South America.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



15 



A charge of 400 reas is made for coolies ; and on the departure of a 

 ship, the under-linguist at the wharf expects a present 



Provisions and Refreshments are now obtained freely. On fast- 

 days no supplies are granted. Beef is bad and dear. Poultry is more 

 reasonable. Fruits are procurable in the market held in the lower town ; 

 vegetables are abundant, and the bay produces a great variety of fish. 



RIO DE JANEIRO, called also St. Sebastian, is the capital of 

 Brazil. The entrance of the harbour, one of the finest in the world, is 

 about 22 leagues from Cape Frio, which is in latitude 23° VS., longitude 

 41° 50' W.j and may be known by its sugar-loaf hill at the W. point of 

 the bay. The entrance is not very wide ; but the breeze which blows daily, 

 from 10 to 12 o'clock till sunset, enables ships to go in before the wind ; 

 it gradually widens, and abreast of the town there is room for the largest 

 fleet. The entrance is defended by the strong fort of Santa Cruz, and the 

 fortified isle of St. Lucia ; between these is the channel. It is proper to 

 moor as soon as possible. 



The City of St. Sebastian is on the W. side of the river, about 4 miles 

 from the entrance, on a projecting point of land. Its length is about 1 £ 

 mile ; its breadth about three-quarters of a mile. On the promontory 

 is a strong fortification, completely commanding the town and anchorage ; 

 opposite this point is the Isla de Cobras, on the highest part of which 

 stands the citadel. This island is 300 yards long ; it slants to about 

 eight feet at the inner end ; round and close to it, ships of the greatest 

 draught may lay securely. It has a commodious dock-yard, with maga- 

 zines and storehouses, and a wharf for heaving down and repairing ships. 



The common landing-place is in the centre of a noble stone quay ; 

 near which is an obelisk, whence a stream of good water issues for the sup- 

 ply of shipping. The houses are handsome ; the streets are generally 

 straight and well-paved ; the shops are numerous, and well stocked with 

 European and Asiatic commodities. 



Trade. — The principal articles of import into the Brazils from Great 

 Britain, in 1621, were foreign and colonial merchandize, viz. flour, cod-fish, 

 wines, and spirits, official value i?21,718 ; British and Irish produce amount- 

 ing, in declared value, to i? 1,857,006 : these articles consisted of cottons, 

 woollens, linens, provisions, copper and brass, glass and earthenware, hard- 

 ware, cutlery, hats, iron, leather, haberdashery, cordage, apparel, fire-arms, 

 and gunpowder, mills and machinery, plate, plated ware, jewellery, salt, 

 soap and candles, stationery, tin, pewter, lead and shot, &c. The chief 

 exports to Great Britain in the same year were annotto, balsam, bark, 

 cocoa, coffee, horsc-huir, hides, India rattans, isinglass, precious stones, 



