T H E - B R A ' / . I L S : «35
ff whicfr they abound; and- the fruits and vegetables of all
« climates thrive hove almost without culture, and are to be
procured in great plenty.” )? The water he represents as excellent,
both on the island and the. opposite continent. It
has a good harbour; and the province of Rio Grande, which
is fertile in- products of. grain and fruit, and, abundant in
cattle, has a direct and immediate communication with it,
Rio de Janeiro must, however, be considered as the grand
central point on the coast of the Brazils, from which every
other part of it may at any time be overawed. And as little
seems to have been published of its military strength and defences,
and every piece of intelligence, however scanty, may
in the course of the present contest be found of some use, I
have annexed to this chapter a military sketch of that part
of the harbour which is fortified, with references to a corresponding
plate of views of the coast and town, with the
various forts, lines, and works by which they are defended.
The exact strength of these we had not the means of ascertaining
accurately ; but we observed that, on the anniversary
of the Queen of Portugal’s birth-dqy, seven different forts,
between the passage into the harbour and the town, fired each
a royal salute from very heavy metal. Captain Parish was
informed by some of the officers of the garrison that the regular
force consisted of two squadrons of cavalry, two regiments
of artillery, six regiments of infantry, two battalions of
disciplined militia, and two hundred disciplined free negroes,
in <Lin - in the whole, a body exceeding ten thousand men,
I have no doubt, however, of this account being greatly ex-
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