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will, which the inhabitants of the interior, less frequently imposed 

 upon, are ever ready to acknowledge and to satisfy. 



Thus disappointed, we resolved not to wait at Santos for a ship, 

 but to proceed to Rio de Janeiro, along the coast, in a canoe. Hav- 

 ing hired one we embarked, and after rowing all night in a strait 

 between the continent and the island of St. Omar, which forms one 

 of the passages to Santos from sea, we arrived by sun-rise at Berti- 

 oga, situated at the north end of that island. It is a village, con- 

 sisting of some tolerably good buildings, erected for the convenience 

 of the Captain Mor and his attendants, who superintend a fishing 

 establishment here, similar to that near St. Catherine's, and belong- 

 ing to the same company, but very much inferior in point of extent 

 and capacity. At both places the most expert of the negroes are 

 employed in dressing whalebone, which is a considerable article of 

 commerce, though smaller and less valuable than that of the Green- 

 land whale. Along the coast which we passed, are several fine 

 bays, where, in the best times of the fishery, large quantities of 

 whales were annually caught. The buildings for boihng the blub- 

 ber and storing the oil were conveniently situated 



The fine harbour of Bertioga is well sheltered from all winds, and 

 the town itself, being situated at the foot of a hill, is protected from 

 the inclemencies of the weather, and is at times inconveniently warm. 

 The basis of the hill is primitive granite, composed of hornblende, 

 feld-spar, quartz, and mica. Fine springs of water, bursting from 

 various parts, give variety to the scenery, and an agreeable fresh- 

 ness to the air. Though the place bore the appearance of poverty, 

 we observed no signs of want ; the sea affords great plenty and variety 

 of eatable fish, and the soil produces pulse, of various sorts, and 

 rice, quantities of which we saw loading in boats for Santos. The 

 people with whom we had to treat used us civilly, and seemed 

 anxious to anticipate and to gratify all our requests. As the Cap^ 

 tain Mor was ill, he could not render us any assistance in procuring 



