48 



THREE TEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



called "la gavia." At this spot, a redoubt of stone, mounting 

 four guns, effectually protects the southern part of this route to 

 the city. About two miles, or perhaps less, beyond the lake, is 

 the Botanic Garden ; one of the spots usually visited by travel- 

 lers, and which will always pay them for their pains. When 

 our calega halted before the iron gate, it w^as opened by a ne- 

 gro, who afterwards became our guide, and pointed out the 

 most interesting parts of the garden. 



The Botanic Garden was established by Dom Leandro do 

 Sacramento. It covers a surface of about four acres, laid out 

 in alleys and beds, which are kept in fine order. It contains a 

 large number of exotics, and a great deal of the tea plant, which 

 was introduced to ascertain whether this climate was suitable 

 for its culture. So desirous was the emperor of naturalizing it, 

 that he imported a Chinese, with his family, to attend solely 

 to the cultivation of this plant. Thus far it promises well, and 

 in time may become of importance to the country. This gar- 

 den produced, (I think, in 1830,) forty "arrobas" (32 lb.); in 

 San Pablo, El Senhor Dom Jose Arouche de Toledo Ren- 

 don gathers annually from eighteen to twenty <«arrobas in 

 the province of Las Minas are gathered about twenty arrobas; 

 besides other places of which we have no account. In 1826, 

 shoots were sent to Maranan, but perished from the dryness 

 of the season. 



In different places are turf seats, and benches shaded by trees 

 and surrounded by every variety of flowers. Within a short 

 distance of each other, are growing, arrow-root, sago, carda- 

 mom, cinnamon, cloves, and the bread-fruit tree weighed 

 down with its own production. Nature and art have produced 

 wonders here ! While we rested in the shade of the beautiful 

 Jacca tree, the song of birds, and the odors of spices and 

 flowers, fell soothingly upon the senses. 



The only plant of which we were not permitted to break 

 twigs, is a small bush about four feet high, termed the national 

 tree, because each leaf contains a mixture of yellow and green 

 — the colors of the Brazilian flag. Even of this, however, we 

 were indulged with a few leaves. 



We returned to the city at eleven o'clock, in time to dress 



