( 241 ) 



CHAPTER XI. 



HOMEWARD BOUND. 



July 28, 1884. The Valparaiso steamed off at 5.50 p.m., 

 and our friends accompanied us in the steam launch until 

 it was too dark to see ; then, with a parting, " Deus guarde 

 as V ses . S rias .," we bade adieu to Rio. 



July 30. I saw a splendid and cloudless sunrise. First 

 appeared a dull red spot on the eastern horizon, which, as 

 swiftly as the wire in the incandescent electric light, became 

 a dazzling white point ; and then the sun rose so quickly 

 that in about two minutes from his first appearance the 

 whole fiery globe was above the horizon. At 8 a.m. we 

 sighted on our port bow the French steamer La France, 

 which sailed from Rio three or four hours before us ; we 

 passed her about noon, and lost sight of her astern by 

 4 p.m. This was the chief amusement to-day, though we 

 caught sight of two whales, and by sunset saw several 

 small chains of hills and mountain peaks. 



July 31. Went on deck at six ; very dull morning. A 

 low line of coast close on the starboard side showed we 

 were approaching Bahia, and by 8.15 we had anchored in 

 the bay. The entrance to this bay is very much wider 

 than that of Rio de Janeiro, and the coast is surrounded by 

 low hills, many of them forest clad. We were, unfortunately, 



R 



