40 ARRIVAL AT RIO JANEIRO. [183S. 



the valley is a iich loam and the*date tree grows luxuriantly. 

 Lime, orange, banana, cocoanut, tamarind and papavv trees, 41 

 are also scattered through it, together with other tropical 

 fruits and plants. 



(S.) The squadron left Porto Praya on the 7th of October, 

 and continued their course southward, in search of the shoals, 

 said to lie in this quarter of the ocean, off the African 

 coast ; but none of particular importance were discovered. 

 The nights were clear and beautiful till near morning, and 

 the zodiacal light was once or twice observed. Falling stars, 

 some of them of unusual brilliancy, were witnessed on the 

 morning of the 18th of October, and on the nights of the 

 11th, 12th, and 13th, of November. Large shoals of dol- 

 phins, and wide luminous patches of phosphorescent animal- 

 cuke, were also seen. About the first of November, they 

 crossed the Equator, and on the 22d caught sight of the rich 

 neutral-tints resting, like a halo, over the tall and rugged 

 summit of Cape Frio, forty miles north of Rio Janeiro. 

 Favored by a light wind from the southeast, they entered the 

 broad harbor of Rio, under full press of canvas, on the af- 

 ternoon of the 23d ; having accomplished the passage in 

 ninety-five days, about twice the time usually required by a 

 vessel proceeding directly from the United States. The 

 store-ship Relief took the direct course ; but, in consequence 

 of her slow sailing, she was one hundred days, three of which 

 were spent at the Cape do Verdes, in making the trip. 



* The papaw. or papaya, grows to the height of eighteen or twenty feet. It 

 is nearly naked to the top, where the haves start out on every side, with long 

 footstalks. The fruit, about the size of a melon, grows between the leaves, and 

 is boiled, and cairn with meat, like ordinary vegetables. The juice is pungent 

 and milky, but Ibis is extracted by the process of boiling. 



