K6TES ON BRAZIL. 



483* 



lady of a favourite, — that he was only lent to me, and should be returned 

 so soon as I again reached the Villa." " Oh ! Sir," he said, with a great 

 degree of rapidity, " you cannot think of returning a horse which 

 you say you approve of" " I do not wish to offend my friend, but 

 the horse is not given, he is lent." " Oh ! he is your's — T know- 

 he is your's," the man proceeded, and pronounced the sentence with 

 great vehemence. It received no direct reply, for I thought our ideas 

 are dissimilar, and recollected we are to have no disputes. 



We were then riding over the open Downs which skirt the Western 

 side of the Morro of St. Joze, — a lofty ridge of broken rocks, about 

 six miles long and one broad. Behind us lay the fine plain upon which 

 the Great Pombal intended to have placed the new capital of the Por- 

 tuguese Empire, and few spots can be found better adapted to the 

 purpose. It lies in a curve of the river, is several miles in extent, 

 pleasantly undulated, and forms generally an inclined plane, of easy 

 ascent toward the North, where it is backed with moderately high 

 rounded hills. The water is pure and plentiful, and there is an abun- 

 dance of clay and stone at hand, and, near the village of St. Joze, many 

 lime-stone rocks. There are, however, two strong objections against 

 the spot, both of which may be removed with care; — the first is the 

 want of good roads to it from the coast and larger towns, the other a 

 deficiency of wood for building and for fuel. 



The imagination easily surmounts difficulties, and with pleasure I 

 suffered my mind to be carried away into future ages. It seemed to 

 behold this houseless plain covered with a vast mass of domestic and 

 commercial buildings, palaces, and temples, which shall compose the 

 metropolis of an Empire possessing within itself means of realizing all 

 that has been said of Eastern magnificence and power. On this spot, 

 so devoid of all animated loveliness, will be exhibited, in all probability, 

 the brightest rays of human glory, the widest extent of moral influence ; 

 . — there will be decided the fate of nations, by the magic wand of native 

 wealth. The inhabitants of St. John think that the capital will shortly 



