Q VOYAGE TO THE
CHAP. rapid current which sets past Cape St. Roque rendering it impossible
.Time,
1S25.
, to beat round it.
During the forenoon of the 26th, vve observed an unusual number
of birds. To our companions, the tropic bird, shearwaters, and Mother
Carey’s chickens, were added the gannets and boatswains; they were
conjectured to be the forerunners of land; and, at three o’clock, the
island of Fernanda Norhona was seen from the deck, bearing southwest,
twelve leagues. When we had neared it within six leagues, there
was an irregular sea ; but we had no soundings at 351 fathoms’ depth.
Our observations reduced to the Peak, placed it eighteen miles to the
eastward of its position in the East India Directory. Some squally
weather, which occasionally broke the ship off her course, increased our
anxiety; but we kept clean full, to pass as quickly as possible the current,
which here runs with great rapidity.
On the 29th w e had the satisfaction to find ourselves to the southward
of the promontory, and that it would not be necessary to make a
tack. The wind, however, led us in with the coast of Brazil, which
was seen on the morning of the 8th. The same evening we passed
the shoal off Cape St. Thomas—a danger which until very lately was
erroneously placed upon the charts, and not sufficiently marked to warn
ships of the peril of approaching it *. Thence, our course was for Cape
Frio, a headland which all vessels bound to Rio Janeiro should, on
several accounts, endeavour to make. In fine weather the south-east
winds blow home to the cape, and gradually fall into either the land or
sea breeze, according to the time of day, though the prevailing wind
off it is from the north-east: with either of these winds, a ship can
proceed to her port. The southerly monsoon, which, while it blows,
materially facilitates the navigation along the coast to the northward,
scarcely affects the wind close in with the cape. The greatest interruptions
to which they are liable are from the pamperos, which in the
winter blow with great violence from the river Plate, sweep past Rio
* A mercliant-vessel on her way from Rio Janeiro to Bahia, when about ten miles from
the land, struck upon this shoal, and beat over it, fortunately with the loss of her rudder
only. She afterwards stood for five hours along the slioal, to the eastward, and her master
stated that the sea broke upon it out of sight of land.
July.
' é l I
Janeiro, extend to the before-mentioned cape, and often beyond it, to a CHAP.
considerable offing. It was during the influence of one of these gales
that we approached Cape Frio, and had no sooner opened the land
July,
182.1.
on the western side of the promontory, than we were met by a long
rolling swell from the south-west, gusts of wind, and unsettled weather;
and at noon encountered a violent squall, attended by thunder and
lightning, which obliged us to take in every sail on the instant. Towards
sunset the weather cleared up, and we saw Cape Frio, N , W.
by W., very distant.
Calms and baffling winds succeeded this boisterous weather, so that
on the morning of the l l t l i we were still distant from our port; and
the daylight was gone, and with it the sea-breeze, before we could reach
a place to drop our anchor. It, however, sometimes happens, fortunately
for those who are late in making the entrance of the harbour, that
in the interval between the sea and land breezes, gusts blow off the
eastern shore, and ships, by taking advantage of them, and at the
same time by keeping close over on that side, may succeed in entering
the port. This was our case ; and at nine at night we anchored among
the British squadron, under the command of Rear-Admiral Sir George
Eyre, who was the following morning saluted with thirteen guns—a
compliment which would have been paid by the ships to the authorities
of the place, had it not been suspended in consequence of His
Imperial Highness requiring certain forms on the occasion, with
which His Britannic jMajesty’s government did not think it right to
comply.
The ship being in want of caulking, and the rigging of a refit, previous
to encountering the boisterous latitude of Cape Horn, these
repairs were immediately commenced, and the few stores expended
on the passage were replaced. While these services were going
forward, and observations were in progress for determining the geographical
position of the port, and for other scientific purposes, excursions
were made to the various places of interest in which Eio
Janeiro abounds;—Bota-Fogo, Braganza, the Falls of Tejuca, and the
lofty Corcovado were successively visited, and afforded amusement to
the naturalist, the traveller, and the artist. Few irlaces are more
worthy the description that has been given of them by various authors,
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