1831.] 
RIO DE JANEIRO. 
B7 
close alongside of this strongly-fortified rock, which gradually 
declines, at one end, to within a few feet of the water, vessels of 
the largest burden may lie in perfect security. Here, also, are 
found wharves, dock-yards, magazines, arsenals, naval stores, a 
sheer-hulk, and many facilities for heaving down and careening 
vessels. Between Fort Lucia and the citadel is another fort, 
which commands the anchorage. 
The site selected for the town by the early settlers, is, perhaps, 
the best that could have been chosen out of many excellent ones 
that everywhere present themselves. The city of Rio, otherwise 
called St. Sebastian, is situated on the southwest side of the har- 
bour, or basin, about four miles from its entrance, and stands on a 
quadrangular peninsula, or square tongue of land, extending, on an 
inclined plane, a short distance into the bay. The town itself, 
which also exhibits the form of a parallelogram, and rises between 
four fortified eminences, which flank it at each corner, presents a 
northeast aspect of the basin, whose waters wash three sides of 
the square promontory on which it is built- 
On a height flanking its eastern angle is a square fort, com- 
manding and protecting stores of light ordnance, when deposited 
on the point below. Between this and the north angle of the 
peninsula, is a beautiful quay, built of solid blocks of chiselled 
granite, and forming an elegant facade in front of the city, and an 
eligible line for musketry and light cannon, to oppose the landing 
of an enemy's force, in case they should get possession of the 
harbour. On the north angle is another conspicuous eminence, 
on which stands the Benedictine convent, overlooldng the island 
Dos Cobras on its east, from which it is separated only by a deep 
narrow channel, as before mentioned. On this side of the penin- 
sula, near the water's edge, is a range of storehouses, overlooked 
by another square fort, flanking the west angle of the city, and 
commanding the imperial dock-yard beyond it. On the south 
angle of the town is the fourth eminence alluded to, on which is 
built the reservoir for receiving from the great aqueduct the water 
which supplies the city, and of which we shall speak presently. 
Between the last-mentioned eminence and the waters of the 
basin which wash the southeast side of the peninsula, is a public 
garden called the Passeo Publico, which is handsomely laid out 
in shrubberies, lawns, walks, and parterres. 
