful fruit in tropical
climates ; they can no more dispense with it there, than
we could with potatoes. It is eaten uncooked as a fruit,
when ripe ; when immature, it is cooked and used as a
vegetable. Moreover, that vilest of all drinks, the

LAND AT MADEIRA. 3
Brazilian aqua ardente, is produced from it, just as most
good things give rise to evil.
At half past nine in the morning, seven members of
the midshipmen's berth, including " the writer of these
pages " started for the shore. The shore-boats are large,
commodious, and swift. The boatmen pull towards
the shore in a natural manner, then, , on coming close,
they suddenly slue the boat round in an unnatural
manner, that always causes wonder among new-comers,
and back in stern foremost. Other men are waiting on
the beach, and, as soon as the keel grates on the shingle,
the boat is seized on all sides and dragged up the steep
beach, till perfectly high and dry. Such at least is the
case on a smooth day, and I never was a witness of
any thing approaching to bad weather in this island.
But any one seeing the broken fragments of the pier,
against which some surf is always beating viciously,
would conclude that the bay is sometimes very rough ;
and indeed only steamers can dare to anchor so close to
the shore as we did, for gales come on in the most sudden
manner, and the bay of Funchal is too much open to be
a very safe anchorage.
Immediately on landing, we were assailed by mer
chants of every sort, poking their wares into our faces,
and yelling out all the facts connected with them.
New dangers awaited us at every step. Some person

* BRAZIL.
asked if we wanted horses, and on being answered in
the usual naval way, " Yes, a dozen I" rushed off to pro
cure us that number. The danger of exaggerating facts
with plain people was instantly demonstrated to us ; for
as we entered upon an avenue that led up to the town,
where the branches arched oyer our head, forming a
most beautiful porch in this exquisite island, we were
assailed and surrounded by a host of wild horses,
bestrodden by wilder riders. We had required a dozen
horses, but here were three dozen at a very moderate
computation. Here we were, hemmed in on all sides,
while the horses were flitting about like shadows of
a substantial nature. In fact the scene reminded me
of a" prairie by night" in one of Lever's novels, where a
solitary horseman is depicted in an arena of bulls. But
the bulls could not have bellowed louder than these
horsemen, who enforced their claims, or rather the
claims of self and partner, upon us in a most ambitious
manner, concluding that we had selected their animals
without speaking, as the young gentleman, in Garrick's
farce of " The Guardian," considered was the case with
respect to his mistress. Thus ran the tenor — if I wanted
to make a pun, I should say the bass — of their discourse.
" Dis my pony for you, sare ! " as if you had been in
the habit of riding the animal specified for five-and-
twenty years.

HOTELS AND HORSES. 7
"Try dis horse, sare ! "
"Very fine, dis un!"
" Senor officare, I brought you my pony, he do nicely
for you, sare ; he not too big ! " You may be sure the last
candidate remained unemployed! But here we stuck
for ten minutes or so, perfectly unable to move. The
riders were still dashing about, clattering on the pave
ment, so as to mak^ us turn sharply round, and see that
the pony galloping up behind us, did not come a little
too far. But as all things mortal must come to an end
sooner or later — except Alexandre Dumas's novels — we
at last got away, and went to the Hotel l'Europe, kept
by Joseph Giudetti, nearly opposite to the custom
house — a decentish place apparently, though F  pre
ferred an English hotel nearer the Market Place,
because "there were some  • pretty chambermaids
there." At the hotel we had some real Madeira wine,
and inspected sundry "curios." We bought some sticks,
which are handsome, cheap, and of all sorts.
" From the knobbed bludgeon to the taper switch,"
some chains, most ingeniously manufactured of horse
hair, and some skull caps, with a peak rising out of the
summit. We then went forth to mount, and to undergo
an immense amount of squabbling during the selection
of our horses. Next, we were stopped like John Gilpin,

BRAZIL.

when almost in the saddle, that we might -pay the boat
man a most unreasonable sum, tenpence each, namely ;
so that, for rowing seven individuals a very short dis
tance, the boatman would receive five shillings !
But at last we got off. We galloped straight up a
perpendicular hill, wondering at our horse's agility when
we looked back and saw the steepness of the ascent.
We made at first for a church very conspicuously placed
half-way up the hill, that has been called, time out
of mind, "The Convent," though why it should bear
such a name I know not, especially as Captain Basil Hall
has shown that it has no pretensions to that name, in his
very interesting Fragments of Voyages and Travels. The
horse on which I was mounted required much correction,
and I found that the light cane I had bought in the
town was of very little use, as it evanished into thin air
after one or two blows ; consequently I took in exchange
a rougher and more serviceable weapon from the hands
of my attendant. These attendants follow you wher
ever you go, with the persevering of a Mephistopheles,
holding to the tails of the horses, and keeping up at the
swiftest gallop, without showing any signs of weariness. ^
We passed several small cottages on our way up the
hill, embowered in small private paradises of grapes,
black bunches of which hung heavily from the boughs,
which in other places were laden with figs, or fresh green

MALA VINO LAVERE. 9
leaves, from which pretty young maidens peeped forth
less frequently than we might have expected. At last
we reached the church, which was evidently visited by
every traveller, from the circumstance of there being a
wine-shop close at hand. Hither our guides led us before
they would suffer our approach to the church, that had
to be reached by two or three flights of. stone steps.
We were at once made cognisant of the fact that the
wine here was "ver good." The vin ordinaire was
cheap enough, ranging from tenpence to one and eight-
pence per bottle. There were, however, mysterious
whispers about some of a peculiarly generous kind that
had been kept for many years in the cellars, and was
valued at a fabulous price. One of the guides had sus
tained an injury in his foot from a horse's hoof, and the
remedy he adopted was one apparently stranger than it
was efficacious, and one Venusznd digna lucernd. -He
drank a glass of wine, pointing at the same time to the
wound with one finger. Having mounted the steps in
front of the church, we gazed at it from the outside till
a head appeared from one of the doors, followed by a
hand that beckoned us in.
" Quanto ? " said we, concisely.
" Nothing, senor," replied the man, bowing ; and he
then showed us over the church, which was just like all
other Roman Catholic churches, very well known to

10 BRAZIL.
most Englishmen, and too well to some. But the
guide proved perfidious, and in fact a Jesuit ; for, after
promising to show us over for nothing, he asked for
money at the end. This we could not abide.
" Tempus erat vim parare,
Nefas hoc non possum stare,"
one might have said, if the Press newspaper had been
started at that time, and if sundry other events had also
taken place.
We rode on again in high indignation. Captain
Basil Hall, of whose "Fragments" I have just made
honourable mention, complains that the Portuguese
attendants would not suffer him to slacken his horse's
pace as much as he desired. We did not find this
objection apply to our followers, who would not let us
go as fast by any means as we wished. But then,
you ' know, midshipmen are proverbially hard riders,
having no necks to be broken; whereas a captain, if
hurled over a precipice, would cause a vacancy, from
which captains are somewhat averse. As we were going
at a rapid rate up hill and down dale, my attendant
became somewhat fatigued, pulled up my horse, and
let the others shoot ahead. In vain did I remonstrate,
and rap his knuckles with all the energy of a spirit-
rapper — he could not feel, and would have kept me for
ever had I not been liberated by a happy accident.

KOMANTIC. 11
He spied a horseshoe on the ground. With a shrill yell
he dropped to pick it up, and my horse, released, set off
at a gallop. He raised a hullabaloo after me without
any effect, and had to " take the change " out of the
horse when he came up, by checking him suddenly and
capriciously every five minutes. Riding through a small
patch of forest on the side of a hill, we came to a
romantic ravine crossed by a wooden bridge, under
which a small streamlet was trickling. Here I dis
mounted to pick some pouting blackberries, and to gaze
on a view of such beauty that I found it necessary to
explode into verse, though very blank.
Jiiws.
TO  , ON SEEING A VIEW IN THE ISLAND OF  ,
THE — DAY OF  , 18—,
BY  .  , ESQ;,
OF H.M.S. 
I stopp'd my horse upon a giddy height
That looks upon thy waters, fair Funchal,
Calm as a mirror, with the noonday sun
Reflected on their surface, where the ship,
That from Old England had convey'd me here,
Swam like a feather on the waveless main.
Beneath me lay the town, its houses white,
Half hidden, half appearing from a grove
Of orange-trees ; while close beneath our feet
Yawn'd a ravine, through which, with headlong pace,
A mountain torrent gush'd, and joyous Icap'd
From rock to rock adown the dark ravine,
Exulting in its strength.

12 BRAZIL.
After this we came to a most perilous descent, the
ground having been roughed apparently, or as if the
sea was frozen in a state of ripples. The horses had to
hop like flies in a sugar basin. But when this bit was
passed we resumed our reckless gallop, and really, as we
flew along the narrow paths, where another horse pass
ing would have caused a very precipitate descent on
the part of " some one," as a tutor of mine used to say
in translating a Greek passage that every one else but
himself could understand, and darted round sharp turns,
not knowing whether a precipice or another party of
riders might not stare you in the face, it was rather
ticklish work. Galloping down a paved causeway, we
came to a house, in front of which dangled a board that
had once boasted some pictorial design, but on which
were only now traceable the words Bon Vin. Here the
same formula, ut ante, had to be gone through with the
guides; that is, they, had, in Yankee parlance, to be
liquored all round. The wine-shop was prettily situated
on a slope, with trees all around; and, while the guides
were drinking, we picked nuts from the boughs within
reach. And then again we went towards the town. On
coming to the entrance we formed in a line abreast, and
charged at full gallop down the steep street, making the
wonderstruck populace fly right and left. The " vox
populi" was for the moment a squall; so that if it is

ST. PETERS KEYS. 13
actually " vox dei," as the absurd saying has it, the har
mony of the tones of the Portuguese deity can scarcely
be much commended. On arriving in the town, we went
to the bona fide nunnery, situated at the west end.
This place is commemorated by Henry Nelson Coleridge,
in his " Six Months in the West Indies," as the scene of
a very pathetic incident. On coming to the waiting-
room, we asked for feather flowers. A fat nun came
to the grating, and had a short jabber — excuse the
word, gentle reader; it is the only one that expresses
Portuguese talk naturally, with the guides. Then
came a lean withered old nun, with a face like one of
those unfortunate apples that come to dessert every day
for six weeks, and go back from the room untouched,
following the fat one, like the lean kine in Pharaoh's
dream. Then the flowers came, handed through the
turning doors. Here ceased the romance of the con
vent, the flowers being discovered to be exceedingly
dear; so much so that we rushed out suddenly, leav
ing the guides to hand back the rejected wreaths, and
to pacify the nuns. Next we had to satisfy the horse-
dealers themselves, whose rapacity knew no bounds.
After that we went to dinner, where the chief
delicacies were the fruits produced at dessert, all of
which were new to my palate. There were rich stores
of the yellowest bananas, with their soft luscious pulp

14 BRAZIL.
within, and the sweeter guavas with many seeds, whose
interior was pervaded by a soft red tint. And then
we had more Madeira wine, at , a charge not very
high. " Dinner for seven gentlemen," I find from the
bill, amounted to seven dollars — four shillings and two
pence ahead. But some clay pipes were the dearest
articles by far, for five of them cost two shillings.
Duty now demanded our presence on board, but
before returning we took a rapid survey of the nearest
shops. The master of the hotel has a small shop op
posite to his hostelry, where most articles of Madeira
manufacture can be purchased. There were feather
flowers, much cheaper than those at the convent, and
scarcely at all inferior. The sticks and horsehair chairs
are hardly so good as those you get from the itinerant
merchants. There are English shops too in the island :
drapers of the same class as those in our native land of
the Tagrag and Titmouse stamp, with well-whiskered
attendants behind the counter, who will pull half the
shop down to oblige a lady. In another street we
lighted on a pretty little shop where they sold wooden
manufactures, rulers, paper-cutters, and work-boxes.
The rulers and paper-cutters are of exquisite workman
ship, wood of different colours, being most tastefully
inlaid in the mosaic fashion. The work-boxes and
writing-desks are also worth inspection, being much

SHOPS AND STREETS. 15
like those you get at Sorrento, in the house where
Torquato Tasso was born.
Let us take a brief view of one of the streets in Fun-
chal. It is remarkably clean, wonderfully so for a
foreign place, and also tidy. This is greatly owing to
the steepness of the streets, all water running down of
itself. Here comes a sort of sledge drawn by two oxen,
and bearing within two ladies, whom you can speedily
discover to be Englishwomen. Then a Portuguese lady
walks by, the beauty of her complexion testifying to the
care bestowed upon it : — then a fierce sound of hoofs,
and a general alarm on the part of all in the street, with
a general rush to the shops. Half a dozen midshipmen
come clattering by, with half a dozen guides shrieking
in the rear, and clutching wildly at the tails of the
horses. Then come two porters with a pole on their shoulders ;
from the pole swings a hammock, of fantastic colours,
wherein an invalid reposes, reading the last new novel,
and thinking it remarkably stupid.
The foot-passengers next appear. Irreproachably
dressed dandies, revelling in all the glories of a tight fit,
and the consciousness that from the tips of their flash
ing boots to the crown of their hat, not omitting their
oiled mustaches, they are equally faultless — that is,
outside, I don't speak for the inside — come in the same
c

\G BRAZIL.
line with the Portuguese, in his undress and light
summer clothing, with the red peak sticking' up from
the top of his cap. I may mention, en passant, as a
singular fact, that nearly all the land in Madeira is the
property of Englishmen, chiefly merchants, so that the
Portuguese possession is merely nominal.
The currency here consists of dollars, pistareens, and
bits ; a dollar is 4s. 2d., equal also to 1000 reis — a pis-
tareen is 10d., and a bit, or half-pistareen, 5d. English
money can always be changed here at its full value, an
advantage not to be met with in many foreign countries,
whose people have vulgar prejudices against changing
English money, save at a great loss to the owners.
We left Madeira in the evening of the day, whose
proceedings I have just described. We steamed on all
night, and in the morning, having gained an offing,
and being attended by a fair breeze, we disconnected
the engines, and made sail. Finding, however, that the
ship did not go fast enough then, we unshipped the
floats, so that the wheels offered very little resistance to
the water. The first sign we had of the neighbourhood
of the Equator was the appearance of the flying fishes.
We saw small shoals of them glide past, bright glitter
ing little objects, skipping from one wave's crest, and
taking shelter under the next, only to emerge again
with greater activity. Their scales flashed so brightly

ALONE ON THE WIDE, WIDE SEA. 17
in the sun that they resembled pieces of silver, as if
some sportive breeze was playing duck-and-drake with
flat thin coins of that metal. I may be allowed to
quote Moore's poem on the subject here. It is not so
well known as his other poems, and is pretty enough to
deserve quotation. TO THE FLYING FISH.
When I have seen thy snow-white wing
From the blue wave at evening spring,
And show those scales of silvery white
So gaily to the eye of light.
As if thy frame were form'd to rise
And live amid the glorious skies ;
Oh ! it has made me proudly feel
How like thy wing's impatient zeal
Is the pure soul, that rests not pent
Within this world's gross element,
But takes the wing that God has given,
And rises into light and heaven !
But when I see that wing so bright,
Grow languid with a moment's flight,
Attempt the paths of air in vain,
And sink into the waves again ;
Alas ! the flattering pride is o'er ;
Like thee, awhile the soul may soar,
But erring man must blush to think
Like thee, again the soul may sink.
It is a common mistake to suppose that flying-fish
never rise out of the water unless pursued by a large
enemy. This notion evidently arises from the sight of
pictures representing the unfortunate little animals

18 BRAZIL.
skipping away with a dolphin after them, and with birds
above them. You might as well think that boys never
run without having a mad bull at their heels. We
caught two of these fish one evening. If at night a
lantern is held out of one of the ports, these fish immedi
ately flock to it, and will even fly on board in their eager
ness to near it.
From Madeira we ran with tolerably steady winds,
till we were into 6° north latitude, where the Trades
deserted us, leaving us to the tender mercy of the horse
latitudes. We now shipped the floats again, and
steamed the rest of the way. On the same day we
captured a hawk that had for some time been hovering
about the masts. Round its neck a ticket was fastened,
on one side of which was written, "William Slater,
Waterman, Leghorn," and on the other, "Ship Isabel,
Lat. 10° N. Long. 23° 30' W. November." A blank
was left here, the rest of the writing having been
picked off by the bird, that was very hungry when
caught. If the latitude and longitude were correctly
stated, it must have flown a long distance without food.
As we passed through the tropical regions at night, the
sea was quite luminous around. The ship left a track
of light behind, in which every moment a stronger glare
of the blubber-fish was as distinctly seen, as would be
the small invisible insects in water, under a microscope.

THE PORTUGUESE NAVT. 19
By day the sea was frequently covered with fish of
the Nautilus species, and that especially with pink sails,
known as the Portuguese man-of-war.
One morning as we were nearing the Brazils, and
got into a state of mind that might be called chronic
excitement, relative to the slave vessels we expected a
constant view of, a sail was descried ahead. Glasses
were at once in use, from the captain's longest to the
midshipman's shortest, while two middies were perched
on the foreyard to make her out. Bulletins were sent
down every instant to those below. She is steering the
same way as we are. She has borne up, and is making
all sail. She is steering towards us. Minds vibrated
between certainty and doubt, from the " Oh ! she's
nothing after all !" to the " By Jove ! she must be some
thing then!" For, of course, if she was honest, she
would be nothing to speak of. On coming close, she
hoisted English colours, but, having no Englishmen to
answer our hail, was ordered to heave to. She was
then boarded, as vessels are not allowed to carry the
English flag without having at least two Englishmen on
board. The captain said there were one or two sus
picious circumstances connected with her, but not
enough to warrant her detention. She was the English
schooner " Fanny " from Bahia to Gibraltar, laden with
coffee.

' 20 BRAZIL.
The next vessel that we saw was right ahead cruising
about, and, as we came near, she tacked. This was
declared a very " suspicious act " and besides she had a
lookout-man at each masthead, which custom, it is well
known, is never adopted by honest vessels. When we
came up and hailed her, she replied that she was an
American whaler, three months at sea. It was then
suggested that the mast-head men might be looking out
for whales ; but this was strongly negatived by those
who had been on this coast before. One of them proved
logically that this vessel must be a slaver, because when
he was off Cape Frio, in H. M. S. Bender, he fell in
with a whaler that stated itself to be in a bad way for
provisions. The Bender supplied her with some.
" Next morning, sir, she was in, and landed 800 slaves,
by G — !" This was concluded by a toss of the head,
and an imperious curl of the lip, that could not help
enforcing upon every one a conviction of its truth.
On the 10th of December we saw the land about Cape
Frio, and in the evening anchored in Rio de Janeiro,
after a passage of twenty-seven days. The name of this
harbour signifies River of January, having been disco
vered on the 1st of January by Martin Affonso do Souza.

BRAZIL, HISTORICAL. 21

CHAPTER II.
BRAZIL, HISTORICAL, AND TOURISTICAL — RIO AS IT WILL BE — RIO AS
IT IS — MOUNTAINS, FORTS, BEAUTIES, AND THEIR DRAWBACKS —
WEALTH AND HEALTH — FOOD — BRAZILIAN DIET IN TOWN AND
COUNTRY. Brazil, I have reason to believe, is almost a terra in
cognita to that adventurous class, the fireside tourists.
Those who visit Asia, Africa, and north America in
their easy-chairs without the slightest upset, make a
rapid transition from the blue waves of the Medi
terranean to the alternate beauties and horrors of the
West Indies, have as yet found an insufficiency of
guides to convey them to Brazilian scenery. And
accordingly we hear most ludicrous questions asked
about these parts.
" What sort of people did you find the Yankees?"
asks one of your friends, who prides himself upon his
geographical knowledge, the more that he has never
travelled. " Yankees ! Oh, I only saw one, and he  "
" But you don't mean to say you saw only one inhabi
tant of Rio Janeiryo?" for so is the name generally pro
nounced in our native land. When you have settled

22 BRAZIL.
this questioner, and sent him to hulk in a corner at this
discovery of his ignorance, there are a great many more
people to satisfy. Some believe that Brazil is inha
bited by " the natives," not alluding to oysters, but to
the aboriginal Indians. Some again who know the
place by continued references to the map, and sundry
diligent perusals of Southey's History of Brazil ask
you if you ever put into any harbour, believing that
her Majesty's ships and vessels of war are always at
sea, as they might have been in the times of the late
lamented Benbow. To these I do not address myself,
save that the sketches of different harbours in this book
will show whether we were always at sea or no. But
to those who are uncertain about the inhabitants of
Brazil, I may say, that the country is inhabited by
Portuguese settlers, who however are emancipated from
their native land, and would be insulted if called Portu
guese anymore. Ofthe history of Brazil I know nothing,
but that is of the less consequence, as Southey has pub
lished a volume of tolerable size on the subject, which
you would probably find delightful reading.
The harbour of Rio de Janeiro is about the finest in
the world, as far as regards its size and scenery, but
commodiousness is not included in the catalogue of its
excellences. Brazil was made by nature, and has there
fore mountains, trees, rivers, and other things, which

HARBOUR OP RIO JANEIRO. 23
we must allow to have a certain amount of beauty,
but which are deucedly awkward when one comes
close to them. I am afraid that, as yet, every coun
try has been constructed by nature, and that worthy
creature, not being at all utilitarian, had an eye to
beauty rather than to utility. But utilitarians may
console themselves by remembering, that "use is a
second nature," and when nature, worn out, resigns in
favour of use, her successor will certainly make a new
world, expressly calculated to conciliate waggons, rail
roads, &c. When this epoch comes, the harbour of Rio
de Janeiro will be greatly altered. We shall have it
then commodious enough, but not poetic ; but there
will probably be no poets " in the good time coming."
The entrance to the harbour is most imposing as you
approach from the westward. The neighbourhood of
Rio is then pointed out to you by the form of the
mountain tops, that present the appearance of a man,
stretched out at full length, lying on his back. One
mountain, the Gavea, familiarly known as Lord Hood's
nose — in his embassy to China, Mr. Ellis claims this
nickname for the Corcovado, but wrongly, inasmuch as
the Corcovado bears no likeness to a man's nose, while
the resemblance the Gavea bears to the nose of the
Iron Duke is very striking — supplies the recumbent
giant with a head, and the Pan d' Azucar, or Sugar-loaf,

24 BRAZIL.
furnishes him with feet. The latter stands close to the
harbour's mouth, which is entirely hidden from sight
till you draw somewhat to the eastward of the Sugar-
loaf, when the magnificent panorama bursts suddenly
on your sight. The entrance is as small in proportion
to the size of the harbour, as is the neck of a bottle to
its whole. In fact, the harbour of Rio very much
resembles a bottle, or a shot-flask.
Passing close under the dark Sugar-loaf, that frowns
upon you like a grim sentinel at a palace gate, while the
fort beneath looks far less imposing, though twice as
deadly, just as the sentry's musket does more execution
than his own austerity of countenance, you approach
the fort of Santa Cruz. The Sugar-loaf indeed looks
very rocky and rugged, amidst all the verdure of the
neighbouring mountains, and it scowls blackly on the
beautiful bay, that means no offence against its
sentinel, as Satan looked upon the unconscious pair
in their first state of innocence. The fort of Santa
Cruz is built at the end of a rock sloping down from
the mountains at the back, on the side facing the Sugar-
loaf, and, being just on the bar, commands the entrance.
The long swell heaves you onward, and breaks on the
ledge that shelves out from the foot of the fort, with a
roar that makes you feel unpleasantly near. There are
two other forts near the entrance of the harbour, off;

LAND ABOUT RIO. 2.5
the largest of which, Fort Viiiegagnon, vessels stop to
be boarded by the quarantine officers. The said
quarantine officers seem to have no scruples as to keep
ing ships waiting. Once, on our arrival in the harbour,
we were detained an hour, during which the captain's
: impatience showed itself in the frequent discharge of
guns, before any quarantine boat visited us. Negroes
are taken to Fort Viiiegagnon to be flogged. The
Fort Santa Cruz hails all vessels that pass, but it is
perfectly immaterial what answer you return, as long as
you utter some responsive sound. In fact, the system
here is much the same as that prevailing in certain
fortified towns, where, when challenged by the sentry,
if you give no answer you are liable to be shot, but if
you shout out Hocus-pocus or abracadabra you will be
permitted to pass free. If you enter at night, this fort
¦ burns a blue light, but vessels are not allowed to go
out at night without a special permit.
Proceeding up the harbour, you catch a momentary
glimpse of the shady village, and lake-like bay of Bota
fogo, but a jutting point soon hides it from view. The
land on both sides presents very wonderful and distinct
phases of beauty. On the left, above the white city,
rise the eccentric forms of the chain of mountains, the
Corcovado, the Tejouka, and the Sugar-loaf, with bare
.rocky summits and green sides, standing up to guard

26 BRAZIL.
the town that lies in their shadow. Far ahead in the j j
distance rise the blue Organ mountains, earning their
name from the likeness between their peaks and the
brass pipes in front of an organ; while on the right hand
the heights above Fort Santa Cruz, where the goat tries
in vain to struggle up the steep rock, serve to complete
the grandeur of the scene, and to enclose the harbour,
like a basin hollowed out in the summit of a mountain.
But there are yet softer and more delicate beauties j i
around : the waving trees, the islets that dot the bay in
every direction, the small white sails hanging on the
blue waters like little clouds in a southern sky, the
foliage that luxuriates around the distant villas, and
robes the hill-sides, are as lovely in their gentleness of
touch, as the grander portions of the landscape in their
majesty. There is no sparing here, no attempt to pro
duce one single effect; but Nature has so lavished her
gifts, and counteracted all that might have been
unsightly by contrasts of beauty, that the gazer is in
danger of never observing half her riches, and the writer
must plead his inability to do them full justice.
Having arrived in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, I
will discourse upon the two most important topics con
nected with the human race, wealth and health. Firstly,
as to money. The currency in Brazil consists chiefly of
reis, which are merely imaginary coins, forty going to a

CURRENCY OP BRAZIL. 2?
penny, and the smallest coin ever struck off being one
of ten reis. The milree is the coin generally used. As
its name implies it consists of a thousand reis, or
twenty-five dumps of forty reis each. A vinten or half
dump is twenty reis, and the dump and vinten answer
to our pence and halfpence. Though the milree consists
properly of two shillings and a penny, English money,
yet the value of it constantly varies, and during my stay
in Brazil it was at the rate that is technically termed
thirty, that is, equal to half-a-crown. Dollars are not much
in request, even among the towns. The Spanish dollars
are most valued, especially those known by the name of
" pillar dollars," having pillars stamped upon them. I
append a table showing the general value of the several
dollars, which, however, frequently vary — Reis.
Spanish and Brazilian dollars  = 1960
American, Mexican, Bolivarian, and other nations = 1800
The milrees are chiefly in notes of one, two, five, and
ten thousand reis, besides larger sums. Twenties are
common enough, fifties are less common, and I only
once saw a hundred. Shortly before we left the station,
gold and silver coins were being struck off. The silver
coins were mostly pieces of five hundred, one and two
thousand reis, the gold ten and twenty thousand, but
smaller than our English coins in proportion to the value.

28

BRAZIL.

When you go on a cruise, especially among the small
villages, such as you would principally visit, it is best to
supply yourself with plenty of copper, and single milree
notes, but none of higher value, which you will find
difficult to change. Dollars, pesos in the language of
the natives, are in little estimation, and you can seldom
get them changed in the villages except at a consider
able discount.
Next, as to health, which is second only in importance
to money. The Brazils have been hitherto a healthy
enough climate; but about the time of our stay there the
fever commenced to appear, and in some cases it com
mitted frightful ravages. Several ships had to run
down to the southward, that the patients might have
more chance of recovering in a colder climate. The
disease was far more virulent in the harbour of Rio than
on the coast adjoining; and, in many cases, patients sent
out for a sea cruise derived signal benefit and fresh
strength by their brief absence from the harbour.
In many cases, seizures of fever are to be attributed to
intemperance, or imprudence in regard to diet and
exposure. One midshipman who died of the fever, had'
spent one whole day shortly before his seizure in smoking
cigars and drinking in the open air during the noonday
heat. In recommending a plan of living, Doctors Spix and

HOW TO BE HEALTHY AND WEALTHY. 29
Martius advise Europeans " to follow the example of the
Brazilians, who eat but moderately, drink chiefly water,
and take every thing with the greatest regularity, follow
ing that strict order which is observable in all the
phenomena of nature between the tropics. In the
evening, the Brazilian takes scarcely any thing ; at the
most he drinks a cup of tea, or if he has not that, coffee,
and avoids, especially at nights, eating cool fruits.
"Only such a regimen, and conforming with the
nature of the climate, preserves him from many diseases,
to which the stranger exposes himself through inatten
tion or ignorance. Above all things, therefore, the
stranger should be advised to observe the same regimen
as the Brazilians ; neither to expose himself to the fatal
effect of the sun's rays, by walking in the open air
during the hottest parts of the day, when all the streets
are deserted, nor to the dangerous consequences of
taking cold in the night dews, and, above all, not to
indulge in sensual pleasures.
"Precaution is necessary also in drinking water to
appease the almost insatiable thirst : we were advised to
drink the water mixed with wine or brandy, but though
we used this beverage with advantage when we took
little exercise and kept in the shade, yet the violent
tendency of blood to the head during the journey, when
we were very much exposed to the sun, particularly in

30 BRAZIL.
the first year, soon obliged us to renounce all spirituous
liquors : we therefore refreshed ourselves with the cool
water of the stream, without any addition, from which
we never experienced any disagreeable effect, if we
immediately again exposed ourselves to the heat.
These remarks on regimen we cannot sufficiently recom
mend to the attention of travellers."
This certainly seems a very safe regimen, which, being
no doctor myself, I have thought it better to " crib," as
a sentence from a doctor's book on the subject of health
has some claims on one's attention. , But moderation in
living will any where be equally serviceable ; and I must
add that, personally, I never experienced any evil effects
from being out in the middle of the day, or from drink
ing wine and spirits whenever they were obtainable.
The Brazilians themselves, too, are not so abstemious
as the worthy doctors relate; for they drink great quan
tities of cashaqa, and are apparently only hindered from
eating meat by being in tlie state which the second
clause of Oliver Cromwell's grace-before-meat remarks
upon. They eat great quantities of other sorts of food,
especially fruit, though that is taken generally in the
mornings. " Rio Janeiro," say Doctors Spix and Martius " is con
sidered one of the more unhealthy cities of Brazil,
though it would seem without reason, and the fine nights

FOOD, 31
there may be enjoyed without any fear of those disorders
that follow in many tropical parts."
It is evident that the two doctors have taken their
experience of Brazilian moderation from those of the
higher classes resident in towns. Those of the lower
classes, and especially those residing in remote villages?
hardly know the existence of tea, and are too lazy to
make coffee. Yet with all their habits of drinking,
eating nothing of a substantial kind, and lying in their
hammocks till they grow fat from sheer inactivity, the
Brazilians do attain to a tolerable longevity, and, if they
are without the industry of our northern populations,
they certainly lack many of the vices that disgrace our
countrymen.

rg2 BRAZIL.

CHAPTER III.
NAVAL MEMS. — BRAZILIAN MEN-OF-WAR — THE BERTIOGA — SHORE
BOATS — SKETCH FROM LIFE OF A TRADESMAN  CANOES— FELUC
CAS — SHARKS AND OTHER DENIZENS OF THE WATERS.
The anchorage generally chosen by English men-of-
war, is opposite the city. Between the ships and the
city lies the small island of Cobras, where is H. B. M.
Storeyard, governed by a clerk-in-charge, who has a
comfortable enough situation. He is in a more indepen
dent position than would be the case with him on board
ship, and, when the admiral is not in harbour, becomes
monarch of all he surveys. He has a neat little house
and garden to his own "cheek," and is generally not
deficient in the latter characteristic. His subordinates,
the dockyard mateys, are entirely different from their
namesakes in England. There are two or three to hand
out casks, bales, &c, and a drunken supercargo to set
them a good example.
Further up the harbour is the coal-hulk, where men-
of-war take in the necessary amount of fuel. Close to
is an island, stocked with coal, whence the mail packets
are supplied in a handy, expeditious manner. It was

NAVAL MEMS. 33
probably fbund by the government that getting coal
from a hulk was more inconvenient than from the
island, and therefore they used the hulk. The way
of proceeding is as follows. The steamer goes along
side the hulk, and sends her men on board. The men
descend into the hold, and hoist up coal in baskets, in
which state it is carried on board the steamer. There
are some slaves appertaining to the hulk, of the negro
race of course, who assist; and, when the steamer's men
have been a certain time in the hulk, it is hard to dis
tinguish a natural negro from one created pro tem. by
the coal-dust; and, when the pleasant sea breeze set in,
it wafted coal-dust every where, over decks, cabins,
clothes, and faces. Dirt lurked in every whisper ofthe
wind. This hulk is named the " Scotland," and came
originally from America. Her captain and crew died of
fever, in consequence of which she was bought by a
zealous, merchant in Rio, who got the contract for
supplying the Navy with coal.
Near the said hulk lay a huge Brazilian two-decker,
bearing the name of Dom Pedro Secundo. She had only
lately been built, but was not destined to enjoy a very
long lease of life. She was built at Bahia by Brazilian
artificers, and was sent from thence to Rio. During
that short voyage she rolled so dreadfully as to carry
away all her masts, and was considered to have had

34 BRAZIL.
quite enough of the sea. She then remained an
unsightly mass up the harbour for some time, and was at
last sold for the purpose of being broken up. The
Brazilian dockyard lies a little way above the island of
Cobras, and seemed, the essence of untidiness, as far as
I could judge from a passing inspection. It is not open
to the view of English naval officers, for very substanT
tial reasons.
Without doubt the noblest vessel in the Brazilian
service is their double-banked frigate, the Constitutiao,
which once belonged to the Americans, and will be
better known to Englishmen as the " Constitution."
The Brazilians bought it, and were taken in, as might
reasonably have been expected. The vessel was sold as
copper-bottomed for a large sum, and when she was dry-
docked in England, the Brazilians not having a dry dock
of their own, it was discovered that there was just a slir
of copper round her below the water-mark, that would
lead one to suppose that she was coppered all over, oi*
rather, all under.
Next in rank came the corvettes, vessels of which
class are most abundant in the Brazilian navy. One of
these, the Bertioya, was for some time a sharer of our
cruising ground. I once had the pleasure of paying her
a visit, and found a strong resemblance between her and
a Newcastle collier. She was very "slummy" (naval

BRAZILIAN MEN-0P-WAB. 35
term for slovenly) and dirty. Aloft she seemed exces
sively untidy: ropes' ends flying about, sails badly
furled, yards not squared, ahd ropes not taut. Some men
were aloft, looking very uncomfortable, hanging to tho
slack ropes, that waved and swung about at each roll,
with more than landsman-like tenacity. I entered into
conversation with an officer on board who spoke a little
French, and found that the Bertioga had that morning
taken some slaves, who were visible on the main deck,
men and women together, in a state of nudity. The
corvette had that morning chased a brigantine, and was
gaining on her, seeing which, the brigantine put some
slaves into a canoe, and sent them adrift. While the
Bertioya was picking them up, the chase ran ashore on
Marambya (a long low sandy island off which we were
then cruising), and landed the rest of her slaves. The
corvette's boats were sent after them, and the stray
negroes were eventually recovered.
The crew of the Bertioga consisted chiefly of Bra
zilians and negroes. I saw also some Englishmen on
board, who seemed heartily ashamed of their ship, and
sneaked about in a pitiful manner, as if the fact of be
longing to a Brazilian man-of-war had robbed them of
all their courage. The boatswain, a fierce man, out of
uniform, dressed in a sort of linsey-woolsey frock,
roamed about the decks with a rope's end in his hand,

36 BRAZIL.
applying it freely and indiscriminately. The officer
with whom I was talking informed me that the corvette
had on each side eight twenty-four pounder guns, and
one of thirty-two pound, eighteen in all.
Some brigantines, schooners, and steamers, complete
the catalogue of ships, which is not so long as Homer's,
or so poetical. One ofthe schooners had been a slaver,
and is now about the neatest vessel in the Brazilian
navy. The best steamer was the Don Pedro, a yacht
built for the Emperor's use by an Englishman. Another
steamer was the Urania, a diminutive vessel, scarcely
larger than one of the Greenwich boats, and not so fast,
looking more like a squirt worked by steam than a man-
of-war. Coal is not much used by the Brazilian steamers,
wood being cheaper, and more plentiful.
The chief revenues of the Brazilian government are
derived from the custom-house, an immense duty being
charged on all foreign articles. English goods, for
instance, have to pay a duty of eighty per cent., a most
exorbitant price surely, and French goods pay but
little less. I was informed, by a person possessed of
some experience with regard to the affairs of this govern"
ment and nation, that one ship of war stationed off the
mouth of the harbour to blockade it, would cause in a
very short time a general dearth in the town. The
entrance is so narrow that one ship could blockade it

SHORE BOATS. 3?
effectually, and put a stop to all traffic. In a few
days, people would look round, missing their usual
resources, and would inquire where all the money was
gone to, a proceeding which strikes one as slightly
comic. The shore-boats in this harbour are convenient in
their structure, inconvenient in their habits. They
generally belong to a Brazilian of some money, who
hires or buys two negroes for each boat. They are
moored near the Palace Square, just opposite Pharoux's
hotel, and never come off to ships in the harbour unless
engaged. This habit of never lying alongside on the
chance of getting a passenger, renders landing or visiting
other ships extremely difficult. These boats are light,
and pull well, at night the negroes singing in time to
their oars. The charge for a boat to a ship in the
harbour is one milree for an officer, for a resident on
shore generally two patacs (16d.) as one accustomed to
use a boat frequently gets it cheaper. The merchants
of the place have private boats, either belonging to
them, or let to them for longer periods, and in these are
frequently four negroes, more smartly dressed than the
two in the common run of boats. With four oars the
boats fly along swiftly, and the tradesman, reclining in
the stern, whirling the rudder about, in a manner more
careless than scientific, and giving his orders, is inclined

$& BRAZIL.
to be elevated for the time above his station, through a
notion of his new dignity.
These are the English tradesmen, of a high class
abroad, who have large shops, that pay fearfully well
from the high charges for English goods, and the
presence of the squadron. One of these tradesmen
reminds me of Fame in the JEneid : —
 malum quo non aliud velocius ullum

Mobilitate viget, viresque acquirit eundo
Parva metu primo  ^ 
¦  -pedibus celer et pernicibus alis,

Monstrum horrendum, ingens, cui quot sunt corpore plums
Tot vigiles oculi subter (mirabile dictu)
Tot linguae, totidem ora sonant, tot subrigit aures.
He begins as a small tradesman, gradually his
business increases, and he gains strength by tick.
The " Tot linguae" alludes to his skill in languages
of course, and if he has not many ears, the length
of those he has naturally compensates for the want of
more. He charges enormous prices for his English goods,
and lays the blame on the custom-house. But while
the custom-house charges 80, he not unfrequently wants
SOO per cent. He lets officers, youngsters especially,
get into debt further than they wish, and electrifies
them by the prices of all their purchases.
If they can't pay, he goes to the captain, and the

A SKETGH FROM LIFE. 39
youngster has his leave stopped, and the bill deducted
from his allowance.
¦ By such means he gets into a flourishing way of
business, and supplies gunroom messes with meat and
all other necessities, with a fair remuneration to him
self. So his customers increase ; his shop likewise; and,
what is more important, his reputation, and he is con
tractor to the fleet, and turns many a pretty penny
from that occupation. He now flies about in a four-
oared boat, as I have described previously, and patronises
the midshipmen. He can forgive Jones (aged 14) his
little bill of £2, especially as it ought to be ten shillings,
and Jones is going home ; but as for that Smith (aged
19) who owes £15, and is not going home yet, he has
run into debt with his eyes open, and shall be made to
pay to the uttermost farthing.
It is perhaps not a regular downright system of dis
honesty that induces these habits : it is more the habi
tual northern desire of getting a penny over, combined
with the high prices that exist among the Brazilians,
who cheat because they are too lazy to be honest. One
of these Englishmen is perhaps honest enough at heart,
but he is mortal, and a dun, and — que voulez-vous ?
The lower class of tradesmen most frequently visit
the ships in canoes. The canoes of Rio are more
strongly built than those of country places, but should

AQ BRAZIL.
be avoided except in smooth weather. I had once such
experience of danger and misery in one of these vessels,
as to warn me from again! entering such unstable craft.
The bottom was full of water, in which some money was
floating. She heeled over so at every stroke of the bow
oar and twirl of the stern-paddle, as to menace an over
turn. We went sideways across the harbour, like Mr.
Winkle's horse, scarce gaining an inch ahead.
These canoes are much in use among cigar-dealers,
et hoc genus omne. They have a secret locker in the
stern where the dealer can place his boxes of cigars, out
of sight of the officials who object to such proceedings.
One of these cigar-dealers informed me that he was not
allowed to bring more than two boxes of cigars with him,
and that the canoe was convenient as affording him a
place of concealment for the contraband articles.
The canoes seem to belong to small proprietors, who
paddle them about, generally hiring a man by the day
or month to pull the bow oar, as the paddle is the
easier and more dignified of the two implements.
Besides these small craft, there is a large sort of
feluccas, that ply across to Braganza. If there is any
wind they fly by with their large sails full almost to
bursting ; but if it is calm, four negroes with heavy oars
rise and fall to a monotonous howl, and seem to be usinc
monstrous exertions. There are, moreover, steamers

SHARKS. 41
equal in size to the Thames boats, that run from Rio to
Braganza, Botafogo, and Petropolis.
Bathing can be safely carried on in the harbour, not
withstanding the presence of those " tigers of the deep "
— the sharks. Perhaps these ravenous creatures are
frightened away by the splashing of many men swim-
ing together, but certainly they are not unknown in
Rio Janeiro. I remember one night seeing a shark
playing round the gangway ladder of the Geyser when
anchored here. The sentry went down to " stir it up
with a long pole," or rather a boat-hook," but no sooner
did he approach the bottom of the ladder, than the shark
made a bolt at him, and the frightened "jolly " returned
in a more hurried manner. The current in the harbour
is also at times very strong, so that the men who bathe
have to struggle against more disadvantages than one,
as perhaps the sharks might dare to seize hold of a man
isolated from the numbers they are supposed to fear.
They say that porpoises drive sharks away; and, as
there are porpoises frequently visible in the harbour,
their presence makes the sharks disappear. This, as
Waterton says, is mere conjecture.

42 BRAZIL.

CHAPTER IV.
ST. SEBASTIAN — THE PALACE SQUARE — PHAROUX — A LITTLE FREE
DOM AND ENLIGHTENMENT — TAKE CARE OF THE PENCE — PASTRY
COOKS—SCENES IN THE PALACE SQUARE— THOSEJLEAB^-BLACgS—
WHO KEEP SHOPS IN BRAZIL — FEATHER FLOWERS — A BIRD-
FANCIER — GLORIA — MULTOS CASTRA JUVANT.
On the left side of the harbour lies the city of St.
Sebastian. Such is its legitimate name; but, in common
with many other Brazilian towns, it has dropped its own
name, and assumed that of the bay on whose shores it is
situated. In the same manner we have the towns of
Bahia and Espirito Santo. From a distance, the white
ness of its houses gives this city a clean and neat appear
ance, but its beauty is only external. The chief landing-
place is at a wooden jetty in the Palace Square, on
approaching which your hopes of cleanliness vanish like
the baseless fabric of a vision. All the filth ofthe town is
flung into the water near this pier, and apparently the tide
does not penetrate so far; for the water is nearly stagnant,
and filled with floating abominations. In consequence, a
most unpleasant odour pervades the neighbourhood; and,
as I had to wait off this pier in the beef-boat for two

PHAROUX. 43
hours every afternoon, I may be fairly said to have
received an undue share of these horrors.
When you come to the jetty, you see in front a large
unsightly building, much like a barrack. This is the
Palace, with a needless number of guards parading
about. On your left is a finer building, Pharoux's hotel,
which might well be mistaken for the palace, were it not
too dignified in outward show for the abode of a foreign
dignitary. The exterior of this hotel is more imposing
than the interior, which is sadly deficient in cleanli
ness and accommodation. The "saloon" is generally
crammed with naval officers, merchants' clerks, and
Americans. A good deal of business is transacted here,
in the eating and drinking line. On asking for a cold
chicken, I have seen the waiter hoist one by its legs from
a large dish. where it had been reposing in the company
of others of its class, and place it on a plate for my use.
Possibly this hotel has been degraded to the level of
Americans, many of whom flock here constantly. You
hear them bragging with that vile twang that converts
the English into the Yankee tongue. They talk always
about bowie-knives and revolvers, guessing and calcu
lating, and " Gawd darn."
One American, who called himself purser of the U. S.
brig of war Bainbridge, signalized himself especially by
committing a murder in the hotel. The young woman

44 BRAZIL.
who sat at the bar, and kept the books, was married to
the cook, an Italian, who treated her ill, beating her
very frequently. The consequence was that the woman
wore an unhappy air, and, being generally tired in the
evening, added sleepiness to unhappiness. The
American resolved to take up her quarrel ; and, seeing
her crying once, remarked to an English officer that if
he saw her crying again, he'd settle her husband — that he
had a bowie-knife under his waistcoat that would do for
him effectually. On this the Englishman inquired :
"Do you call yourself an officer in the American
navy ? "
" I calkilate I do ; " answered the Yankee with some
surprise, not seeing that the Englishman was somewhat
a stranger to Americans, and might not know whether
their officers were supposed to be gentlemen or not.
" Then all I can say is, that you're a disgrace to your
profession ! "
The American meditated for some time whether he
should use the bowie-knife on this provocation, but
finally he responded :
"Wall, stranger, if I've offended you, I beg your
pardon, but — p'raps you'll take a glass of brandy and
watarr ! "
One day the Italian cook was sitting in the bar,
with his wife by his side, when the American entered.

TAKE CARE OP THE PENCE. 45
Thinking that his former interposition in the wife's
favour warranted some familiarity with her, the
American walked up to her, and took some liberties
that no husband would allow; on which the Italian
knocked the American down. The American rose
and went out; coming in soon after, and finding the
Italian still there, he walked up to him, drew forth
his revolver and lodged three bullets in his brain.
On this the Italian died, naturally enough, and his
wife fainted away, more naturally still ; while the mur
derer was taken into custody, and sentenced to hard
labour for life. Capital punishment does not prevail
much in Brazil. I have only heard of one case, where a
slave was hanged, the execution being conducted in a
most barbarous manner. The poor wretch was hanged
two or three times over ineffectually, before life was
extinct. Pharoux, the owner of this hotel, is a Frenchman, and
was originally one of Napoleon's cooks. His hotel,
though large and well attended, has not been able to
save him from ruin. But his bankruptcy has not been
caused by insufficiency of customers, but by negligence
in the issue of small notes, worth threepence each. In
Rio de Janeiro it is the custom of all large companies to
issue their own bank-notes, most of which are for a
hundred and twenty reis, threepence. The tickets for

46 BRAZIL.
crossing from Rio to Braganza in steamers are available1
as bank-notes in Rio. Fancy paying for any household
article with a first-class ticket to Exeter ! The hotel is
now carried on for the creditors. It is large enough;*
and its bedrooms are well fitted. There are also hot
baths at the back, to get to which you have to pass:
through a stable. Thus French neatness and elegance
strives with Brazilian lack of civilisation. Some prefer
the Hotel l'Europe, in the Rue d'Ouvidor, as being
cleaner and cheaper ; but it is rather out of the way for
naval men, while Pharoux stands exactly at the point.
where shore-boats are procurable.
While waiting at the wooden jetty for beef, I had:
ample opportunities for observing the representatives of
each nation, passing by or lounging about. The
negroes predominated. First, were negro girls going
to the fountain, or negro porters lounging about with
baskets on their heads, waiting for employment.
Next negro girls in service, promenading about the
streets with trays of cakes and sweetmeats on their
heads, light pastry of the richest kind being manu
factured by their mistresses, and hawked about the street
by the servant for their lady's benefit. Some ladies
are reported to have made considerable sums by this
traffic. Imagine the introduction of sUch a custont
into England. Think of Mrs. Manvers making BatH

THOSE DEAR BLACKS ! 4ft
buns with her own fair hands, sending Mary Ann or
Sarah to sell them in Curzon Street, or more humble
thoroughfares, and making the maid accountable for
their value. There would certainly be a revolution
among the servants. Those who are presuming enough
as it is, would never submit to such a "houtridge ;" and
what would the policemen say ? But, on the other hand,
Punch would make his fortune.
Next come negroes, trotting along to the tune of -
a loud monotonous howl, with a heavy cask hang
ing from a pole that runs from shoulder to shoulder
of the group. And then are old women with private
speculations of their own, in the shell and insect line,
from which they do not seem to derive much profit.
So runs the black tide of life ; how goes the white ?
First comes the pompous Brazilian grandee, with a
wonderful amount of pride gratis, as he has nothing
to be proud of. A beggar accosts him, asking for alms,
to which he returns the stately answer, "absoluta-
mente nada ! " absolutely nothing. The long rolling
swell of the " absolutamente " ushers in the humble.
" nada," just as the pomposity of the Brazilian precedes
the man himself in his utter worthlessness. Another
Brazilian, a choleric testy old gentleman, the very
image of the celebrated Mr. Briggs, amused himself one
day by thrashing a wretched negro porter with a thick

48 BRAZIL.
stick, laying it about his head and shoulders. The
negro uttered a howl like that of a cur, and fled, the
Brazilian edition of Briggs actually running after him
and striking out. There must have been some dreadful
provocation given to make a Brazilian run ! It is
certainly the only time that I ever saw like activity
displayed by one of that race.
Philanthropists, on coming to this passage, will
probably half shut the book, and, turning to their intelli
gent family, remark, " You will hero observe one of the
most lamentable effects of that most cursed system,
slavery. It will be perfectly clear to you, John Thomas,
and to you, George William, with your classical and
historical learning, that such a state of things could not
_by_any possJbJU^_exist_in any .other stat.e__.of society. -n
We have doubly cause for being thankful that we dwell
in a Christian land, where such outrages are merely a
matter of non-existence, and would cause a feeling of
horror throughout the land if perpetrated within it."
Hereupon philanthropists put my book aside, and turn
to The Times of to-day, where they read cases of wife-
beating, and sundry other brutalities, committed by the
free, enlightened, and civilized inhabitants of our:
Christian metropolis.
At the right-hand corner of the Palace Square runs
the Rue Direita, one of the largest and best paved.

WHO KEEP SHOPS. 49
streets in Rio de Janeiro. The cathedral stands next
to the palace, and at the entrance of this street. The
Rue Direita, as the cleanest street in the town, is the
resort of most English shopkeepers. Large wholesale
houses lie at one end, but the smaller shops, or general
stores, are near the cathedral. An English shop in one
of the regions " Where things familiar cease, and strange begin,"
(that is, out of England, since we find strange enough
things at Boulogne, without going any farther) is in
general stored with a very miscellaneous assortment of
goods. Wines and spirits, groceries, books, draperies,
fruits fresh and preserved, paper and pickles, stationery
and salad oil, English and foreign goods, are all mixed
together. The bulk of shopkeepers in Rio are either
English or French, the Brazilians being frequently too
lazy to keep shop or do any such arduous business.
But when they do keep shops they feel like the man,
who, having made a resolution never to go into a public
house, was so much pleased with himself for once pass-
: ing one without entering, that he immediately rewarded
himself by turning back and going in. The Brazilian
says, "Well, I have opened a shop, I ought to be
rewarded," and compensates himself by affixing immense
prices to the commonest articles. I scarcely exaggerate

50 BRAZIL.
when I say that their lowest price is a milree, which
seems among them to answer to a shilling or sixpence iu
England. I remember visiting a showy shop kept by a
Brazilian, full of humming-birds, feathers in the shape;
of fans or domestic ornaments, shells, &c. After asking
the price of some of the more gaudy articles, and finding.
it was absurdly disproportionate to their merits, not'
wishing to go without buying something, I inquired the
value of a small shell, such as you might pick up on the
beach any day, which if any one would give you a penny
for you would think yourself in luck. " Hum milree '
senor ! " was the answer.
The Rue d' Ouvidor, turning out of the Rue Direita
and running at right angles to it, is the fashionable;
street; it is narrow, many of the paving stones have
vanished, leaving behind holes unsightly and awkward,!
and a gutter runs down it in the middle. But the
trottoirs on each side are neat and well kept, and there
is no lack of handsome shops, after the pattern of those
on the Boulevards. Here gold and silver ornaments of
the person flashed through the glass, and here the light
from within displays cut glass bottles and perfumes,
whose bright colours borrow an additional lustre front
the gleam of the lamps, refracted as it is from the;
exquisite carving of the bottles that contain them?
Here humming-birds glowed, as if containing inward!

EUE D OUVIDOR. 51
fire that burned through, and inspired their most
brilliant tints.
There are some few booksellers' shops in this street. The
books kept there are exclusively French, with just the
exception of the Tauchnitz editions of English authors,
and here and there a solitary Byron or Milton, gibbeted
in an octavo by the printers who appertain to
Messrs. Galignani and Baudry. All Englishmen have
been to Paris, and consequently all Englishmen must
know that every volume of the Tauchnitz collection
is marked " half a thaler, Is. &d." But only Englishmen
who have travelled farther than Paris know the mar
vellous powers of expansion possessed by the said half
thaler. " Half a thaler," said the Brazilian shopman turning
to the back of the volume, on being asked its price,
"Half a thaler, dat is, milree naf!" A milree and a
half amounted at that time to three shillings and nine-
pence, — a slight advancement on half a thaler.
As you proceed along the Rue d' Ouvidor you come to
the establishment of Madame Dubois, the principal
manufacturer of feather flowers in Rio. She succeeded
Madame Finot only lately, and in consequence her shop
is still known as Madame Finot's, and talked of as such.
On entering her shop, you find the front part devoted
to selling flowers, and the back part to their manufacture.

52 BRAZIL.
The cases on the walls and in the windows were full of
the most beautiful flowers, orange wreaths, and wreaths
of white speckled with blue, pink carnations, and snowy
camelias. Then there were stuffed birds, from the tou
can with his huge bill, to the most delicate humming
birds, whose crests and bosoms shone with scarlet or
molten gold. One or two birds of paradise were perched
on the highest roosts, their long graceful feathers droop
ing down hke the boughs of a weeping willow. In the
back part of the shop was a long bar, behind which
numerous young girls were employed in making up
the flowers, twisting, cutting, and gumming away
vigorously. There were heaps of feathers before them,
one heap being devoted to each colour. It is really
surprising how such delicate materials can be managed
so skilfully, especially as the flowers are not dyed, like
those at Madeira, but separate feathers are gummed
together to produce each effect. By having the process
of manufacture in public, Madame Dubois offers a
material guarantee, the absence of dyeing materials
showing you that the flowers are honestly made from
vari-coloured feathers. The darties de comptoir were
generally quadroons, and, though darker even than
Spanish girls, were not of necessity prettier. There is
an English demoiselle retained here to attend English
.visiters, and her office seems no sinecure.

FEATHER FLOWERS. 53
The prices of the flowers are various. Carnations,
being the most common, are sold for a milree each ; but
in the other kinds of flowers, Madame Dubois generally
charges too highly for the pockets of midshipmen. The
birds cost generally ten shillings a dozen : there are some
" extra super " humniing-bird3 sold at three milrees
each, and the birds of paradise cost twenty milrees.
Among the dozen birds that I purchased, were several
humming-birds, some paroquets, and some that
belonged to the " finches of the grove ; " Portuguese
indeed call them bentivees, but Englishmen " banana-
birds." I believe the only articles of Brazilian fancy manu
facture exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851,
were feather flowers. They are certainly the most
important. The next in importance are silver orna
ments, more remarkable for their massiveness than for
their elegance. They seem in great use in the town,
from the number of shops in whose windows they are
displayed: but we bought them generally as you
would buy an Indian spear, or the ring that once graced
the nose of an unreclaimed savage. One of the chief
silver manufactures was a pair of brace buckjes, heavy
and expensive, weighing about five ounces, and costing
five or six dollars. It certainly seemed a strange style
,of ornament, that would only be worn by a waistcoat-

54 BRAZIL.
less individual. Silver brace buckles and no waistcoat
would look as strange as a necklace of diamonds over a
dressing-gown. At the head of the Rue,d'Ouvidor stands the opera,
in the square that borrows its name and patronage.*:
Just as the " Geyser " left the station, this opera-house
was burnt down, and we left an English speculator
about to construct an iron one in its place, the
Brazilians being, I suppose, willing to sacrifice majesty
at the shrine of cheapness and durability.
After Madame Dubois, another vender of feather
flowers and birds deserves notice. This man, a Mr.
Youd, manages to sell those commodities at a much
lower rate, without their deserving to be classed
among the "cheap and nasty." I landed with him
once in a canoe, at some stone steps further up the
harbour than the Palace Square, near an open space
tenanted by negroes, and smelling abominably of a
complication of bad fruit, bad fish, and bad vegetables.
Passing along the Rue Direita by the substantial houses
of the chief English merchants, that somewhat resembled
the wholesale warehouses in Paternoster Row, we
diverged jnto some narrow dirty little back slums, and
reached his door. A flight of ricketty creaking steps
led up to his sanctum sanctorum. The unsteadiness of
•the stairs, that threatened to break down at every step,

THE BIRD-FANCIER. 55
recalled to my mind vague anecdotes about the secret
dens of robbers, and I was half in apprehension lest some
secret trapdoor should suddenly fall beneath, and con
sign my body to unfathomable depths. At last we
came to the top, the screeching of parrots giving a sure
indication of the neighbourhood of a bird-fancier's shop,
and one or two of those birds outside a door showed
that we had reached our destination. The room when
the door was opened presented to my view a strange
exhibition of lumber. All its sides were blocked up
with heaps of lumber, a narrow space being left for
entrance, and slight standing-room in the middle.
Boxes of cigars, boxes of birds ready for stuffing, cases
of insects and feather flowers, and rolls of pictures,
were the chief ingredients of the stores that choked up
the room.
Some parrots, dragging about with them a chain
fastened round one of their legs, were hopping and caw
ing about the room ; but Mr. Youd, without ceremony,
kicked them out in a literal sense by the application of
his foot, to prevent them from biting my legs. They
were however too hardy for the kicks to produce any
visible impression upon them.
I then proceeded to look over the saleables. There
were some fairly executed pictures, plain and coloured,
of the harbour and town of Rio de Janeiro with the

pr* BRAZIL.
environs, but they were far too dear. They were cor
rectly enough drawn, but they by no means reproduced
the matchless tints of the tropic scenery. The plain
ones of course could not do so, and the coloured ones
were mere vulgar daubs. The birds in this room were
mostly poor specimens, but Mr. Youd said I was a day
too early. To-morrow he expected a new and magnifi
cent assortment of birds, and indeed he wondered they
had not come to-day. It was such a pity I had not
waited one day longer !
But by far the most curious portions of his stock were
some flowers manufactured from the scales and eyes of
fishes, sprinkled with glass beads. In a ball-room at
night they would have all the beauty of tinsel, and
would flash with uncommon splendour. These flowers
are almost entirely made at St. Catharine's, an island
between Rio and Monte Video, chiefly celebrated for
the quantity of beautiful shells that come from thence
to Rio.
About a mile from the Palace Square lies the suburb
of Gloria, where are some public gardens, open without
any fee, and worth seeing. There are no rarities in
them, but there are some cool shady walks, fountains
playing, and a terrace whence you look down on the
sea, that comes rattling in among the pebbles below like
a cage of rattlesnakes. The walk from the Palace

GLORIA. 57
Square hither is by no means pleasant, leading alter
nately through miserable streets and deep sandy parts,
by low shabby houses, and by large ugly buildings.
There is a landing-place for boats in the bay of Gloria,
just under the minister's residence, which in fine weather
answers well enough, and saves an unpleasant walk.
But in rough weather there is such a surf here, that, in
editorial language, the landing-place is " not available."
The most comfortable way of going to Gloria is in a
caleche, but this you will find dear; for though the
distance is only a mile, the charge will be a milree.
The one-horse caleches jolt fearfully, and have only
room for one person, who sits by the side of the driver,
the vehicle being a gig with a hood to it. The two-
horse conveyances are more comfortable, being closed,
and accommodating four personages, but their price is
raised in a greater degree than their convenience. The
average charge for a one-horse caleche is a milree per mile
for short distances, with some little discount taken off
after the first mile. I believe I went five miles for three
milrees once, that is, seven-and-sixpence, a sum which
even a cabman in England would be shy of charging.
There are moreover lumbering omnibuses, or rather
omnibi, that run from Rio into the country ; but these
I always shunned as seeming springless, unpainted, and
shady. It is best, if you have any journey to make, to

58 BRAZIL.
go by water where it is practicable. You can go to
Botafogo more cheaply in one of the steamers than on
horseback. You can get a shore-boat for a milree,
however far you wish to go, and the boats are much
cleaner and pleasanter than the caleches.. Walking is
not agreeable in the tropics, and the roads are generally
very dusty.
There are some barracks, or rather soldiers' huts, on
the road to Gloria, in front of which stands a guard
looking foolish — like a guard, in fact. The doors of
these dwellings were always open, and the soldiers were
never more than half dressed, nor always so far advanced.
We had therefore the opportunity gratuitously afforded
us of inspecting their linen and wardrobes, which did
not seem particularly cleanly. What respect can the
population have for soldiers whose dirty shirts and bad
habits are thus continually shown to them! What an
opening is here for a democratic disquisition on the
fate of kings!

BRING FORTH THE HORSE. 59

CHAPTER V.
BEING FORTH THE HORSE — HORSES AND MULES — DON WHISKERANDO
— BOTANICAL GARDENS — JOHN BULL ABROAD — NEARLY A SHIP
WRECK — COFFER-DAM  REPAIRING LEAKS  BRAGANZA — THE
PIRATICAL NATION.
If you want a ride out of Rio, terminated by an in
spection of something worth seeing, go to the Botanical
Gardens. Your first step is to procure yourself a horse,
which is done by going to Morrell's in the Opera Square,
and being cheated. The proper price for an afternoon's
ride is three milrees ; but you may think yourself lucky
if you are not charged five. However there is no alter
native, as Morrell's is the only place where horses are
let out to midshipmen.
The hacks in Rio are generally of an inferior kind. I
saw only one that had any pretensions to excellence, but
that one was really magnificent. It belonged to an
English horse-dealer, and was of English breed. Its
master let out inferior beasts by the day, and reserved
that one for his own especial use. The mules are finer
animals to look on than the horses, and they have fre
quently more spirit in them ; but they are vicious and
spiteful, and will frequently, when your ride is over and

60 BRAZIL.
you are walking away, aim a parting kick at you. They
are all branded, and kept clipped and trim, while the
horses are overgrown with extraneous hairs.
On going to Morrell's for my horse, I found the master
of the greatest number of hacks in Rio conversing with
a tall stranger with " luxuriant hair, whiskers, &c," as
the advertising columns have it. The &c. probably
referred to his conversation, which was remarkably
fluent. He spoke English like a native, and acted as
an interpreter between me and Morrell. He seemed an
oracle on all matters, knew every thing and every body,
talked about the minister, whom he designated shortly
and familiarly as " H  ," and said he was intimately
acquainted with him, as much so probably as with the
horse-dealer. Morrell had a notion that I was going to
the Botanical Gardens, and would not let a horse go
that distance for less than five milrees, but at last he
relented, and took four.
Once out of the town, I set off at a quick pace along
the road that, winding along past the suburb of Gloria,
led to the picturesque village of Botafogo. This village
is situated at the head of a lake-like bay, shut out and
secluded from the rest of the harbour. The white
cleanly houses are screened by trees, that form an avenue
along the street. Nothing was stirring throughout the
village. I alighted at the door of a little cafe, and

THE BOTANICAL GARDENS. 61
entered. There was a nice little garden at the back for
dining in, but no display of any thing inside save a few
bottles of wine and syrup. In one shop window I
noticed some fans of a remarkable kind, strongly made
of straw, and in shape much resembling the back view
of a frying-pan. They were somewhat coarsely plaited,
and cost only a penny each. I now continued my
journey to the Botanical Gardens, at a rapid canter, that
frequently merged in a gallop, and seldom sank into
a trot. The noonday heat was just now excessive, and
no sea-breeze had yet sprung up. Here the Corcovado
rose menacingly above the road, sloping up from the
ground till it attained its giant height, its sides covered
with trees, whose leaves were motionless.
The country round Rio borrows but little of the polish
which a large city usually affords to its neighbouring
places. I found, within a very few miles ofthe town, a
country shop, that I should have thought uncivilized if
situated in some of the small bays we visited. I wished
to purchase some bananas of a peculiar quality that hung
in the window of this shop, and tendered a small silver coin
in payment. But the man was ignorant of its value, and
would not take it, being only accustomed to meet with
milree notes and copper pieces. Just before you arrive
at the Botanical Gardens stands a way-side inn, where
you can put up your horse. The hostess was French,

62

BRAZIL.

and when I, restored from a parched state by a glass of
wine and water, ordered something to eat, she pressed
upon me either ronbif or biftek. Evidently she was one
of those people who fancy all Englishmen are as fat,
red-faced, and apoplectic, as the pictorial John Bull.
Failing in her endeavours to persuade me to partake of
these national dishes, which could hardly be eaten even
by an Englishman, in the middle of a scorching tropical
day, she brought me some soup, with an inch of grease
floating on the top, and some doubtful vegetables, of
adamantine hardness, below. After this singular meal
I walked on to the Botanical Gardens, whicli were only
a few steps beyond.
Passing through the gate, the first step led me into
a broad avenue of stately palms, that spread their huge
leaves out above, each casting a delicate shade upon the
earth at their feet. The gardens are well laid out, and
there were smoothly shaven banks, under the shadow of
luxuriant foliage, to tempt one to repose. The most
really curious things I saw were some moss summer- j
houses, most fancifully constructed, with seats inside, of
an artificial rudeness, where the delightful coolness of a
thick forest prevailed. I wandered about the garden
in solitude, admiring the flowers and the pieces of water,
but feeling as much alone as I may suppose Adam felt
before he had a partner to whom he might point out

THE CORCOVADO. $3
what he most admired in his garden. Moreover, being
no botanist, I did not know which flowers ought to be
most admired; and I fear that I often went into raptures
at the sight of a beautiful flower, when I ought to have
been gazing at an ugly one, that had the merit of being
scarce. The same reason hinders me from giving a long
catalogue, with a due proportion of Latin names, of the
flowers in the garden, which I really regret my inability
to construct. There is, however, a simple alternative
for my botanical readers. Let them imagine a number:
of Latin names; they will find that quite as interesting
as if I had retailed them, and such things are better
imagined than described, as novelists say.
As I rode back, the sea breeze sprang up, and shed a
fresh life into the landscape. Every thing was now in
motion. The birds sang, and the trees that clothed the
side of the Corcovado waved their rustling branches.
Two little lakes that I had passed before, lying still as
glass, were now covered with white shreds and patches
of foam; white little waves broke among the rushes, as
if in mimicry of ocean's billows. The chain of moun
tains that runs behind the town of Rio had to be passed
in returning, and I rode ; through a mountain gorge, with
the Sugarloaf on one side, and the Corcovado on the
other, which seemed the portal of a new world.
I will here introduce a chapter on an event that^
F

64 BRAZIL.
though taking place among the islands, led us to Rio.
This being a chapter within a chapter, needs no sepa
rate numbering, but is prefaced by a suitable quotation:
When ship meets rock, then comes the tug of war.
old play (upon words.)
Ere we had been a month on the station, an accident,
happened that materially shortened our stay in these
parts. This was no other than a sudden meeting with
a sunken rock, which one we "kissed" as a'ball at;
billiards kisses another, and which sliced one or two
of our planks away in a most unexpected manner.
Briefly, the facts were these : We had anchored off
Villa Grande the night before, and weighed early in
the morning. As we went along at a good rate, about!,
eight knots an hour, with full steam power and im
smooth water, a sudden shock made the vessel heel.
over, threw C  off the locker on which he had beeffi^
reposing, and awakened the purser by sending soma
water through the port into his face.
The injury was at first thought to be slight, but was
soon discovered to be quite the reverse. The captain;
sent for the engineer, and asked if he could undertake;
to keep the ship afloat by means of the engine pumps
till we got to Rio ; if not, he would run her ashore.|
The engineer replying that he would answer for the

NEARLY A SHIPWRECK. 65
pumps, we set off full speed towards Rio, with all our
pumps going.
We also had a sail fothered for the purpose of draw
ing it tightly over the leak, and by that means keeping
the water out. Any one who stood on the troop
deck near the leak, might hear the sound of the water
coming in like the roar of a cataract.
On arriving at Rio our first proceeding was to lighten
the vessel of stores, sails, tanks, and spars. A negro
diver came from the shore to go down and examine
the state of the planks, and his report was humorous
and distressing.
He leapt out of a canoe, and plunged downwards.
After he had disappeared for some time, he came up,
and when the due amount of coughing, gasping, and
panting was over, he cried out : —
" Ver bad ! ver bad ! I think it no good for go to sea
now !" This was not much information, but then
followed a long piece of Portuguese, accompanied by
some vigorous tearing and clawing the air, which was
found out to signify that the planks were quite rotten,
and that the man had torn away a good deal with his
hands. We next got a pilot to take us to a sandy bay named
Punto d'Area, lying near Braganza, and under a moun
tain known by the name of Sir Sidney Smith's Mount

gg BRAZIL.
It is rumoured that this mountain, with the bay adjoin^
ing, was given to Sir Sidney by the Brazilian govern
ment, and that he offered it to our own government to
use as a place for a dockyard if they liked, but they
declined. There is now a factory here belonging to an
Englishman, named Dobson, who has built some
steamers for the Brazilian navy.
We crossed over to this bay, and just aa we entered
stuck on a bank. It seemed that the man engaged as
pilot knew nothing about the place, and when re
proached, he took all the vials of wrath poured on his
head with dejection but composure.
We now at once went to work to stop the leaks
with the utmost despatch. We got an iron lump or,
lighter from the shore, put a spare anchor and some of
our guns into it, and hove the vessel as far down as she
would go. The starboard side, being that which had
received all the injury, was as much lightened as
possible. Meanwhile the carpenters were on shore constructing
a coffer-dam. The sailmaker was equipped in the
diving dress supplied by government to the clerk in.
charge of stores at Cobras, which consists of heavy
clothing, heavier boots, and a helmet, with large glass I
eyes, into the top of which is screwed the hose that
supplies the man inside with fresh air. He is then

A COFFER-DAM. *f,
lowered down by a rope, of course sinking naturally
from the immense weight of his attire, while two men
continue to pump fresh air to him.
He took with him some pieces of wood, wherewith to
measure the extent of the different leaks, and how they
were situated, so that the coffer-dam might be made of
the same angle precisely as the run of the ship, and
might be closely fitted to the side. When he had
finished these operations^ he shook the rope and was
pulled up.
The coffer-dam was a sort of box without a top, and
wanting a fourth side. Its. dimensions were: —
Length  20 feet.
Breadth  6 feet.
Depth  10 feet.
When it was finished, which took place in about a
week, and got alongside, hawsers were placed under the
ship's bottom, and fastened to the bottom of the coffer
dam, to keep it down, and firmly fixed to the side. To
keep it up we had our runners and the fish tackle, while
there were two fore and aft hawsers to keep it in its
place. When fixed alongside, it was pumped out by means
of fire-engine pumps, men also helping to bale it out
with buckets. When completely empty, and apparently

68 BRAZIL.
glued to the ship's side, it seemed to be an empty*
coverless box, with the ship acting as its fourth side.
The carpenters then went down, put a new plank in
the first leak, caulked and coppered it. Then the diver
went down, and scrutinized the second leak. The coffer
dam was again altered, and fitted to the second leak,
the same process as regards repair being gone through
as before. In hke manner the third leak, and then all
was finished. They were not mended, however, quite
effectually, for some of the oakum was wet, and they let
in a little water ever after.
Once during our stay at Punto d'Area, I paid a visit
to Braganza. Walking round Sir Sidney Smith's
Mount, we came to the neat village, and entered an hotel
to play a game of billiards. We were attracted thither
by the gate posts, on which were painted two billiard
cues crossed diagonally, with two billiard balls above.
Going in, we found a fat and good-humoured French
lady in the billiard room, through the medium of whom
and our purses we got a bottle of sherry and the use of
the table. While we enjoyed our game the French
woman, who doubtless considered that by lending her
helping hand she had earned the privilege of freely
criticizing our movements and looks, commented on
every thing connected with us, from our age downwards.
After the billiards we went to get some dinner, and

PIRATES, PIRATES, INGLEZE. 69
became acquainted with the master of the " hotel," who
was also a Frenchman. We had some conversation
"together, in the course of which, after touching on various
topics, we got to the Slave-trade, on which subject he
,grew vehement, and, taking up the last number of a
Brazilian paper, showed us an article wherein the
English were stigmatized as robbers, pirates, cut
throats, and what not, because the Harpy had taken a
vessel which the Brazilians obstinately chose to consider
a legal trader. The hotel-keeper shouted out " Pirates,
Pirates, Ingleze!" nor did we contradict him, as it saved
a " world of voice " to agree.
After dinner we sallied forth to a horse-keeper's, for
the purpose of procuring quadrupeds, and found there
was but one horse obtainable. We tossed up for the
horse with a sovereign that wanted changing, but could
not find its proper level. The beast fell to my com
panion's lot, and I had to content myself with a mule.
But when we got into the country, the mule was dis
covered to be the possessor of nobler qualities than the
horse, whose stubbornness brought our ride to a prema
ture end. For after one stick had been broken on its
back without producing beneficial results, it was thought
expedient to turn back.
The landlord wanted us to sleep at his hotel, and got
insufferably prosy in attempting to persuade us. First,

70 BRAZIL,
there were no boats here ! We were going to Punto
d'Area. He changed his tone, and endeavoured to im
press on our minds the several facts that there were good
beds at his house, and that it was very dangerous for ua
to walk to Punto d'Area at that time of night. He
mentioned the excited state of the feelings of the inha
bitants, the lonely walk, and the comforts of his hotel,
then recurring to the paper, he cried out "Pirates,
Pirates, Ingleze ! " which put us to flight.
By moonlight we walked to the place desired, nor did
we tremble at " Motse ad lunam arundinis umbram."
It was a long time after this visit ere I again went to
Braganza ; but when I did revisit it, I was seized by this
fearful bore again. While he was prosing, a stranger,
tall and distingui, passed the window, nodding to the hotel-
keeper in his way. I asked who the person was, and
he said it was an Englishman, who was the captain of a
slave vessel, and had made seven successful trips to the
coast. The stranger was a fit subject for romance, being
tall and slender, with light and curling whiskers, and
the tout ensemble of a darling pirate, or a Captain
Canot.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE. 7 J

CHAPTER VI.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE — OUT IN THE COUNTRY — A LITTLE SLAVERY
— WASHERWOMEN  A BEAUTIFUL SITUATION — ENGLISH AND
FOREIGN SCENERY — THE CORCOVADO — VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT —
APPEARANCE OF A TIGER — THE AQUEDUCT.
It happened that a friend of mine was minister at
this court, or rather, to use the technical terms,
Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten
tiary. It is the usual custom with travellers to puff the
people who have entertained them while abroad, and I
will not be the first to depart from an established habit
that is to the full as honoured as any of our national
institutions. " The Right Hon. ¦  , C.B., was, during
the time of my visit to Rio de Janeiro, installed in the
honourable post of ambassador, and had received from
her Majesty the Order of the Bath. Although no peer,
this gentleman contrived to maintain the dignity of
England in a suitable manner. To say that the slave
trade had suffered many diminutions during his term of
power, is to say what all the world is acquainted with.
To say that, under his auspices, the Brazilian govern
ment was induced to take strong measures for the sup
pression of that nefarious traffic in human flesh that has

72 BRAZIL.
so long disgraced the Brazilian nation, is but to give
him due praise. In addition to his noble town residence
at Gloria, in which dinners and repasts of a sumptuofts
nature are often given, he has a small country residence
some miles from town, to which any people are welcome
to go, being certain to be received with due hospitality,
I am not betraying any secrets, or leading people to
expect more than they will receive by this merited
eulogium, since the right hon. gentleman has now
quitted the Brazils, and therefore
' Praise and blame
Fall on his ear alike.'"
Such is the strain in which it was necessary I should
write, as a traveller.
Being invited by the minister to spend a few days at
his country residence, I left the " Geyser" at an early
hour, the noonday heat being prejudicial to riding. All
things in the tropics begin to stir at an uncomfortably
early time, so that, on landing at six a.m., I found the
shops open, and business in active progress. I went
with a negro to an English horse-dealer in a small street
adjoining the Rue d' Ouvidor. This person was a man
of some money, who had some good horses for landsmen,
and some bad ones for naval officers. Ordinarily he did
not let horses to the Navy, but could be induced to
,relent. As Mr. H  had left orders with him to supply

OUT IN THE COUNTRY. 73
me with a horse, he kindly provided me with the worst he
had, on my proving my identity. I rode out of the
town with a " nigger" for a guide and porter.
Hoisting my carpet-bag into the basket that rested
on his head, the negro set forth at a round trot through
the streets. We passed through Gloria, and then
quitting the town, left behind us all knowledge of the
road to be pursued. The world was all before us where
to choose, and the negro did not like to have the re
sponsibility of the choice. He therefore, wisely enough,
lagged behind. Being forewarned as to his ignorance,
I had " got up" a sentence of Portuguese to be fired off
at the head of any one I met, and I here transcribe it as
I delivered it, not vouching for the grammar or spelling :
" Adonde vira il ministro Ingleze ? "
I found this sentence very serviceable.
We passed through the little village of Laranjeiras,
with its white houses and dark foliage in the back
ground, where I saw a pretty tableau in front of a noble
mansion. A diminutive negro boy dressed like a page,
sat playing with a large dog. The boy's round chubby
face seemed as contented as the dog's body, that was
alive with delight. The joyous wagging of the tail in a
half-subdued manner, the briskness of his yawns, and
'the hanging tongue that licked his companion's hand,
showed that the animal was steeped in pleasure from

74 BRAZIL.
head to foot, half-dreamy pleasure, such as the lotus-
eaters could have entered into.
If I am so unfortunate as to have any Americans of
the pro-slavery class for my readers, I feel certain that
they will point to this passage, and deduce from thence
proofs of the beneficial results of slavery. They will
point to England, and say, "Look at your labourers'!
sons, are they petted and well-treated like this slave?
Have not they hard work, little food, no education?
Are not they liable to tyranny from every body ? " &c.
&c. &c, to the length that Americans can go in reason
ing. But one petted child is a poor offset against hun
dreds of men, beaten and ill-used. The same boy, when
he_grows upx-wilLprQbjablyL.be_.set to .harder _wprk than
that to which English labourers are subject, and_wjlLbe
the more unfitted for it from his early training. A man
whose life must be spent in hard labour, would be better
trained for it by exertions, than by luxury in his youth,
Let the American "ladies" say what they will about
"white slavery," and the condition of our milliners and
dressmakers, _the^usejy_Jn_En^kj:nd_is caused^ only by
a_cjasst that in America is caused by a nation. In
America, it is misery legalized; in England it comes from
poverty, and is altogether independent of the State.
We do what we can to remedy it; in America they pre
fer to do nothing.

WASHERWOMEN. 75
Leaving the village behind, I came into a broad sandy
road, on one side of which ran a purling stream, broken
to music by the stones in its course. Some women were
hard at work washing linen in this brook, and I was
amused by an inspection of their proceedings. They
take their place by a good-sized rock, and after sousing
the linen thoroughly, commence to thump it upon the
rock with as much energy as a schoolmaster employs to
wards his pupils. They then lay the clothes on the
rock, and pound them with a smaller stone, as if they
were braying them in a mortar. No wonder that linen
does not stand many such washings, but goes into pre
mature decay and rags. Water has the same effect on
linen in the Brazils, as gin and water has on men and
women in another country.
While I stopped here, my guide came up, having
joined a band of compatriots, with whom he raised a
sing-song chorus, that did not sound like one of Uncle
Tom's favourite methodist hymns. They advanced in a
jog-trot, that made my carpet bag dance and rattle in
the basket, where it was placed aloft. This basket did
not seem in a good state of preservation, and looked at
any time ready to let my goods fall through one of the
innumerable holes in its fabric.
A sudden turn up a steep and rugged bank, where
there was barely room for the horse's feet, led us off the

76 BRAZIL.
main road into a broad path, with trees around, that con
ducted to my destination.
The beauty and freshness of the morning had invested
all things with new life.- The leaves were greener, and
the path more cheerful ; the birds sang merrily around,
the humming-birds dazzled the eye by their rapid flight,
and their colours that glittered in the sun. Butterflies
of every tint hovered about, and the harsh whistle of
the large-winged beetle resounded sharply through
the woods. Now was the time when the morn
was in its dewy freshness, when the beams of the
sun had not attained full power, and shone only with
out scorching. Idleness and rejoicing seemed to be
the order of the day. What a pleasant contrast to
England !
As I rode on, each turn of the path presented new
beauties. At one time I beheld the giant mountain
frowning down upon me, its bare rocky summit bursting,
through the green foliage, like the Beast when he ap-'
peared from among the flowery thickets to the astonished
father of Beauty. Anon I saw a white cottage peeping
from among palm leaves and coffee shrubs, or a valley
with a thin white line of streamlet running through it
amongst the clusters of palms, that —
"Broad at base, and tap'ring upwards, did extend their leafy arms."

A BEAUTIFUL SITUATION. 77
The broad path ended by a gateway, passing through
which I came to the minister's residence, that bears the
name of "The Spot." It is not large, being only a
cottage, but so exquisitely situated that one cannot
wonder if the minister preferred its retirement to the
"Fumum et opes strepitnmque Eiotis,"
which I suppose would be the genitive case of Rio.
" The Spot" is situated on a flat, halfway up a hill, and
a valley runs beneath it to the sea, between two moun
tain ridges, that, not being parallel, render the valley
quite narrow at the furthest point from the cottage, and
give only a limited view ofthe harbour. At the back of
" The Spot " appears the peak of the Corcovado. In one
corner ofthe grounds that appertain to it, is a large rock,
hollowed out to form a bath, and on the summit of this
rock stands an enormous tree, overshadowing a nook
composed by an angle of the rock, and allowing a shower
bath to be suspended from one of its branches. In the
bottom of the valley below the cottage a streamlet ran,
and was caught in a stone reservoir, that was being made
into a swimming bath.
The walks about were most beautiful, under the shade
of trees heavy with fruit, among bushes dotted with red
coffee-berries, or where the cactus came coursing down
over huge boulders. Although I am obstinately addicted

78 BRAZIL.
to admiring English scenery, yet the novelty of this
tropical richness was perfectly fascinating. Why all
English people should underrate their own country, and
boast that she possesses no scenery or natural attractions^
I cannot imagine. It seems rather the fashion at
present for Englishmen to abuse England. Squallen,
who is a great friend of mine, is always attacking Eng
land, and considers that she can have no honour or
beauty to boast of, if placed alongside any other country.
Not only is she personally inferior to all other nations,
but her sons are equally so.. Squallen's reasons for this
disparagement are obvious. He considers himself an
average specimen of his countrymen.
In one of these walks I was cutting a stick, when a
swarm of ants crept up me to see what I was, and I felt
them all biting at once, all over. These were the small
red ants, whose bite is remarkably acute; the black ants
are larger, and of them I cannot speak from experience.
You see them sometimes crawling along obscured by a
leaf twice their size, under which they walk in the shade,
invisible to mortal eye.
A short distance from "The Spot" was the commence
ment of the aqueduct that runs into Rio. The water
runs down from the Corcovado, and is received into a
sort of stone trench. Men were at work here, hewing
out stone and forming basins for the water to run through.

THE CORCOVADO. 79
Mounting above them, I came to where the water was
rushing down in its self-made channel, leaping from
rock to rock, while some loitered behind, and became
domesticated in a little pool or cranny. These latter are
the curates and country incumbents, who retreat from
the world to their quiet cottages, trellised with roses and
a network of creepers, rural retreats where The Times
never pierces. But still the main stream rushes on,
following the track of its ancestors, and striving for
fame, till swallowed by some " thirsty soul," when it
quietly forgets all its ambition, and allows itself to be
lulled to rest, acknowledging the vanity of its former
struggles. DO
January 29th. — Ascended the Corcovado in company
with one of the minister's servants, who was deputed to
show me the way. We were both mounted; I was on a
horse, he bestrode a mule. We turned out of the
broad path that led to the aqueduct, up a stony and
uneven road, passing by some desolate houses. After
wards our way led us zigzag up the hill, through woods
thick with luxuriant creepers, and brakes of wild beauty.
Butterflies of a most exquisite blue hovered about, and
seemed by their hardihood to provoke a chase, till,
wheeling off, they disappeared from our sight among the
mazes of the wood. The path, though made zigzag to
facilitate one's ascent, was yet steep, and in one place a
a

80 BRAZIL.
fallen tree completely blocked up the passage. My
horse, unaccustomed to such places, when making a cir
cuit through the bushes to avoid this obstacle, ran
vehemently against another tree, and caused a concus
sion that was far from pleasant. After some time spent
in surmounting the ascent, we emerged from the wood,
and found ourselves at the foot of a rock with iron
stanchions around- Dismounting, I fastened my horse
to one of them, and stood on the summit of the Corco
vado. But how can you describe the sight that bursts upon
your senses ? To the right spread the wide expanse of
the Atlantic, whose foam-crested waves were rippling
and dashing merrily against the base of the island of
Redonda, that raised its hoary head on high, out of the
blue water. In front, the entrance of the harbour was
blocked up by the bare Sugarloaf, whose height seemed
as nothing in comparison to the giant dimensions of the
mountain whose summit I had reached. And from
thence the blue ocean, whose surface, never monotonous,
was now interspersed with small dots of white, like
snow-flakes on a green plain, spread till joined to the ocean
hung on high, the clouds on whose breast were white
as the crests of the waters beneath. Nearer to tha
6hore the sea was light green, of an exquisite tint an4
transparency, and more than one lake, divided from

VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT. 81
the sea by banks of white sand, seemed a miniature of
the neighbouring ocean. The tastefully managed trees
of the Botanical Gardens, and the more luxuriant foliage
that climbed the mountain sides, with the peaks that
rose above, were fair features in this scene of loveliness.
Such was one side — on the other was spread the har
bour, bristling with forests of masts, and dotted with
islands, among which white sails were swiftly gliding.
The immense buildings of the town looked noble, now so
far removed, and the village of Braganza, seemingly in
a green basin, was like a diamond set in a wide circlet
of gold.
The peak of the Corcovado slopes gradually towards
the plain to the northward and eastward; but to the
southward it is precipitous, and a man leaning against
the old and rusty iron stanchions, and looking down, is
apt to feel rather nervous. The height of the mountain
is estimated at^ 2306 feet. A chasm of about twelve
feet in width, and thirty in depth, separates the extreme
pinnacle, which rises, a huge mass of granite, perpendicu
larly On the outside more than 1000 feet. As tradition
relates, some barbarous middies, landing for a frolic, took
an unfortunate mule to this place, and hurled it down
this precipice of 1000 feet, for mere fun. Some say it
was a donkey they threw down; but I am inclined to
think that the only animal of that species was the person

82 BRAZIL.
who did so absurd and cruel a deed. A bridge is laid
across the chasm; but it requires some nerve to be able
to cross, for it consists but of a few planks, rotten and
rickety, with no sort of handrail. The summit of the
pinnacle is not more than a dozen or fourteen feet
square. The only drawback to my day's pleasure
was the weather, which was somewhat windy and
cloudy. After a long gaze we commenced our descent. The
path at first was so steep, that I preferred trusting to
my own legs rather than to the horse's, and, surrendering I , ,
my bridle into the guide's hands, I commenced walking. , ,
On a down-hill course, walking speedily degenerates ;
into running, which was awkward, and would have been
impossible but for a water-course in the middle of the
path, worn away by the water rushing down in rainy
weather. Now it was perfectly dry, and the stones
served to retard my progress whenever this was faster
than was expedient. When we were half-way down j;,
the hill, a sudden clearing in the wood presented me a
new and different scene. The town and harbour were
hidden by a small hill, and in place of them there was
an expanse of plain, diversified by small elevations, and
undulating most gracefully.
The next day ended my visit, and I returned on
board.

APPEARANCE OF A TIGER. o3
It was some time ere I again visited " The Spot" and
its neighbourhood, not till the month of August. On
calling at " The Spot" I found that the minister had gone
into the country to shoot "tigers." It appeared that a
" tiger" (id est, a panther) had appeared near a house
and frightened a child (which seemed the most natural
thing in its power, and the most harmless), and now
several people were desirous of shooting the beast.
From " The Spot " I proceeded towards the aqueduct,
with the intention of riding to the town by its side.
Some men were at work hollowing out large reservoirs,
who stopped to look at me, and ask if I was
" Ingleze." The water runs along the aqueduct towards Rio with
a most refreshing sound, and the turf on the path by its
side is soft and springy. From the path the hill goes
abruptly down, but the precipice is concealed by trees,
and beautiful herbage.
As I rode onward, butterflies, attracted by the sound
of the horse's feet, flew forth to reconnoitre the stranger,
birds peeped forth from the leaves, and tiny bright
humming-birds, arrayed in green and gold, warbled soft
accents from every leafy spray. The heat of the sun
could not penetrate " so cool a brake," and the grass was
green and the flowrets fresh as some fair country maiden
unpolluted by the pomp and glare of the world.

84

BRAZIL.

Soothing too was the sound of the water, as by the
wayside, it " Ran, a fair stream with a musical waste,
And gurgled away with the liquidest sweep,"
as Lowell says of Willis. The path along the aqueduct
is simple enough, and you land in Rio near the suburb
of Gloria. Here the aqueduct, that like Fame, " vires
acquirit eundo," crosses the road, raised on large white
pillars, that would be dazzling if they were only cleaner.

BAHIA DOS TODOS OS SANTOS. 85

CHAPTER VII.
BAHIA — TRAVELLING IN GENERAL — PARISIAN SIGHTS  THE CONVENT
— FEATHER FLOWERS — LIVE ANIMALS — OPERA HOUSE AND HOTEL
—TO THE DIGGINGS FOK BEEF — GUAVA JELLY — A CATAMARAN.
The real name of Bahia is not Bahia, but St. Salvador.
It stands, however, on the shores of the Bahia dos Todos
os Santos (Bay of all Saints), and has thence borrowed
the cognomen by which it is generally known. It is
noticeable, however, that the city has left the bay in
undisturbed possession of all its Saints, which is rather
a singular fact, since the city wants them more than the
bay. Perhaps, however, with a convent, churches full of
tinsel ornament, and streets full of dirt, the city is holy
enough. It looks beautiful certainly from the bay ; but
when you land in it you find no variation from the
general appearance of Brazilian towns. It would be
easy to find a simile for this state of things in the
Brazilian religion. The bay when we entered was alive
with fish, skipping about familiarly ; in total disregard of
the boats that darted amongst them. The vessels at
anchor were mostly merchantmen, dirty and unwieldy,
while one or two men-of-war were interspersed, looking

86 BRAZIL.
doubly neat and clean from contrast with the lubberly
traders. There are some handsome buildings in the town, the
grandest being the Opera-house and Hotel, built on a
rock, as if destined for warlike purposes. It seemed fit
that this building should first catch the eye, being the
representative of this present world. The burial-ground
was the second conspicuous object, the dark green
shades of the funeral trees setting off the white of the
tombs, and giving an air of solemn repose to the habi
tation ofthe dead.
Soon as our anchor was dropped, a clerk came from
one of the English merchants in the city to receive our
orders. He was an Irishman, whose natural properties
had been somewhat toned down by the business he
followed, and by his constant intercourse with strange \
people. All men must gain something by travelling.
Perhaps your first edition of travelling is not so profit
able as the second, because you go with your eyes shut,
and in entire ignorance of "what to observe." But
when you come home, and meet with persons talking
about France, Germany, or whatever country you may
happen to have passed through, you naturally attempt
to share in the conversation, and find that, while going
through a country with your eyes half shut, you have
not picked up any knowledge that you can retail to

PARISIAN LIGHTS. 87
inquirers. Consequently, when you travel again, your
wits are sharpened by a desire of shining in society, and
you manage to pick up pieces of information that prove
afterwards of some service. A man who goes to Paris,
and " does " the sights recorded in Galignani's guide
book, simply knocks himself up, and carries away with
him a confused idea of the Louver, Notter Dam, and
other interesting exhibitions. What a hideous absurdity
is that custom of going straight through such a picture
gallery as the Louvre, yawning and gaping in the face
of Rubens, Murillo, and Raffaelle, when you have no
taste for pictures, know nothing about a focus, perspec
tive, or richness of tint ! Yet a person who had been at
Paris, and could not boast of having seen every thing,
would be considered a very eccentric character.
Perhaps this Irish clerk had been induced to shake
off some of hjs Hibernian peculiarities by intercourse
with the Brazilians, who seem in some respects a
degenerate race of Irishmen. I will not insult our
neighbours over the channel by tracing the points of
resemblance. We questioned this man about the beauties and
saleables of the place. To all our questions he returned
such cautious answers, as almost to falsify the old say
ing:— " Coelum, non animum, mutant, qui trans mare currant."

gg BRAZIL.
His genuine Irish nature was, however, only concealed
beneath this outer garment, as the nature of the ass lay
hidden under the skin of the lion. A civet cat that we
had taken on board at Rio was running about the deck,
Though naturally a harmless animal, it had a strange
fancy for smelling people's boots, and gnawing the
extremities of their trousers. It approached the Irish
stranger with this intention. Fancying that it was a
dangerous customer, he sprang on the bulwarks, and
howled at it in wild Irish, till the first lieutenant,
attracted by his yells and our laughter, came on deck
to stop the commotion.
The next day we commenced coaling. Large lighters
were towed alongside, which was no easy matter, as the
current runs with extraordinary swiftness.
None of this disagreeable duty fell to my lot, so I
was able to land with some messmates. We first walked
to the convent, which lies outside the town, and entered
for the purpose of buying some flowers. The discipline t
here was far laxer than was the case at the Madeira
nunnery. The chief nun positively conversed with one
of our guides through an open doorway, with much
apparent familiarity, just as if she had been an ordinary
mortal. The bars of the grate that separated the nuns
from the world, as represented by visiters, were so wide
apart that we could see the forms and dresses of those

THE CONVENT. 89
inside with the greatest ease. None of them, with the
exception of the superior, wore any black garments, or
any uniform convent — ual, or *^- ional, but were clothed
in dirty white. They were chiefly half mulattoes, old
and hideous; only one was young and pretty. She
looked languishingly at us through the bars, as a
penance no doubt. It is plain that she could not have
been discontented ; nuns never are, so they say. What
a grim satire is that, then, which calls so many convents
" Our Lady's House of Woe." Could you devise a fitter
name ?
Not that I object to convents ; on the contrary, I con
sider them excellent institutions — for the ugly and
unmarriageable. But they should be kept under strict
laws, by which beauty should be rendered a disqualifica
tion. Fancy how admirably the world would go on, if
old maids of crabbed dispositions might be immured on
the petition of their relatives ! You might have in
reserve a terrible punishment for flirtation. A noverca
who ill used her husband's children might be suddenly
hurried off to the convent. In faet, you might make a
most useful engine of state by legislating for convents.
But beware that you do not carry it to excess, and
make it as terrible as the Inquisition.
We went into a small waiting-room outside the grate,
and deluged with feather flowers. An old and diligent

90 BRAZIL.
woman, and an old and diligent man, vied with each
other in bringing in boxes of flowers, and strewing them
on the floor. They continued this till we were hemmed
in completely, and could not have moved without tread
ing upon the flowers. We were like shipwrecked sailors
on a rock that was being slowly covered by the tide.
The nuns too, with eager exclamations, flung flowers to
us through the bars, or handed them on a long wooden
spoon. The spirit with which they entered into bar
gaining showed that this traffic was their sole amuse
ment, and they held up their fat fingers to show the
number of milrees required for each separate article.
The flowers here are cheaper than at Rio, but the
assortment is not so extensive. No camelias were to be
seen, but carnations and other simple blossoms abounded.
As far as I could judge, in make they were quite as
good as any we had seen at Rio ; they are moreover
cheaper, and as the money received by the nuns is used
for charitable purposes, it is better employed than in
making one individual's fortune.
From the convent we retraced our steps to the town,
and found ourselves before long in a shop that glittered
with stuffed humming-birds. These were cheap enough ;
specimens that in Rio cost two and even three milrees each
were here sold for four milrees a dozen. Here, too, we
found some straw baskets like beehives turned upper-

LIVE ANIMALS. 91
most, the straw being very neatly plaited, and of divers
colours. We then came to the market-place, the abode of dirt,
and never-ceasing tumult. Negroes and Brazilians,
buyers and sellers, were screaming at the top of their
voices for no apparent reason: women were jabbering
and gesticulating : parrots were screaming, and making
vain attempts to sing or speak ; dogs were barking, and
monkeys chattering in a never ending, still begin
ning clamour. Some of the monkeys were worth buying,
and were bought accordingly. The parrots are total
failures. Those we purchased were quarrelsome wretches,
who would not speak, but stormed, squalled, and bit
with ferocity. They were generally green ; we only
met with one that was grey, and wore a red top-knot.
The grey parrots are by far the most valuable, and can
mostly talk, if their youthful minds have been trained,
and their youthful voices cultivated. Green parrots are
hopeless. If they can talk at all, though this is not
usual, their stock of words is limited.
Perhaps, on the recommendation of a half-English
negro, who says, "Dis fellow talk well, massa," you
purchase a green parrot. For many days he is simply
sulky, bites your finger if you endeavour to coax him,
and screams from morning to night, or, what is worse,
from night to morning. Then, after many days' care and

92 BRAZIL.
petting, your expectations are realized. The mouth
opens, and in a hoarse yell, he gives vent to the word
" Pop-a-gai-o." This is his whole vocabulary. The
word is Portuguese for parrot, so that the bird repeats
only its name in an egotistical manner. But it has this
excuse, that many living men of repute do exactly the
same. Perhaps the parrot had been in  's society.
The negresses who sell vegetables, eggs, and other
commodities in the market, are in general scantily
clothed, some being naked down to their waists. One
negress had two little marmozet monkeys clinging to
her neck, and climbing over her shoulders in a manner
that seemed unpleasant. When asked about them she
dragged them forth, and again deposited them in the
same place with remarkable coolness.
I now mounted a sedan chair. These vehicles consist
of a common chair, which is fastened to a few boards,
with a pole running beneath them. It is hoisted on the
shoulders of two bearers, and is surrounded by a curtain,
which you button when you are inside. I never felt myself
safe in such a conveyance, since it would not be difficult
for it, topheavy as it was, to slip round, and turn a
somersault. The bearers, too, have an uncomfortable
trick of going sideways, like Mr. Winkle's horse, espe
cially when descending a hill.
The upper part of the town, and the streets halfway

OPERA-HOUSE AND HOTEL.

93

down the hill, are clean and respectable, but those at
the bottom are narrow and ill kept, partaking of the
general nature of Brazilian streets. I alighted at the
door of the hotel, and went in to dine. While waiting
for this repast, I gazed out of the window, that " com
manded" (to use the language of the handbooks) " an
extensive and noble prospect of land and sea, the restless
ocean contrasting well with the immoveable and solid
earth." The bay was calm, dotted with ships lying in a ma
jestic repose, whilst amongst them glided light feluccas
and smaller boats. The sea far away was also calm.
It was a strange transition from that mirror-like surface
to the curious medley of houses and roof beneath. They
lay in strange disorder, as if they had been dancing to
gether, and could not get extricated. An occasional
opening gave me a glance into one of the lower streets,
dirty and commercial. Exactly below the window from
which I was gazing, the rock on which the hotel was
built went sheer and smooth down, so that if the hotel
was besieged, nothing need be dreaded from that quarter.
When the waiter came, with a look of imbecility
and a dirty napkin, to receive my orders, I asked for
some lemonade to counteract the heat of the day. We
all know what lemonade in England means. Lemon
ade in Brazil means a thick sweet syrup, that is drink-

94 BRAZIL.
able when amply diluted with water, and flavoured by
a dash of something more potent. Even then it is
only "puir sweet stuff," and was never intended for
quenching thirst on a boiling day. Brazilian
waiters, and not only waiters, but also shopkeepers};
have a vile habit of tantalizing customers, by asking
them if they want some article that cannot be supplied.
If you go into a shop and ask for lace, the shopman will
ask you first whether you want that kind of lace that
he does not keep. You may generally conclude that,
when a Brazilian asks you if you wish for French lace,
he has not got any. In the same way the waiters at
this hotel made my mouth water by imitating the
effervescing lemonade, from the preparatory fizz to the
pop ofthe cork, but when a bottle of this was ordered, I
learnt that they had none. Unfortunately, though
your mouth may water, your throat is as dry as ever,
and I had to make up for the loss of real lemonade as
I best could.
While I still waited for dinner, gazing at the bottlesv
of sour wine that ornamented a table spread for a select
party that dined there daily, a Brazilian of the higher
orders appeared, and accosted me in English. He
asked me for the last news from Monte "Video, where;;
one of the usual disturbances was then taking place,1.
and said Oribe had better betake himself to England,,;

TD THE DIGGINGS FOR BEEF. 95
and dig up beef and potatoes. The waiter stood
by, looking attentive, drinking in all this discourse,
with his mouth wide open, and his features fixed hi a
state of reverential wonder. When the Brazilian de
parted, the waiter nodded to me, as much as to say,
" There's a wonderful man, sir ! If that man don't know a
thing or two, don't call me waiter !" I inquired the name
of this man, who had such a singular notion about beef.
Of course his name was Silva, which seemed an appro
priate name for him, and he had been minister, or' consul,
or something in England.
My dinner now appeared with grease enough float
ing about it to make a candle with, or give a day's meal
to a Russian.
, I then descended the hill, and went to the shop
of an English merchant, the shop being that in which
our Irish visiter of the preceding day officiated.
Looking from one of the windows of this place towards
the sea, I saw a yard in which was confusion worse
confounded. Large pans for boiling sugar were thrown
carelessly together, piled on each other like Pelion and
Ossa in miniature, some dirty, some half full of water,
and some ventilated like the Irishman's hat, by having
no bottom at all.
:. Before returning on board I went to a shop for some
guava jelly. The Brazilian guava jelly is not soft, like
h

9*6 BRAZIL.
that coming from the West Indies but hard and
.glutinous. More of it can be eaten than of the West ;
Indian jelly, before prejudicial consequences ensue.
It is preserved in tin cases, and in boxes marked with
the words goiaba emmassa, in blue or red ink, ac
cording as the price is one or two milrees. The best
preserved fruit to be met with in Brazil is the preserved^
lime. These are somewhat dear, but will repay the
purchase. Those that I brought home gave great and
general satisfaction — especially to the agent who
packed them for me at Woolwich.
On going to the ship, I found her in a sad state;
of confusion. They had just finished coaling, and the
decks were still black and carboniferous. The vessel
was being prepared for immediate sailing, which led to
immense bustle and flurry. The bumboat was along
side full of parrots, going at a dollar each. They were
all squalling and squabbling, their dulcet notes being
re-echoed by those already on board. Each had a
separate note, so that the discord arising from their
yells was like an orchestra out of tune, or the House of
Commons on the night of an Irish debate. I bought
one parrot, that, on coming into my possession, vin
dicated its independence so lustily, that I was but
too glad to hand it over to some less squeamish)
purchaser.

a catamaran: 97
There is a lighthouse on a point of the Bahia dos
Todos os Santos, conspicuous from its height and
position. The diamond mines are in the neighbourhood
of this city, though too far in the interior for any
of our officers to visit them. Diamonds are, naturally
enough, cheap in Bahia, and outside one shop I saw a
set of very handsome diamond studs, somewhat recklessly
exposed. Outside Bahia we saw two men fishing on a
catamaran — a rude apparatus made of some logs or
planks joined together, with clumsy sails. They forge
along somehow, though with no swiftness or grace,
and are chiefly used in crossing a heavy surf that is
impassable by ordinary boats.

98 BRAZIL,

CHAPTER VIII.
RIO DE LA PLATA — MONTE VIDEO — FACTS FOR NAVAL OFFICERS-
CARVED OSTRICH EGGS— CARDINALS — THE ALLIANCE.
To be sent down to Monte Video is sometimes eon-j
sidered a treat, and sometimes an annoyance, by H.M.
ships and vessels of war. To go down merely as the
bearer of despatches that require an immediate answer^
and so lead to your immediate return to Rio, is by no
means pleasant. Officers generally are in the habit of
thinking that their ship ought to stay long enough in
such an important place to admit of leave being granted.
But admirals, and even captains, do not hold the same
opinion as to the comfort of their officers. The result
is, that ships are frequently hurried away from port
long before the officers have acquired the slightest
knowledge of its manners and customs, and thus theyl
have the hardship of travelling without being allowed to
profit by it. Whether they would profit by it or not if
left to themselves, is quite another thing ; yet it would
be as absurd to restrain boys from learning the classics

KI0 DE LA PLATA. 99
at school, because they get no advantages from that study,
as it would be not to allow people a chance of doing
what they don't do habitually.
Our first visit to Monte Video was decidedly a " bore."
We went with provisions for the ships lying there, and>
having delivered our cargo, returned at once to Rio,
without having any opportunity of landing. On our
second trip we had better luck.
After a five days' passage from Rio de Janeiro, we
entered the Rio de la Plata, or, in English, the River
Plate." No two shores were discernible, bounding the
stream on either side, so that we could only learn our
situation from the muddy colour of the water. One
bank afterwards came in sight ; but, as the other was
still hidden, we might conclude that the river Plate was
in the same predicament as the Thames in Mr. Puff's
celebrated tragedy, and had got both its banks on one
side. At one in the afternoon we passed the small island
of Lodos, lying nearly opposite to the bay of Maldonado,
where repose the bones of the old Agamemnon. This
island is low, and much frequented by seals. A reef
extends from it to the southward, which side is generally
chosen by vessels, though we went to the northward.
Evening closed upon us as we. steamed up the
river, and a small pampero burst on it with all the
fury that could be comprised in its littleness. It

100 BRAZIL.
swooped down with all the rancour and impotence of a
Bowles against Pope. The whole surface of the river
was white for the moment, turned into a sheet of seeth
ing foam, and the gust howled through the rigging and
the spars. But in a moment it was all over, leaving
no trace of injury upon the vessel it had attacked.
Some little barks have sunk under the influence of
such storms. A schooner, cruising one beautiful night,
was struck suddenly by a pampero, and whelmed in
the sea, that resumed the next moment its former calm
ness. All was as before, save that one solitary vessel,
which had vanished from the world, leaving no traces of
its existence upon the fickle ocean.
Then the cheerful light of Flores beamed upon us.
In a passage, marked equally by beauties and affectation^
like every other passage of his poem, a young poet
says, " We cannot see the lighthouse in the gloom,
We cannot see the rock ; but look ! now, now,
It opes its ruddy eye, the night recoils,
A crimson line of light runs out to sea,
A guiding torch to the benighted ships."
I doubt whether I shall be pardoned easily for introdu
cing this criticism,, since travellers are expected to talk
only of foreign things, just as sailors, in which term
naval officers are frequently included, are supposed to

MONTEVIDEO. 101
know nothing whatever about the literature of any
period, except James's Naval History, and Marryatt's
novel. Passing Flores with its light still gleaming out of the
darkness like a diamond from the recesses of a mine, we
came to an anchor in the bay of Monte Video. The
night was stormy ; wind, rain, thunder and lightning,
united to render the position of officer of the watch re
markably uncomfortable. In a small ship, that has no
poop under which the dripping watchers may take
refuge, a wet night is always uncomfortable ; while in a
large ship we might have been snugly ensconced by the
wheel, taking our coffee, or whatever the lieutenant
might " stand," in a jovial manner.
The bay of Monte Video is large, and affords a home
to numerous fish and seals. It is dangerous for boat-
sailing, being subject to violent squalls, which render
it necessary, that, in naval parlance, you should keep
your weather-eye lifting, and your lee-sheet in the same
readiness. The anchorage in the bay is in four and a
half fathoms ; in the harbour the water is a little shal
lower. The river has been surveyed by Captain Peter
Hey wood, when in command of the Nereus, and his re
marks were sent to Lloyd's. He is memorable as having
been one ofthe mutineers of The Bounty, though perfect
ly free from any criminal deed or purpose. The naviga-

102 BRAZIL.
tion of the river is intricate from the numerous banks
and shoals. There are enough from Monte Video to
the sea, but from Monte Video to Buenos Ayres there
are more than enough. Opposite Flores light is a bank
known by the name of English Bank, which seems a
familiar acquaintance of many merchant vessels, who find
a temporary resting-place upon it. The men-of-war who
lie here make small fortunes by the salvage accruing
from the merchantmen that they rescue from this bank.
One ofthe surest landmarks to ships entering the River
Plate is the island of Castelhos, lying about twenty miles
from Cape St. Mary's. When far off, this island takes the
appearance of a brigantine under sail, and is accordingly
conspicuous to nautical eyes. Ships can go within a mile
of this island, and can even pass between it and the
mainland, if they wish.
On landing in the town of Monte Video I was at once
struck by the neatness and regularity of the streets,
that bear the strongest possible contrast to the filthy
streets of Rio de Janeiro or Bahia. The chief curiosities
to be got there are Guacho spurs, or stirrups. I bought
a pair of iron spurs, huge unwieldy things, whose rowels
alone equalled in size tbe whole projecting part of an
English spur. The richer Guachos are in the habit of
using silver spurs and stirrups, and saddles elegantly
inlaid with silver. Several of these were shown me in

CARVED OSTRICH BOGS. 103
a shop I passed, and were truly gorgeous, but most
exorbitant in price.
I had procured myself an English guide in the person
of a little boy, the son of a man who kept a shop
for the sale of grog, bread, and butter. Under the
guidance of this boy I went up to the market-place to
purchase some cardinals. In the way I saw some ostrich
eggs in a window, and went into the shop to examine
them. The people of Monte Video have a wonderful
knack of carving on ostrich eggs, verses, or accounts of
battles in which the British arms figured successfully.
I purchased one of these marvels of science, which
bore the following verses on its surface : — ¦
"Not a laugh was heard, not a joyous note,
As our friend to the bridal we hurried :
Not a wit discharged his farewell shot,
As the batchalour went to be married."
"Sweet maid, ere we part,
Give, oh, give me back my heart!
Or, since that has left my breast,
Keep it now, aud take the rest."
Although there is not much poetical value in these
lines, one of the words, moreover, being spelt out of
the common, yet I was ready to accept the work as a
curiosity of literature. If the carver wanted a parody
on the "Burial of Sir John Moore" he might have

104 BRAZIL.
chosen advantageously the first four lines of Thomas
Ingoldsby's ballad that commences,
" Not a sou had he got, not a guinea or note,
And he looked confoundedly flurried,
As he bolted away without paying his shot,
And his landlady after him hurried."
Arriving at the market-place, I bought some cardinals
at a dollar each. The birds that bear this name are
excellent songsters, and are very rare. They derive
their name from a red topknot on their heads, and from
that only, I fancy, as they are not at all corpulent, and
as the air of England does not well agree with them.
In fact, many of them died on the passage home, finding
the north too cold for their tender bodies. Perhaps
cold was not the only cause, as Monte Video itself was
as cold as any weather we had met with in England
that winter. Possibly the sea voyage slew them.
Our visit to Monte Video happened just before the
grand crisis of the wars that were going on between
Rosas and the Brazilians; and, not long after, that
redoubtable chieftain had to take refuge on board of one
of our men-of-war. Several fine French frigates were
lying here, one a black double-banked vessel with an
admiral's flag. We amused ourselves by speculating
on the results that would take place here in event of a
war with France. Naval officers used to be always'

THE ALLIANCE. 105
speculating on a war with France, till we had got the '
war with Russia instead, and this present glorious
alliance. Esto perpetual such is the fervent wish of
every one, particularly of those who think the example
of the French will make England a Catholic country !

106 BRAZIL,

CHAPTER IX.
ST. VINCENTS — UNCIVILISATION — COME, MY LAD, AND DRINK SOME
BEER ! — BILLIARDS — ASPECT OF THE ISLAND — ST. ANTONIO — THE
ROVER — A COURT MARTIAL.
Perhaps St. Vincents is not justly ranked among
Brazilian towns, but I must take the liberty to place it
with them here, since it is even worse than the vilest
specimens of its class in Brazil. It lies in 17° North
latitude, and 25° West longitude, not far from the
coast of Africa. The principal bay in it is that on
whose shore is situated the town, Porto Grande. At
the entrance to this bay is a curiously shaped rock,
named Bird Island, rising in a conical form from the
water to some height. Birds are always wheeling about
its summit, and fish cluster about its base. The bay is
shallow, and I therefore give the bearings of our anchor
age, which was in 3^ fathoms.
Bird Island N. W. by W. J W.
Fort S. E. I S.
Point resembling a Bottle W. \ N.
The appearance of the island, as viewed from the sea,
is any thing but promising. What hope is held out by

st. Vincent's. 107
barren and rocky tracts, that cover the island, not
allowing an inch' to trees or fertility ? The town itself
consisted of a few small and meagre-looking houses, hud
dled together on the beach, like starving children.
The steamers that run to the Cape and to the Brazils
touch here for coal, consequently there are some semi-
English on the island— this barbarous spot, rising in the
midst of the laughing ocean like a black patch on a
robe of snowy loveliness. One of these men came off in a
boat with potatoes and half dry bananas for sale, which
seemed to be the only saleable commodities that the
place could afford. We returned to the shore in his
boat, which he made us pay for, saying that it was not
his own, which was probably false. The poverty of St.
Vincent's sharpens the wits of the inhabitants. We
found on landing that the place was even poorer than it
seemed to be.
The houses are low and dirty, and the general
wretchedness ofthe town was conspicuous everywhere.
The universal barrenness of the country behind wearied
the eye, accustomed to the stately palms or broad-leaved
banana-trees that overshadowed Brazilian residences.
It was strange, after looking upon Brazil as the climax
of dirt and discomfort, to find nearer home a place far
less civilized. Nature, too, that is so liberal to the
dwellers in the tropics as to shower every thing in her

108 BRAZIL.
gift upon them, has done as little here towards promot
ing the comfort of the inhabitants, as if she had followed
their example.
We went to a place dignified by the name of an hotel,
and to our great astonishment found a billiard-table
there ; on this we took courage. St. Vincent's is evi
dently " not so bad as it seems." We take up a cue
apiece, rather heavy at one end, as much pointed at the
other as if they were intended for spears, and very brittle.
We make an insane attempt to chalk them, and begin a
game, which we abandon after half a dozen strokes. The
cues are so thin and fragile that you cannot make
a stroke of any force or nicety ; the balls are so cracked
and perverse that they won't make a canon, and consider
going into the pocket a personal degradation; and the
table seems to be composed of loose boards, along which
the balls do not roll, but jump with convulsive hops,
raising dust at every step.
We were at once disheartened at this, and turned to
the bar of the hotel, where a quantity of beer was dis
played in primitive bottles. The bar of the hotel and
the billiard-room were all in one, situated on the ground
floor in its most literal sense, there being not the least at
tempt at a floor between our feet and the earth. The beer
was tried, and was without exception the most nauseous
stuff ever concocted, beating into the shade all Brazilian

COME, MY LAD, AND DRINK SOME BEER ! ] 09
wine, or aqua ardente. " He who drinks beer thinks
beer," says the proverb. If any one thouyht this beer, I
don't envy him his meditations. Oh Juvenal ! how could
you dare to assert that poison is only to be found in
golden cups? "Nulla aconita bibuntur
Fictilibus ; tunc ilia time, cum pocula sumea
Gemmata ; et lato Setinum ardebit in auro."
1 doubt whether a more deadly poison could have
been quaffed than the contents of these humble vessels.
When we came to reckon, we found the billiards were
not expensive, being only threepence a game ; but the
beer was half-a-crown a bottle ! What an apt pupil
had the god of thieves in the vender of this poison !
When we left the hotel, we found there was nothing
to do, and nothing to buy. We wanted to ride. No
horses or mules could be got for us to day, as the people
who let them required always a day's notice, and the
asses that abounded throughout the town were not in
the habit of being ridden. We wanted to buy some
vegetables or fruit, and could get nothing for a long
time, till a public-spirited man consented, as a great
favour, to sell us some at merely double their value.
Sick of the town, its knavery and poverty, we went
into the country on a tour of observation. It is
romantic, but barren, like certain novels. There

110 BRAZIL.
stood behind the town a rocky hill of remarkable
appearance, various holes showing through it ; so that it
might have answered the purpose of a dozen young
people of the Pyramus and Thisbe class at once, if they
could have stood upon each other's shoulders. But
this, the most remarkable part of the island, was as
barren as every thing else ; nowhere did we meet with
the slightest approach to fertility. Not even the half
dry bananas sold here are the island's own productions.
All the fruits and vegetables they have come from the
neighbouring island of S. Antonio, which lies in close
proximity to this, and is only a trifle more fertile. An
English consul resides here, and I am not in the least
insincere when I state that I pity him heartily.
At night I was on deck with some others, watching
the shore as it appeared under the pale beams of a
young moon. A small sandy beach in another part of
the bay assumed beneath this light the form of a town,
as if it were the magic "castle of St. John" in the
Bridal of Triermain. The same deceptive appearance
had once a serious effect on one of her Majesty's ships.
H. M. brig Rover coming into this bay at night, and
having no one on board who knew aught about the
situation, ran on shore, the captain seeing this beach
under its sublunar aspect, and running down towards it.
Before they had got far, the vessel stuck fast, as the

A COUET-MABTIAL. Ill
water in this bay shoals very rapidly. The Rover was
soon got off again without much injury, and I suppose
no court-martial was held. If there had been one, the
captain would have been reprimanded slightly, and the
master dismissed from the service. Such at least is the
usual result of a naval court-martial.

112 BRAZIL.

CHAPTER X.
CRUISING  RESULTS OF A CAPTURE — GBORGI GREGO — LEAF FROM A
MIDDY'S NOTE-BOOK — WOOD, FISH, AND JUNGLE — PARROTS — THE
OCEAN, VIEWED IN ITS POETICAL ASPECT.
Our first cruising ground was to the south-west
ward of Rio de Janeiro, stretching from about the
island of Marambya to the bay of Santos, and thus
occupying a spread of nearly an hundred miles. Our
duties of course were simple enough, and consisted in
having to search the vessels we saw if they were sus
picious, and to capture all that came within the slave-trade
law. This duty seemed at first to promise some excite
ment. We pictured to ourselves a schooner flying
under all sail towards some harbour that might give her
refuge, heeling over under the breeze, and slashing
along leaving a wake of foam behind her, while close
astern came the " Geyser " with all her sails spread, and
a cloud of smoke going upward from her funnel, as her
paddles churned the sea into seething foam, clearing her
way triumphantly onwards, and fast nearing the flying
slaver. Hark ! the boom of a gun, and the flash of fire
leaps out from the muzzle of the discharged thirty-two

RESULTS 01 A CAPTURE. 113
pounder, while darting out of the wreaths of smoke,
that, having jumped forth actively enough, lose their
vigour in an instant, and hang idle a few yards off, a
black object speeds swiftly across the intervening space,
and splashes into the sea close astern of the schooner.
The water flies up in a miniature spout. But this does
not bring the. fugitive to stop. Again a shot flies forth,
and this time a white gash on the vessel's side tells that
it has hit the mark. A monotonous yell arises from the
negroes. A few more shots, and the schooner heaving
to, is boarded, and declared a prize to her Britannic
Majesty's steam sloop " Geyser." Some time after,
Messrs. Navy Agents and Co. pay £20 to the account
of Mr. Brown,- midshipman of the said ship, as his share
in the prize-money accruing from the Santa Teresa,
captured on the coast of Brazil. Dreams, my dear sir,
only dreams ! We never found any vessels run away
from us ; au contraire, they were very glad to let us come
alongside, and received U3 with an affability that was
delightful, but deceptive. The bluff honesty of that
captain of a slaver on the coast of Africa, who, when
a man-of-war came alongside, hailed her with the words,
" Here you are, captain, here's two hundred and fifty
for you ! " would have been a pleasant contrast to the
deceit and courtesy of the Brazilians. Our duty con
sisted merely in steaming alongside one brig, hailing or

114 BRAZIL.
boarding it, and going off to another, which work we
soon found to be desperately " slow." There was no
boat cruising, in which we expected some amusement,
and a short season of independence. Thus
"The wild pulsation that we felt before the strife,
When we saw the ships before us, and the tumult of our life,"
vanished into a more matter of fact occupation than
even the duty of a clerk.
The first place at which we dropped our anchor was
the small island of Georgi Grego, lying about two miles
to seaward of a large island named Ilha Grande, that
lies about on-j mile to seaward of the mainland. Georgi
Grego is small, but high, covered with trees and brush
wood. Flocks of sea-birds were hovering above it,
wheeling through the air and screaming discordantly.
We anchored ixi a small bay formed by jutting points of
the island. The anchorage is in very deep water, so
close to the shore that you might be almost in danger of
scraping with your bowsprit. Close above the water
rose a belt of rocks, and immediately over these was the
wood, which clothed the sides of the mountain, save in
one place, where a break was formed by a steep rock
dripping with water, and giving refuge to birds among
its crannies. My rough note-book, written under
superintendence, and intended to act as a pilotage,

LEAF FROM A MIDDY'S NOTE-BOOK. 115
directory to me, if ever I Was a captain in these parts,
gives this account of
Georgi Grego, or Greco, a very high, rocky, and
woody island, lying in latitude 23° 15' south, and
longitude 44° 14' west. There is a path leading to
the top of the island in one part, but in all others the
brushwood is impenetrably thick. Plenty of rock fish
of various sorts are found close to the shore. In
Purdy's sailing Directory for the Ethiopic or South
Atlantic Ocean, it is stated that this island, " though
sterile in appearance, affords not only anchorage on its
north side for large ships, but plenty of wood and
water, and here, at a village named Angra Dos Reis,
refreshments may be obtained." On the contrary, the
island is not at all sterile in its appearance, being
covered with brushwood : the anchorage is too much
exposed for large ships : the wood not worth taking :
and the water exists only in Mr. Purdy's imagination.
The village of Angra Dos Reis, instead of being
on this island, stands on the mainland, having the
whole breadth of Ilha Grande interposed between
it and Georgi Grego, as it is the Portuguese name for
the town of Villa Grande. The anchorage here is in
sixteen fathoms, but not always secure, being open, espe
cially to south-west winds.
From this specimen of my writing as a midshipman,

116 BRAZIL.
it will be seen that I thought myself an excellent
authority on such intricate matters as wood, water, and
good anchorages, and that I was especially apt to point
out and expose any weak points in my adversary's
writings. I do not therefore doubt that I was then
an excellent controversialist) and an admirable (sea-)
lawyer. When we lay at Georgi Grego, it was our custom to
send a man on shore to mount the tree at the top of
the island, and tell us if any ships came in sight. He
could see clearly from his exalted situation, being lifted
out of the mass of wood that covered the island, as the
Lord Chancellor's wig covers his majestic head. The
thickness of the brushwood in the other parts of the
island was one evening tested by me personally, and
on that occasion I learnt in suffering enough to set me
up as a teacher in song. I landed with two gun-room
officers, and after fishing unsuccessfully for some time
(for though the rock fish are plentiful, yet they are shy,
and can't easily be hooked), we commenced a journey
through the island. Apropos of fish, I may remark
that a friend of mine was fishing the whole of a certain
Ash Wednesday, and could not get a bite. Worms are
not a portion of fast-day diet for fish, I suppose, and
perhaps none of those in that part of the river had a
dispensation. An affecting Catholic story might be

JUNGLE. 117
written about a fish that, endeavouring to eat flesh
meat on a fast-day, was hooked, and eaten itself
instead. On commencing our passage through the jungle, we
found the reeds so thick and high as to be unconifort-
able. In some places they mounted over our heads,
and, when we pushed them away, some prickly substance
made us draw back. After tedious struggles we
managed to get through, and surmounted the ridge of
the island. The other side was free from brakes and
jungly patches, but bore large trees whose thick
branches, joined together, formed more unsurmountable
impediments than the reeds through which we had
passed. So we had nothing to do but to return, the
back journey being easy enough, as we had only
to keep in the tracks before made. I must confess
to sundry musings on the subject of snakes as we
passed through the jungle, remembering unpleasant
rumours about the deadly bite of the snakely denizens
of Brazil. A snake is certainly a most hateful reptile :
some men can face a lion, or a mad bull, or a wild Irish
man, without terror, but who can stand against a
serpent ? an animal scarce distinguishable from a whip
lash, or one of the reeds on which you are trampling,
that by the infusion of a grain of its poison, can consign
vou to death !

118 BRAZIL.
" By the billow-beaten side
Of the foam-besilvered main,
Darkling and alone we stood"
(as Pindar, translated by West, has it), waiting for the
boat. The rocks here were more barren than is usually
the case on the landward side of an island, and the
long arms ofthe cactus came stretching over them.
In the other part ofthe island, where the tree of look
out stands, and where the path runs from it to the beach,
we found some handsome red and green birds, whose
gaudy colours made them conspicuous marks for our
pistols. When theyi fell, the brushwood was too, thick
to allow us to find their bodies. If only all sportsmen
had this same excuse to make, when their game bags do
not weigh heavily on their shoulders! An old grey
parrot mounted on the stump of a tree, and sounded
defiance; the charge of a pistol immediately wenaed
its way towards his bosom, and he vanished whether on
wings, or by a fall, I cannot say. From the summit of
the hill we descended to the seaward shore of the
island. This side was not by any means so woody, but
the rock extended far up, as the sea has here a good
mark for breaking upon in rough weather. The rocks
were formed in fantastic shapes ; in one place were huge
boulders, menacing clefts in the stone, in which a little
water still remained from the last storm. Though now

THE OCEAN. 119
there was little wind, the ocean heaved with a long and
solemn swell, and we heard, like the bold Sir Bedevere,
" The ripple washing in the reeds,
And the wild water lapping on the crag : "
the mysterious voice of the ocean, heard only in calm
seasons, as it rolls solemnly up the slope of rock,
reminding one of those poetic dreams about the secret
ofthe sea, and of Longfellow's beautiful song. Who,
on a still night, when the breeze sighs with its faintest
breath among the sails so as scarcely to move the vessel,
when the bubbles steal by with equal languor, and the
moonlight spreads a long lake of glitter and brilliancy
along the ocean, has not thought how glorious it must
be to sail up that stream of grandeur to the heavens
above ? might not one be forgiven who thought that sea
of-moonlight was the path to heaven ? Alexander Smith
says prettily enough : —
"The full-faced moon sits silent on the sea,
The eager waves lift up their gleaming heads,
Each should'ring for her smile."
I may, perhaps, end this chapter by making a remark
on the absence of all public show of worship and religion
in most of the Brazilian villages. Few possess a church,
and the churches that exist are never in a good state of
preservation. Throughout the whole island of Ilha
Grande, which is fully twenty miles in length, and con-

120 BRAZIL.
tains several villages, there is not one sacred building,
Tet "the Church," as it is the fashion to call that
mighty Roman establishment, is in full power throughout
Brazil, to judge from some of the writings of Roman
Catholics. Here, then, we see its natural results. What
would a village in England (the country thatj to use the
very words of a Roman Catholic periodical, has no God)
be without its church, and a place of worship for any
members who do not agree with the church 1 " Better
no religion than a false one," seems to be the motto of
Roman Catholics ; and the steadiness with which they
endeavour to promote this state of aflairs, is really mar
vellous.

MARAMBYA. 121

CHAPTER XI.
MARAMBYA — MANGARATIBA — A VILLAGE SHOP — FORTIFICATIONS —
VILLA GRANDE — BAYS AND HEADLANDS — CASATIBA — BUSIOS—
VICTORIA — P0RC0S— FISH.
The island of Marambya, with which our cruising
ground commenced, is long and low, except at its west
end, where it rises into a high and woody mountain,
known by the name of Mount Marambya. It runs
parallel to the mainland,, which here recedes, and forms
a large bay, terminated to the westward by Point
Joetinga. The west end of Marambya is the only part
inhabited, the eastern part, from the mount to the other
extremity, being nothing but a bank of sand. At its
east end it is separated from the mainland by a small
channel, not four feet deep, and almost dry in summer.
About two miles to seaward of the island, lies a flat
rock, called the Lage, on which the water breaks in
rough weather. From the western point of Marambya,
a shoal extends towards the mainland, having two and
a half fathoms water on it, in the deepest parts. This
is all that is notable in connection with this long island,
that lies like a guardsman stretched out in a bath.

122 BRAZIL.
The long useless body covers many a rood, while the
head, bristling with whiskers and warlike mustaches,
is inhabited, but on the outside only — inside there is
no room for brains. •
The town of Mangaratiba lies on the mainland in this
neighbourhood, and to reach it you pass between Maram
bya and Ilha ' Grande, We went gliding softly along
water of a delicious green tint, glassy as a lake, with
broad grassy meadows stretching down on either side
till we anchored in the Roads, outside the harbour,
which was too shallow to admit a vessel of our size. In
our way we picked up a canoe, drifting ownerless over
the quiet waters. The cutter was sent in to board
some of the ships in the harbour. While we were
gazing at the scenery, the green shrubs, and rocks half
covered with grass, and half bare, the island spread with
wavy foliage, at whose feet the ripples were just com
mencing to break, as the sea breeze arose, tbe cutter
came creeping out again, its white sails showing
picturesquely beneath a bank of dark heather. Light
and shade chased each other across the green lawns,
now bright of a dazzling tint, now darker and
more sombre. Each fugitive ray of the sun, chased
by a dozen clouds, leaped from peak to peak, descend
ing the mountain side. Now it rested for an in
stant, on a bank of red flowery gorse, that shot out

MANGARATIBA. 123
innumerable sparkles, and betrayed the fugitive to the
pursuing clouds, that in an instant had drawn their veils
over his resting-place. But he was not caught, no, he was
lower down resting on a patch of meadow, and by the
time they had settled on that, he was further down still,
and when he had led them to the shore, and dazzled the
wavelets that broke upon the beach, he flew straight up
again to the sun, leaving the baffled pursuers far behind,
in undisputed possession of the whole landscape. Such
a gorgeous hill-side was never seen elsewhere; the
constantly fleeting tints could have been caught by no
pencil, more magnificent than ever clothed the artist's
canvass, or decked with ecstasy the poet's dream.
On our next visit to Mangaratiba, I landed with the
captain. The gig sped merrily over the waters, and
was beached on the sand close to the town — and under
a general store shop, where the captain was about to
purchase some aqua ardente, to mix with paint. This
shop was kept by the subdelegarde, pronounced sub-
legarde, or governor of the place. Goods of all descrip
tions were ranged round the walls, or on the counters.
Sugar, coffee, casks of spirits, bottles of wine and
liqueurs, tin cases of sardines en Vhuile from Paris, dra
peries of numerous patterns, both English and foreign,
fans made of feathers, mixed pickles with the name of
Smith and Co., High Holborn, bearing a label declaring

124 BRAZIL.
that none are genuine except those signed " John Smith,"
and warning the public against fraudulent imitations;
more mixed pickles from another Messrs. Smith and Co.,
with another label declaring none are genuine unless
signed " James Smith," and warning the public against
another house that endeavours to pass off its goods by
the fraudulent assumption of the same name (pieces of
information that would be of great service to Brazilians
who don't know a word of English), — such were some
of the goods that decorated the shop.
Having procured some turpentine and aqua ardente,
we shoved off, and steered towards the fort, taking
three Brazilians as passengers. We reached the boat
underneath the fort, and mounted a steep and irregular
path, raising ourselves by means of stones, and roots of
trees. The fortifications of Mangaratiba are paltry
things. There is a hovel meant for a guard-house in
which the soldiers dwell, and in front stands a flagstaff
with the green Brazilian ensign hoisted, but too much
ashamed to unfurl itself in the presence of Englishmen.

" Know ye the ensign where coffee and cotton
Shine on a field that is green as the main ?
'Tis the flag of a nation whose name there's a spot on,
And in their escutcheon a deep lying stain."
At the foot of the ensign staff stand the six eighteen-'

VILLA GRANDE. 125
pounders that constitute the fortifications of this town.
How many could stand the first discharge I cannot
guess. The commander of the fort was civil and
obliging; for, as individual units, the Brazilians are some
times courteous — as a nation, they are the reverse.
He had a portion of the guard-house allotted to
him for his apartments, his sleeping chamber being
partitioned off from his sitting-room by a Brazilian flag.
In his sitting-room there was no polish, and, apparently,
scarcely any comfort. Boxes raised up on end had to
officiate in the place of chairs. His uniform was literally
an undress suit, in as much as he sat in his shirt-sleeves.
The people conversed fluently enough. Whether the
commander of the fort was opposed to the slave trade
or no, made a great difference, since these people have
frequently fired upon English men-of-war, or rather
upon their boats, when they have chased a slave vessel
under the guns of their fort. Perhaps it was lucky that
we gave this man no chance of demonstrating his
opinions. A little further to the westward lies the town of
Villa Grande, known also by the name of Angra Dos Reis.
It seems a town of some magnitude, and has a convent
in it. The "Geyser" anchored there one night, and
some of the young gentlemen obtained leave to bathe
from a sandy beach that seemed inviting. We pulled

126 BRAZIL,
there in the dingui, the smallest ofthe ship's boats, but
were disappointed on our arrival to find the place un-
suited for bathing.
A house stood at the back of this beach, and its owner
stepped forth to join us in conversation. Our attempts
to converse in Portuguese were very unsuccessful, and
we soon subsided into smoking a cigar ofpeace, flavoured
by some aqua ardente, which our host produced. He
also cut each of us a sugar-cane, and we rewarded him
with a dollar, which he was loth to accept for a time.
This house was prettily situated with the white sand in
front, and the dark bananas with their flag-like leaves
behind, forming a dark background. In getting under
weigh from Villa Grande the next morning, we struck
against a rock, the story of which is elsewhere narrated.
Near Villa Grande stands a remarkable mountain peak,
known by the name of the Friar's Hood. Here also
the large bay formed by the secession of the shore is
terminated by Point Joetinga, a promontory with a
saddle in it, that makes the end of the promontory
appear like an island, when it bears due N. W. from your
ship. Inside this point is the bay of Casatiba, to which
I will devote a chapter. Outside lies Gairosu Bay,
small and much exposed to the sea. Here stands a
large white house the property of Sefior Pinto, a large
slave-dealer, who, being discovered to be the owner of

BATS AND HEADLANDS. 127
a certain slaver that ran on shore to the northward of
Rio, had to fly from the country. Separated from
Gairosu Bay by Point Sono, lies Sono Bay, also much
exposed to the long swell of the Atlantic, which prevents
any one from landing when the weather is at all rough.
In front of the village stand two patriarchal trees with
wide-spreading branches, and seats beneath to accommo
date the whole village population in the pleasant
evening. A man came alongside the " Geyser " with
bananas for sale — a rough uncultivated being, who knew
little, laughed much, and chattered about slave-vessels.
Further down to the westward lie the Porcos Islands,
between which and the mainland there is snug anchorage
in the Baya dos Flamengos, otherwise called " Shark's
Bay." On the island under whose lee you anchor, is a
small village, situated on a grassy slope, the wood having
been partially cleared away, so as to present some velvet
lawn and cultivated meadow above the sand, and
grotesquely formed rocks. Enough wood has been left
to screen the village, and to add a dark shade to the
sand of a sheltered little cove beneath. Off the Busios
Islands, which lie to seaward of the Porcos, there is
anchorage, but uncomfortable. The water is deep, and
frequently there exists a disagreeable swell. In the
top of the largest island is a gully through which squalls
frequently descend. Beyond the Busios lies the island

128

BRAZIL.

of Victoria, where the anchorage is far more commodious,
Here too there are one or two houses, and some
straggling attempts at cultivation. Canoes come here
and to the Busios for fish. In the evening you see
them returning to the mainland before the evening
breeze, darting over the waves, from whose crests they
could hardly be discerned, their white sails looking like
foam as they dived into the yawning abysses. We
called one of these canoes alongside, wanting to buy
some fish. The extreme caution of its proprietor, who
first lowered his sail, and then backed alongside, showed
that he had long ago carried a vote of " want of confi
dence" in his vessel. He willingly, like a deluded
mortal, exchanged some fish for some salt pork, and
probably repented his bargain when he began to eat
what he had so coveted.

ILHA GRANDE. 129

CHAPTER XII.
ILHA GRANDE — DOS RIOS — THE TENTATIVA — PRAYA PALMAS—
ANDREA SMITH  CANOEING  LOST IN A WOOD — IN THE WATER
STREAM FLOWING SWIFTLY ! — UNEXPECTED KINDNESS — GREEN
COFFEE — A VOLUNTEER — ALBROO — CUSTARD APPLES — LOREGA —
NAUTILI— GEYSER ROCK.
Ilha Gkande is, a3 its name implies, a large island
that runs parallel to the mainland, stretching from the
west end of the Marambya to Point Joetinga. It has
appertaining to it many snug bays, chiefly on the land
ward side, that afford good shelter to ships. The only
bay on the seaward side that we visited, was named
Dos Rios, from two mountain streams that run near its
village. This bay is sheltered by Georgi Grego from
any tempest, and is a snug little cove, though better
fitted for small vessels than for large. One of the
streams ran between the beach and the village, that
stood rather back. Lofty palms rose by the banks of
this rivulet, and under their shade bullocks were
stretched, basking in genuine Brazilian laziness. The
chief point remarkable about these bullocks was, that
they were not for sale — a fact which of course takes.

130 BRAZIL.
away all interest from animals that might otherwise
have seemed picturesque.
We did not stay here long enough to land. But once,
when we were lying at anchor in the bay of G eorgi Grego,
some of our officers came over in a cutter, and landed.
¦ They roamed about trying to get at the village, which
was guarded by the two streams in different directions.
While they took long circuitous routes in hope of sur
mounting these obstacles, they heard the sound of many
muskets, and saw the "Geyser" steam furiously into
the bay with their recall hoisted.
" Down the precipitous rocks they sprang,"
and rushed on board to receive a severe reprimand for
having detained the vessel, while there were some ships
in the offing to be boarded. They were not reprimanded
for that, certainly, but for having left their boat, which
was against orders, while detaining the ship does not
come under the admiralty regulations.
The fact was, that while at Georgi Grego we were
watching for a barque, named the Tentativa, that was
expected to arrive from the coast of Africa with 800
slaves on board. The look-out man on the island, know
ing that a barque was expected, discovered that every
thing that hove in sight was a barque, having no doubt'
some peculiar obliquity of vision that led him astray.

THE TENTATIVA. 13 J
On the day that these officers had landed, the look-out
man saw a barque and two schooners in the offing. We
at once concluded that this barque was the Tentativa,
and that the two schooners had gone out to warn her
of our presence, and to land her cargo for her. Accord
ingly we went out with all despatch, and found the
barque resolve itself into the Brazilian corvette Bertioga,
cruising on the look-out for slavers, with a brigantine
and schooner.
Numerous other tricks were played by our look-out
man's distempered vision. We frequently got under
weigh to find a brig where we had expected a barque.
We took one of her Britannic Majesty's corvettes for
the barque Tentativa. And finally, after all this sedulous
watching, the Tentativa escaped us, and landed her
slaves to the northward, at St. Joam de Macahe, where
they were seized by the authorities, after a vain attempt
at an auction on the beach. This might be called
positively disagreeable, to be thus swindled of our prize
money. The easternmost, and the largest bay of Ilha Grande
is Palmas, of which I have some pleasant recollections.
The land about the bay is high, and shelters it from all
winds. On the right, as you enter the bay, is a long
smooth expanse of grass, sloping gently upwards from
the rocks, that rise abruptly out of the water. Toward.

132 BRAZIL.
the top of this lawn are trees, small and straggling at
first, which soon grow into a thick wood. Just similar
to this is the smooth water, that runs down a slope, con
structed of planks by the artful proprietor of the grounds.
Long the descending water retains its glassy calmness,
then near the foot some little curls commence to show
themselves, and at the bottom it is broken at once into
innumerable ripples.
There are three villages on the shores of this bay.
The largest, Praya Grande (Praya signifying village),
stands on the right hand as you enter, but is partially
hidden from the anchorage by a projecting point,
Praya Palmas, the second in size, stands at the back of
the beach that adorns the head of the bay, and the third
village lies opposite to Praya Grande, and is minus a
name. April 5. — Landed with another midshipman. We
engaged places in a canoe that had come alongside with
fruit and eggs, and that had now discharged the greater
part of its cargo. We lay down in the bottom of the
boat, while the gentlemanly old planter, and the stout
negro, who composed the crew, stood up and urged it
swiftly over the gently rippling waters. We rewarded
the gentleman with half a dollar, and leapt on shore in
the small village whose name we had not the honour of
knowing. We searched through the houses in vain for

ANDREA SMITH. 133
some member of the masculine gender, but found only
many women, eggs, and reeds drying for some future
use. In one house we stumbled on a very good spy
glass, which led us to conclude that its owner had been
at one time captain of a slaver. At last we lighted on
a truculent black-whiskered Brazilian, every line of
whose countenance seemed to express some different
villany, who informed us that Andrea, the object of our
search, was not to be found.
This personage whom Brazilians called Andrea, but
English, Smith, was a Brazilian by birth, who at an
early age had sailed for America, and had remained in
that " Land of the great and free,
Of wealth and power and liberty,"
so long that he had forgotten his own language, and
supplied its place with English. He then returned to
Brazil, and commenced picking up his own tongue, and
dropping the acquired tongue at an equal rate. When
we saw him he had learned half the Brazilian language,
and forgotten half the English, so that he knew the
whole of no tongue. Yet he was exceedingly useful to
us as an interpreter, though occasionally he would stick
at some hard word.
We explained to the savage, who came in Andrea's

134 BRAZIL.
place, that we wanted a canoe, with which he seemed
loth to trust us alone. At first nothing would satisfy him
but accompanying us, which we steadily refused. He
received a dollar, and placed us in a canoe, with paddles
in our hands. When in the act of shoving off, he paused,
to thrust himself into the stern. Steady there, my
good friend, we don't want you with us ! so he backs
out again, and we are dancing over the waves,
" Flung from the rock on ocean's foam to sail.
Where'er the surge might sweep, the tempest's breath prevail."
We paddled first to a small sandy bay, where the second
class boys were bathing and amusing themselves, under
the superintendence of the master at arms. We land
here, when lo ! the truculent man is seen following us
in a smaller canoe, to look after the safety of the vessel
he had so unwillingly intrusted to our care. He has to
be sworn at, and driven away, after which we paddle
alongside the " Geyser" to fetch another midship
man. The breeze had freshened, and the " Geyser," that
was much given to motion, was rolling " some ;" so it
was ticklish work getting the canoe along side, and keep
ing her clear ofthe ladder. With such a breeze we found
the canoe somewhat unsteady, so, on reaching the shore
again, we resigned her and went for a walk. Our road
led us first through trees, at the foot of one of which sat
an Irishman scraping the mandioc root. His face was

LOST IN A WOOD. 135
so good-natured, and so unlike the general profile of a
negro's countenance, that he was at once voted to be an
Irishman, and would have been addressed in genuine
Irish, if we had known any words of that language.
" Upbubboo," though a purely Irish word, seemed not
to be familiar to him.
A broad well-kept path, with tall reeds on each side,
through which we saw golden oranges weighing down
their boughs, led us to the sandy beach, from which we
dived into the recesses of a wood that clothed the sides
of a small hill. Here we found a calabash-tree, with
its huge fruit hanging from the slenderest stalks imagin
able, that spring out of the branches or trunk of the
tree. These calabashes are cut in two, dried, and used
as cups or dishes to hold eggs, or water, or farina, or some
hundred other articles. We now clambered up a perpen
dicular bank, clutching at roots and branches, and
sending the loose earth crumbling to the bottom at
every step, and on gaining the top found ourselves in
a thick forest. There seemed at first something like a
path, but this soon faded into obscurity, and we found
ourselves lost, as an Irishman might say. First we
turned our steps wherever light appeared through the
tree-tops, till we discovered that there were no vestiges
of a path, and that we were in worse than a labyrinth.
Ihe musquitoes, that at first had buzzed about us

136 BRAZIL.
wonderingly, not knowing what we were, began to take
sharper measures to discover our identity. Truly
musquitoes must be animals of a later date than other
beasts ; since, if they had existed in Paradise, Adam and
Eve would soon have found that they were naked.
At last we found an exit, and slid rapidly down the
bank. When we reached the village again, we found Andrea
there, and we made arrangements about returning
on board. It was rather a bad night, and a large canoe
had to be procured, and a larger price to be paid.
When all these matters were settled we lay down in the
bottom of the canoe, being paddled alongside by two
men. Now and then a small wave splashed against the
side, and, washing over, trickled down upon us in spark
ling and luminous drops. The ship was rolling even
more than on our former visit, and when we were along
side there was a sudden movement, the canoe shot in
under the ladder, and I found myself in the water,
clutching maniacally at a rope.
April 10. — Landing just as before, some of us took
a small canoe. Being forewarned, and consequently
forearmed, I sat perfectly still during a small succession
of shiverings and quiverings with which the canoe com
menced its happy reign, when shoved off. As soon as
it was composed I took the paddle, and away we went

PRATA PALMAS. 137
towards Praya Palmas. Beaching our vessels there, we
landed, and commenced to explore the village, in which
grog-shops greatly predominated, there being at least
three to every dozen houses. After taking a glass of
wine we launched our canoes again, and steered them to a
small streamlet that emptied itself into the sea in the
corner of the bay. We found on arriving at it that to
day it had acted too literally, and had entirely emptied
itself, in which state it would remain till the tide flowed
again. We hauled our canoes across some sand, and
launched them into a deepish pool, across which we pad
dled, and found ourselves at the mouth of the deserted
stream. Into this we hauled our canoes, and waded up its
bed, in which the water came not quite up to our ankles.
Stepping on shore by a small creek, I came to a house
where a man was hewing a block of mahogany witb an
adze, to the imminent danger of his limbs, so awkwardly
did he handle the formidable weapon. His wife stood by,
looking unconcerned, and paying more attention to some
fine fowls that were strutting about than to her husband.
You can't blame her for that; the fowls were worth
money, whereas one does not exactly know what her
husband was worth. I asked the price of these fowls.
"Dos crusados," answered the wife. Crusados are
coins not much used or mentioned in Brazil, and I was
ignorant of their value: they are worth tenpence each.

138 BRAZIL.
" Quanto crusados vale hum milree ? " demanded I,
in that peculiar species of Portuguese that I carried
about with me. Then, with a sudden yell of triumph,
the woman screeched out "Hum milree!" thus dexter
ously raising the price. But I was up to this, and finally
the bargain was more advantageously settled ; two fowls
were sold for one milree. To catch the fowls, the
mistress chewed some sugar-cane, and threw it to them.
When they came to peck it up, she seized two, and gave
them to me. On arriving in the deep pool again, we
found some Brazilians in want of a passage over, as the
pool was too wide for a step, and they did not like to
essay a jump.
On our next visit to the shore, we returned to our
former loves, and revisited this stream. It had filled
itself in the interim, and had a bar, on which waves, in
size totally disproportionate to the stream, were breaking
furiously. The entrance to the brook was narrow, and
curved slightly. On one side lay some steepish rocks,
and on the other, exactly before you as you entered, was
a sandbank. It was necessary that all the rower's skill
should be employed to give the canoe so slight a turn,
that she should avoid this bank without going too far on
the other side. This was no easy matter when the
waves were so high, comparatively speaking, and the
swiftness of the canoe so great. In I came shooting like

PELTING MATCH. 139
an arrow over the billows, that came behind with heads
erect, like a pack of white wolves, eager to devour.
Before I could turn the canoe she was firmly fixed on
the sand, and my pursuers, having overtaken me, were
washing over the stern. Two hearty shoves sent her
off; but I was net safe yet, for the tide that was coming
out, caught her bow, and swung her full on the rocks,
thus verifying by a modern instance that old saw :
" Incidit in Scyllam qui rult vitare Charybdim."
In the stream itself we found it pleasant enough.
The water was quite smooth, and not too deep. We
paddled some way up, till stopped by bushes growing in
the stream, with their branches tangled together so as
to obstruct any further progress. On the bank here
stood a house whence issued a stream of young and old,
untidy in dress, staring at us as if we were mermaids,
honest men, or some other very rare animals, seldom
seen to mortal eye. At first they gazed with silent awe,
but, growing bolder, soon commenced pelting us with
bad oranges and a bad aim. Some of these fell into the
water near us, and, being picked up, were returned at
their heads with a precision and force that soon put
them to flight. We drifted down the stream againy
stopping where some low and stout cocoa-nut trees hung
over the water, their branches sweeping so low that we

140 BRAZIL.
could almost have knocked the nuts off with our paddles,
to ask their price of their owner. He was so exorbitant,
however, that we shoved off, giving a passage to some
man who wished to go down the stream, and who
perched himself in. the stern of my canoe, receiving an
involuntary blow in the face from the end of my paddle
whenever I had to shift it to the opposite side. He
sprang out by some rocks on which some shirts were
placed to dry, which process was materially assisted by
the splashings we administered to them in passing.
We hauled our canoes into the creek that had been
the scene of our former visit, and fastening them to a
stump at the head, commenced ascending the hill. The
path went zigzag up to a house. On our way we saw
golden citrons of huge dimensions peeping from the
bushes, and red coffee-berries glancing from under the
cover of their green leaves. As we neared the house, a
dog rushed forth barking furiously, and urged by a kick
administered from within, be rolled down the hill, trying
in vain to stop and bite us, and flying far past. The
people of the house asked us in, and produced some
coffee, made by the lady of the house, as she certainly
ought to be called, even though she might have been of
humble origin. So stately and majestic was she, that
we felt almost ashamed of our rude appearance ; for we
had discarded our shoes and stockings for the time, that

UNEXPECTED KINDNESS. 141
wading might not be impeded. The people of the
house took farina with their coffee, just as we should
take milk in England, as it dissolved and imparted the
same colour to the coffee on being mixed with it. The
lady of the house would take no remuneration for her
coffee, seeming to consider our visit as an honour to her
house, and treated us altogether with far more courtesy
than would generally fall to the lot of Englishmen from
Brazilians, or to midshipmen from their own country
men. More particularly obnoxious was our navy to
these people, as we were warring against their love of ease
by attempting to stop the slave trade. If we effected
our purpose, the Brazilians would be compelled to work,
to which they in general manifest much repugnance.
A pretty barefooted maiden leant against one of the
door posts, silent and motionless, regarding us with as
much curiosity as was consistent with maidenly reserve.
Another young female, who either was a wife, or ought
to have been, chattered away unceasingly to us in
Portuguese, and if not answered, would take off her
slipper from her stockingless foot, and rap the arm of
her nearest neighbour, in the way that ladies of other
countries employ their fans. After listening for some
little time, you would be convinced that she was a wife;
no unmarried young woman would endanger her pro
spects of marriage by talking so much. Probably she

142 BRAZIL.
was only making up for the modesty she had to exhibit
before that important ceremony that works such changes
in a female. Some authoress has said that love, which is
only a transient feeling with man, is with woman the chief
aim of life. True, men have other ends in view — money,
fame, religion, or other trifles of the same nature : always
excepting those men who write three volume novels, and
wind up their hero's and heroine's life with marriage.
Some citrons were then brought in by the sons of
the house, some of these fruits being as large as~a man's
head. We went out also to get some oranges, and
in our way saw a basket half full of coffee-berries
lying in the shade. These berries, after passing
through their first stage of life in a green costume,
become of a most delicate red colour, when the skin
has a pleasant taste, and are finally brown. This Crimean
war has brought to light the fact, that unroasted
coffee is deleterious in its effects, and it has been stated
that the berries before roasting have some poison in
them. I never felt any ill effects from eating the skin of
coffee-berries, and their taste was certainly most pleasant.
We now descended the hill, forsook the stream, and
paddled along the side of the bay, discovering small
creeks and docks among the rocks. One creek that we
got into was at first named " Safety Dock ; " but a canoe
being almost capsized in it, we changed the name to

A VOLUNTEER. 143
" Danger Dock," thus going at once into the other ex
treme. May 4th. We had discovered on a former occasion
the existence of a capital glass (nautice for telescope)
in one of the grog-shops, bearing the name of Dollond,
London. We wanted to buy this, and the owner asked
thirty-five milreis. When we complained of this as too
much, and were about to suggest thirty instead, he
suddenly descended to twenty-two in the most unac
countable manner.
Praya Palmas is divided into two villages, by a rocky
promontory running down from the hills at the back.
In going towards this, I passed a house prettily situated
among the trees, in front of which sat the family, its
master having his head bandaged, and looking as melan
choly as people generally are when afflicted with a
headache. He volunteered to assist me in my .search for
eggs, first asking if he could be employed on, board the
" Geyser." " Marinero — pulley de ropp — dey taker me
— eh?" I answered in the negative, and we went
together — first to the house of an old woman who kept
a few eggs in a box, and had probably kept them for
some few years, as inestimable treasures. Then we
crossed the promontory by a picturesque path, and found
in the other village a seaman who spoke English, and
wished to charge for that language in addition to the

144. BRAZIL.
usual price of eggs. I did not stay any time in this
village, which was materially the same as the other. In
returning, my acquaintance stopped me as I was climbing
the hill. We stood beneath the shadow of an over
arching tree by a lofty rock hidden from one village by
the promontory, from the other by a small grove, a
sufficiently secret and romantic spot for either murder
or robbery. But the man did not intend to employ
either. He burst forth into a flood of broken English,
the volubility of which was only equalled by its unintelli
gibleness. " I say, run way — no go bore sheep — sheep
no coot — live shore — run way^-shore ver coot." These
words, accompanied by a profusion of shakes both ofthe
head and finger, implied that I was to run away from
the navy, which was really a piece of such excellent
advice that I followed it as soon as I arrived in England.
Next to Palmas Bay is the bay of Albroo. One day,
we had anchored between Marambya and the east end of
Ilha Grande, a place which I take the liberty of recom
mending men-of-war in general studiously to avoid.
About three next morning a heavy swell set in, and
made the ship rol\ so fearfully as to chase unwilling
slumber from every body's eyes, and therefore to make
every body to execrate every body else's. We got under
weigh, being unable to stand such rocking that sent
every thing clattering about the decks, broke open the

ALBROO BAY. 145
scuttles, hurled every desk in the berth down from its
shelf to the table, and deluged the deck with water.
Coming up at four, I found the vessel lying to, under
her fore and aft sails, and drifting slowly to leeward. The
water that we left to windward, had formed itself into
large eddies and calm circling pools. Suddenly a small
schooner darted out from under. Marambya, and flew
along before the wind at a slashing rate towards Rio.
The quartermaster of the watch at once declared her to
be a slaver for thu3 taking advantage of a fair wind,
which is a thing that only slavers do, and I was too sea
sick and miserable to dispute his verdict. To suppose
that sea-sickness always goes off after the first few days is
a fearful mistake, as people generally find some time to
their cost. At about eight the steam was got up, and
we stood into Albroo Bay, which we found spacious,
commodious, and beautiful.
The land rises to a great height above the sea,
and at the top there is a gully, through which the wind
often rushes impetuously down, and sweeps dark and
Swift over the surface of the water. Ten or a dozen
canoes lay fishing in the middle of the bay. Here, as in
more civilized countries, it never rains but it pours; and
in like manner the finny tribe come always in shoals to
Albroo, and depart in the same manner. So one day
there is not a fisher to be seen, while on another the bay

146 BRAZIL.
will be alive with canoes, and the water will glitter with
struggling fish. The delegarde of the place came along
side in a handsome and roomy canoe, bringing a stock
of oranges and custard apples as presents for the officers.
Nowhere else in Brazil did we meet with custard apples,
and even here they were scarce. This is much to bo
regretted, as a more excellent fruit does not exist.
Their rough skin conceals a white soft pulp that melts
in the mouth — far better than their namesakes. They
are found in greater quantities in the West Indies.
The delegarde dined with the captain, as there hap
pened to be a service dinner that day. During dinner
the loud tones of his voice rose to the deck through the
open skylight, and we heard frequently recurring the
word "milreis," that is used so often in Brazilian con
versation, and so aptly typifies that nation. For the
milree, though an insignificant coin, is made of a thou-1
sand yet more insignificant; and thus the Brazilian nation,
small in itself, is composed of infinitely less important
units. While the delegarde was at dinner the two slaves
who had brought him alongside remained in the canoe*
which they offered to sell us for twenty milreis. Milreis
again ! They did not seeiri to care how their master
got on shore, after they had so advantageously disposed
of his canoe for him.
The other bay that we visited was Longa, where wa

NAUTILI. 147
'stayed while our master was surveying the rock on
which we had struck. It is but a small bay, and we
had to lie outside it. One of the inhabitants came
alongside with a basket of paper nautilus shells, which
he sold at a vinten, or a halfpenny, each. They got
so much- chipped however by frequent handling, that
there were few good specimens. We had met with
these shells before, but not in such plenty or at such
cheap rates. At Rio Janeiro they cost exactly the same
as they would in England,, A pair could be procured
for five shillings, and at Rio they cost a milree each. A
man at Palmas Bay also brought some on board) but for
these he wanted sixpence each.
Next day such quantities of nautilus shells were
brought alongside as would have astonished any shell
collector. I bought two baskets full, containing about
seventy, for one tnilreo. Of these I managed to bring
safely home not less than fifteen pair, and as people who
bring one pair safely home are considered lucky, I must
be looked upon as unusually so in that matter. The plan
I adopted was as follows. On going into Rio I procured
an empty case full of sawdust, as the bill expressed it.
In this I packed the shells, filling each with sawdust,
and pouring plenty around them. Each layer was sepa
rated from the other by a sheet of paper.
One of the shell-sellers informed our captain that

148 . BRAZIL.
about a month ago a steamer struck upon the rock our
boats were surveying : that she stayed as if looking at
it for some time, and then fled as swiftly as possible from
the fatal spot. He did not know what had become of
her, but he fancied she must have gone down, as her
injuries were very severe. Some of their people had
discovered a great deal of her plank and copper on the
rock. He little thought that while he spoke he stood
on the deck of the very ship, The master on exploring < <
this rock found as follows : —
" Geyser Rock" is about the size of a paddle-box
boat, having only a few feet of water on it at low tide.
and lying in deep water, with six fathoms alongside it.
The bearings taken are these, the distances having been\/
measured by Massey's patent log, a most useful inven
tion, in general use in the navy at the present day.
Peak of Marambya over the east end of Ilha Grande.
East. Convent in the town of Villa Grande, between two
small islands, west of the Porcos Islands. N. 10° E.
Point Japoya. W. If mile.
Ambaya Seca Island. S. 11°; E. f of a mile.

CASATIBA. 149

CHAPTER XIIL
CASATIBA, OR ORANGE BAYt— A DELEGARDE— AN ORANGE GROVE 
TAKE A 'POON, PIG ! — BRAZILIAN AVARICE — SINGULAR EFFECTS OF
BRAZILIAN TOBACCO^A_DFSQX-JXlB_JSLAVES — ST. SEBASTIAN —
PORTUGUESE AND BRAZILIAN BUILDERS — SANTOS.
Within Point Joetinga we found a capacious bay that
seemed to have no fixed name. The makers of charts
had given it none, and so left it to the discretion of any
captains who might visit the place. It was necessary
that some name should be inscribed in the log, and the
master therefore called it Casatiba Bay, under which
name it may be discovered in the Log of H. M. Steam
sloop " Geyser " by any who care to inspect that interest
ing document at the Admiralty. The sailors called it
by the less dignified name of " Orange Bay," from the
abundance of that fruit which they plucked on shore. Of
course this title was banished from the ship's log. Any
one who should exclaim, "what's in a name?" at the
Admiralty, would find that Shakspeare is not generally
recognised as a naval authority, and has no interest
in the matter of promotions and appointments.

150 BRAZIL.
Finding the place thinly inhabited by the human race,
and almost destitute of spirituous liquors, the captain
resolved upon giving a general leave, and letting the
seamen run riot among the oranges. The governor of
the place, whom he consulted, had no objection. So all,
or nearly all, the men were turned ashore, and general
leave was also granted to the officers.
We found the delegarde, a worthy obliging old
gentleman, standing before his cottage door in light
attire, with all the rural simplicity of a village philoso
pher, reminding us of " my neighbour Flamborougk"
when called upon to honour Mr. Jenkinson's note of
hand. The delegarde of a Brazilian village seems to
unite in his own person the duties and responsibilities
of the parson, clerk, constable, churchwarden, and all
who are in authority in an English village. The
government of an English village is a representative
government, like that of the country, while that of a
Brazilian village is a despotism tempered by want of
power. How the governors are appointed I cannot say.
They are generally the richest in the place, frequently
the owners of the largest shop. Their power does not
seem to be great, or generally recognised. But as
a village keeps itself in order without much jurisdiction,
perhaps their authority is not needed, and the governor
of Casatiba did not seem likely to obtrude it upon his

ORANGE BAT. 151
subjects in an officious manner. Though dignified, he
did not think himself degraded by selling fowls, eggs,
and fruit. He kept a small store in his house of
articles of food, ariiong which was some English
porter. After holding a sbort conversation with him, we
went into the country'for a walk. The scenery here was
of a quiet subdued order of beauty, not partaking of
that gorgeous character that generally distinguishes the
scenery of the tropics. We plunged into an orange
grove at the back of the village, where several of our
men were plucking the ripe fruit, and feasting upon it
with all the energy of school-boys let loose upon a pastry
cook's. The air was thick and heavy with the perfume
of^tbe oranges. On all sides you saw nothing but
branches, bowing beneath the load of their golden fruit.
At the further end of this grove we came to a stream,
on the opposite side of which was a gate, a positive
miracle in so remote a quarter. We turned back here to
feast on the oranges. " Some we found whose skins were
perfectly black, from the richness of their pulp. What
became of them in general seemed doubtful ; an English
man-of-war does not come yearly to thin the trees of
their profusion.
In one corner of the bay was a fresh-water lake, on
which the men were paddling about in canoes. One

152 BRAZIL.
canoe had a large leak just abpve the water line,
and while its inhabitant paddled ibn in blissful uncon
sciousness of this danger, a swimmer would come behind
and weigh down the canoe till the water rushed in at
this leak, and caused the vessel to turn a somer
sault. As twilight advanced, and the shades of night came
down more darkly, the fire-flies were seen flitting from
bush to bush, like sparks struck from a grindstone(
The black mountains around frowned upon the bay.
The Geyser lay upon the waters, a dark and indistinct
mass, her spars rising in strong relief against the sky,
while the lights from her stern shed a flickering glare
over the tossing waves, gleaming capriciously on the
boats that pulled from the shore.
Next day the governor a/id his two sons came to
breakfast with the captain, who invited some of the
officers, and amongst them " the writer of these pages"
to meet his distinguished guests. The governor — I do
not apply to him that word in its slang, but in its official
sense — was of a gross habit of body, and might well be
called a " heavy father ;" while his two sons were " lean
and hungry," and would have excited Cassar's displea
sure as much as Cassius. A grand breakfast had
been prepared, to which the governor did justice, being
probably a perfect stranger to most of the ingredients

TAKE A 'P00N, PIG. 153"
of the meal. But the sons held back, saying they had
breakfasted before, and confined themselves to a cup of
tea. During breakfast the steward handed round a
dish of marmalade. One of the sons took a spoonful,
and in evident bewilderment popped it into his tea.
Then, seeing that the spoon was not free from small
particles of the marmalade, he thrust it into his mouth,
licked it hastily, and replaced it in the dish. The old
governor got on swimmingly, being initiated into the
mysteries of sardines and potted meat, much to his
satisfaction. On my next visit to the shore, I went for a short
trip upon the lake. I got a canoe, and paddled about
exploring shallow parts, where tiny streams trickled
down among rocks, and dashing up broad arms of the
lake, where I found the water far too shallow even for
so small a craft. I was upset three times, owing to the
culpable negligence, of my companion. Being wet
through, I bathed, and found others follow my example.
A fat boatswain's mate, while swimming about,
suddenly shrieked, and retreated to the shore, being
frightened by what he called a small alligator, which
Caused him to shake through his fat in the most
¦ludicrous manner. Beyond the lake was a hill, on the
side and summit of which was another village, with
which our governor had no connection. I walked with

154 BRAZIL.
another up this hill, finding in our way a cocoa-nut tree
low enough to enable us to reach some of its fruit, and
drain them of their milk. Real cocoa-nut milk, when
fresh and new, is as different from the oil that goes
under that name in England, as fresh milk is from chalk
and water. On arriving at the summit of this hill,
the ascent of which was remarkably steep, we came to
some houses. Before one front door a parent was
seated, whose daughter was engaged in removing
certain animals from his person. Further on, we met a
sportsman with a small bird in his hand, a trophy
earned by a rusty old gun, which, of course, he was
willing to sell. A Brazilian is always ready to sell any
thing belonging to him, if he thinks he will not get
more from another bidder. I doubt whether he would
stick at disposing of his soul, in the established melo
dramatic manner.
In the governorV orange grove we found the men
hard at work as before, strewing the ground with
trophies of victory in the shape of orange skins.
A circumstance which took place to day leads me to
doubt the excellence of Brazilian tobacco, and perfectly
justifies me in attributing to it more noxious properties
than ever did a certain monarch, author of a " Counter
blast to Tobacco." I am not aware that the herba
•nicotiana, sive tobacco, was ever before found to exercise

EFFECTS OF BRAZILIAN TOBACCO. 155
such a baneful influence over the human faculties, as it did
in the case I am about to relate. One of our engineers
was found stretched in the paddle-box boat, that was
hauled up on the beach, in a state of blissful uncon
sciousness. We, poor ignorant mortals, fancied this
arose from drink, having a little experience in the effects
of liquor. From the defence set up by the engineer
when he was hauled over the coals, we learnt the
powers "of Brazilian tobacco, which may hereafter be
classed, by some scientific inquirer, with the salmon
eaten at public dinners.
" I wasn't drunk, sir, not by no means. I was just
kinder stupefied, sir, not by drink at all. I'll just tell
ye how it was. I had one glass, or it may be two
glasses, or it might be three glasses, sir, o' porter, and one
glass o' grog, which wasn't nothing like enough to make
me drunk, sir! And then I filled my pipe, and lit it, sir — •
some of this B'zilian baccar it was, sir, and then I felt
quite stupefied, sir. I know'd I was in the boat, and I
know'd you was there, and I heerd all you said, sir ;
but I couldn't speak. It was the 'eat (I suppress the
obvious pun, which Mr. Cuthbert Bede may wish to
make on some future occasion) of the day, and the
B'zilian baccar, I think, sir. But to say I was drunk,
sir, is ludicrous ; I was only stupefied, sir !"
Here ends my account of Casatiba ; but I must not

156 BRAZIL.
omit to mention that we bought some bullocks of the
governor at remarkably cheap rates. If these pages
should fall into the hands of any captain of any ship on
the coast of Brazil, I would recommend him to pay a
visit to Casatiba, where he will probably be received
with as much civility as that which fell to the lot of the
"Geyser." To the southward of the islands that I described
before, lies that of St. Sebastian, running parallel to
the mainland, and forming a channel through which
steamers can go safely and easily enough. In this
island is a bay named Sombreo, which we visited. We
found it to be only partially cleared and cultivated. ,
Much of it was covered with thick wood, and the soil
seemed stubborn. It belonged to a planter who lived i
elsewhere, and left the control of the place to two
negroes, who lived alone in a mud hut. But though
deserted by the human race, the bay teemed with musi
quitoes, and an almost viler class of flies called burrah-
shutahs. Any one who should write an ode to Brazilian
scenery would probably begin,
" Ye mountains, on whose woody heights
The greedy burrahshutah bites ;
Te forests, in whose tangled mazes
The dire mosquitoes sting like blazes!"
and so on to the end of the canto. Things that would >.

A DEPOT FOR SLAVES. 157
be romantic and poetical in themselves, are sadly spoiled
by the introduction of such utilitarian adjuncts as mus
quitoes. Greedy animals, I am ashamed of you. Can
not you for once forego your dinner, and feast your
mind with the poetry ofthe landscape?
This bay had evidently at one time;been a rendezvous.
and watering-place for slavers. In one corner a stream <
gushed down through runnels and' artificial ohannels,
one of which was the " leaguer " or water cask so much
used in the slave trade. We found this place very con
venient for replenishing our tanks. Our modus operandi
was to clear out and clean out one of the paddle-box
boats, tow it ashore, and turn the stream into it by one
of our hoses : then to tow it alongside, and empty it by
means of our fire-engines.
I landed at this place on one occasion. We, for of
course I always had a companion with me, went to the.
hut where the negroes dwelt, and struck up an acquain
tance with them. Their abode was low and filthy in
the extreme. A piece of meat that hung against the
wall, was covered with crawling animals, to whose
presence the negroes seemed absolutely indifferent.
One of them was much marked with the scars of the
lash and fetter, and complained that his master ill-treated
him. I think it right to add, that I found no other
negro in Brazil who made the same complaint. Wej
M

158 BRAZIL.
gave these two men some tobacco, which they received
with avidity. Just round their hut the ground was
cleared, and fruit grew there. There were plenty of
bananas and oranges, but the latter were hard and of a
bad kind. There was one lemon tree, covered with
silvery fruit like patches of snow, or gleams of moon
light through a window. These fruits, of course, did not
belong to the negroes, and they were consequently glad
enough to sell them at a trifling sum. A bunch of
bananas cost twopence, a basketful of oranges or lemons
the same. If asked how they could afford to sell things
so cheaply, they might have answered, with the country
man whom Tom Sheridan met, " they bea'nt none of
them mine." In all other parts but just around the
negroes' hut, the wood was quite impassable..
From Sombreo one day we stood towards .the passage
between St. Sebastian and the mainland. The shore
here was high and bold, with well-wooded promontories;
stretching out far ahead, with a sort of indistinct haze
hanging around them. Skirting the shore, and marking
the contrast between the dark foliage that clothed these- ;
jutting points, and the dazzling white sand of the bays
they enclosed, we entered upon the channel. The depth
of water is greatest near the island, on which the scenery
is magnificent. The steep rocky sides of the mountain
ridge that ran parallel to the channel, were interspersed

PORTUGUESE AND BRAZILIAN BUILDERS. 159
with belts of forest; and through breaks among these trees
many a white cataract dashed down in a straight line of
foam. Over one pinnacle of rock, in a woody thicket
that stood on a higher pinnacle, appeared a mass of red
flowers, like a gigantic ruby set in the rock, or as if a
fountain of the purest wine bubbled up from the hard
stone. Occasionally we passed some village or isolated house,
while tiny canoes darted out from the shore with their
sails spread, and flew across the strait. In one of the
hamlets we saw traces of Portuguese hands. Though
small and dilapidated, it yet possessed a white church in,
the midst of mud houses. The antiquity of the sacred
building was not the sole proof of its origin. The
presence of a church is in itself sufficient to show whether
Portuguese or Brazilians have founded the village. It
is said that the first, building that Portuguese settlers
erect is a church : the first Brazilians build is a grog-
o a
shop. We order these matters better in England, and
build both at the same time.
The town of St. Sebastian stands on the mainland
opposite to the island, which also boasts a town named
Villa Nova, where, according to Purdy, refreshments can
be obtained. What this term is supposed to include, is
doubtful. The island lies in latitude 23° 51' south, and
longitude 45° 46' west. This for the information of all

160 BRAZIL.
whom it may concern. Some little way below lie the bay,
town, and river of Santos, where there is, or ought to
be, an English vice-consul. We merely stayed there
half a day, so we had no intercourse with that official.
When we visited the bay, we found a Swedish barque
at anchor close under the fort. We had some reason to
suspect her of slaving propensities, and waited three
days outside the bay to capture her if she thought fit to
appear, and if her guilt remained as clear as before.
We may reasonably conclude that English men-of-war
have a perfect right to board vessels, or to capture them,.
even when they are under the shelter of Brazilian forts.
In Rio Janeiro, this right is not conceded to our men-of-
war. It is perhaps injudicious to attempt the seizure
of any ship under a fort, because many commanders
of forts have an opinion in favour of the slave trade, arid
would open fire upon your vessel. Any suoh fracas
would be disagreeable.

PORT FRIO. '161

CHAPTER XIV.
PORT FRIO — WRECK OF H.M.S. THETIS — THE VILLAGE AND FORT 
CAPE ST. THOME — ODD FISH — WHALES — CORYPHENES, NOT DOL
PHINS  SHARKS.
About the first half of our stay in Brazil was devoted
to cruising to the southward. For the latter half we
migrated to the northward, our cruising ground com
mencing with the Cape St. Thome, and stretching to
the river of Espiritu Santo* When I state that this
cruising ground was more monotonous than the last,
people will call me gloomy, and say that I took the worst
view of naval life. My only revenge will be to wish
they had a short trial of my situation there. Perhaps
they would then retract their opinion, if they could do
so with dignity.
The nearest port to Rio Janeiro going northwards is
Port Frio, a bay within the cape of the same name.
Some interest attached to Cape Frio from the circum
stances of the wreck of H. M. S. Thetis, which vessel
was lost here with many lives, and some gold. She

162 BRAZIL.
sailed from Rio on her homeward voyage, bearing with
her a large freight. Driven out of her course by cur
rents, of whose existence neither the captain nor master
were aware, prevented from ascertaining her position
with any certainty by thick fogs, the Thetis suddenly
discovered that the land, which was supposed to be far
removed, was close ahead. The cape rises 1000 feet
almost perpendicularly from the sea, and its great height
causes an equal depth of water at its base. Conse
quently the ill-fated vessel came with a crash against
the rocky sides before touching the bottom. The masts
at once fell, crushing many of the men. She then drifted
into a cove, and many, including the captain, were
enabled to land here safely, by a rope hitched round one
of the rocks. Some got over to the village in canoes,
till the avaricious natives refused their services any
longer unless they received immediate payment. This
the poor shipwrecked men were not in a position to
afford. The ship, that had sunk at their feet, was laden
with gold, piles of which metal lay within a few fathoms
of them, but as much removed from them as ever was
the food from the grasp of Tantalus. While they were
thus situated, the captain of the fort came forward and
freely advanced forty milrees to the captain ofthe Thetis,
though he could scarcely expect payment. Such is true
generosity, though he did not head any subscription list,

H. M. S. THETIS. 163
or ask for an I. O. U. "just as a mere matter of form,
my dear sir." Eventually the sunken treasure was
recovered. The crew were soon rescued from their
position by the arrival of the admiral, and some ships
from Rio. A detailed and interesting account of this
wreck, amongst others, is to be found in " Gilly's Ship
wrecks of the Royal Navy."
Port Frio is a beautiful little hay, hemmed in by high
land. The best anchorage is close to the fort, but the
bay is too open to give always a good shelter. Plenty
of fish are to be found here. Two magnificent rock cod
were brought alongside by the natives, and sold at a
milree each. The " stock," in whioh name we included
all fruit, eggs, and poultry, was sent principally to Rio,
and was therefore dearer than at many like places on
the coast. The canoes are of a larger size and stronger
built than the general run of such vessels, being more
over propelled by oars, instead of paddles. The princi
pal manufactures of this village are cotton fishing-lines,
made of undyed cotton, and very strongly spun. They
are dear in proportion to the dyed lines that we saw else
where. The fowls and fruit brought alongside did not
meet with aready market, being too dear. The master-at-
arms, who was a Portuguese scholar, made many bargains,
which he conducted chiefly with his forefinger. Each
motion of that instrument had some separate signification.

1G4 BRAZIL,
First. The affirmative, on being asked if he wished
to buy.
Second. The demonstrative, ;as pointing out the articles
of his choice.
Third. The negative, at refusing some exorbitant
charge. Fourth. The interrogative, at asking the price again.
Fifth. The indignant, on finding it higher than
before. Sixth. The sign of assent, on concluding the bargain
favourably. Seeing so many fish brought alongside, we landed one
morning to haul the seine, in a sandy bay, where was a
sloping beach, and where no rocks would prove destruc
tive to the meshes of the. net-. It was dark when we-
left the ship at four o'clock in the morning, and, as we
neared the shore, the white sand in front rose like a wall,
or a drift of snow. On landing we found it hard and
marbly, very fine, moreover, and thus very comfortable,
to the bare feet. Our seine hauling was unsuccessful;
three draws produced only three large fish and a heap of
small fry.
Later in the day I paid a visit to the village. I step*
ped into a fishing canoe that had come alongside, with
an old man armed with a paddle as steerer, and two
youths as rowers. We shoved off, and the old man.

THE VILLAGE. 165
not wishing to confine himself to one thing at a time,
hitched a fishing-line round his great toe, and let it tow
astern, while wielding the paddle with his hands. He was
barefooted, like most inhabitants of Brazilian villages.
To go about barefooted does not much suit the European,
as there are some little animals peculiar to Brazilian
shores, called jiggers, that get into your foot, form a bag
for the procreation of children, and breed at the rate of
one per minute. The bag swells and swells, giving rise
to a sensation of tickling, and has finally to be cut out,
leaving behind a hole in your foot.
The two sons gave way, and, flying round the point
on which the fort stood, we sped onward, under the
shade of a rocky cliff crowned with wood, and landed on
the white sandy beach in front of the village. There
was now no surf, the water being like a lake or mill-
pond, according as you are poetical, or the reverse.
A lake is more poetic than the other, but not always
perfectly still. Two men stood on the beach, pouring
sand on the head of a noble rock cod that no one in the
" Geyser " would buy. Two black girls were conversing
with two young whites in those gay tones that belong
to flirtation. The village is a miserable hamlet, com
posed chiefly of mud huts, amongst which stands a
church. The shops were poor and meagre. I wanted
to get some pimentos — i, e.} bird's eye pepper — which the

1G6 ERAZIL.
Brazilians use extensively, bolting them headlong a
dozen at a time, though the smell and sight- of one is
enough to season a whole dinner. None were to be
had here, and, finding nothing in the village, I set off
on foot towards the fort, going along the top of the
cliff. A broad walk led there, plentifully fringed with
shrubs, through which an occasional break gave me a
view of the sea, its blue surface gemmed here and
there by a solitary white crest. At the end of this
walk was a heavy gate, that required to be climbed.
Some civilisation was apparent in this gate, and the
walk, which was carefully kept.
I found the fort close at hand, and after inspecting its
guns, was gazing upon the sea, standing upon a small pin
nacle, at whose feet small waves were breaking, when I
heard a shout behind, and turning round saw a gawky
lad, leading a mule laden with bricks, who looked inqui
sitively upon me. He commenced a string of jabber,
whicli I cut short by asking if he were the captain
of the fort. He answered that he was — I suppose the
weight of his dignity caused his ungainly stooping ; I
asked what was the calibre of the guns, and he said
they were four- pounders, though rather resembling
nines or twelves. Part of the guard-house evidently
needed the repairs he was about to bestow. As I was
going, he called me, and pointed to the bricks sio-ni-

CAPE ST. THOME. 1G7
ficantly, as who should say, " Come and help me ;" but to
labour under a hot sun, and in full view ofthe " Geyser,"'
would have been too heating for a man, and too undigni
fied for an officer.
After repassing the gate, I struck into a narrow path
leading to the beach, where we had hauled the seine.
Frequently, as I advanced, the quick rustle of the grass
and brushwood told of some lizard's presence, and
occasionally I saw its little eyes peep out timidly from
a thick bush. On the side of the hill above this beach
much broom stuff was to be cut, and I found two boats'
crews lopping away energetically in divers parts of the
wood. The Cape St. Thome, situated a little to the north
ward of Cape Frio, requires much care in passing.
The cape itself is low, and some distance to seaward
lie some dangerous shoals. On a cloudy day, the sole
course to be pursued is to go slowly, keep far from the
land, have leads going constantly, and a good look-out
aloft for broken water. If the day is clear, the forms of
the mountains that stand inland can be seen, and your
course steered according as they bear. When round
ing Cape St. Thome from the northward, you should keep
Mount Campos in a N.W. f N. line till you bring the
peak of Macahe, that resembles a man's hand, to bear
W. "| S. You may then haul in and steer for Cape Frio,

168 BRAZIL.
the course to which would be about S.W. In like
manner, when coming from Rio you may safely steer for
Mount Campos when it bears N.W.
Near Cape St. Thome we passed a turtle lying on its
back, kicking and struggling vigorously. Here also I
saw a far more remarkable sight. Between us and the
shore twelve whales were at play, lashing the water
with their tails, sending the foam aloft in jets,
while the roaring produced by the blows of their tails
sounded " Loud as the surge
That lashes Lapland's sounding shore."
Our first anchorage after passing Cape St. Thome was
off the mouth of the river Campos. On the banks of
this river is the town of St. Joam de Campos, where an
English vice-consul was either resident or was expected
to be at some indefinite period. Within the river there
is depth of water enough for small vessels by the south
eastern shore, but on the north-western side and in
the middle are sand-banks of some magnitude. The
bar of this river is dangerous, especially when the wind
blows dead in. The captain's gig was capsized in cross
ing it on one occasion.
Our first cruise here lasted more than a month, and
was most monotonous. In my diary I find nothing but
such entries as,

ODD FISH.

169

Tuesday. — Weighed, and proceeded N.E. Anchored
in seven fathoms.
Wednesday. -^ Weighed, and proceeded S. W. Anchored
in eight fathoms.
It is to be hoped that such constant weighing may
keep my travels from being too heavy. Naturally, a
continuous narrative of this period would be as dull as
the period itself, and an author should not make his
readers suffer all the evils he has himself encountered.
Fishing was our chief amusement. There are some fish
of a ourious kind to be found off this coast. Some there
are with beaks like parrots, with marvellous strength of
jaw, possessing also white bags which, when the fish was
angry, were swelled out, sundry sharp prickles at the
same time appearing upon its surface. When the bag
is not inflated, these prickles are soft and recumbent.
The bite of this fish seemed strange ;, one of them bit
through the stem of a tobacco pipe with the greatest
ease, and seemed ready to try its powers on our fingers.
I believe this fish is called a toad-fish. The flying gurnet
was another strange order of fish. It had large wings,
and a skin of brown tint, liberally sprinkled with blue
spots. No sooner was it hauled on board than it perched
itself on the deck with outspread wings, and looked so
knowing as to call for as general a burst of laughter as
that which welcomes a professional mountebank on the

170 BRAZIL.
stage, or an amateur ditto in St. Stephen's Theatre. ! I
daresay the creature winked, though I was not sufficiently
quicksighted to catch a glimpse of any such demonstra
tion. Several fishing-boats were generally seen hovering
about off this coast. They are managed in the most
lubberly manner conceivable. One came alongside the
" Geyser" to inquire about a boat which some negroes
were supposed to have stolen. They took the sail in
some way from us, and pulled alongside, leaving their
mast up, and placing our cutter that hung above in . . ,
eminent danger of being speared. In the stern sheets
they had a small supply of food, principally consisting
of bananas, not very fit provisions for a long sea voyage.
The fishing-lines generally used in these craft are made
of cotton, dyed with the juice of the mango. Their
hooks are made of white steel, not of blue, and are
fastened in a rather peculiar manner to the lines. They
fasten a number of hooks to each line, one above the
Other, so that when they light upon a shoal of fish they
may secure more than one at each draw.
The coast here is so low that the water is correspond
ingly shallow, and therefore gives more chances of fish
than the deeper parts. We have sometimes anchored jji
in fourteen fathoms out of sight of land. It was found,
however, that to fish satisfactorily, it was better not to

CORYPHENES. 171
anchor, but to drift at the rate of a mile or so an hour.
Only rocky bottoms are frequented by fish. To the
southward the only fish we had met with had been the
brilliant coryphenes, whole shoals of which were in the
habit of clustering round us. At first we caught many
of them with bait, but after a while they got shy, and
we had to throw the grains, a sort of trident, at them.
Some skill was required in handling this instrument. I
cannot say any thing new about the beautiful changing
colours of these fish, but perhaps it may not be generally
known that they are tolerable eating. Some kinds of
coryphenes are poisonous. The way to test them is to
boil a sixpence with them, when, if they are poisonous,
the coin will be turned black. We met several sharks
of course, and caught a small one. It took a hook that
was waiting for a dolphin, and was hauled up. Its
mother, that was cruising near, flew at it, and seized it
in her teeth, endeavouring to tear it away. But finding
that, instead, she also was being hauled up, she let go,
leaving solid marks of her affection upon the flesh of
her offspring.,

172 BKAZ1L,

CHAPTER XV.
B.IVER AND TOWN OF ESPIRITU SANTO — LEGEND — FORTIFICATIONS —
THE OLD TOWN — WHAT IS TRUTH 1 — IN THE COUNTRY— COTTON
HAMMOCKS — SHOPKEEPERS — FESTIVITIES FROM OUR OWN CORRE
SPONDENT — EXCELSIOR! — BIRDS OF MANY FEATHERS — SLAVE
VESSELS. The most important town between Rio Janeiro and
Bahia is that of Espiritu Santo, which was the northern
limit of our cruising ground. The real name of this
town is Victoria, but it is situated on the banks of the
river Espiritu Santo, and, in accordance with the custom
of the country, has assumed the name of its river. It
lies about 250 miles north of Rio. Outside the mouth
of this river lies the bay of Espiritu Santo, in which we
anchored while waiting for a pilot. The entrance to the
river is narrow, flanked by two high mountains, of which
Mount Moreno is the most noticeable. We lay a day
here before any pilot came, in obedience to our signal.
At last a boat came alongside, bearing a man in a sort
of naval uniform, which should rather be called multi-*
form, from its want of regularity and order. This per
son introduced himself as pilot, and stated that we could
pass the bar at high water, when there would be three

B1VER OF ESPIRITU SANTO. 173,"
fathoms on the shallowest part. We drew two fathoms
and a quarter, so that some caution was necessary in
ascending this stream. We steamed up at a snail's pace,
with leads constantly going, and captain, master, and
pilot on the paddle-box.
The scenery of the river was so exquisite that a
poetical pilot would have infallibly run the ship aground,
through constant admiration of the shore. The left side
was mountainous, the right was a space of water studded
with islands covered with the cactus, though there was
no earth upon them, and not standing room for two per
sons. The water between them was still and beautiful,
as if it knew no other form. On the summit of one of
the mountains on the left hand, amid rocks piled upon
each other fantastically, as if they had been the shuttle
cocks of giants, stood a noble fortress, as we thought,
but which proved to be a convent. Sometimes a fair
bay spread out its bosom, showing its shores covered
with dark green foliage, and the few white cottages at
its head lying peaceful and contented in an ocean of
beauty. Little rocks leaped up from the water on either
side, and woody points shelved down from the higher
mountains. It was the spot for poetry, and the way
worn traveller might well be pardoned for giving vent
to his feelings in verse, and thus filling up a page, more
ghajorum.

174 BRAZIL.
Lightly along our vessel goes,
Like seabird on the wing,
Through narrow streams, where fragrant blows
Each genial air of spring.
High on one side the mountains frown,
Rocks pile on rocks their head,
Whence many a streamlet dashes down,
Clear as a silver thread.
There at the top, midst rear'd np rocks,
An ancient building stands,
'Twould brave the tempest's fiercest shocks,
Or foes' presumptuous hands.
On th' other side low isles are seen,
Where green the cactus grows,
And where, beneath a leafy screen,
The humming-birds repose.
And rippling ocean blandly smiles
Where, in soft quiet, rest
The clusters thick of little isles
On her deceitful breast.
One rock, that stood at the mouth of one of these
bays, had a small white stone cross erected upon it. On
our inquiring the meaning of this, tradition, speaking
through the mouth ofthe pilot, informed us that, when
ever the slaves have a holiday, those who live at the
town of Victoria go to a village half-way down the river,
and make merry. It was no unusual thing for the slaves
to get drunk and quarrel— in fact, it was the regular
thing. It was no less usual for knives to be producedj:
and for one of the number to be killed. If, on this

FORTIFICATIONS. 175
tragical termination of the revel, the slayer could get
into his canoe, and reach the stone on which the cross
stood before being captured, he was safe by law, but if
taken before reaching this point, his life was forfeit.
This is a curious custom certainly, and reminds us of
the cities of refuge we read of in the Old Testament.
The sole fortifications that I noticed were two little
mud forts, mounting, I should imagine from their size,
six or eight guns each. These did not seem to promise
any great safety, as a sixty-eight pound shot well
pitched, would knock fort, walls, and every thing to that
unknown region which Yankees call immortal smash.
Now we went close under the shadow of the lofty Pan
d'Azucar, through a narrow channel, our studding-sail
booms all but grazing the rocks on each side. Next
minute we opened the harbour and town, off which we
anchored in four fathoms. Though there were some fine
buildings in this town, amongst which the governor's
palace (?) is most conspicuous, its general appearance is
any thing but flourishing. Most of the houses are small,
dirty, and insignificant, while the larger buildings are
going speedily to decay.
Half-way down the river lies a village, called the old
town, in which the chief articles manufactured heres
cotton hammocks namely, are to be bought more cheaply
than elsewhere. The kindness of one of my former

176 BRAZIL.
messmates enables me to give the following account ofi
the manufactory, which the unkindness of the doctor
disenabled me from visiting: —
. . . . " A party of us went down to the old
town, situated on the right bank of the river, about a
mile from the entrance ; beneath the convent, and at the :
head of a beautiful little bay. There are extensive
manufactures of the Brazilian cotton hammocks here,
and we entered several houses in search of some. A
stock was soon produced at prices varying from three ;
to six and eight milrees. The impatience of the party:
for a ramble prevented me from making many observa
tions respecting their manufacture; but from what was
seen, the process appeared very simple. The frames
were about seven feet long by three wide; and the
material was South American unbleached cotton, very.
strong. " Having at length succeeded in concluding our bar
gains to our satisfaction, we started for the convent, that
towered above us. The road from the village led through
a small wood in a zigzag course, and, by the remnants
of paving, showed evident signs that formerly much,
more care had been bestowed upon it, than it is now in
the habit of receiving. The position of the convent is
very conspicuous, and, as it is situated on the pinnacle of
a high hill,, a view from it takes in a long range of coast

WHAT IS TRUTH ? 17/
from north to south. On the river side the hill is
almost perpendicular, but on the land side it slopes away
to an extensive and well-wooded plain, which extends
for miles along the south eastern coast, and is met some
few miles inland by a range of fertile hills.
" The convent itself contained little worthy of notice "
(I am ashamed of you, O heretical messmate ! for giving
vent to such a sentiment). "The chapel was small,
though possessing an organ, and the establishment was
used for nuns of the coloured race, none of whom were
visible to us heretics."
Though my messmate saw none of these inmates of
the convent, some of the youngest boys, who landed
under the supervision of the master-at-arms, stated that
they fell in with some of them in a primitive state of
clothing. But it must be remembered that these boys
were Protestants, and Protestants can never tell the
truth, even when they have no motive for doing other
wise. These boys had been probably educated in lying
from their cradles, and might not know that all saints
are virtuous, or might venture to cast a stigma upon the
holiness of " His -Holiness."
When I first landed in the town of Victoria, I found
it invaded by a party of drunken seamen, whose faces I
easily recognised. Leave had been granted to our men,
the consequences of which may be readily imagined.

178 BRAZIL.
Some were reeling about the town wildly, others sat at
the corners of the streets, like mourners lamenting over
the follies and vices of the age, and affording strikino-
texts for their own meditations. After looking into
some of the shops, and finding a pitiable want of solids
of every kind, and an equally pitiable abundance of
fluids, we sallied into the country, emerging from the
filthy streets, like butterflies from their primitive fast
nesses, from all the miseries of a Brazilian town to all
the freshness of a Brazilian country. The breeze brooded
softly over the fragrant meadow, and rustled musically
through the woodland, kissing the- tresses of the trees,
and bearing on its wings the purest delights. We
passed up a grassy slope, and came to a wood, through
which we pursued the even tenor of our way. We
were in such a maze of beauty that we could scarce stop
to notice the broad leaves, firm and unbending as swords,
their lower parts tinted with the most delicate red, that
rose on each side of the path. Beyond this copse, we
stopped in a meadow, on the brow of a hill, and surveyed
from thence the river, meandering in graceful curves
through the valley, its countless ripples flashing back the
sun's rays, while houses grouped along its banks, set off
by green shrubs and bushes in wanton luxuriance.
" Such things as make deep silence in the heart,
If or thought to do her part."

COTTON HAMMOCKS. 179
In this meadow was a cottage, at which we stopped
to procure some drink. A woman, a boy, and a dog,
were the sole inhabitants. The latter, after barking at
and biting me, disappeared into the background ; the
two former were more courteous. The boy got us
a cocoa-nut from a tree near the house, knocking the
nut down by means of a long pole. At the foot of the
tree stood a rock, on which the delicate tracery of the
leaves above was minutely and carefully reflected.
On another rock, several ears of Indian corn were
basking in the sun. The outer skin of the ears is used
by the Brazilians for the formation of cigarettes, tobacco
being rolled up in them, just as in Turkey it is rolled up
in thin leaves of paper.
Having now enjoyed the country sufficiently, we
were better qualified for exploring the town. We
walked up by the governor's residence, and met that
identical potentate, a stout little gentleman, in a blue
coat and brass buttons. We went through the grass-
grown square, that had unmistakeably run to seed, and
entered some shops in search of cotton hammocks and
Brazilian lace. I managed to get a cotton hammock,
smaller certainly and dearer than it would have been
at the manufactory, but not therefore to be despised.
Stories about the lace had been in circulation. A
lieutenant had brought some of very fine quality on

180 BRAZIL.
board, which he was pleased to consider a bargain, and
one which would have an effect on somebody in
England. If the said somebody was as much skilled in
lace as might be expected of one of the fair sex, she
would soon detect that the specimen of Brazilian
manufacture had been made in England, and exported
to the Brazils. She would then ask the price of it per
yard, and inform her travelled acquaintance that the
same lace could be bought at Messrs. Bobbins' establish
ment for one-fourth of what he paid for it at Espiritu
Santo. Sometimes we learn more at home about the
places we have visited, than we did when actually in
the very places, with all our eyes open, and our ears at
full stretch. We found the Brazilian lace remarkably,
coarse, and that any of good quality came from England.
The shopmen, having no motives for concealing these
particulars, informed us freely which lace was English.
It may seem curious to a nation of shopkeepers, but
it is yet a fact, that Brazilians have rather a repug
nance to the trouble of selling. No Brazilian John
Gilpin would have alighted from his horse, at the sight
of two customers. In England, if you ask for some
article that is not on sale, the shopman presses you to
buy something else, which he considers a fit substitute.
In Brazil, if you ask for any thing that is on sale, the
;shopman presses you to ask for something else, which he

FESTIVITIES. 181
does not keep, that he may save himself the trouble of
serving you.
Through the agency of some small ragged boys,
whose hearts were opened by the present of a vinten
each, we procured some fowls and eggs, with which we
returned on board, to find a party of guests assembled.
Such a fashionable proceeding could not lack its votes
sacer, who accordingly, under the title of "our own cor
respondent," gave the following account ofthe ceremony,
which duly appeared in some newspaper.
FESTIVITIES AT ESPIRITU SANTO.
(From our own Correspondent.)
Yesterday a party, consisting of some of the elite of
this town, went on board the English war steamer at the
invitation of her captain. After partaking of a repast,
served in the noble milor's apartment with great splen
dour, the party proceeded to the upper deck, where an
awning decorated with flags overcanopied their heads.
Music now struck up, and the guests betook themselves
to the noble sport of dancing. The gallant captain
called on one of the young officers ofthe ship to take part
in the dance, by taking the hand of a young lady ; but
this invitation the ungallant young officer declined,
excusing himself politely, and without any use of the*
English national exclamation. Evidently the Britishers

182 BRAZIL.
had put on their best manners in welcoming us on board,
for I did not hear the national oath of God dam once
during my visit. It is in such general use, that a
learned Englishman has published a work, showing
that it is uttered once every five minutes by every
man, woman, and child in Great Britain. This is
certainly astounding. I noticed a group of midshipmen
standing apart from the dancers, conversing with a
small dark page, whose attire was handsome, consisting
of a glazed hat with a gold band, a blue jacket with
yellow buttons, and a pair of top-boots. An elderly
lady was noticed with peculiar attention by these mid
shipmen, and I understand that some rumours were in
circulation concerning her age, some midshipmen assert
ing her to be thirty-two, others only eighteen. By
special information of a peculiar character, I am enabled
to state that the latter conjecture was correct ; but as
our ladies grow old when quite young, comparatively
speaking, and as this lady had a son aged four, and a
second child of tenderer years, the former guess should
be by no means considered ill founded.
The dancing over, the sailors on the forecastle enter
tained the company with some songs, one of which
being the request of a certain negro to a certain dam-;
eel named Susannah, that she would refrain from tears
on his account, as he was going a journey on hers, had

OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. 183
a striking effect, as all the sailors joined in each chorus.
The life of the chief singer is somewhat remarkable, as
he had once appeared on the stage. In my next letter, I
purpose to commence a biography of this remarkable man.
The company now returned to the shore, the popular
and high-spirited captain causing blue lights to be
burned and rockets to be thrown up, that light might
shine upon the benighted guests as they returned to
the shore. The fire-works flung a glare upon the build
ings that stood close to the water's edge, and lighted up
the faces of the wonder-struck peasants, who thronged
the streets all agape with wonder. As I climbed up
behind my lady's carriage, I could not refrain from cast
ing a farewell look at the vessel, to the detriment of my
silk stockings, that had been put on clean for the occa
sion, and were now unsightly from mud splashes.
To-day the BrazUian steamer " Maria " arrived here,
and has been busy taking in wood, which is used
generally by Brazilian steamers instead of coal, which
would be too expensive. Her captain and the governor
of Espiritu Santo were on bad terms, which accounts
for the absence of the governor from our festivities.
The next morning I landed early, with some of my
messmates, for an excursion up the river. It was then
about five in the morning, and was raining furiously.

184 BRAZIL,
While the others went to look for a canoe, I hoisted my-»
self, with a gun and basket of provisions, into a ruinous
house, having one room completely to myself. The rest
of the house seemed closed and inhabited ; the room I
occupied was open on one side by the absence of the
wall, and had sundry cavities in its floor. The rain, how
ever, did not penetrate. I saw my messmates wander
ing disconsolately about the streets, that shone with rain,
and presently a Brazilian came to prepare a canoe, in
which we lodged ourselves and our provisions, when the
weather had moderated somewhat. - We then started
up the river, five people with four paddles. The
Brazilian took his station in the stern as steerer, and
guided the canoe a mile out of her way, going on the
wrong side of an island, that he might entice us to an inn,
where he expected to be treated. When the canoe came
near the white house at the corner of a creek, he pointed to
it, and exclaimed " Bono venda la !" We were up to his
wiles, and refused to go thither. Excelsior ! was our cry.
On went the canoe, sweeping up the river, her occu
pants standing up and paddling manfully. In our desire
for safety and steadiness, we had procured rather a
heavy canoe, and could not urge her to such speed as
we desiredl This, however, was no serious fault, a
lighter canoe would probably have been overturned,
which would have led to the loss of our gun, and other

excelsior! 185'
valuables. At last, being caught in a shower, we made
for the shore, and took refuge in a hut, placing the
basket Of provisions in an adjoining shed.
Having breakfasted off cold meat, we proceeded to
prepare an immediate luncheon of ham and eggs. The
owner of the hut was indemnified for any trouble we
might cause him by a wine glass of raw rum, which he
swallowed with a look of comic ecstasy, jumping and
whistling with joy. The fire in the hut was too large,
and the smoke crept into our eyes, stinging like
myriads of gnats. Under such circumstances, we could
not attain to any excellence of cookery; but there is
always something sweeter in what you have cooked
yourself, than in the choicest efforts of a cordon bleu.
Not that this pleasure would always last ; but there is
the same inspiration in your first cooking, as in your
• st poem. We had finished our meal, and the rain was
just over, when some more respectable men came by,
who were engaged in building a house on the shore.
These all wore long knives in their girdles, and had per
haps used them for less innoxious purposes than chopping
wood. The trees and paths were still glistering with
rain, and pearls were scattered plentifully over every
bush. Two of our party struck into a path for the pur
pose of shooting, but soon returned, and we shoved off
again, and held on straight up the stream. As we

186 BRAZIL.
went, we had occasional shots at passing birds, paddling
up some stagnant creek, with low bushes growing out of
the fertile mud, in chase of a feathered fugitive, or land*
ing on the rocky shores, and firing from under cover, at
the blue and red bentivees that dodged us from branch
to branch.
We landed soon after on an island, and ascended to
a large house, which we found peopled by negroes, from
whom we bought some eggs and bananas. Plenty of
fowls were wandering about ; but these were not for sale,
as no owner could be found. The eggs and bananas
were placed in our frying-pan with some ham, and a
fire having been lighted, the room was soon full of
smoke. On a sudden the sea breeze sprung up, and
burst into the room, sending the shutters banging
against each other, and dashing in and out alternately.
The smoke, bewildered and not able to get out of the win
dow, being met by the flying shutters and driven back
into the room, took refuge in our eyes. The trees bent
and surged beneath the blast, and the river broke furi
ously on the rocks below the house. In the midst of
this breeze, having seen to the safety of our canoe, we
proceeded quietly with our dinner. The pilot of our
boat informed us, with his mouth full, that these negroes
were " contrabanda," in vvhat way he did not ex
plain.

BIRDS OF MANY FEATHERS. 187
As we went down to the beach to re-embark, a large
canoe passed under sail, flying up the river with wonder
ful speed. The breeze and tide being against us, and
both very strong, we could not steer straight down the
river, but made a tack to the opposite bank, the canoe
pitching over the waves like a three-decker in the Bay
of Biscay. Reaching the other side we found ourselves
among marshes, where the trees were covered with
oysters, that had been wafted into their branches by the
tide. Here we caught a glimpse of some swans, but
they were too shy to allow of a near approach.
We gave chase to another canoe, that was entering
the creek, and,, coming near it, saw the occupants so
frightened at our approach that they ran their vessel
aground. The water here was dark and muddy, and
the long branches of the mangroves joined over our
heads in a triumphant arch. We beached the canoe in
a small side creek, and stepped on shore over some
planks, that preserved us from an abyss of black mud.
Walking up a hill we came to a factory, whence was a
good view of the town and the winding river. Here
some widow birds were shot, and a small bentivee, brown
and unpretending in appearance, but possessing a
variegated crest of red and yellow feathers, that he
could erect at pleasure. When the sun shone on him,
and his crest glittered and danced in the light, you for-

188 BRAZIL.
got his brown, ill-favoured body, and gave him due
admiration. The widow birds attracted the attention.
of our sportsmen from a long distance by their glqssy
black plumage, possessing in some degree the same
power of fascination as their namesakes in the human
race. A day or two after this we sailed from Espiritu Santo.,
A swell was rolling into the river as we went down,.
and the small islands, on whose appearance I commented
so poetically on our ascent, were now only visible for an
instant as the sea retired from them, or were indicated
by broken water. A small coaster was at anchor half
way down the river, pitching heavily, while her deck?
was a scene of true mercantile confusion.
When outside the river we discharged the pilot and
his bill, and steamed off to the south-westward.
The authorities at Espiritu Santo seem to be un
favourable to the slave trade. Two vessels were lying,
off the town that had been but recently seized with
slaves on board. One of these was a Kabenda boat
built on, whose burden certainly did not exceed thirty
tons, but whicli had brought one hundred and eighty
slaves in her hold from the coast of Africa !

GUARAPABL 189

CHAPTEE XVI.
GUARAPARI — WOMEN OF THE COUNTRY — NEC VOX HOMINEM SONAT
¦ — THE CANE — BENEVENTE — LINE OF COAST — PIUMA — ITABA-
POAMA — ITAPEMIRIM — ASSASSINATION.
Between Espiritu Santo and Rio Janeiro, Guarapari
is the town of greatest importance. It is situated on a
river that discharges, itself into a bay, and the same
name attaches itself to bay, river, and town. The
anchorage in the bay is unpleasant, owing to the swell
that is continually setting in, never ending, still begin
ning. This town was, till lately, famous for its extensive
patronage of the slave trade. The boats of the Harpy
succeeded in cutting out a slaver up the river, in spite
of a vigorous resistance from townsmen and the crew
of the slaver. No part of the town is visible from the
bay, and even on nearing the mouth of the river, only a
few huts appear. Signs of decay greet you on all sides.
The church and convent stand on a high promontory at
the river's entrance, and are both much dilapidated. The
convent especially is overgrown with weeds and shrubs,
which attain to a great height within its walls. There

1 90 BRAZIL.
are no flowers there now. Beside these two buildings
stands a very high palm-tree, which, being the sole one
upon the promontory, is conspicuous for a long distance,:-
and serves tb indicate the situation of Guarapari to
vessels bound for that port.
As soon as the bar of the river, on which the depth
of water is about three fathoms, is crossed, you suddenly
open the town, on the eastern or seaward side, and the
harbour with a shipbuilding establishment, where small
coasters are generally in the process of construction.
The river, which is not more than 300 feet in width,
stretches to the southward parallel to the sea-shorfi|
and the town is situated on the neck of land between
the river and the sea.
On our first visit to Guarapari, a long narrow canoe,
manned by two paddling Brazilians, came climbing over
the billows towards us. The canoes in these regions are
far narrower and longer than those of Ilha Grande, and
their bow is sharper, the bow of the southern canoes
being bluff and flat. When this canoe came alongside,
the men had much difficulty in keeping her safely by
the ladder, while the ship was in such motion. Shouts
and yells went from stern to bow, and were again re
turned with interest from bow to stern.
" Pueri nautis, pueris convicia nautse
Ingerere."

" NO ADMITTANCE." 191
When the boat was safely fastened, one man came up
with two boxes of eggs, and some miserable half-starved
fowls. These were bought readily enough, and, by the
time the canoe had returned to the shore, the eggs were
all found to be rotten and old, two qualities almost
synonymous. I cannot blame the man for selling us
such things. He must have known that in England we
only honour what is old and useless.
Later in the day, when some officers landed, they
came across this man, who immediately took to his heels
in all the terrors of a guilty conscience, thinking no
doubt that a deputation from the ship had come to
demand his "body, that they might hang him, hanging
being the common punishment in England for every
crime. On our next visit to Guarapari, we proceeded to
search out the lions of the place ourselves, the only
cicerone being the governor, who was attending the
captain. In a small bye-street we came to an open
door, over which there was no board put up to warn us
that " No admittance" was allowed except on business.
We peeped in, which was quite natural on our part. If
people will leave doors open, what can they expect?
We saw nothing but a few children playing on the floor,
and a magnificent cotton hammock suspended from the
roof, tenantless. We departed immediately, but not

192 BRAZIL.
without drawing down upon usvthe most terrible conse
quences. As we emerged from the premises, we met an old
woman, who commenced jabbering at us as unmercifully
as if she was endowed with the nature of thirty turkey-
cocks. Luckily she was partly human, not altogether
diabolical, and the Httle human nature she had, appeared
in the loss of breath after a long jabber. But no sooner
had she stopped than the discourse was taken up by an
old man, who seemed fit to be her husband, and whom
I wish no worse fate than that. Discourse it could
hardly be called, where they had all the talking, and we
had all the listening, the latter being the hardest part
to sustain. The husband followed on the same side as
his spouse, but soon showed the natural inferiority of
man to woman. Before he had finished his wife began
again, heading a chorus of women of various ages, and
voices rising in cadence from the full scream of maturity
to the cracked yell of old age. Unconscious of our
crime, we strolled away, the chorus coming behind, and
still keeping up their melodious song. At last a man
came panting up, and made frantic bounds and blows at
us, swearing and shouting maniacally. Of course, our
sole resource was to swear and shout in return, which
we did most meritoriously till the foe retired.
We next made the acquaintance of a smiling and

A SCHOOLMASTER. 193
gracious personage, who beckoned us to come to his
house. He was very cordial towards us, and spoke
with amiable frankness; yet his face seemed insincere,
and exactly resembled that of Simon Renard, in G. C.'s
illustrations of The Tower of London. But this insin
cerity was easily explained away by a reference to his
position. He was, in fact, the schoolmaster of the town,
one of those worthy gentlemen we are so constantly
hearing about — the schoolmasters abroad. He showed
us all his schooling implements, the board for summing,
and the ferule for drumming, from which execrable
implement even Brazil is not free. Brazilians therefore
may claim an affinity with the rest of the world by quoting
that half line of Juvenal, that ought to act as a sign of
freemasonry, and unite all who could say truly of them
selves in an indissoluble bond,
" Bt nos ergo manum ferulae subduximus."
This schoolmaster spoke a little English and had an
English and Portuguese Dictionary and Grammar,
which he showed us, and by the aid of which he trans
lated a few sentences. Reading a Portuguese sentence,
signifying "My wife is here," he thus construed it —
"May wum-man ees he-ar."
In a shop, which had shutters made of cane and
wicker-work, to serve the purpose of windows, I was

194 BRAZIL.
buying some oranges, when an old woman came in for
some aqua ardente. I suppose she was about forty years
of age, yet her face was the most wrinkled and hideous
I have ever seen. A woman of eighty in England would
be beautiful in comparison with this hag. But the
tropical climate, which develops women at fourteen,
makes them old long before their time.
In another shop there was an ill-looking Puritanical
man, resembling a temperance lecturer, or the immortal
Mr. Stiggins in the Pickwick Papers, by the late
lamented Mr. Boz, who kept guard over his pretty wife
while she attended to the concerns of the shop. I
bought a turkey here, and other turkeys were bought
at other shops. They were all so quiet that we con
cluded, remembering the adventure of the morning, that
the turkeys of Guarapari had made over their voices to
the females of the said town, and had received their
beauty in exchange.
We will now proceed to give an account of the other
notabilities of this coast in the guide-book style.
BENEVENTE.
The bay of Benevente is wide, shallow, and exposed.
Vessels which drawmore than ten feet water, cannot come
within a mile of the shore, but may anchor some distance
off in four and a half fathoms, bringing the last point to

LINE OF COAST. 195
bear E.S. E., and the most conspicuous house in the
town N. by E.
The town is situated at the right side of the mouth
of a river, which here empties itself into the sea. It
was mostly a low situation, with the exception of the
church, and a building attached to it, which apparently
has been a monastery, though the lower part is now
converted into a prison. The other part of the town
being almost on a level with the river, the thoroughfares,
which at one time might have been partly paved, are
now a succession of stagnant pools of what at one time
might have been water. A great number of the houses
are in a sad state of dilapidation, some being the remains
of fine buildings, with blinds, shutters, and carved wood
work. Several small vessels are on the stocks here, and man)'-
coasters trade with the produce of the farms up the
river. Stock is plentiful, and can easily be obtained;
but, as it is brought up from the country, a day's notice
is requisite. The river is navigable for canoes upwards
of two miles above the town, and good shooting is to be
had on its banks. At the last point of the bay is a reef,
called the "Cormorant Patch," from the Cormorant
steamer having struck there.
The line of coast between Cape St. Thome and
Guarapari is low; but forty miles inland is a range of

196 BRAZIL.
mountains, of most grotesque shape and figure. Be
tween these hills and the coast are large forests of fine
wood, principally rosewood, inhabited by Indians,
living in a state of barbarity. It is said that they
now and then marry among the settled natives, and in
some seasons they visit the farms for work, being
chiefly repaid by cashaca, a spirituous decoction of
the country, similar to aqua ardente. We may, how
ever, infer that these savages do not always visit the
civilized country with such amicable motives, but are
frequently allured by the hopes of plunder. The in
habitants of the sea-coast live principally on fish, and
when our men-of-war were cruising in these parts for
the suppression of the slave trade, the people were in
distress, being deterred from putting to sea in their
canoes by the proximity ofthe steamers. Oranges and
bananas, however, are here found in abundance, and on
them the Brazilians can manage to subsist, without
other food. PIUMA.
A small village, on a little stream, lies near to Bene-
vente, and is remarkable as supplying plenty of rose
wood, which can be purchased cheaply.
Off the mouth of the Piuma river lies the small island
of Franceza, from whose east end extends a reef of rocks,
under whose lee shelter may be obtained by any vessel

ITABAPOAMA. 197
desirous of anchoring. Sand may be got here, and
men-of-war have discovered that it is a favourable place
for firing at a target with their great guns. Another
good anchorage is off the " Three Red Cliffs," which form
a conspicuous break in the dun colour that stretches
right and left. At the foot of these cliffs, at the back of
the sandy beach, is a small wood, amongst whose trees
several huts are discernible. There is also a shoal
with two and a half fathoms on its shallowest part off
these cliffs, the bearings of which are as follows : —
Large White House on the top of Red Cliffs, S.W. by
W. four miles.
Two remarkable hills (represented in the log by an
undecided scrawl, and a blot at each end) N.W.
byN. ITABAPOAMA.
A village also on a river, with a large house near the
bar. The anchorage is in latitude 21° 23' south, and
longitude 40° 51' 30" west. Bearings, large house
S.W. i S. two miles. Outer reef S.E. by E. two miles.
Point of Red Cliffs N.E. by N. The shoals are about six
miles west from the large house. Inside this, river
a fore-and-aft schooner lay» She had landed 160 slaves
the other day, and was at once seized by the govern
ment authorities, who inhabit the large house by the
bar. She was somewhat larger than many slavers, in

198 BRAZIL.
proportion to the number of slaves she had brought
over. ITAPEMIRIM.
A village of some size, situated a mile or two up a
river. It is chiefly remarkable owing to the state
of civilisation within, which shows that the simplicity
of a country retreat cannot always ensure peace
and good-will. While walking with the governor
of the village, the captain saw an unfinished house. He
immediately stopped to survey it with a melodramatic
start. Dreary and desolate it looked, as though its
every brick knew the crime that had retarded its pro
gress, which not all the wailings and agonized howls of
its chimney in a high wind could ever hope to reveal.
There was something ghastly and awful in the mere con
templation of this incomplete workmanship. Did the
wind breathe softly ? It was but out of commiseration
for the unhappy builder ; it was only a plaintive lament
for his sudden fate. Was the wind silent? It yet seemed
to brood softly over that spot, and to cradle itself to
sleep in that heap of mortar that mouldered in the
corner. Did the storm rage, and the lightning flash ;
did the thunder roar, and the rain volley down its
largest drops? They all fell upon that house with motives
no mortal can describe. The desolate pleadings of the
dumb bricks, the roaring and whistling of the chimney,

ASSASSINATION. 199
all showed that somethmg had been done there that
might jar upon the ear, and choke the frozen speech.
Why was this house unfinished ?
" Oh, yes!" said the governor coolly, "that belongs
to a man who was knifed the other day."
" Knifed ! what was the reason?"
" I really don't know; nothing particular I believe,
though ; some slight provocation, or other. They are
dreadful fellows about here; without exception, the
most bloodthirsty I ever met."
After such a specimen, the governor's statement was
not difficult to believe.

200 BRAZIL.

CHAPTER XVII.

BOARDING EXPERIENCES — REGULAR SLAVERS, SIR ! — OUR FIRST PRIZE
— THE MAGANO — REASONS POR HER CAPTURE — TO ST. HELENA,
AND BACK — SECOND PRIZE — ON THE LOOK OUT FOR MORE —
DUCHESS ANNE — BARQUE LADEN WITH WOOL.
Elsewhere I have described the real state ofthe
slave trade, as opposed to the ideal. This chapter must
be devoted to our boarding experiences.
Strictly speaking, the Geyser made no captures on
the coast of Brazil. We certainly sent one vessel to
St. Helena, and detained another for three days; but
the first returned uncondemhed, and we found it ad
visable to release the second after a short detention.
No prize money awaited us on our return home.
Although, when we first began to cruise, we had
gained some little experience as to the decline of the
slave trade, we had yet a notion that many vessels
might be found of a suspicious nature, and believed
that the guilty would lay themselves open to discovery
by showing the white feather on our approach. Conse
quently, whenever we saw a vessel steering in an irregu
lar manner, and keeping to no fixed course, we were

BOARDING EXPERIENCES. 201
instantly certain of her guilt. We never looked to the
real cause, the lack of wind. We would have it, that
the indecision in the steerage of the vessel was caused
by her captain's indecision as to the course she ought
to steer. We considered the helm an index of the
captain's mind. Nothing could well have been more
absurd than this notion. The captains of slavers are
generally too clever to have any affinity with the
materials of which their vessels are built, though in the
navy that is an everyday occurrence.
At first, we committed the mistake of boarding only
the handsome vessels, and passing the unsightly ones
without notice. Such a policy might have succeeded a
few years back, but in our time it was too antiquated.
When sailing ships were employed against the slave
trade, it was naturally the policy of shipowners to send
out their fastest and handsomest craft, that the men-of-
war could not overtake. But when steamers came into
play, the owners knew well that in point of speed the
men-of-war had the best, and moreover, in a calm, the
finest clipper would be overtaken by the slowest steamer.
Calculating on all this, they employ their poorest vessels,
which would not be liable to much suspicion, and if
taken would not be so valuable as the handsomer
ships. More on this subject in another chapter.
While we went about, boarding all the yacht-like

202 BRAZIL.
brigs and schooners that came in our way, the Brazilian
steamer " Maria " captured under our very nose a poor
unpretending vessel, which happened to contain a cargo
of slaves. The truth is, we acted as many people act
in real life. We made a rule to suspect every body, and
did suspect every body, with the slight exception of
those who deserved suspicion. We fell with all our
indignation upon innocent Mr. Burchell, leaving his
nephew to run off with our daughter unheeded.
Two vessels there were that especially fell under our
suspicion. These were two sister ships, the Maria
Isabella, and the Principe oV Alfonso, the first being a
brig, the second a brigantine. They both sailed well,
and were beautiful models of building. The brig had a
batten nailed round her hold. I shall have occasion to
revert to her foreign flags, and a large brass cooking
tin. The brigantine had sweeps, and foreign ensigns.
Both were declared to be suspicious, but not sufficiently
so to be captured. We had many conversations about
them in many midshipmen's berths, and finally con
cluded that neither of the vessels were as yet slavers,
but that they were only waiting for a chance to go over
to the coast. " Tolle periclnm
Jam vaga prosiliet frsenis natura remotis."
Take away the men-of-war from their cruising grounds,

OUR FIRST PRIZE. 203
and at once these two sister ships will take to the slave
trade. Our First Prize ! There seems some magic in these
words. What a title for a tale ! You might depict in
glowing colours the first sight of the strange sail, the
headlong chase, the wild excitement, the intense strain
ing of all eyes throughout the night as you tried to
catch a glimpse of that white canvass, the first gun, the
mast shot away, and so on, till your foot stood on the
deck of the slaver, and you captured her in the name of
Her Britannic Majesty. Such would be a fit subject
for romance. But I grieve to say there is very little
opening for romance on the Brazilian coast. Our first
capture was on this wise.
We came up one morning with a brig, and sent the
second lieutenant on board to search her. During this
process he stumbled upon a slave shackle, which led to
a more rigid investigation. Finally, the captain deter
mined to send her to St. Helena for adjudication, and
a prize-master and crew were selected to go in charge.
The vessel that had thus fallen into our hands was the
Brazilian brig "Magano," from Rio Grande de San
Pedro to Rio Janeiro, and her cargo consisted of hides,
tallow, grease, jerked beef, and horse-hair.
C  , a master's assistant, who had served on the
coast, and had been sent from thence to St. Helena and

204 BRAZIL.
Sierra Leone on the same errand as the present, was
selected to act as prize-master. The philanthropy of
his messmates knew no bounds. Every one was ready
to lend him every thing. Pistols, watches, and sextants
were pressed upon him from all quarters, and of course
he did not outrage the feelings of his messmates by
declining. A large bunch of bananas, that had lately
adorned our dingui, was now transferred to the Magano's
quarter. The crew of the Magano, with the exception of the
captain, mate, and cook, were now shifted to the Geyser.
I took the opportunity of going on board the prize, in
the cutter that was continually passing and repassing.
She was a trim vessel with a sharp bow, promising to be
a quick sailer. Her after cabin was so full of goods,
that bunks for the officers were erected on each side of
the quarter-deck. Her long-boat, that was stowed on
the booms, was full of onions, to which some of our men
helped themselves. It has always been considered fair
for the captors of any vessel to help themselves to some
of their cargo. On the coast of Africa, when an empty
slaver is seized, the bags of beans she had on board, i
serve to make soup for the various messes of the man-
of-war. Sometimes even more valuable commodities
have been seized. As a general rule, I believe, captains
object to things falling into the hands of the midshipmen,

THE MAGANO. 205
and remove temptation out of their youngsters' reach
by the simplest possible method. The captain and
mate of the Magano were reclining on the cover of
the after-hatchway, with the remains of a dark-green
melon beside them. The captain addressed some
grumblings to me, as was only natural for a man in his
position. Meanwhile, on board the Geyser, the master was
measuring the log-line and glass of the Magano; and, as
an old man, was giving excellent advice about steering
and pilotage, which C  , as a young man, was not
likely to follow.
Soon all was finished, and the Magano, with Captain
C  giving orders, made all sail, and careered onward
proudly, with the English ensign floating above the
Brazilian. This demonstration was received with appro
bation by the middies, but not by the captain, who
called it an insult to a defenceless people. Of course it
was ; who would ever be fool enough to offer an insult
to any that could resent it % I do not think that the
Brazilian captain of the Magano would have been much
insulted by this sign of victory. He took the capture
of his vessel coolly, and looked probably on the hoisting
of the two ensigns as a mere boyish show-off.
After an absence of nearly five months, the prize
crew returned in the English brigantine " Sanspareil," ,

206 BRAZIL.
and we heard that the Magano was not con
demned. Not having a chronometer, their passage to St.
Helena occupied fifty days, twenty more than the aver
age time of passages ; and for much of that time the
crew had to subsist on farina, a dry unsatisfying food,
all their government supplies being exhausted. At St.
Helena, the Magano was strenuously defended. The
black cook ran away, and, when brought back, confessed
that the Magano's original object was to go into Rio
Janeiro, sell her cargo, procure a chronometer, and get
Other things necessary for the coast, which was her final
destination. But evil purposes were not considered
equivalent to evil actions by the court; and, as the judge
had recently condemned a vessel on equally trivial
grounds, he thought it only fair that the owners should
have the verdict this time, and acquitted the Magano
accordingly. But, as the owners were not entirely free
from guilt, he ordered them to pay the expenses of the
voyage to St. Helena, the living there, and their
return. Now for our second prize. She was the Brazilian
fore-and-aft schooner Improviso from St. Catherine's to
Rio, laden with farina. One of her men told the captain,,-
that underneath all this a slave-deck lay concealed, and
she was detamed till the truth of this rumour should be-

SECOND PRIZE. 207 '
ascertained. We scarcely expected so small a vessel to
go over to the coast of Africa, and thought she was
waiting to provision and equip some one that was larger
and more seaworthy. In order to get hold of this other
also, we removed the Improviso's crew, and sent our first
lieutenant and gunner with eight seamen to take their
places. We armed her with a six-pounder howitzer
and some muskets. To make themselves unlike men-
of-war's men, which merely required the slightest change
of dress, as, but for that, nobody would have mistaken
them for seamen, the men who accompanied the first
lieutenant dressed themselves in the most outlandish
garb, with garments looking more like theatrical pro
perties than real dress. One suffered martyrdom in a
tight jacket with coloured sleeves. In fact, they seemed
equipped for an amateur pantomime.
One of the men whom we had taken from the
Improviso spoke a little English, and I went through a
course of study with him. I pointed to some part of
the ship, and gave its English name, he responded with
its Portuguese title. We boxed the compass alternately
in English and Portuguese. It is strange how many
words you can' pick up in this manner. During the
three days that the Improviso was detained, I had sundry
| conversations with this seaman ; but the day came on
which we had to restore her men, and dismiss her,

208 BRAZIL.
having found no slave-deck, or any thing to justify her
further detention. I am sorry to say the words I had
learnt from the Brazilian did not remain with me much
longer. One of our objects, while cruising to the southward of
Rio de Janeiro, was to look out for a barque named the
Tentativa. One clay we fell in with a barque steering "
towards the shore with two Brazilian brigantines of war
in chase ; of course we took this vessel to be the Tenta
tiva, and were greatly disappointed, on boarding her, to
find that she was the French barque "Duchess Anne,"
from Peru to Falmouth with copper. The captain was
ill, and the ship leaky. We offered medicine and
assistance, the first gratuitous, the latter to be paid for,
as coming under the head of salvage. As might be
expected, the first was, in editorial language, so fatal to
young and unknown contributors, "thankfully accepted,"
the second was "respectfully declined."
As we were nearing the harbour of Rio Janeiro one
morning, we met a remarkably fine vessel coming out,
pitching slowly over the swells. On our approach she
hove to, and we sent a boat to search her, with the
second lieutenant and gunner. Meanwhile we midship
men gazed at her attentively. She was a Portuguese
brig, and had evidently been bought from the navy into '
the merchant service. She was well built, and more'

ON THE LOOK OUT. 209
solid and substantial than the average run of traders to
the Brazils, always excepting the English and other
north country ships. We did not fail to notice the
absence of any main boom, and remarked that she had
dead-eyes and mizen-chains ready fitted; so that, if
desirable, she could easily transform herself into a
barque. She had also a look-out man in each top, which
was quite superfluous.
Our boat soon returned, and the gunner reported
that she had two large tanks of .water in her hold, each
containing eight or ten tons of water; four leaguers
(large casks) also for water ; a great quantity of plank,
partly fitted for a slave-deck ; much firewood ; several
casks and cases that might contain cooking utensils ;
while the captain's cabin was very coarsely furnished,
and could the more easily be converted into a female
slave-room. If such were facts, the vessel must have been a slaver,
and the gunner, who had some knowledge of the slave
trade, and had served much of his time on the coast of
Africa, stated that, if ever he had seen a slaver, this
vessel was one. It was urged on the contrary, in her
¦ " ' defence, by the second lieutenant, that she was the
Portuguese brig " Xaelam," bound from Rio to Bombay ;
that her papers were quite regular ; that she had thirty-
six Lascars on board, and a mule in the hold, which

210 BRAZIL.
would require a great quantity of water on the voyage.
Probably the mule had been taken as a blind, and it
could be pitched overboard when they had got some
way across. "Besides," added the lieutenant, "she's
too good for a slaver ! " Acting on this suggestion, the
captain allowed the vessel to proceed on her way,
to  ?
One evening, near the island of St. Sebastian, we fell
in with a barque, that was careering about the ocean in
a most eccentric manner, now going before the wind,
and now close hauled. This of course excited our
suspicions, and we steered towards her, on which she
bore up and came down to us, the wind bearing us a
faint hail of " Steamer ! ahoy ! "
"What barque is that?" answered our captain.
" The William and Mary, English barque, bound from
Sydney to Rio."
"What's your cargo?"
"Wool!"The last answer produced an immense effect on board
the Geyser, and it was confidently asserted that the wool
was confined to the heads of certain ill-used personages
in her hold. This was only a myth, however, the
stranger being actually the William and Mary looking
for Rio, whose situation they did not know.
It must not be supposed, however, that these were the

DAILY DUTIES. 211
only vessels we boarded. Far from it. Almost daily,'
there was some ship in sight that we had to steam along
side, scrutinize carefully, hail, and sometimes board if
the intelligence we got by hailing was not enough to
satisfy us. A mere list of these " ships we boarded "
would be any thing but interesting. It would be as dull
to us who live at home in ease as a list of the scholars
of Mr. Thwackem's school at Caneton would be to a
New Zealander. It would be like the letters of a cer
tain midshipman, who, being asked to give a description
of the places he had seen, used to regale his fond parents
with their mere names, and, in some extraordinary cases,
their latitude and longitude. In this case, the filial im
perfections were easily passed over by parental fondness,
which no writer can look for from the public. No, I
must let these vessels sleep in the oblivion they deserved
for not being guilty. Had they been slavers, they
might have hoped for the vates sacer: as it was, they
were merely innocent, and what interest is there in
innocence ?

212 BRAZIL.

CHAPTER XVIII.
SMUGGLERS AND CUTTERS — SLAVE TRADE LAWS — LIEUTENANT SCALT
— HONESTY NOT ALWAYS THE BEST POLICY — SUFFERING FROM
TOO MUCH HEALTH — MIDSHIPMAN'S LOGIC — POOR DOCTOR !

.!

The poet, who asked for
" The bold, th' erect, and generous foe,
(Bold I might meet, perhaps might turn, his blow,)"
preferring him to a professed friend with insidious arts,
would find himself better suited, if desirous of suppress
ing the slave trade, on the coast of Africa than in the
Brazils. The Brazilian trade is like the fox in the fable,
with a thousand wiles; the African trade, resembling
the cat in the same fable, has only one plan to foUow,
and foUows it with a certain straightforwardness that
never crosses the Atlantic. Prince Henry differs not
more materially from Hal of Eastcheap, the boon com
panion of Falstaff, than does a slave-ship on the coast
of Africa from its double in Brazilian waters. When a
man-of-war heaves in sight, the African runs from it im
mediately : the Brazilian steers towards it to lull sus-

SLAVE-TRADE LAWS. 213
picion. There is so much greater variety of traffic on
the BrazUian coast, that many a slaver, too cunning to
attempt-flight, is passed by as a simple trader; whUe on
the African, where the chief trade is in slaves, suspi
cion attaches to aU vessels.
Possibly the prevalence of fraud and cunning among
the slave-traders, led to the introduction of those quali
ties into that portion of the navy whose duty it is to
stop slave vessels on the high seas, and to lighten them
of their human cargo. Sharp practices, which were
originated by those who break the law, exist also among
those who enforce it. Several cases, in which the
grossest injustice was practised by men-of-war towards
BrazUian vessels, have occurred within my knowledge.
The laws against the slave trade are so stringent, that
injustice can be easUy used ; and it can be even more
easily justified by the simple plea, that you are taking a
leaf out of your opponent's book.
In fact, the most inoffensive merchantman is liable
to detention and seizure. One clause in the law against
slavers, provides that any quantity of spare plank, that
could be employed for the construction of a slave-deck,
shaU be deemed sufficient to prove the dishonesty ofthe
bearer. Other clauses are directed against the convey
ance of any unnecessary quantity of beans, farina, or
other articles of negroes' food. More water than is

214 BRAZIL.
requisite for the crew during the voyage, chains, or
shackles, much rope or firewood, large cooking-tins,
charts of the coast of Africa, or flags of foreign nations,
are all links in the chain of evidence required. The
slightest circumstances of suspicion are often considered
equivalent to a proof of guilt; and, when the captain's
conscience is left to decide as to what shall be called
suspicious, the result is, to use the words of TaUeyrand,
a latitude 6norme. A captain's conscience is not always
tender, and sometimes ignorance effects what unscrupu-
lousness would shrink from. I have an example ready
at hand to substantiate this rule.
A certain lieutenant, whom we will call by the name
of Scaly, was in command of a certain steam sloop,
which shall go by the name of the Skirmisher, on the
coast of Brazil. This vessel was the dirtiest and luckiest
in the whole squadron, and her commander was the most
unscrupulous. One day the Skirmisher boarded a smaU
trading vessel, that happened to bear some planks in
her hold to stow coffee upon. Her skipper, on being in
terrogated as to the raison d'e'tre of this wood, replied
" Madeira — cafe," Madeira being the Portuguese name
for wood.
But Lieutenant Scaly did not recognise the stuff, that
served materiaUy to compose his head, under that name.
He had only heard of one Madeira, and could thereforo

LIEUTENANT SCALY. • 215
only conclude that the trader was going to the island of
Madeira for coffee. This of course was improbable,
Brazil not being supplied with coffee by that island.
Not being able to solve the difficulty himself, he sent
her to St. Helena, where the readiest solution arrived
at was the vessel's condemnation.
This was mere ignorance : unscrupulousness can do
as much, if not more. Some people have been known
to take a chart of the coast of Africa with them in their
pockets when they boarded a vessel, to drop it in some
cabin, and send the vessel to St. Helena for adjudication
on such grounds. Is there a name in the dictionary to
express such an action? I doubt if there is one in
Falconer's Dictionary of Naval Terms.
Many vessels that had been buUt for the slave trade
during its prosperity, were, on its sudden downfall, con
verted into honest traders for the time. Any man who
had the least experience in the trade, could see what
had been their original destination ; and naval officers,
burning for prize-money, looked upon such craft as
flagrant impostures. Even now> they were at any time
ready to saU for the coast of Africa, if any relaxation of
the government regulations made it worth their while.
As fast saUers, and exquisite models of art, these vessels
feU always under suspicion, and were regularly searched
by every man-of-war in turn. Slave-owners, aware of

216 BRAZIL.
this, never employ handsome ships for nefarious
purposes, but instead, the meanest and most unattrac
tive they can lay hands upon. Thus they cheat their
enemies into searching only honest ships, and passing
the guilty unscrutinized. In return for this, men-of-war
sometimes take the innocent, which, by a stretch of the
Jaw, can be included among the wicked, especially as
they do not " sin in their own defence, and part with
their virtue to preserve their reputation." Whether these
vessels are to be called slavers is a debateable point.
They have a batten often nailed round their hold, to
show where the slave-deck should be placed : but this
is only a dishonest intention, and, as men-of-war some
times discover to their cost, does not constitute a proof
of real guilt. The farina that they are conveying from
one port to another as a pure matter of business, is often
turned into an accusation against them. If they have
loose beans on board, they are oftentimes routed out
and left in confusion. Perhaps the life of an honest
tradesman on the 'coast of Brazil, is more disagreeable
than that of a notorious slave-dealer. If you are to be
always suspected, it is at least pleasant to know either
that you can always get clear off, or that you deserve
suspicion. The mere process of searching a vessel must be ex
ceedingly annoying. Place yourself, reader, in the

PROCESS OF SEARCHING. 217
position ofthe captain ofthe Filicidade, one ofthe most.
beautiful brigs on the coast of Brazil, running between
Rio de Janeiro and some port fifty miles distant, that
supplies the capital with fruit and vegetables. As the
bearer of such a cargo, you cannot make too quick a
passage, and are indignant at every calm or foul wind.
On a calm noonday you are taking your siesta, when a
steamer heaves in sight, and comes towards you, followed
by a cloud of smoke, making the quiet waters leap in
convulsions of agony beneath her paddles. As she ap
proaches, one of your men walks aft, and hoists the
Brazilian ensign. This piece of civility was performed
too late. The steamer has had the English flag flying
long before she saw you, and considers that you have
incurred suspicion by not making a like display. The
captain, already prejudiced against you, comes on board
with two boatfuls of men. You come forward, yawning,
to produce your papers, in great indignation at the dis
turbance of your afternoon slumber. Your credentials
are not satisfactory enough ; and, while the captain is
looking at them in an undecided manner, glancing off to
your face as if he expected to find there signs of guilt,-
one of his men pulls some foreign flags out of a locker,
and unfolds them to. public gaze. The sight of these
decides the captain, who issues orders for a rigorous
search. WUd with joy the seamen rush below, tumble

218 BRAZIL.
your cargo into most admired confusion, fling bags of -
farina and white calavances here and there, not ceasing
till they have discovered the batten that your owner
would nail. round the hold, quite against your advice.
Presently another seaman stumbles on a brass cooking
utensil, and bears it triumphantly on deck, holding it
over the bulwarks, that even the men on board the
steamer may feast their eyes with the sight, and consider
the Felicidade as good as condemned. Other suspicious
circumstances are found by the hundred. So many
slavers have counterfeited honesty before this, and withi
such success, that the genuine honesty is eclipsed by
the counterfeit. However, the captain is conscientious,
and lets you go, to the deep sorrow of every officer and
man in his ship.
" What business had he to let her go?" they ask.
" Because she was honest."
"But what business had she to be honest?"
A midshipman of the man-of-war writes in his diary :
— " Boarded the Felicidade, and, though there were
several illegal circumstances as regarding her cargo, she
was not detained. During our search of her a breeze
sprang up, and the captain, who was on board her at the
time, said that she seemed to glide rather than move
over the waters, resembling a fairy more than a human
vessel. She was certainly a slaver; and how the captain , , , ,

MIDSHIPMAN S LOGIC. 219
could excuse himself for letting her go, when his duty
to his country and the cause of humanity should have
impeUed him to detain her, is best known to his con
science — if he has one !"
The same sentiments, and the same telling sneer, are
repeated in the middy's next letter home, in which he
entertains his parents with the news that the Sti/kman,
12, is ordered to cruise between Espiritu Santo and
Cape St. Thome, and that the Guillemot, 6, has lost its
foretopmast. The same sentiments, minus the telling sneer, however,
and minus aU allusions to conscience, are repeated to
Lieutenant Scaly, when the said midshipman meets him
in Rio. Lieutenant Scaly wUl learn all about your exist
ence, and the strong proofs of your guilt. He will be
on the watch for you when he cruises again, and wiU
probably capture you, adding one more recruit to the
noble army of martyrs.
The real facts of the case are simple enough. The
presence of our squadron prevents the slave trade in a
great measure, as the owners of vessels are not particu
larly anxious to lose them, and do not send them out
when there is a moral certainty of their being taken if
they attempt any thing dishonest. But the Navy prefers
cure to prevention, because it gets its fee for the one,
and not for the other. Can you expect a doctor to cure

220 BRAZIL.
you as speedily as possible, seeing that for each day you
are ill he receives a fee, whUe health on your part pre
cludes the possibility of further attendance on his ?
The slave trade is in the position of Tom Jones, when
he called Partridge to examine his wound. It is pro
gressing so favourably, that the poor doctor's occupation's
gone.

SLAVERY. 221

CHAPTER XIX.
SLAVERY — THE " BLACK FEVER " — " LADIES " — MORALS AND EDUCA
TION OF NEGROES — WHAT THE BRAZILIANS THINK OF US —
BRAZILIAN JOURNALISM — OUR AMBASSADORS — POWER OF THE
CHURCH IN BRAZIL — FINIS.
I need not detain the reader long with any remarks
upon slavery. It is not necessary for every traveller to
end his volume with a careful essay upon this subject,
balancing the pros and cons with logical exactness, but
unfortunately leaving out all the logic. Enough has
been said and written on slavery, to liberate all the
slaves in the world — if slaves could be liberated by mere
writing and speaking. Philanthropy is sometimes a
cheap virtue; and when Mrs. Stowe's Uncle Tom had
directed attention to slavery, people philanthropic
enough to write in her wake found virtue rewarded by
a publisher's cheque.
If the " black fever " still existed, I should probably
' have been led to sacrifice to it in these pages. As it
has died out, it is useless for me to go out of my way,
0,

222

.BRAZIL.

and describe the sufferings of an ill-used class that I
may gain the reward of virtue. Because I feel strongly
against the slave trade, there is no occasion for me to
" thpeak thtrongly," after the pattern of a certain
schoolmaster. Why should I harrow up the feelings of
the public, knowing that I cannot at all alleviate the
misery I describe ?
Nor need I enter the lists against the American
," ladies," who kept up their reputation, and won their
husband's hearts, by their able defence of slavery. I
wish these amiable creatures no worse fate than drunken
.husbands, who may indulge in that elegant amusemenj;
lcnown in England by the name of wife-beating. We
must expect to meet with slavery in a land bf freedom
governed by a democracy, which means despotism of
the many over the few.
I doubt if the most crusty Toryism could object to
the instruction of the people after an inspection of the
, state of uneducated negroes. _They_seem _notjtoLbejnen,
simply creatures — •
" Narrow foreheads, vacant of our glorious gains,
Like to beasts with lower pleasures, like to beasts with.
. lower pains."
Morals are unknown among them. I have seen a
« little -girl, aged perhaps two years, not able to speak

MORALS AND EDUCATION OF NEGROES. 223
plain, throw herself into the most disgusting postures^
with immense relish and an utter disregard for
decency. The huts of the negroes are of the most
loathsome kind; insects creep over their persons and
their food unmolested. Chastity does not seem to
exist among their females ; and even their lawless
amours are carried on as publicly as a hypocrite's
virtues. We cannot wonder if their characters are as
black as their skins. Such are the legitimate conse
quences of slavery and ignorance. Set them free,
.educate them, liberate them from the fetters of the
slavery of the body and that of the mind, and you wiU
see how superior they are in all attainments to their
Brazilian masters. Tie an oak to the ground in its infancy,
and where would be the tree that spreads over half a field,
and gives shelter to a flock beneath its branches ?
What the Brazilians think of us is of no great impoiv
tance to our nation. The ox can afford to despise the
spiteful comments of the frog. However, they do think
us a nation of pirates, and believe that any insult offered
to an Englishman can be washed out by a glass of ale.
A man-of-war brigantine, named the Bonnetta, was once
cruising, and gave chase to a schooner, firing a gun to
bring her to. The schooner then hoisted a Brazilian
'ensign and pendant, thus showing herself to be a man?-

224 BRAZIL.
of-war. On this the Bonnetta hauled her wind. Im
mediately the Brazilian rounded to, and fired two shots
at the Bonnetta, bearing up again immediately, and
going off under all sail. The Bonnetta, on this, went
after her, to make her answer for her conduct, and
brought her to, after pitching about ten shot and shell
around her masts. Two officers were sent on board for
an explanation and apology. The Brazilian captain
expressed his regret, and offered a glass of ale as a com
pensation !
Brazilian journalism is somewhat on a par with the
journalism of America. When any person makes him
self offensive to the editor of any newspaper, stray facts
or fictions about his father are raked up, reminding one
of the American editor mentioned in that clever book
" Across the Atlantic," who, when cutting up the book
of a traveller, invariably discovered, either that the
offender's father had been hanged for forgery, or that
his mother had been transpprted for sheep-stealing.
When our ambassador went to a ball, a correspondent
Wrote to the BrazUian paper saying : — " We next
saw Mr. H  looking quite bewildered, and staring
at the lights, as if every lamp was one of the slavers
he had consigned to the flames. We had a good mind
to set on the miscreant, and give him a good thrashing"

POWER OF THE CHURCH IN BRAZIL. 225
Our ambassadors at Rio have frequently been on no
very good terms with the emperor. One ambassador,
who had a pleasant country-house that the emperor was
desirous of inhabiting for a time, was ordered to evacuate
it for imperial accommodation. This rather unreason
able request was not proffered with any courtesy, but
rather with aU the peremptory nature of a despotic
summons. Of the power of the church in Brazil I have no
personal knowledge. I have been told that in the
towns its authority is great, and I have seen that in the
villages it does not possess any great sway. I would
refer the reader who is desirous of knowing any thing on
this subject to a very able essay by Cardinal Wiseman,
reprinted from the Dublin Review among his collected
essays. In spite of the usual affectations of a Roman
Catholic writer, the continual boastings of the power of
Rome, and the important mistake the writer has here
and there fallen into, in using the English word "free
dom" where the word " slavery" should properly have
stood — a natural mistake for a man who was born a
Spaniard, was educated near Durham, and finished his
studies at Rome — this essay will be found very instruc
tive, and may give a fair notion of the state of religion
in BrazU.

226 BRAZIL.
And so fareweU to
" The land where the orange hangs tempting above,
And fills with its perfume the whole of the grove :
Where the yellow banana droops down from its stem,
Through the thick shading leaves peeping forth like a gem ;
Where the humming-birds flit through the glad forest scene,
Their crests flashing gaily with scarlet and green ;
Where the choicest of flowers spring forth from earth's breast —
'Tis the clime of delight, 'tis the land of the West I "

APPENDIX.

Official Papers extracted from Parliamentary Blue Books.

THE " MAGANO."
H. M. JUDGE TO VISCOUNT PALMEESTON.
St. Helena, June 23, 1851.
My Lord, — I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship'
an abstract of the particulars of the case of a Brazilian brig
called the Magano, abjudicated in the Vice-Admiralty Court
of this colony, on the 5th instant, under charge of being engaged
in the African slave trade.
This brig was seized by Commander Tatham, of Her Majesty's
steam sloop " Geyser," on the 1 1th of February last, within a
short distance from the harbour of Eio de Janeiro, laden with a
cargo of jerked beef, tallow, hides, grease, and hair. She was
documented with apparently regular papers, for a voyage from
Eio Grande to Eio de Janeiro, from the former of which places
she appears to have sailed on the 3rd of February last, and to
have duly prosecuted the voyage till, she was detained by Com
mander Tatham. The vessel was brought to St. Helena by Mr.
Creak, a master's assistant of the " Geyser," on whose affidavit
the usual process was issued, calling upon the master to show
cause why the vessel should not be pronounced to have been
engaged in the African slave trade, on the return whereof a claim
was put in by the master, supported by his affidavit, in denial of
the charge.
The cause came on to be heard on the 29th ultimo, when a
technical objection to the sufficiency of the authority of. Coin-

228 APPENDIX.
mander Tatham to make the seizure in question, was raised by
the claimant. It was contended that Captain Tatham's authority,
which was to seize Brazilian vessels engaged in the slave trade
generally, was not such an authority as was contemplated by the
Act of Parliament of the Sth and 9th "Vict. c. 122, which had
reference only to the African slave trade ; but as I was of
¦opinion that all the requisites of the Act of Parliament had been
complied with, the vessel being charged with being. engaged in
the African slave trade, and seized by an officer acting under
an authority from the Lords Commissioners 'of the Admiralty,
the objection was overruled. The main question, however, in
the case, was the equipment of the vessel ; the captors contending
that it was such as to prove the vessel to have been engaged in
the slave trade ; the claimant asserting that she was not
equipped in any other manner than is usual in vessels engaged
in lawful commerce. The evidence in the case consisted of the
affidavits of the captor and claimant, and a survey of the vessel,
which took place in consequence of the conflicting statements
contained in the affidavits. After an attentive examination of
these documents, -with reference to the charge, and the affidavit
¦of the prize officer, I oollected that the vessel was equipped and
furnished in the following manner : she had —
A Portuguese and two Brazilian -ensigns, with several other
flags :
One pair of shackles-:
Three water-suckers-:
Eight mess-kids :
Two iron pots for cooking, and some metal pans of large

About a cwt. of jerked beef in the cabin :
Three tubs of great size :
A small quantity of water :
Eleven water casks, capable of containing 1000 gallons :
Galley large enough to cook for 500 persons :
Two hatchways : •

APPENDIX. 229
A door, 2 ft. 4 in. square, between the cabin and hold :
Two double bunks, one with a pantry, the other with a locker,
and with two sleeping berths in each :
Two ports or scuttles on each side.
This equipment, with an alleged inconsistency in some of the
papers, which seemed to me only apparent, formed the only evi
dence in support of the case of the captor. On the other side, it
was said that the vessel was a lawful trader, prosecuting a lawful
voyage, documented with every regular and necessary paper, with
a mail on board, and a cargo composed of the staple articles of"
commerce between Eio Grande and Eio de Janeiro ; and further,
that she had no article of equipment on board but such as is
usual in vessels engaged in lawful commerce.
After hearing the arguments of the respective proctors, and
taking some time for consideration, I was of opinion, that although
the equipment ofthe vessel was of a most suspicious nature, yet
considering its incompleteness for the accommodation, ventila
tion, and support of a cargo of slaves, with the apparently regular
proceedings of the vessel in other respects, and the fact of the
seizure having taken place almost, if not quite, within sight of
her .destined port, that it was not sufficient to justify me in pro
nouncing the vessel JLQ_jia^fi_bggILJIl. tn»t. particular-jrayage
carrying on the African.. slaae-Ja:ade. in contravention to the
convention between Great Britain and Brazil, I therefore decreed
a restitution ofthe vessel. As, however, that equipment appeared
to me to have been sufficiently suspicious to justify the seizure
by Commander Tatham, I decreed that restitution to be made
without costs.
The judgment which I have pronounced in this case has not
been satisfactory to either of the parties. Each of them has
asserted an appeal, the captor against the restitution of the
vessel, the claimant against that part of it which deprives him
of costs. — I have, &e., * (Signed) W. WILDE,
Judge of the Vice-Aomibaltt Coukt.

230 appendix:.
abstract of the case of the brig "magano."
Brazilian Brig Magano.
Master, Manuel Gomes de Oliveira Magano.
Owners, Joze dos Santos Magano and Liborio Teixeira Gouvea.
Crew, by crew list and found on board, twelve persons.
Sailed from Eio Grande on the 3rd of February, 1851, on a
voyage to Eio de Janeiro.
Cargo, jerked beef, tallow, grease, hides, and hair.
Burthen by register, 220 tons ; new British measurement, 237$
tons. The following papers found on board were filed in court by thq
captor : —
1. Certificate of registry, dated at Eio Grande, 31st May, 1850,
endorsed at Pernambuco, 21st August, 1850.
2. Manifest, dated Eio Grande, 28th January, 1851.
3. Crew list, dated Eio Grande, 28th January, 1851, for a voy->
age to Eio de Janeiro.
4. Custom-house certificate, dated Eio Grande, 28th January,
1851, that the vessel had discharged her cargo brought from
Pernambuco on the 8th of October, 1850.
5. Port clearance, dated Eio Grande, 28th January, 1851,
6. Passport for a voyage to Eio Grande, dated Pernambucoj
20th August, 1850.
7. A letter from the inspector of customs at Eio Grande to the
administrator of customs at Eio de Janeiro, enclosing manifest
and custom-house permits, dated 28th January, 1851.
8. Manifest, dated Eio Grande, 28th January, 1851.
9. A letter, dated Eio Grande, 29th January, 1851, from Joz6
dos Santos Magano to Mello and Miranda at Eio de Janeiro, oni
business, inclosing also the book of cargo.
10. A letter from the inspector of customs at Eio Grande,
dated 28th January 1851, to the inspector of customs at Eio da
Janeiro, inclosing manifest.
11. Manifest dated Eio Grande, January 28, 1851.

appendix. 231
12 to 22. Eleven custom-house permits to embark the cargo
mentioned in the manifest.
23 and 24. Two private letters.
25. A letter of instructions from Joze dos Santos Magano,
dated Eio Grande, 30th January, 1851, to Manuel Gomes de
Oliveira Magano.
26. A private letter from Joze dos Santos Magano, dated Eio
Grande, 30th January, 1851, to Francisco Joze da Cunha Goes at
Eio de Janeiro.
27. Passport of the " Magano " for her voyage from Eio
Grande to Eio de Janeiro, dated Porto Alegro, 28th January,
1851, signed by the President ofthe province of Eio Grande.
28. An account of stamp duty paid on the freight of the cargo,
dated Eio Grande, 28th January, 1851.
29. A certificate from the Post-office, dated Eio Grande, 28th
January, 1851, that the vessel has. a mail on board.
30. Book of cargo, dated Eio Grande, 28th January, 1851,
31. Eight bills of lading ofthe cargo on board.
32. A letter of business from Joze dos Santos Magano, dated
Eio Grande, 30th January, 1851, to Buxareo Eomaguera and
Co., at Eio de Janeiro.
33. Custom-house certificate, dated Eio Grande, 28th January,
1851, that the vessel has been duly cleaved.
The above papers were attached to the affidavit of Mr. Creak,
the prize officer.
The following were attached to the affidavit of the claimant : —
1. Log-book for the voyage from Eio Grande to Eio de
Janeiro. 2. Certificate signed by Edward Tatham, Esquire, commander
of her Majesty's steam sloop " Geyser," respecting the seizure of
the vessel.
3. List of the cargo, stores, and furniture of the " Magano"
signed by the master and the prize officer.
4. A sealed letter, addressed to Senhor Don Juan Fries, Eio
de Janeiro.

232 APPENDIX.
5. A letter from the Argentine consul-general at Brazil,
dated Eio de Janeiro, 1st March, 1851, to Saul Solomon, Esquire,
Brazilian consul at St. Helena, relative to the capture of the
" Magano? and inclosing the following documents, viz : —
6. A protest against the capture.
7, 8, and 9. Three invoices.
10. Bill of lading.
11. Chart. (Signed) JOHN N. FIRMIN, Registrar.
COMMANDER TATHAM TO REAR-ADMIRAL REYNOLDS.
Sir,— I beg to inform you, that I this morning fell in with
a beautiful Brazilian brig (the Magano), recently built at,
Oporto, constructed for the slave trade. I caused a minute
search to be made, and on the discovery of some slave shackles,
added to the general fitting of the vessel, I determined to send
her for adjudication to St. Helena on the following grounds :—
1. Having on board twelve mess-tubs or kids, not required for
the use of the crew of the vessel as a merchant vessel.
2. The galley and cooking apparatus much larger than requi
site for the use of the crew, and three small boilers (which can
be used for cooking) stowed in the hold.
3. Slave shackles and bolts, found also below.
4. After compartment of hold (or cabin) of large dimensions,
as in all slave vessels, for use of female slaves.
5. The main hatchway, also much larger than requisite for the
purposes of ordinary traffic, extending nearly the whole length of
the long; boat.
6. More divisions or bulkheads in the hold than are necessary
for use as a lawful trader.
This vessel is no doubt one of that squadron I referred to in
my letter of the ultimo. The few necessaries to complete her
may have been conveyed, as is often the case, by small coasting
vessels off Eio de Janeiro, and a portion of her present cargo
might have been landed by the same conveyance.

APPENDIX. 233
Acting on the spirit of the Act of Parliament, and aware ofthe
connivance unfortunately given by the authorities at Eio de
Janeiro, I have deemed it my duty to send this vessel over,
though her papers were clearly made out for Eio de Janeiro, as
was the case in the capture of a vessel recently by her Majesty's
ship bearing your flag, off that harbour, cleared out for Bahia.—
I have &c, (Signed) EDWARD TATHAM.
REMARKS ON THE COAST OF BRAZIL.
Captain Kuper, of H. M. S. Thetis, writing from Bahia, says : —
" In compliance with your instructions, I waited on the president
of this province, accompanied by her Majesty's consul : and
having introduced the subject of the slave barracoons, I was
assured by his excellency that there was nothing whatever going
on in the slave trade at present in this vicinity ; that the barra
coons were used as private dwellings, and had not been appro
priated as slave depfits for some time back. His excellency also
assured me that he was doing, and should continue to do, every
thing in his power to suppress the slave trade altogether, and
that he considered this measure absolutely necessary for the
future welfare of his country.
" It is unfortunate that the slave-dealers believe that the Bra
zilian government is insincere in its declarations against the
slave trade, and only wait till our men-of-war are withdrawn,
and the Brazilian government sunk in apathy. "When the act
of 1831 was passed, the slave trade sunk into perfect stagnation
for some months, till one dealer landed a cargo with impunity,
which led to an immense revival of the traffic."
OBSERVATIONS ON THE BARRACOONS BETWEEN SANTOS AND
MARAMBYA. " Geyser," April 6, 1851.
, Mangaratiba. — The juiz municipal, Dr. Andrade Pinto (who

234 APPENDIX.
received me with great civility, and asked me to dine), made some
strong anti-slavery observations ; among others, that the few
well-known capitalists who have been carrying on the trade, on
detection should not be allowed to evade justice by embarkation.
The captain of the fort was very attentive, and fruit was given in
abundance to the boat's crew.
Albroa Bay. — Found here a small revenue cutter. The com
mander stated that he had orders to prevent the transport of
slaves by canoes ; and that he was to report any estate on which
newly imported Africans appeared.
Bois Rios. — This once fine establishment (Da Cunha) is to a
certain extent in decay: about 200 slaves are at work. It
is now entirely a coffee plantation. The barracoons are rather
a series of habitations, which may be applied to any purpose ;
but there are no traces of fitting for vessels, or indeed any thing
to denote its notoriety for slaving, but the seclusion of the
anchorage, and the facility of debarkation.
Marambya. — The three establishments of the notorious Breves,
bear no appearance of wealth but the quantity of land under
cultivation, and the abundance of his stock. The houses are
inferior, and the blacks are quartered in detached cottages.
There is no building that would bear the name of a barracoon.
The children are lodged in a large sort of kitchen adjoining the
house. It appears, as soon as any slaves are landed, they are
dispersed and sent round in canoes to the different estates for
sale. Sombrio. — This is the clearest and most decided slave dep6t
(Coelho): the anchorage could hardly be improved. Near the
water side are the remains of a rigging-house or cooperage,
recently destroyed by fire ; quantities of iron hoops and pieces
of chain (ship's furniture) are lying on the rocks. An admirable
watering-place has troughs to convey the water to the boats. On
an eminence stands a regular coast-of- Africa barracoon, with a
detached cook-house ; neither have been recently in use, but both
aye little out of repair. The land is cultivated with an unusual

appendix; 233
quantity of bananas, oranges, and mandioca, apparently for
refreshing the imported slaves. At present only two slaves
reside iu a cottage near, who are occasionally relieved. This
barracoon, and indeed the whole place, ought to be rendered un
available, and no buildings permitted but for the cultivation of
the soil. It is impossible to conceive a spot better adapted for
reviving the infamous traffic, at present so checked — a few days'
work may bring it into active operation.

At all these places I heard much complaint of the damage done
to the coffee by the late rains : the sugar and casaca mills are
much in disuse, and many totally neglected ; coffee apparently
being more productive.
I cannot close this without reporting that I have met with
good feeling and hospitality on all occasions : and from commu
nications, and my own observation, I am of opinion no landings
have been effected for some time, and that none are expected.
(Signed) EDWARD TATHAM.
Commander Tatham, writing from Itabapoama, says : — " There
cannot be a doubt of the present zeal of the police authorities on
this part of the coast : but they have hitherto considered that
they were also to receive prize money (the forty milreis promised
for each slave by the law of September, 1850). Being now unde
ceived on this point, a doubt may exist whether all the authori
ties are not more open to bribery. If the Brazilian government
would ensure some proportionate reward to the captors and
informers on shore, this evil would be less probable."
MR. HUDSON TO VISCOUNT PALMERSTON.
Rio de Janeibo, March 15, 1851. ,
¦My Lord,— I have the honour to report to your lordship that
the notorious slaver Tentativa, which sailed from Eio Janeiro
in .the month of May, 1850, for Havana, sailed thence oil the 29th

236 appendix.
July for Quillimane, which port she left in December last, on her
return to Brazil, with nearly 700 slaves'; arrived off Ilha Grande
in this province on the 14th ultimo.
Upon approaching the coast, her master descried a steamer,
apparently cruising, and, being alarmed, he steered for Campos ;
arriving there, he perceived another steamer apparently bearing
down upon him, upon which, not knowing for what port to steer,
he ran the Tentativa ashore near Barra Furado.
The crew rose upon the master, demanding three contos of reis
each for their services. The Africans, however, were landed, and
the master at once offered them for sale to the people, who had
flocked to the beach, putting them up at 200 milreis a piece ;
but, finding no bidders, he gradually lowered his price to twenty
milreis, at which price a few purchasers were found. But the
police of Macahe, having been informed of the arrival of the
Tentativa, appeared upon the ground, and seized the master,
his crew, and the Africans.
Information of this capture reached this capital on the 21st
ultimo ; and as it was notorious, from declarations in the custom
house of Eio, that Manoel Pinto da Fonseca was the consignee
of the Tentativa, that slave-dealer concealed himself in a
country house near the Botanical Gardens (about seven miles
from this city) during tlie 21st, 22nd, and 23rd ultimo. On the
24th he left his place of concealment and went on board the
French packet ship Ville de Rio, then ready to sail for France.
As he had previously taken out a passport for Europe, and as
no order had been issued for his arrest, no difficulty occurred
upon the occasion of the visit of the clearing officer, and the
Ville de Rio sailed on her voyage.
The Africans, master, and crew of the Tentativa, arrived
here on the 26th ultimo, and the master and crew are in confine
ment, awaiting their trial. — I have, &c,
(Signed) JAMES HUDSON.

H'COBQUODALE AHD CO., J'RINTEKS, LONDON  W0KK3, NEWTON.