hundred pipe.s of it for the ufe of the garrifon when arrived,
at New South Wales. Precious and valuable flones^are alfo
found herei Indeed they are fo Very plenty, that a certain
quantity only is fuffered to be collected, annually. At the
jewellers and lapidaries,1 of which occupation there are many
in Rio, I faw fome valuable diamonds, .and a great number
o f excellent topazes, with many other forts „of Hones pfl
inferior value. ‘ Several topazes were puxchafed by myfelf
and others ; but we chofe to buy them wrought, in order
to avoid impofition, which is not unfreqüent when the
Hones are fold in a -rough Hate. One of the principal flreets
o f thig eity is nearly occupied by jewellers and the workers
©f thefe - Hones ; and I obferved that perfons -of a fimilar
profeflion generally refidcd in the lame flreet.
The manufadures here are very few, andthofe by no means
.extenfive. All kinds of European goods fell at an immoderate
price, notwithHanding the fliops are well Hored with them.
The Brazil, .or native Indians, are very adroit at making
elegant cotton hammocks of various dyes and forms. ; ; It was
formerly the cuHom for the principal people o f Rio to be
carried about in thefe hammocks ; but that fafhion is fue~
«ceded by the ufe of fedan chairs, which are now very common
67
mon among them; but they:are<of a moreikclumfy form >787. j
than thofe ufed in England, j^he 'chair is fufpended from ^ptemheJ
an.'aukward p'idce of wood, borne om the fhoulders of two
Haves, andbleyatgd fufficiently to be clear,of the inequalities
of. 'the,. flreetv- In carrying,,: the foremoH -Have takes the
pavement, and the^ other the flreet* orie^keeping a little be-
foip^thej.otjbei;^fb that; the .chair-is moved? forward in a
fiddongf dke&ion,£ and very, unlikei thp; .procedure o f ' the 1
London chairmen. TheJ^fellows* who ^gfti. on at a .-great
rate, v never- take, the wall ,o f .the foot-paflengers, nor incom*-1
mode them;.in the-fmailefl' degree'.. ■
• The inhabitants in general are; a pkafant, cheerful people,
indining more, to'corpulency, than thofe o f: Portugal; and,
as far . as-we; could judge* ve^y favour ably,inclihed, to the
Englifh. Thp, men are Hr ait and well-proportioned. They
do not accuflom themfelves^tdfhigb - living, nor indulge
mueh. jn the-Juice o f the.grape. jjj
The women, when youdg*,, are remarkably, thin, pale, and
delicately fhaped; but, after;, riiar<riage,T they , generally incline
to be lufly, without lofing .that conflitutional* pale, , or
rather fallow appearance... i> TK,§y Have, Regular and better
teeth than are ufually objfepvable in warm climates, where
K 2 ■