TO RIO JANEIRO. 33 



few shops were supplied with cotton, hardware, &c. There were 

 likewise a number of little wine shops, where they also sold fruit, which 

 they usually have in great plenty, but all their crops depend much 

 upon the rains, and the inhabitants have also become indifferent or 

 careless about raising more than for their own supply, from the heavy 

 exactions of government made upon every thing that is cultivated. 

 The demand for shipping has of late years very much decreased. 

 The improvement in the supplies and comforts on board of vessels on 

 long voyages, now make it unnecessary to touch in port, as was 

 formerly deemed unavoidable. 



Porto Praya is yet visited by whale-ships for supplies. Although 

 the soil is poor, and the crops very uncertain, yet the tropical fruits 

 and some vegetables can always be obtained here. They are usually, 

 if time is allowed, brought from the interior. The inhabitants have 

 at times suffered almost the extremes of famine, in consequence of the 

 droughts that prevail for successive years, and especially during the 

 one that took place in 1832. It gave me pleasure to hear that the 

 timely aid sent there during its prevalence from the United States was 

 remembered with gratitude. 



The exports from these islands are salt, some ordinary wine, hides, 

 goats' skins, and orchilla. The latter is a government monopoly. 

 Ninety thousand milrees were paid by the company for the yearly 

 crop, and it is said at that price to yield a handsome profit. 



The climate of these islands is said to be healthy, though exceedingly 

 warm. It is subject to fevers, which generally take place during the 

 rainy months of July and August. There is an indistinctness in the 

 atmosphere that I have not experienced elsewhere, which causes every 

 thing to be ill defined, although the day may be fair. The same 

 appearance was observed after a shower of rain as before. The 

 temperature of the air was found here to be 75-7°, and of the water 81°. 



The seine was drawn for fish in one of the coves to the eastward 

 of the anchorage, in what we understood was a place well adapted 

 for the purpose, but it did not prove so. I should prefer the western 

 beach, as offering better luck and being more advantageous. 



Bats were the only wild mammiferous animals seen here. For 

 the short time we remained, our naturalists were actively employed, 

 and many specimens were added to our collections in Ornithology, 

 botany, shells, and zoophytes, with some fossils from the bank already 

 spoken of. 



Slaves are imported from the coast of Africa, and settlers or heads 

 of families are not allowed to bring with them more than ten slaves. 



vol. i. 5 



