U I 0 
smaller mill-stone, which, forced round witli the motion of 
the wheel and dependent shaft, crushed between it and the 
larger stone beneath, the grain insinuated between them from 
a hopper. Thus that effect was produced by one wheel only, 
which is generally the result of a much more expensive and 
complicated machinery. A similar mill, it is said, is in use 
in the Crimea. A forest, not far from the capital, was found, 
by Sir George and his associates, to abound in palms and 
mastic wood; also the mango and gouyava are found 
growing to the size of trees, besides many other vegetables, 
never observed before by those who had travelled through 
it. The ipecacuanha plant is said to grow at St. Ca¬ 
tharine’s within the government of Rio. The size and 
vivid hue of many of the flowers throughout the forest, and 
the ghudy plumage of the birds, which came occasionally in 
sight, were very striking. The woods, it is said, abound in 
snakes, some of which are extremely large and formidable. 
But their hissing noise puts those who hear it on their guard, 
and they seldom, without provocation, advance to an attack. 
The forest now mentioned led to the- cultivated valley of 
Tijouca,” situated, as it were, in the bottom of a funnel, 
being surrounded on'all sides by mountains, excepting to the 
southward, where a small opening admitted an arm of the 
sea. The valley was watered by a clear stream, which, 
upon first entering it, was precipitated down a steep and 
broad rock of granite, forming a magnificent cascade. Very 
little labour appeared necessary in the plantations of Tijouca. 
Indigo, manioc, coffee, cacao, and chocolate-trees, sugar- 
canes, plantains, and orange and lime-trees, were commonly 
seen all growing promiscuously, and some spontaneously, in 
the space of twenty square yards. Coffee and indigo were 
the principal objects of attention. The temperature of the val¬ 
ley was excessively hot,, on account of its confined situation, 
and the reflection of the sun’s rays from the sides of the 
mountain!, which in many places were very rocky. Fahren¬ 
heit’s thermometer, about four in the afternoon, stood, in the 
shade, at 88”. Several districts of the government of Rio 
produced cotton, sugar, coffee, and cacao or chocolate, rice, 
pepper, and tobacco, in great abundance. That of Rio 
Grande yielded plenty of excellent wheat. The vine grew 
in great perfection. For the history of several historical 
events concerning Rio de Janeiro, we refer to Portugal. In 
that article we partly promised a continuation of the Bra¬ 
zilian history in this place. . But for several reasons we shall 
prefer treating the subject under South America. 
RIO DE JANEIRO, a city of Brasil, and capital of the 
above-mentioned government, and also of the whole country, 
and the Portuguese dominions in America, situated on a 
river, or rather an arm of the sea, of the same name. For¬ 
merly Bahia dos Todos, or Santos, was the principal seat of 
government, and chief mart for commerce in the Brasils; but 
the discovery and improvement of the gold and diamond 
mines, within about 100 leagues of Rio de Janeiro, and com¬ 
municating immediately with it, gave a decided prepon- 
derancy to the latter. The city stands on a plain, close to 
the shore, on the west side of the bay, at the foot of several 
high mountains which rise behind it. It is neither ill- 
designed nor ill-built; the houses in general are of stone, 
and two stories high; every house having, after the manner 
of the Portuguese, a little balcony before its windows, and a 
lattice of wood before the balcony. The streets are straight, 
and conveniently broad, intersecting each other at right 
angles; most of them, however, lie in a line with the citadel, 
called St. Sebastian, which stands on the top of a hill, that 
commands the town. The harbour is safe and capacious, 
and very convenient for commerce. Captain Mackintosh, 
from experience, recommends to ships bound for this har¬ 
bour, after getting in with cape Frio, instead of steering 
along shore, to shape their course between south-west and 
south-west by west for twelve or fourteen leagues. To this 
distance the land wind extends. The forenoons in general 
are calm, but almost every afternoon a fresh sea-breeze sets 
in from the south-west. It is proper to steer, in a direct 
course, from hence to the small islands lying under the great 
inclining Sugar-loaf on the western side of the entrance into 
Vol. XXII. No. 1487. 
11 I 0 109 
Rio harbour. From these small islands the wind will carry 
the ship to the opposite side of the harbour’s mouth, where 
the fort of Santa Cruz is situated, and which may be ap¬ 
proached within fifty yards, and from thence, safely and 
quickly, into harbour. The entrance of the harbour, as Sir 
Erasmus Gower observes, will shew itself by discovering the 
castle or fort of Santa Cruz, and a small fortified island, 
called Fort Lucia, nearly abreast of it. Between these is the 
channel into the harbour, near a mile wide; both shores are 
steep ; that of Santa Cruz is perpendicular, there being six 
fathoms in the wash of the sea. The narrowness of the 
channel causes strong tides; but as the sea-breeze blows 
fresh, they do not impede entering into the harbour. In 
going in it is best to keep mid channel, or even nearer to 
Santa Cruz. About four miles outside the harbour’s mouth, 
the depth of water is eighteen and nineteen fathoms, which 
will decrease gradually to eight or seven ; and this, being 
the shallowest part, may be called the bar, which is about 
two miles outside the fort. The water again deepens, on 
approaching to Santa Cruz, to seventeen or eighteen fathoms, 
nor will less be found in the fair way of the great road. 
Large ships may moor in shoaler water, but that depth, or 
thereabouts, is more adviseable, as such a situation affords 
the full advantage of the sea-breeze, as well as that of avoiding 
the insects, which are very troublesome when nearer to the 
shore. In the inner harbour, formed by an island called 
“ Ilheo dos Cobras,” or Serpent island, are proper wharfs 
for heaving ships down by ; but the mode of doing it along¬ 
side hulks is now preferred. In the same harbour will ships 
anchor, which are loading or unloading goods, or want 
repairing; the outer is the more healthy situation. Rio is 
situated in south lat. 22° 54', and west long. 42° 44'. The 
variation of the compass is 4° 55' west of the pole. The 
tide flows hours, and rises about 5f feet perpendicular. 
Fahrenheit’s thermometer, during SirG. Staunton’s stay, was 
between 77° and 82°. 
The entrance into the harbour, from the sea, is bounded, 
on one side, by the leaning cone already mentioned, mea¬ 
suring 700 feet in height, and by the huge mass of granite, 
supporting the castle of Santa Cruz, on the other; and is 
interrupted, near the middle, by the little island on which 
Fort Lucia is erected. On entering into the harbour it was 
found to enlarge to a width of three or four miles, and to 
penetrate, in several branches, farther than the eye could 
reach. It is interrupted with many islands, some entirely 
green, and some covered with batteries or habitations. The 
shores of the harbour were diversified and embellished with 
villages, farms, and plantations, separated by rivulets, ridges 
of the rocks, indentures of little sandy bays, or the skirtings 
of a forest; the whole terminated, in distant prospect, by an 
amphitheatre or screen of mountains, rising in a vast variety 
of rude and fantastic forms, but covered with trees to their 
very summits. 
Within four miles of the harbour’s mouth is situated, on 
the west, the city of St. Sebastian, usually called Rio, built 
on a projecting tongue of land; but all the ground behind 
it is broken into hills and rocks, with woods, houses, con¬ 
vents, and churches on their tops. A convent of Bene¬ 
dictines, and also a fort commanding the town, are situated 
upon the extreme point jetting into the harbour; opposite to 
this point is Serpent island, between which and the town 
is a narrow channel, sufficiently deep, however, for the pas¬ 
sage of the largest ships. Upon the island are, a dock-yard, 
magazines, and naval store-houses; and round its shores are 
the usual anchoring places for the shipping which frequent 
this port. Beyond the town the harbour begins to widen 
considerably, and resembles a large lake with many islands 
upon its surface. In the late improved state of the town, the 
streets are paved, with the addition of foot-paths, and 
though some of them are narrow, they are convenient in a 
hot climate by the shade which they afford. In the squares 
are refreshing fountains, which supply the water conveyed 
to them by an aqueduct of considerable length; a circum¬ 
stance of moment, as Rio has no river close to it of any 
note. This aqueduct is carried over vallies by a double row 
2 F of 
