DEC. 1768 RIO DE JANEIRO 33 
Portuguese custom of naming their discoveries from the 
saint on whose feast they are made, 
It is regular and well built after the fashion of Portugal, 
every house having before its window a lattice of wood, 
behind which is a little balcony. In size it is much larger 
than I could have expected, probably little inferior to any of 
our country towns in England, Bristol or Liverpool not 
excepted. The streets are all straight, intersecting each 
other at right angles, and have this peculiar convenience 
that the greater number lie in one direction, and are 
commanded by the guns of their citadel, called St. 
Sebastian, which is situate on the top of a hill overlooking 
the town. 
It is supplied with water from the neighbouring hills by 
an aqueduct upon two stories of arches, said in some places 
to be very high; the water is conveyed into a fountain in 
the great square immediately opposite the governor’s palace. 
This is guarded by a sentry, who has sufficient work to keep 
regularity and order among so many as are always in wait- 
ing here. Water is laid on in some other part of the town, 
but how it is brought there I could not hear; the water 
there is said to be better than the fountain, which is 
exceedingly indifferent, so much so as not to be liked by us, 
though we had been two months at sea, in which time our 
water was almost continually bad. 
The churches are very fine, with more ornaments even 
than those in Europe, and all the ceremonies of their 
religion are carried on with more show; their processions 
in particular are very extraordinary. Every day one or 
other of the parishes has a solemn procession with all the 
insignia of its church, altar, and host, etc. through the 
parish, begging for whatever can be got, and praying in all 
forms at every corner of a street. While we were there 
one of the largest churches in the town was being rebuilt, 
and for that reason the parish had leave to walk through 
the whole city, which was done once a week, and much 
money collected for the carrying on of the edifice. At this 
ceremony all boys under a certain age were obliged to 
D 
