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vessels trading to the Rio de la Plata. It is tolerably well built, and 

 its population, consisting chiefly of merchants, shop-keepers, and 

 artificers, amounts to six or seven thousand souls. The situation is 

 by no means healthy, as the country around it is low, woody, and 

 frequently deluged with rain, by reason of the high mountains in 

 its vicinity, which impede the passage of the clouds. Several rivu- 

 lets flowing from the foot of these mountains intersect the land in 

 various directions, and unite in one great river a^ittle above the town 

 of Santos. The rice of this district, which is grown in great quanti- 

 ties, is considered the best in Brazil, and the bananas are equally 

 noted. 



From this port the Spanish territories, as well as Rio Grande, re- 

 ceive a great proportion of their sugar, coffee, rum, rice, mandibca, 

 indigo, &c. ; in return they bring hides and tallow, which are gene- 

 rally exported hence to Europe. The Portugueze send much of 

 their produce to the Spanish colonies, and are generally ill paid, but 

 the shortness of the voyage, and the want of other markets, tempt 

 many young men to speculate, notwithstanding the heavy duties 

 and the numberless petty obstacles with which their neighbours have 

 impeded and encumbered this commerce. A Spaniard in his own 

 country rarely allows even a shadow of justice to a Portugueze ; he 

 uses a thousand artifices for procrastinating the decision of a cause at 

 issue between them, till the latter, when his patience is completely ex- 

 hausted, finds that he is likely to derive nothing from the contest 

 but immense piles of law-papers, frequently written on the most 

 trivial points in htigation, and paid for at an exorbitant price. If 

 he persevere after all this disappointment, it generally happens that 

 another alcalde or judge is appointed, and then the business is 

 laid on the shelf. The injured Portugueze, after so much waste of 

 time and money, is threatened with worse consequences, and fre- 

 quently is obliged to leave the country in ruin and disgust. 



As Santos is the embarking place of St. Paul's, its intercourse with 

 that town is very considerable. In the course of a day several 



