MISCELLANIES. 



6^9 



desci'iplions of an earlier date, 

 thoush at the risk of a little re- 

 petition. 



The finest view of the city is 

 from the harbour, whence its lofty 

 eminences crowned with convents, 

 and the hills in its environs, in- 

 terspersed with villas and gardens, 

 have a rich and magnificent ap- 

 pearance. The royal palace skirts 

 the beach, and is seen to great ad- 

 vantage from the principal landing- 

 plaCe, which is within sixty yards 

 ©fits doors. This palace, though 

 small, is the residence of the Prince 

 Regent and the royal family ; the 

 •mint and the royal chapel form 

 parts of the structure. Parallel with 

 the beach runs the main street, 

 consistingof noble buildings, called 

 Rua de Dereito, from which the 

 minor streets branch off at right 



•angles, and are intersected by others 

 at regular distances. 



Some idea of the extent of the 

 city may be formed from the po- 

 pulation, which, including the ne- 



. groes (its most numerous portion), 

 is estimated at a hundred thousand 



■ souls: the dwellings are generally 

 of one story only. 



The numerous convents and 



. churches are well built, and rather 

 handsome; the cathedral, now 

 nearly finished, is in a superior 



-style of architecture. The streets 



-were formerly incommoded by 



•■ latticed balconies, which had a 



• very heavy appearance and ob- 

 structed the circulation of the air, 



• but they have been taken away by 

 ' order of government. The greatest 



nuisances now remaining are those 



• which arise from the custom of 

 persons of all ranks on horseback 



- to ride on foot-paths, and from 

 the prej)osterou9 hanging of shop 



• and house doors, which all open 

 -outward into the street, to the 



Vol. LIV. 



great annoyance of fool-passengeis : 

 1 may also add the frequent pools 

 of stagnant water which, from the 

 lowness of the site, cannot without 

 much labour be drained away, and 

 which, through the heat of the 

 weather, emit the most putrid 

 exhalations. Water for the use 

 of the city flows from the hills 

 through aqueducts, and is distri- 

 buted to several fountains in various 

 jiublic places. It is to be regretted 

 that there are not more of these 

 for the supply of the inhabitants, 

 numbers of whom live a mile 

 distant from any of them, and are 

 obhged to employ persons con- 

 tinually in carrying water: many 

 of the poorer classes earn a living 

 by selling it. The fountains in 

 dry weather are frequently »o 

 crowded, that the carriers have to 

 wait for hours before they can be 

 supplied. The water is good, and, 

 when kept in large jars, drinks 

 cool and pleasant. The inns and 

 public houses are almost destitute 

 of accomraodalions, and so very 

 uncomfortable that a stranger will 

 not reside in them if he can find a 

 friend to take him in. House-rent 

 in general is equally high as in 

 London, owing, it should seem, to 

 the dearness of building materials 

 and the high price of masonry. 

 Timber in particular is unaccount- 

 ably scarce, considering the quan- 

 tity which grows in almost every 

 j)art of Brazil ; even fire-wood is 

 dear. Provisions are in general 

 plentiful, but not very choice in 

 quality : the btef is very indifferent, 

 and indeed bad ; the pork is better, 

 and, if the feeding were properly 

 attended to, might be rendered 

 fine; mutton is almost unknown, 

 as the natives will not eat it ; the 

 poultry of every description ate 

 exrelj«!nt, but they are very dear. 

 2 M Pulse 



