10 
RIO JANEIRO. 
secute his labours. Immense ridges of primitive mountains, traversed 
by deep ravines, and rising in succession to the very boundary of 
his vision, afford him an ample subject of interesting investigation. 
Long before the Alceste reached her anchorage, the firing of 
cannon at regular intervals announced the occurrence of some great 
public event, and as soon as we communicated with other ships in 
the harbour, we were informed of the death of the Queen of Por- 
tugal. Vessels of all nations that were at this time lying off St. 
Sebastian, showed their respect to the King of Portugal by crossing 
their yards, hoisting flags half mast high, and firing guns every five 
minutes. The Alceste followed their example ; and as a farther mark 
of respect, the British Ambassador determined to appear on shore 
with some outward badge of mourning, and requested the gentlemen 
of his suite to do the same. 
It was the afternoon before we anchored, and dark before I could 
gratify my impatience to visit the shore. The city of St. Sebastian 
has undergone so little alteration since it was described by Mr. Bar- 
row, that any account of it which I could give from my limited 
means of observation would be superfluous. The darkness of the 
night prevented my seeing much of the inhabitants, but those who 
did fall under my passing notice were priests riding in their carriages, 
friars in procession, and ladies peeping from latticed doors. In com- 
pany with some friends I hastened to the Caza de Pasto in the 
Rua D’Alfandaga, the best English hotel in the place, which, al- 
though it did not possess the comforts of a similar establishment 
at home, afforded no ordinary fare, and very civil treatment made us 
less fastidious respecting our entertainment. Having partaken of a 
supper at which we were supplied with tolerable claret at three 
shillings a bottle, we enquired for beds. The house contained no 
distinct bed-rooms and but few beds ; but in a large billiard-room, 
with the assistance of the billiard-table, chairs, and sofas, our party, 
though numerous, mustered a sufficient number of separate resting 
places. The dread of musquitoes, the scourge of Europeans in hot 
