52 RIO JANEIRO. 



what out of order. In the centre of the garden was a small fountain, 

 near which grew some fine specimens of the splendid Bougainvillea 

 bracteata in full flower. There is also a fine collection of Orchidese, 

 which are cultivated on decayed trunks of trees. The bread-fruit 

 trees (Artocarpus incisa, and integrifolia) succeed very well. There 

 were some trees of both kinds forty feet high, and the fruit of the 

 latter as large as an ordinary watermelon. The rows of trees along 

 the sides of the walks were principally Apeiba hispida, Theobroma 

 cacao, several kinds of Lauracese and Myrtaceae, with a species of 

 Casuarina, introduced from New South Wales. Several groups of 

 bamboos had a good effect among the other trees, but their stems bore 

 evidence of a propensity to the carving of names, as a memento of the 

 distinguished persons' visit. Among them I was glad to see the 

 names of many Europeans, which serves to prove that this habit does 

 not exist among Americans alone. Here an attempt was made some 

 years since to introduce the tea-plant, with natives of China to 

 cultivate it. The plantation appeared to our botanical gentlemen in a 

 sickly state. 



The great and distinctive characteristic of Rio may be said to be 

 its slaves and slavery. This evil continually presents itself to the 

 observer, and he cannot, if he would, divert his attention from the 

 many sights which keep it before his mind. 



The slave population is stated at five times the number of that of the 

 whites, and notwithstanding the existing danger of maritime capture, 

 the supply still seems equal to the demand. Although many slavers 

 are taken by the English cruisers, brought in and tried by the mixed 

 commission, agreeably to treaty, yet means are found to introduce the 

 slaves. Two slavers were lying in charge of the English squadron 

 while we were there. On board of them, though quite small vessels, 

 were two and three hundred negroes. It is difficult to imagine more 

 emaciated, miserable, and beastly-looking creatures, and it is not a 

 little surprising that they should be kept thus confined by those who 

 affect to establish their freedom and ameliorate their condition. These 

 vessels it is understood had obtained their victims on the eastern coast 

 of Africa. 



Slaves are almost the only carriers of burdens in Rio Janeiro. They 

 go almost naked, and are exceedingly numerous. They appear to work 

 with cheerfulness, and go together in gangs, with a leader who carries 

 a rattle made of tin, and filled with stones, (similar to a child's rattle.) 

 With this he keeps time, causing them all to move on a dog-trot. 

 Each one joins in the monotonous chorus, the notes seldom varying 

 above a third from the key. The words they use are frequently 



