TOWN OF RECIFE. 9 



consist only of the ground-floor. The streets 

 of this part, with the exception of one, are 

 paved. In the Square are the custom-house, in 

 one corner, a long, low, and shabby building ; 

 the sugar-inspection, which bears the appear- 

 ance of a dwelling-house ; a large church, not 

 finished ; a coffee-house, in which the merchants 

 assemble to transact their commercial affairs ; 

 and dwelling-houses. There are two churches 

 in use, one of which is built over the stone 

 arch-way leading from the town to Olinda, at 

 which a lieutenant's guard is stationed. The 

 other church belongs to the priests of the Con- 

 gregagam da Madre de Deos. Near to the 

 gate-way above-mentioned is a small fort, close 

 to the water-side, which commands it. To the 

 northward is the residence of the Port-Admiral, 

 with the government timber-yards attached to 

 it : these are small, and the work going on in 

 them is very trifling. The cotton-market, ware- 

 houses, and presses, are also in this part of the 

 town. * 



The bridge which leads to St. Antonio has 

 an arch -way at either end, with a small chapel 

 built upon each ; and at the northern arch is 

 stationed a Serjeant's guard of six or eight men. 



* It is perhaps not generally known, that the bags of 

 cotton are compressed, by means of machinery, into a -small 

 compass, and fastened round with ropes, that rhe shipr. 

 ehich convey them may contain a greater number. 



