Excursion round the Bay. 155 



which, in consideration of a lease for ninety years of certain 

 taxes specially levied, the two contractors have undertaken to 

 introduce into the capital of Brazil a system of harbour and 

 street purification, similar to that w^hich has long been in 

 general use throughout England. There had also been 

 lately started a Companhia Reformadora^ having for object the 

 widening and beautifying of certain streets, and the improvement 

 of the paving. One must have lived in Rio, where each street 

 and open square is a hotbed of fever and sickness, to be able 

 aright to estimate the importance of the two last-named 

 associations. 



A war steamer was, by the command of H.M. the Emperor 

 of Brazil, placed at our disposal, to afford us an oppor- 

 tunity of viewing more closely the most beautiful points in the 

 magnificent bay of Rio. There were on board with us the 

 Captain of the Port, Dom Francisco de Perura Pinto, the 

 captains of the Brazilian men-of-war lying in the harbour, as 

 also several members of the Historico- Geographical Institute. 

 A military band enlivened the party by playing national airs 

 during the day. We first visited the south-east part of the bay 

 at the villages of San Domingo and Ponta da Armacao, opposite 

 to Ponta da Area, whence steamers, for navigating the bay and 

 adjoining coast, are run by an English company, which 

 employs 667 hands, (of whom 298 are foreigners, 207 natives, 

 and 162 negro slaves). Except a part of the funds advanced by 

 native capitalists, the whole undertaking is carried out by 

 foreigners. England furnishes the engineers and machinery. 



