88 POLITICAL STATE OF BRAZIL. 



suspended. These amount to about one hundred days in the year 

 These holidays are a great alleviation to the labour of the slave. 



Foreign merchants reside in the country, in the neighbourhood of 

 the city. 



During our stay in Rio, George Smith, a seaman, while employed 

 on board of one of the lighters in charge of Midshipman May, fell 

 overboard and was accidentally struck with an oar ; Midshipman May, 

 in a praiseworthy manner, jumped overboard to his relief, but did not 

 succeed in saving him, for he sank immediately and was drowned. 



The delays in Rio had no effect upon the general health of the 

 squadron, although I was fearful such might be the case, not only 

 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 on 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 observations 

 for latitude ; magnetic dip, intensity, diurnal variation ; and others, 

 including tides, and solar and terrestrial radiation. We now made 

 every preparation for sea. 



* The measurement of the whole distance by sound, when reduced, 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 Light, deduced from that of Enxados, 

 which had been ascertained by mcon 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. 



