512 
of those who may wish to settle there, 
to the advantages and disadvantages 
that await their enterprise ; and finally 
develop the causes why this part of the 
world is preferable to any other. 
The province of Rio Janeiro con- 
tains lands both within and without the 
tropic, that is, in the moderate zone, 
The climate in this province is there- 
fore cooler than in the other provinces 
situated near the equator ; and, at the 
same time, warmer than the more 
southern states of Brazil. To thismay 
be added, that the province of Rio 
Janeiro (with the exception of the 
district of Joyatacasas or Campos,) is 
mountainous, for which reason it may 
be properly divided into high and moun- 
tainous, and low flat parts. In the 
latter the heat is quite as great as in the 
tropical countries ; thence may be seen 
in the Campos, and in the immediate 
vicinity of the capital, and in some 
other lower parts near the coast, plan- 
tations of colonial produce, such as 
sugar, coffee, cotton, indigo, cocoa, 
rice, tobacco, &c. They have also 
begun to transplant the various pre- 
cious produce of other hot countries ; 
and in the vicinity of Rio Janeiro 
may already be seen all the spice trees 
of India, the cinnamon-tree, the clove, 
the pepper-plant, ginger, cardamon, 
and many excellent fruit-trees from 
the East and the South-sea, such as the 
tea-shrub and the bread fruit-tree, all 
of which thrive uncommonly well. 
On the hills, which are nearly 3000 
feet high, and covered to the tops with 
aged and impenetrable forests, and in 
the fruitful and delightful valleys wa- 
tered by clear rivulets, the temperature 
is very moderate; the produce is very 
different from that in the plains. 
Here in the thick forests game is 
easily found, and a great variety of 
precious woods, and valuable barks 
and roots, which may be used in the 
construction of houses, casks, canoes, 
furniture, &c. Some of them are me- 
dicinal, suchas Indianbark, guaiacum, 
ipecacuanha ; others are used for dying, 
or for food, such as the palm-tree, and 
for making charcoal. Nor is there in 
these forests a want of agreeable wild 
fruit; and, if the tree is too high to be 
climbed, it is cut off, merely for the 
fruit! In these high districts, where 
the timber has been cut down, all ve- 
getables and fruit-trees from the south 
of Europe thrive, such as the peach, 
fiz, quince, and apple-tree, the vine, 
the strawberry, and many others ; in 
2 
Observations on Brazil; by Baron Langsdorf. 
[July 1, 
a word, the natural situation, the cli- 
mate, and the productions of the coun~ 
try, together with those exotics that 
either have been, or may yet be mtro- 
duced, make the province of Rio 
Janeiro the richest and most inde- 
pendent in the world. 
Here they feel neither the cold of an 
European winter, nor the continued 
and oppressive heat of an actually 
tropical climate ; they want. neither 
stoye nor hearth to warm their houses. 
With a clean shirt, a light pair of 
trowsers, a jacket, and a pair of shoes, 
a man is dressed both warmly and de- 
cently enough; the lower orders even 
dispense with shoes and stockings. 
Snow and ice are not even known 
by name. A house or cottage built 
with boards, and covered with straw, is 
sufficient protection against the incle- 
mencies of the weather. The traveller 
in that country puts up at nightwitha 
shed or barn open on all sides, called 
in Brazil a rancho, which, being 
covered with straw or tiles, affords him 
the necessary shelter against the nox- 
ious morning dews. 
An eternal summer scems to reign all 
around. The lengths of the days and 
nights do not materially alter, which, 
with little exception, are each of 
twelve hours’ duration. In summer, 
when the days are about two hours 
longer, there are frequent shewers, 
with thunder; the winter, which in its 
temperature resembles our European 
summer, is generally dry. There is 
no shedding-trees in the forests; but, on 
the other hand, the trees are per- 
petually covered with foliage, and 
clothed with beautiful blossoms, whic 
seem to change their colours every 
month, 
All that language can adduce would 
convey but an inadequate idea of the 
beauty and luxuriance of this scenery. 
The poetic imagination would here 
find ample scope for the indulgence of 
its favourite pursuits; and even the 
coolest and most insensible mind would 
here be gratified with objects, which 
would at once arouse him from his 
indifference. 
There is scarcely a day in the year 
not calculated forsowing. The harvest 
follows without farther care or toil. 
hoever has planted or sown is sure 
to reap. 
All kinds of vegetables and roots, 
such as cabbage, turnips, radishes, 
salad, cucumbers, beans, aSparagus, 
onions, peas, parsley, melons, cresses, 
potatoes, 
