PROVINCE OF RIO DE JANEIRO. 



57 



eye could reach. In this place, and from these waters, a poetical mind must, 

 indeed, imbibe those draughts of inspiration which the vale of Tempe, and the 

 mountain and stream of Parnassus are fabled to have produced. A long and 

 intricate path leads from hence to the summit of the Corcovada Mountain ; 

 below us there was an abrupt and rocky steep, its sides covered with thickly 

 growing brushwood, down which the water descended in a murmuring course 

 to the valley ; the whole of its varieties of verdure and fertility, with the bay 

 of Bota-fogo at its lower extremity, was within our view. A winding road led 

 us to a point, where we descended by a difficult way into the valley, while its 

 line oranges, growing spontaneously, supplied us with a dessert. It is beautified 

 with some elegant houses, of one of which, at the bottom, almost opposite to the 

 Queen's cottage, the accompanying sketch is a specimen. Our way from hence 

 continued by the Cateta and the Gloria to Rio. 



The open spaces of the city, denominated squares, consist of the Palace 

 Square, one hundred and fifty yards long, and eighty wide, with two good 

 landing stairs from the bay ; of the Roceo, one hundred and eighty yards long, and 

 one hundred wide ; and the Capim, recently called Peloirinho. In the Cidade 

 Nova, there is one which occupies the intermediate space of the crossing of 

 four streets ; but, although these are open spaces, they have little regularity 

 or semblance to any thing that produces the idea of a square. The Royal 

 Palace which has more the appearance of a manufactory than the residence of 

 a king, is composed of that formerly occupied by the viceroys, the convent of 

 the Carmelites, and the senate-house, united by passages, the first forming the 

 southern side of the square, and the latter the western. The northern side 

 consists of a row of houses, which are private property, with two stories the 

 same as the others. The first portion has twenty-four windows on the side, 

 and nine in front towards the bay, the lower part of which is occupied by the 

 guards and some public offices, the rooms above are generally used by the 

 King for public levees. Some of the merchants and groups of the male inha- 

 bitants frequent every evening that part of the square, and the walls adjoining 

 the landing places and bordering the bay affi3rd convenient seats, which are 

 fully occupied. Here the arrival of vessels is ascertained, and the sea-breeze 

 enjoyed. 



The mint, the armory, the naval arsenal, and that of the military, (called trem,) 

 and the custom house, are the principal public buildings ; but of themselves 

 present nothing particularly worthy of remark. There are various ])ublic tra- 

 piches, or warehouses for the deposit of produce. The public gardens, which 



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