TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 139 



which is built on the Pico, a steep mountain on a 

 tongue of land on the east side, and by the bat- 

 teries of S. Joao, and S. Theodosio, lying opposite 

 to it, to the north of the Sugar-loaf. The 

 strait formed by the two points, which is only 

 five thousand feet broad, is also commanded by the 

 guns of a fort on the low rocky island Ilha da 

 Lagem, situated almost in the middle of the en- 

 trance. In the interior of the bay the most im- 

 portant works are the fort de Villegagnon, and 

 that of Ilha das Cobras, both on small islands not 

 far from the city. State criminals are confined in 

 the latter island ; in the city itself are the Forte 

 da Concei^ao in the north-west part of it, and the 

 batteries of Monte, in the south-east ; they are 

 not, however, in the best condition. The inlet of 

 Bota-Fogo is covered by the lines of Praya-ver- 

 melha.* 



* Here it was that Martin Alfonso de Souza, in his voyage 

 of discovery, performed by the command of King John III., 

 landed in January 1531, and gave the bay the name it now 

 bears. The Praya-vermelha was formerly called for this rea- 

 son, Porto de Martin Affbnso. It is uncertain who it was that 

 first visited this part of the coast of Brazil, but it appears that 

 Joao de Solis was the first who put in here in 1515. When 

 Fernando de Magalhaens, with his fellow-countryman Ruy 

 Falleiro, sailed along the whole east coast of South America, 

 he anchored here in December 1519, and gave to the bay the 

 name of Bahia de St. Lucia. Martin Alfonso soon left the 

 place again, probably from fear of the numerous and warlike 

 natives, the Tamoyos. The Portuguese were first made sen- 

 sible of the importance of this place, when it was taken pos- 



