60 BAHIA — SAN SALVADOR. Feb. 



round the north-east extremity of the island, and steered for 

 Bahia de Todos Santos. Having remained only one day at 

 anchor, in consequence of information that no better landing 

 could be expected for many days ; and wishing to ascertain the 

 rates of the chronometers, as well as to procure a supply of 

 water, I decided to go to Bahia, as the nearest port convenient 

 for both purposes. From the 23d to the 27th we found a cur- 

 rent setting us southward, between twenty and thirty miles 

 each day. This was quite unexpected by me, for I thought 

 that we should have been set westward. At daylight on the 

 28th we made the land about Bahia, and before noon were at 

 anchor in the port. 



As we sailed in rapidly from the monotonous sea, and 

 passed close along the steep but luxuriantly wooded north 

 shore, we were much struck by the pleasing view. After the 

 light-house was passed, those by whom the scene was unex- 

 pected were agreeably surprised by a mass of wood, clinging 

 to a steep bank, which rose abruptly from the dark-blue sea, 

 showing every tint of green, enlivened by bright sunshine, 

 and contrasted by deep shadow : and the general charm was 

 heightened by turretted churches and convents, whose white 

 walls appeared above the waving palm trees ; by numerous 

 shipping at anchor or under sail ; by the delicate airy sails of 

 iimumerable canoes ; and by the city itself, rising like an 

 amphitheatre from the water-side to the crest of the heights. 



We found ourselves in the middle of the rainy season, and 

 although favoured by a fine day at arriving, cloudy weather 

 and frequent rain succeeded it, and during the short stay we 

 made, much embarrassed our observations. 



Bahia has declined ever since its separation from Por- 

 tugal : unsettled, weak governments, occupied too constantly 

 by party strife to be able to attend to the real improvement 

 of their country, have successively misruled it. Revolutions, 

 and risings of the negro population, interrupting trade, have 

 repeatedly harassed that rich and beautiful country, and are 

 still impending. 



Were property secure, and industry encouraged, the trade 

 from Bahia miglit be very extensive, particularly in sugar and 



