78 RIO DE JANEIRO. 
tlic grand and siiblisiie scenery with wdiich they are suiv 
rounded. 
The town of Kio or, to speak with becoming dignity of 
the capital of the Brazils, the city of St. Sebastian is charm- 
ingly situated on a projecting quadrangular promontory of an 
irregular form, three of whose sides are opposed to the har- 
bour, and the foiu'th sheltered from the prevailing westerly 
blasts by a skreen of high hills Avell covered witli wood. The 
side of the town, which is next to that part of the harbour 
where the shipping usuall}^ lie at anchor, is nearly a mile and 
lialf in length ; and the depth inwards about three-fourths of a 
mile. The northern angle of the promontory is a bold broken 
eminence, on one point of which there is a regular fortifica- 
tion, and on the other a convent of Benedictine monks, 
which, being also surrounded with lines of defence, is actually 
as well as metaphorically a church militant. These heights 
completely command the town and the anchorage ; and they 
appear to command also, at least they are on a level with, 
the strongest work in the harbour, on Avhich the defence of 
the place is tho\ight principally to depend. This is the Ilha 
dos Cobras, or Snake Island, a rock about 80 feet high at the 
point on which the citadel stands, and slanting to eight at the 
opposite end ; its length is 300 yards ; and it is detached by a 
narrow but very deep channel from the eminence on which the 
Benedictine convent is situated. Round every side of this 
strongly fortified island, and close to its shores, ships of the great- 
est draught of water may lie in perfect security. Here also are 
a commodious dock-yard, an arsenal of naval stores, a sheer 
hulk, and ii wharf for heaving down and careening shipping. 
