180 



PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 



town. A small vessel may come to anchor be- 

 tween it and the shore ; but a large ship can 

 only bring up either to the northward or to the 

 southward of the town, in one of the opening* 

 of the ridge or on the outside of it. The open- 

 ing to the northward is to be preferred. A 

 vessel coming from the northward should make 

 the point of Mocoripe, which lies one league to 

 the southward of the town, and upon it stands a 

 small fort ; this being done, she will then be 

 able to make the anchorage ground. On the 

 appearance of a ship the fort of the town will 

 have a white flag flying upon a high flag-stan\ 

 To the northward of the town, between the 

 reef and the shore, there is a rock called Pedra 

 da Velha, or the Old Woman's Rock, which is 

 to be seen even at high water by the breakers 

 upon it. When a vessel leaves the port she may 

 either pass between this rock and the shore, 

 giving a birth to a shoal about one hundred 

 yards to the northward, or she may run between 

 the rock and the principal ridge or reef. 



The public buildings are small and low, but 

 are neat and white-washed, and adapted to the 

 purposes for which they are intended. Not- 

 withstanding the disadvantage to the general 

 appearance, imparted by the wretched soil upon 

 which the town has been erected, I could not 

 avoid thinking that its look was that of a thriving 

 place ; but I believe that this can scarcely be 



