NOTICES OF BRAZIL. 



19 



passing close under the guns of the fortress, we were hailed in 

 a slow, stentorian tone, that seemed to issue from the rocks, 

 for no human being was in sight ; allowing an interval between 

 each word, the voice cried, " what — ship — is — that? — Where 

 — do — you — come — from? — How — many — days — out? These 

 questions beirg answeied, it wished us a pleasant passage to 

 the city, whose spires and fanes were already in view. We 

 continued our course, passed a small fort situated near the en- 

 trance of BoTAroGo, the fort of Villegagnon, point Gloria, 

 and soon reached our anchorage, in one of the most beautiful 

 and picturesque bays in the world. 



We came to" about a mile from the city, w^ith our bows 

 to the southward and consequently looking out of the harbor. 

 Rat Island and " Ilha das Cobras," lay between us and the 

 shore. The former is notable, because navigators, on arriving 

 here, resort to it for the purpose of testing the correctness of 

 their nautical instruments. It is a small, low rock, and not far 

 from the latter, which divides the outer from the inner har- 

 bor ; the men-of-war lie in the one, and merchantmen occupy 

 the other. 



From the Sugar Loaf, which is a conspicuous point, we will 

 glance round this beautiful marine basin, and endeavor to con- 

 vey some idea of its form. The " Pao-de-Agucar" is more than 

 twelve hundred feet high, as mentioned above, and bears a 

 striking resemblance to a loaf of sugar, inclining a little to one 

 side. Its surface is nearly smooth, of a dark, sombre color, and 

 sprinkled here and there with little tufts of stunted bushes. It 

 stands on the west side of the harbor, and at the entrance of 

 the almost circular bay of Botafogo, which sweeps round towards 

 the city as far as San Berndrdo point. Notwithstanding the 

 steepness of its sides, (that towards the sea being perpendicular, 

 or perhaps overlooking the water for ten or fifteen feet above 

 the surface,) it has been twice ascended, and both times from 

 the most inaccessible point. Many years ago an Austrian mid- 

 shipman, in that reckless spirit of enterprise which is a boon 

 given to all sailors by father Neptune, when they wed the 

 sea, offered to wager with his messmates that he would ascend 

 the Sugar Loaf from the sea side, and display a flag on its sum- 



