200 Mr Scolder's Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. 



expectations were realized by the sight of Cape Frio, the first 

 land in the new world we had an opportunity of seeing. 



27th. While sailing into the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, we 



were entirely occupied in preparing to add to our collections a 

 rich variety of specimens in every department of natural his- 

 tory. From the deck of our vessel, the hills of Brazil, co- 

 vered to their summits with the richest verdure, promised to 

 satisfy the ardour of the most zealous botanist. 



28th. — To-day we landed near the Palace, which is utterly un- 

 worthy of being a royal residence ; and in our progress through 

 the town, although some of the streets had a good appearance, 

 no public edifice of any merit attracted our attention. The 

 streets are narrow, and the houses are built of granite, with 

 which the streets are also paved. The churches are numerous, 

 but none of them are very remarkable for the beauty of their 

 architecture, and the interior is distinguished only by a taste- 

 less profusion of gilding. The city is supplied with water by 

 fountains, which draw their supplies from the neighbouring hills 

 by means of an aqueduct, which is certainly the most splendid 

 and useful public edifice in South America. Rio also pos- 

 sesses several useful institutions, which, however, are still in 

 their infancy. There is a museum of natural history, which we 

 had no opportunity of seeing during our stay in Brazil, as it 

 was undergoing some repairs. In the town there is a sort of 

 public garden, which contains some curious plants ; but there is 

 a much more extensive establishment at Botafogo, where are 

 several interesting oriental trees and shrubs. In this garden the 

 tea-plant, the bread-fruit, and the nutmeg-tree are cultivated. 



After visiting the town, we set out to examine the natural 

 history of its environs. The coast attracted my chief attention, 

 that I might have an opportunity of collecting some marine 

 animals, — and my expectations were not disappointed. The 

 number of crustaceous animals with which the shore abounds 

 is astonishing, and the rocks are everywhere covered with fine 

 species of Holothuria, sea-stars (Asterice,) and sea-anemones 

 (Actincce,) &c. In this profusion of interesting objects, one 

 is more perplexed in making a selection than in procuring 

 specimens. In the afternoon I returned to the ship with a 

 collection only limited by ability to carry it. 



