42 cook's first voyage dec. 



league ; this will bring the vessel the length of the 

 great road ; and N. W. and W. N. W. one league 

 more will carry her to the Isle dos Cobras, which 

 lies before the city : she should then keep the north 

 side of this island close on board, and anchor above 

 it, before a monastery of Benedictines, which stands 

 upon a hill at the N. W. end of the city. 



The river, and, indeed, the whole coast, abounds 

 with a greater variety of fish than we had ever seen ; 

 a day seldom passed in which one or more of a new 

 species were not brought to Mr. Banks : the bay 

 also is as well adapted for catching these fish as can 

 be conceived ; for it is full of small islands, between 

 which there is shallow water, and proper beaches 

 for drawing the seine. The sea, without the bay, 

 abounds with dolphins, and large mackarel of dif- 

 ferent kinds, which readily bite at a hook, and the 

 inhabitants always tow one after their boats for that 

 purpose. 



Though the climate is hot, the situation of this 

 place is certainly wholesome ; while we stayed here 

 the thermometer never rose higher than 83 degrees. 



We had frequent rains, and once a very hard gale 

 of wind. 



Ships water here at the fountain in the great 

 square, though, as I have observed, the water is not 

 good : they land their casks upon a smooth sandy 

 beach, which is not more than a hundred yards distant 

 from the fountain; and, upon application to the Vice- 

 roy, a sentinel will be appointed to look after them, 

 and clear the way to the fountain where they are to 

 be filled. 



Upon the whole, Rio de Janeiro is a very good 

 place for ships to put in at that want refreshment ; 

 the harbour is safe and commodious ; and provisions, 

 except wheaten bread and flour, may be easily pro- 

 cured : as a succedaneum for bread, there are yams 

 and cassadain plenty; beefi both fresh and jerked, 

 may be bought at about two-pence farthing a pound ; 



