1832.] BAHIA. 231 



form. Cocoa-nuts, papaws, the light green bananas, and 

 oranges, loaded with fruit, generally surround the more luxu- 

 riant villages. Whilst viewing such scenes, one feels the 

 impossibility that any description should come near the mark, 

 much less be overdrawn. 



March 1st. Bahia, or San Salvador. I arrived at this 

 place on the 28th of February, and am now writing this letter 

 after having in real earnest strolled in the forests of the new 

 world. No person could imagine anything so beautiful as the 

 ancient town of Bahia, it is fairly embosomed in a luxuriant 

 wood of beautiful trees, and situated on a steep bank, and 

 overlooks the calm waters of the great bay of All Saints. The 

 houses are white and lofty, and, from the windows being 

 narrow and long, have a very light and elegant appearance. 

 Convents, porticos, and public buildings, vary the uniformity 

 of the houses ; the bay is scattered over with large ships ; in 

 short, and what can be said more, it is one of the finest views 

 in the Brazils. But the exquisite glorious pleasure of walking 

 amongst such flowers, and such trees, cannot be comprehended 

 but by those who have experienced it. Although in so low a 

 latitude the locality is not disagreeably hot, but at present it is 

 very damp, for it is the rainy season. I find the climate as yet 

 agrees admirably with me ; it makes me long to live quietly 

 for some time in such a country. If you really want to have 

 [an idea] of tropical countries, study Humboldt. Skip the 

 scientific parts, and commence after leaving TenerifTe. My 

 feelings amount to admiration the more I read him. Tell 

 Eyton (I find I am writing to my sisters !) how exceedingly I 

 enjoy America, and that I am sure it will be a great pity if 

 he does not make a start. 



This letter will go on the 5th, and I am afraid will be 

 some time before it reaches you ; it must be a warning how 

 in other parts of the world you may be a long time without 

 hearing. A year might by accident thus pass. About the 

 1 2th we start for Rio, but we remain some time on the way 



