POLITICAL STATE OF BRAZIL. 91 
from the heat of the climate, but the copious draughts of aguardiente 
with which the foreigners supply the sailors. 
I found it necessary here to increase the crews of the ships, and 
applied to Commodore Nicolson, commander of the Brazil station, for 
that purpose. Thirty men were supplied the squadron. They were 
the most indifferent and worthless set, with two or three exceptions, 
we ever had on board. They were almost the only persons attached 
to the vessels on whom it became necessary to inflict punishment. 
The markets are abundantly supplied with fish, beef and poultry. 
Vegetables are to be had in abundance, and are all sold in the streets. 
On the 26th the Peacock and tenders returned, and brought their 
work up to the observatory at Enxados Island. Captain Hudson had 
not been able to examine the St. Thomas Shoal. Having lost five 
days in consequence of bad weather, it became impossible to accom- 
plish it within the given time.* During his progress he had lost an 
anchor, which, when hove up, was found to have been broken off at 
the shank. Application was immediately made to the government 
for one, which request was very obligingly and promptly replied to, 
by desiring us to select one of a suitable size from those in the 
dock-yard. 
By the last of December we had completed all our scientific 
duties. These consisted of a series of pendulum observations ; those 
for longitude by moon culminating stars; circummeridian observa- 
tions for latitude ; magnetic dip, intensity, and diurnal variation ; and 
others, including tides, and solar and terrestrial radiation. We now 
made every preparation for sea. 
On the 5th of January the Porpoise was ordered to drop down near 
a slaver, that it was reported some of our men had been smuggled on 
board of, to form a part of her crew. She was boarded, and though 
the captain denied that they were on board, after a search two were 
found. One of them was a black, who had himself been a slave, yet 
he had been induced to enter for the purpose of carrying on this 
nefarious traffic. This was the brig Fox, and though undoubtedly 
* The measurement of the whole distance by sound was reduced, and gave 
1° 08' 52" 8'" for the difference of meridians. Each distance between the vessels 
was the mean of about thirty observations. The longitude of Cape Frio, deduced from 
that of Enxados, which had been ascertained by moon culminating stars, to be in 
43° 09' 06" 67'" west of Greenwich, is, therefore, 42° 00' 13" 87'" W. For the 
particulars and a diagram of this work see Appendix XXIII. 
