NOTICES OF BRAZIL. 



CHAPTER I. 



Entrance to Rio de Janeiro — The Sugar Loaf — Glance round the harbor— 

 The Corcovado — Gloria Church--The City— Praya Grande. 



On the last Sunday in August 1831, we descried through a 

 hazy atmosphere, the "Cabo do Frio," while yet thirty miles 

 off. Five years before 1 beheld this lump of Brazilian earth 

 with as much interest as if it were a mass of topaz or diamonds ; 

 then, every moment seemed an hour, and every spot that pre- 

 sented itself as we drew near, became of importance. Even 

 the sand beach, sweeping towards the capital of this empire, 

 fancy assured me, led to something, but that something was 

 indefinite, and is so still. The same feeling seemed to pervade 

 all those, who looked now on a strange shore, for the first 

 time ; — every countenance beamed with joy, and all were plea- 

 surably excited. 



Cape Frio, a high, wild, barren insular promontory, stands 

 at the extremity of Maranbaya beach, sixty-eight miles to the 

 eastward of Rio de Janeiro, having a passage for coasting ves- 

 sels between it and the main. The land may be seen from a 

 great distance in clear weather, rising high behind the beach, 

 which sweeps with a gentle curve to the entrance of the har- 

 bor. 



We were favored with a fresh sea breeze. Keeping in sight 

 of the beach, we could see distinctly, before the day closed^ 

 3 



