Travels in the Brazils,- 



found it impossible to land, for the island was surrounded by 

 steep broken , pieces of rock, overgrown with zoophytes, which > 

 formed a complete net* work. We therefore contented ourselves 

 with admiring the beautiful clusters of trees which were thickly 

 entwined together on the level part of the island, and listening to 

 the resounding notes of the birds. On the points of the rocks we 

 observed numbers of white mews with black backs, which exactly , 

 resembled the /arwj wrtnni^^ of the European seas. After stay- 

 ing about an hour, we rowed off from the island, and began to ^ 

 look out for the ship; but she was no longer visible. Our situa- 

 tion was now very critical; for ^t the entrance of the river there 

 are currents which frequently carry vessels out of their course, by 

 which many have been wrecked.* Our sailors contended for some 

 time against the high swollen waves, without accurately knowi-ng 

 the course of the vessel. We rowed with all our might, and at 

 length had the good fortune to discover the masts of the Janus. 

 After we got on board, the wind continued so calm that we made 

 but little progress. In the evening, however, we anchored in the 

 narrow mouth of the great harbour of Rio de Janeiro, which 

 was formerly called Ganabara by those tribes of the aborigines 

 who resided here. The entrance to this harbour is extremely 

 picturesque. It is surrounded on either side by steep rugged 

 mountains, the summits of which present the most varied and : 

 singular forms, and almost all of which have particular names. 

 Among them are two of similar form, distinguished by the name 

 of the Dttos Irmaos (the two brothers), another is called by the 

 English the ParroUheak, and at some distance from the shore 

 rises the lofty Corcovado. We cast anchor at the diptance of 

 about a mile from the Fort, where we could command a view of 

 the grand scenery which surrounded us. The lofty pointed hills 

 are lor the most part covered with trees, among whose dark green 

 branches we could distinguish those of the stately slender cocoa- 

 nut tree. Where the beams of the setting sun glistened on the 

 surface of the sea,, we could discern shoals of beautiful red > 

 coloured fish, which presented a most singular appearance. We 

 amused ourselves by gathering sea-weed (fucus ) and fishing for 

 mollusca, till night-iall, .when the heavy dew which is common in ; 

 these regions obliged us to quit the deck. 



Just as we were about to retire to rest a distant -firing again in- 

 duced u« to mount on; deck, and, at the further extremity of the 



• A singular circumstance occurred chortly before our arrival. An American ship 

 entered the river, and was followed by an English privateer. The American, for some 

 time, appeared at a loss how to proceed, but she was at length obliged to sail, and the 

 privateer wished to pursue and capture her. However, according to the Port-laws of 

 Ilio, every ship is allowed an interval of three hours before an enemy can pursue her. 

 The privateer accordingly awaited the expiration of the three hours, and then put to 

 sea with all her sails set. As soon as she arrived near Ilha rotunda she was becalmed, , 

 and "the current dashed her against the rocks, where she was wrecked, and all the.cremi 

 lost, while the American vessel had long before gained the open sea. 



