32 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



deep shadow — the whole uniting to produce a scene not to be 

 readily effaced from one's memory. We cast anchor at about 

 half- past eleven p.m., and after spending some time in 

 admiring contemplation of the surrounding scene, which 

 was new to the greater number of us, separated for the 

 night. 



Next morning, a most brilliant but very hot one, the 

 thermometer +89 in the shade, I spent a long time gazing 

 on the wondrous prospect disclosed on all sides. The 

 atmosphere being very clear, the entire outline of the great 

 harbour could be perceived. In our immediate neighbour- 

 hood lay the small island of Villegagnon with its fort, 

 numerous men-of-war, and merchant-vessels of different 

 nationalities, and the town, which, though not particularly 

 attractive on a closer inspection, presents a fine appearance 

 from its remarkable situation, being surrounded on three 

 sides by steep hills, densely clothed with a rich tropical 

 vegetation, of which palms and bananas form conspicuous 

 features. On the opposite side of the bay the towns of 

 Mctheroy and San Domingo stretched for some distance 

 close to the beach. !N"earer the entrance of the harbour the 

 Corcovado mountain and the remarkable Sugar Loaf, with 

 their precipitous rock-faces, arrested the eye, while at 

 its head the chain of the Organ mountains closed in the 

 view. 



Later in the day a party of us landed, and spent some time ' 

 inspecting the town, the streets of which, with the exception 

 of the Eua Direita, are for the most part so narrow as not to 

 permit of two vehicles passing one another without seriously 

 encroaching on the footways — a circumstance which, however, 

 does not appear to be productive of any feelings of incon- 

 venience to the coachmen, who drive along utterly regardless 



