NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



75 



arms ; — for, at that period, military uniforms and accoutrements served 

 for several different men. This fellow, in his long, coarse, cotton 

 trowsers, and barefooted, stalked as a guard over the important func- 

 tionaries of her Majesty's customs ; and to him every one was expected 

 to uncover his head. 



Tlie insufficiency of this establishment, though generally appro- 

 priated to the imports of the country, has induced the Government to 

 grant some privileges to the City-wharf ; so that here also, permission 

 being obtained from the judge of the custom-house, imported goods may 

 now be landed and laid up, until they are dispatched, and the duties 

 paid upon them ; for which purpose they must be removed, under the 

 inspection of guards, to the custom-house itself This Trapiche da 

 Cidade consists of a good range of warehouses and a wharf towards the 

 water, with a single crane, worked, like all the rest in Rio, by a number 

 of black men, hanging by their hands upon pegs placed round the circum- 

 ference of a wheel. One-half of this building is now employed by the 

 Government, the other by a British commercial house. 



On the Western side of the Ilha das Cobras is a Warehouse more 

 complete and useful than showy, chiefly used for Sugar and Hides, and 

 well situated for shipping them. It has a sheltered quay with two cranes, 

 under the arms of which small vessels may lie in safety to discharge. 

 One part of this building is occupied as a storehouse for the Bri- 

 tish Fleet. 



The Trapiche do Sal is round the point of St. Bento, in a filthy part 

 of the town. It consists of a line of warehouses, with a small square 

 and sheltered quay in front of them. Salt is chiefly deposited there, 

 whence its name ; but it is used also for small parcels of sugars, and 

 other kinds of produce, which come down the bay, and are genei-ally 

 intended for home consumption. Nearly adjoining to these warehouses 

 are those, which the Oporto Company occupy for their wines. 



At a small distance, further along the beach, is tiie Trapiche do 



Colhete, well situated for shipping, but inconvenient and dirty. It 



receives principally sugar, fustic, and other dyeing woods, with some 



K ^ 



