A VOYAGE TO 
(Sept. 19) 1525, is not in fa6t a river, though its name 
denotes that it was then fuppofed to be fo : it is an arm 
of the fea, into which a coniiderable number of fmall 
rivers defcends. 
■ The city of Rio de Janeiro, called by fome writers 
St. Sebaftian, from the name of its tutelar patron, is 
iituated on the weft fide of this bay, within lefs than a 
degree of the tropic of Capricorn, and about 43° weft of 
Greenwich. It is at prefent the capital of all Brafil, and 
has been for fome time the relidence of the Viceroy. 
Thefe diftin6lions it obtained in preference to St. Salvador, 
which was formerly the capital, by means of the diamond 
mines difcovered in its vicinity, in the year 1730. The 
place increafing rapidly by the wealth thus brought to it, 
was fortified and put under the care of a governor in 
1738. The port is one of the fineft in the w^orld, very 
narrow at the entrance, and within capacious enough 
to contain more fiiips than ever were aftembled at one 
ftation. It has foundings from twenty to one hun- 
dred and twenty fathoms. A hill fliaped like a fugar 
loaf, lituated on the w^eft fide, marks the proper bear- 
ing for entering the harbour : the fituation of w^hich 
is fully pointed out at the diftance of two leagues and a 
half by fome fmall iflands, one of which, called Rodonda^ 
is very high, and in form not unlike a haycock. . The 
mouth 
