GOVERNOR OF RIO ORANDE. 



107 



I rode immediately to the palace, as I had 

 letters of introduction to the Governor, from 

 several of his friends at Pernambuco. He re- 

 ceived me in the most cordial manner. He 

 asked me for my passport, which I produced ; 

 it was scarcely opened, and he immediately re- 

 turned it, saying, that he only did this, that all 

 necessary form might be complied with. He 

 *aid, that I should stay with him, and he would 

 provide a house for my people. At one o'clock 

 we dined, and one of his aides-de-camp was with 

 us. In the afternoon, we walked down to the 

 lower town. It is situated upon the banks 

 of the river ; the houses stand along the 

 southern bank, and there is only the usual width 

 of a street between them and the river. This 

 place may contain from two to three hundred in- 

 habitants, and here live the men of trade of Rio 

 Grande. The bar of the Portengi is very narrow, 

 but is sufficiently deep to admit vessels of 150 tons. 

 The northern bank projects considerably, and 

 for this reason, it is necessary that a ship should 

 make for it from the southward. The entrance 

 to the reef of rocks, which lies at some distance 

 from the shore, also requires to be known, so 

 that altogether the port is a difficult one. The 

 river is very safe, when once within the bar ; 

 the water is deep, and quite still, and two vessels 

 might swing in its breadth ; but it soon becomes 

 shallow, and in the course of a few miles is 



