1 1 



The itriTt^ or Kin.— The stimimsmciili 

 of flio.— Whit* jacket ball. 



RIO JANEIRO. 



Arrival of the RrllcC 



The rcactick tumid utiifo worthy. 



The streets of the city gem-rally eros?* each other 

 at right angles. Some few of them have side-walks, 

 but they are narrow ami badly paved. The gutters 

 are in the middle of the street*, with a stream of 

 water which emits a smell by no means agreeable. 

 Those most frequented are the Run Direita and 

 Ouvhlnr. The former, containing the palace ,n I 

 cathedral, Ls the broadest in the city. In the latter 

 are the principal shops, and it is the gayest. The 

 streets are paved with blocks of stone. What 

 gives Uio its principal eh arm, arc it* suburbs and 

 the small qui Mas around it. Nothing can exceed 

 the beauty of those around Gloria and Botofugo. 



The amusements of riding and fishing, with 

 water excursions, are frequent, and of the most 

 agreeable kind. Tli. *e and other advantages of 

 bo fine a climate soon render a residence at Rin 

 quite desirable. Then* is mueli pleasant foreign 

 society, composed of the diplomatic corps, many 

 retired gentlemen, and generally (lie officers of the 

 several men-of-war of different nation-*, 



Tbere appears to be but little intercourse between 

 the Brazilians an 1 the foreign society. The female 

 Bex particularly is still much restricted in this re- 

 Bpeet; and although great improvement has taken 

 place, yet they seldom mix in social intercourse 

 with foreigners; I am told that even among them- 

 selves they are seldom seen except at ceremonious 

 parties. They are very much as one would expect 

 them to be, reserved, retiring, and wanting in 

 education. They dress after the l'reneh fashion, 

 and are usually covered with finery, often dis- 

 playing splendid jewels, without taste. There is 

 none of that ease ami gaiety which exists where 

 the fair sex is considered on an equality with the 

 other, and there is a total absence of that tone 

 which a consciousness of their value gives to 

 society. Their usual place of resort during the 

 afternoon and evening is the balconies of their 

 houses; some, of them are occasionally seen at 

 church. It is said they booh lose their beauty, an 

 early age being considered as their prime. 



Anions the many places to which we had the 



honour of an invitation was f their monthly 



balls, the white-jacket bail, at Prnya Grande; so 

 called in consequence of a request being made on 

 the card of invitation, that the gentlemen would 

 come in white jackets, and the ladies appear with- 

 out brilliants or other jewels. Wo gladly accepted 

 the invitation. 



On reaching the anteroom wo were met by the 

 committee of gentlemen or managers, and kindly 

 greeted without ceremony, making ns at once feel 

 at our case. We were shortly ;,fter ushered into 

 uiie of the most splendid ball-rooms I ever saw. 

 There were upwards of three hundred present, all 

 dressed in pure white, without any finery whatever. 

 The room was brilliantly lighted. We were shown 

 around, and introduced to a great many persons of 

 b"th sexes, who all seemed bent on amusement. 

 It was truly a tarn souei meeting. Seldom have I 

 seen so much good taste as was displayed in the 

 arrangements, or so good a tone of Bociety. A 

 good hand of music, nil Brazilians, played waltzes 

 and marches alternately. I was told there were 

 ninny distinguished persons, senators, representa- 

 tives of the congress, &c, present. 



The language generally spoken was Portuguese, 

 though some few of the ladies, and many of the gen- 

 tlemen, spoke French. I was not much struck with 



the beauty of the ladies. The great charm thrown 

 over the whole was the unaffected manners and 

 tm'itvtt exhibited by the whole company. 



On the 27lh of November the Relief arrived, 

 after a passage of one hundred days, i*r< m the 

 1'nited States, the longest ever made, l In requi- 

 sitions being made for her stores, I was greatly 

 and vexatiously disappointed to receive a report 

 that they required a survey, as all were considered 

 defective, including even the bread and flour. This 

 report, after a careful survey by seven officers, 

 proved to be true. 1 had been informed before 

 taking command of the squadron that these provi- 

 sions had been inspected, and understood them to 

 be in good order, and that they would last over a 

 year. 



We redoubled our exertions, and the R. lief was 

 despatched at the earliest day possible, the 14th of 

 December, in order to enable her to reach Orange 

 Harbour, in Terra del Fuego, the place I lind 

 fixed upon as a rendezvous, supposing she would 

 take at least fifteen days more than the other 

 vessels to reach the place at the same time. The 

 beats towed her down the harbour, and gave her a 

 fair start. 



Our repairii in Rio were extensive, particularly 

 those on the Peacock. Among other things, the 

 head of the mizzen mast had to be cut off eighteen 

 inches, in consequence of ■ defect in it, which it 

 appeared had been filled up with rope-yarns and 

 putty, aud painted over, at her outfit. The defects 

 about the Vessel wore so glaring, that in going to 

 the high latitudes, it would have been impossible 

 to secure the crew from great suffering rind ex- 

 posure. Even in the stale in which the squadron 

 was now put, I had e\ery apprehension of the 

 greatest disasters. The Peacock, particularly, was 

 wholly unsea worthy with respect, to such a cruise. 



My objt-ct in giving these details is not to im- 

 pute blame to any one, however satisfied 1 may be 

 of the great neglect in all the uurlits, but to let the 

 country know what were the difficulties we had to 

 encounter. 



It is always difficult to calculate upon the delays 

 that may occur in a foreign port, particularly when 

 it is necessary to employ foreign workmen. Their 

 bom-'-, habits, and manner of working are so dif- 

 ferent from our own, that great patience is required 

 in those who employ them. The manner in which 

 the calkers of Rio work, would draw crowds around 

 them in one of our own cities; to see many of them 

 engaged on a single seam on the outside of the 

 vessel, striking the mallet at a signal given by their 

 leader of overseer with bis whistle, is amusing. 

 They are generally blacks (probably slaves), and 

 the hader a white man. The impression made 

 upon us all was, that they were an indolent set ; 

 yet they are said to understand their bonnese well. 

 I cannot, however, bear favourable testimony tip 

 their work ; the calking of my ship was ccriainh 

 badly done. 



The uncertainty of the length of time 1 shrink! 

 he detained, rendered it impossible for me to allow 

 long absences from the ship. 1 was anxious to 

 have made some measurements of the Organ moun- 

 tains, and that onr parties should extend their Re- 

 searches beyond thorn to the Campos. 



Dr. Pickering and Mr. Bracken ridge succeeded 

 in making the trip to the Organ mountains on a 

 botanical excursiun ; but the outfits and duties eon- 



