CHAPTER II 
RIO DE JANEIRO 
Noy. 18—Dec. 7, 1768 
Obstacles to landing —Viceroy memorialised — Boat’s crew imprisoned — 
Vegetation, etc.—Ship fired at—Leave Rio harbour—Description of 
Rio—Churches—Government—Hindrances to travellers—Population— 
Military—Assassinations —V egetables—Fruits—Manufactures —Mines— 
Jewels—Coins—Fortifications—Climate. 
13th November As soon ag we were well in the river, 
the captain sent his first lieutenant, Mr. Hicks, with a 
midshipman, to get a pilot: the boat returned, however, 
without the officers, but with a Portuguese subaltern. The 
coxswain informed us that the lieutenant was detained until 
the captain should go off. A ten-oared boat, containing 
about a dozen soldiers, then came off and rowed round the 
ship, no one in it appearing to take the slightest notice of 
us. A quarter of an hour later another boat came off, on 
board which was a Disembargador and a colonel of a Portu- 
guese regiment. The latter asked many questions, and at 
first seemed to discourage our stay, but ended by being 
extremely civil, and assuring us that the Governor would 
give us every assistance in his power. The lieutenant, he 
said, was not detained, but had not been allowed on shore 
on account of the practica, but that he would be sent on 
board immediately. 
14th. Captain Cook went on shore this morning. He 
returned with a Portuguese officer with him in the boat, 
1 This account, from the 13th to the 24th November inclusive, of the 
treatment of Captain Cook at Rio, has been much condensed from the 
original ‘‘ Journal.” 
