Travels in tlie Brazils. 



11 



and the banana da terra, which is accounted the most whole- 

 some, cocoa nuts, with their refreshing milk ; jacas, ( artocarpus 

 intefyrifoUa, Linn.^ which have a disagreeable sweet taste; melancias, 

 (water-melons,) the nuts of the sapucaya tree, (lecyihis oUaria^ 

 Linn.) ; those of the arancaria, (^Brazilian pine,_) and other 

 fruits, are exhibited for sale in all parts of the streets. The sugar 

 cane originally grew wild in the vicinity of Rio. The markets are 

 invariably stocked with fish, poultry, and various kinds of game, 

 sold by the huntsmen. I observed a singular species of hen, with 

 yellow feet and beaks, originally brought from Africa. There is 

 a numerous military establishment at Rio. The difference be- 

 tween the troops brought from Portugal, who fought under Wel- 

 lington in Spain, and those raised in Brazil, is very remarkable. 

 The former present a mihtar.y appearance, but the latter, on the 

 contrary, are enfeebled by the heat of the climate, and their arms 

 are carried home by negroes from the place of exercise. 



I arrived in the tropical climate of Rio during the winter sea- 

 son ; the heat was, however, as overpowering as in the warmest 

 months of our summer. I had expected rain in this American 

 winter, but, to my great joy, not a drop fell, a circumstance which 

 serves in some measure to disprove the common assertion that the 

 cold season in this climate is invariably accompanied by rain. My 

 letters of introduction procured me the kindest reception in many 

 families at Rio. I cannot forbear mentioning, with the strongest 

 gratitude, tjie favours I received from the Swedish Consul-Gene- 

 ral Westin, the Russian Consul Von Langsdorff, the English 

 Charge d' Affaires Chamberlain, and the Russian Charge d^ Affaires 

 Swertzkoff. My countryman Engineer Major Feldner, overwhelm^ 

 ed me with proofs of his friendship ; he formed several agreeable 

 travelling parties, which enabled me to observe the country in the 

 vicinity of Rio. On one of these interesting journeys I made my 

 first acquaintance with the aborigines of Brazil. The little village 

 of St. Lourenzo, in the neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro, is the 

 only spot which contains any remnants of the original native tribes 

 of this country. In order to observe them the moi'e accurately, 

 our party set out from Rio, accompanied by Captain Ferreira, a 

 gentleman well acquainted with the country. Th« weather prov- 

 ed unusually fine, and I was every moment delighted with the 

 novelty of the surrounding scenery. We landed not far from San 

 Lourenzo, and ascended the rising grounds, by a path which led 

 through thickets of the finest shrubs. Lantanas, with their flame- 

 coloured, deep red, or rose coloured flower-tops, are here inter- 

 spersed with the heliconias, and other elegant plants, and form a 

 thick copse. The huts of the Indians, on these heights, are scat* 

 tered among groves of dark shady orange, banana, and other trees, 

 loaded with their rich fruit. A painter would here have an ex- 

 cellent opportunity to perfect his pencil in the luxuriant vegetation 



