M I S C E L L A N I JE S. 



631 



ibrmation I was then able to pro- 

 cure. 



The imports hither from the 

 River Plate, and fiorn Rio Grande 

 de St. Pedro, consist in ioimense 

 quantities of dried beef, tallow, 

 hides, and grain. Those from the 

 United States are chiefly salt pro- 

 visions, flour, household furniture, 

 pitch, and tar. The North Ame- 

 ricans generally send cargoes of 

 these articles on speculation, and, 

 as the market for them is fluctuat- 

 ing and not to be depended on, 

 ithej' frequently take them to other 

 ports. Their provisions are com- 

 flooiily sent to the Cape of Good 

 Hope. They bring European mer- 

 -chandize, which they exchange for 

 specie, wherewith to tiadeto.ChinH, 

 ,^^IMi also take in necessaries on their 

 »voyages to the South Seas. 



From the western coast of Africa, 

 Rio de Janeiro imports wax, oil, 

 sulphur, and some woods. Tiie 

 negro trade has been restricted to 

 the kingdom of Angola by a de- 

 cree of the Prince Regent, who 

 has declared his intention of abo- 

 lishing it altogether as soon as po.— 

 .sible. 



The trade to Mozambique is 

 trivial ; but, since the capture of 

 the IsJe of France by the British 

 has cleared that coast from French 

 privateers, it may be expected to 

 ^crease. It aff"ords many valuable 

 products, such as gold-iiust, 

 brought from the interior, ivory, 

 ,of which the prince monopolizes 

 t,he largest sort, ebony, and other 

 ^ne w.oods, dru<js, oil, excellent 

 ,Columbo-root, and an abundance of 

 various gums, particularly of the 

 ,gum meui. The whale-fisheries on 

 .the coast have proved a source of 

 ,wches to many speculators. 



Thfi intercourse of this port with 

 ^odia, in common with Mozam- 



bique, has been much annoyed by 

 the privateers of the Isle of France, 

 and will, therefore, in all proba- 

 bility, flourish equally by their 

 suppression. A voyage thither and 

 back is performed with gre;it ex- 

 pedition ; one large ship of eight 

 hundred tons sailed, loaded at 

 Surat, and returned within the 

 space of seven months. A voyage 

 to China seldom occupies a longer 

 period. The trade thither will np 

 doubt be revived, and it is not 

 improbable that this port may at 

 no great distance of time become 

 an entrepot ibr India goods de.stined 

 for Europe. 



Rio de Janeiro is conveniently 

 situated for supplying a great va- 

 rietj" of necessaries to the Cape of 

 Good Hof)e and to New South 

 Wales ; indeed, of late years, Eng- 

 lish manufactures have been sold 

 here so cheap that it has been 

 found more advantageous to ship 

 them hence for those colonies than 

 from home. Ships going on the 

 South Sea whale-lishery touch here, 

 and lay in large stocks of spitituou.s 

 liquors, wine, sugar, coffee^ to- 

 bacco, soap, and live stock. 



The imports from the mother- 

 country consist chiefly in wine and 

 oil. From Sweden some iron is 

 occasionally brought : itis preferred 

 to English iron for mules' shoes, 

 on account of its greater ductiUty. 



The exports consist principally 

 of cotton, sugar, rum, ship-timber, 

 various fine cabinet woods, ,hide^, 

 tallow, indigo, and coarse cottqn 

 cloths, in immen-e quantities, fpr 

 clothing the Peons in the provinces 

 of the Rivor Plate. Aniong the 

 more precious articles of export 

 may be enumerated gold, dia- 

 monds, topazes of various colours, 

 amethysts, tourmalines (that are 

 frequently sold for emerulds), 



2 M 2 chrysoberyls 



