38 
VOYAGE OF THE POTOMAC. 
[October, 
The city is well built, most of the houses being of stone, and 
the whole laid out in squares, the streets crossing each other at 
right angles. The palace, or imperial residence, faces the water; 
and with the open capacious square in front of it, one entire side 
of which it occupies, is in full view from the anchorage. This 
square, which is the first object that catches the attention of 
strangers, is surrounded on three of its sides with, buildings, while 
the fourth, which is bounded and lined by the stone quay, is open 
to the water. On the quay itself, near its central flight of stairs, 
which is the principal landingrplace, in front of the square, is a 
beautiful fountain in the form of an obelisk, constructed, like the 
pier, of hewn granite; and from each of its four sides is con- 
stantly ejected a stream of pure limpid water, for the use of the 
lower part of the town, and the shipping in the harbour, 
On advancing up the square from the landing, the visiter finds 
it paved with a smooth, solid surface, of the same kind of granite 
of which the obelisk and quay are constructed, and copiously 
sprinkled over with quartzose sand, which, together with the 
glistening mica of the Rio granite, is very trying to the eyes 
under the fervid rays of a tropical and sometinies vertical sun. 
The palace,, which occupies the upper side of the square, though 
extensive in its dimensions, has nothing particularly magnificent 
in its appearance. The other public buildings, including the im- 
perial chapel, a cathedral, churches, convents, nunneries, theatre, 
opera-house, &c., do not exhibit any imposing views of elegant 
architecture. Though originally built with much post and labour, 
no pains have been taken to keep them in repair. The streets are 
generally straight, but the most of them are narrow and dirty. 
The houses are commonly two stories high, with little wooden 
balconies in front of the upper windows, where the ladies some- 
times present themselves, but not so frequently as in olden time, 
to throw flowers and nosegays at the foot passengers, or to listen 
to the nocturnal serenades of their lovers. But whether in Italy, 
Portugal, or Rio, latticed windows, without glass, always wear a 
dull and gloomy aspect to a traveller from England or the United 
States. The principal streets of Rio have flagged sidewalks, 
like those of our own cities. 
. The shops are generally large and commodious, and welh sup- 
plied with English goods, and various other kinds of merchandise. 
