PROVINCE OF RIO DE JANEIRO. 



53 



The front of this hill, facing the bay, nearly in a state of wild nature, was 

 some time ago purchased by Mr. Maiden, an Enghsh gentleman, upon the 

 side of which he has erected a very excellent mansion for his own residence, 

 as well as three or four other neat houses, all occupied by English gentlemen ; 

 one at the extremity, near the granite rock, is in the possession of the Rev. 

 Mr. Crane. The Gloria Hill is decidedly the most agreeable situation for a 

 residence in the vicinity of Rio : it is elevated, and commands an interesting 

 view of the harbour and all vessels as they enter and leave the port,; at the 

 same time enjoying all the advantages of the land and sea breezes. Its only 

 inconvenience is the approach to it, by a steep ascent on the side of the Gloria 

 Chapel. 



There are two female convents at Rio de Janeiro. The in-dwellers of one 

 adhere rigidly to their system of strict seclusion from all intercourse with the 

 world : they are Therezian nuns, and the convent is agreeably situated upon 

 an eminence, near the double row of arches in which the aqueduct terminates. 

 The others are Franciscan nuns, and an apartment in their convent of Ajuda 

 is appropriated for the admission of their friends, to converse with them 

 through an iron grating. This convent possesses an antiquated organ, coeval 

 with the establishment, -and the hand of man had not been allowed, for many 

 a year, to harmonize the discordancy occasioned by the deteriorating lapse of 

 time. An English professor of music was engaged, under considerable penalties 

 to keep the peace, and presented with a carte-hlanche to visit the convent, for the 

 purpose of thoroughly renovating this instrument, which, on accomplishing, he 

 declared was as fine a toned organ as he had ever heard. I was permitted to 

 accompany this gentleman, upon one occasion, under the garb of a servant. 

 We approached a door in the corner of a small inner square, which the outer 

 entrance leads to. A respectful knock produced the opening of a small shutter 

 within the door, when the fine face and black eyes of the watchful porteress 

 were presented at the iron grating. After a parley of a few minutes, during 

 which, at intervals, she examined me with rather a scrutinizing eye, the bolts 

 were withdrawn, and, on entering, we found ourselves at the foot of a flight of 

 spacious stairs, which she ascended with us. At the top we were joined by 

 two other nims, apparently about the age of forty, who conducted ns along a 

 passage or avenue ; one of them continuing to sound a bell the whole way, with 

 a view of announcing to the sisterhood that man was within the precincts of the 

 building, whose sight they were thus cautioned to avoid. Our three com- 

 panions were extremely affable, and conversed with much animation. We 



