1831.] 
LAND IN SIGHT, 
31 
acter, and profession of the soldier. On board of the Potomac, 
this animosity did not seem to exist ; or, if it did exist, its influ- 
ence was but weak, as sailor and marine appeared to mingle 
together in peace and good-will, as men who might be required 
mutually to stand by and support each other. 
Nothing material occurred until the morning of Sunday, the 
sixteenth, when the exhilarating announcement of " Land, ho !" 
from the mast-head, produced a new excitement through every 
part of the ship. It proved to be Cape Frio, or Cold Cape, as it 
is called, which bore west-northwest, forty -five miles distant; and 
at six, P. M., the same cape bore north by east, twenty-five miles 
distant. This cape is in latitude 23° 30', longitude 42° 2', about 
twenty leagues east of Rio Janeiro. The ship was hoven to, 
during the night, with her head to the south-and-east ; the weather 
being cloudy, and the wind fresh. At about midnight, a vessel 
was seen to the eastward, but not near enough to be spoken. 
In the morning, it was found that the current, which uniformly 
sets to the southward and westward along this part of the coast, 
together with a high sea, at this time heaving in the same direc- 
tion, had borne the Potomac to the leeward of the entrance 
of the harbour of Rio Janeiro. While in the act of wearing 
ship, in the midst of a squall. Razor Island was discovered ; and,- 
immediately afterward, the breakers on Baga Island, while the 
thickness of the weather hid from view every other part of the 
coast. The instant these landmarks were recognised, the com- 
modore ordered the ship brought upon the wind, on the star- 
board tack; and such confidence had he in her qualities to 
weather the island and enter the harbour, that he directed 
the mainsail, jib, and spanker to be set, in addition to the single- 
reefed topsails and foresail. It was a moment of some anxiety ; 
and the Potomac, by occasionally immerging the muzzles of 
her gun-deck guns in the water, gave evidence of the pow- 
erful exertions she was making; though a strong weather-bow 
current was running, together with a heavy head sea. Still, 
her wake was as straight, apparently, as a clipper's ; and, in an 
hour, the island was weathered, and, with square yards, she was 
brought to her anchorage in fine style. The maritime community 
were not a little surprised to see a frigate enter the harbour on 
such a morning, and in a living gale of wind. 
