179*.
< mm
December.
Wednefday
iz.
This morning, at an early hour, Sir George and' Mr. Stauntoim
accompanied hy Mr. Barrow and a Portuguefe gentleman, fet bfBon a
flibrt exourfibn into the country. A t the fame time-, I took an opportunity
o f vifiting the place-» o f which I fhall now/ pfbceed to give fuch<
a defoiption , as my- capacity for obfervafion, will enable-me~
This city, which is by feme called Saint Sebaftian, ancTby others*.
Rio Janeiro, ftands on. the weft fide o f the harbour o f the. latter-name*,
in a low lituation, and almoft iurrounded by hills, which,, b y retatd»-
•ing the circulation, o f - the- air, renders- tlie pk.ce very unlklutary to.
-European conftitutions. Its extent is veryeonfiderable,-being from
eafti to weft about four- miles irv length, and front north to fouth. about
two miles in breadth. The ftreets,. for there .are no fejuares,. are very -
regular and unifown, interrebting each other at. right angles i they
Wre-well'paved, abound in {hops- o f every kind, andare Gompofedpf;
•houfeS ’equally well built, and adapted to the climate.. In the.cepter:
of the city, and oppofite to the beach, ftands the: palace of. the.Vjicy-
royki it fs a -large,< long,, and narrow building,, without any attraOtion
from fis . exterior appearance,, but contains within.,a- fuceeffiotv • o f
fpacifoiis and noble- apartments.. It con hits, only o ftw o ftories ; the
lower one being appropriated to the.domeftics arid menift officers, and;
itbe upper range o f . buftdin^ccifitiairung the apartments. p£th^:V4,c^byi-
•it isifaiilt of.roughiftfane, plaiftered with lime4.and-eoyeied with-pan.- -
.tiles; ..The TSiceroylS jChapel- 'is; a neat'edifice, near the-pftaee,yl>uy
.detached from it. The ftreets- are not only fpacious and convenient,.
but remarkable &x their;cieanliriefs i. . many^ ofi them oottaiftm^l^r^fe i
o f fhops and warehoufes 'that would. do credit-to the eitiesi-p£ Europe*.
There is a cuftom here, which appears to be worthy o f imitation in»
'all plaeea’o f confiderabk’ tradhand commerce, that all peEfhus.^the
fame profefBpn occupy, the fame ftreet oe tfiftribl;, and a deviation,
from, this rule is very rarely'known in this city.. O f the population o f
this, place, I could not procure any'accurate information, but from its.
extent, and the general obfervations I was enabled, to make, it may,
I think, be confidered, without exaggeration, as amounting to two
a 1 :v ' hundred
hundred thoufand/ouk: Themeobfe; who are .Romap.Catholics, are
very much attach^Tmthe}Wemonials o f thpir religiop, which they,
obferve with extreme fuperiKtioni The churches are yerypumerous,
and fitted up with oftentatipusfinery’.'.L On.'the. feffiyfts^of their patrons
, thefe^ediftees fare jmnly adorned, apd' beautifully ftlumrriatCd.
Some o f them, indeed, duringour ftay, were lighted up with fo much
fplendor, as; to^pifer-a:v4ry< ftriki-iig fpedtaefe, and to-bear, the appearance,
rather- o f a public-rejoicing, than a-partialja6t ofjparo'chial deVO-
tion. Near the middle of- the city^a^d^m a commanding.eminence,
there is a public obfervaiory fumilhed with-an aftronorrikal • appa-i
mtusv-
The inhabitants are very oftentattous in their drefs j and every rank-
e f people are in5 the! habit o f confidering- fwordyas effential' tdtnpif
public appearance j even'- children are hot confidered as exempt from
this' ornamental weapon. - The’dfefs'of the - ladies bears a near-refem-
-bjance to that o f European wpnSen, - except in- the decoration 'o f' the :
head. Theirhaft is finoothed-back in the front, and adorned with'
artificial flowers, beads-,- and' feathers, fantaftically anahgjffl j- behind,.
itifalls:down irha varietjpof plaited tteffes, .intermixed w ith1 ribbons o f
-various colours, each trefs'terminating in a-rofe -made of. ribb&rh •
They alfo' wear; a large mantle o f filk, hanging loofelybelfthd-,M*
the-form'of a train, which is» borne • by one fervant, while' another
.holds an umbrella to-fhade-the 'faSeiof: his.^miftrefs .from the fun;
The females: o f Brazil are-generally o f aipale complexion,- -but have a i
oertakk-delicac-y, dLfeature which - renders them-yeiy pfeafiing mbjetfts j ;
and the affability o f their.manners heightens the agreeablenefs o f - their £
perfonalattradlions..
The'trade o f - this>pla^ is ' very-ponfiderahle,' and the fource" o f great ‘
Wealth to j the inhabitants, as well as-' to the»‘mother tcountry, 2 The :
various^articles -whichare'.exparfced from;.hence, .are.-the.fame - as- thofe i
produced in other parts ofithe Portuguele fettlements in Brazil.; The
wharfs are. very, large, and peculiarly commodious i s and 'we were
very