TRAVELS tN BRAZIL. ^25 



Our friend, the consul-general, Mr. Von Langs- 

 dorflj had purchased a large estate on the road 

 from the north side of the bay to Minas Geraes, 

 a short time before we arrived at Rio de Janeiro, 

 ^nd just had commenced to plant mandiocca and 

 to build a country-house for himself with the 

 necessary appendages. We readily accepted his 

 invitation to view, in his company, this new crea- 

 tion, of the riches of which in natural curiosities, 

 he drew a delightful picture. On account of the 

 great traffic between the capital and the harbour 

 of Porto de Estrella, which is visited by all tra- 

 vellers going to Minas, boats set out daily between 

 11 and 12 o'clock, as soon as the sea-breeze springs 

 up, and arrive at Porto de Estrella in the even- 

 ing ; on the other hand, boats regularly depart 

 from the latter place after sunset, sail through the 

 night, and reach the city by daybreak. We em- 

 barked one afternoon on board one of these broad- 

 built boats, which are furnished with only one sail. 

 The wind was faint, and impelled us slowly by the 

 bare rocks, called the Enchados, which rise out of 

 the sea not far from the coast, and are frequented 

 by a number of sea-eagles and sea-gulls, (Pelicanus 

 aquilus, Cormoranus graculus, Procellaria brasili- 

 ensis,) and then by several islands covered with 

 thick wood, which lie scattered in the bay. On 

 the largest of these islands, Ilha do Governador, 

 situated almost in the middle of the bay, and ex- 

 tesdiiig two miles from E. to W., the king has 



VOL. I. <k 



