LAB DAILY . pe lis - d | ] ‘ | MC y id : on . e i | 41 * : ®. 3 i v bo A # iE “ . : | 4 | by. 4 | be | : | | { oy iw | : A 5 ! | : 2 | | | 8 iL | | ih i 3 ] i 5d | 4d i x Filmed & Processed by the { Library Photographic Service | University of California | Berkeley 94720 TLV IL NAM prs \N—1_ J) Reduction Ratio 25 22 20 18 |.6 I I I I I ARDS 28 32 36 40 ll ol 2) li Jd AND ia fue = he ie = ea BUREAU OF SI i di ; 4 3 iy go a wh 5 I 0 I * WE — 56 SEE 125 MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART NATIONAL ty SE EOE STERLING Si Tb [| JIN Main Lahn) WC 5 THE MASTER NEGATIVE ,FROM WHICH THIS REPRODUCT ION WAS MADE, IS STORED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICE, ROOM 20, MAIN LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 9 4 7 2 0 FOR ADDITIONAL REPRODUCTION REQUEST MASTER NEGATIVE NUMBER TITLE: Travels of His Royal Mc ————————————— AUTHOR: Adal bert, prince of TLE: Travels of His Royal Highness... PLACE: London DATE: 1849 MICROFILMED 1982 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PHOTODUPLICATION SERVICE THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID TRAVELS HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ADALBERT OF PRUSSIA, IN THE SOUTH OF EUROPE AND IN BRAZIL, WITH A VOYAGE UP THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU'. Translated by SIR ROBERT H. SCHOMBURGK AND JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR. VOLUME L SANTA ND 2 OE "I LONDON: DAVID BOGUE, FLEET STREET. MDCCCXLIX. PRINTED BY RICHARD AND JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR ’ RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. 70 THE READER. Tug peculiar circumstances which accompany the ap- pearance of this Work in the English language call for some acknowledgment of the obligation which His Royal Highness PRINCE ApALBERT of Prussia has been pleased to confer upon the Translators. For as this narrative was originally printed in German for private circulation only, we are indebted to the condescension of his Royal Highness, not only for his sanction of our labours, but for the copy of the Work from which this translation has been made. It is at all times a recreation, which enhances the dignity and usefulness of the most exalted rank, to turn from the duties and agitation of public life into the paths of Science, and to cultivate those pursuits which direct the powers of mankind to the advancement of know- ledge in ils varied forms. But in the present instance, N31 7483 1v TO THE READER. and in the present age, this is more peculiarly the case ; and the ordindbvy gratification derived from such sources is increased by considerations of personal interest, and by sentiments of personal respect for the eminent character, station, and attainments of the PRINCE who has been our guide and companion in these distant travels. We have only to express a hope that the English reader may share these feelings, and peruse these pages with a similar interest. THE TRANSLATORS. London, April 3rd, 1849. INTRODUCTION BY ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. (Extract from a Letter to SIR RosertT H. SCHOMBURGK.) NEARLY eight years have now passed, my dear Sir Robert, since I wrote a Preface to the German transla- tion of your interesting ¢ Travels in Guiana and on the 2) Orinoco.” Proceeding from east to west through the mountain-group of the Parime, after encountering many perils you arrived at the lonely little village of Esmeralda, one of the last missionary-stations on the Upper Orinoco, which T had succeeded in reaching with my astronomical instruments thirty-nine years before, from the opposite side of the globe. Your labours have materially en- larged our knowledge of the Geography and Natural History of the eastern part of South America, of the mountain-systems, and the great net of rivers between vi INTRODUCTION. the sea-coast of Guiana, the Rio Branco, and the basin of the Amazon. If human civilization, which is making such giant strides in North America, should ever pene- trate into these fastnesses (a hope which St. Basil calls “ day-dreams of man ’’), the structure of this great net of rivers, from north to south, may open channels of communication such as are unknown in any other part of the world. An insignificant canal, in the vicinity of the Brazilian Villa Bella, connecting the basin of the Guapore (a tributary of the Rio da Madeira) with the basin of the Paraguay, would effect the possibility of an unbroken navigation throughout the whole continent, from Buenos Ayres to the mouth of the Orinoco, op- posite the island of Trinidad. These hydrographical contemplations impart a permanent interest to all that relates to any single portion of the world of rivers in South America, a country which at the same time presents the charms of magnificent tropical vegetation, and the aspect of life in its freest and wildest forms. With these brief considerations I may connect the gratification derived from this interesting Work, which, in conjunction with Mr. Taylor, you have undertaken to translate. It conducts us through Brazil to the mouth of the Amazon River, and through this into one of its important tributaries, the Xing, the course of which is now explored for the first time. Prince Adalbert of Prussia, whose younger brother shared in INTRODUCTION. Vil the glorious deeds of the British army during the last war in India, had previously visited the Crimea, Constantinople, and Greece. A youthful passion for the sea early awakened in him; and a noble thirst for knowledge, the desire to enrich life by the acquisi- tion of new and enlarged ideas, subsequently led him to travel through Sicily, along the Spanish coast, to Teneriffe, and Rio de Janeiro. The Journal of his Travels, printed originally only for the perusal of his friends, and enriched with sketches made from nature by the Author himself, is not in the strict sense of the word a scientific book ; nevertheless it contains observa- tions and views of nature and customs which reflect a vivid picture of the scenes which the Prince witnessed and passed through. Instruction is imparted in the most pleasing manner, when an unaffected simplicity and an absence of all pretension pervade a work like this. Sans Souci, October, 1848. PREFACE. I+ will be in the recollection of all who receive this Work from my hand*, that a few years ago I undertook a voyage to Brazil. The chief motive that prompted me was a wish to make a long sea-voyage,—one of my favourite desires from childhood; whilst my imagination, attracted by the wonders of the tropical world, gave a purpose and direction to this ambition. His Majesty was pleased most graciously to enter into my views, and grant me permission to accompany my Father on his tour through Italy, and afterwards to prosecute my travels across the Atlantic to Rio de Janeiro. The remembrance of this period will be che- rished by me through life, and, in addition to so many other favours, will ensure lasting gratitude toward my Sovereign. [* This Work was only designed and printed for private distribu- tion among the Prince's immediate friends. | PREFACE. On my return from a voyage in the Neapolitan steamer ° Palermo’ round Sicily and to Malta, in the course of which I ascended tna, accompanied by my Brother Waldemar, I took leave at Naples of my Father and Brother, and, joined by my two faithful travelling companions, Captain (now Staff-Major) Count Oriolla, and Second Lieutenant (now First Lieutenant in the Dragoon Guards) Count Bismark, on board the ‘ Fran- cesco 1.” went to Genoa, to offer my thanks in person to his Majesty the King of Sardinia, for his gracious and most welcome offer of a frigate to convey me to Brazil and back to Europe. On the 22nd of June, 1842, the < San Michele’ of sixty guns, under the command of Captain d’Arcollicre, weighed anchor, and steering through the Gulf of Lyons in sight of the Maritime Alps and Corsica, sailed past the distant Monserrat, and close under the rugged rocks of Formentera ; then passing the Cape de Gata she entered the bay of Malaga, from whence we made an excursion to Granada. The frigate afterwards sailed to Gibraltar and Cadiz, thence by the Tlhas Desertas to Madeira ; and after touching at Teneriffe, passed close to the Cape Verd Isles, and arrived early in September, 1842, at Rio. The further course of these travels will be found mn the following pages. ER ——— re pC RE ERE Sy | | EE — PREFACE. x1 In that portion of the Work which relates to Rio de Janeiro a brief sketch is given of the history of Brazil, and a cursory geographico-historical review is also prefixed to the last portion : the Reader must not however seck either scientific investigation, learned disquisitions, or a narrative of perilous exploits and adventures in these pages, which contain simply an unadorned journal of travels, undertaken from motives of pleasure and recreation in countries far distant from our own. Let the Reader glance over the contents of this Work, and if he find in them any matter not wholly without interest, my gratification will be great. W. ADALBERT, PriNcE OF PRUSSIA. Palace of Monbijou, October 20th, 1847. CONTENTS. VOLUME 1. MOUNT ZETNA. | dame Gulf and City of Catania—Excursion to Atna—Eruption of the Pegs ! Mountain—A Roman Aqueduct—The Monti Rossi— Village of Nicolosi—The Start—Baron Von Waltershausen—Adventure ) in the Crater—Description of an Eruption—The Casa del Bosco—Streams of Lava—Snow-plains—The Val del Bove— Shadows of the Mountain—The Casa Inglese—Aurrival at the ! Crater— View from the Summit—Descent of the Mountain— Convent of St. Nicolo. ..... civ cvrvenrvvnevsa Shr 1 THE ALHAMBRA. \ Approach to Malaga—Arrival at Malaga—The Cathedral—A Funeral—The Alameda—View from the Cathedral—Fortress | of Gibralfaro—Journey to Granada—A Spanish Diligence— Town of Loxa Spanish Costumes—Andalusians—Approach to Granada—View of the Alhambra—The Sierra Nevada— Visit to the Alhambra— Moorish Architecture—Interior of the ee, Alhambra—The Generalife— Cathedral of Granada—Church of the Cartuja—Spanish Gipsies—Departure from Granada— Mutiny in the Caravan—Town of Alhama—Andalusian Pea- sants—The Arrieiro—Journey to Velez Mala ga— Village of Vinuela—Return to the Frigate ........................ CONTENTS. THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. Entrance of the Bay—View of the Rock—Coast of Africa—Town of Gibraltar— Historical Sketch—Smuggling Vessels— Cos- tumes—Visit to the Governor Europa Point—Visit to the Fortifications—The Signal-house— Description of the Rock— Land-front—The Excavations—The Neutral Ground—TForti- fications—Coast-defences—The New Mole— Siege of Gibraltar —General Bombardment—The Due de Crillon—Floating- batteries—Termination of the Siege— Artillery Practice— Mili- tary Exercise—The Garrison — Excursion to Ceuta—The Moors —Town of Ceuta—Visit to the Moorish Outposts—Spanish Posts— Eastern Manners— Return to Gibraltar—Anchorage in the Roadstead—VFloating-batteries—Storms in the Strajts— Ocean Currents—The Mediterranean—Naval Battles in the Straits—Importance of a Steam-fleet— Width of the Straits Departure from Gibraltar—Sketch of Tangier— Approach to Cadiz ......... Shi, ae alee Oe A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. Visit to the Thunderer—Gunnery Practice— Divine Service— Bay of Cadiz—Defences of Cadiz— The Dry Dock—The Trocadero —Bay of Cadiz—A Bull-fight—The Picadores and Bandelieros —Montes the Matador—The Alameda— Students Spanish Women—Return to the Frigate THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. Approach to the Desertas—Island of Bogia— Volcanic Phanomena — Excursion to Bogia—Sharks— Mountain Shepherds—Calms at Sea— View of Madeira—Town of Funchal—Zarcoand Texeira — Discovery of Madeira— Excursion to the Mount Church— Environs of Funchal—Visit to Mr. Webster Gordon— Dress of the Inhabitants—English in Madeira— Excursion in the CONTENTS. XV I age - Environs of Funchal i Volcanoes of the Canary Isles — Climate of Madeira—Excursion to the Curral—Ball on board the Fri- gate— Departure from Madeira. . . . THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. Approach to Teneriffe—Santa Cruz— Costumes Canary Islands — Excursion to the Peak—Town of Laguna—-Palm-trees— Arrival at Orotava—The Cumbra— Ascent of the Mountain— The Teyde—Lava Streams—The Piton— View from the Cone —The Circus—Adventure of Count Oriolla—Fields of Lava and Obsidian—Stellar Phaenomenon— View from the Crater— Theory of Volcanic Action—The Crater— The Cueva del Hielo — Descent of the Mountain—Trains of Camels—Census of the Canary Islands— Departure from Teneriffe RIO DE JANEIRO. Approach to Rio de Janeiro— Entrance of the Bay—The Sugarloaf Mountain—Aspect of the City of Rio—The Coast by Night— Approach to Land—Villegagnon—Colony of Huguenots— View of the Coast—Orgiios Mountains—City of Rio—The Bay —Landing—The Villa Mangueira—View from the Villa— Environs of Rio—Cove of Botafogo—Cicadas and Fireflies— Historical Sketch of Brazil—Voyages of Pinzon and Cabral— Amerigo Vespucei— Portuguese Settlements in Brazil—S. Sal- vador—The Jesuits in South America— Aborigines of Brazil S. Sebastiio—Spanish Dominion in Brazil—The Dutch mn Brazil—The Count of Nassau— Cession of Brazil to Portugal — Discovery of Gold Districts— Evacuation of Brazil by the French— Arrival of Dom Jodo in Brazil—Declaration of Inde- pendence— Lord Cochrane—Independence of Montevideo— Abdication of Dom Pedro— Accession of Dom Pedro II.— Constitution of Brazil—Statistics of Population—Visit to the Emperor —The Princesses — Procession — State Ceremony- CONTENTS. Service in the Royal Chapel—National Guards— Presentations at Court—Visit to the Theatre—Visit from the Emperor— Idleness of the Negroes— Visit from English Officers— Valley of Laranjeiras—The Aqueduct—Bamboos—Environs of Rio— Character of the Negroes—The French Theatre— Excursion to the Forests—Adventurés in the Bush—Environs of Rio— Plain of S. Christovio—Minas-boots—The Poncho—Tijuca and Orgaos Mountains—A Clearing in the Forest— Village of Campo Grande—Imperial Fazenda—A Shooting Excursion— The Lasso and Bolas—Capturing wild Horses—Alligators— A Ball at Court— Excursion to the Corcovado—Fort of Santa Cruz—Fortified Defences of Rio— Visit to the Naval Arsenal —Naval power and position of Brazil—Harbours—The N avy —NMilitary Arsenal—The Army—DMilitary Tactics— National Guards—Prussian Vessels—Ride to Venda Grande MOUNT ETNA. May 7th, 1842. —Cape Molino, at the end of the long, rounded mountain of Aci Reale, whose true English ver- dure is agreeably diversified by numerous small, white villages, already lay behind us. The Cyclops Tsles rose boldly out of the sea, close to the promontory,—grotesque, isolated rocks.* Behind the green mountain of Aci were gathered heavy clouds, beneath which was seen the dark- blue foot of Atna, looking like the truncated hase of a gigantic, gently-ascending cone. On a sudden the dark clouds parted, at one small spot, and the outline of the upper portion of the mountain appeared through the opening: this was the summit of Monte Gibello. 1 should have looked for it at a greater height, hut the * These basaltic rocks are the only ones in Sicily in which Baron von Waltershausen, after a careful examination of the island, has observed a columnar formation. VOL. 1. ASCENT OF MOUNT ETNA. termination of the truncated lower cone was plainly seen through the break in the clouds. At this point rises the small, black, sharply defined upper cone, with an im- perceptible depression between the two scarcely visible summits, which indicate the upper margin of the crater. From time to time other portions of the outline of Aitna were disclosed to view, still covered with snow: on the warm surface of the highest cone alone the snow never lies. Ere long the clouds again closed, and veiled the summit of the mountain. Scarcely had we passed the Cyclops Isles, when the view extended over the shores of the level sweep of the Gulf of Catania. The base of tna slopes gradually down to a wide plain, which stretches to the sea, and terminates in the sandy, yellow-coloured Cape Croce. At the edge of this plain, and close to the coast, rose the domes of Catania. Two black streams of lava, over- grown with cactuses, enclose the city, like walls, washed by the sea. It was four o'clock in the afternoon when we cast anchor in the roadstead of Catania. Baron von Walters- hausen, who has resided here for many years and made tna his study, came on board, accompanied by Privy- councillor Otto from Breslau. The younger members of the party pressed around, to learn from his own lips whether, as we had been told, the shortness of the time and the snow would present any insurmountable oh- stacles to our long-desired ascent of the mountain. To our great joy, Von Waltershausen saw no difficulty in the way, especially as only a fortnight before a French CITY OF CATANIA. 3 lady had, notwithstanding the early season, ascended with her husband to the summit : indeed he offered himself to accompany us. The boat of the ¢ Palermo’ shot quickly over the short distance that separated us from shore; and sailing round the Mole, now in the course of construction, on which is a high bricked bat- tery mounting a few guns and with a telegraph, not unlike a square tower, we wound our way among the ables of the only two brigs lying in the harbour, and soon landed. Our hotel was in one of the principal streets, running parallel to the harbour, and near the waterside. Al] the preparations for the expedition were quickly made, and at six o'clock we set out merrily in two carriages. The little party consisted, beside my brother and myself, of the Counts Oriolla and Bismark, Baron von Waltershausen, and Lieutenant von Daum, of the four- teenth regiment of infantry. Catania, although neither a beautiful spot nor a spacious harbour, has yet quite the air of a large city. Our way led us through a long street, in parts shut in by high houses, called the Strada Atnea, the mountain forming its point of view. Our attention was excited by the slight iron bridges crossing the middle of the streets, which intersect one another at certain points; these are rendered necessary by the fre- quent and violent inundations of the mountain-streams, that occasionally rush through the streets into the sea. Notwithstanding the channels, the middle of the pave- ment is worn by the force of these currents. The dress of the women in Catania, with their long, black shawls B 2 4 ASCENT OF MOUNT ETNA. hanging down to the ground, which persons of all condi- tions draw over their head, so as only to allow the pretty face to peep out, gives a foreign character to the whole scene ; and this again is heightened hy the Zettigas one meets in the streets,—litters or carriages without wheels, which are drawn by two mules tandem-fashion, whilst here and there is seen a man riding on donkey- back, wearing pistol-holsters. The sun had just set, when we found that, without observing it, we had already left the city behind us, so interested had we been in the conversation of Baron von Waltershausen. The ascent up to Nicolosi is very gentle, and the driver can proceed at a trot for a great part of the way. Near the sea Altna rises at an angle of between 2° and 3°: the inclination afterwards increases to 5°, and towards the centre of the mountain to as much as 15°. The proper cone rises at an angle of from 15° to 30°, and the acclivity of the last cone, the eruption-cone of the chief crater, is from 30° to 39°. The base of Atna forms an ellipse, like that of its crater of elevation. The vertical axis of the mountain mclines more inland than toward the sea, its distance from which is 28,000 metres, about four German or sixteen English miles. This may in some measure explain the reason why, from a distance at sca, Aitna appears less high than it is in reality. The base of Monte Gibello,—the name by which alone it is here known,—consists, in Baron von Waltershausen’s opinion, of white or flesh-coloured tra- chytic rock, whilst the interior of the mountain is ERUPTIONS OF THE MOUNTAIN. D formed of Atnite, a composition of labrador, hornblende, and augite. The best view of this species of labrador is in the Val del Bove, an almost perpendicular cleft in the side of Atna, about 5500 feet deep, which commences at the crater of clevation, and widens to an extent of three-quarters of a mile (three English miles). The valley is, on this account, of great interest. Privy-coun- cillor Otto has recently revisited it, notwithstanding his ill state of health ; unfortunately we had not time to make the excursion. The mountain, from the form of its base, does not incline so gradually inland as toward the sea. Its foot is surrounded by a mantle of lava, of various ages. According to Baron von Waltershausen’s calculation, if I mistake not, about sixteen eruptions occur in a century : he reckons the epochs of the dif- ferent eruptions by the streams of lava, which form this mantle around tna, and has found that the incredible number of forty thousand years were required to hring it to its present state. The Baron of course mentioned this rather as a curious speculation, than as a positive fact. In this calculation is not included the formation of the proper nucleus of the mountain, which he thinks may have been formed, according to other laws, in a comparatively short period. Of the numerous streams of lava, which have flowed partly from the principal and highest crater, and partly from those cruption-cones and craters formed on many places on the sides of the mountain, only three have in comparatively recent times reached the sea. The first of O ASCENT OF MOUNT ZATNA. these was the stream of 1329, which flowed into the sea near Aci Reale; the second, that of 1381, over which our way led us to Nicolosi, passing it just beyond Catania. The quantity of tall cactuses growing on this stream is very striking; these are planted arti- ficially, to make the lava fertile: upon the more recent streams, which we had to cross, we also found much cultivation, and on one spot the barley was just being harvested. It is remarkable, that the age of the lava cannot here be distinguished by the amount of cul- ture,—a circumstance which is perhaps attributable to the fact, that the inhabitants never follow any regular system of tillage : moreover the old and recent lavas are frequently undistinguishable. Baron von Walters- hausen for instance lately discovered, in a stream which appeared to lim quite recent, a Roman aqueduct, constructed of lava, the date of which must be above a hundred years before Christ. The lava-stream of 1329 1s visible from the sca, and forms a lofty black wall along the coast, upon which stands an old tower. The third current, which flowed into the seca at a more recent period, is that of 1669 ; its two tributary streams did not however reach the sca. The lava issued from the principal eruption-cone on the side of Etna, that of Monte Rosso, which is nearly as high as the Brocken. This mountain is properly called Monti Rossi, for it consists of two cones connected at the base. My father saw 1n these a resemblance to the Falkensteins at Fishbach, especially from the Hirschberg side, where THE MONTI ROSSI. 7 the summits of the Falkenberg hills are more rounded ; except that from a distance no rocks are visible on the Monti Rossi. These conical hills, standing out against the base of Aitna, are from a distance distinguished by either a dark or red-brown colouring. Viewed from the sca, they look like molehills at the foot of Monte Gibello, and may serve as a measure of the height of that mountain, which is commonly underrated by the eye. The road toward Nicolosi passes, without touching it, the side of the stream of 1669. This is the torrent which destroyed Catania in so fearful a manner, encompassing the city, as we had already observed from the sea, on two, nay indeed on three sides. It was night, the clouds had dispersed, and the stars shone forth with a southern brilliancy ; a single cloud rested upon Mount Altna, but not so dark and heavy as in the daytime. is side as seen from the sea, or in a reversed rection. ) I ' Bn On I'he portion of the sky near the horizon w ed with : hi : i 8 a rosy hue by the reflection of whilst higher up all w oy em Oy p all was blue. The oblique line on tl S he sh : rH : Fon he Be / Rowe outline of the mountain, formed tl Vita of a Tom ) 3 le pn a darker tone of deeper shade, of two colour standing one above the ¢ : : g above the other, w which, commenci oxtondad indoltingt ‘h, commencing here, : 2 indefinitely on the right. We turned : rom this w 2d our eves s wondrous spectacle toward the rising s : our feet, beyond the dark he > : he dark, sharply defined edges of Val del Bove, lay the Gulf of Cat il ith th an So Ja ania, with the black lava- hi ) hie y domes, the ships, and the ¢Palermo’ g ored m the roads wdstead, scarcely visi $ ely visible by the nak eye. The flat, s ; > by the naked , sandy coast in the direct: ) st 1n the direction of Syracus the Lake of Lentia j : I Syracuse, with yi : of Lentini and the Simeto, extended to the Gulf atania ; even the most s > most southern head Sic wdland of Sicily of the ter Waa wm his S1C1ly, one ; minal points of Europe, lay before us as tin tl son tn 1 ) ore us as distinctly . From the strand | eneath us strete To dor Bx { 1s stretched : 2 blue sea, and almost on a level with the ex ene ec t] > Firs cs a \ . » eve Tu oe coast of Calabria, a clear, blue mountain » ¢ mn Ww S q ren - ; C - : ulst above it gleamed the bay of Tarentum lik a streak of silver. Sms : r. Small, single clouds w imma a all, : gle clouds were skimming sea, anc omg their shadows i J oD 5 SNnaaows 1} N 7 lett. O pon 1ts wa- : ne aron v 7 ; Silo moment Baron von Waltershausen imagined ( we YO OVX * © an ge descry Malta, but with the telescope w d that the object w S ect was a small whi ] S as white cloud. 1 stinctly ren . 101d. le di- ‘membered having once s NT aving once seen that island, but ie hat the Africar coast is visible from Atna S Iabulous. ras fiv > fe It was five o'clock when the sun rose VOI. 1. ¢ 18 ASCENT OF MOUNT ETNA. freezing point. At noon on the seventh of May the tem- : : . perature in Catania had been 16° R. tora aA The last cone of Aitna now rose distinctly - : : | 1st ] 0 ladies, who hac and we could even distinguish the two ladies, w : ; : The ascent began to be roceeded about half-way up. I'he ascent bege By : and we often halted for a mmute, ava which peeped out tine ourselves on the blocks of lava which peey : i | Among these scattered fragments, anc from the snow. go thes a y some an brick scarcely rising above them, stands some Roman scarce Y " oO : a ou hows ork. to which the names of Philosopher’s Tower ( jie ] + of Proserpina ( wv. or Altar of Proserpina, ‘los Altar of Jupiter, o del Filosofo), Alt Pe ver 5 ifficulty we at length reac , heen given. With difficulty aghet Penny at an elevation of more fatiguing to me, ‘as se. situated the snowed-up Casa Inglese. ¢ hat Sn ven nine thousand feet ; and after crossing 0 , y " Pi Lago, a scarcely perceptible rater of Pianta del Lago, a s 3 | the old crater of Iie cl ons wf hillock, we rested for awhile in a hollow basin of t : nt of 1838, sheltered from the north wind. warm bed of lava we were enjoying ot a sudden we observed some white n the south of the moun- smoking curre Seated on the breakfast, when on clouds, rising from the valley o ge asten on our w and were obliged to haste | ai The last black cone, ay, in order to tain, reach the summit before them. i ino 1200 feet above the Casa Inglese, stoo i nA kv: its ascent 1S ] ns , deep blue sky; its a olief acainst the deej 3 strong relief ag op pag Se OLE. as difficnlt as that of Vesuvius. ['o avo ab as diffic | : - S : va wh oY Cc t oO ) 11 1 { h 3 loose ‘al 1 1 ts of | J ’ IC ; » ashes step must be set with caution, or upon the as : every step mu > Te which vour foot perpetually ships back, we kej in 3 ; 1! ] 3 3 / that fill t S y { Tow - 1 Ips of . NOW ; ( rt along the nai ~ he most pa S Q ARRIVAL AT THE CRATER. 19 up the hollows : but the snow often gave way under our feet, and then we sank deep through the broken sur- face. To add to our difficulties, the sun shone down upon us with a southern glow, whilst the rarified air, though almost imperceptibly, impeded our breathing : it was the same as with the dreadful cold, which the Italians had represented to us as a bugbear : the slight keenness of the air had indeed proved rather a refreshment during our ride, and a welcome preventative against sleep. But weariness gradually overpowered us,—no wonder, after the fatigue of riding all night, succeeding our excursion the previous day in the noonday heat to the theatre of Taormina—and nature claimed her privilege of rest. At the Casa Inglese we met the gentleman who ac- companied the two ladies,—a Polish Count, whom we had seen on hoard the steamer, and who had relinquished the ascent to the summit; we had now, at about half- way up the cone, the pleasure of meeting the two ad- venturous and indefatigable Englishwomen—an elderly lady and her daughter. They were accompanied by two guides, who assisted them ; nevertheless it was a riddle to us how they bore the fatigue so well,—a fresh proof this of woman’s resolution, which with quiet patience and per- severance so often triumphs over difficulties, and verifies the French proverb, “Si femme le veut, Dieu le veut !”’ I may in truth say that I was fairly tired out on reaching the edge of the crater. We looked down into the abyss: the sight was still less imposing than that of the crater of Vesuvius. Without stopping, we climbed along the edge to the right, toward the eastern, c 2 20 ASCENT OF MOUNT ETNA. pointed summit of Altna, salled the Dente.” Here we looked perpendicularly down into the crater of 1832, about three hundred feet deep: the one on which we had first stood, and which is the smaller of the two, was that of the latest eruption, in 1838: they are separated by a wall of partition. The overhanging summit on which we were standing rises 10,130 fect above the sea; the other, on the western or southern side, attains an eleva- tion of 10,175 feet. The Emperor Hadrian, the great traveller, and the philosopher Empedocles, are said to have been the first who ascended Aitna: the philosopher afterwards threw himself into the crater, because he was unable to explore the wonders of the mountain. Smoke was rising from the crater, though not in any great quantity, during the whole time we stood there ; and the north wind, driving it toward the highest points, prevented our ascending to them: the smell was like that from a mine. The stones around the crater were co- loured yellow by the sublimation of sulphuric-acid salts ; similar yellow spots aro also seen in the crater, which has for the most part a very light grey, almost a whitish Assembled here, at a height of ten thou- sand feet, we raised a “ Vivat !”” to our beloved King, and the shout resounded far into the clear air. Von Waltershausen, albeit a Hanoverian, proposed the senti- ment,— To the august Patron of German art and in which we Prussians joined with a feeling Never perhaps was there a grey, colour. science |” of pride and exultation. more hearty cheer given for our beloved Monarch since we have enjoyed his paternal government. VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT. 21 ~ How august, how grand was Nature all around— how rich in memories of ancient times! In the wit T'S at our feet Ulysses once cruised, and navigated Hi between Scylla and Charyhdis, which we saw in le far distance, as if drawing close together. The ancient Taormina, the black rocks of the C rclops, the old habitants of this fire-abyss, Catania od oe he bour of Syracuse, where Archimedes burned the Fons fleet, all lay spread out before us; in fact, the ou extended over the whole eastern, and part of the oh ern, side of the triangular island. Unfortunately a interminable sea of white, fleecy clouds stretched igh above the land toward the north-west, cating 4 shadows upon the depth below us. But the Ri ts mmmediately around us well deserved attention : Waltershausen showed us on three separate s ols iy outline of the elliptical crater of elevation. Ton > north it formed a wall of snow, with a black or u —~ its top ; then came the point, where the wall is cleft De the Val del Bove, 5500 feet deep, with black, aD dicular sides, begins, laying bare the interior of the vol- cano, and widening gradually to such an extent that the Brocken, if dropped into it, would entirely disappear Lastly he showed us the small ridge of lava of i Inglese, near the spot on which we breakfasted whens fhe edge of the crater of elevation separates on dhe south hom the Piano del Lago. In this old amphitheatre of Soi was the crater, which the “ Barone” recollected as Wp Said Bu bral one of the volcano, and out ich those of 1832 and 1838 arose. At that time it co > sounded per uld be sounded perpendicularly to a depth of about | 22 ASCENT OF MOUNT ATNA. two thousand feet, although it is said to have been in reality unfathomable. My uncle, the Landgrave Philip of Hesse-Homburg, had seen this old crater in all its grandeur. Von Waltershausen showed us the spot where the lava of 1838 overthrew the partition-wall, inundated, and in part filled up, the old crater; and he also pointed out the projecting rock over the Bow har- dened lava where he fell asleep in that fearful night. It was half-past seven o'clock when we reached the summit, and after barely half-an-hour’s rest we started on our return ; the heat was oppressive. We descended the cone quickly, and not without fatigue, to the plain of snow, passing close to the Casa Inglese : the wearl- ness in our limbs gradually wore off. On a sudden a fog arose, which rendered it difficult for us to keep together. We went part of the way down the snow declivity at a running pace, which obliged us to keep our bodies bent back. In this manner we soon left the snow behind us, and now traversed the two slippery streams of lava, resembling rivulets, above the edge of the forest region. They have one peculiarity, —the ap- am arrested and stiffened in its course, pearance of a stre | ft, and smoothed by the mountain without crack or cle | waters. All other lavas appear like a river at the break- ] he ass 1 ls mass, so that onl ing up of the ice, when mass impels mass, x y inclined or horizontal, sharp-pointed flat blocks rise up. From ten to eleven o clock we breakfasted and took a nap in the Casa del Bosco, and then started on our ride ! - . to Nicolosi. The cultivation of the forest-region 1s very small. and is said to have decreased considerably ; here , ( 3 « , , and there only stands a solitary tree. The stream of DESCENT OF THE MOUNTAIN. 23 1766 1s remarkable from the tall, scaly forms of its lava, just before the traveller quits this region. The plain extending to Nicolosi, at the foot of the Monti Rossi, is covered with black volcanic sand, which produces a strange and gloomy effect. At one o'clock we reached this place, and at four we drove into Catania, following the carriage of the English ladies, and escorted by a gendarme who was a little the worse for drink. At seven o'clock the next morning the two ladies were up and stirring,—no trifle after such a laborious ascent! We had made the acquaintance of their two predeces- sors, the Mesdames la Motte, on the passage from Malta to Trapani. The younger lady alone climbed to the sum- mit ; the other did not reach the crater, as they them- selves told me when we were entering the Bay of Naples. In summer the ascent of Atna is an excursion for ladies,—but in summer only, when the tourist can ride as far as the Casa Inglese. All honour then to these ladies, who accomplished the feat in spite of the snow, and ex- hibited a striking instance of courage and perseverance. May 9th.—This was a warm, bright and cloudless day. In crossing the Strada Atnea the mountain rose perfectly clear to view at the end of the street; its canst which the snow colour was a misty dark blue, ag of the upper part stood out in strong contrast, whilst merely single narrow strips continued a little lower down. Rather more than the upper third was covered with snow. We could distinetly perceive the two highest suminits, rising from the black cone which peeped out of the snow; the sharper but somewhat lower sunimit, men r— 24 ASCENT OF MOUNT ETNA. on the right, was the one which we had ascended. No smoke was to be seen from below, but this was natural, from the height of the mounta'n. The view of Atna from the garden of the Benedictine convent of St. Nicolo is wonderfully fine: this spot IS an oasis of cypresses, shady trees, and the most splendid hedges of rose-trees, situated in the midst of the black lava of 1669. When the stream which destroyed Cata- nia (says the legend) approached this convent, all the monks quitted it in haste, except one. This monk seized the nail of the cross of Christ which was preserved here, and held out the relic toward the stream, whereupon the glowing lava flowed round the building, without doing it any injury. We were conducted into the enormous church, which testifies to the well-known wealth of the convent. Here sat in long rows nearly all the party who had previously met on board the steamer, listening to the tones of the famous organ. The Prior showed my bro- ther and myself his collection of minerals : it is particu- larly rich in sulphate of strontian and crystals of augite, as well as the lavas of Aitna. At twelve o'clock our ¢ Palermo’ weighed anchor: on raising the anchor a pic, we approached the lava, which descends steeply into the sea, like a black, low rock. Aitna looked indescribably beautiful from the roadstead, with Catania at its foot. The further we receded from the mountain, the higher and more blue it became, until by degrees the houses, trees and hills at its base entirely disappeared, and it seemed to rise directly out of the sea, without any intervening foreland. THE ALHAMBRA. Jury 3rd.—The Andalusian sun shone warm and bright mto my cabin: I awoke, cast a look through the window, on the mighty Sierra Tejeda, which stretched into the clouds near us on our right, and then went on deck. The high mountainous coast extended far in the distance with its numerous rounded domes rising above and hes hind one another single white houses were scattered up the heights, and villages skirted the seashore. Straight before us we could descry Malaga, which we were gradually approaching, with its tall Moorish fortress of Gibralfaro, situated upon a steep hill on the right, and the square tower of the Alcazaba on the acchivity which connects the city with Gibralfaro. : There was little wind, and the frigate made her way slowly. The lofty Sierra disappeared behind the eastern points of the wide, sweeping bay upon which Malaga stands. Above the city rises majestically the lofty cathe- 20 THE ALHAMBRA. dral,—a giant among the surrounding buildings, ike 2% Peter's at Rome. On the coast we noticed single tow oo which in ancient times served as a protection against the incursions of the Moors. : Our crew had dressed themselves in white. Captam &’ Arcollicre now seized the speaking-trumpet, und the officers were all quickly at their posts. The sails were furled, and the anchor was let go in nineteen to ow fathoms, at about two miles from the shore. At first spanker had to bring us round ; then the fore-top-sal was again sect, and thrown aback, to stay nh. course, so as not to overshoot the anchor. It y as oo day, and Mass was said in the battery, soon after w i the Prussian Consul, Mr. Rose, came on board, anc immediately landed with him. Zh The situation of Malaga is very beautiful. The western cape of the bay, Torre de los Molinos, much ee Jape Zaffarano, as seen from Palermo. A ply Sis to the Bagaria parts it from the mountain-chams 0 : s mainland. Its form is beautiful and massy. The sast wind covered it with a light veil of mist, but thicker than on the other parts of the coast. The peck of the 2 has a yellowish tone, similar to that of Prim 4 mountains are of a brownish, burnt colour, like t ie roc : of Malta glowing in the sun and the naked i Greece. Toward the eastern points rise two conten) il S, united at their base, «Les Tetons de Malaga, which serve as landmarks. Houses, trees, and plantations of cactuses extend right and left of the city, while stem- , heights in all directions, just as less vines creep up the he ights in all ] ARRIVAL AT MALAGA. 27 ~ in Greece, with here and there cactus-plantations on the hill-sides. But this scanty verdure failed to impart va- riety to the general tone of brownish yellow colouring. The harbour of Malaga is cut obliquely into the line of coast, about S.W. and N.E., so that it seems from a di- stance as if the Mole which protects it against the seca ran parallel to the coast. At the end of the Mole stands the white lighthouse, in the little battery of San Nicolo, whilst in the middle of the Muelle Viejo a similar fort, called the Castillo de San Felipe, is marked by two small white houses. The west side of the harbour is also de- fended by two batteries, placed on small, rounded, mole- like projections—embarcaderes. It being Sunday, the batteries had hoisted the yellow, red-striped Spanish flag, and all the ships in the harbour were drest out. There was no man-of-war amongst them, the French sixteen-gun brig L’Argos, an old acquaint- ance from the Gulf of Salamis, having just sailed when we entered the roadstead. The Consul’s boat landed me near the Casa del Sa- nidad, whence I immediately proceeded to the cathedral. Everything here remimded me of Sicily, even the dress of the women. The men, of all conditions, sailors included, wear light stuff jackets of a bright or dark colour, a red band round the body, and a curious low hat with two black silk tufts at the side. No Spaniard goes with- out moustachios. The houses much resemble those of Malta, especially in the peculiar kind of balcony: the windows are generally trellised. The interior of the cathedral produces a grand im- 28 THE ALHAMBRA. pression : it is built in the style of the period of the revival of art, and its ceiling is ornamented with curious Moorish arabesques. The choir, celebrated for its carved work, stands in the centre of the church. Of the pictures, two Madonnas by Cano and Cerezo are among the most remarkable. The greatest work of all is the Madonna de los Reyes, which Ferdinand and Isabella took with them into their tent during the siege of Malaga, and presented to the city after it was taken. The statue 1s of wood ; on each side of the Madonna are kneeling the royal pair, also carved in wood and painted of various colours. Before returning on board I made the nequaintance of the family of Mr. Rose. The son of Mr. Morante, whose uncle once entertained me hospitably in Swine- miinde,—a youth of great promise,—had died a few days before in Malaga : he was to be buried this day, md I returned on shore immediately after dinner, to fulfil the last melancholy duty to a fellow-countryman. We made all the haste we could, hoping to reach the cemetery m time to witness the interment. The Protestant churchyard lies outside the city on the east. The sun shone fiercely, and on our way along the strand there was not a tree, save a few isolated palms. When we reached the spot, the body had just been lowered. This youth had won the affection of every one here. With our Shoughts seriously tuned, and for the time diverted from sur- rounding outward impressions, we quitted the resting. place of our departed countryman, the penieiul ay ground extending along the side of a hill. We returnec to the city, and directed our steps toward the Alameda, THE ALAMEDA AT MALAGA. 29 ~~ or public promenade : this word seems to he derived from Al maidan, signifying ¢ the place’ in Arabic. And what town is there in Andalusia which does not boast its alameda? On our way thither we were accosted by some soldiers en bonnet de police, begging, who bared their mutilated limbs to excite our compassion, All the beauty and fashion of the city was assembled, —some seated on chairs and benches under the trees, and the rest sauntering up and down. The ladies, with their mantillas and abanicos, or large fans, are generally speaking handsome, with small feet and dark cyes : almost all have a flower in their hair. The Spa- nish officers, whom we saw lounging about among the different groups, wear the French epaulets, but nearly twice the usual length: one soldier had fifteen decora- tions in three rows on his breast. After our promenade, I went with several officers of the frigate to visit Mr. Rose, who had assembled a small party. The evening was passed agreeably : our attempts to talk Spanish, to play the agreeable to the Sefioritas, most of whom understand only their own language, were highly amusing. The pretty daughter of the Consul, a fair-haired Spanish girl, and the only one who spoke German, played and sang some Spanish songs, boleros and fandangos. As we returned on board, the sca was brilliantly illuminated, and on taking some of the water into our hands, it sparkled like little glowworms. The current from the Straits is perceptible in the roadstead. July 4th.—This morning we ascended the tower of the J 8 30 THE ALHAMBRA. cathedral, which commands a beautiful view. The city lies deep below : the eye wanders into the little square courts of the houses, with their colonnades and small gardens, which give an air of freshness to Malaga. The convent of La Vittoria is distinguished by two palm- trees mm its courtyard. On this spot was pitched the tent of Ferdinand and Isabella during the siege. Further in the distance the Plaza de los Toros was pomted out to me, where the bull-fights are held in an amphitheatre. The view also overlooked the Al- cazaba, which appears to form a triangle ; it is sur- rounded by a wall, with numerous towers ; and a covered communication, likewise between two walls, leads up the hill to the Gibralfaro. Both fortresses existed in the time of the first occupants, and the Aleazaba was a kind of citadel of the Moors. The valley of the dried-up Guadalmedina, (“the river of the city,” in Arabic) re- cedes a little inland, and forms a kind of bay in the parched Sierra of the same name, which rises imme- diately behind Malaga. From the cathedral we went to the Alcazaba, the original character of which has been entirely destroyed by buildings, only here and there the Moorish arches being still visible. The Consul obtained permission of the Governor for us to inspect the Gibralfaro : our way thither led us through the dirtiest quarter of this otherwise clean city : in these out-of-the way streets alone was the dirt as great as in Italy. At the fortress there is indeed nothing remarkable to be seen: it consists of a circular walk between two walls, RE— ii —— FORTRESS OF GIBRALFARO. 31 running round the top of the steep hill, and two plat- forms for guns: a few cannons and a single mortar were mounted. There were plenty of wells, and ovens for baking, now in ruin, so that Gibralfaro could hold out for some time ; but not far to the cast lies a height, no longer fortified, which might easily be destroyed. The prospect is like that from the cathedral, except that from this spot there is a better view over the valley of the Guadalmedina, The dried-up river reminded me of the wide beds of the streams which descend from the mountains of Sicily, and flow into the straits of Messina. We were returning on board just as the San Michele fired the salute, which by the strange fancy of the Governor had been delayed four-and-twenty hours after our arrival. When the frigate ceased firing, the ancient banner of Spain, once so proud and mighty, was hoisted in the battery of San Nicolo, and the guns of the fort answered the salute. After a hearty dinner at the Prussian Consul’s, 1 ac- companied Licutenant Count Viry of the San Michele, Count Oriolla, and Count Bismark, to the little square, whence the diligence for Granada started. This was a vehicle similar to those in the Zheatrum Liuropeenm, hav- ing a distant resemblance to the mail-coach. It took a long time for the eight mules, with their yellow collars, to be harnessed and put to; and it was past five o’clock when the passengers took their seats. At last the door was shut, and away we rolled. On leaving the city, our road lay toward the mountains, passing blossoming aloes and oleanders, cactus-planta- tions and vineyards. The company in the diligence con- 32 THE ALHAMBRA. sisted, beside ourselves, of an elderly lady from Granada, two young Hamburgers, and a Frenchman : outside in front sat two French artists. The conversation was naturally for the most part carried on in German, and opened with a description of the dangers of a journey to Granada, accompanied by tales of robbery and murders of the day. “The road to Granada must be very bad,” began young Brinkmann; “I have heard say that more than one diligence has been lost in the ravines.” Then the conversation turned on the band of five-and-twenty mounted robbers who were said to hold Malaga in a kind of blockade. “The diligence however is not attacked by them,” said another, “for the proprictors have come to an arrangement with the banditti: but even in the city itself one’s life is no longer safe : only last night, before ten o’clock, five murdered persons were brought in.”— “That’s nothing compared to the horrors of last Christ. mas mn Seville,” rejoined another; “there never was anything like that; just imagine five-and-twenty people murdered in one night !”’ As we sat listening to these edifying anecdotes, the diligence crept slowly up the Sierra de Malaga. Tt had grown cool, and some of the travellers alighted, for a walk. Far away beyond the valleys, which extend between the rounded vine-clad hills to the sea, were seen the roadstead and our frigate. The stars came out, but the Sierra stretched further and further, and seemed inter. minable; at length all the passengers resumed their places. Eight persons were crowded together in a space which was not large enough for six. We sat as in an | Je A SPANISH DILIGENCE. 33 omnibus, in two rows opposite to one another, knee to knee, so that there was not an inch of room to stir our legs. Sleep was out of the question in the heat and jostling we had to endure, although every one longed for a nap, to quiet his sufferings, shut up in this dark, stifling prison. For hours not a word was spoken, the only sound being an occasional deep sigh. At length 1 had just fallen into a dose, when T was suddenly roused again. A man appeared at the door of the diligence, which opened behind like an omnibus ; he had a musket on his shoulder. At first sight we took the fellow for a robber, but soon found that he was only one of the Guardias de Camino, whose duty it is to guard the public roads, and who was now stopping to demand payment for the trouble of escorting us. Most of these Guardias have themselves been robbers. We ascended the hill at a trot. Many hours had now passed, and we had in vain been hoping for a halt, in order to stretch our legs, when at length we saw the light of a venta. Here we were allowed to alight, and have a draught of water. The landlord was lying on the floor: the room was small, and on the walls around hung pitchers and other utensils, as in an Etruscan tomb: a partition of reeds divided the chamber, and behind it slept the Padrona. The road now began to show some signs of life, from the strings of mules which we met from time to time. July 5th.—At about four o’clock we alighted at all the women are here named another venta. Maria Maria—lighted a fire in the middle of the room, around VOL. I. D 34 THE ALHAMBRA. which the passengers grouped ; over the fire was a chim- ney like those in Westphalia, and here too the various utensils were suspended to the walls. One of the French artists contributed his little provision of chocolate to the common store. Eggs were boiled, the table was laid out, and napkins were given us, although the room was just like a stable. After supper we all went out; at a little distance before us lay the beautiful mountains of the Sierra de Antequera, with the moon rising above them. The day dawned, and the diligence now called for us. We passed several pretty villages, one of which led through a wood of chestnut-trees and over a kind of barren plain, to Loxa on the Xenil, where we arrived between six and seven o'clock. As we drove into the little town, between garden-walls, a fellow with a villain- ous look came trotting after us, with a musket resting on his saddle. The Andalusian woman augured tra- gically—the pseudo-Cassandra—and whispered to me, “Hell watch the diligence for certain when it starts tonight !”’—for we had to remain here during the heat of the day. The time passed quickly. Loxa is prettily situated : the valley is not very wide, and the tops of the moun- tains are barren, but the road passes under trees. Upon a rock in the town stands a Moorish castle, the Alcazaba. The women are handsome ; the men have a characteristic look, and are almost all armed with muskets, carrying the bayonet sheathed. They wear tight, striped trowsers, or wide cloth pantaloons, slashed, with leather gaiters, open at the sides, and a jacket, which they throw round SPANISH COSTUMES. 35 them like a Dolman. Every one rides on a horse or mule. Here is seen a different kind of hat to that worn at Malaga, of a pointed form, with a tuft on the top. The beggars wear brown jackets, with standing collars, and wide, brown trowsers, generally with blue stripes. This is said to be the costume of the Mancha. In front of our posada stood a church, fitted up as a stable for the first royal regiment of dragoons. The uniform consists of a yellow jacket with a light-blue collar, turned up with the same colour, and brass epaulets and buttons. The persons standing in front of the stable also wore a sabre and a yellow cap. Some dragoons still retained the old uniform, with red epaulets and heavy sabres. The horses were in a miserable plight. Our French companion in the diligence, who spoke Spanish, made himself very useful to the party, although in a noisy manner. The diet of the country did not please me much. The hotels and inns in Spain may be divided into three classes: the lowest consists of the venta, venda, benta; then follows the posada, and a large hotel is called a fonda. At six o'clock in the evening the diligence started again. On the other side of Loxa we saw before us 1n the far distance the Sierra Nevada. The country through which we travelled was undulating, planted in parts with olive-trees. Our course lay, as it appeared to me, chiefly along the dried-up bed of the Xenil. The night was fine, but seemed interminable, and our past sufferings were repeated. July 6th—The stars began to disappear in the grey D2 36 THE ALHAMBRA. twilight of dawn. Thank heaven, this endless night was past! There was a general stir in the diligence, as one after another awoke sighing and groaning. I twisted my neck to look out of the window, and find out where- abouts we were. A dark-blue mountain-chain lay on our left : then came a sudden jolt, and all was confusion to the eye. This had gone on throughout the night, and was caused by the numerous little ditches which traverse the valley. Single trains of mules, with their bells, passed us at intervals. We had hitherto only met Andalusian peasants, mounted on tall horses, with their muskets fixed to the saddle ; but we now saw from time to time a horseman bestriding a small, Turkish-looking steed, and riding proudly along the road. The saddle, trappings, and stirrups were of an oriental fashion, but the bridles were old Spanish, with immense curbs. The rider had a distinguished look, much more so even than the countryman or contrabandist, who glances proudly down upon you from his horse: he appeared to belong to the town. With the low Spanish hat stuck over one ear, and drest in a parti-coloured jacket, richly trimmed with braid, wide pantaloons slashed below, and short leather gaiters, a long narrow scarf thrown over the shoulder like a plaid, and his gun hanging at his side, —he rode along, mn the fresh morning air, looking just like one of the Mexican horsemen in Nebel’s sketches. The Andalusian woman stretched her neck out of the window, and said to me something in Spanish, which seemed to imply that she saw her home— Granada. A At VIEW OF GRANADA. 37 My cooped-up position in the diligence did not How me any open view, and I had only an occasional glimpse of the country. Scarcely had Im the twilight caught, as it seemed, a view of a city, stretching along the hills, when it again vanished from my sight. At another turn nthe road, I was able to cast a glance on the grand outlines of the lofty, extended Sierra Nevada, which lay before us clothed in deep blue. Then the city came again in sight, and every eye was gazing eagely to catch a view of the Alhambra. One picture after another flew past the window, without our being able to com- mand any general view of the country. We could no longer endure being boxed up in this vehicle ; the door behind was opened, and every one jumped out. The moment was opportune : the Soren strong mules, which had drawn us from Loxa, a itor of eight leagues, without stopping, were being w aterec at a brook, and the diligence stood in the middle of the stream: with a good spring, we reached the dry ground. Before us lay the most glorious pao that can be imagined. The morning mists ¥0s0 fin, the noble plain, in which the Xenil and Darro join. Pas Vega of Granada may be regarded as an immense valley, encompassed on the west, north, and east by a wide am- phitheatre of hills and mountains, and bounded on the south likewise by ranges of hills. This semicircle opens to the left of the Xenil on light blue hills, connected with a dark blue mountain of beautiful outline. In the fore- grown, brown parched hills rise out of the plain, united ] rm a sinele slope of gentle inclina- at their base, and form a single slope of gent] b I'HE ALHAMBRA. oh on which the city of Granada rises in wide extent, a | we Granada are parched and barren, only here and there the cactus or aloe climbing » So “ Where is the Alhambra?” was the general xclamation. To the rn > the city, lay ¢ shady wood on a hs ” 4) a ) -side, on the skirts of which, as we Wee the old Moorish fortress rose more clearly ms fiir onli : d monasteries. Still higher up and further back lies the convent-like Gene alife, On the right, a long naked mountain, levelled at its Summit, forms a connecting link between the dark Wi mountain and hills of Granada and the lofty, steep and mighty Sierra Nevada. Behind this ridge ‘the sin was Just rising, and his rays tinged it with a glorious violet and rosy colour. This long mountain-range is de scribably beautiful, with its grand and ble oiling [Here and there an isolated patch of snow lay upon ho summit, whilst in other places the snow descended in scarcely perceptible, oblique, parallel stripes. Touched by the first morning beams, the loftiest of the numerous little peaks, which rise from the sharp ridge of the Sierra, glowed like an alpine summit. The mountain itself long retained its dark, bluish tints a gradually passed into a more transparent siolet, a ho Te ils Sauing biitiancy shove the g pper third of the Sierra Nevada in the most exquisite rosy light; while the rest of the mountain assumed its usual, burnt and brownish tone of THE SIERRA NEVADA. 39 colour, with the single, broad red-brown stripes which give it such a peculiar appearance. Lost in admiration we gazed on the enchanting coun- try, and had almost forgotten our old lumbering diligence, which was just rolling off. The seven mules, rested and refreshed, started at a gentle trot, and we had to hasten along at a good pace, not to be left behind. The brisk little Zagal ran by the side of his steeds, urging them on and blows; nor was this a trifle, for he had le eight leagues. by words already kept up a trot nearly the who The Majoral, the worthy conductor of the di n his seat, but only held the reins with a Zagal, all activity, worked himself ligence, did not stir fror proud air, whilst the to death for his master. Passing through a shady avenue we d us past the point where the Xenil a pro- approached Gra- nada. Our road le and the Darro unite, to the splendid Alameda : fusion of the most beautiful flowers perfumed the air. Following this charming promenade, under tall, shady hing fountains at each end, the traveller Our diligence stopped parated ; the trees, with plas reaches the city from the south. at the custom-house, where the passengers se German portion of the party alone remained together, pursued the streets which led, with a gentle and we —the polestar that attracted us ascent, to the Alhambr so strongly ! Through the Puerta de las Granadas, built in the style of Charles the Fifth, we entered a shady grove lying upon the acclivity, and traversed by broad walks, the Pasco de la Alhambra. The path widens : on the 40 THE ALHAMBRA. left rises a high wall, against which leans the Pilar del Emperador, the Fountain of Charles the Fifth. Pass- ing this, and taking a short turn to the left, we stood before the lofty Moorish arch which forms the principal entrance to the Alhambra. The paved way ascends, through the Puerta Principal, turning sharp to the left, up to the plateau of the fortress. We stepped out on the Plaza de los Algibes: on our right stood the square palace of Charles the Fifth, begun in the style of the revival of art, but left unfinished, with the round court- yard im the middle; on the left rose the towers and battlements of the Alcazaba. The portion of this old Moorish fortress not in ruins is converted into a prison. Opposite the east, a tent-like awning is carried along a wall, as a protection against the burning sun: it re- minded me of the tents at Bakschiserai, under which 1 had seen troops of Krim Tartars waiting for a camel- race. In continuation of these awnings, on the right, hidden by a corner of the palace, is the insignificant entrance to the famous summer-palace of the Moorish kings. A troop of criminals, chained, and guarded by a few soldiers, were Just then entering. These men are employed by the Government, to assist the regular workmen on the terior of the palace, and the system works perfectly well, as our observation convinced us. A row of modern houses 1s erected on the entrance side of the Plaza de los Algibes, from which the httle Puerta del Vino opens on to the square. Although it has now no purpose on this spot, it would be a pity if, as our French companions told MOORISH ARCHITECTURE. 41 1 Te) y ! » I» % 0 me. the beautiful Moorish arch were really the property py Erelishmon vho knows but that he might carry of an Englishman; v it off, like the Elgin Marbles ! | The breath of the South, with all its mysterious charm, : bl » » i "Wr « "ye of the was wafted to us through the lofty entrance arch he inci + did 1t captivate our senses st Puerta Principal,—how did it captivate our sci . . q wi You . ! more on entering the interior of the Summer Seraglio ! res itness | 1sh architecture Any one who desires to witness Moorish ¢ in its glory, in its full splendour and finest execution, must seek it here, and here alone: not even in the East is it seen in such perfection, —this at least 1s my 1m- pression. To me the Alhambra is a magical fairy-palace, with which nothing can compare. Let not the stranger be deceived by the external appearance of the lofty for- tress, which sits enthroned above Granada like a mighty ruler; let him not look for spacious halls or imposing stone architecture, nor judge by the exterior of the jewel it encloses. Everything breathes loveliness and the per- fume of roses in this magic castle, with its nooks and corners on every side, and labyrinth of cells, and cool, arched saloons, surrounding the charming little courts and gardens. Fairy-like and lovely, like a lady’s per- fumed jewel-casket, is the Alhambra! a. The Patio de la Alberca, with its oblong basin in the middle, called also the Myrtle Court, from the hedges of myrtle which enclose it, surpassed all uy expectations. And yet how entirely different 1s the impression pro- duced on entering the adjacent Lion Court! The glow- ing fancy of the East was alone capable of creating such a place. The Patio de los Leones is the pearl of th A4.9 42 THE ALHAMBRA. Alhambra, and perhaps the most romantic spot on earth. A shady colonnade, of light Moorish arches and fine slender marble columns, surrounds this little garden of Pars 1S A ai YY « » 1 ! 1 . ha, solemn as a cloister, and charming as a pic- ure from the Arabi 1 Paok the Arabian Nights. On the narrow sides of e I () a TY 1 e oblong square, the colonnade projects over the flow- ery carpet of the garden, like two little kiosks, with wi overhanging roof. In the centre stands a monument of past times, the celebrated Lion Fountain, from which flow four little ri ; e IT J 3 S » T (> ¥ » 8) "WJ » fol | ivulets between myrtle hedges, to supply Y Re 3 Nea 8 ountains in the adjoining apartments. Here and 1 AY S F J ‘ » ¥ *() 3 1 : ere stands a young cypress, solitary and solemn, like the mournful watchman at the graves of the Moslim S 5 “Te 3 » : 1 1 ; : Supported by the colonnade, dazzling white walls rise all around, covered with the richest arabesques in stucco lik 3 a 1 JQ 3 ¥ SQ 3 YH ‘ 1 Ke a tissue of Brussels lace, as the Countess Hahn has correctly remarked, while the deep blue sky of Andalusia overarches 1t with its azure vault. ; Lofty gates lead into the adjoining Salas de las dos lermanas > los Abencerages. is and de los Abencerages. These apartments are marvellously beautiful, the walls covered with ara- besques, ¢ 1¢ corations 1 : jues, and rich decorations hanging down from the vaulted ceilings like various-coloured drops. The Sala . J « de los Embaxadores is exactly similar, and is connected by the Sala de la Barca with the Patio de la Alberca "m > Se i ; rn .- : To Ihe Sala del Tribunal, which opens on to the Lion i : : Court, is not square, like the former halls, but oblong : YAO i a] £) 1 ? ® three doors lead into the colonnade of the Patio de los Leones. ri » I'he baths of the Alhambra resemble those of the Eski INTERIOR OF THE ALHAMBRA 43 Serai at Constantinople, which are lighted from above through the open tracery-work of their marble domes. With the Bafios is connected the portion of the Moorish palace which Charles the Fifth and the Catholic kings had repaired for their use. An open gallery conducts on to the adjoining Tocador de la Reyna, resembling a tower, which stands out toward the precipice: it 1s here .alled Charles the Fifth’s Pavilion. There is a magnificent panoramic view of the country from this room, the walls of which are ornamented with arabesques. Numerous bow-windows cut up the prospect into various charming pictures : the one commanding a view of the Generalife pleased me most. The Alhambra forms a little town in itself, houses and lanes extending behind the unfinished imperial pa- lace : within a short time, a pretty, neat fonda has been built at the top of the hill, of which we at once took possession. Here is also a church. We enjoyed a view of the sunset from the Torre de la Vela, the tower of the Alcazaba, on which the Christian banners were first planted. From this point there is the grandest prospect over Granada and the plain, the Al- hambra and the Generalife, with the lofty Nevada in the background. Centuries have passed since the Arabs quitted this paradise, the valley of Granada, and yet the traces they have left m the Alhambra remain to this day imperishable. On entering it, a person feels himself transported as by a magic wand to the East,—the land of imagination, of indescribable longings,—into the love- ly yet solemn land of the Fast. The Bast has been a 44 THE ALHAMBRA. happy dream of my early days. In the Alhambra—in Granada—I was transported thither again. Whoever has seen the Alhambra in his youth, will retain the remem- brance of it, invested with a rosy light, to the end of his days. TI feel myself perpetually attracted thither in thought. From the battlements of the old Moorish fortress, the breath as it were of the East seems to be diffused over Granada and the whole valley. From the Torre de la Vela we descended to the Ala- meda,—unfortunately too late to meet the beauties of Granada ; but instead we saw an act of Lucia di Lam- mermoor in the theatre close by. The stars shone brightly over the romantic little wood of the Alhambra, as we returned home late in the evening. July Tth.—This morning we took a walk to the Gene- ralife. The first of the small gardens in the interior of the palace is similar to those of the Alhambra. The building lying directly opposite the entrance contains a beautiful Moorish gate, leading into a vaulted hall, the ceiling and walls of which are ornamented with the same kind of lace-work and suspended drops as we had ob- served before. On the left an arched passage with arcades and windows enclose the garden. The view of the Al- hambra from this passage is wonderfully fine, its towers and battlements rising out of the wood on the further extremity of a small intervening valley. The Generalife also contains a second, less remarkable court or small garden. Here stand the two cypresses, under which as the legend tells, the romantic love-intrigue was dis. covered which led to the murder of the Abencerages. CATHEDRAL OF GRANADA. 45 On the acclivity above the Generalife is built a small, modern pavilion, which affords a still more extensive view. Granada lies grouped around the foot of the Al- hambra: on turning round, the Sierra Nevada 1s seen rising above the hill ; while toward the south, we were shown the height from which the Moors, as they de- parted, cast a parting glance on Granada : it is still called « 1 ultimo Suspiro de los Moros.” I spent the rest of the morning in sketching in the Alhambra. The heat was intolerable : the workmen in the Lion Court appeared to be in eager conversation about the last war. In the afternoon we mounted our horses, and rode to see the remarkable features of Granada. We first went to the cathedral, which has a great resemblance to that of Malaga: the choir is here likewise in the centre. The walls of the Capilla de San M iguel are adorned with the black marble of the Sierra Nevada. In the Capilla San Bernardo is a beautiful altar-piece by Boca Negra. The high grating of the Capilla Real, which divides the high altar and the tombs of the kings from the other part of the chapel, was unfortunately shut, and there was no means of gaining admittance on this day. We saw the holy image of « Nuestra Sefiora de la Antigua,” which was borne before the army that took G -anada : Ferdi- nand and Isabella presented it to the city. We came too late to the church of San Juan de Dios, and thence rode to the Cartuja, crossing on our way the Plaza del Triunfo, in the centre of which stands the statue of the « Virgen de Pilar.” Upon the wall of a garden on the left grew two palm-trees the first we had seen since 46 THE ALHAMBRA. 2E 1 ale « mn » J) an 1 l aving Malaga. The Plaza de Toros lies on the same side. Upon the heights, to the right, are seen two Moorish gates, lying one behind another,—the Puerta del Bira P a J) » » y 1 and the Puerta de Monarca, in the Barrio de Albassin Passi Fr 7 MOH 1 ig : ¢ 5 between high walls, we reached the Cartuja. | 1e y Wal ‘ I. « . . » y y 1) churchyard attached to it is a beautiful garden, planted with cypresses. The church contains some trea- sures and precious works of art,—amongst others, four - . ? Murillos and several pictures by Cano: in the Capilla ; : 5 ; i : J AL [81] Santa Santorum is a splendid collection of different ar YQ m » ‘6 a r 1 3 : marbles. The sacristy contains two beautiful Nuns by Murillo : the closets, or t: I . Murillo: the closets, or tall cabinets, on the walls are inlaid with tortoiseshell and Ivory. nn » artic r 1 From the Cartuja we went up to the little chapel of | . San Miguel el Alto, which stands upon the heights « » Ye Nf « 1 2 above Granada. On our ride back, the Sierra Nevada la | vf} a) 3» T(> (re . 3 1 ; ay ha us; we reached the chapel just in time to see the sunset fr IS 0U8 Poi vi sunset from this glorious pomt of view. Be- neath us, on the left, lay the Generalife, and the red- brown Alhambra with its abr Alhambra with its abrupt towers, separated from y ‘ MH Je 2 r 1 TM 3 us by a deep valley. The steep, wooded hill, which they crown, stretches like a tongue of land into the city of Granada. On the s 4 hi , he slope ‘hich w : lope of the hill upon which we stood are + 1 /S « Ye. » Woe » » rows of aloc-hedges ; the old Arab wall runs along i . - . o it, and may be traced down into the city. The wide wr] « P, 3 1 : ; , verdant plain, with woods and ficlds, bordered by pa ’ J Ad~ rallel ranges of hills, extends Hl Jills of hills, extends up to Granada; and in his plam rises the black, isolate y S s | ack, isolated Monte Santo, whose pomts were more sharply defined by the sun going down behind it. 2 SPANISH GIPSIES. 47 From San Miguel we proceeded across the deep valley to the Alhambra. On reaching the foot of the wooded hill, we struck into a path by which the Abencerages used to pass from the Generalife to the Alhambra: it climbs in a wild and romantic manner along the bed of a murmuring wooded rivulet: a small aqueduct still re- mains on one side. We rode through a little gate at the back into the castle. All the inhabitants of the Alham- bra were assembled in the garden of our fonda, to sce the dances of a band of Gitanos, which however did not please us much. The gipsics of Granada are not at all cleaner than those I had seen in Moscow. Before retiring to bed we took another turn in the courts and halls of the Alhambra. Had it been moonlight, we should have been tempted to spend the night in the Arab castle, but the darkness took from the spot some- thing of its romantic interest. July Sth—The refreshing cool of evening at length succeeded a sultry day: the sun was setting just as | stepped on to the balconies of the Torre de la Vela, to spend the last moments before my departure ; and here I bade adicu to the charming Alhambra, the remem- brance of which I shall retain through life. At eight o’clock we rode under the tall, arched Moorish tower, and down through the little wood,—a shady promenade much frequented in the twilight hour, —into the city, and again in front of the cathedral. We had ordered the sexton to show us the tombs in the Capilla Real, but he had by ill Tuck gone away, and was nowhere to be found: we therefore continued our ride 45 THE ALHAMBRA. past the Alameda, in the clear starlight night. Nume- rous large fires, of burning weeds, were kindled in the fields. Our way led us through several little hamlets, which looked like the suburbs of the city. After proceeding thus for several hours, we at length reached the heights of “ El ultimo Suspiro de los Moros,” where we again took farewell of Granada. From this point we saw the long line of lights in the city, at the foot of the dark hill,—the heights once past, it was seen no more. On leaving the next village we took a draught from the leather bottle which we had procured in Granada, and then gradually ascended another hill, on the top of which we met a train of mules, that separated us from our guide. For some time we were left to ourselves, and the road was so bad that we were at last obliged to dismount. On rejoining our guide, we rode to the village of La Mala, on the other side of the hills, passed through it without stopping, and soon after came to another village, where we halted at a baker’s shop. The man at first would not open his door, but having at last prevailed on him to do so, we satisfied our hunger, and then pursued our way across the plain. The smooth, level road seemed made for a good trot, and we reckoned that, at this pace, a couple of hours would bring us to Alhama, where we mtended to rest. This was however impossible, unless I Jet the driver of the lame pack-horse run by his side, in Spanish fashion: but, although he was a stout fellow, and probably not less mdefatigable than the Zagal of our Malaga diligence, yet 1 could not bear to make a y y 5 (] MUTINY IN THE CARAVAN. 49 man slave like a horse. Anticipating this result had ordered our Arriciro to engage a mounted attendant; but he had not kept his word, and we were thus con- demned to ride the whole night long at a foot-pace. ; This however was not the only cause of complaint ; it was settled that we were to have the same horses to- day as yesterday : the Arriciro had made a high charge for them, but as the beasts proved good ones we had not grumbled. This evening however, just ie were about to mount, we found that, instead of our former horses, the man had brought us some old, jaded mares : I was the only one who retained his steed. All the sad- dles too were changed. The caravan had hitherto sup- pressed their just indignation, but it now broke forth, when we saw that our night journey would be pro- longed several hours through the knavery of this fellow. A formidable conspiracy was now hatched,—we agreed amongst us to plague and tickle the guide's jackass the whole night long, to prevent his going at a regular pace for a single instant, and this office we were to take in turn. Thirsting for revenge, we hoped in this way that the crafty Arriciro would have neither peace nor quict, and perhaps expiate hus SINS more fully by a good chafing from his ride: this thought animated our weary spirits. The knavish little fellow leaned comi- cally forward on his jackass: every means was ried to induce him to dismount and go on foot, instead of his servant-lad, but in vain. Ile grew more and more mali- cious,—the proud Spaniard awoke within him, and point- ; a ated that he 'w fend him- ing to his pistols, he declared that he would defen K VOL. I. 50 THE ALHAMBRA. self with those little instruments: a shout of laughter however soon silenced him. It was about midnight, when Count Oriolla proposed to remain behind with the guide on foot, and allow the rest of the party to hasten on before. This disinterested offer was thankfully accepted, and away we went at a brisk trot in the dark, which however from the bad state of the road soon subsided into a snail’s pace. Tired out we had almost fallen asleep, when suddenly our little conductor made us dismount. The road here descended steeply into a wide valley ; a venta stood by the wayside, —the temptation was too great—we entered, and the world without was soon forgotten in peaceful slumber. The short halt we had proposed to make was pro- longed to above an hour. From this point we crossed the valley, through which flows a little stream called the Fuente de Banos. The day dawned, as we skirted the op- posite side of the valley. Here we overtook Count Oriolla, who whilst we were asleep had passed the venta with his companion on foot. Leaving the valley of the Fuente de Bénos, we entered on a wide elevated ridge of ground. July 9th.—The sun rose this morning on a completely Greek country,—an elevated plain, crossed by valleys in all directions, without tree or bush, and backed by a beautiful and sharply defined mountain-ridge, the Monte del Nevazo, which was gloriously clothed with a deep blue and violet colour. We had still an occasional glimpse of the Sierra Nevada, which lay behind us, veiled in a transparent mist ; its outline was nearly the reverse of that seen from Granada. The plain along which our ANDALUSTAN PEASANTS. route lay now descended, and a stony road led gra- dually down into a deep ravine, terminated by a small white town, on the top of a limestone rock rising per- pendicularly from the valley. Alhama lay before us,—the complete counterpart of a Greek town. On our way we passed several paved thrashing-floors, on which the corn was thrashed in the open air. Tired out, and straggling, our caravan rode up the rock in a zigzag course. Far behind us followed the Arriciro’s lame servant with the lame pack-horse; his tall pole was no longer any help to him. A great number of mules and donkeys were congregated in the market- place, which swarmed with armed peasants. At seven o’clock we stopped at our posada: a group of Andalusian peasants had collected in the house, all drest in their picturesque national costume,—breeches with rows of buttons, slashed leather gaiters, and a little felt or black velvet hat with two tufts stuck at the side. They were all seated round the table, in their shirt-sleeves, with jackets thrown over their shoulders, their war- like, sunburnt features animated by wine and conversa- tion. These men were very curious to inspect our pistols, but above all the fine powder astonished them. Then one after another each fetched his old-fashioned musket, with its clumsy stock, and opening a motley leather pouch which was girded round his body, poured some powder into our hands. They all boasted of ha- ving fought in the last war. Among the rest was an old chap with a dark-red visage, and a mouth that reached from ear to car, but set with a row of brilliant white BE 2 52 THE ALHAMBRA. teeth, who was escorting a transport of prisoners to Gra- nada. “I always treat my prisoners well,” said he, “ for who knows but that 1 might myself kill a man mn the heat of passion, and then I should be transported!” The Spanish peasant considers murder a very trifling offence. The other guard of the prisoners had all the noble look of a Greek palikar. But I had almost for- gotten the most interesting occurrence—to us at least. Shortly after our arrival at Alhama the Arrieiro secretly went off to another party. He first despatched this new caravan, staying behind himself till the last moment. My horse, which was the only fast and still active beast left, he had prudently retained,—it stood ready saddled in the stable. Count Oriolla observed that the knavish little fellow was bent on some mischief, and he deter- mined to take him before the alcalde ; but just as he was changing his coat for this purpose, the culprit slipped away, and my horse carried him off as swiftly as an arrow. Count Oriolla and Mr. Brinkmann, after toiling for hours, succeeded in finding another Arrieiro, who was however only able to furnish us with one mule and the necessary complement of donkeys. At five o'clock p.m. we left Alhama, much more fresh and brisk than when we entered the town. The first point toward which we directed our course was Velez Malaga. Immediately at the back of Alhama we again ascended a barren plateau: behind us lay the Sierra Ne- vada, and before us the steep Monte del Nevazo, with its sharp outline, which the setting sun was beginning gra- dually to illumine. Our path led us round this moun- PA ——— ia se JOURNEY TO VELEZ MALAGA. 53 tain (said to contain silver), into a lovely valley planted with olive-trees and encompassing its foot. We soon came to another mountain-chain, of strange form, which we had to cross. Night had already veiled the valley at our feet, and in the far distance the last gleam of day- light rested on the sea, which vanished in the mist. In an instant it was pitch dark. The stars began oradually to appear, but their light was too feeble to show us the way along the steep, rugged path. Our column was straggling and far apart; Count Oriolla on his spirited mule soon distanced the rest of the party. Before me walked the Arrieiro’s brisk young lad, driving the sump- ter-mule. Every now and then snatches of some me- lancholy air, sung by the Arrieiro, reached me, and from the scarcely audible tones of this monotonous and truly national melody I judged that he must be far in the rear. On starting from Alhama our guide had marched briskly along, shouldering his musket, but he now began to lag behind. « Hombre ! hombre!” cried the old man repeatedly to his young comrade ; and the last, long- drawn syllable died melodiously away over our heads, whilst in the same tone the word was echoed back ; the sound gave us a means of measuring the extent of our aravan. Spaniards so commonly address one another by this term “ Hombre ”—man—that even little boys have caught the expression, which sounds oddly enough. We were just beginning to descend the dark declivity, when the Arrieiro called in a loud voice for the advanced portion of our troop to halt. The rear of the caravan was at last brought up, and our old guide now begged us H4 THE ALHAMBRA. to remain together, as it was not unlikely that in this part of the road we might fall in with robbers. Count Oriolla, on this hint, put his pistols in order, and then giving the reins to his beast galloped off and was speedily lost in the surrounding darkness. Count Viry also prepared himself for battle, tying his pistols round his body with a red pocket-handkerchief; but at last over- come by sleep, and in a state of half oblivion, he quictly slid over the neck of his jackass; this accident had the effect of rousing him, and he soon recovered his seat. On the narrow path along the dark valley we passed several small troops of country-people on mules, all armed. Young Brinkmann had over-exerted himself, in his efforts for the general good, not having closed an eye since we left Granada: he was now fairly tired out, and we stopped at a house by the wayside to get a draught of water, for the night was warm; among the inmates of the house we found—where we least expected it—a strikingly handsome Andalusian woman. A short stage brought us to the next regular venta. Huge cactuses, like those in Sicily, and tall aloes stood near the house,—a proof that we had entered on the coast-region. We all stretched ourselves on flour-sacks in the venta, and soon fell asleep, while troops of mules were continually passing by. I left my crooked vinestock —my travelling companion for more than six years—on the bench before the door: when I awoke, it was gone ! It is now wandering about in Andalusia—who knows into what hands it may have fallen! It was one my mother had given me when we were on an excursion in Silesia. I VILLAGE OF VINUELA. Dd had intended that it should have visited Africa and Ame- rica, and then quietly have reposed on its laurels in a corner of my chamber, but its fate has fallen out otherwise! The venta was soon left behind: the toil of riding without stirrups, on a sack, in place of a saddle, grew irksome, and one after another of our party dismounted and went on foot. We crossed a brook, in a narrow val- ley, and at length arrived at the village of V muela,—it looked like an abode of the dead! In one house only was a light visible, around which were clustered a group of people, chiefly women. 1 was told that a corpse was lying in the house. At the end of this village, by the roadside, a large party was bivouacked : fires were still glimmering here and there. Our first thought was that these must be robbers or Gitanos ; they however proved to be only country-people, journeying from place to place during harvest-time. The valley grew more and more narrow and wild, and below us we looked down into a dark abyss. This continued for some distance ; fatigue at length overpowered us, just as the day began to dawn. July 10th.—The cool morning air made us glad to dismount and proceed on foot, driving our tired animals before us. A thick orange-grove, perfuming the air all around, completely filled up the lovely valley ; while tall cactuses, flowering aloes, oleanders in blossom, and high reeds, lined the broad, level road. The mountains on each side rose in numerous lofty domes, similar to those around Malaga. An exquisite, T08Y, morning mist suf- fused the landscape and the Sierra, which we had passed early in the night, and which now rose above the valley H0 THE ALHAMBRA. at our back. A turn in the road disclosed to view Velez Malaga at a short distance before us, from which the old Moorish castle rises like an acropolis. We halted at Velez to rest and refresh ourselves, and then took our seats in the coach that was to convey us to Malaga. If the Malaga diligence was like the coach in the theatrum Buropeuwm, this vehicle was much more so still ; we were indulged with a perpetual jolting and shaking. The view back upon Velez and the green valley was truly enchanting. Seven tall, noble palm- trees stand in this little town, and behind the Moorish fortress are seen the sharp, grotesque outlines of the lofty Sierras, the highest mountain among which is the rounded Sierra Tejeda, visible at a great distance. The sea at length again appeared in view, and a fresh breeze from the east swelled the ship’s sails. We now kept along the sandy shore, toward which the high land descends, partly in hills and partly in rocks, more or less distant from the sca. Upon each of the numerous pro- jecting headlands that we passed stood a tower, which in times of old served as a protection against the Moors. There are likewise two forts between Velez and Malaga, the first of which is called “ del Marquez.” The heat was intolerable, and we at length rounded the last point Be- fore us lay the < San Michele” at anchor in the roadstead, and Malaga, at the foot of the mountains which descend toward the strand. We took leave of our two [Hamburg companions, and returned on board. In the afternoon all the preparations were made for sailing the next morn- ing : meanwhile some Spanish ladies visited the frigate. THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. Jury 13th.—I was aroused from sleep by a guard of : Th. marines,—we were approaching the anchorage. The wind blew keen, as I hastened up the steps. Although the day had scarcely begun to dawn, all were astir on the deck of the ¢ San Michele” The Rock of Gib- raltar rose close to us with a threatening frown, like a huge giant, sending his violent squalls down upon us: the slender masts of the frigate bent under their fury. Europe and Africa, veiled in the dim twilight, appeared to form one continuous line of coast, and it was some time before I observed that we were already in the bay of Algeziras. 1 looked up aloft : the topsails were all furled, yet the mighty ship creaked 1n every timber. All were on deck,—every officer at his post, and MP : » » ar » ! : * 1¢ the manceuvre-divisions grouped around the foot of the masts : the boatswain and his mates had set the silver whistle to their lips. All eyes were fixed on the quarter- H8 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. deck : there stood the Captain, with the speaking-trumpet in his hand, awaiting the moment when the dark brow of the Rock, which frowned upon us, should clear. The shock passed, and the squall subsided: the heavy stern of the frigate rose slowly up, and the ship breathed as it were freely again, and felt all her youthful strength return. M. d’Arcollitre now ordered the topsails to be set: hundreds of footsteps instantly answered the com- mand. The crew, drawn up in long lines on the deck, moved backwards and forwards, to the measure of the shrill fifes: all around was a chaos of sailors, soldiers, and ropes, in which a landsman’s eye sees nothing but confusion, whereas it is precisely in this apparent crowd and bustle that everything is regulated with the most perfect order. The officers encouraged the men to alacrity, and hardly were the topsails filled, when the command was given to wear the ship round, in order to bring her up to the anchorage by short tacks; because, from want of sufficient acquaintance with these waters, the Captain would not venture too far west toward Algeziras, nor on the other hand too near the Rock, within its sweep, on account of the squalls that descend from it in violent gusts. We were thus obliged to tack at least half a dozen times, for toward morning the wind had suddenly shifted round to the east, in which quarter it is always accompanied by squalls from the Rock. Day at length dawned. Two ships of the line, the ‘Thunderer’ and the ¢ Formidable,” were lying in the roads ; and as the frigate ran in, they hoisted their flags, 5 VIEW OF THE ROCK. HY even before sunrise, in compliment to her, whilst the Union-jack was displayed on the fortress. On entering the bay, the mountains of Africa lay behind us in the blue distance; we passed close under the stern of the ¢ Thunderer, and anchored at half past six A.M. in nineteen and a half fathoms’ water, nearly in a line with, but a little to the south-east of, the two ships. The Rock of Gibraltar is recognized by the sailors at a great distance: I saw it first yesterday morning be- tween eight and nine o'clock, just after we gt sight of Cape Mulinos. The beautiful mountains of Spain de- scended gradually toward the west and south, until they were levelled to a scarcely perceptible plain. With this were connected other hills, at the end of which Gibral- tar projects into the blue sea, like a small, msular- looking rock. At a short distance,—separated only by the Straits,—the Apes’ Hill rose like a truncated pyra- mid from the waves, clothed in light vapour, whilst the adjacent coast of Africa was continued on the left, like the faint outline of a height, until it was lost in mists. Thus for the first time I greeted simultaneously the Pillars of Hercules and the coast of Africa,—that Hil unexplored and desert quarter of the globe. A few moments later the Rock of Gibraltar intercepted the view of the low hills of Andalusia, the last spurs of the Sierra Ronda or Bermeja; until at four o'clock in the afternoon it was again seen distinctly separated from them. It now appeared to form a perfect island, —the Neutral Ground, the flat isthmus that connects it with Spain, not being yet visible. The Rock of Gibraltar, 60 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. seen from this side, has the form of a trapezium, upon the straight ridge of which, to the north, rises a scarcely perceptible elevation, whilst at its foot Europa Point ad- vances from its steep southern wall into the Straits, like a short, flat heel. Several ships were cruising, like us, sheltered by Gib- raltar against the west-wind, and awaiting the favour- able east-wind to carry them out to sea; whilst others, beyond the isthmus, which was not visible, lay at anchor in the bay of Algeziras. The Apes’ Hill grew more distinct, and, as we looked obliquely across the Straits, appeared to be connected with Gibraltar by a small chain of hills, which we soon recognized as the line of coast between that mountain and Tangier. At six o'clock in the evening the view was more clear and defined ; Africa and Europe were distinctly separated. To the left of the Apes’ Hill we saw Ceuta, with its high-seated for- tress. The evening mists suddenly arose, divided the rock of Ceuta as with a knife, and at length made an immense horizontal opening into its centre, which pre- sented a very remarkable appearance. Night soon set in; the light on Europa Point guided us like a bright star in the dark ; it was not extinguished until the day began to dawn. We now surveyed from our anchorage the bay of Al- geziras, like a glorious panorama, receding deep inland, and stretching between Cape Carnero on the west, so dreaded for its rocky reefs, and the proud Gibraltar on the east. On the western and northern sides it is en- closed by brown, parched hills, extending from the west- APPEARANCE OF THE TOWN. 61 ern point, to the gently inclined pyramid of the small mountain which bounds on the north the flat tract of the Neutral Ground; toward the latter this mountain descends steeply, and the English call it by the name of “The Queen of Spain’s Chair.” Not far from Cape Carnero, the white town of Algeziras rises from the blue waves: before it lies a small island, called the Isla Verde, and a large Spanish brig of war was just then in the roadstead. Upon a hill further to the east rises San Roque. The sandy isthmus of the Neutral Ground, and the perpendicular Rock of Gibraltar, resembling a lion stretched out at rest, form the eastern side of the bay. Like the other heights which encircle the bay, it has the same brownish, burnt colour as Malta and the Greek coast ; this however is said to change in the spring to a crimson tint, when the Cyclamen Neapolitanum, which clothes it similarly to the tufa rocks in the neighbour- hood of Naples, is in blossom. The town stretches along the seashore at the foot of the Rock, commencing at its north-western corner close to the Neutral Ground, and extending to about the centre of its west side, up which it rises to a third of its height. Gibraltar from a distance has a neat and clean appearance, and gives an impression of being rather a stately town*. In the direction of Europa Point extend * Tam indebted to the kindness of the Rev. Dr. Pischon for the fol- lowing historical account of Gibraltar. The first landing in Spain took place as early as July, 710. Taric ben Zeugad effected a second land- ing on the 28th of April, 711, on the green island of Gezira Alhadra (whence Algeziras), and encamped on the extreme point of the moun- 62 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. green plantations, cottages and large single buildings, chiefly barracks, magazines, etc. From the roadstead tain of the Peninsula, which was thenceforth called Geb al Taric (Mons Calpe of the Romans),—either Mountain of Taric or of Con- quest. The famous battle on the Guadalete, the present Xeres de la Frontera, was fought on July 18-26, in the year 711, and led to the overthrow of the empire of the Visigoths. After the conquest of Seville by Ferdinand VII. in 1248, Gibraltar, as well as many of the southern towns, Niebla for instance, must have fallen into the hands of the Castilians. Muhammed ben Ismail, of Granada, took Gibral- tar from the Christians in 1333, after which it was besieged by Al- fonso XI., but in vain. Abul Hassan of Fez conquered it; Mu- hammed ceded it to him, and once more saved it from the Christians. In 1349 Alfonso besieged Gibraltar again, but his death in 1350 frustrated his hope of gaining possession of the town. In 1462, under Henry IV., Roderigo Ponce and the Duke Medina Sidonia captured the fortress, without difficulty, while the garrison were ab- sent at another battle. In 1540 a subaltern: officer of Hairaddin Barbarossa took Gibraltar, and carried off considerable booty ; but General Mendoza soon recaptured the fortress, and either took the infidel garrison prisoners or slew them. In the Spanish War of Succession, the British Admiral Rooke, with the combined English and Dutch fleets, in conjunction with Prince George of Hesse Darm- stadt, who conducted the land-expedition as a volunteer, took Gib- raltar, which Philip V. in vain afterwards besieged, and finally at the Peace it was ceded to England. On the eleventh of February, 1727, the Spaniards under the Marquis de las Torres again besieged Gibraltar, but the attempt failed. In the American War Spain at- tempted to recover possession of it, and besieged it through the instru- mentality of the minister Florida Blanca, from 1779 to 1783, by land and sea: these terrible attacks however shook neither the Rock of Gibraltar nor the courage of Eliott. The project also of starving out the inhabitants was frustrated by the storm on the 10th of October. Admiral Howe introduced supplies of food, and at the peace Gibraltar remained in the power of England. The last attempt to take this place likewise failed, if indeed it was ever seriously intended, when the French in 1810 and 1811 approached the fortress, whose rock, the story goes, they projected to blow up. SMUGGLING VESSELS. 63 are also distinctly seen the lines of the town and coast fortification, and a portion of the embrasures of the cele- brated Excavations, the Galleries, which are formed in the rock in several lines one over another on the north- west corner. From Europa Point the view extends over the blue horizon of the Mediterranean to the hill of Ceuta, rising like an island veiled in a transparent mist, and the chain of the Apes’ Hill: the latter closes the panorama on the south. Immediately on our arrival 1 received some visits, and then landed. We threaded our way through a great many ships, lying in the roadstead, together with mistics, boves and other small coasting-vessels with lateen sails, which usually lie off the Neutral Ground in considerable numbers. These boats carry on a wholesale smuggling-trade from Gibraltar to Spam, which England not only allows but even protects. The small Government steamer the © Lizard,” lies constantly ready, at the first signal given from the Rock above, to hasten to the assistance of the smuggler when pursued by the Spanish Guardias Costas. The © Lizard’ either tows the smuggler into Gibraltar, or places herself between that boat and the Spaniard, so that the latter recognizing the British flag dares not fire. We landed at the Water Port, at the north-west end of the town : a small group of Arabs and Spaniards were collected here. These two nations, intermixed with En- glish soldiers and sailors, constitute the inhabitants of this clean and prettily built town, in which the Spa- nish architecture is found united with English comfort. ——— 64 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. The various costumes of the numerous Orientals are in part very handsome: some wear crimson cloaks, but the majority a white burnu, or a similar garment of equally light stuff, but very strong, striped white and black or dark brown. The characteristic white turban is seen frequently, but many go barcheaded. Beside the Arabs and Berbers, there are in Gibraltar many Jews from Africa, who are drest in a garb similar to that of their Polish brethren, but more smart. Among the English troops here the Highlanders of the Seventy-ninth regiment are particularly striking. The same variety of Spanish costumes is seen here as in Malaga ; almost all the women are clad in the Spanish dress,—even the Jewesses, who wear scarlet, hooded cloaks, with a broad velvet trimming. The Governor, Sir Alexander Woodford, received me with the greatest courtesy; I found him with Lady and Miss Woodford in his drawing-room, which looks on to a small garden, rich in all kinds of exotic plants; among these a beautiful dragon-tree and a splendid oleander were peculiarly striking. Sir Alexander desired Colonel Brown, the Commander of Artillery at Gibraltar, to ac- company me on horseback to visit the Lower Batteries, that is to say the whole of the coast-defences, from the town to Europa Point. As soon as we passed the town, the gigantic lime- stone rock rose steeply at our side, like a colossal pyra- mid. With its base is connected the horizontal plateau of Windmill Hill, descending perpendicularly 330 feet to a second short plain, Europa Point, which terminates in CoRR EUROPA POINT. 65 a steep declivity of 105 feet to the sea®. Upon this sum- mit is stationed a battery, on which waves the Union- jack ; and close by, but a little to the north-east, stands the new lighthouse, so serviceable to mariners, the foun- dation-stone of which was laid by the Dowager Queen Adelaide. Among the green shrubberies and olives, which extend from the town toward Europa Point, are seen neat detached houses and true English cottages, nay even a little village. From Luropa Point we rode past the Governor's pretty cottage, a short distance along the eastern coast, to the spot where the rock descends perpendicularly like an enormous wall into the sea. We returned over Windmill Hill, and through the new shrub- beries, in which are placed the busts of the Duke of Wellington and General Eliott : among numerous other exotic plants, a pepper-tree was pointed out to me. Close by is the Parade-ground, which is here called the Al- meida. militarv-officers, according to the custom here, wore short In the evening I dined with the Governor ; the red jackets, and the artillery-officers, the same of a blue colour, with white waistcoats and cravats. As I returned on board, the night was closing in, and the black Rock of Gibraltar had exactly the appear- ance of a gigantic couchant lion, with innumerable lights tole) : : glimmering upon 1ts sides ; as if Nature had thus m- < # The Admiralty chart here perfectly agrees with the accounts of Spix and Martius. In some other parts they differ wily, ] have then followed the Admiralty charts, as the latest authority. 1 N 1 IQ ve L v 2 ft « 3 eo ( P these The height of Europa Point is given from the statement of two gentlemen . vol. 1. F a 1 { i { | 66 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. tended to indicate, that she had chosen the Lion of Bri- tain as the future guardian of the Mediterranean. The Rock has only this appearance when seen from near the Water Port: on approaching the roadstead, the picture changes *. July 14¢h.—This morning I landed at half-past five o'clock, intending to ride over the remaining part of the fortifications with Colonel Brown. He conducted us, past the tower attached to the old Moorish castle, to the Excavations. These extraordinary and spacious galleries commence above the north end of the town, running round the north-west corner of the Rock in several connected stories, and then extending to the perpendicular wall of rock, with which Gibraltar descends toward the Neutral Ground. Passing through these galleries we came to the Rock-Gun-Battery, which lies above them, and from thence along a narrow path to the Signal House. This building is situated on the ridge of the Rock, at a height of 1255 feet above the sea. In front of it stands a small mast and yard for hoisting signals. The old artilleryman who inhabits this lonely station, and whose duty it is to survey with an cagle’s glance all that passes upon the waters below, and then to telegraph the news by coloured signal-flags,—in a word, the Eye of the Lion of Gibraltar,—manages to render a stay upon this elevated spot pleasant both to himself and others. The * The sailors sometimes compare the Rock of Gibraltar to a man’s foot, the heel of which is formed by the steep north side, whilst the toes point toward Africa, bi aly die Bo dt tba ei be ) hr THE SIGNAL-HOUSE. 67 merry old man offered us a glass of his excellent porter, explained the view, and sold us some small cannons which he had made out of pieces of the rock. The rock consists of Jura limestone, that is, of compact lime- stone traversed by veins of :alcarcous spar, which takes a beautiful polish. We found here, as upon Mount Pel- legrino, large cavities, both on the rocky acclivities and in the massy boulders formed by the action of the waves. Among these stones grows a dwarf palm, with a small stem just like other palms; I have seen this also in Sicily, but very rarely. The view down from this spot must in clear weather be wonderfully fine, but the distance was today unfortunately veiled in a mist, which prevented our distinguishing either the mountains of Granada or the coast of Africa, although so near. This mist generally prevails with an east- wind, and is indeed at times so thick, that ships have mistaken Apes’ Hill for Gibraltar, and been wrecked in consequence. On the contrary we could survey the Rock distinctly, with all its fortifications. We had been made acquainted with the greater part of the works, during our rides on this and the previous day, under the intelligent escort of Colonel Brown, who not only took great pains to show us everything important in the defences, answering all our questions readily and with frankness, but also gave us a general picture, a clear survey of the whole. The summit of the Rock of Gibraltar forms a sharp ridge, which stretches from north to south; this line however does not lie exactly in the middle between the F 2 68 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. west and east sides, but approaches nearer to the latter. On the south the mountain descends, as we have ob- served, In terraces, at first perpendicularly toward the plateau of Windmill Hill, then toward that of Europa Point, and lastly steep down to the sea. The form of its base would not be unlike an isosceles triangle, —its small side on the north, and the longer east and west sides united at a sharp angle at the south,—but that two projections, one at the New Mole on the west side, and the other near the Sugarloaf on the east, break this figure®. The east and west sides run at first parallel from north to south, until the western coast turns sharply to the south-east just below the New Mole, in the direction of Europa Point; the east coast scarcely deviates from a straight lime. The north side is a perpendicular wall of rock. The west side on the contrary has an escarpment from the top of the rock at an angle of 20° to 30°; it then descends perpendicularly eighty to a hundred feet, and slopes off with a gentle inclination toward the line of coast. This slope admits of cultivation on this side of the Rock, and the erection of a town; English perseve- * The length of the north side is .............. 1910 paces. The greatest breadth from the New Mole to the Sugarloaf on the east ...... .......ccoonnn. 2040 ,, The length of the highest ridge of the peninsula TH Ln 3000 ,, The base of the Rock from north to south ...... 5340 ,, The reader who desires further information is referred to the interesting article on Gibraltar in the Archiv fiir Offiziere der Ko- niglich Preussischen Artillerie- und Ingenieur-Corps, vol. 5. page 34. 8 4 2 ¥ THE ROCK-GUN. 69 rance has even succeeded In planting trees here and there, which flourish in spite of the barrenness of the soil. The last two-thirds of the mountain are too steep to be built upon. On the east side, like a continuation of the plateau of Europa Point, a short tract of flat land extends under Windmill Hill, up to the point where the line of coast turns from its first more N.N.E. course directly northward. The perpendicular rock here re-ap- pears, and in some places becomes a steep acclivity. The English have bestowed the greatest attention on the land- Oo Oo front ; it was toward this side that, during the famous siege, the enemy's fire was most obstinately directed, while the English were harassed by the batteries which the enemy had constructed upon the sandy isthmus. The batteries at that time erected on this side of the Rock are said to have suffered most severely, although from their extraordinarily high position the fact appears al- most incredible. This 1s even said to have been the case with the Rock-Gun*, placed at an elevation of 1337 feet above the sea,—a point which exceeds the height of the Signal House by about cighty-two feet, and 1s little % On the 12th of October, 1779, a twenty-four-pounder was , and called the Rock-Gun. On the 17th of April, 1781, a e forty feet, and the interval one hundred : were “ ept very exactly. One case-shot missed fire and one went out i an Bp ut in the barrel. The firing lasted about en to Nn mi a teen minutes ; the balls scattered admirably, and 2 E 1 / : 1 $ rection and distance were good : they every time cut the wooden f | . len fuse according ny ; ‘ ling to the distance; in the : , various coloured ones are used for the different di stances. The i i Ta 2 oe immense, heavy fifty-six-pounder rested on Kind of frame-carri Thi a rame-carriage, which moved round on a pivot l, on a : Tos of its length, upon two traversing circles e side reach 1 ae ¢ of the breach is an arrangement, by which degrees are marked, and he si ii , and at the side of the muzzle incision corresponding with it. On one side of the carriage 1s fixed a wooden index, which gives the el tion necessar | i ssary for any particul icular r y : De hy YP ar range. It was incorrectly , emed moreover to be very unsteady. The range of thi 1S sai this gun is said to be seven thousand yards, ac es Dy ALU= mg to accounts from England. With the hi elevation (about 25°) whicl onl hip iv ¢ 25°) which could be I 1 be attained at tl Jor © attamed at this : coincided the greatest range, computed at five 100 ¢ v » 1 : :t sand yards, the time of flight being twenty-fiv seconds from the flasl bar of tioir ; e flash to the last rebound of the shot e ie in Gibraltar are mostly of iron; but in case of w m 1 “aps 2 Colonel Brown intends to substitute wooden of wl 4 , of which he possesses the necessary store; as the on ones are estroy Ith Sam soon destroyed by the discharges, although % O O y resist the weather better upon the ramparts. The G2 84 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. number of guns at Gibr 660. From the artillery practi to the barre the Cameron Highlanders, whose apartments, like in the barracks fitted for the reception of a considerable Admirable order was observed room, the iron bedsteads are made the foot lies on the he dened with much unnecessary baggage, and their sown in tight folds see they wear in front supplies the barracks we found a | the garrison, and an extremely elegant mes the officers. Before going to dinner returned to the roadstead, on board the « Thunderer.” A Regiment exercise on the Almeida. stinguished by its fine-loo alm deportment, and gre good aim in the use of 30 inches in a minute, was very le companies into fusileers : some ete., are the same paces lish form who such as to spread, to charge, the new regulations also appear to be us ; The garrison of Gibraltar formed after ours. of the First Regiment of with blue facings,—the Fifth Regiment of infantry, © the altar he stated to be 650 to ce, I went with the Governor acks of the Seventy-ninth regiment of infantry, those of the marine infantry at Naples, are body of men. throughout : to cconomizZe to turn up, so that ad. The Scotch appear to me bur- plaids m quite useless : the pouch which the place of pockets. In yrettily arranged theatre for s-room for at the Governor's residence, I and visited Captain Pring fter dinner I saw the Fifth This regiment is di- king men, with good carriage, at regularity, precision and of their arms. The march, 108 free. The Eng- signals, as with in part consists fantry, called the Royals,” THE G ISON GARRISON. 8H Northumberl: Fusileers,” wi ind Fusileers,” witlh ‘usileer: 1 green,— We i pre , green,—the Seventh, » Royal Fusileers,” with blue,—the Forty-cighth, with yellow,—and the Seventy-ninth Regiment, “the Cameron . x Aiea PE} 4 » . Highlanders,” with green facings. In addition to this force there are four companies of artillery, and two of sappers and miners. | A Soon ride with Sir Alexander Woodford concluded the da I hav he day. 1 have not seen nglis ses | fs oy : : 5 en any English horses here ; > officers mostly ride Spanish ponies or small Barbary horses. July 15th.—Fr "Gi ily 15th.—From the Roc ribralte 1] at ay I wk of Gibraltar, from its sun- , barren coasts, and from the deck of the ‘San Michele,” our Michele,” our glance wandered continually red continually to the coas Africa, veiled in hight semi i i ci i , eile ight semi-transparent mists. How I mged to lift the veil, and set foot on that quarter of the globe which had been for days in view! I had looked forward IS VISI th > ard to this visit to the I: of s visit t > land of the Moors which my 1maginati oes :h my 1magination pictured in the most splendid co- ours, as one of the bri ; y of ; 48 one of the bright spots of my travels; and I now awaited impatiently the moment when, upon the shore of Africa and on its furthest limits, I should again Ton . A, ie =. + > greet the Bast, like an old friend. Yet it was no casy j v » [8 thing to accomplish such a design: we had much to consider and to plan. It was agreed that we should first direct our course to Tangier » DPINCE then » Tangier, the principal port of Morocco, and thence proceed on horseback across the country to Tetuan . . re ‘ oe , . . i y ) which was practicable with an escort. Tetuan was re- resente } as i ented to me as a place which gave the best idea 0 £ " 1 r . « } : | a Moorish town ; and the Governor of Gibraltar, who i t 86 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. some time before had visited his Morocco colleague there, politely offered to give me the best introductions. He described the commander of Tetuan as a friendly per- son, who had received him with great hospitality, and given a splendid J erid exhibition of the cavalry in honour of his visit. From Tetuan it was proposed that we should sail to Ceuta, where the Arab and Spanish outposts stand opposite each other. Attractive as was this plan, it would have occupied, under the most fortunate circumstances, at least three days ; but in that time the wind might probably shift round from the east, which was in our favour, to the west, and the Frigate in that case be detained at Gibral- tar from eight days to a fortnight,—a risk which 1 did not feel it right to incur. But there was also the diffi- culty that we had no means of crossing the Straits. The ¢ Lizard,’ the only British cruiser, was just then absent; and the Spanish sailors of the coasting-vessels raised difficulties on account of the quarantine to which they should be exposed in the Andalusian harbours on their return. While this subject was being canvassed, an op- portunity presented itself most unexpectedly ; Captain Ponsonby, of the Seventh Foot,” invited me, through the friendly mediation of Captain Morittes, an aide-de- camp of the Governor who knew of our difficulty, to a pleasure excursion to Ceuta in his yacht. It may be imagined how thankfully this kind offer was accepted, and all difficulties being now removed this day was fixed for the excursion. At ten o'clock in the forenoon I saw Mr. Ponsonby’s EXCURSION TO CEUTA. 87 cutter sail out of the royal dock, and vainly attempt to approach the Frigate: she appeared spell-bound under the shadow of the Rock of Gibraltar, where alternate squalls and calms kept her stationary. I therefore de- sired a boat to be manned, which carried us quickly to the « Hornet.” We went on board the cutter, which, while waiting for her owner, was every instant rudely laid on her side by the violent gusts of wind. As soon as Captain Ponsonby, with a party of friends, arrived, we steered first across the bay, describing a large circle toward Algeziras, and then straight away to the castellated mountain of Ceuta. On the right the view extended to the Straits, in which the lighthouse of Tarifa*, the most southern point of Europe, rose like an island ; whilst on the left, behind us, the Rock of Gibraltar assumed by degrees more and more the form of a pyramid. The strongest line of the influx of the ocean, which is easily discerned by the increased smooth- ness of the water, was soon passed. Long, dark blue waves began to toss the cutter about in a disagreeable manner, though we had not yet taken in a single reef in the mainsail. The mountains of Africa, which are all wooded, passed from a light blue to a dark green tint, and the rocks on them stood out more clearly ; while the picturesque chain of the cloud-capped Apes’ Hill, above * The light of Tarifa is a revolving one, which at regular intervals vanishes from sight, and then re-appears. We have many such on our coast. There is no doubt that the dangers of the rock of Scylla would be much lessened, if a revolving light were placed there; for the present Faro light is indistinguishable from those on the Cala- brian coast. RE 88 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. two thousand feet high*, the Djebel Zatoot of the Arabs (Mons Abyla of the ancients), was distinguished by its beautiful outline. The apparent island of Ceuta gradually became a peninsula, as the hilly ridge which connects 1t with the spurs of Apes’ Hill came in sight. Upon this ridge we perceived numerous black and white points,— invariably standing in pairs, close together ; and through a telescope we soon observed that these were the huts of the Spanish and Moorish posts, planted opposite to one another. Close to the coast, behind the right wing of the Spanish line, was a stable destined for a picket. At the back of the Arab posts, on the contrary, we observed the ruins of an old wall with towers. For centuries a semi-warlike state of things has existed here, which threatens on any trifling occasion to break out into open strife. The Moorish inhabitants of this coast are known as the wildest and most hostile of their race; no boat’s crew dares to land in their territory. Even the English, fond as they are of sporting, are obliged to forgo the amusement of hunting the wild- boars, which abound in the forests of Apes’ Hill; for the Moors fire upon every European who approaches their territory. A short time ago, a hunting-party from Gibraltar resolved to brave these dangers, and, quitting the yacht in which they had crossed the Straits, got into a boat and rowed up a secluded creek. Here however they met with such a warm reception from the guns of some Arabs who were lying in ambush, that they thought * Major von Cler, of the Prussian General-staff, states its height, according to his measurement, to be 2200 feet. TE p——— VIEW OF CEUTA. 89 themselves fortunate to regain their cutter without any serious accident, The inhospitableness of this coast was an additional reason for our at once relinquishing the idea of pro- ceeding to Tetuan, although so near. The land-journey thither from Ceuta is considered impracticable, as the influence of the peaceable Governor of Tetuan does not extend to the intermediate territory. Tetuan being the only approachable point where a landing can be effected, and there being no anchorage between the two towns, the owner of the ¢ Hornet’ did not venture, with the prevailing east wind, to coast along the shore. Let us now return to Ceuta, to which we were so near that the hill crowned by the fortress seemed almost to encompass us. Between this hill, —projecting mto the sea, and rising from three to four hundred feet and the spurs of Apes’ Hill, a series of seven high, or cight small cones gradually came in sight, united at their base : upon these rises the snow-white, real Spanish Ceuta, enclosing a wide sweeping bay, with almost the stateliness of a large town. The parched heights which separate Christendom and Islamism adjoin the seven hills of the town, forming a link between it and the loftier and darker mountains on the right. The towers scarcely appear at all on this ground, and the red Lazaretto or hospital of Ceuta, with its pointed gable, forms the most striking object among the buildings. The hills above the town are in part covered with shady woods, while in other parts rows of tall aloes extend along their summit. In the place itself k : ER 90 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. we found two palm-trees, after looking about for a long time. There is at all events plenty of life at Ceuta, for behind the low walls on the quay, many hundred chained galley-slaves were seen moving about, divided into several gangs; they certainly scemed to constitute the greater part of the population. After a voyage of two hours and a quarter our swift-sailing * Hornet” anchored in the roadstead, by the side of the small cutter ¢ Aline,” in which Captain Morittes with Mrs. Paget had preceded us. Captain Morittes and Count Oriolla landed imme- diately on our arrival, to make all needful preparations. Meanwhile a general “luncheon” was served in the pretty and comfortable cabin of the ¢ Hornet,” which entirely removed all the disagreeable effects of the voyage. After breakfast the little boat was manned, a party of five or six persons pressed into it, and I steered to a kind of bridge, close to which we intended to land. Scarcely had we set foot on the soil of Africa, when we joyfully hastened to the Alameda close by. From this little promenade, lined as usual with trees, we had a view of Cape Negro, lying on the bay beyond Ceuta, ‘1 the direction of Tetuan. We then descended to a small square, in which was stationed a Spanish artillery- officer, a perfect picture of misery. A number of chas- seur horses stood ready saddled, which may be hired at a cheap rate, like the donkeys at Ems: for a trifle we engaged some for our excursion. Our military leader was drest in a worn-out, dark blue uniform, with a shabby round felt hat on his head, and a switch in his TOWN OF CEUTA. 01 hand, which supplied the place of any other weapon. Following our leader, we proceeded, one minute at a foot-pace, the next at a jog-trot, on the heavy cavalry horses through the town to the outposts. The streets in Ceuta, like many of the towns in Hol- land, are paved with very small stones, in various ara- besque figures or flowers: the clean appearance of this pavement at once caught the eye of our English com- panions. Ceuta lics on a tongue of land, stretching from cast to west, and forming a large bend toward the south. The narrow land-front, consisting of two or three lines of badly flanked works, one behind another, has a strong profile and a wet ditch, which converts Ceuta into an island*. We consequently did not pro- perly set foot upon the continent of Africa, until after we had safely stumbled over the ricketty drawbridge with our clumsy horses. Directly before the land-front rises the parched and commanding height on which the Spanish vedettes ex- tend, dividing the tongue of land at its root. The stable, which we had observed from the sea, remained on the right of our road, in a hollow not far from the shore of the northern bay. The chasseur picket was in a Kind of semi-bivouac, only a part of the horses being sta- bled ; the rest stood outside ready saddled. The picket * (Ceuta was taken in the year 1415 by Jodo I. of Portugal, on which occasion his sons, especially Don Henrique Navegador, distin- guished themselves greatly. Subsequently, in 1570, it fell, with Portugal, to Philip II. of Spain. In the revolution, and at the conclusion of the peace in 1663, it remained in the possession of this monarchy. eT 92 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. has three posts in front of it, opposite to which stand a corresponding number of Moorish ones. We turned to the left, and galloped up the height to the central vedette. The chasseur—for the Spanish posts are single, not like the Arab ones in pairs—was dis- mounted, and standing before the covered water-trough of his horse. At about twenty paces opposite to him was the tent-like cabin of the Moors. This is the best proof of the good understanding which exists between the two parties, and which is mainly ascribed to the friendly conduct of the present Governor of Ceuta; a few years ago, it is said, the outposts were much more on the alert. At the door of the hut stood an unarmed, haggard- looking Arab, with bare head, and wrapt in a large woollen cloak with black and white stripes and sleeves : he had jet-black eyes, and black but not very bushy whiskers. On the ground in front of the cabin lay a heap of something which looked like a sack, with a coni- cal top : it was not till after some minutes, on a closer examination, that I discovered under the pointed hood the face of an old man, buried in a white beard, whilst a white burnu covered the rest of his figure. I began to sketch, which seemed to excite the curiosity of the younger Moor; and taking advantage of this circum- stance I approached him: he looked at the drawing, and we endeavoured, as well as we could, to come to a mutual understanding in scraps of Turkish, Spa- nish, Italian, etc. On my asking him how he liked the sketch, he replied like a good Mussulman in a straight- MOORISH OUTPOSTS. 93 forward manner with a laconic “ No,”’—it contained figures of men ; but thinking this not enough, he added in good Turkish a significant «“ Jock.” Encouraged by his frankness, I went with him into the hut. The hole through which we had to creep was low, and the hut was small, but very clean, cool and shady. Some finely platted straw mats, of a long, oval shape, upon which the Arabs lie, and a few trencher- shaped mats which serve as pillows, lay on the ground : there were also several broad shelves of cork, the use of which I could not understand. In the further corner stood the Turkish firearms, and close to them lay rolled up on the floor two little black puppies. The Arab was amused to see me playing with them, and the expression « Kiitschiick,” which I used, sufficed to explain to him why I was so pleased with them. A lute lay on the ground, nearly within reach of the little dogs. Several earthenware vessels also stood about, one of them filled with milk. Beside the muskets, I discovered an old En- glish sabre, with a black leather scabbard, and “ George Rex” upon the hilt, which amused the Englishmen of our party greatly. It is so usual to picture to oneself the Arab as inseparable from his faithful charger, that we were naturally struck by observing that the Moorish posts had no horses: they seemed to belong to the irre- gular infantry. The huts of the Moors, and the attitude and posi- tion maintained by their adversaries, alike led us to infer the permanence of these outposts; they have at all events remained unchanged from time immemorial. REET NR 94 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. The Spaniard’s horse stood under a shed, formed of a narrow roof of wood, with straw mats hanging down to the ground on the sides; a wooden sentry-box 1s pro- vided for the man himself, in front of the covered water- trough. The view from the Spanish post was very picturesque and peculiar :—in the foreground the Arab hut, with its strange-looking inhabitants ; behind, at the foot of the rising ground, the ruins of the above-mentioned old walls with their dilapidated towers ; in the distance the dark, bluish-green chain of Apes’ Hill, stretching on the right into the sea, and on its side a lonely Moorish village. From this central vedette we galloped to the Spanish post of the left wing, close above the southern bay in the direction of Tetuan. The view from this point 1s very similar to that just described. The little village on the mountain lay straight before us, Cape Negro pro- jecting into the Mediterranean on the left. The Moorish hut, in every respect similar to the former, stood in like manner here only twenty paces distant from the Spanish chasseur. These tent-like cabins are thatched with the fans of the same dwarf-palm as is found so plentifully at Girgenti and Selinunte. Here I discovered the pur- pose of the broad shelves of cork,—two Arabs were seated upon them in front of the hut: each wore a white burnu, and the elder, a thin grey-headed old man with a white beard, had drawn the hood over his head ; the other had twisted a white turban round it. The old man endeavoured by signs to find out whether I had a EASTERN MANNERS. 05 small knife about me. I pulled out my penknife, and showed him how I used to cut the leaves out of my sketch-book. He expressed a wish to have it, and I gave it him ; whereupon he bared his left arm, to make me understand how useful the instrument was for let- ting blood. Presently I missed my knife,—the old man had retamed it: to him this was quite natural,—he thought it pretty, and anything that a Turk praises he wishes to possess; so delicate and at the same time so significant a request a polite Mussulman can never re- fuse,—it is the custom of the race. 1 first learned this fact in Gitomir, on the road to Wosnessensk, where I met several hundred Kurdish horsemen, who were on their way from the Caucasus to Warsaw, to relieve a Turkish regiment. The officer in command arranged a Jerid performance in one of the squares of the town, in honour of Prince August of Prussia and myself. A hand- some bay horse struck me especially amongst the nume- rous Persian and Tscherkessian chargers; and with the innocent wish to say something civil to its master, I praised the beauty and agility of the animal; but the officer no sooner perceived my admiration of his horse, than he instantly dismounted, and leading him by the bridle presented him to me. I was not prepared for this offer, and politely disclaimed any such idea, adding that I could not think of depriving him of his horse, and so forth. At this he began to take the matter seriously, and to feel himself excessively offended ; nor was it until after a long explanation that he could be induced to retract his kind and well-meant offer. The 96 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. ugh at taking advantage Sultan Machmud was clever eno of this national custom: one day he went up the hill of Candeli, extolled the view, and the kiosk,—and from that moment it all became imperial property ! Thus at spot which commands a fine view of the almost every r a residence, may be Bosphorus, and offers temptation fo seen—the fruit of similar Grand-Seignorial praises—a summer-house transferred to the imperial possessions The praise of anything therefore expresses at the same time a wish to possess it, and it is impossible ever to decline accepting an offered present. The old Arab had, in his fashion, politely asked me for my penknife, —accompanying the request with a suggestion that, in giving it to him, I should assist in relieving suffering humanity. I had given it to him, and considering me a man of the world, he naturally felt obliged to accept the I did the old man great injustice therefore, in fancying that I could trace a certain craftiness in his features, and thinking him even capable of theft. But so I forgotten the manners of the East, that 1 knife back. The old man might per- have suspected from my manner uld not be so readily recognized isely stowed away in time etended to assist me In present. entirely had actually asked for my haps, strangely enough, that his oriental title wo by an European, for he had w the corpus delicti, and NOW Pr finding it !—1t may easily be imagined that it was not forthcoming. As there appeared to be such ‘1 the advanced Moorish posts,—the arms standing peace- ay in a corner of the hut,—we determined an absence of vigilance fully stowed aw RETURN TO GIBRALTAR. 97 to see Whether the Arabs would allow us to pass a few steps into the Morocco territory. A flock was Srodling just beyond the line, and we rode toward it; Wit ne sooner did the shepherd perceive our motions dn he advanced from behind a hillock with his gun st Hi back while the Moorish soldiers seized their arms, and followed our cavalcade with their eyes. Having thus convinced ourselves by experience of the difficulty of penetratin into the interior of Africa, we rode back to Gitte oe Te ! Ww oe fi bony fy ig directly weighed anchor. degrees, and soon filled oe a a of the two graceful cutters, which danced lightly upon the long rolling wees, The dark cloud still lay upon the Hy para of Gibraltar,—a sure sign of the prevalence or approach of the east-wind. At the foot of the Rock, the Iti light on Europa Point was visible,—the beaming m morial of Queen Adelaide, which guides the ne through the Pillars of Hercules. Gradually the a rose, and the waters of the Straits gleamed like a silver band on the waves of that arm of the sea, which whilst it separates two quarters of the globe Sottu the azure bridge from one sea to the atlieroatle path of commerce, navigation and wealth, which boldly Stretches over from the old and narrow world of the Mediterranean, once bounded by the Pillars of Hercu- les, to the wide expanse of ocean, whose distant coasts allured the dauntless mariner on and on, until he dis- covered an unknown world, and found ever-new lands which exchanged the rich products of their soil for the VOL. I. H Tr re son ———— EE ARE — 8 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. es of the Old World, Europe's culture and civi- and which still offer an extending field to the spirit of their inhabitants and the spread of of about two to three uta on board the ¢ San treasur lization, enterprising human knowledge. A voyage hours brought us back from Cc Michele.” Thus ended our trip to Africa! In order not to lose the favourable cast-wind, I the ook leave of the Governor of Gibraltar As 1 entered the room, Lady Spanish songs with her whridge at the Ragged | in a glorious s of the same evening t and his amiable family. Woodford was singing some Crossing a Narrow dra 1 out of the fortress, anc t, with a few sturdy stroke children. Staff, I passe moonlight the boa oar, carried me quickly o1 July 1Gth.—As early as two o'clock this morning the t in motion on board the ¢ San Michele,’ The dark shades of night still Morning twilight 1 board. capstan was SC to the roll of the drum. brooded over the bay of Algeziras™. sh, although her eastwards. On the first had engrossed our attention esented itself. # The bay of Algeziras is famous for its quantity of fi this had struck us much more still furt of July especially a number of whales near the mountains of Adra. Here a strange scene pr From time to time dark-blue furrows opened in the silver-grey surface of the sea, and there rose up the backs and fins of large, black fishes, rolling about, and every » water from their now and then spouting nostrils ; they were 2 small species of whale, called by the French « Souffleurs,” (grampuses). In the second cutter a party went out to pursue the whales, and fired among them ; this however seemed only to give the fish a momentary annoyance, but they went away. At nightfall three or four Souffieurs” swam up to the ship and rubbed themselves against her side, which seems to be the chief amusement of these fishes ; they made a continual snorting noise, but I myself did not hear it: they were distinguishable by the white light which they caused in the sea. N d ANCHORAGE IN THE ROADSTEAD. 99 came on, ere the li , ere the last anchor was apeak, for we lay, a ae mer y . . > C S ed 2 a, in nineteen and a half fathom ou S1 e i 7 » 8 : the northern of the two anchorages lai own by the English Admiral Wada ol glish Admiraity charts. On this north » orage t 1 1 y » : ad ) : ge, the head of the Old is ES ; d Mole 1s ESE. 2 S i and one-fifth cable-lengths’ (2050 py d oe o and the Soanish Tort of & GRO aces vw 0lsnite a Spanish fort of San Felipe at the same dist : 0 3 E ? . . sn S ance wy 3 > with about nine fathoms’ depth of water > south anchorage has el | Pn 3 Nas els » te 8¢ as eight to ten fathoms, the head el l al 1s three and three-quarters cable : gths (a out 950 paces) S.E., and the Ragged S go 1e same distance EN. 1. 1 N bi mT] 2 : 1e : bottom of the sea in the roadstead i many dangerous and SR y 1s and rocky places, and is by no mea tee i | | ans : I throughout for anchorage. Along the wi! line from the “ Dock” to tl Old Nog ae Dock 1c Old Mole, formu Pe ‘ : : y € £ it were a protection agains I i | against any landing or approach C 1 NN - war "WV ’ > : J of-war, extends a bank, or more proper] 4 ree of i Ai ’ er , rocks, which commences just at the Di etithe rnin Ju 1 Panis steep coast terminates, and is con »d on the north lik : ibid a. ie north like a connecting sandbank around " \o 6 4 . 2 : ; C Cl he ay. For this reason we find the depth of r and a half ive f: j vs ¢ ; : half to five fathoms (the least into whicl ship of the line i iy > can venture,) only ; ure,) only at a cons Vetanas Po Se , a considerable Qua from the works, and about 2200 paces west om Bay-side-Barri Ee Rees side-Barrier, lying : s' a : nt to lb , lymg at the end of the Dam in wis in and Port, about 1200 paces from the head 1e ole. rig Er is fied a : d Mole, and 1050 from King’s Bastion. O he west, in front of tl en h he northern half of the alf of the long curtain * A pace is e pace 1s equal to two feet and two fifths H?2 hn om” ——— Sen a Ca a EE en 100 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. C 1 ndre paces, within which is a narrow passage, : I ese are therefore obliged to of the line: these are A on < wo fr : ; ¢ : side the bank, at about 1300 paces from ts + i . re 4D 8 posite the Ragged Staff, on the contrary, a Jon | a half fathoms ; anc 1S ) f four and a half fg a Quant j( five and a half fathoms ; Jumper’s Bastion, at 600 paces, IVC i 1c Ne whilst ships of the lime can lay-to along : a " W > : oY rov . q ia ake in stores ob P ] sia Bay, to take and run into Ro Ww AV 1 Wd 3 TC. ; from the magazines the i en In the above statements 1 have of cour i \it of the depths at four and a half to Bo of opinion that a fathoms; but I am by no po A ] SIT nour the 8 hostile fleet, desiring to ho SE iron greeting, could, even with the mos : ; i : is Ii "Tima change 0 d tide, sail close to this line of lit. Bo i g g | mizing the landmark Lift recognizing ircumstanc difficulty m recog : circumstance, a Se0En te mann ‘1 the smoke of the guns, 1 fact the sligl 2 3 ok ] asily prove fatal. An eneny dent of any kind, might casily ] : pi fleet would therefore remain some hundred pres up ee #'it wiched to. Als ine, if 1 ailed past; if 1t wis "this if it only sailed past; | of this line, if i 3 yeh a e room for swinging the ships must be take 0 We) » "(> a Moreover it should be remembered, thi 4 J ; ore mentioned, together chor, tl calculation. 2 the three-fathom bank I have be EAI 3 a » ‘ ‘ a $ 3 g . ocks ly a cable and a hi 0 ith the rocks lying 2 ones he f it. would easily separate any large fleet, 1 ie Ra ood 3 tine anchor within the d not succeed In casting anc in ¢ between these two msecure spots, wit rOQ why 6 )S car to the shallows. It was perhaj ships shoul narrow spac approaching too I FLOATING-BATTERIES. 101] with a view to avoid these difficulties that the famous | attack of the ten « battering ships,” under Admiral | Moreno, September 13th, 1782, was confined to that part of the town-front between the King’s and Mon- tague Bastions. These “battering ships” were men- of-war, converted into floating batteries, the largest | measuring 1400 tons. Instead of making a breach in this front, as the Spaniards had intended, the project was frustrated, and all the ships, in spite of their protection which was considered impenetrable, fell a prey to the flames. The thirteenth of September was a day rendered memorable by the service of the red- hot balls, but not less signalized by the generosity ex- hibited by the British sailors, who, at the risk of their own lives, came to the rescue of their unhappy foes, and carried off the living and mutilated from a death in the flames. Moreno had anchored in line of battle at a di- stance of 1350 to 1800 paces from the works, conse- quently in four and a half to fifteen fathoms; and on a close examination of a map, in reference to the above- mentioned particulars, the distance of 1350 paces (five and a half cable-lengths) from the works appears to be the least at which a fleet would be able to lay along- side the fortress,—a distance at which the thirty-two- pounders of the ships of the line (for only ships of the line can be taken into calculation in a sea-attack on Gibraltar), together with some sixty-eight- or eighty- pound bombs, may tell with excellent effect. Perhaps the time is not far distant, when ships of the line and frigates may carry still heavier metal, especially guns of ~ i — —— em — a Pr ———— -— %, Ll mien TR, 102 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. sixty-eight-pound calibre : hence the efforts of the Eng- lish to strengthen the sea-line of Gibraltar by a new series of batteries. The open roadstead of Gibraltar, situated on the east side of the Bay of Algeziras, which at its entrance is four nautical miles wide®, and runs inland six nautical miles, affords little shelter against the violent storms from the cast and west, which sweep through the Straits with great fury in autumn, winter and spring. It 1 there- fore often deemed advisable to seize the first oppor- tunity that offers to «ail before the coming on of such storms, and to gain the middle of the Straits, where wind or tide carries the ships out into the open sea. Smaller vessels find shelter behind the Old Mole ; but are frequently wrecked those which are unable to do so These storms have also on the well-known Punta Mala. proved disastrous to many a large ship, and not long ate lost all her three masts in this ege, 1780, a violent storm fleet under Sir George ago an American frig roadstead. During the si from the south-west put the Brydges Rodney, anchored opposite Rosia Bay, into the greatest peril. Two years later, in the autumn of 1782, one of the forty-seven ships of the line of the combined Spanish and French fleet, at anchor in the furthest corner of the bay, between Orange Grove and the road- stead of Algeziras, was cast on shore by a violent hurri- cane, under the guns of the fortress. During a storm from the south-cast, in November, 1796, the English of the equatorial scale, %* A nautical mile is equal to a minute or a fourth of a German geographical mile. STORMS IN THE STRAITS. 103 seventy-four-gun ship ‘ Courageux,” dragged he chors in the roadstead, and they did not ake the we again till close to the Spanish batteries : the shi i not however remain there, and she therefore os a # to Africa under close-reefed topsails, not — : of to the ocean for other reasons: that same os i the dark she was lost against the rocks at tl Ee Apes’ Hill. vo r The south coast of the Straits is for the most part very d y i y dangerous, especially as the roadsteads of Tangi and Ceuta afford f en 1 no safe places of refuge. Two shi in company with the ship, was wedged in fas ok tn ip, : he in fast, broke off, and altar’ continued her course withou | r course without further wo urther ac- It was br y was broad day when we got under weigh, and stood across toward the whi white Algeziras ; ry | Algeziras and Cape Carnero ; ; ing the continuance of the east-wind this is the est course, to escape | | | hee course, to escape the squalls from the Rock. The rst rays of the morn ( fd ay fhe morning sun fell upon the cheerful little m and the Spanish bri r } So Spanish brig of war at Isla Verde. This al . 3 Tr 2) 1 e spot where the brave Admiral Linois, under are — - ee — 104 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. shelter of the coast-batteries, which on both sides joined his squadron by gun-boats, defied a superior force of the enemy ; and—a rare OCCUITENCO indeed—the English were on this occasion repulsed with the loss of a ship of the line. Sailing round Cape Carnero and the Perla, and steering along the Spanish coast, in order to avoid the force of the current, we now directed our course seaward, where all at once the wind almost en- tirely subsided. The current in the Straits of Gibraltar, this continual influx of the ocean waters into the Mediterranean, 18 well known to be a branch of the North-African stream, which in turn may be considered the termination as it were of the great Atlantic circle of currents,—the grand movement of waters which, coming from the Indian Ocean, overflows the Agulhas Bank, and enters the At- lantic under the name of the Cape Stream ; then turns northward along the African coast, disappears for a time, and afterwards re-appears under the Tropics in the violent Alquatorial current, which, passing Cape Roque and the mouths of the Amazon and Orinoco, pours its warm tide through the Caribbean Sca into the Gulf of Mexico; from thence this mass of waters passes throngh the Straits of Bahama as the Gulf-stream, shoots like an arrow along the United States toward the southern edge of the bank of Newfoundland, and then empties itself like a horn of plenty in the direction of the Azores. It will also be remembered that we find, to the north and east of the Gulf-stream, as a continua- tion of the general eastern oceanic movement, the Arctic, OCEAN CURRENTS. 105 the North-Atlantic current and the whirlpool of Rennell —that remarkable, refluent stream which passes throu h the Bay of Biscay, and then flows back in a nortl : direction toward the Irish coast. dia In the south-east corner of this general movement of the North-Atlantic Ocean, in 45° north latitude i unites with the cold waters of the Polar Sea on its - to warmer regions, and is also joined at times ro the overflowing waters of the Gulf-stream, arises Mi Timense accumulation of waters from which the North- African current issues. Commencing between the meri- dian of the Azores and the coast of Portugal, it runs in a southern direction along the coast of Africa, until it terminates under the name of the Guinea Stream in the cul-de-sac of the Gulf of Benin and the Bay of Biafra, the terminus of the general oceanic movement. A part of the waters of this southern stream is di- verted in passing by the Straits of Gibraltar, and turns i Te Mediterranean, supplying the water which is ost by evaporation, and uniting wi ) ‘hich 1 left behind in that process. i a. is course of the oceanic waters toward the Medi is ; editerranean hoging at about 130 nautical miles west of the coasts of Europe and Africa, between 30° and 40° north latitude As Cape St. Vincent it 1s said to be so strong, that . fresh and favourable wind is required to sail soiod the point. In the Straits its velocity, according to Spix and Martius, amounts to from 4 to 5, and AE Captain Smyth, R.N. to 2:4 up to 4'5 knots an how Many a good ship has been turned from her course by AS TSR — RNa CT — Pe —— 106 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. this stream at Tarifa, where its force is the when the wind had not sufficient power to carry her hrough the Straits. : In oh Mediterranean the current extends towards Cape de Gata*, and its influence 1s even very pore felt in the roadstead of Malaga, a fact of which 1 con- inced myself. : oy junction of the salt waters of the 00am with the salt which is left in the Mediterranean by ev op tion, there would be too great an accumulation of salt 2 this inland sea, were such a result not Ae by a regular efflux. This discharge, which ep one balance between the greater specific gravity of the ! o terranean (1:03384) and the lesser gravity of the on (1:02944), seems to be constant, and to pass tong n ; 2 Straits in an under counter-current. In confirmation of this opinion, Drinkwater, in his History of hs I of Gibraltar, adduces the oft-told story, hot the wreck 9 a Dutch vessel sunk by a privateer off a aria, rose a at a later period in the roadstead of Tangier ; 98S oe ; probably on account of this under-current, i sound by lead had not yet found the ground m the Straits. a simple law of rotation, as well as the noisy 3 i” from the Black Sea, in the north-east corner ol the % Tt is well known that Cape de Gata is rounded with gs s 1 re . » Aare » € a a= ficulty against the current : the Sardinian sixty-gun frigate al her 1 twenty-tw 's to double gina,’ on her voyage to the Brazils, took twenty-two Sp 0 os : x ¢ e of the ¢ Souffleurs,” on is C fter the departure 0 > this Cape. Soon a ig eg ? ‘ancie I heard them agam ; bu 5 July, I fancied that 13 ; By 2 which was perceived here for the first 1 it was the current, eived,—I1t was the ¢ ably and on a sudden. time during our voyage palp CURRENTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. 107 Mediterranean, through the Bosphorus and the Darda- nelles, together with the continual pressure from the masses of water of the numerous streams that empty into this great inland sea of the Old World, all strengthen the existence of a western current. It is indeed even believed, that the Mediterranean poured into the ocean at the first disruption of the Pillars of Hercules; for Europe and Asia appear to have been originally con- nected at this point by an isthmus, in the same man- ner as Africa and Asia are by the isthmus of Suez,—a fact which may be inferred from the identity of for- mation in the rocks of Gibraltar and Ceuta. But on the surface, as well as at a depth, a counter though weak current is perceptible, which seems to be partly a side-action of the chief stream, and partly attributable also to the influence of the tides. The chief stream of the oceanic influx, which has only one movement toward the east, flows in the middle of the Straits with a width of 2:8 nautical miles ; it is accompanied on both sides by a narrow zone, two nautical miles broad, the waters of which are within the influence of the six-hours’ rise and fall of the tide, which is daily perceived on the sea- shore ; and with this zone is connected the band of water that washes the coasts of the two quarters of the globe, where the sea ebbs and flows with perfect regularity. In order to take advantage of this weak counter- current, out-bound vessels keep a short distance off land, as our Frigate did. In general the current is said to carry ships more to the middle than the sides of the channel, and many accidents are thus avoided. - RNC TT —" at a eS -—— A T—— — Sa Fim 108 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. s able with a contrary wind Only smaller ves- do this, beside the wo points nearer No square-rigged ship 1 to stem the current in the Straits. sels, with gaff or lateen sails, can e they lie as much as t nsequently at a sharper angle to the stream, presenting to ‘t a much less surface™. With a west wind therefore 10 fleet can pass the Straits from the Mediterranean,—these Straits which, in all the naval wars of France and Spain against England, parted the fleets of Brest and the other ports on the Atlantic from those of Toulon, and those of Terrol and Cadiz from the squadrons of Carthagena. What an important ally to England against her enemies in the Mediterranean is the Whilst Britain's fleets were winning battles e, the west-wind guarded for her the entrance steamers, SINC to the wind, and co west-wind ! at a distanc a frigate, and 0 forth, ship, a ship of the line, or 67° 30' to the wind than six to five points, line by the wind which fleets generally choose © 3()!, whereas in cruising destroy the order, n points from the rs, cutters, x A square-rigged cannot lie nearer to 56° 15'. The so-called for a line-of-battle amounts therefore to 67 or tacking, on account of the bad sailers and not to it is generally necessary to lie as much as seve wind. Small vessels with gaff and lateen sails,—as schoone luggers, xebeques, mistics, in a word what the English designate as « fore-and-aft vessels,” —can approach the wind-line nearer than five points, nay within four and a half points, that is 50° 37/30". It is even said that some can approach to within four points, 1. e. 45°, but this seems erroneous. A brilliant instance of the advantage which such a fore-and-aft vessel has in mastering the current was given by the ¢ Buck’ cutter (see Drinkwater, Siege of Gibraltar, p. 73), which fortunately escaped the whole squadron of Admiral Bar- celo, trusting to the stream, whilst the Spaniards in pursuit of her were carried so far away by the same current, that Captain Fagg succeeded by a clever manceuvre, and great intrepidity, in reaching Gibraltar in safety. CaaS lad tin s SRE en sea NA ) VAL BATTLES IN THE STRAITS. 109 IEC 1€ 1 3 ] 18 : . In , | . . i >€ 0 sevent 3 S 11 1C 1ts aid Ww y 0 g t : shi )S of the I ] ’ C f) I re te C 1 ne 1 ( 1S=- I 1 C on 3 » g 1 > al d 0 3 b ig Ww Ire di d W 0 of ] 3 1 al W a y S 1m danger , he py | 11 y t Oo - of t | t | » 1SSC1 t10 1 > 1 ) | C n f ug ht 1n th qe re t r tl l oT | ( tw ( Nn CO ’ Se : 2 t \ 2 : y J AYAALC tole 1 St V t 0) C S over Cord [¢ . : : hy ¥ 0 a 1m 1 (O = 111 ( er Sr t Jer 1 | l WLI John Jery 1S, and lastl N | S 3 Vl t ys fi ]¢ ; . y IN EIS on S 1C ory at here 1101 » yr ‘ Ay ave r t ; : Se p Roe * N i 'G Naval History of Great Britain, vol. 2, p. 200 re —— a p———— — a Raw i — ER ra —— rn — 110 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. battle of Cabrita Point. In the evening of the twelfth of July, 1801, two hostile squadrons ran out of the bay of Algeziras. Admiral Moreno had hardly doubled Cabrita, when Sir James Saumarez gave chase cast-wind. Ab twenty mi- to his fleet before 2 fresh eleven o'clock at night the vanguard of the Real Carlos, of Another Spanish 12 guns, attacked Gibraltar as the nutes past British line opened her fire upon the as soon in flames. egildo,’ also of 1 which she mistook for an enemy's ship: but before the ¢ San Hermenegildo™ dis- or, she likewise was on fire. Ere long, covered her err at the solemn hour of midnight, illuminating the coasts flames, the two of Europe and Africa with their glowing after another blew up into the air; Spaniards, who had just been and had only the instant heir death 1m fire A.M. on the ded on 112 guns, which w ship, the ¢ San Hermen the burning three-decker, three-deckers one and seventeen hundred engaged In mutual conflict, before recognized one another, met t and flood! At fifty minutes past seven the ¢ Venerable was groun ancti Petr1), to the north of which began at Cape squadron reached thirteenth of July, the bank of Qan Pedro (5 Conil. Thus ended the battle, Carnero ; the rest of the combined Cadiz in safety. Important as is the p land in times of war, yet here under all circumstances, as The roadsteads of Ceuta and Tangier, as We have seen, afford little shelter, but the anchorage in the bay of Al- geziras 18 better, although not without defects. Gib- 0ssession of the Straits to En- no British fleet can remain there 18 NO safe harbour. Salinainaissenn a Eakins el IMPORTANC ORTANCE OF A STEAM-FLEET 111 raltar more over, w . : i Aa , with the exception of a large victualli n Rivul ing- a e fn hospital, does not offer a fleet > roughly repair 1ieet the yairing and lavine i stores—am : 8 aymg 1 ong ne 8 0 necessar The central g others of water—in sufficient quantiti i: Toe . 1a ¥% ral point of England’s power i Juanitiies™. nean therefore lies in L Vy ] power in the Mediterra g a Valetta in : : nificent and ; in Malta, with its A sonciows hy ’ 1 1ts mag- Wliraried pacious harbours, and the important “ ~ > gi S ( a : " > 1 3 - or the fleet now in progress esta : . Ul 1mcrease, w establishes 1 se, whenever E S S here AAA A ‘nola the Medit ¢ a large coal-depot for her steam fle a crranean, and this she will be ol fleet 1n at an entirely new positic obliged to do. asthe ii position would England 1c mistress of the Straits, if, 1 gland assume, France ats, if, in case of a war wi e, she had : v of a war witl a numerous and Bh steariers rep nd powerful squadr S permane dad uadron i I eat stationed here,—a le 1 ie very wind c he Sjuadron whic y could cross the Straits in all directic ctions, m storms c 0 VQ y . approaching danger, : orage, fly from all g eanger, and hold on long after ar of sailing ships would have been 1 2 3 er any fleet station then 1 : ; ost! What en is the Straits Ww at a nol i s the Straits of Gibraltar for tl 1 of Britain ! or the steam-fleet If the Spani e S : . he Spanish gunboats in the bay of Algezi ie Danish boats in the Sound, have Algeziras, like fame, 1 Sound, have gained a lasti OW muc : gamed a las wy ) iow much more will the steamers of bn gure in the future s of Gibraltar Dr e annals of naval operating with calms, west-wi aval tactics, which, co- an enemy’ alms, west-wind and current, will st ’s passage tl ; Slop VY DAE irouch the Str . pay dearly for 2 Straits, or make hi or the atte ate nm y e attempt! But may it be said that the 3 Tl 1e covering of of tl > 1€ pres ceubam 3 and they are therefore liable ; HO 1s not bomb-proof, he easl y dest AA cs » ’ royed from tl v 1€¢ Sea. RRS - —— —— AC A i A—— i R. THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTA 112 A d cur- me contrary winds an a1 this fleet of the enemy €2 Even with a calm thi P : . 1 by their steame ent, of which rt te hh ossible, if the statement, ini th St a correct, that the stream ru have no doubt, he twelfth of 8 sea-miles an hour on te as on rate of 24 to 4 + ascent of Altna, I we pa 8 Be DE of the finest a a : oines, Captam HC n fale Be a she owed or iii oy ns and 2619 tons, and the ) 2 Go d 2279 tons, out of the harbour 4 Se or at the rate of four pas iis Sopp a that of five knots an hour. 1 os pe BO th oie, which blew toward us, > Wo i The « Devastation’ therefore, pow on J lr tow a ship of the line t y i : : os De a calm ; she would only be be > Si Oe Par lace, or at the most draw be a oe “ i an the steamer alone, wi ii Teens a cut through the sl i) a imp d a half knots an hour. Wha wd a : a squadron of steamers POSSE: : nine of sailing ships ! But Supposing id Se of more powerful steamers ph a breeze, t sailing fleet through s with a west-win n overco vantag these waters even that, b or the aid of a f ceed in towing his superiority of stosac py on 2h Se ON of each particular case. a i these circumstances to prope he enemy should suc- the Straits, the d and a calm 18 depends how- The ever on the Wir great thing 18 © STEAM-SHIPS OF WAR. - 113 vantage. A mew era in navigation and naval warfare seems to be opening ; it is contemplated to adapt steam- engines with screw-propellers to ships of the line, in order to protect them in calms against the attacks of steamers,—engines powerful cnough to move these large ships at a rate of five knots ; but even this would not suffice in all cases to oppose the necessary force to the current. Straits are therefore peculiarly and under all circumstances the proper theatre for the operation of steamships in warfare, which will in a certain degree —I must be excused the unseamanlike comparison— transfer the harassing character of a Cossack or Bedouin attack, combined with the obstinacy of a murderous fire of sharpshooters, to the watery element ; and naval tactics will perhaps one day be transformed in like man- ner as the irregular bodies of troops in revolutionary forces have changed the stiff tactics of land armies. Steamships introduce an entirely new element into naval warfare ; they admit the possibility of arranging and leading on to a battle, and of relieving and replacing damaged ships. In attacks on fortified places, they afford the means of strengthening isolated points in the line by ships in tow, and consequently suggest the first idea of a reserve at sea; lastly by their aid ships are enabled to escape from a superior enemy, even when in a damaged state, in cases where this would be IMpos- sible with sails alone. In fact steamers may venture into waters which any cruiser would endeavour to avoid ; they will even prefer such waters, to obtain a superio- rity over their enemy in sailing ships; they will welcome VOL. 1. j C—O AN 5 114 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. WIDT groups of islands, with their alternate calms and squalls ; ie VIDTH OF THE STRAITS. 19% and rocks will afford them protection ; the Por an between Ceuta and Eur . id 1 field of | rue inglish miles ; ok Point, 12' 10", or ; 1c ocean, between Espart ih bros opening el and I'rafalgar, 23 sandbanks alms will open to them an unlimite and the currents in straits will combine with 10". or 1 : >» Or twe ) Two things alone are neees- of te 8 enty-three English miles 1e Spanish coas tes. At about ni coast the peninsul tt the middle sula of Tarifa projects t jects to- ir foes. ideas of steam ward 1] ; by the employ- ; 36° 0 io bi of the Straits, lying i » enemy's : Tarifa a Bun southern a oz a latiinds inity of their io ie Alcazar the distance 2 . nrope From an ei Re an e is 8 ¢ fo thot op ge miles. Bast oy en Punta de Europa and Pri ” Punta de la Al- ocean ¢ activity, them against the sary for the realization of t namely the Archimedian-screws qmers can be exposed to pots of coal mn the vic 1g as coals are 10- t,—the Straits, 1 wna (sg © g extent: : they wid > Ceuta) lic the proper Straits e of abrupt] a considerably, and fhe ns lym TONE : » Spanish coaxi pn which re Hl Sirsiting of ag a recedes Gibraltar from west to fvien Po c "4 Africa approach th : ‘he point at irty-two i Batra " 3 de Canales and Punta ee 1s be- Medi- 7 20" or ii quarters of the oli oe the distance > > C Na / noe p ie ath pe no than seven English RE ast of the Straits is fred es. Whilst account of of some interest 10 : 1ts reefs t] els, the north coast i coast 1s dreaded for its sand] s sandbanks hy hese SaNguINe power, nt of which ste and de that 1s to say, a3 lox the coal-depo ascertain 1 oh for the exercls me fire uninjured, action,— dispensable. Gibraltar forms the open SCENE of action; let us this is not small, and ample cnou scene of important warlike forces™. The extent of the Straits of cast amounts to 32 20", or rather more than th their 0 English geographical miles ; pening nto the * The following comparison of breadth may be sus travellers who 1now visit the Mediterranean :— Cape Spartivento 37° 50' 0” N. which form ty RT 2 NO oT ’ , Passaro Le a 30 40 0 Pui, Ts | groups, one ving sc Matapan LoL 80 2 30 » T aloma and west of Ts Lg uthward between 36 620 » 3 rafalgar and Conil. B arifa, the other bet - h he! . v 2 ’ twee Hl 2 the © S:¢ . ut we wi g CI » ¢ “San Michele.’ II now return on board . ¢ " i 1 1( I: 3 j J )S e ) S f » ( 1 e 10 I'S h / ind | c V a Valetta +o»2--** Cape Beulisa (Malta) The north point of Africa, Cape consequently 1°2' = 20 (German 1 point of Europe. (German mile mor han the Epitome © 207, seq. the numer » = ’ " » Bianco (Tunis), lies in 37° 20' 0" N., 7h fresh from the cast 5 2 CdS ‘ . than the south- , and the Frigate d: : gate dashed alone at OD « niles more north | > ng! 55" N.) is about 13 al 5 3 sails and ¢ : courses. We passed the most I > st southern poi pomt of les E D 1 urope, the little town of Tarif: Lanta Iyi rifa lying at the foot of t t t ow J) nots S1 O i J under S11 le 'e { TE — Valetta In Malta (39 o south than Tarifa, ar most northern point of the { Practical Navigation,’ ete. — Sn OT ——T nS ,d about 21% German m more south t African coast. See ¢ A Complete , by J. W. Norie, 1 a stee . ”/ a , ) y hE and p conical mountain, oblique X approacl ? ely across ’ ‘hed the ro: . y across to Tangier 1€ roads, 1m order bette; ; langier, titer to survey tl A 1€ 1840. Table LVI. p. 12 ~ > J rem m———— i — Zi ee a ba TINTON i ————— pl T———— -— a’ — NI. 3 1 A TA R. 16 THE STRAITS OF GIBRAI : 1 3 1ef port ©O fore this chef Y on men-of-war anchored before ir imposing pre- foreign men-¢ Morocco, to give by CL ee the empire of Mazocco, 1s of their respect P p 31L hh ) 0 the 3 st | on ch mist, Powers. rope we The coasts of Furop¢ > ie ¢ XY ™y Tile the dark green mountati> nao _. ‘ 1 their beautifu : at listinet, an : he far-projecting , : of Hercules, the Ga € TS 2 a y lars atid of Apes Hall, ay . T - like the extreme Van v by the nar- town and o veiled In a blu ow. © Africa grew gradually of Africa grew & sharply I more | defined. The P Pon Gibraltar, and the A oy behind us In 2 misty dis ‘ o Sy ruard of Burope and Africa, sepe a o arm of the sea. But s BS the guardian and key and in 1ts place ap oo inguishable, the hg t | ; a long flat curved island guar row, azur rock of Gibraltar terrancan— vanished ; . | (26 Ne T 1S the north-west, scarcely Trafalgar, Ke 2lpe aimee Myafaloar which C ie the occan,—that Prafalg: ND ah tai , sovereignty of the seas. 1 on Great Britam the so Shp th in Nelson at length came uj be ++ was that Lord Nelson ¢ g i. it was hom, after his fortunate cs¢: pe a TL diterre Villeneuve, W , aft BR y had sought first througho i a od f Egypt, then pursue g he a adr aogin across the a Joes and Trinidad, and again ¢ me g oy . , . , : its : when, not finding him there, : its ; J how 2 | oo turning southwal suit, and 8 Si him oft Trafalgar. : t with its complete ved, Eng- as far as th Straits to Barba an back to the Stra a in pul up with oce ost explored the Trish Se meth came again at length ce epance here Mme nparalleled perseverance h Tl i» the naval power of Span wa eg annihilated, and Nelson tou C a hero—2a victor's d sath. « reward ; land’s foes were blest reward of HISTORICAL SKETCH OF TANGIER. 117 Behind the wooded shores of Afyi ‘a rose in the far distance the last blue summit of Mount Atlas. We sailed past the woods of Cala Baca, and saw behind Cape Mala- bata the wide bend of the steep sandy coast, in the centre of which the white city of Tangier * rises up the acclivity * I am indebted to the kindness of the Rev. Dr. Pischon for the following sketch, as well as for some others in this Work. Tangier derives its name from the ancient city of Tingis, which lay not far from the present site of the city ; at a very early period in- habitants from this place were transplanted by the Phenicians to Spain. On its rebelling against King Bogud of Mauritania, the Emperor Augustus granted it a free constitution, and the Emperor Claudius, on changing the whole country into a province, made Tingis its capital, and named the province from the city Tingitana. It was conquered by the Vandal king Genserich in 429, and after- wards by Belisarius in 534, and remained in the hands of the Byzantines until, under the khalif Walid 1. the celebrated general Musa Ben Nosair about the ye subsequent parts of ar 705 subdued the country of Tanja, took the capital, Tangier, and garrisoned it with ten thousand men under the general Tarik Ben Ziad, who sailed from hence and landed in Spain. After 804 it fell into the power of the Edrisides, who freed themselves from Ilarun al Raschid, and it remained in their hands, until the Ommaijades from Spain, who had shortly before lost a battle here, took it together with the whole of western Mauri- tania, Magreb al Aksa. On the overthrow of the dominion of the Ommaijades it had rulers of its own, the last of whom, the old Socra al Barqueti in 1078 lost his life in a battle against the Moravide Jussuf Ben Tasfin, whereupon Tanja fell into Jussuf’s hands. When the Muahedim (Mohades) appeared against the Moravides, and Abd. el-Mumen besieged Morocco, Tangier went over to him in the be- ginning of October 1146. In the thirteenth century it passed into the hands of the Castilians, from whom the Merenide Abu Jussuf took it by storm in September or October 1273. A Castilian and Genoese fleet, in July or August 1291, destroyed the African ships which were going to attack Sancho of Castille in sight of Tangier. Joiio I. of Portugal, with his three sons and his brave general Pe- reira, took Ceuta by storm in 1415. A Portuguese army, led RE - —— CT > — ~ = 5 . ; - - —— a Te Sn Na 118 THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. on the west side of the bay; foreign men-of-war were lying before it in the roadstead, which is exposed to the north and north-east winds. The ¢« Jena,” Commo- dore Turpin, had just hoisted his flag and top-gallant sails, at the same inst-nt with the ¢ Africaine’ frigate, the brig ‘ Le Cerf, and a large steamship also belong: ing to the squadron. Her example was followed by the . Spanish frigate * La Cortez, and the American corvette {or “ Jackass-frigate 7), which both hoisted the Comimo- dore’s flag. Many coast-batteries extend along the town, by the Infant Don Henrique and Don Fernando, brothers of king Eduardo, besieged Tangier in 1437, but was surrounded by a large Morocco army, and compelled by starvation to purchase a free exit, on the promise of delivering up Ceuta to the Morocco people. Don Fernando remained behind as a hostage ; and as the Cortes refused to consent to the surrender of Ceuta, he remained 1n imprisonment at Fez, where, after enduring great suffering, he died a martyr’s death on the 5th of June, 1443, and gained the same of the © resolute prince,” and ¢ the saint.” In subsequent the Portuguese in 1471, under the sway of la by storm with great bloodshed ; this $0 terrified the inhabitants of Tangier that they quitted their city, which was at once occupied by the Portuguese. When king Sebas- s great warlike expedition against Morocco, he On the change of struggles with Africa, Alfonso V., took Arzi tian undertook hi landed on the 24th of June, 1578, In Tangier. government in Portugal in 1640, Tangier remained 1n possession of the House of DBraganzi, whilst Ceuta was transferred to Spain. When Charles 11. of England married the princess Catharine of Portugal, the daughter of John 1V. of Braganza, Tangier was given him as part of the dowry of the princess. The cost of maintaining it was too great for the English, and they demolished the place in 1684, whereupon the inhabitants of Morocco retook possession, re- built it irregularly, and fortified it. Ever since Tangier has re- hands, until recently the bombardment by the Prince mained in their vin brought it forward de Joinville, on the 6th of August 1844, has ag: in history. the Mediterrs on the Atlantic Ocean cabin I s: ; saw be Wnsir chind us the white foam 1 aves, which began to foll tpon the 5 ow lines. | , V ds burnin ) he t. g ) . 6 , 11 J 1 C wn DO b C wy 111( } 3 CITY OF TANGIER. whilst a hi Hy st a high wall terminates i loads dares & nates 1t on the north side, wl = '( y ' r > "hic Ie Trees the top of the heights to the s , which In Tangier itself, which has qui Oe soa neither cl $ quite abl wrches, mosques, 1 joa European aspect e; but I sa sues, nor minarets are distinguis) y Sé Ww v . 11S - town the Bl the heights at the back of chapels. The ie 2 group of mescheds or Mussult : like a flash of He carried us out of th HE / asl o Ir € alts HY ightning, past Tangier Straits of Cape Spartel, d ; angler and the green hil Cpa , descending to the 4 ull rafalgar were soon 1 B he sea. Spartel and « / » 4 * C Bh tht 1 lost behind the horizon, and ’ , 1e > » . 4 C ids ; we felt the lone waves. of i now gate a motion quite diff ' iy aves, giving the Fri crent from tl 4 1at experie . ancan, and whi xperienced in which annc hh announced ur entrance e T ; hrough the windows of the | > azure- us in long connected At noon w ve were in I re north I » 36 epi in 36°29’ and 6° 18' le. After sailing i n this me g s manner for rr for ar Scarcely Scarcely had y had an hour elapsed, when we agai ve agam came in sight of Cape T'raf: g > 1 )C " ‘ ‘ » : | of Ca I'rafalgar. A straight, sl ra ght, short mountain, de i : > sea, lay behir ht, ii , lay behind us on the ri id . a) 1 the ng at, sandy coast of Spain, with isolated i , with 1solated, low ? bluish i sh mountains 1 tains in the background, ex ; wife line on our sical g d, extended in a lone * starboard 1 5 1 beam and 1 : { ow, like the Balti g utic '0dS Ww } : £ Cod: coast, terminating with the s : of Cadiz. : 1c snow-white Tl 1c turret-lik town - 1 Cc rs Cr . gables or embattled house- a A a a a a NN a Am mae ——— I — amine | 2( HE STRATITS OFX GIBRALTAR. 0 and the lofty yellow » 1 1C like a mosque Mm tl , stood 1M the cen rising of Cadiz were seen Islip tops its towers, a “) 2) with raters together ANG waters, 0g edral, looking , of its catl ite 1; Ouse dome © he white lighth centre of the town: greoround. foregrou A SUNDAY IN CAD1Z, Jury 17th.—It was Sunday : one of the Frigate’s boats conveyed me as carly as ten o’clock to the new kind of quired pumps can under th ’ and worked 1 the lowest | ed alone St battery > On the orl AY, op 1% In « Ne walk ur walk over the shij the ship, I inquir mein. whi tity pred of Captain J vhice . 5 Te 0 » Which Mr. Oliver Lane. t] for oe 7 Ue derer,” h; : , had shown me when 1 cars befor | i ars before at Woolwicl i” removed, i > no f Pring for the ke Tr | > JOP-( eck : ’ J thou > ; sand builder of the $ Thu J 11- | "py Thi ier on the stocks ten 1 as 1t mpeded the f 3 deck Was very soc 1¢ cabins of : Ne 1ree circulati v J) bacon of the lieutenants ation of the ajy S ’ « , are spacio and “vy 10US ; : op 1s and comfortable : tl young gentlemen ”’ hh orcater i >osame may greater decree. of mav he «aid. 3 under the po degree, of the Captoly’ y be said, in » poop, which was aptain’s cabin. vi leasure, when the last sounds of « Hearts of nasal oe b which was fitted up with abin, lying : C ‘Ol ie 22 ’ are:d away, to sec the starboard guns Prine. wl tors, arrangement great taste and ; 8; who was on board, had I tent 1m which M, css contri 1 uted h >d her of the tw the two-decker gave licutenant”’ of the ¢ Thunderer,’ and most effectively su- perintends this important branch of the service. It was quite a p Oak’ were just dying —an pun in, and charged with force young fellows, who worked and served them and precision by the aid. Phe mal i * » oalleries galleries on the stern fine active , s flo: ; I ating dwelling ET a seamanlike case and dexterity. The black, | to have won the respect of the ened the re- with true shining growlers geeme crew, and the well-known sounds awak membrance of the days of Acre and Sidon, and a thirst for fresh exploits, —those sounds which had re-cchoed through the ¢ Thunderer’ OD the eve of battle, Summon- out of ) Sl S the , ver whistle £ i stantly tl Ic crew Wi 4 crew poured forth fr vay, bringing tl oo ranged 1 i ged in Cn a peculiar charm sterime was De | 1g was ended, the ho opi dn boatswain suno , 1 the shrill acco tons nnd ‘companinel hands rig church !”” and ; ; I and in- Cvery cor 0) pr ‘ folded benches - : hi oh J rows : these wer » one behind another, { Flan it acing the altar, a We took our , and the crew sat 3 NT 1 ing so many brave British tars 10 victory, and so many to another world ! which was h was placed on the Seats ] ats with the officers on I Cc RE ——— quarter-deck. A — ~ - : a — Tn Se « C seo 8 A ln a RR -— get rr —— broad accent, 1 ¢ 124 A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. es, with their red coats parted from the “ blue-jackets,” who seemingly quite com- it looked like a flower the opposite benches,—the marin closely buttoned up, at their ease and sat perfectly ay’s dress : fortable In their Sund bed, accurately squared off. It was a fine morning, and not a cloud was to be seen in the blue sky, toward which the masts of the mighty ¢ Thunderer’ arose. The assembly sat bare-headed in rows before us, with their eyes lowered to the prayer-hook, ting the responses. The deck glowed under and an oppressive qultriness lay upon the bay flat coast ; but now and then a little d, though scarcely perceptible, —the fresh sea-wind. Unfor- listiet pronunciation and and little of the sermon. Murs. Pring, 1 returned and repea our feet, of Cadiz, girt by a cooling breeze stirre forerunner of the approaching tunately, from the chaplain’s ne ould underst After an excellent luncheon with on board the ¢ San Michele.’ | The reader may picture | as a small Haff, similar to those a Baltic, but on a larger ale: he must however imagine a considerable depth of water, and a very pening to the west; on its south side o town of Rota op The end of es from the blue waters at the hes from the land, which strete more properly from S.S.E. to to himself the bay of Cadiz long the coast of the one with broad mouth, © Cadiz, with the littl posite. lies town of Cadiz 118 a flat, sandy tongue of mainland northwards, or N N.W., and then turning west at a sharp angle, pro- an with a small hook, which the town jects nto the oce This hook 1s continued by a and fortifications cover, reef S ( ’ J Av . 1C with its |i > its lighthouse. The oI a curtain wit] low fort of S : fort of San Schastian i : ULC a arrow land-front consis counter-guard 1 | ER ee gu 1a dry dite 8 rounded |} in with ravelj 7 welin op 1 1 front. oy or y c mected casemates i nountme ouns v . ng guns. an under line of em] up temporarily. a few bad : : I'he town is sup. and a wid Sen de platfor I scarcely in any So rasures ; they are y C > instance saw oy ; perhaps we a he platform, on whicl ye : dly appomted guns. « t certai Bel ® serves | am points the Shen I estimated t] le \ y : ¢ demi-bastion towa ire mounted i dg as a public walk. y S are remarkable ; for i > profile 2 profile on the connexion a barrack is said t abd . So SY, 0 be placed dCe( seventy to eighty fee low water a ie point where in the ‘asemate, at len I went under jt at amounts to about thirty as I have sai ave said, entirely by the Bot i die on other spots it 3 Yhis 1s regulated O10 oD C C( 9 oS ind. At i \ : a he point where the sini] 2 ( 1C To OU \ oy - Zid Gord: a which extend ga la rises, (the first of the ej ht p w ¢ 0 " . ) Dy y ; a the flat sout] ig the coast to Algezi ght towers , 1 SI( ce ’ ; * OD fl ‘as COl ; oss a system of hi the bay, a large plai ; nmences ystem or artificial ditches g¢ pla traversed hy intervenine ening narrow strips of Stil ank joins the mainland J) which ar , Which are converted ly wot nn o'r . hected squares, united 1 ground into a net of : is let 1 ; y small sluices let into these squares i up. T COon- 1¢ Sea-we r and 1 yo i, ( ater I'he water ev: he shiices are then wire sali i I evaporates, and aft I dammed pure salt is removed after al Ther here are likewise ] , and laid o : out a month the i Lon the intervening spac arge salt-depdts here in t] thee | io tall, whi vhite trapeyzi ’ trapc Z111ms. shape of « pla cal I I N 1 ] h } 1 | 1] f his | i ] . { 111, if ch IS A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. 126 de Leon ; 5 ms of Isla ET the oy 2 fo Hn cher covered Wit he former celebrated Is he form felt woods fernando (t : : ong Tic A oe h is charmingly situated Noth Pob- which 1S « arlos or La © yn s of palms) snd Sap Comes strangled in the and group .. raiect which was strang a sisi hat gigantic project Jose together,—a lacion, that gig 1dines stand close 10g : : h. Three high buildings * h. and an enormous birth. ® ished church, ¢ v ths large barrack, an ig olonnade,—all empty uy oO a a C ¥ : aN ; 120 1th ¢ arket- ce O government-house : I's sketches in the market-pla > of Nebel's sk ; Caraca, > re y of Nebe areey 1 La ¢ look like one fhe cast lies the naval arsenal, aah Ao * To Ne anv 7S “ak arn 0 DU, Monee. ‘te hank of a broad and deep ¢ og dl the he opposite be -castern cox un Poo ing from the south-ea ast, before which, running 1 to the south and east, : hav. describes a large bend to fortress of Sancti Petri. AY, en > insular fortress 4d the msule n which cris e sea at +a the spot WHO joining Be Qancti Petri converts the a one Nal 10 de NE 1th wh ] SC This oe nando and San Carlos, and ; pre : * 4 ay : . . ~ SH 1C . - lie San Fe ns of Cadiz, into an 1sla1 Te ixaeaatte ONT 3 3 18 h 3 7 ¢ —( = outed t of Isla de Leon, the only | ded ), cast ey: ended by a sm die de Zaz r 1 channel, is defended i : Mell Luis : neipal chanhe © Ada a kind of W : this pru ” eo bank on this side, a kin demi rork upon the bi . are advance : Fae t three stone redoubts are at wend : ; st ree § Sk orks 1S § , x ou, will the other side of these wor Toh i On the he sea, which I i t tributary to the arm of f A weak and r Ae J] Espartero. and oe r by the Puente del co A Ove °] C( ove ' x > y 3 IC C ( v . br idge .arthwork here forms the Ou lilapidated eart Le neighbouring i he road leads to the NCLB behind which . : a) 3 A 5 ot ) this bridge the of the « Gadetanos, be i Oy 1 3 ce 2 . 3 0 & ner resiaen : A ed me the Tails hain of hills that ny os eet ises a little cha : he Rio de Sancti Fe ooth sider hits impassable, «dam hills. On : hh with its impas Potsdam h ide salt-plain, which with I tends the wide St extends THE DRY DOCK. wide and deep ditches, tremity of which lies C side. This intersected the resolute defence of the fortress of Cadiz French. renders the island at the adiz, impregnable on the land ground no doubt greatly favoured against the A navigable water of at Io point excepted, whe -one feet) leads from the roadstead to the naval arsenal La Caraca, situated near the o pening of the Sancti Petri into the bay, which with its Ja] yyrinth of dilapidated buildings looks like the ruined palace of a bankrupt nobleman. Ip the middle of the broad channel lay a trul spectacle—the old, worn-out ‘ Soherano,’ guns, one of the few relics w the shipwreck of her past gre I found the Dry Dock ready to receive her, in which the French ninety-gun ship “Le Suffrein’, had 1, repaired, after being stranded, together merchantmen in the roadstead, | squalls whic] ast four fathoms’ depth (one re the depth is only twenty y piteous of seventy-four hich Spain has saved from atness. een with all the y one of those violent 1 at times sweep over the bay of Cadiz. This Dry Dock is the only one whose gates are still serviceable ; those of the two others granite of the three 1, storms of time. are rotten: the asins has alone withstood t] I counted about five for large ships : they were wit] is not needed in this Ww 10 building-stocks out roofing (Cuff’s), which arm climate, and a considerable cost of maintenance is thus saved. A few guns lay and some timber anal, to preserve it to be few or no other stores. ranged in good order, in the mud of g c was immersed there appeared Before the entrance-gate 127 €X- : i —— re —— 128 A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. a ragged, barefooted sailor kept guard, and the few individuals, litude, harmonize into the Caraca with a naked hoarding-knife ; degree enliven this so able condition of the whole. bay of Cadiz, seen 1ge, with its three villages, vanished mn out more distinctly. 1 smaller bays ed, on who mn some strangely with the Jament Whilst the flat south side of the from our anchor: the blue mist, the castern coast came On this side the bay, which forms severa is girt with sand-hills, in parts wood al and Puerto de Santa sand-hills, between | coast-batteries, yortant one or inlets, which lie the towns of Puerto Re Maria. Upon the last point of the Qanta Maria and Rota, extend detache ve to the south-west; but the only mj No de Santa Catalina, erected on a pro- 1. Close by Puerto Real, a low sand- est, indiscernible from the road- sand-bank, narrow- ling the inlet mto a in a cur is that of Cast jecting pont of lanc bank on the south-w toward the opposite stead, projects and divic ing the bay to channel, shallower one on the south and a north, which properly forms the roadstead. amous Trocadero, which appeared to land by a line of weak carth- larger one on the This flat peninsula is the 1 be separated from the main works. It was natural tha hero of Trocadero, who In the gorge of the Matagorda, and opposite 10 it t T should here call to mind the had graciously placed at my The King of Sardinia was the storming oO fa premier Gre- first to mount the f this work, and here won for nadier de France.’ Il, closed Castillo de Trocadero 18 the sma BAY OF CADIZ. 129 on a projecti projection of : woliieh fs fom 20 of the sand-hank beyond the cl ) S1X ‘ . . > C 1¢ } tales, celebrated a fathoms deep, the Castillo d Sm) elebrated for its many ge hart. or its defence. At a few h ¢ Pun- hy is, the strong fort of S 'w hundred yards cersects the tonoue of | > length, whi BD gth, which from this atter 1s stre : strengthened hy J an Fernando obliquely anc arlv 1 j and, nearly in the centre of jt omt narrow S I rs gradually. The x a walled d; ¥ ; road leads inland pas ed dam, upon which t] quakes 1 past the Torre Gorda os ie 1 Ss however the flood pou Gas dning eth order to k Pr overiting I' to keep the c« : ito the bay. T a ommunicati edn sible, for mication open as y for footpassonars ut Lea pen as long as pos- dosed by walls fi gers at least, the road is here 5 in wal om three to four feet hiol e en- 1 ’n arches. High, supported et us now R w turn fr . around the hay i the wide circuit of the Th a a: of Cadiz, to its entrance. © . > coast e town we Pe O00 Mop Wa town we observe a or 10rth els, stretching half we group of banks and thie perils af x y way toward the opposite sl " h o 1C “WeaQ i C Shore : Galera, and © Puercas, the Cochinos, the F i » and the Diamante had 5 Lhe lem, the ’ au fore tl all to be 1c pr hil )C enc Te proud Frigate coul countered he- ha ld unfur : across the wide expanse of unfurl her sails, and steer T ApPanse ol ocean to the New by yp » i 1 > - ; i f he afternoon of this dav w © Now Would! S$ day was to the Lo spent ver Aig morning, I ely differently I lan ae ¢ ‘ ’ sent at a bullfieht Se WA pr ght. Following the cr £ through the centre of the fe oL by crowd we passed m, and so S00n came t o tl seashore ne J where stands 3 I 5 the 1nmmmense open 3 J Circus 18 set apart fo del ! 2 'Q ctacon: the Spanish . b for these cruel sports. Aboy tagonal » v . . - : Ny, e " a the » the white English, the Fre It wave ghost Hage. rench, and the Por- It Ww y + arly whe SE VOL. I. J we took our places, nearly i > learly m K I ENRE— 130 A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. What a motley crowd filled the he top row of seats. aby: arena | and what and thronged the sandy o mingled with shrill cries ! and uncontrollable 1m the own way ; the poor amphitheatre, an incessant bustle and noise, The people are perfectly wild Torrida, and have everything their National Guards hardly interfere at all. on If any harmless individual has by chaos the ps he tune to attract the notice of the multitude, all an are turned to the place where he 1s seated, staring up i hi and a frightful ser aming begins, a : i the people at length are tired and gradual y )( on fi The Spaniards like on these occasions to be Jl the men, of all ornamented with braid trimmed with again. Spaniards . nearly ¢ legant parti-coloured jackets | loured edging, black jackets hite and striped stuff ones, like o universal addition of classes, wear jerkins, e and broad co bugles, or simple Ww those of the lower classes, with th m » » Ter ¢ Y a A Panis , common people wea the national Spanish hat. The peoy red band round their body. - The public here, as [ said, have ther caprices ; hi told that they once compelled a stranger to pull © | and obliced another to leave the " dress-coat did not [ was his yellow kid cloves merely because his elegant many strangers present today, {f the officers from the place please them. There were 1 ] a larce attendance 0 including a large a he 4 The ¢ Thunderer’ was a or. beside Capt rng most numerously represented, for, beside Captain Pring at the head of a large portion of his staff, a strong mustel ( J ; Th : of stout British sailors had also seated themselves com Mrs. Pring’s presence different ships in the roadstead. fortably on the rows of benches. A BULL-FIGHT \ 131 likewise was indispensable, and she was seafe oF oe eC S seated beside her hushan, having Dod Dovid reluctantly yield id yielded her scruples against the desecration of the a Sunday Tn wy. Below us « Frenchmen J Ws 3 two tl ) ¢ Ae -N ro 1C aspirant de premiere classe came first 00K his se; 1 ithe Ss scat, pulled on his yellow kid gloves 1t] being at all ine an. 5 4 all meommoded, took a Frepg en ee NC newspaper out oe pocket, and attempted to read . . ) r 1 urbed by the noise and bustle, he . rm him. The other Frenchman greatly from the heat - out of his pocket but being dis- finally tucked it under in the frock-coat suffered he pulled a yellow handkerchief > and drew it over his he A ons an ad on the sunny side. We gat waiting for the y shade havino tal Cats Ga 5% sn : ’ « ng taken our shady seats,” for which we had to yay a higher price . Cn allendant some { I J ghel Price 3 ellows seran hl § scrambled about the | : ; ( y . QQ with refreshments. ii But the most cager spect ators, without w] 7 | 10m a lor IS not conceivable Sha ,» are the women. of seats was 1 perfect sw coloured shawls rida On the lower rows arm of red, yellow, and varios. , Te being the predominant ; whilst a 4s 1 perpetual motion jy front, tl handkerchief rehiefs keeping io lefs ke pmg up a corr I6S¢ Women belong to the are frequently seen sea of fans w covered with ¢ heads motion. sponding . DU lower classes, and sale arrying babies in their arms, which re us carly familiarized to these spectacles, and dy m a love for such cr my aw * love for such cruel sport with their mothep's milk ’ No. On t ; t ) ) he op hc nches shaded hy d sheh { ] I 4 . : 4 | : ’ : oD t aw) ning, are D her cirel ; : . CS ; QO tender ladies, veiled ’ the SEC mn black lace, wit, dark and glossy raven-hlack hair—these | see a fly killed without fainting—are 5 q \ fiery eves adies who could not here insatiable the K 2 ¥ g ¥ E E i k ' ! Ly {| if 132 A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. ~ - pec ac C J J j : : : tl S QS ¢ «(OV eam of JO Ww | 1 the | ul y i y P pre: » a SCY ca 1 \ j : D can wo car cel 1'C i : ; : / : Il DS 11 ) 1C oo i h g tr 11 ling 1 th > ground. \ Y h t t 1 ans SS { 10( & N th oaudy | ap 1 fs » f th | WV | SS S . for Cc ( 1 tl Cc C Oo ALY » 0 ] ish coquetry, the beggar-women understand, with Spanish coq i ot | are cover abanicos Pat playing with a fan. There are moreover ¢ : CH them on the lower benches fu 1zes ; ave seen the : a all sizes ; 1 have Bf Vy pe oe | <0 that whole famihes could s three feet long, ¢ Bo ake sir places n The chief municipal officers had taken ther pl oy Ee eo around below were assembled, als 9 as. in their rich Spanish S, | , and bright- a gallery, and on th , in a separate box, the Tspac nil costumes embroidered with gold anc : AA | d cloaks,—just such figures as are Irequenti coloure yaks, upon the stage. lias cet O 1den was heard the loud ringing of a bell, : : en. so rentiv cleared, au tinued din. The arcna was instantly clear ! : a continue : a die barriers opened on the left. Five I ica ; : BS JC JAN : i 7 ties, the two reserve combatants forming i ; ; a rade. > low © en mn. every one a fello ade, 1 st men, ever) bogus nie RI slowed bv the four mules, i ode into the arena, d by ; : iranetple : ollow flags and ribands, Jecorated with little red and yellow flags : : sn ses. On the opposite av the dead horses. ios Irae away the des intended to drag a .aded by the celebrated I \ ide spadas, headed by : Sale sp a to the middle of the arena, with + stepped 111 3 : Moi ee the old Spanish costume the Bandelieros, dressed mm the S| ne « ] yC 3 } ntre tri Ww 1 » JUN » A BULL-FIGHT. 133 bune, whilst the Picadores lowered their finely-pointed lances. The trumpets sounded! the Espadas and Bandelieros, with long coloured sl 1awls under their arm, retreated behind the wooden screens, wl ich are placed as guards to the numerous doors leading to the rows of seats. The Picadores, with their enormous, broad-brimmed, trencher-shaped hats of whitish grey felt, with a small round crown, are dressed in ric ly embroidered velvet jackets, their legs cased in iron leggings, and with one or two iron rings round their body ; over all is drawn the yellow leather trowsers, forming with the yellow leather boots and large spurs one single dress, which gives an indescribable clumsiness to the lower part of these heavy horsemen : the effect of this dress is heightened by large, square, sallow or brown faces, with black, bushy eyebrows. I know not why, but the Picadores reminded me, in their whole form and figure, of the singer Blume in the character of Bertrand, mi“ Robert le Diable.” They were mounted on mares, yielding neither in age nor ugliness to the worn-out jade of any cockney huntsman. Three Picadores, with their lances in rest, stationed themselves around at equal distances, with their backs close to the band. The trumpets sounded again ; the door under the tyi- bune opened, and the bull bounded at full gallop into the circle. For an instant he stopped short, and then rushing at one of the Picadores, who stood quietly await- ing him, he received a stab from the lance ; whereupon he dashed close past the second Picador, and flung the third to the ground. This sport continued for a long ST 134 A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. The Picadores have a difficult part to play : if they were allowed to act on the offensive, it would be much easier. These men may be said to be bred up with the cattle ; their proper business is to drive the beasts from place to place, like the peasants armed with pointed sticks who are seen trotting Cossack-like over the Campagna of Rome on their active little nags. Thus the Picadores from their youth are accustomed to deal with these bulls. 1f one of the men falls, he cannot r1SC again without great difficulty, on account of his iron se almost always lies upon him. time. leggings, and the hor In this case the Bandelieros run nimbly nto the circle, and with their coloured shawls tease the bull, which generally pursues them furiously. But as the beast every time rushes at the cloth, they run little risk, unless unfor- tunately they chance to fall in the quick and short turn- ings. Meanwhile the man of steel and iron is helped from under his horse. The whole sport consists in the are killed. The first victim was an unfortunate grey ground, quivered for a When a steed number of horses that horse, which was thrown to the few seconds, and then stretched his legs. at is to say, fairly struck—the Picador is wounded—tl out of the circle, and has the animal's ¢ ie then returns to the combat. For half an orse with his entrails actually rides yes ban- daged : 1 hour we saw a poor grey | hanging down to the earth ; the poor creature, aware cach time when nevertheless his rider spared not the spur, as the bull was rushing at him, endeavoured to ¢ At length, when the bull—one of the scape the attack of his foe. A BULL-FIGHT. 135 e):) last that ared 1 appeared in the lists this day—would no long ‘epeat his attacks i W Pe attacks, the Picador rode up close in front of the amimal, 1 irri hi : jo in order to irritate him; nevertheless. i spite of his renewed w ths ius renewed wounds, it was a long time bef. the poor horse fel Fan | se fell dead upon the ground Fortunately for the Pi ‘ . i ? y fc 1c Picadores who fall under their ses, the bull shares ; | | shares the far many an mil lk it of many a general, and g s unable to follow up his advant: once or twice saw tl or oo cy 2 saw the horned victor turn round. to give S victim the coup de gr Ne Peary yup dh grace; a couple of unlucky chest- ut ses shared this fate. The bull pursues the B dehieros only a few vards: if hi ed on mly a few yards: if his eagerness for the fieht abates » whole ass le Sha anaes; the whole assembly becomes restless : thet ” Saw 3 s restless ; there is a io of bells, an uproar and cries; the ladic with one Gg a one another, exclaiming, “ Fuego!” and {] shout, “Another pavito!” J At ] A | I A fat ; ! At length all break fortl mto a general cl We lois g chorus Xl te fn : 8 of exultation, “The brave bull !”’ > animal has regained courage : there lies the Pic dor, ' : i Eo id , and the poor horse drags itself along on thre Pit with 45s ios chines fhe bolle Cte to aces. oh | s last effort the bull’s fury is exhausted 1c can ‘e, his spirit 1 ll an do no more, his spirit is gone, and he | freely under the mi: at A os ely ie mane and on his neck. The music 1 Baad tun | ik. > MUSIC NOW es up; the Bandelieros have armed themselves with short sticks, tipped : od wt ticks, tipped at one end with a barbed goad : swinging above their heads these sticks, whi h i Sag Te se sticks, ich are i | with white or coloured paper, they run straicht at the b ace ac rei a on face to face, and thrust the goad into his neck m fr just ¢ 1 bes ont, Just at the instant when the infuriated east again lowers his he: So oo s his head and prepares to dash at ; ic bull now runs madly forwards, but the 136 A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. Bandeliero has kept his body on one side, and springs behind the screen. Sometimes they also fix a kind of rocket and red-hot irons into the animal’s flesh, but this T cannot distinctly remember. These instruments of torture it is which the excited beauties of the circle, inflamed with cruel intend, when the exclamation ¢ Fuego, fuego!” ruby lips, while their sparkling black 1d fury on ardour, rises from their eyes shoot down fiery glances full of scorn ai the poor exhausted, horned hero of the arena. Fresh always ready to gratify those beautiful Bandelieros are the goads as the bull shakes them eyes, and to replace off, that his rage may not too soon subside. A third time the music sounds! the third and last act Montes, the famous Montes, the darling of the he chief of all the Espadas of the Pen- ainst the begins. Spanish people, t insula, drest mn a green jacket, advances ag bull with drawn sword, and holds before him his scarlet cloak edged with a white border. At the moment when the furious beast is about to rush at the cloak, the Ma- tador stabs him with his sword between the horns, just at the point where the mane terminates. The bull rs, then falls upon his side, and sinks on his hind-quarte is overwhelmed with Montes, the prince of his profession, The black mantillas move to and and the marks of applause. fro, the enraptured dames wave their handkerchiefs, as the victor walks around the arena bowing to the gentlemen throw down to him their hats multitude, he catches cleverly and from the top galleries, which throws up again to their owners with great adroitness. MONTES THE MATADOR. 187 Montes himself : S Sho before he went to look for the bull. had row s black ve oh wn is black velvet cap to an acquaintance received it back. , and now Immediately a second champion with broad forehead and large horns, but of small make, was let lorie 1 atens, and the same scenes were repeated nt ih victims had thus fallen. The first was the nist bs; x ful animal, although we should not have irs any means remarkable for strength. db At the appearance of every new bull, our excitement mereased, and we soon began to discern ot { : 4 glance their character stamped upon their fortis en multitude were dissatisfied, for the beasts i show sport properly, or rather knew not what " I i of the whole affair. Several times Montes volnntoos i act as a Bandeliero with great courage and doxiopit " placed hiraself before the bull, wd Tooke li i im the face, and the animal seemed really to fo I : Another time he seized hold of the bulls tail “ Pol himself be dragged round and round. or oe ny a kick between his horns. But Montes eo Ushi bricks with the more powerful bulls. nae poi animal had nearly mastered him, for Montes ho bi and fell ; but by a fortunate accident the hall a A same mstant tripped and came to the ground Mr When the Torrida w ie Torrida was ended, three horses were lying ? 0 dead 1 y. Clvonic ip { 1 in the Circus, but fifteen horses were in all the Qs cr 0 » . . 9 ‘ * } a rifice of this day’s sport. The people were gros displeased for the ; Lh: | 3 : greatly emeth y had set their minds upon having at least forty such victims ! 8 ri EET — mm 138 A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. a Picadores, not At first 1 trembled for the life of the but 1 soon saw knowing that they were clad in armour ; that they came to no harm, except two, who were thrown to the ground; they were however so little hurt, that, leaning quietly against the wall, they remained to wit- ness the rest of the Torrida. It was clear that the plea- sure of these scenes turns principally on the slaughter of horses,—the bull and men are only secondary objects of interest. The bull-fight on the whole leaves a revolting 1m- one is involuntarily annoyed by , and disgusted at the sight of staring greedily upon the This feeling of pression on the mind: the cruelty of the sport the people thirsting for blood, and often acting like madmen. scene, which at the first instant fills repugnance, of horror, soul, gradually lessens, and pity went, into which the mad- he takes part for or hat he shares one’s whole is suc- ceeded by impatient exciten dening fight hurries the spectator : and it is impossible to deny t frantic interest of the moment akin to a sense of plea- against, in a certain degree the __an interest which 1s near But the better feelings predominate, ly repeated scenes of blood- sure. and one shudders at these constant which excite in the panting bosom of the fiery Spanish dame a sympathy, increasing every n- stant, and almost bordering on a sensual delight. With feverish, glowing cheek and sparkling glance she peeps out from the black lace mantilla drawn over her head, all around showers her applause on cach the bull with loud thirsty horror, and forgetting combatant 1m fu L——eneouraging THE ALAMEDA DA. 139 cries, or transports ") : s iy herself to the side of her hero i ne perus of the arena - 2 I hero in 0 ¢ arcna; every onset of the bull agai avourite Matador makes her trembl any ’s her tremble cannot resis : , and yet she resist the torturing pleasure of yei she again acai | fons Bo and again to the arena, until the 1 : io a ; y 1 the beast, struck y arm of the Espada rolls ov : , Tolls over at her feet | pretty We followe TY across small on through narrow streets and along the shore of tho he oe Dial Which estonds tumes scen in Cadiz ar y shaded by fine trees. The cos- In: other i - i not at all different from those a Spain, but it struck us that all the : y-people of this part go about unarmed ie ic slender, black, female forms and Moly who enlive nliven the promenade, among the Among Mayos, throng, were seen the: nav : : lively southern iy horton) officers in their plain blue all those bel ; according to their nations, who, like oo clongmg to the unstable element. feel { oo es strangers on land. Soldiers, in thei on ahs coloured uniforms in the French dat are oe Bi j ,» are rarely seen in the militia, of a single soni pi i consist, beside > ! ob mfantry of six hun- / 4 [ dred men,—s ~——S 11 "wh r « very. . andi : rely a great mistake; considering the si and mmportance of the place g the size y \ A « young gentleme atts : a g gentlemen, attired in fashionable dix 0 ornaniei : i 'SS-coats it the public promenade with their pi ) sence, h V . , S] \ > 5 dy 111 « sb — . RS TI EAE i TT ————— 140 A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. jerforming grotesque dances sound of the tam- ers, they in fantastic costumes, and | at the corners of the streets, to the after which, like common street-sing bourine ? » crowd of gapmg spectators, to beg go round among the the money which is to pay for their education. A part of the throng of black-veiled ladies had seated themselves on the side-benches, under the shade of the the evening cool and whisper together lating the scene around, The aba- trees, to enjoy undisturbed, quietly contemp admiration of the passers-by. or attracting the onstant motion, and the wicos of these ladies were in c Andalusian eyes behind them vied in fiery lustre with the beams of the evening sun, which diffused a purple glow over the light foliage that overshaded the Alameda and its busy scenes, the sea and the distant shores of This play of eyes and fans seems to con- Santa Maria. these Spanish ladies, and what stitute half the life of grace do they exhibit ! the Alamedas of Spain,—in the broad avenues of Ma- ander the shady trees and by the splashing foun- at the foot of the where in the The same 18 everywhere seen 1n laga, tains of Granada, In the noble valley Nevada, or at Seville, romantic Seville, silvery moonlight the forms of handsome females may be observed seated on the high balconies or in the open door- ways, listening to the soft speech of their lovers ; whilst peeping through the erated doors and narrow entrance- hall into the small lighted courtyard behind, surrounded ¢, the mates of the house are seen sitting sociably together beside the plashing fountains, and here by a colonnad THE ALAMEDA MELA) A. 1 41 and the > — re the sound of a guitar reaches the ear,—c¢ where you meet the sam 1 nay 3 et the same women, and the s: ; Sy ot ie same play of s and eyes among th : g the youthful seforitas 3 se 1s and the hand some donas ong | To Jou as, throughout the whole of Andalusia as here n Cadiz. And v GL ,. vet the Alamed: adi 3 : da of Cadiz has culiar charm : besi Te : : arm ; beside the motley, moving throng, it x sents a > same ti : : the same time a view of the sea, the ever-rest ess element, whose w cna nt, se waves come rolling ¢ and break at the foot of tl Ty as : of the rampart which for promenade. The noise of he De fe : . se 0 1c waves, that sc music sweet. whic i SRR nl cet, which the ear listens to for hours togeth tired satisfi eh a and unsatisfied, that whisper of the oc > mstant eaten | a ! threatening to swell into an angry or 1 ) yp . ; I » . : Oy ; : i winder, and then subsiding again and r | Tan Ta g agam and reaching us in : y i le sounds—the noise of the bre: king waves caught our ear, and ri rt a ar, and riveted our attention in th dst of the sv thr I : J ie busy throng, like some beloved voice the nds its way to our heart. has From the Alameda w the Alameda we repaired to the theatre the opera of “ Lucretia Borgia” i Jens hos tia Boro tals Ue on op a Borgia” im Italian. All the xes of this ouse, which 1s not very spacious, tog with the wooden ceiling, are paint ] hl ceiling, pated scarlet, which pr duces a strange impression. pro T] I'he most glorious Sl e 1st glorious Andalusian moonlight silvered th smooth surface of diol hes L surface of the bay, as we returned to the road stead. Betwee * Frig: Ing 1n si So Te :n our Frigate, lying in six-fathoms’ water id the sircip ts with ioe A I'hunderer,” anchored within that line. ; were show y anc So own the anchorage from which the ¢Suffrein’ We 3 vy « 1 as torn by a violent south-west storm. The stor : > storms 142 A SUNDAY IN CADIZ. [! ~ oenerally considered the most Ba " iia . west are here from the west a ad is some- a »r » » ‘ S c although in summer the roadst > iolent storms from the east, that and are carried out to dangerous times visited by such v 1 v qr anchors the ships drag their anch sea. THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. Jury 29th.—The sun was already sinking, when at six o'clock p.m. the four isolated hills of Porto Santo, 1n N.W. 17° W. on the right before us, at a distance of thirty-eight nautical miles, rose out of the waves, mto which four days before the low, sharp promontory of Cape Trafalgar, the extreme point of Europe, had sunk at nightfall, just as the vesper-bell was calling the crew to evening prayers. T'wo of these hills were small and pointed, and rose alternately with the two others which appeared to be larger and cap-shaped. In the south the chain commenced with a hill of the former description, terminating with a cap-shaped hill on the north. The two middle elevations were soon united by a ridge, which rose from the ocean between them. The sun’s golden orb now dipped into the sea, flooding Porto Santo with a red evening glow, whilst the low land of the Desertas, stretching out before us, assumed a blue colouring. Between the two, a dark cloud lowered upon Sp ———— — gad aS 144 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. the horizon, in which we imagined that we could distin- guish Madeira. The air this morning was pleasantly cooled by a re- freshing rain, and the sky was richly decked with clouds of varied and beautiful forms, which, after the constant blue firmament that we had been used to in the Medi- terrancan, had a peculiar charm. Soon after the first glimpse of Porto Santo had been descried at four o’clock, some birds came in sight, those harbingers from land, which Spix and Martius Also noticed in the proximity of Madeira. The wind, which smce our departure from Cadiz had blown almost continually from the west and north, shifted yesterday after a short calm to the north- east, and favoured our course throughout this day and m the clear starlight night. July 30th.— This morning my first glance fell on the long-extended, rugged and rocky islands of the Deser- tas, which, just illumined by the carly rays of the sun, were clothed in the most splendid, rosy colour, on the Frigate’s starboard side, like a reef rising out of the dark-blue ocean. Behind them was seen the misty, blue outline of Madeira, like a long, gently rounded mountain with a jagged summit, which appeared to move gra- dually from right to left behind the Desertas. At five o'clock we took the bearings of these islands in N.W. at a distance of about three mantical miles from land. As the sun rose, the lovely red colour diffused over these rocks disappeared, and was changed into that peculiar deep-red which remarkably characterizes these islands. ISLAND OF BOGIA. 145 Let the reader imagine two long, colossal rubies, with a smaller one attached, lying in a line from south to north, in the sapphire bowl of the ocean, and he will have a picture of the Desertas, as it appears to the winged tenants of the air in their flight from our cold climes to the fields of Hesperia. ” Bogia (Bujio), the southernmost of these islands, has a great resemblance on all sides to Capri, and changes its form as frequently, only that it appears more donated Both have that peculiar depression in the middle ot thelr upper contour, which distinguishes Capri at first sight in the entrance of the Bay of Naples. A channel, foi sixty to three hundred fathoms deep and one to one and a half nautical miles wide, separates Bogia from the largest of the three Desertas. Although free from rocks and shallows, this passage is dangerous, as the high northern shore takes the wind from the ships. The largest island forms a long, sharp ridge, which extends, with a slight irregularity of outline, in a perfectly straight line. Separated by a second but narrower chonpiel, the small flat island of Ilheo Chad rises in a line with the two others, like a tabulated rock, just above the sur- face of the sea. North of this, and consequently to the right, we saw distinctly from the deck the appear- ance of a ship, which seemed to be steering towards us : she did not move, but this was not surprising in the calm that prevailed. i A few minutes afterwards I was sitting in the splendid and spacious cabin in the stern of the Frigate, and consulting my Horsburgh—that seaman’s oracle—about VOL. I. L 146 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. the Desertas,—and what did T find there? that this imagined ship was nothing else than a pyramidical rock, which many a one before had in like manner mistaken for a vessel under sail. The whole extent of the Desertas amounts, according to James Wyld’s map, to cight and a fourth nautical miles. Madeira, with its rounded, gently ascending hill, now rose above the channel between the two chief islands ; at seven o'clock 1t lay behind Bogia, and 1m an hour afterwards it was entirely separated on the left from the Desertas. The faint land breeze, which, breaking the calm, rose at times from the W.N.W., rather impeded the progress of the San Michele, than favoured her voyage to Funchal ; Captain A’ Arcolliere therefore pro- posed an excursion to Bogia, in the hope of a rich booty of birds and fishes, whilst the Frigate should double the southern point of the island and take us on board again on the other side We gladly acceded to this proposal . and presently the silver whistle sounded, and the boatswain’s call was heard, Arma il terzo canotto !”” The third cutter was Jowered ; fowling-pieces, powder and shot, sketch-books, wine, water, fishing-lines, bread, oranges, cartridges, etc. were stowed in the boat, and the Captain, we three German companions, with Captain Bellegarde of the Regi Navi (the Tanne m- fantry), our zoologist, jumped quickly in, without stop- ping for breakfast. The cutter pushed off, and with a fow sturdy strokes of the oar was distanced from our floating abode, and steered for the island, the narrow side of which was now turned toward us. It seemed to EXCURSION TO THE BOGIA. 147 be low water, for in spite of every effort the boat re- mained stationary, as if fixed by some visible power. Fortunately we were not pressed for time, as the Fri- gate also, although all her sails were set, made scarcely any perceptible progress on her wide, circuitous course round Bogia. [ had thus leisure to amuse myself with speculating on the strange red colour of the islands ; this puzzled me not a little, and I at first attributed the cause to flowers or mosses, with which I fancied they might be covered. Our boat rowed and rowed, but yet we approached no nearer to the land, the narrow side of which, facing us, looked like a rock cleft in numerous places. Numbers of birds, chiefly seagulls, now came flying over the cutter and far over the island, or dropped gently down and sat rocked on the long waves. Count Bismark shot a petrel ; several white sea-swallows also, with bright-red beaks and feet, fell under the vigorous fire of our guns, while every one pressed forwards jumping from seat to scat to take aim. Envecloped in a cloud of smoke we ap- proached the rocky coast. At last—at last we came under the high rocks of the Desertas. What a sight ! what a picture of volcanic power and activity, of volca- nic upheaving and elevation! From what fearful, sub- marine, fiery abyss, from what cleft in the earth’s crust, have these burnt-out lava-reefs arisen, which stand before us stiff and rugged, as if just cooled, and burnt so red that they appear to be still red-hot? Thus then was the riddle of the colour at length explained. In several places the rock rose perpendicularly, in crimson or ver- L 2 148 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. EXCURSION TO BOGIA. 149 milion walls of lava, the colour of which reminded me which T fancied that I could discover traces of a black, forcibly of the fiery-looking masses of lava found here scoriaceous covering. and there under the crater of Atna. On these bright Scarcely were our boat's crew landed, when this vol- red walls rested, but without any regularity, darker or nic waste began to spring to life in various ways ; black horizontal strata, which mn turn were again often every one found some occupation. Armed with a knife, separated by isolated stripes of an orange-coloured, earthy the sailors were busy pursuing various sea animals mass. In other places the walls of rock were black | upon the beach, —among others some red shellfish, down to their base; they here consisted of a multitude called in Ttalian granchi, which ran quickly away, and of black grains, which appeared to us like sand, simi- small, black, prickly chatons Je mer,—whilst some of our lar to those orange layers. The rock was often merely party roamed about the shore, and climbed up the clefts a hollow crust of scoria, the upper surface of which in the rocks. Meanwhile others were engaged in shoot- had in parts fallen in; and through the holes thus ing sea-swallows or catching fish, shoals of which, of the caused the daylight forced its way from above into the richest colours, were seen swimming in the clear water caverns, while at the same time the sea entered from at a depth of ten to twenty fect under the boat ; there below. But not only at the foot of the rock, high up were red and yellow, some Very small, others larger also where the cleft walls rose into the air, were seen fish, darting about and glancing in the most splendid similar red crusts, which seemed to have fallen In; and magic colours. But our chief booty, beside a large the whole had the appearance of being burt out species of cel (Murana), was a «mall lilac fish like a and fused, just like the scoria resulting from volcanic founder, the fins of which were of a marvellous blue action. colour with quite a metallic lustre, like the wings of the Tn many places narrow, grey veins had risen in these blue Kolibri in the Berlin Museum. 1 now left the fire-coloured masses, and poured over the surface of the strand, and climbed up a steep ravine over loose stones island, forming an immense, thick crust. This hard, and boulders, in the hope of reaching the summit of the grey lava seemed to me the same as that with which rocky island, around which the seagulls swarmed. Sud- Rome and Naples are paved,—so much resembling basalt denly the report of shots, fired at some seals, called that the eye cannot tell the difference. [ sought for me down again : they unfortunately missed, and only columns, and found some of the grey veins cleft almost frightened away the animals, so that 1 was disappointed in a columnar manner ; the regularity of their sides alone of a near view of them. I however saw the black fins of was wanting. Large grey blocks of basalt or lava with a shark, that sworn enemy of man, rising out of the sea. bands of olivine were strewn over the coast, on some of When this fish follows a ship, + is said to bring death to i EE RTT 150 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. any one who is ill on board : as we were entering Cadiz, the sailors said they had seen a shark, and before we left the harbour one of the men who was sick died : this circumstance failed not to produce an impression on the superstitious crew. At least a dozen sharks were seen, in quick succession, but only their dorsal fins appeared above the water. Our shots made them every time dive down, but did not seem to hurt them. After follow- ing them for some time backwards and forwards in our boat, we were rowing to the Frigate, when sud- denly a cry was heard : there was a general silence. A second cry !—all listened breathless. I could no longer resist the impulse, and instantly answered with a dis- charge of both barrels of my fowling-piece. No one was missing in our boat,—the crew were counted and behold, “es fehlte kein theures Haupt!” "The sailors maintained that the cries came from the seals, but we soon distinctly recognized a human voice. Expecting to be called upon to save from certain death some fright- ful-looking, half-starved Robinson Crusoe, we turned the boat and rowed back to shore. With my glass 1 peered into every cleft and cranny in the rock, but in vain. At length I descried what appeared to be a man — presently two more—down in a remote cavern on the shore ; by degrees however we convinced ourselves that these were nothing but two white rocks. Again we heard the call! what unhappy mortal might be cast on this desert island—what chance could have brought him here ? Bogia had agam changed its form ; a rocky pyramid MOUNTAIN SHEPHERDS. 151 rose upon the island on the left, like that of Capri, which we had so often seen, and the reflection from the high rocks now tinged the sea again blood-red. ~All at once we observed two sheep, walking along the edge of this precipice, and presently a third, and then two men clad in white seated in a cavern at the very top of the rock : we saw that they were shepherds; but why had they called to us—was it only out of sport, or did they imagine we had stolen one of their sheep * Thus ended our amusing Robinsonade, and we rowed quietly back to the Frigate. 1 wondered how the sheep could fatten here, for we found scarcely any trace of vegetation in the island, except a few handfuls of Zerba glaciata™, and some small white flowers. As we approached the Frigate, which was lying per- fectly motionless, Count Oriolla jumped into the sea, mn spite of the sharks, and swam to the ship. We had pre- sently an excellent feast off the rich booty of fish, the produce of our day’s sport. At sunset the Desertas lay behind us, and Madeira to the north ; at noon the Frigate had been in 32°19" 2" north latitude and 16° 99" 25" longitude west of Greenwich. We spent the noon on shore, where the heat was considerable, but not so # Herba glaciata is the Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Ac- cording to Broussonet, the Guanches used the seeds of this plant, bruised, as a substitute for flour. In Spain, where the plant is known by the name of Barilla Moradena, it 1s pretty largely cultivated, for the sake of the alkali which is extracted from it and used in the glass-houses. The export of the ashes of this plant, produced in the Canary Islands, amounted, according to the same authority, to the value of 600,000 francs. 152 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. oppressive as in Spain and Italy. The night was won- derfully fine, a glorious starlight night. Through the port-holes of my cabin I observed the Cassiopeja low on the horizon, and discerned the long line of Madeira in the misty distance. Single stars were reflected in the sea, the smooth surface of which—for not a breeze stirred —-was from time to time strongly illumined. It is re- markable, that calms are so frequent in the vicinity of this group of islands, although, as Horsburgh correctly observes, every morning the clouds are seen towering above Madeira, which bring the land-wind, but carry it only three or four miles out to sea, so that it did not reach us. These calms were the reason why our Captain kept to the south of the Desertas, for in the channel between these islands and Madeira, the calms, together with the prevailing currents near shore, might easily prove dangerous,—the more so, as there is no anchorage under the perpendicular rock at the Cabo do Garagdo, (Brazen Head, i.e. of the seabird) nor in many other places on the coast. July 31st.—This morning Mass was performed, and the weather was so fine that we spent the forenoon mn nearly the same place as the day before, and found our- selves at noon still in 32° 5’ 15" north latitude, and 16° 39' 36" west longitude. It was not until between four and five o'clock that the land-wind reached us, against which we now tacked. Madeira gradually became more distinct ; and the ravines, indentions, and valleys in the mountains were soon visible. We had the day be- fore seen single houses on the mountains, which now VIEW OF MADEIRA. 153 increased in number, and before sunset Funchal was distinguishable. August 1st—Nery carly this morning the Frigate steered straight to the anchorage off Funchal. At about seven o'clock the topsails were taken in, the lead was cast, and all was in readiness to let go the anchor. The wind suddenly dropped ; the ¢ San Michele’ had reached the limit between the faint sea-breeze and the land-wind, and was now at the point where the two counteract one another, which rendered it perpetually necessary to brace about. The Captain of the Portuguese eight-gun schooner ‘ Esperanza,’ and the Sardinian and Prussian Consuls meanwhile came on board. At half-past nine o'clock, a favourable gust of wind carried us straight to the desired anchorage, which the Portuguese Captain had pointed out to us, where, with the citadel to the west of the Loo Rock, we dropped the starboard anchor in forty-four fathoms*. We had now time to survey this paradise of an island from the roadstead, for I did not expect until twelve o'clock the military and civil Go- vernors of the island, who had politely sent word of their intention to pay me a visit. The chain of moun- tains before us had quite the character of those of Genoa and the maritime alps at Villefranche and Ventimigha ; the picturesque forms of the mountains, the sharp out- lines, the numerous defiles, water-clefts and little valleys, which in parts descend precipitously to the shore,—all reminded me of the charming acclivities of the Riviera, # Compare James Horsburgh’s India Directory, vol. 1. pp. 8, 9. ra om RSC 154 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. with only this difference, that the fresh verdure here reached almost to the rugged summits. At the foot of the mountains, partly on the acclivity, and commanded by its citadel the Forte do Pico, which looks down upon the town from a steep height on the north-west, lies the pretty, clean town of Funchal, ex- tending far along the shore of the level, sweeping bay. Funchal is distinguished by the great verdure between its pointed, northern roofs, among which we here and there discerned with the telescope a black cypress, the crown of an isolated palm, or (a sight which was new to us) the bright green gigantic leaves of the banana, by the side of the red arborescent oleander. Small detached white houses are seen on the acclivity of the hills, look- ing like innumerable bright specks; while high above all, as if perched on the top of a pyramid, stands the small white church of Nossa Senhora do Monte at the limit of the verdure, with its two towers, on the nar- row, arched ridge between two steep ravines. From the centre of the town below rises the dark, square tower of the cathedral, with a pointed spire ; whilst the large, white Government-house is easily distinguished among the dwellings on the shore by the little tower which projects from the midst of the wall, not so high as the roof. At a short distance stands a tall, slender, cylindrical tower, the prosaic use of which, as a crane, it is not casy to guess. On the west side of the town the black Loo Rock (Forte do Ilheo) standing in the sea, with the battery upon it, is detached from the short VIEW OF FUNCHAL. 155 precipice which terminates the gently sloping green halls and rounded summits on the left above Funchal toward the sea. On this precipice of the Ponta da Cruz are di- stinctly seen the rib-formed basaltic columns. Still further west, beyond this Cape, rises perpendicularly the dark colossal wall of the Ponta do Sol, with which the ridge of the high mountain-chain of Madeira plunges abruptly into the ocean : in the same manner the lofty, wooded mountain on the right of Funchal sinks perpendicu- larly to the sea. Here also appears the red rock, which descends into the sea in terraces under the mame of the Cabo do Garagdo. The coast-defences of Funchal begin with a battery of a few guns west of the detached Forte do Ilheo ; and in all, not including the Loo Rock, we saw through the telescope five coast-batteries, which terminate at the east end of the town with the Forte S. Jago, consisting of three terraces. After the visit of the two Governors I went on shore to return the compliment. Notwithstanding the wish I had expressed to preserve my incognito, and although the Prussian flag was not hoisted, the Portuguese schooner manned her yards, and fired a salute simultaneously with the Loo Rock battery. A number of people had gathered on the shore, and accompanied me to the bastioned en- trance of the Government-building, where the sentry stood under arms. The two gentlemen came to meet me and conducted me through the saloon, in which were hung the portraits of their predecessors in office—from the first governor, Zarco—into a cool apartment, in which hung a picture of the Queen. 156 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. Who, at the mention of Zarco’s name, does not recall to mind the discovery of Madeira, which, it is well known, occurred in the palmy days of Portugal, when Don Henrique from his villa on Cape San Vincent di- rected the transatlantic expeditions of his country, and spent a great part of his income as Grand Master of the Order of Christ in promoting those voyages of discovery which proved so advantageous to science ? The Infante first turned his glance to the west coast of Africa, and, after many attempts, his countrymen succeeded mm round- ing the dreaded Cabo de Nao; they then sailed south as far as Cape Bojador, which was for a long time the limit of navigation. Two gentlemen of the Prince’s suite offered to undertake the bold attempt to circumnavi- gate the dreaded promontory ; these were Jodo Gonsal- vez Zarco and Tristdio Vaz Texeira, who had before di- stinguished themselves in the eyes of the Prince at the taking of Ceuta, the former having been knighted on the spot by the Infante himself. In the year 1418 they set out on their expedition, but did not reach the coast of Africa, being cast by a violent storm upon an unknown island, which, out of gratitude for their deli- verance, they named Porto Santo. Here they settled, and desisted from prosecuting their projects further. Don Henrique, full of joy at the discovery of this fertile and well-watered island, immediately despatched colo- nists thither. For a long while a cloudlike form on the distant horizon of the sea, which never changed its posi- tion, had engaged Zarco’s and Texeira’s attention : they one day sailed in that direction, and found a larger, DISCOVERY OF MADEIRA. 157 wooded, uninhabited island, on which they landed at the Camara dos Lobos, July the 8th, 1419, and which they named Madeira, from the abundance of wood upon it. The island was subsequently divided by the Infante into two Capitanias, the Camara dos Lobos and Machico, which were respectively placed under the government of the two discoverers. Jodo Gonsalvez Zarco together with his family took the name of Da Camara, after his Capitania, the Camara dos Lobos, and founded Funchal. The thick- ness of the woods greatly impeded his settlement, and he consequently set fire to some forests in the neighbour- hood of Funchal. The fire spread, and lasted for seven years, consuming nearly all the wood on the island ; but the ashes fertilized the soil: the corn at first bore sixty- fold, and the wood that was spared by the fire, which was of a superior kind, supplied Portugal and many other countries. Don Henrique transplanted the sugar- sane from Sicily, and vines from Cyprus, to Madeira, and both flourished well. When king Duarte ascended the throne, he presented his brother, the Infante (September the 26th, 1433), with the islands of Madeira, Porto Santo and Desertas, for the services he had rendered to his country. Ever since that time Madeira has remained in the undisputed possession of the Crown of Portugal, and is one of her finest dependencies. Only in the year 1835 the English for a short time seized the island, to exact some arrears of subsidy from Portugal. The present Military Governor is Colonel Noronha, who, if T mistake not, commands the Eleventh Battalion ETERS ERSTE 4 PE ES EET Cr 158 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. of the Line quartered here. The Civil Governor, who, like his colleague, has the title of Excellency, is Dr. Correa, formerly a barrister. They both showed me the most courteous attention. A crowd of people accompanied me to the house of Mr. Hasche, a Hamburgher, who at this time exercised the functions of Prussian Consul. We had arranged a rendezvous here with some of the officers of the Fri- gate, to make an excursion on horseback to the church of Nossa Senhora do Monte. The path ascends boldly between walls up the steep acclivity, at the top of which was seen the small white church. Illumined by the noonday sun it glitters like a bright star on the edge of the forest, looking down on the peaceful and smiling valley, the green vine-clad hills, the pergolas and vine-roofs which shade the acclivity,— on the lovely little gardens at the foot of the ascent, which with tropical luxuriance are interspersed among the fresh green of the vines, and the numerous country- houses, the charming Quintas, white as the purest snow— on the villa of many a rich Englishman, beside which the fan of a pine-tree unfolded by the sea-breeze or the dark cypress rises in solemn beauty—Ilastly on the lovely Funchal, skirting the mountain’s base, and seeming to bathe in the waves of the azure ocean, mm which the glowing heaven of the south is mirrored. But what is it that attracts the eye so magically, look- ing as strange as a picture in a dream? it is the luxu- riance of the bananas, which grow by the roadside and impart a peculiar charm to this country. They stand in ENVIRONS OF FUNCHAL. 159 groups close together, the representatives of the gigantic vegetation of the tropics,—like strangers, which far from their native clime cling to one another with a brotherly attachment. Their large shield-like leaves form an im- mense green roof, which casts a deep shadow on the ground. But these shadows move—the leaves rustle in the fresh wind from the sea, which fans the air with a refreshing coolness. Sometimes the walls at our side, which never impede the open view, are succeeded by hedges; and what hedges! hedges of roses, fuchsias, and the sweet-smell- ing heliotrope ! If here and there brambles are seen mingling with these plants, the eye is richly recompensed by the splendid arborescent oleanders which grow by the roadside with a beauty I had never before seen. Occa- sionally the white bell of the lovely Datura hangs like a dewdrop among the tendrils, or bends gracefully down on the passer-by; and some of our party even disco- vered the passion-flower in this magnificent display of bloom. At every step as we ascended, the view increased in beauty, and the mountain-path in steepness. We gave our poneys the rein, and they climbed briskly up the hill, although sometimes their hind-feet slipped on the smooth lava-pavement. Two tall dragon-trees stood be- fore us, and numerous blue Hortensias hard by raised their globe-shaped heads at the entrance of the shady garden of the Lnglish Consul. We rode past, and en- tered a wood of chestnuts, walnuts and maples, In the cool, refreshing shade of which, enjoying the seca- JOEeS Mus. onm- and r- ful nd 1d- iad ll ars ONS 160 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. breeze and listening to the murmuring brook, we fancied ourselves transported back to our dear Germany. Sud- denly we stopped at the little church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, and hastening up the wide flight of steps to the terrace we looked around—what a glorious view ! The eye wanders down the lovely declivity to the town and the wide bay, lying at a depth of 1774 feet beneath, into which the Loo Rock seems as it were dropped. Then raising our eyes to the distant sea-horizon, we caught a faint glimpse of the Desertas. Leaving the small and modest church, to which the English have given the name of the «Mount Church,” we returned to the pleasant cool of the adjacent wood, and in a few minutes came to the paradise of a garden belonging to Mr. J. D. Webster Gordon, a rich merchant and head of one of the first commercial houses in Fun- chal. As soon as we passed the slight fence which parts the garden from the skirts of the wood, the neat, well- kept footpath announced the near residence of the En- glishman, whose care and attention are visible even in the smallest detail. Mr. Gordon’s sons joined our party, and their young tutor, Mr. Andrew Picken, was our guide. The splendid flower-garden, containing a rich collection of rare exotics, surrounded us. Trees from all parts of the world enclosed the greens,” enliven- ing the view on every side, or rose among them in pic- turesque groups. Europe had contributed her silver- leaved fir and oaks, New Holland an abundance of large Banksias, nor was America behind the rest: the flora of every country had here its worthy representatives, VISIT TO MR. GORDON. 161 forming the frame to the noble prospect, which does not yield in beauty to that of Mount-Church. Mus. Gordon received us with great politeness in her com- fortable country-seat, the charming ““ Mount-house,” and placed before us some of the excellent fruits of her gar- den, with wine and water. She showed us a beautiful work on Madeira, which Mr. Picken had published, and dedicated to her as an acknowledgment of the kind- ness he had met with in her house. Mr. Picken had arrived in Madeira four years before, dangerously ill with consumption, this island having for many years been an asylum, especially in winter, for English persons suffering from chest affections, who seek restoration in its soft and equable climate. The average number of these invalids who reside here is stated variously at be- tween four and eight hundred. In the case of this young and clever artist the hope of recovery was soon fulfilled, so that he was able to undertake the instruc- tion of the children in the family, and to make the sketches which he afterwards himself transferred to stone with a masterly hand. On our return to Funchal we found an excellent re- past prepared in the house of our Consul, in which there was no lack of either the dry Madeira or Malvasia of the island. Herr Hasche also placed before us some bananas, the first I had ever eaten; I did not at all like them ; a person must become accustomed to this fruit, to acquire a relish for it. After dinner we took a second ride to the wooded hill on the east side of the town, pass- ing through the whole length of Funchal. The architecture VOL. I. M 162 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. of the houses is very different from that of the towns in Spain, and reminded me of the views of Rio de Janeiro, which the Consul-General M. Theremin has published. The roofs are pointed, and the balconies, although fre- quent, appear to be rather unnecessary. The pavement of the streets consists, as in Ceuta, of small stones laid in arabesque patterns in front of the house-doors: great cleanliness is everywhere observed. In some parts, as in Messina, dried-up mountain streams intersect the town, which is encompassed by shady avenues, chiefly of maples. The dress of the inhabitants of Madeira is extremely simple. The men go about in their shirt-sleeves, cloth waistcoats and linen trowsers; on the crown of their head is stuck a comical little cap of dark-blue cloth, the top of which, not unlike a rat’s tail, sticks up in a tuft several inches tall, giving to the whole an almost Chinese appearance. In addition to the same little cap, the wo- men wear a large pelerine of dark-blue or scarlet cloth. The country-people have generally dark-brown, knitted caps. The countenances of the imhabitants of Madeira are not very prepossessing, on account of their high cheek-bones,—a defect which the women share, who have also large lips ; they cannot compare in beauty with the women of Spain *. * The island of Madeira is seven and a half German miles long, and about three German (twelve English) miles wide, and upon an area of sixteen and a half square miles (according to the Weimar Almanack of 1844) had 116,200 inhabitants, of whom 15,200 belong to Funchal, according to a statement of the year 1836. In the same year Porto Santo had about 1600 inhabitants. ENGLISH IN MADEIRA. 163 Although mendicity is almost as prevalent here as in Italy, the extraordinary courtesy of the inhabitants pro- duces a favourable impression. On meeting any one they pull off their cap in a polite manner, and indeed this at- tention is carried so far, that if an inhabitant meets a stranger on foot, whether master or servant, he imme- diately offers him his horse: one might imagine that the courtesy of former times had retreated gradually into this remote corner of Europe. The only strangers we met this afternoon were some English invalids, coming down from the hills. The effects of the great intercourse with England are visible in everything: the food and drink are quite English, and the English language is known by nearly all classes of the inhabitants. Even the cut of the garrison uni- forms recalls that of the British troops; the uniform of the Eleventh Battalion of the Line is dark-blue with yellow collars, and the Artillery dark-blue turned up with red : indeed the whole of the Portuguese Infantry have red collars and facings. Our horses carried us quickly up the hill, as we were obliged to ride fast, to reach the object of our excur- sion in daylight. An islander armed with a long iron- shod pole ran panting by the side of each hack-horse, occasionally hanging on the tail of the animal, to be dragged along. Although these people have astonishing perseverance and enviable lungs, of which our guides today gave ample proof, yet where this practice pre- vails, it costs an effort to get into a quicker pace. But the steeds of our cavalcade, which came from all quar- M2 Fs rR LA ————— 164 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. ters of the globe, presented even a livelier picture than their sweltering conductors. Count Bismark managed a spirited bay horse, Count Viry was mounted on a pretty English chestnut, and another of our party was pulling away at the lank jaws of a strong grey horse from New York, without effecting any perceptible slackening of its pace, whilst my Seville stick figured away upon the hind-quarters of a Spanish pony, which, vying labori- ously with his high-boned companions, bore me ever and anon triumphantly past them. As we followed the steep path up the hill, the view around was open and extensive, Funchal and the roadstead forming a wonder- fully fine picture. The region of the bananas soon ceased, and the vine, aloe and cactus succeeded : the two last attain a greater height in Sicily, and the aloes are said not to blossom here ; indeed we did not see in Madeira a single speci- men of their large flowering-stalks. A beautiful Yucca attracted our notice by the roadside, rising high into the air from a short thick stem, with an enormous flower- stalk ; and deep below, at the extremity of the town, grows a Brazilian pine. Here and there were seen the sugar-cane, which formerly constituted an important article of commerce in Madeira, and the coffee-plant. After a hard ride of about an hour we reached the wooded back of the mountain, a branch of the prin- cipal range of the island, running out toward the sca. ere, im the midst of perfectly German woods of firs, beeches, oaks, chestnuts, and maples, which thrive vigorously at about the same height as the Mount- EXCURSION IN THE ENVIRONS OF FUNCHAL. 165 Church, lies the Palheiro, the object of our excursion, the park of Don Jodo da Camara, a descendant of the celebrated Zarco. From this mountain we looked down upon Funchal, lying at our feet, with the Loo Rock in front. Close behind I perceived a second, smaller rock rising from the sea, and connected with the shore by a kind of mole, forming a small haven, which greatly faci- litates the landing in boats. In the roadstead we recognized our Frigate, in the last gleam of twilight. The other view of the sea to the east, over a wooded valley, was interrupted by the sudden coming-on of darkness. Our ride down to Fun- chal in the cool of the evening was truly romantic, the lights glimmering high up on the dark hill-side like innumerable glowworms. At the summit, as we began to descend, the air was so cool that we were obliged, as in our northern climes, to button up our coats, but on proceeding lower it became milder and more tropical. Here and there a peaceful islander was standing mn the open doorway of his house, playing on a guitar. At nine o'clock we reached the shore and the boat of the Frigate: the sea was luminous as we returned on board, and the lights on the hills, seen from the roadstead, looked almost more picturesque than from the land. August 2nd —This day was devoted to an excursion to the Curral das Freiras, a deep hollow among the rocks, situated to the north-west of Funchal, nearly in the middle of the volcanic mountain-chain which runs the length of the island. On the opposite, north-cast margin ) = ”» ~ em ————— CAE ——_——_— is 166 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. of this crater-like ravine rises the Pico Ruivo, which is not visible from Funchal, —the highest mountain in Madeira according to Bowdich’s measurement,—5788 feet above the sea; whilst Pico Arriero, east of it, rises to a height of 5110 feet*. Following the general advice I had relinquished the ascent of the Pico Ruivo, which would have occupied much time and not rewarded us * Von Spix and Von Martius state the height of the Pico Ruivo to be only 5250 feet. For comparison, I subjoin the heights of some of the principal volcanos of the various groups of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, as given in Von Buch’s work on the Canary Islands :— Canary Islands. (Von Buch, pp. 102, 103). Pico de Teyde, in Teneriffe... ...coccoiiinsinnvssens 11,206 feet. Pico de los Muchachos, in Palma 7234 ,. Pico de las Nieves, in Grand Canaria ............ 5842 ’s Islands of the South Atlantic Ocean. (Von Buch, pp. 343 to 345). Tristan da Cunha ......cveounivenisinsnsnnenns 7000 to 9000 feet, Green Mountain, in Ascension 2694 ,, Diona Peak, in St. Helena .u.veiviivicnrinincersonnses 2534 The Azores. (Von Buch, pp. 336, 341). Pico, in Pico ; according to Tofifio (Von Humboldt, Relat. i. 93.) 7561 » » according to Ferrer..................... 6588 Pico de Vara, in St. Michael 5000 Cape Verd Islands. Voloano Of PUEBLO. ..coicrrenrevssorssnerersrinssrsnncsns 7400 Pico San-Antonio, in 8. Jago..............veevunenen... 6950 The Antilles. (Von Buch, pp. 402 to 405). Dominica 5700 La Soufritre, in Guadeloupe 5100 Morne-Garou, in St. Vincent Montagne Peled, in Martinique ........................ 4416 Mount Misery, in St. BiE'S .........coocveiivnss inn. 3483 Bt. Lela... .ooiviiniiiineiinn 1800 CLIMATE OF MADEIRA. 167 for the toil, and resolved instead to make an excursion to the Curral, which was greatly extolled. Favoured hy the most splendid weather, we started at an early hour. It was a fine fresh morning when we mounted our horses at the landing-place, rode through the town, and following the route under the Forte do Pico soon reached the open country. We had here an extremely picturesque view of Funchal, with the fort in the fore- ground. The vegetation on this west side is equally rich as on the other, but the land is capable of better cultivation. The small white houses scattered on the green hills, interspersed with straw-thatched cottages, attracted our notice. What a paradise is this island of Madeira, where the genial and equable climate fosters the richest vegetation of every zome on its volcanic soil, —where on the shores of the dark-blue ocean, a mild tropical air, tempered by the seca-breezes, pre- vails, acquiring fresh coolness at every additional hun- dred feet of elevation, until under the shades of these German woods we breathe the bracing air of the North, invigorating both to mind and body! Refreshed and animated by the home-recalling impression of the ob- jects around us, we looked down upon bananas, palm- trees, cactuses, agaves and oleanders, whilst luxuriant vines climbed up to our feet on the rugged and fertile acclivities of the lava. The mean temperature of Fun- chal is stated by Leopold von Buch to be 16°40 R.* : * According to recent observations only 15°,0 R., whilst the mean temperature of winter is 13°0, and that of summer 16°9 R. See Humboldt’s Central Asia, in German by W. Mahlmann, vol. 3. 168 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. the winter here is said to be warmer than in Italy, and the summer cooler than in London. After passing the first rows of hills, at the back of the Pico da Cruz, the traveller arrives near Camara dos Lobos at the deep valley of Ribeira dos Soccorridos, one of those dried-up mountain-streams, the rugged bed of which is hollowed out in the sides of the mountain, forming a precipitous defile. On our ride down to the new stone bridge, which boldly arches the abyss, we had a view on the right between high walls of rock over the upper, narrow valley, which is closed in the back- ground by black, pointed rocks, whilst on the left the eye follows, in the direction of the sca, the Ribeira dos Soccorridos through the smiling portion of the valley, which is thickly overgrown with vines, tall reeds, yams (one of the chief articles of food in Madeira), and large groups of bananas. At the point where the naked rock is not exposed to view, the sides of the valley are also covered with vines, amongst which one group of bananas had a peculiarly picturesque appearance, look- ing like an enormous noscgay springing from a high- arched, dark cavern in the rock on the opposite acclivity. The fresh green of the colossal leaves, which grow in wild but graceful luxuriance, contrasted remarkably with the dark, heavy, over-hanging roof. Immediately after passing the bridge, we ascended on the other side the heights of the Eistreito, where the paved road is bordered by small villages. The people crowded on the balconies, at the windows, and under the vineroofs, full of curiosity to sce our caravan. All EXCURSION TO THE CURRAL. 169 around Funchal, as far as this spot, are seen wells and fountains beautifully enclosed, which offer refresh- ment to the traveller. On reaching the edge of the chestnut wood the road narrowed to a rough footpath, and between the shadows of the trees we saw before us a rising ground. Hardly had we ascended this, when we looked straight down into an abyss, a large crater- like chaldron, green and rugged, lovely and yet fearful, like a beautiful Swiss alley. This is the Curral! On the opposite side, near the rocky projection, stands a nunnery upon a green sward. We breakfasted on the wooded slope, drank to my brother’s health, in honour of his birthday, and then rode back to Funchal. Rain-clouds had driven us from the edge of the majestic abyss, out of which issues the Ribeira dos Soccorridos ; but soon again the blue sky appeared in unclouded serenity overhead, and the coast stretched 1 all its loveliness at our feet. At noon the roadstead was enlivened by the arrival of two small British cruisers. Shortly before we sat down to dinner in the ¢ San Michele,” the eighteen-gun corvette the < Satellite” anchored close beside us; her destination was the Pacific : and hardly was the cloth removed, when the thunder of cannon announced the arrival of the six- teen-gun brig the © Albatros,” which had on board eighty men above her complement, and among them a troop of fourteen ““ youngsters,” who were on their way to the West Indies, to be transferred to other ships of the squadron stationed there. August 3rd. —A visit on board the Satellite,” and an 170 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. excellent luncheon with Captain Fitzgerald Gambier, filled up the forenoon pleasantly enough. The polite proposal of this officer to accompany me with his cor- vette to Rio was gladly accepted,—a fresh instance of the great courtesy which I have everywhere experienced on my travels from the officers of the British navy. In the afternoon a third English man-of-war joined those already anchored in the roadstead,—the ¢ Cleopatra’ of twenty-six guns, which was to convey the new Governor, General Sir William Gomm, to the Mauritius, and was likewise to touch at Rio. I must also mention a French war-steamer, carrying a large collection of wild beasts from Senegal to France, which we found on our arrival. Thus there were six men-of-war and only four merchant- men in the roadstead of Funchal,—a disproportion scl- dom seen, and a proof how almost all the courses to the various fleet stations here cross one another. Towards evening I went on shore, on the east side of the town, and met two palanquins with women and chil- dren : these conveyances have the form of a cradle with- out wheels, and are provided with curtains. Carriages are unknown here ; for transport the people use small wooden sledges, drawn by oxen, which glide admirably over the small paved stones. Returning on board I found the deck of the ‘San Michele’ quite transformed; a party of gentlemen and ladies from Funchal were assem- bled at a ball @ l’improviste, which, it must be confessed, could not compare with the splendid entertainment Admiral Count Viry had given me on board the Frigate before our departure from Genoa, when the spacious BALL ON BOARD THE FRIGATE. 171 deck was adorned with flags and lamps, surpassing many ballrooms in splendour, and certainly all in its peculiar and romantic charm. The dance was at its height, and a general animation prevailed, in spite of the confusion of tongues. We were able to converse with most of the fair islanders (an epithet to which few of these ladies have properly a claim) in English, French or Italian ; some understood only our smattering of Spanish, others not even that ; nevertheless they were very well content, if their partners only waltzed well, rounded the capstern cleverly, and were successful in the figures of the quadrille. With the harmonious sounds of our music was mingled the rattling of the heavy chains of a large fast Indiaman, which after her long voyage dropped anchor in the night beside the ¢ Cleopatra.” At half- past ten the fleet of boats, which were to land the party of guests, pushed off from the Frigate. August 4th.—The Lisbon Packet, for which we had waited here several days, arrived in the past night, but brought us no letters; we therefore left the bay of Funchal today. Notwithstanding the good anchorage, which affords ample shelter, especially during the preva- lence of the north-east wind in the summer months, the roadstead is exposed to violent storms from the south- cast and south-west. These dangerous winds prevail from November till the beginning of March, and are most fatal to the shipping off Funchal in the first of these months. A heavy sea usually precedes them, rolling upon the coast, and accompanied by squalls ; there is then just tune to set sail and get out to sea, in order to 172 THE DESERTAS AND MADEIRA. avoid being wrecked in the ensuing storm on the rocks of Madeira. Our departure was delayed until the afternoon, as two anchors had to be weighed ; for in the morning the ship had dragged her starboard anchor, and we had therefore been obliged to let go the port anchor. This doubled the labour of the crew ; the best bower anchor too had got foul, the heavy chain was twisted round one of its flukes, and we now heaved it on board crown upwards. A violent squall sweeping down from the cloud-topped mountams on to the valley of Funchal and the roadstead, obliged us to set the jib, for casting; and shooting ahead under this single sail, we bade adicu to the coast of Ma- deira. The ‘Satellite’ and ¢ Albatros’ followed our ex- ample. The squall subsided as suddenly as it had come on: a light variable wind succeeded, until at length we aught the north-east wind, and could steer our course. Under reefed topsails and courses we waited for our new companion the ‘Satellite ;” whilst the brig, soon chan- ging her course, sailed for Bermuda and the West Indies. A dark, towering cloud lay heavily upon Madeira. The walls of rock on the east and west of Funchal rose more and more gigantic to the clouds, until the whole island gradually disappeared in the mist. THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. Aveust Hth.—Scarcely twenty-four hours had passed since the island of Madeira disappeared from sight, when, on the evening of the 5th of August we had an timation of our approach to the mountains of Teneriffe. In the morning, after steering past the Pitons and Sal- vages, at a distance of nineteen nautical miles, without seeing them, we found ourselves at noon in 29° 33’ north latitude, and 16° 23’ 36" west longitude. The crew of the “San Michele,” I may observe, had enjoyed great sport this morning from a good haul of Scomber-fish. Shortly before six o’clock a slightly darkened appearance was observed under the white clouds, and toward this point we steered. By the aid of the telescope I could dimly distinguish the outline of a mountain descending from the clouds to the level of the sea. The light north- ast wind, which had hitherto carried us along, now dropped ; the sails hung to the mast, and the Frigate rolled more than usual : the sea was luminous. THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. August 6th.—Early this morning the mountain, which had been yesterday only dimly visible, stood off in dark relief against the fog; and soon afterwards a second declivity was seen, descending to the sea west of the other. The mountains of Teneriffe, their tops covered with clouds, were now in sight: a warm, brownish vapour lay spread out upon the grand rocky chain, the forms of which became gradually more distinct, and upon the clouds towering high above them, which seemed to form a single, compact mass with the steep range on which they rested, rising from the waves. We approached the coast near Punta de Anaga (Punta di Naga), the north-eastern point of the island. Not far off a pyra- midal rock (La Mancha according to Von Buch’s map) rose out of the sea, whilst two of the three Rocas de Anaga came in sight behind it. At the same time we observed a single white house high up on the mountains, which I soon recognized to be the Vigie of Atalaya. The mountain on which it stands com- mences on the north-east of the plain of Laguna, and is distinguished, as Von Buch observes, by its grotesque forms. This is especially true in its south and south- eastern acclivities, between Atalaya and La Santa Cruz. It is impossible to imagine more fantastic forms than nature here presents,—the most extraordinary conical mountains, pointed and indented ridges, separating the deep ravines which run parallel to one another and descend into the sea. The banana-grove at the VIEW OF TENERIFFE. 175 mouth of the valley of Tgueste did not escape my notice, —it was well known to me, from the valuable work on the Canary Isles by our celebrated fellow-country- man Von Buch, as a representative of the vegetation of the East Indies. This grove appeared only a small green spot, but through the telescope we could clearly discern the gigantic leaves of the bananas. We soon also per- ceived San Andrea, at the entrance of one of these de- files, shaded by a few bananas and defended by a little fortified tower. Leaving this town on our starboard beam, as we sailed along the cast coast, Santa Cruz came in sight, with its two high towers, forts, and flat roofs, —a perfectly Spanish town. The sharp ridge of Teneriffe, the Cumbra, was still veiled in mist, a heavy mass of clouds resting upon it and darkening the horizon; when suddenly a white pyramid broke through these masses, towering one above another, and high above, from his sublime and dusky castle in the clouds, the upper cone of the colossal Pic de Teyde looked down upon us proudly and majesti- ally,—that gigantic volcano rising from the ocean, which breaks the force of the trade-winds and turns them from their course. On the left of the P ak, ¢ small portion of the Circus stood forth above the clouds like a black ridge. This glorious spectacle lasted only for a moment,— in an instant it vanished. Santa Cruz was seen more distinctly. We took in the top-gallant-sails, spanker, and jib, and after awhile the topsails, and then the anchor was let go in thirty fathoms’ water. The anchorage 176 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. agreed nearly with Horsburgh’s account™® ; at the same time Captain Fitzgerald Gambier anchored with the English corvette so far seaward, that he was in some fear lest, as the ground was steep, his anchors should not hold. Santa Cruz, viewed from the roadstead, has an ap- pearance of cleanliness, like all Spanish places. In the verdure close to the town are seen single bananas, whilst beside one of the two chief towers rises a tall slender palm-tree high above the roofs. At a short distance stands the white Government-house, on which waves the Spanish flag, and in front of it lies a battery, abutting on a short Mole. In all T counted five or six batteries or detached works intended for the defence of the coast,— amongst these, a tower and another small closed work on the north side of the town, which is said to have been erected after Lord Nelson’s unsuccessful attack. This attempt to land, on the 25th of July, 1797, which failed in spite of the most devoted bravery of the British sailors and soldiers, is historically memorable from the sacrifice of life it occasioned, which was scarcely less than the loss sustained at the battle of St. Vincent shortly before ; indeed the number of officers of rank killed and wounded was even greatert. In the first instance, when the Spaniards, descrying the squadron of boats which under shelter of night came rowing within half- gun-range, opened a fire from thirty to forty guns, the * Horsburgh, India Directory, vol. 1. page 11. + Compare James’ Naval History of Great Britain, ete., vol. 2. page 50. SANTA CRUZ. 177% ‘Fox’ cutter which accompanied the boats was sunk, struck by three cannon-balls (only one a fleur dean), together with her commander Lieutenant Gibson and ninety-seven men. Admiral Nelson, springing from the boat on shore, was in the act of drawing his sword, when his right arm was shattered. At the taking of the Mole- head Captain Bowen of the « Terpsichore ” fell, together with the first lieutenant of his frigate. After a very obstinate battle, during which the English forced their way up to the Prado, and made a vain attempt on the citadel, Captain Troubridge was obliged to desist from the enterprize : the Spanish Governor however granted him a favourable capitulation, which ensured him a free re-embarkation. Santa Cruz has no defences on the land-side. Behind the town, toward Laguna, the ground rises gently, and the heights are crowned by some mills. Laguna itself is not discernible from the roadstead, but Nuestra Se- fora de Gracia lying on the acclivity is seen cl arly. The colouring of these slopes is just the warm, parched, brown tint of Malta and Malaga; whilst the oft-men- tioned and remarkable mountains on the north-east as- sume, from the cactus which grows upon them sparely, a darker and greener colour, similar to the mountains in the Highlands of Scotland. On the east, the dazzling white mass of clouds, which since leaving Gibraltar had seemed to me like a harbinger of the vicinity of Africa, concealed Canaria and the other islands. The heat was oppressive,—more <0 than in Madeira: Reaumur’s ther- mometer stood at 4 20° in the shade, in the roadstead. YOi. 1. N 178 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. A few ships lay between us and the strand, and amongst the rest some old, heavy, worn-out schooner brigs.” As I was going on shore for a few hours in the after- noon, to take a ramble through the town and sketch in the neighbourhood, a number of naked youngsters, who were bathing off the Mole in the black muddy water at low-tide, came wading round our boat. The view from the head of the Mole, (which is only a few yards long) of the mountains on the north-cast is very peculiar. The principal streets of the town are clean, but the same cannot be said of the back streets. Most of the houses are one-storied, and have flat roofs ; balconies are not so common as in Spain; in their stead, wooden galleries run round some of the houses, which reminded me oi the stvle of building mn Switzerland. The dress of the lower class of women is more strange than tasteful : the round man’s hat, made of straw or black felt, stuck on to a white, not always clean cloth. which falls down on , 3 1; ) 3 £ AW the shoulders and neck, fails to divest the faces of these women of any of their ugliness. One can casily fancy these rude, quarrclsome creatures the descendants of the old Guanches,—those dwellers in caves whom the first conqueror of the island, Jean de Béthencourt, found here : ‘ : y . $9) Ff on his arrival in the year 14037. % The islands known by the name of the Isles of the Blest, or the Insulee Fortunate, were probably discovered by the Carthaginians mn their vovaces along the west coast of Africa. They were not known to the Romans until after the time of the destruction of Carthage, and Statins Sebosus, who lived in the time of the Cimbrian war, and was a friend of Lutatins Catulus, gave the first description of them, which now only exists in the imperfect abstract of Pliny. Voyages were CANARY ISLANDS. 179 [ met here in the streets a sight which 1 little ex- pected, some half-starved camels with a single hump, as in Von Buch’s time they existed only on Lanzerote. The country outside the town has a waste appearance, but mn the gardens and close around them grow single palm- trees, plantains, and oleanders in blossom. The cactus seems to be much cultivated here, but it hardly rises above the ground. I noticed a house very picturesquely situated in the midst of cypresses, in a glen among the hills. It began to grow dark when I returned on board : the night was clear and fine, and the stars shone brightly. frequently made to these islands, and Pertorius was so delighted with the charming accounts given him by sailors, of the place and its fertility, that he was for some time inclined to settle there with his followers. Two islands in particular were designated as “ the For- tunate,” —named Convallis and Planaria, now known as the islands of Teneriffe and Canaria,—so called from the large dogs there. King Juba gave a closer description of these islands, which likewise only survives in a poor abridgment of Pliny; he calls Teneriffe Nivaria, perhaps from the eternal snows which cover the top of its Peak, but which he does not mention. In the Middle Ages they were discovered by the Genoese Ugolino Vivaldi and Tedisio Dorio, toward the end of the thirteenth century, and later by Castilian and Portuguese ships. Their inhabitants were known by the name of Guanches, who were celebrated for their civilization. In the year 1344 Pope Clemens VI. granted the Canary Islands to Prince Ludovico de la Cerda, of the race of Alfonso X., who possessed the carldom of Clermont in France, and nominated him their sovereign. Ie required the Kings of Castille, Portugal and Aragon to aid the Prince to obtain possession of these islands; the only result of which was, that Alfonso XI. ceded to the Prince his right to the islands, who however received no assistance in attaining possession of them. The conquest of them which the Spaniards are said to have effected in the year 13106 can therefore have been only temporary. A conguest by a French adventurer, N23 180 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. August Tth.—1t was a splendid morning, the air fresh and cool, and the long lines of the Cumbra were clothed in a light greyish mist: all seemed to promise well for our expedition today through Orotava to the Peak, whose highest, scarcely perceptible summit looked like a small white point rising above the mountain-ridge. We landed as early as half-past six o'clock, and went straight to Richardson’s Hotel, where the small party assembled by the fountain in the banana-court. Our party consisted of Count Viry and Lieutenant Mantica of the ‘San Michele,” Lieutenant Egerton, Dr. Foster and the little De Béthencourt from Normandy, in the years 1402, 1405, and 1417, related only to the islands of Lancerote and Fuertaventura. In the year 1432 the celebrated Infante Henrique of Portugal fitted out a vessel, and committed it to the courtier Gilianes. The latter landed on the Canary Islands, and in various attacks took many of the inhabitants prisoners, but without being able to obtain a per- manent footing. It was not until the year 1478 that a powerful force was sent by Spain against these islands, especially against Tene- riffe ; and after a sanguinary struggle, which lasted until 1497, all the islands were conquered. The aborigines (Guanches), a fine, powerful and brave race of men, of Berber descent, whose chief place was the charmingly situated town of Orotava on the north coast of Teneriffe, were only reduced by the superior weapons of the Spaniards, as they were unacquainted with the use of iron ; and in the seventeenth century they were, prin- cipally by the Inquisition, entirely exterminated. Mummies of them, sown up in goatskins, are still occasionally found in caves in the rocks, but they fall to dust when exposed to the air. It is remarkable that the Pic de Teyde, which the Guanches at the beginning of the fifteenth century regarded as sacred, is not at all mentioned by the ancients. Compare Epitome de la Cronica del Rey D. Juan el Segundo por D. Joseph Martinez de la Puente. —The History of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands, translated from a Spanish Manuscript lately found in the Island of Palma, by George Glas: London, 1764. EXCURSION TO THE PEAK. 181 first-class volunteer, Mr. Scowell, of the Satellite’. The Doctor had recently accompanied our Sovereign on his voyage to England, as physician of the ¢ Black Eagle’. After a short delay, our party pushed on through the still quiet streets of Santa Cruz, to the plain which ascends gradually toward Laguna. Close behind the town the broad paved road crosses the Baranco de los Santos, accompanying it for a short distance. Baranco (pronounced Waranco) here signifies the bed of a moun- tain-stream hollowed deep into the rock, or a ravine: in this season most of the streams were dried up. The basalt at the bottom of the Baranco de los Santos was clearly visible, washed smooth by the water. The fine road terminates at the lava-stream, which issuing from the cones above Laguna at the end of the Cumbra turns down toward the sea. Our horses and a loaded camel which we met proceeded over this stream with difficulty and caution, although the lava seemed less uneven than that of Vesuvius. At the commencement of this field of lava stands a mill, and close to it a very small, walled fort, without guns and weakly garrisoned: its object seems to be to serve, in case of the landing of a superior hostile force, as a last shelter on the cast side of the island for the defeated garrison of Santa Cruz, and eventually to cover their retreat over the mountains to Orotava. The wide paved road recommences on the opposite side of the lava-stream. The vegetation improves a little, at least in the Baranco de los Santos, where cactuses and aloes cover 182 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. the walls. By the roadside also grow some straight columnar cactuses, but, like the other plants of this genus, they do not attain the usual height. "The face of the country grows by degrees more verdant, and the first trees since leaving the gardens of Santa Cruz make their appearance : detached houses stand by the road- side. We passed the church of Nuestra Senora de Gracia, whither the inhabitants of the surrounding farms were wending their way, for it was Sunday: in front were erected some booths; T understood the Arrieros to say that it was the festival of this church. The scenery around became more peculiar; on our right the moun- tains extended in six or seven successive lines, of gro- tesque forms and varied colouring, descending in the direction of the sea toward the plain in which Laguna lay ; whilst on our left the eruption-cones rose at the end of the Cumbra, the outbreaks of which probably pre- ceded the elevation of the Peak, and may even indicate the spot where it first made an effort to break forth from the bottom of the sea, which however it did not accomplish until at a later period further to the south and west. We rode into the little town of Laguna, which is situated at a height of 1620 feet above the sea, and has a cheerful and lively aspect © here I was again reminded forcibly of Nebel’'s views in Mexico, especially that of the market-place. The Sunday costumes are very origi- nal ; both sexes commonly wear the high, round hat, but today the women had veiled their head and neck mn fine, glossy kerchiefs of white or yellow wool, with broad, S TOWN OF LAGUNA. 183 white silk trimmings, and were clad in clean, striped dresses. The men seemed to think it cold, although the sun was already high, for they still kept their woollen covering wrapt about them, fastened round the neck with a cord, and worked at the bottom like a blanket with a narrow strip of a darker colour; while others wore long fur jackets or heavy cloaks, some with fur collars. The peasants or Arrieros looked less chilly, and had thrown off their wrappers : their simple dress consists of a white shirt, a parti-coloured waistcoat, generally with red and black stripes, linen trowsers, with one leg stript half way up the thigh, or breeches of various colours slashed on the side in the Spanish fashion. We met some elegant Spanish ladies in black mantillas, on their way to church. The women here are prettier than in Santa Cruz,—a re- mark which applies especially to the north-west side of Teneriffe. Most of the houses in Laguna consist of one story, with wooden balconies or galleries. I noticed the houseleek growing here and there on some flat roofs, per- haps the remains of those Sempervivim-roofs ” which Von Buch mentions. We halted on the plain to breakfast, at a short di- stance from the town. The spot was well-chosen. On one side we had the acclivities of the Cumbra, above which just peeped the summit of the Peak ; and on the other side the little town of Laguna, with its tall dark tower, and the long rows of windmills on the right, in the middle of the smooth, flat basin which separates the Cumbra from the mountain-chains in the north-east of the island. Beyond the heights, at the back of Laguna, SR AR | 84 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. was seen the ocean, and lightly traced the beautiful out- Imes of Gran Canaria. The long rows of windmills are mentioned by Herr von Buch, who observes that they clearly show the change of the north-east trade-wind to the north-west wind in October. From hence we rode through a barren country, re- lieved occasionally by green fields of maize, round the acclivities of the Cumbra. Before us on the right lay the ocean, and other parts of the coast of Teneriffe ; whilst below, at the end of the plain sloping toward the sea, we saw the villages of Tacaronte and Tegueste, and at length reached the fountain of “ Agua Garcia,” where our horses were watered. Behind the trough-shaped spring opens a narrow dark ravine, out of which issues the clear mountaimn-water. "The high bank on the other side of the brook was shaded by beautiful trees, among which single palms here and there proudly raised their heads. The nearer the traveller approaches to the north- west coast, the more luxuriant does the vegetation be- cone. [ had for a long time been secking the tall heath- plant, which Von Buch had mentioned to me; and 1 now for the first time discovered that the young pine- trees by the roadside were nothing else than this plant ! Presently we looked down into a baranco, the sides of which were thickly covered with these Ericas, many twenty feet high. The country was now prettier: the sloping ground from the sca, up to the cloud-topped, wooded mountains of the Cumbra, was covered with vines, fig-trees, with occasional orange-trees and laurels, whilst PALM-TREES. 185 articulated Euphorbias grew plentifully by the roadside. At every step the vegetation increased in luxuriance and variety up to Matanza®, where it reaches its climax, whilst innumerable single slender palm-stems raised their rich, graceful crowns among the other trees and bushes : they are not a wood of palms, and yet they might form one, if they could all be brought together. I should call Madeira the island of bananas, and Teneriffe the island of palms. Although the crowns of some palms are bar- barously lopped off, or their branches bound together over their heads into a tall ercet bundle, yet there is an abundance of splendid, perfect crowns. Passing several barancos, on the sides of which the tosca, the tuff, is clearly recognized, we rode through the village of Vittoriat, and from thence down again through a baranco, until we reached the slope of Santa Ursula. The road leading up to the palm-covered hill upon which * «Following the route to the port of the Orotava, we passed the pretty villages of Matanza and Victoria. These names are found together in all the Spanish colonies : they contrast disagreeably with the feelings of peace and calm which these countries inspire. Ma- tanza signifies butchery, or carnage, and the very word recalls the price at which the victory was achieved. In the New World it generally indicates the defeat of the natives; at Teneriffe, the village of Matanza was founded on a spot where the Spaniards were con- quered by those very Guanches, whom they soon after sold as slaves in the European markets.” See Voyage au Nouveau Cont. par Alex. de Humboldt, tom. I. chap. 2. page 113. + In the battle of Vittoria Don Alonzo de Luga subdued the island of Teneriffe, and immediately after, on the 25th of June, 1495, laid the foundations of the new town of San Cristoval de la Laguna. See Von Buch’s Physikalische Beschreibung der Canarischen Inseln, page 123. 184 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. was seen the ocean, and lightly traced the beautiful out- lines of Gran Canaria. The long rows of windmills are mentioned by Herr von Buch, who observes that they clearly show the change of the north-east trade-wind to the north-west wind in October. From hence we rode through a barren country, re- lieved occasionally by green fields of maize, round the acclivities of the Cumbra. Before us on the right lay the ocean, and other parts of the coast of Teneriffe ; whilst below, at the end of the plain sloping toward the sea, we saw the villages of Tacaronte and Tegueste, and at length reached the fountain of “Agua Garcia,” where our horses were watered. Behind the trough-shaped Spring opens a narrow dark ravine, out of which issues the clear mountain-water. The high bank on the other side of the brook was shaded by beautiful trees, among which single palms here and there proudly raised their heads. The nearer the traveller approaches to the north- west coast, the more luxuriant does the vegetation be- come. I had for a long time been secking the tall heath- plant, which Von Buch had mentioned to me; and 1 now for the first time discovered that the young pine- trees by the roadside were nothing else than this plant ! Presently we looked down into a baranco, the sides of which were thickly covered with these Ericas, many twenty feet high. The country was now prettier: the sloping ground from the sca, up to the cloud-topped, wooded mountains of the Cumbra, was covered with vines, fig-trees, with occasional orange-trees and laurels, whilst 4 PALM-TREES. 185 articulated Euphorbias grew plentifully by the roadside. At every step the vegetation increased in luxuriance and variety up to Matanza®, where it reaches its climax, whilst innumerable single slender palm-stems raised their rich, graceful crowns among the other trees and bushes : they are not a wood of palms, and yet they might form one, if they could all be brought together. I should call Madeira the island of bananas, and Teneriffe the island of palms. Although the crowns of some palms are bar- barously lopped off, or their branches bound together over their heads into a tall erect bundle, yet there is an abundance of splendid, perfect crowns. Passing several barancos, on the sides of which the tosca, the tuff, is clearly recognized, we rode through the village of Vittoriat, and from thence down again through a baranco, until we reached the slope of Santa Ursula. The road leading up to the palm-covered hill upon which * « Following the route to the port of the Orotava, we passed the pretty villages of Matanza and Victoria. These names are found together in all the Spanish colonies : they contrast disagreeably with the feelings of peace and calm which these countries inspire. Ma- tanza signifies butchery, or carnage, and the very word recalls the price at which the victory was achieved. In the New World it generally indicates the defeat of the natives ; at Teneriffe, the village of Matanza was founded on a spot where the Spaniards were con- quered by those very Guanches, whom they soon after sold as slaves in the European markets.” Sce Voyage au Nouveau Cont. par Alex. de Humboldt, tom. I. chap. 2. page 113. + In the battle of Vittoria Don Alonzo de Luga subdued the island of Teneriffe, and immediately after, on the 25th of June, 1495, laid the foundations of the new town of San Cristoval de la Laguna. See Von Bueh’s Physikalische Beschreibung der (Canarischen Inseln, page 123. 186 THE PEAK OI TENERIFIE. the village lies is lined by an avenue of aloes, twenty fect high and with yellow blossoms. The eye had hitherto only followed the slightly curved line of coast as far as Puerto Orotava: the road now turned sharply to the left, around the spur of this moun- tain, which had hitherto shut in the view, when all at once we reached the edge of a steep declivity, and looked down upon the smiling plain stretched out at our feet. On its skirts, toward the mountains of the Cumbra and the Circus rising on the east into the clouds, six to seven thousand feet high, lay the small white town of Villa Orotava, lighted up with the bright gleams of the noon- day sun. Our brisk young Arrieros ceased their melan- choly Spanish songs, and exclaimed with one voice, La villa! la villa!” In the north, the noble plain 1s bounded by this mountain, which, rooted high up in the Cumbra, descends obliquely in a straight line from one of its domes, the Perexil, 5658 feet high, toward Santa Ursula; whilst seen from the south, it has the appearance of an immense precipice. Opposite to it, encompassing the charming plains on the south, rises the rugged 'Ti- gayga, which also descends like a colossal wall from out the clouds to the azure waves that wash the western limit of the smiling valley. Here lies Puerto Orotava, at the foot of two eruption-cones, which appear from a distance almost like molehills : 1n its roadstead were two or three schooners. We descended to the plain. Although here and there yellow fields of maize mingled with indeseribably fresh verdure, yet the splendid plain, with its smiling fields, ARRIVAL AT OROTAVA. 187 its endless, shady pergolas, weighed down by luxuriant vines, its border of chestnut-trees and laurels, which on the east rise up the gentle slopes of the mountains, ap- peared like the most luxuriant garden. Hedges of black- berry-bushes lined the road, and a number of fine speci- mens of the Pinus canariensis grew by the wayside. The palms disappear in the lovely valley, and are not seen again till the traveller comes to the gardens of Oro- tava; but their loss is compensated by some large and handsome dragon-trees of strange, fantastic forms, which are the more impressed upon my memory as being the only ones I met with on my travels. On approaching the town of Orotava, which is built picturesquely on a gently sloping hill, the road runs between garden-walls. Splendid bananas, the first we had seen since leaving Santa Cruz, overtop these walls with their gigantic leaves, and bend over them mn lofty, shady arches. It was three o'clock in the afternoon when we dismounted from our tired horses in the small courtyard of the fonda near the church. I took a stroll hefore dinner, and had the pleasure of discovering an immense dragon-tree in the garden of the « Casa I'ran- qui*;” an enormous palm stood as a pendant on the other side of the house ; bushes of dark-red roses and red oleanders in the foreground, intermixed with the fresh, bright green of the banana-leaves, gave a finishing touch to the picture. After dinner we went—a matter * See the Voyage de Humboldt et Bonpland, Part I. tome I. page 117. The height appeared to Humboldt to be fifty to sixty feet. and the circumference at the root was forty-five feet. 188 THE PEAK OF TENERIFIFE. of course in Spanish countries—to the Alameda, a broad terrace, shaded by fine trees, but not much animated. The view of the town is very picturesque, but the sun had unfortunately already set, and the Peak, the crown to the whole prospect, was veiled. My companions spent the rest of the evening in a party at the resi- dence of the beautiful Dona Ines de Lobo, to whose house they had been invited by the uncle of that lady, 4 certain Don Balthasar, who was staying at our fonda. They amused themselves greatly, and danced until a late hour. Little Mr. Scowell and 1 meanwhile remained at home. August 8/4. —Notwithstanding the revels of the pre- ceding night, our beasts were ready mounted this morn- ing at half-past six o'clock : my companions had all ordered mules, but 1 remained true to my active little pony. Our caravan rode over the blooming plain of Orotava, from which a refreshing morning mist arose, directing its course toward the Peak, whose yellowish white summit rose before us on the left, above the top of the Tigayga. Further left, the mountains of the Cumbra, which accompanied our road, shut out all prospect ; $0 that the Peak, with the declivity of the Tigayge. descend- ing obliquely toward the sea, seemed to form ore mass, and had exactly the same aspect as the right side of Atna. Close behind Orotava we rode through the wide Baranco de San Antonio, descending from the chesnut- woods of the Cumbra, which 1s green to its summit. Tall chestnut-trees, ericas, and laurels shade the edges of this ravine, which is encompassed with black, perpendi- ASCENT OF THE MOUNTAIN. 189 cular walls. The view back on Orotava, on the smiling plain, bounded by the steep mountain of Santa Ursula, which rises from the sea up to the Cumbra, is one of the most picturesque that can be imagined. From hence the road continues for some time ob- liquely in the direction of the mountains, over fields and vine-clad hills, past isolated groups of small huts, up to the edge of the thicket. We entered a low underwood of cricas and laurels, scarcely the height of a. man on horseback, very different from the shady woods, with their tall stems, in which the Baranco de San Antonio takes its rise. But the green of the laurel refreshes the eye, and compensates for much. We rode on and on in this wood for a long while, traversing many barancos, the black, rocky bottom of which reminded me strongly of the lava, washed smooth by the mountain-waters, just above the cottage of the Baron von Waltershausen, at the limit of the wood-region on Altna. This similarity struck me yesterday at the Baranco de los Santos. The air became gradually cooler. Without observing it, we had already ascended a considerable way ; the laurels had disappeared, and instead the perfumed Brezo mingled its pale green with the darker green of the erica-bushes, which were more and more stunted. The mists and clouds rose gradually up the Tigayga from the sca, swimming freely in space. 1 looked around— a perpendicular, dark wall of cloud stood some thousand paces distant behind me. Its lower edge touched the erica-woods on the slope of the mountain at my feet, and shut out from my view Orotava with its gently 190 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. rising plain and the ocean. High up, on the edge of the gigantic wall of cloud, I saw here and there a narrow dark-blue stripe, which with some difficulty 1 recognized as the faint glimmer of the sea-horizon. As we ascended, the view enlarged over a fleecy or undulating sea of clouds, similar to that we had recently seen on /BEtna. The narrow path led along the upper acclivitics of the Cumbra, under a cone of red and yellow pumice-stone, * 3 . 33 in parts broken down, which our guide called « Hajar ; and ascending gradually we came, shortly before it reached the upper limit of the erica-zone, to some boulders of lava thrown in wild confusion over one another. Upon these blocks we sat down to breakfast, in the warm sun- shine. For the first time the Peak appeared distinctly sepa- rated from the Tigayga. The Teyde, a gigantic conical mountain, similar in form to the upper cone of Aitna, but of much greater magnitude, rose high above the sloping ground before us, scattered over with boulders of lava. Its side walls had a gentle inclination ; on the left hand the mountain was a little rounded toward the summit, marking the point where the Piton begins,— that small cone of whitish pumice-stone, which appears from this spot like a small white cap set upon the large cone. The right wall of the Piton on the contrary formed a continuous line with the right wall of the Peak, which 1s steeper near its base, as if descend- ing into a ravine, and prevented our seeing the slope before us. Further to the right, distinctly separated from the base of the Peak, rose the Tigayga with a short ASCENT OF THE MOUNTAIN. 191] ascent, as if springing from the same valley ; as we ap- proached, it assumed a steeper aspect. Whilst the dark outline of the mighty Peak stood out sharply against the sky, like a greenish-black mass, with clefts and streaks of various shades, the fields of yellow pumice-stone, con- trasting strongly with it, descended on the left down the lower part of its great cone in broad stripes, spreading out as it were over the round, sandy back of the Monte 'I'rigo *, which here leans on the foot of the mountain, dazzling as streams of white sand pouring into a sca of sand. After resting for half an hour we again set out in the burning heat. We soon left the heath, which was now scarcely three to four fect tall, and with 1t all vegetation disappeared except the « Retama blanca” of the Cum- bra. I imagined that we must be in the country of the Portillo, and asked the Arrieros, but they knew no such name. Did it still lic before us, or might it perhaps have been the very spot where we had breakfasted ? All doubt of our having passed it was soon removed, when we came to the Llano de las Retamas +, belonging to the Cafiadas{. A broad, yellow plain of pumice-stone lay * Monte Trigo, also “Ja Montaiia Blanca.” Jerthelot, 11. 1. page 89. + According to Von Buch’s work, page 185, the Retama, the Spartium nubigenvm (Genista, broom) never oceurs at a less height than 5900 feet, and never above a height of 9700 feet. “The road over the Cumbra from Orotava to Guimar is the north-east limit of the appearance of this shrub. It is found in great quantities in the Canada under the Cone of the Peak, which is thence called Llano de las Retamas.” + “The entire mass of the Teyde rises to a height of 3030 feet above the plateau of the Canadas.” Berthelot, I1. 1. page 317. _, —— . TD IIIA 0 A B————— 192 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. ~~ before us, out of which rose the Peak of Teyde more and more gigantic nto the dark-blue air. It had as- sumed the form of a rugged, truncated, wide cone, from four to five thousand feet in height, with precipitous sides, rising in colossal majesty above the wavy sea of yumice-stone, the fine sand of which gleamed 1m the I 5 g sun in iridescent colours passing from white into yel- low, brown, and even bright red. Every object, even the black Peak itself, now took a warmer tone, from the burning sun on the Llano at a height of six to seven thousand fect above the sea™. As the eye grows dazzled by wandering over large plains of snow, and loses its power of measuring height and depth, so we were unable to measure the height of the dazzling waves of pumice-stone which surrounded us. Continuous ridges of red jagged rocks of lava ran along the back of this hill, resembling the long lines of foam often seen on the tops of waves as they roll on shore in a rough sea, whilst here and there rose pointed cones of lava from out the sea of sand. From the burnt- out, volcanic base of the Teyde, the dazzled eye rises involuntarily upwards to the colossal volcano, to seek refreshment in the dark-blue colour of the heavens. We rode, as it seemed, between streams of lava stif- fened in their course, the valleys of which were filled with pumice-stone. The Piton, which at first rises high out of the upper section of the conical mountain, became * According to Captain Vidal's statement the summit of the Peak is 28° 17 north latitude and 16° 39" west longitude. Horsburgh, India Direct. ete. Vol. I. page 11. VIEW FROM THE CONE. 193 smaller as we approached it, and as the upper surface of the volcano widened, until at length it was quite 1m- mersed in the latter. The sandy ridge, which we had seen from our breakfast-place, at the foot of the Peak, had gradually become a hill, nay almost a mountain : we soon reached it, and our tired beasts climbed upon its pumice-stone slope ; large single blocks of basalt lay at the side. At length we stood at the foot of the dark mountain-cone. After riding up this in a zigzag course, between sharp blocks of obsidian, such as Von Buch describes, a last ascent of scarcely two hundred feet brought us to the Estancia de los Ingleses™, the well- known bivouae, sheltered by black masses of rock. Thus ended our day’s labour. On our ride up, I had remarked that, at the commence- ment of the plain of pumice-stone, the mountains of the Cumbra closed behind us and joined others ; nor had it escaped my notice, that we rode round the base of the Tigayga ; nevertheless the Circus which encompasses the foot of the Peak on the south-west, south, and east sides had not yet appeared so clear to view as the map had led me to expect. In the afternoon therefore 1 ascended a little way up the black cone. How shall T describe what I there beheld, looking down on the long violet- coloured ridge of the Cumbra, which with its indenta- tions formed bays and promontories, right and left, in the white sea of fleecy clouds, whilst it descended gently towards the Llano de las Retamas! On the right, a long * According to Von Buch, page 100, the ‘ Estancia Abaxo,”” or “de los Ingleses,” lies at a height of 7756 feet above the sea. VOL. I. 0 la RR SRST i TERIA En - Ny a 194 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. wall of rock joined these acclivities of the Cumbra,— a continuation of the margin of the pumice-stone plain. Ascending between the obsidians of the cone, I saw at every step this colossal wall, nearly two thousand feet high, curving more and more round the base of the Peak, whilst its upper contour, quitting the straight line, be- gan to form single cupolas. I recognized the Circus—the mighty, semicircular portion of the elevation-crater, which alone had braved all the later eruptions of the volcano— the Circus, with its horizontal strata, which at times re- semble narrow terraces, or rather small steps, whilst high up along its wall is seen the narrow, white, trachytic band, the silver stripe of Angostura. I looked down : my eye glided quickly along the steep declivity on which IT was standing, over the huge, black mass of pointed glassy blocks of obsidian scattered deep below in wild confusion, upon two rounded cupolas, which rose close to the base of the Peak from the subjacent plain of pumice-stone, passing from yellow into red, and contrasting strongly with the edge of the black obsidian field. This lower surface, the bottom of the elevation- crater, from which the Teyde arose, is covered with black masses and red blocks of lava; on every side rise up ridges and cones, between which wind single streams of lava. Below on the right, close under the highest precipice of the Circus, stand the dark-red waves of a mighty stream, arrested and stiffened in its course, the force of whose current is still perceptible. Above this fearful scene of volcanic action, this gigantic wall, which once rose out of the depths of ocean—high above all rm ADVENTURE OF COUNT ORIOLLA. 195 these scenes and objects, the giant Peak like a colossal pyramid, purpled by the setting sun, flung his shadow over the mists which covered the ocean. The wonderful line of shadow had not yet reached the glorious mountain, whose base was lost in the mists. The noble, alpine chain of the Gran Canaria— that island which once braved for eighty years the Spa- nish dominion of the world—Ilay spread out before me in the most beautiful distinctness. The further I ascended, the higher my spectral guide rose out of the sea of mists, until it entirely concealed Canaria. It was now night : the fires of the Estancia were the beacon which lighted me along my steep descent, and led me back to my com- panions. At the moment I rejoined them it was dis- covered that Count Oriolla was missing. Sharing the general attraction of the fearful and ma- jestic scenes around us, the Count had left the Estancia at the same time with myself ; but whilst sketching upon the acclivity, I had soon lost sight of him. With his usual boldness and perseverance, accustomed never to do anything by halves, he climbed up the cone, to explore the secrets of the mountain. At half-past seven o’clock, shortly after sunset, the Count reached the edge of the crater ; but to return was not so easy, and he wandered about nearly the whole night in the dark among boulders and sharp masses of rock, where a false step might at any moment have proved fatal. His joy may readily be imagined when groping about on the stones he at length felt again the first trace of vegetation under his hand— a little tuft of moss, which, as the harbinger of hope, he 02 Ee 196 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. took with him to keep in remembrance of this fearful night. He descended lower and lower down the cone; and had already given up the hope of finding his com- panions again, when high above his head he beheld our bright, blazing fire. It was half-past twelve when Count Oriolla rejoined us ; wearied out with his solitary ascent of the Peak—perhaps the most adventurous one ever un- dertaken—he sank down upon the ground at our side. Great was the joy, at least among those who were still awake, at sceing him amongst us again. All our cries had been ineffectual, and whoever has ascended the Peak will easily imagine the impossibility of searching for our com- panion in the dark over those fields of lava and obsidian. The stars shone with the same brilliancy as in the night when we ascended Mount Etna. The fire cast the faint glimmer of its expiring light on my companions, who lay scattered about fast asleep, and on the masses of rock that surrounded us like the walls of an apart- ment ; whilst the flame, blazing up among the adjacent blocks, illumined the motionless groups of our Practicos and Arrieros, who lay wrapped in their woollen cloaks, the only bright point in the surrounding darkness. A solemn stillness reigned through all nature. The Teyde has now rested from his convulsions for nearly half a century ® ; he sleeps a long sleep ; yet who * The last eruption, which broke out on the side of the Peak, took place in the year 1718, and destroyed a great part of the vine- yards at its foot. On the 17th of June, 1798, four cones broke cut deep down on the west foot of the Chahorra, and almost at the end of the environs of the Circus. The lava reached the rocks of the sircus, and extended over the Canada. FIELDS OF LAVA AND OBSIDIAN. 197 an foretell when he may again awake ? or who can say that life is yet extinct within him? It was a glorious night—at an elevation of 7756 feet above the ocean— but though the air was fresh it was by no means cold. Angust Yth.—After a short night’s rest I was awakened at two o’clock, and in half an hour we were on our march by starlight. Count Oriolla was unfortunately too much exhausted to be able to accompany us. At first we fol- lowed a zigzag path, at a gentle pace, mounting in the loose pumice-stone ; and in about an hour after passing Alta Vista, we reached the point where last evening I had seen the sun go down. Alta Vista lies at 9753 feet above the sea, on the edge of the Malpays del Teyde, that large field of obsidian blocks precipitated one over another in wild confusion, which, commencing high up on the cone of the Peak, descends to the pumice-stone hill below the Estancia. Every trace of a trodden path here ceases. Leaping from block to block, over mnumerable clefts and fissures, we proceeded onwards, following one another closely but slowly over the black sea of obsidian. We could not see where we stepped, and continually slipped on the smooth surface of the lava, often obliged to balance our- sclves on the glassy edge of an unsteady block, until the foremost of our party had found a firm footing, or ven- tured on a leap, which we were compelled to follow. We repeatedly stopped an instant to take breath, for the toil was increased by the constant care necessary to prevent our slipping between the sharp masses of obsidian. The day at length began to dawn, and the difficulty 198 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. 4 of the ascent was lessened. We had already ascended a great part of the cone, and the stars were still shining in the clear blue sky, when we saw, high above the colossal Circus, the streaks of the glimmering dawn. Just over this rosy-coloured border one star particularly attracted my attention : instead of falling perpendicu- larly, like a shooting-star, it had a quick, fitful, horizon- tal motion. I pointed this phenomenon out to my com- panions, who saw it as distinctly as myself. When looked at through a telescope the star appeared to form two, united by a winding tail, the motion of which was the same as scen by the naked eye. In other stars also we discovered through the te- lescope a similar but feebler motion, which was not visible to the naked eye. We thought it possible that this extraordinary phenomenon might be attributable to the heated state of our blood, which had been set in violent motion by our laborious passage over the Mal- pays. I may add, that during the night we also saw a number of shooting-stars, but could perceive no such tail attached to them as is said to be frequently witnessed in these latitudes. The flitting motion of the star above described near the horizon does not moreover at all resemble the motion of a falling-star *. The steep obsidian-ficld was at length crossed, and a footpath led us through a small, crater-like hollow, on the opposite edge of which we reached the narrow plateau called the Rambleta. At this point, which according to * Compare Humboldt’s Voyage aux Régions Equin. du Nouv. Cont. tome 1. chap. 2. STELLAR PHENOMENON. 199 Berthelot lies at a height of 10,992 fect above the sea, we stood close to the foot of the Piton, which shone brightly before us. It was now a quarter to five o'clock, and we had no time to lose if we desired to reach the summit of the Peak before sunrise : without allowing ourselves therefore any rest, we resolved at once to climb up this last cone, eight hundred feet in height. In spite of the loose pumice-stone, which yielded to our feet at every step, and the ascent over which is as difficult as that of Vesuvius, we reached half the height of the Piton* without a halt, thanks to the ridges of trachytic rock projecting just above the pumice-stone. Here we stopped to rest, and witness the sun’s orb emerging from the sea, for it was now impossible to climb to the top of the volcano before its rise. Although the thermometer stood at 379 R., our hands were quite cold. In ascending tna on the contrary the air appeared to me more rarefied than at this mo- ment, but at Alta Vista and a little way further up 1t seemed somewhat more rarefied than at this elevation. About a quarter of an hour after sunrise we reached the edge of the crater, and immediately ascended to its highest point, on the north-cast side. The temperature had now risen to 5°:0 R. We gazed first upon the crater, a small, flat hollow, with rocky or rather stony edges, and then on the sea of clouds to the north and west of the island, above which the sharp outline of the pyramidal shadow of the volcano stretched mm immense extent. # According to Von Buch the height of the Piton is 800 feet ; Von Humboldt makes it 504 ; and Berthelot only 438. - o NY a 200 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE Let the reader call to mind the « fleecy sheep,” so often seen in a blue sky, and i mmagine them at four to five thousand feet beneath him, but closely compressed into a white, fleecy or wavy surface, its edges rising to a level with the eye on the edge of the dark azure vault of heaven, and he will have an idea of that sea of clouds above which the Teyde flung its black shadow, whose outline was now marked still more distinctly than yes- terday. The long upper ridge of the reddish, illumined rocky wall of Pola? had penetrated through the sea of clouds, whilst the remaining part of the island was con- cealed from our sight. La Gomera was only half visible, and looked like a long, flat and sharply articulated hill with a curved back ; whilst a light field of clouds, veiling its western half, formed again the transition to the white, fleecy clouds. Above the Gomera, in the far distance, an indistinct, scarcely perceptible, dark-bluish ridge rose out of the clouds,—this was Ferro '—that name familiar to us from childhood, and associated w ith our first study of geography,—that little island in the wide ocean, from whose meridian some of our geographers even at the present day reckon the longitude, although to all other nations, and to the nomadic dwellers on the ocean, it I as long yielded to the observatories of the two great cities of the world. Following with our eye the verdant, undulating west- ern acclivity of the Teyde, with its outrunning ravines, as * Palma, i. e. Pico de los Muchachos, is 75 leagues distant from the Peak of Teneriffe. Ferro is the same distance. Canaria, i. c. Monte del Pozo de las Nieves, is 58 le agues, and Gomera 27. ny i | i A AB VIEW FROM THE CRATER. 201 far as the blue ocean, or looking down on the declivity of the Tigayga in the direction of Icod el Alto, we saw the lower edge of the sea of clouds, one while concealing Puerto and Villa Orotava from our view, at another un- veiling it for a few instants, and playing with the line of the coast of Teneriffe. The country around Garachico, once the flourishing chief town, with its harbour (the only good one in the island) filled up with lava, remained obstinately concealed from sight by a grey mist. The sharply articulated mountain-ridge of the Cumbra, of an azure-blue passing into violet, lay stretched out far below us, but rising clear above the clouds and mist. Toward Santa Cruz the view extended obliquely for some di- stance beneath the mists, and upon the small speck of blue water which remained open to view we discerned clearly the frigate and corvette, among the other ships lying in the roadstead. On looking up to the point where the sun had just risen, the ridge of the blue mountain-chain of Cana- ria came in view, with its noble outlines, rising high above the grey mists, which in smaller or larger de- tached fields were swimming over the deep-blue ocean on the east of Teneriffe. Below, at the foot of the P ak, we looked down into the wide semicircular rocky walls of the Circus, and the pumice-stone and lava plains of the Cafiadas, which skirt the foot of the volcano on this side ; while beyond these the eye followed the line of coast round the Punta de Abona, Punta Roxa, and Punta Rasca, as far as the steep mountains lying beyond San Jago, m the direction of the western pomt, Punta de -~ «a TE 202 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. Buenavista. Walking a few yards round the edge of the crater, we looked down into the larger and some- what deeper crater of the Chahorra*®, 9276 feet in height, and on to the declivity of this twin volcano, as Von Buch designates it, which is separated only by a slight depression from the Teyde, and strewn with the pumice- stone of the Peak as if with yellow sand. A glorious panorama surrounded us! we stood upon the central volcano,—at its foot the scene of desolation out of which it arose, skirted by the smiling fields of Teneriffe, and all around the volcanic islands rising from the ocean, looking up to the Teyde as their common head : he is the fixed star—they the moons; their fires, their eruptions are all his work. How is it, that on the crater’s edge of a mighty vol- cano, our feelings are so much more excited than when we stand upon the dizzy summit of an Alpine mountain ? There is the same sense of elevation on both spots: all around 1s grand and majestic; we are removed from earth, and feel ourselves nearer to heaven, to the illimit- able, dark azure space ; for we breathe the pure, rarefied air,—often too rarefied for us imperfect beings. To all these rapturous feelings we can give ourselves up undis- turbed on the summit of the primeval Alpine moun- tain, whereas when standing beside the volcano’s crater, they are stifled by sulphurous exhalations, which, like messengers from a fearful subterranean power, remind us continually that beneath the thin crust under our feet lie concealed the horrors of a fiery abyss. A death- * Chahorra, or Pico Viejo, or Pico Quebrado:—Berthelot, 11. 1. p. 89. THEORY OF VOLCANIC ACTION. 203 like stillness crowns the Alps—the volcano is instinct with life, —and what life! Here, on the summit of the Peak, we may aptly reflect on the sublime picture of its formation, which Von Buch depicts so simply and yet so forcibly *. According to the views of that acute observer, the Circus, upheaved by the volcanic forces in the centre of our planet, rose out of the depths of the earth through the ocean a complete circle. Not finding any cleft in the covering crust, the active subterranean powers in the effort to force an outlet increased in strength, from the resistance of the superincumbent strata of basalt and con- glomerate, until they acquired a resistless power, which tearing open the earth’s crust, and forcing up to the sur- face the basaltic and conglomerate strata lying at the bot- tom of the sea, formed this mighty elevation-crater, and thus found a vent. On examining the Circus more closely, it appears to be broken up in the trachyte, and to have pushed aside the basaltic strata that covered it. But this huge, upraised mass fell back again, and soon closed the opening which such a force alone had created. No vol- cano arose; the permanent connection of the interior with the atmosphere was not yet opened: to establish this, and to afford a regular vent to the vapours, the Peak of Teyde and the Chahorra now rose out of the colossal clevation-crater, united in a single, immense trachytic dome, and enveloped in a mantle of basalt,—the whole mass at once, like a vault over the internal forces, which here open to themselves an outlet through the crater. * See Von Buch, pages 220, 236, 237, 326. -N «TE. 204 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. All the action of the internal forces of the mountain centres in this forge, and as the upper portion falling in offers a greater resistance than single points in the circumference, especially when upheaved masses of lava stop the opening above, the vapour and lava burst out at the sides. These lateral eruptions have broken down the Circus on the north-west and north sides; immense streams of obsidian have flowed into the sea on the north-west toward Icod los Vinos, whilst in the west, at the foot of the Chahorra, those brown eruption- cones are seen of which Cordier counted about eighty in the direction of Garachico,—a sufficient proof of the enormous forces which here co-operated to throw down the elevation-crater, the first barrier against the ocean. The crater of the Peak is no longer a fiery abyss, but merely a solfatara, of rather more than two English miles in circumference, and a depth of between 100 and 160 feet®. Sulphurous vapours are almost con- stantly rising from this warm basin, or breaking out on the sides of the cone, but not in a greater degree than on tna. These vapours of sulphuric acid have not however destroyed the hardness of the rose-coloured tra- chytic rocks forming the edge of the crater. In the in- terior of the latter are found masses of stone and rock, which appear to have been detached from the edges. On touching any object, at this height, the fingers are whitened with a clammy substance, which may perhaps be an effect of these vapours. The ground of the solfa- * Berthelot (I. pag. 162) states the diameter of the crater at 600 feet, and its depth at 120. THE CRATER. 205 tara 1s warm,—in some places indeed hot ; nevertheless we could walk about in every part without inconvenience. The whole basin has a greyish-yellow colour, apparently occasioned by the sulphur, which frequently here forms the most beautiful crystals. Climbing up the rock to the highest point of the crater’s edge, we all in turn drank to the health of the three Sovereigns, whose subjects were met upon this spot—the Queen of England, our beloved King, and the King of Sardinia,—at an elevation of more than eleven thousand feet above the sea; whilst the west wind of the upper region, the counter-current of the eastern trade- wind of the ocean, drove the vapour toward us®*. The wind blew from Palma, and comparing it with the point of sunrise 1 took it to be west-north-west ; whilst in Santa Cruz the wind was blowing from the north-cast, consequently nearer to the trade-wind. Thus we had personal experience on our own cheeks of this pheno- menon, so well known but so seldom witnessed. To escape the loose pumice-stone sand, we descended along the single ridges of trachytic stone, down to the foot of the Piton, which we reached in half an hour. From thence, tormented all the while by thirst and under a burning sun, we continued our descent for full an hour more, across the sloping, black field of glassy * The height of the Peak is given variously as follows. Accord- ing to Cassini, 15,804 feet —Feuillier, 13,278 feet—Borda’s barome- tric measurement, 11,856 feet—Von Buch’s chart, the arithmetical mean of two of Borda’s measurements, 11,624 feet— Horsburgh, 11,539 feet—Borda’s trigonometrical measurement, 11,430 feet— Alexander von Humboldt, 11,424 feet—Bouguer, 9,846 feet. » ’ 2006 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. obsidian-blocks, «El Malpays,” until at length the shouts of our Praticos announced “La cueva, la cueval Agua, agua!” The Cueva del Hielo, or de la Nieve,” is a cave twenty feet deep in the plain of obsidian, in which is found fresh ice-water, for the crust of ice was plainly seen on the edges. We stopped here to refresh our- selves, and on starting again we perceived that one of our party, the young Count Viry, had lost his way among the slippery blocks : with the assistance of the guides however, who grumbled that the “ Caballerito ”’ had gone on before alone, Count Bismark soon found him. At a short distance below the ¢ Cueva” the blocks ceased, and with them the misery of our passage over the Malpays. We now came to a footpath and the first Retamas, and met some people from Orotava, who were coming to fetch ice from this cave, at a height of 9312 feet above the sea, in order to carry to Santa Cruz. At nine o'clock we again reached the Estancia de los In- gleses, where a good breakfast, with some of the choco- late intended for our expeditions in Brazil, awaited our arrival. We had expected that Captain Fitzgerald Gam- bier, the Commander of the Satellite,” who was to have come a shorter way from Santa Cruz across the Cumbra, would have reached the Estancia the previous evening: but he had not even yet arrived, at our return, and all hope of his joining our party vanished. It had first been arranged that, after ascending the Peak together, we should all return over the Cumbra; but this plan had to be given up, as our guides did not know the way. Although we had much wished to traverse the road DESCENT OF THE MOUNTAIN. 207 any pe hail, we relinquished ss reluctance, as this path would have been much longer and more toilsome in the burning heat, after our excursion to the crater, than the oss route back to Orotava, which we now determined to fol. low. Captain Gambier, we afterwards heard, had given up the passage of the Cumbra for the same nes and had reached Orotava the previous ovening: thre however he found neither mules nor guides for his Journey, and was therefore obliged to relinquish the ascent of the Peak altogether i The sun’s heat was o ood re, t : at was oppressive, the sky dark blue, the Peak rose behind us in all his majesty, “a mountain upon a mountain,” when reaching the skirts of the erica- wood, and bidding adieu to the Peak and the beautiful clear day, we descended into the damp sea of clouds which now hung heavily over our heads. I stopped Shetel on the Llano de las Retamas, and it was four o'clock when, together with Count Oriolla following the Test of the party, I reached Villa Orotava, malin the little detour which is always chosen in dosienling the mountain, to case the animals. After dinner we went once more to the Alameda, and the rest of our att agai joined a party at the house of the Dofia Ines. : | August 10th.—At seven o'clock this morning we left Orotava, and trotted briskly over the plain, for knowing the way we were not today obliged to remain with io Arricros. From the heights of Santa Ursula I recoonized clearly, on the north-west end of the island, the Raliter mountains of Gomera, stretching out on the Side oO 208 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. like a promontory mto the sea beyond the Thy g hi Tigayga. Palma, the rainy island among the 2 ; ne on the contrary, with its mountains seven Sy on high, was again concealed from view by miss, a : oe it lies at a short distance immediately before Oro from the summit of the Peak its rocky ridge appearec alone above the clouds. The beautiful palms A loon ing aloes delighted us aga on the rich i 8 wards Matanza, and Agua Garcia was chosen, as be no, for our halting-place. Following the clear little brook 5 today entered the narrow ravine, RN ae erica-trees, thirty to forty feet tall, interlacec with lianas, united with stately laurels to form a Cr cool, and shady retreat, which can perhaps i Su : equal in the primeval forests of the New Wor e. 1 r Foster and my servant, who had with him the necessary remedies, here found an occasion to exercise their skill, i restoring an Arriero who was overpowered with pe. Behind Laguna we met several trains of camels, Sonne of them carrying two or three riders ; the is Ww i single in file, that is to say not tied by a cord o i one before and the one behind, as 1s so frequently oun in the streets of Smyrna. Although to several of = party the sight of the camels was no novelty, iti us had ever been seated upon one, and we seized a op portunity to gratify our curiosity, and bing mn a, rode three at a time a short distance on this iL 0 desert. In the banana-court of Richardson’s hotel a Santa Cruz, the little travelling party separated. The oppressive heat in the town and its environs aj RETURN TO SANTA CRUZ. 209) peared to us remarkable, as we had suffered scarcely at all from it on the north-west side of the island. A din- ner, which I gave to the Commander and Officers of the “ Satellite” on board the Frigate, concluded the day. A Spanish brig-of-war in the meantime entered the road- stead ; she appeared to be the only royal cruizer at that time in the waters of Teneriffe *. August 11th.—At six o’clock this morning the top- gallant yards were crossed, and the topsails sheeted home ; soon after the top-gallant sails were set, the jib hoisted, and the anchor raised. The corvette was wait- ing for us under sail. We steered S.S.E. until mn a short time we caught a fresh north-east wind, which carried us swiftly along the south-east coast of Teneriffe. Grand Canaria was not visible from the deck. On the other hand Teneriffe appeared to form a long, lofty, con- nected line of mountains, above which was seen the * According to the census of the year 1812, Teneriffe had about 70,000 inhabitants, on 41-4 square miles. The seven inhabited of the Canary Islands (including Teneriffe) have, according to the same statement, on 1525 square miles, a population of about 194,000 in- habitants, whilst an official census of the year 1836 gives the last at about 200,000, but an estimate for the year 1829 (according to Macgregor) makes it 230,000), consequently on the average 1364 souls on the square mile, whereas in Teneriffe there are 1971 ; about the density of population of the province of Prussia, but in fact for the inhabited parts of the islands much more considerable, and at least twice or thrice as large. The following statement in the Weimar Almanack of 1844 may serve for comparison. The Azores have, upon 54 square miles, 214,300 inhabitants: the Cape Verd Islands, on 79-31 square miles, 65,000; which gives for the former a population of 4000, but for the latter one of only 820 in- habitants on the square mile, VOL. 1. f ] § uy — ie —gre——_ dR 210 THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE. pointed cone of the Peak*. The day was very clear: sea and sky vied in displaying the most varied shades of blue; the sky passing almost into grey, and the ocean on the contrary of the deepest azure. A greyish lilac tinge, passing slightly into red, was diffused over the mountains of the island, which as we proceeded south became more and more compressed into a flat py- ramid, surmounted by the Peak, which appeared in the mist that veiled the whole scene to form only one con- nected mountain with the chain in the foreground. Long did we gaze upon this picture,—it was our farewell to the land. How would that land appear which should again first meet our sight ? Would it bear comparison with the Peak of Teyde, that giant mountain in the midst of the ocean, against which the force of the north- cast trade-wind breaks in the autumn, drawing down from the summit to its foot the upper current of air, which arises at the equator, and forcing it to sweep across the sea throughout the winter? A few hours later every trace of land had disappeared. The proud Frigate felt in her element, and dashed gal- lantly onwards in her course in the direction S. 62° 30' W. toward the heights of the Cape Verd islands. At noon we found ourselves in 27° 35' 0" north latitude and 16° 37" 36" longitude west of Greenwich, so that we had already made fifty-six nautical miles. The night was clear and fine, but the Frigate rolled more than usual. * According to Alexander von Humboldt the Peak is visible at a distance of 1° 57' 22” or 291 German miles. 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RIO DE JANEIRO. SepreMBER Hth.—The splashing sound of the waves, which sent their spray through the port-hole of my cabin, awoke me from my pleasant dreams before five o'clock. TI jumped from my hammock, and fastened the window, to prevent a repetition of this greeting from the ocean,—the first of the kind I had experienced in my cabin during our long voyage. When I went on deck, the sailors had just taken in two reefs in the top- sails, and handed the top-gallants. We were keeping our old course; yesterday, or in the previous night, an east-north-east, and afterwards a north-east or mnorth- north-east wind, which prevails around Cabo Frio, had succeeded the south-east trade-wind. 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Lngenho a leny, Zp Ge gv Lda o£ do ire "dos Tou ol Trt A ou og, i « ia Suburbios do Rio de Janeiro La tar Erg! de Lircreca wr “a he “ve, # " pd “ele Jolho Jeo Bento, Morro do Castello. Largo da Ajuda. / Fya de Glorie (attete. Fr raya do Flamengo. Coaminko nope, Catombs Meatacavallos. Matap orcos. Lio ( omprido. in 77 RIO DE JANEIRO. SepreMBER Hth.—The splashing sound of the waves, which sent their spray through the port-hole of my abin, awoke me from my pleasant dreams before five o'clock. I jumped from my hammock, and fastened the window, to prevent a repetition of this greeting from the ocean,—the first of the kind 1 had experienced mn my cabin during our long voyage. When 1 went on deck, the sailors had just taken in two reefs in the top- sails, and handed the top-gallants. We were keeping our old course ; yesterday, or in the previous night, an ecast-north-east, and afterwards a north-east or north- north-cast wind, which prevails around Cabo Frio, had succeeded the south-east trade-wind. In the course of yesterday we passed the line of no magnetic variation, which touches on Cabo Frio, corresponding to the first magnetic meridian,—that line which three centuries ago Columbus to his astonishment discovered one hun- dred leagues west of Flores, and which subsequently, at DY - a — — — ow ~~ a GAIN pr. Nisa . v ARN WR 212 RIO DE JANEIRO. his suggestion, determined in a great measure the boun- dary-line which the Pope established between the newly discovered and acquired territories of Spain and Por- tugal. In order to stand off from the land, the proxi- mity of which was anticipated with certainty, we changed our course before midnight, and with a fresh wind and a swelling sea made a tack to the south until four o clock this morning *. Every one was anxiously on the look-out to catch a sight of Cabo Frio. At sunrise some fancied they could descry land, but the first glimpse of it was not seen until between ten and eleven o'clock. By degrees the outline of a chain of mountains came in sight, although indi- stinctly, and subsequently a conical mountain was seen connected with this range on the west: Cabo Frio how- ever was not discernible, but a faint shade, which con- tinued the range toward the east, indicated the spot where this sharp angle of the great continent of South America was to be looked for. Our chart gave the ship’s place at noon in 23° 20’ south latitude, and 42°40" 15" longitude west of Greenwich, and the entrance into the Bay of Rio in the north-west thirty-eight leagues a-head of us: the range, on the contrary, parallel to which we had been steering, proved to be the mountaims at Cabo Negro, distant twenty-four leagues in nearly a northerly direction. * : iid , ro ’ On the morning of the fourth of September the variation ac- . 1 . . . ye ): » ~y . re : cording to the Master (Piloto) of the ¢ San Michele,” Mr. Vian, was 5° W., and at noon we were in 21° 32' 33" south latitude, and 39° OE! Za! wa 5 : ; Or 25' 59" west longitude ; we had at sunset 0° 45" east variation. APPROACH TO RIO DE JANEIRO. 213 Wind and waves had subsided, the studding-sails had been for some time set, and our new course north- west allowed us gradually to carry full canvass. The temperature of the air and sea was equally and remark- low, and the azure blue colour of the latter had changed to a light-green. A milky bluish mist de- prived the atmosphere near the horizon in part of its | coast was seen as through a ably transparency, and the hig! veil. The dinner-hour—an important one on board ship— had been fixed carlier today than usual, as we expected to be off the entrance of the Bay by four o'clock. When we went on deck again after dinner, a part of the crew had already exchanged their coarse coloured shirts for white ones and trowsers, and all were busied in clear- ing and coiling down the running rigging and tackling, washing the decks, getting the guns ready for the sa- lute, and clearing the anchor. The officers made their appearance one after another deck of the ¢ San Michele’, with all this unusual festal I hastened to join a group of curious spectators, who were gathered on and « rit and forward on the gunwale, while about the bows] even up aloft on the yards of the foremast were perched in dress-uniform, and the array, was hardly to be recognized. some white figures. All gazed with astonishment at the strange forms of the mountainous coast, which lay stretched out before us in wide extent from west to cast. On the extreme left rose a small cone out of the sea, like an island, with which was connected on the right several small islands that a 214 RIO DE JANEIRO. looked like points. Then followed the wonderful moun- tain-chain, the outlines of which resemble a giant lying on his back,—a sure landmark to sailors at the entrance to the harbour of Rio—that king of harbours! The head of ‘the Giant,” with an immense aquiline nose and wide open mouth, is formed by the steep rock called the Gavia (the Topsail), to which the British sail- ors have given the far more significant name of « Lord Hood’s Nose.” The giant’s hands are crossed over the belly, and are formed by the two points of the Tijuca, the Pico do Papagayo and the other on its right, which together are called “Os dous Irmfos” (the two Bro- thers) : these were today almost concealed by the fog. The raised knee is formed by the pointed Corcovado (the Hump-backed), and the Pao de Assucar (the Sugarloaf) describes the immense foot,—a huge conical rock, which does honour to its name. On the right of the sleeping guardian’s foot, and close to the steep wall of the Pao de Assucar, lies the narrow entrance, and in front advance the small islands, on one of which, the Ilha Raza (flat island), stands a lighthouse. Behind this group extends a steep, rugged chain of mountains, or rather a series of single mountains united at their base, of strange yet beautiful and noble forms, which continued the line of coast eastwards, and vanished in the mist in the direction of Cabo Frio. Some schooners were cruising before the coast. Stretched out before us—at first visible only through the telescope, but soon by the naked eye—Ilay those won- ders of tropical vegetation, which seen in books and draw- o1x ENTRANCE OF THE BAY. 215 ings often appear to border on the fabulous. Wherever the eye ranged, the mountains were clothed with forests, above the outline of which rose single slender palms ; while various trees, of forms which a European has never seen, overtopped the plants and shrubs that covered the hill-sides,—trees with full, gigantic crowns, Or shoot- ing lightly upwards, and stretching their slender arms and fantastic boughs high into the air. But 1t 1s impos sible to form a conception of the beauty of outline of these mountain-ranges, broken here and there by the tall stems and branches of picturesque, colossal trees. Smooth, black walls of rock in some places form the precipitous sides of the mountains, or shoot up in de- tached pinnacles and cones, while a narrow line of white sand, washed by the sea, extends along their base. The islands lying before the entrance of the Bay— which were now so close to us that we could hear the noise of the breakers dashing over the slanting shelves of rock upon the shore—are clothed with thick foliage, ifi ree ver '1e mderwood magnificent palm-trees, and every variety of 1 On these lovely islands the richness and and shrubs. | beauty of nature under the tropics first opened on us. No one who has not visited the torrid Zoe can form an idea of such a thicket, a labyrinth of vege- tation. On the mountains of the continent, on the other hand, we could by degrees discern whole forests of palm-trees, the crowns of which were bowed to the west by the trade-wind; while the slender stems of the cactus climbed up the naked rocks. Canoes «sine and repassing the islands. A with negroes were passing and repassing the isla A I prs NA HA So 216 RIO DE JANEIRO. large black bird, the first Uruba (Cathartes A-Ura) that came in sight, flew screaming, with outspread wings, high over our heads. Every object around was new to us, and our minds were filled with one impression—the different aspect of the land before us to that of Europe, —whether America, India, or Brazil, it was at all events not Burope. This was the first impression that America made upon us: everything appeared strange and won- derful. We sailed between the above-mentioned groups of islands : what a beautiful scene! On our right hand the mountains of the coast (amongst which was prominently seen one dark rugged wall of rock, and the water-chan- nels in its sides) formed, together with these isles, a charming picture, enriched with the most noble, and luxuriant tropical vegetation. Scarcely had we passed the islands, when the entrance to the Bay opened di- stinctly on our view. The mountain-ranges on our right declined gradually from east to west toward the Bay, terminating in a ridge of rock, at the end of which, but parted from it by a narrow cleft, the white fort of Santa Cruz projects into the entrance. Opposite to this the smooth rocky colos- sus of the Pao de Assucar rises almost perpendicularly out of the sea, and behind it 1s seen a small, green, msular-like point of land, with the forts of S. Jodo and S. Theodosio, which were hardly discernible. The shore of the Bay is flat, and looks like a line of low bluish islands; on a broad projection of land in the western corner, forming several terraces, 1s built the city of Rio THE SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN. 217 de Janeiro, and behind it on the right is seen the forest of masts of the ships in the harbour, while still further in that direction toward the middle of the bay, the men-of-war lie anchored in the road- stead. The Sardinian flag had for some time floated from our gaff-peak, and through the telescope we could de- sery the green flag of Brazil with the yellow square, at Santa Cruz. The falling wind and ebbing tide allowed us to make but slow way. In front of the city two for- tified islands now came in view,—VFort Lagem, and behind it the other larger one, Villegagnon. The city and roadstead became by degrees more clearly visible. An American schooner, the © British Commodore,” and the < Malabar’ hove in sight, and soon afterwards our companion the ¢ Satellite,” at anchor, which had just fired her salute. The sun was setting, and the gigantic form of the Sugarloaf rose straight up, near us on the left, whilst the mountains on the west side were accumulated in a mass of the strangest forms. The cones, pinnacles and summits mm the front line were coloured deep-blue,— those behind had more of a greyish-violet tone. But how shall I give an idea of the wonderful forms of these mountains ? they produce the same kind of impression as the decorations in some theatrical representation of magic, in which the marvellous supersedes altogether any imitation or effect of nature. [t was about five o'clock, when the breeze dropped just as we came close under the Fort of Santa Cruz,— —— ———Te Now AIA pr BNA AR IO r—— ri A Aa a " om FT — ——- Vesa — or ha 218 RIO DE JANEIRO. near enough to distinguish the guns and soldiers ; the houses in Rio also were now more clearly seen. Bach of the two terrace-like slopes of the city terminates in a long building, with two towers, the convents of Santa Thereza and S. Bento. The Sugarloaf resumed its first form, except that it seemed as if a portion had been struck off from the perpendicular wall on its summit. A small Brazilian steamer was coming out of the Bay, and several fishing-canoes manned with negroes were entering. Black and white water-birds flew screaming over our heads. The red orb of the sun was sinking behind the mountains of the Corcovado, suffusing them with a fiery glow, and casting a copper-red gleam on the surface of the water at the entrance of the Bay. The evening-gun boomed from the “ British Commodore,’ and the squadron struck their ensigns and top-gallant yards. The Sardinian and soon after the Prussian Consul, Me. Theremin, came on board the Frigate. I had made the acquaintance of the latter shortly before my depar- ture from Berlin. Rio is his second maternal city ; he has spent here the greater part of his youth, and now, grown up to manhood, he has succeeded his father in the Consulate. After the first joy at meeting again, he ex- pressed his regret that the mist veiled from our sight one of the chief beauties in the splendid bay—the Serra dos Orgdios, from three to four thousand feet in height, which with its pointed summits forms the background in the grand picture. Nevertheless it seemed not to require this feature, for the general impression of all we had Tp ASPECT OF THE CITY OF RIO. 219 seen this day, of the nearer environs of the Bay, was so overpowering, that nothing was left for the most vivid imagination to supply. Never had any view impressed me so forcibly: even the aspect of Naples, imposing and animated Naples, with Vesuvius and her magnifi- cent bay, sinks in the comparison; even the oriental splendour of Constantinople, where white cupolas and slender minarets rise proudly on her charming hills, where cypress-groves overshadow the graves of the Mos- lim, and the blue belt of the Bosphorus, skirted by serais, hissars and innumerable little hamlets, animating the whole scene, winds beautifully between Asia and Europe —even Constantinople did not transport me so much as the first view of Rio de Janeiro. Neither Naples, nor Stambul, nor any other spot IT have seen on earth, not even the Alhambra, can compare with the strange and magic charm of the entrance to this Bay. Wonders revealed themselves to our sight, the existence of which we had never imagined, and it was now clear why the first discoverers of this land gave to it the name of the New World. We waited for the wind to bring the Frigate up to the anchorage, which was near at hand : all stood ready at the braces, for the command Divisioni a posto” had long been given. Count Oriolla and Mr. Theremin had just left us in the third cutter for Rio. Darkness sud- denly came on: no wind appeared to stir, but at the least breath the command was immediately given to brace the yards, and the shrill sound of the accompany- ing whistle gave the time. At length we perceived, by a i 3 oR ea J mae —— - aN “———— I, Nw 220 RIO DE JANEIRO. « Hulk” anchored further in the bay (the Brazilian guard-ship, I was told) that we were making progress. All stood watching eagerly the moment of letting go the anchor, tired of the faint breeze, which every instant seemed as if it would die away altogether, when we heard the music on board the English squadron, and the sound of the bells—the first sound that reached us from land——fell on our ear with a solemn tone. On high, above the spectral-looking mountains on the left, shone the four stars of the Southern Cross, beneath the two brilliant stars which guide the eye in dis- covering that constellation. Straight before us all was darkness ; on the left extended a line of lights, ranging along the shore of Botafogo toward Rio, while to the right was seen the long line of lights of Praya Grande. The scent of the land reached us; it reminded me strongly of Tona (Icolmkill), where ten years before 1 stood by the graves of fifty kings. We fancied that we could hear the murmuring buz from the city, but this was rather by anticipation. The Hulk already lay at some distance behind us; I stood in the fore part of the ship, and looked forth into the darkness; nothing was to be seen, not a trace even of the ships in the road- stead. On a sudden I heard Captain Scofticro’s voice ; his patience seemed gone; the pipes sounded, and all the sails were at once braced. « Fondo!” A “stopper” still held the anchor; the axe was applied, and it fell with a loud noise, covering the waves with sparkling foam. At the words < Arriva Gabbieri!” all pressed round the eo “oo — APPROACH TO LAND. shrouds to haul in the sails. Tt was about eight o'clock, when we anchored in eighteen fathoms’ water: in a quarter of an hour the yards were braced parallel, and all was so far in order that the crew could be allowed to disperse. I hastened down, to read my long-expected letters, and did not return to the quarter-deck until cleven o'clock, to enjoy the view of the beautiful starry heavens. All was silent around : it seemed as if we had been transported, instead of from one quarter of the globe to another, from one planet to another. If nature can be so varied upon one small planet, how grand and mani- fold must the glory of the Creator be revealed in the millions that circle in the boundless realms of space ! Powerful indeed was the impression which the first aspect of America produced upon us, and yet how much that was new still awaited us here! I stood on the threshold of the immense continent of the New World, which still lay before me a deep un- fathomed source of mystery—a mighty enigma. Ima- aination pictured to me the solitude of the endless pri- maval forests, and peopled them with all the forms of savage life, so attractive to us Europeans. I already an- ticipated a thousand perils and adventures, full of charm for a youthful spirit; and yet a regret mingled with my feelings, as if parting from a friend, when 1 thought back on the happy days I had passed on the glorious ocean : nevertheless the path to my home, to all whom I loved, leads back across those same azure waves ! September Gth.—On awaking my first alance rested An tio oem iioyeaa A pa—————— ys. ss rel, J \ as a 1. 0 222 RIO DE JANEIRO. on the for ’ oy > J Boa Viagem *, on the east side of the bay 10-08 Jatipive. omens . a ¢ Janewro, crowning a picturesque headland, a SS 0 hic i oh which appears dropped into the water like an island, close to the shor he shore of the wid ¢ and lovely b of Sacco nci A ra ih S. Fem The strange conical mountains fie east coast extended j ) mn the backer : kground, behind which th : ; : : i ¢ glowing orb of the Sun rose, tinging t] bright green waves of ME ans aves of the bay with an orange glow cautiful ar ely as this pi oe ve lovely as this picture was, framed by the i» x 0 - i . p ¢ of my cabin, I felt impelled to exchange the small chamber for the open air, We were lyi e lying close to the charming island : which stands Fort Vi; dl Gg a a ort Villegagnon on a shelf of rock was 1ed by the foaming breakers, the gigantic fans of the cocoa-paln 11 | : a bending gracefully over the fortifications and houses 7 just i thee consequently just in the centr] point of view ' oe all the glories of this wonderful Bay. The name 0 > I" 1 3 : : ; 1s msular fortress points to jts French origin. Nj las Durand de Vill rs : legagnon was an intrepid sailor who conveyed Mz: : x yed Mary Queen of Scots ip his squadron safe] roug nel ui : hy the English cruisers, from Leith round Sontlung 0 France. At a later perj % er period he origi nated the sal to for : Wie m a French colony in America, and obtained : aay $ support, on representing the real secret purpo of the undertaking t 0 be the estab] ishment of an gg asylum for the Huguenots beyond the seas. Ty 3 fluence of the Admj RR ay S22 1 x os Admiral he succeeded in obtaining from enry the Second 16 'y shi 4h which the necessary ships, with which ip the FORT VILLEGAGNON. 2253 year 1556 he arrived safely in the bay of Rio de Janeiro, where he erected a wooden fort upon the island that bears his name, which he called after his patron Fort Coligny. A more favourable spot for a colony the little band of Huguenots could not well have found: the cir- cumstances of the time also were not unfavourable to them ; for although the Gulf of Nitherohy had been dis- covered in the year 1532 by Martim Affonso de Souza, who, taking it for the mouth of a large river, named it Rio de Janeiro, the Portuguese had not as yet settled there. The natives were inimically disposed toward them, and easily to be won over by the French; added to which, the conscience of the Protestants felt little scruple about interfering with the pretended claims of Portugal, which were only founded on a decretal of the Pope *. The new colony—“la France Antarctique,” as the French named it—promised ample success, and the hopes raised upon it would in all probability have been realized, had not Villegagnon proved a traitor to his people. Won over by Cardinal de Guise, he threw off * After Christopher Columbus found in 1492 to his great astonish- ment the line of no magnetic variation a hundred leagues west of the Azores, and in the Island of Guanahani discovered the fourth quarter of the globe, the hope was excited that much more land would be found toward the west, but at the same time the anxiety lest these discoveries should lead to great contention. A Bull issued by Pope Alexander VI. on the fourth of May, 1493, decreed, that all islands and continents already discovered and which should thereafter be discovered, lying east of a line one hundred leagues (leuces) south and west of the Azores and the Cape Verd islands, should belong to the kingdom of Portugal ; but that any discovered 294 RIO DE JANEIRO. ~~ the cloak of Calvinism, and began to persecute his for- mer fellow-believers in the most cruel manner, so that the majority returned to France. For four years the Portuguese left the French in undisturbed possession of the Bay; but in 1560 the Governor Mem de Sa attacked them in their stronghold, and, in spite of the support of the Tupinambas and Tamoyos, drove them from the island, carried off their guns, and destroyed the fortifica- tions. The French who survived fled to the Tamoyos, in common with whom they waged war for a long period against the Portuguese. I can touch but lightly on the glorious panorama which presented itself from the quarter-deck of the © San Michele’: to describe it is impossible, and I feel inca- pable of giving any picture that can even faintly recall the scene. Yet who that has gazed on the panorama of Rio de Janeiro can ever lose the impression it pro- duces ? The bay of Nitherohy*, or Nictheroy (the old Indian name) stretches twenty nautical miles inland from south west of this line should pertain to the kingdom of Castille. Alex- ander von Humboldt assigns the reason why this great oceanic boun- dary-line, instead of passing through Corvo or Flores, the two islands most west of the Azores, was drawn a hundred miles from that group, to the above-mentioned magnetic meridian of Columbus.—Compare Examen Critique de I'Histoire de la Géographie du Nouveau Con- tinent, etc. par Alexandre de Humboldt, tom. III. pages 45-56. This line of demarcation could never reach Brazil, had not the Por- tuguese geographers Nuiiez and Teixeira placed it many degrees too much east. Compare Von Feldner’s Travels, ete., Part I. page 6. * The word signifies “hidden water” —from Ay, water, and nithero, concealed. Rass pi Pp VIEW OF THE COAST. R25 to north, in the form of a pear, widening to the breadth of eighteen nautical miles and three-quarters. On the south it 1s reduced to a narrow strait, about four nauti- cal miles in length, which connects the bay with the ocean. All the picturesquely formed mountains between which we had sailed yesterday were now grouped around the entrance of the bay, forming the high shores of the strait. On the west the group commenced with the two-capped Tijuca, rising gradually from a broad base on the shore. With this was connected the beautiful, arched ridge of the Corcovado, with its advanced spurs, behind which was seen the Gavia and the truncated mass of rock on its summit. Then followed the Sugarloaf, terminating this great mountain-range, which may be considered as connected with the Serra do Mar; the latter extends along the south coast of Brazil, and branching out in various directions passes from S. Paulo into the pro- vince of Rio de Janeiro. On the opposite side of the strait advance the last spurs of the eastern table-land of this province, and among the numerous cupolas and cones one steep and lofty ridge rises prominently, sur- mounted at its extremities by two cones, the Pico and the Lion’s Head ; upon it stands the dilapidated Fort do Pico, above Santa Cruz, which it covers on the land-side. These mountains extend on the east up to the river Parahyba do Sul; their declivity toward the sea follows the coast only as far as Lagoa de Saquarema ; from whence the ridge of hills runs parallel to the coast at a greater distance, until between S. Fidelis and Cam- VOL. 1. Q RIO DE JANEIRO. pos dos Goaytacazes it reaches the lower course of that river. West of this line the table-land extends over the greater part of the province of Rio de Janeiro, bounded throughout on the north by the Parahyba. On the north side of the bay rises the Serra dos Orgdlos, separating it from the Parahyba, on the left bank of which begins the mountaimous land of Minas Geraes, rich in gold and dia- monds, whose highest summits rise to about 5600 feet above the sea®. The picturesque range of the Orgios mountains forms the highest elevation in the table-land of the province of Rio de Janeiro, and stretches, parallel to its general direction, from S.W. to N.E. Numerous little streams flow from its sides to the northern shore of the bay of Nitherohy; but the chief rivers, the Rio Macaci and the Rio de Iguassi, discharge themselves at the north-east and north-west corners of the bay, where two wide plains approach the shore, which sepa- rate the Orglios from the other mountains on either side The weather was again foggy today, and the Serra was entirely hidden from our view, so that the north side of the bay appeared, as yesterday, a level surface with namerous islands in the foreground, among which was plainly discerned the long ridge of the Tha do Governa. dor. Nevertheless all the other mountains and hills which encompass the bay were seen from our anchorage with perfect distinctness in the beautiful light morning vapour. * According to Mr. Mahlmann’s map of America (Berlin 1835), the Itamb¢ is 5590 feet high. FRE CITY OF RIO. 27 But let us descend from the heights to the shore, which is the true point of view for the picture. On the north-east foot of the great mountain-range, surmounted by the Corcovado and Tijuca,—at the point where the west coast of the bay, quitting its first northerly di- rection, turns sharply to the west,—in other words, where the strait ends and the glorious bay begins to open, rises the noble city of Rio de Janeiro *,—< a muita leal ¢ heroica Cidade de Sio Sebastifio do Rio de Janeiro,” with its sea of roofs, churches, convents and towers, covering the picturesque terraces, the flat, short and steep plateaus, and the rocky projections of this corner, and occupying a wide and lovely valley, extend- ing inland between charming hills,—truly an imperial city, full of beauty and majesty ! The city of Rio, with its numerous suburbs, embraces two sides (north and east) of the foot of the Corco- vado, into the very defiles of which the adjacent villages rise picturesquely. Along the strand are seen rows of houses extending from the city as far as the Sugarloaf, and reflected in the waters of the bay; these are the white line of the suburbs of Largo da Ajuda, Praya d: Gloria, Cattete and Praya do Flamengo, which stretch uninterruptedly up to the charming Botafogo, encircling that romantic bav whose narrow embouchure opens close to the foot of the Sugarloaf. Among the hills nearest to * According to the Weimar Almanack for 1844, Rio has 160,000 inhabitants, but according to the Diccionario Geographico do Brazil of the year 1845, 170,000, of whom 60,000 were Brazilians, 25,000 foreigners, and 85,000 slaves. 228 RIO DE JANEIRO. the city and the strand, the Signal-hill and the lovely banana- and palm-hill, with the small white church of Nossa Senhora da Gloria, attract the eye prominently. The Signal-hill, called also Morro do Castello, is covered with trees and houses, among which stands the old- est church of Rio, S. Sebastiio. Various-coloured flags hoisted on the mast and its yard-arm, at the top of the hill, signal the ships that arrive. On the north point of Rio, the fortified island, Ilha das Cobras, rises out of the waves: it has the appear- ance of a steep projection of rock, upon which stand large buildings, and seen from our point of view formed a continuation of the city and the steep heights of S. Bento at its back. In the corner between the [1ha das Cobras and the east side of the city is the anchor- age for coasting-vessels, especially Sumacas, a kind of schooner-brig, resembling those seen at Santa Cruz in Teneriffe. On the north side of this little island is the road. stead for merchantmen, among which were some tall masts, apparently belonging to men-of-war. The naval arsenal, in front of which they were anchored, lies on the north side of S. Sebastifio, at the foot of the com ent of S. Bento; the military storehouse is situated near the south-east corner of the city, at the Ponta do Calabouco, which projects into the bay close to the foot of the Morro do Castello. Between the “San Michele’ and the city were anchored the English men-of-war, in the proper roadstead. T'wo-masted post-boats called Faltas,” with tall lateen sails and manned hy blacks, were Crossing THE BAY OF RIO. 229 the bay in all directions; while long canoes rowed by negroes, or small ones carrying only one or two men, together with numerous ships entering and leaving the bay, and the boats belonging to the various cruisers, enlivened the beautiful expanse of water. Every hour a small steamer, and at all times in the day faltas, start for Nitherohy, a pretty little town lying opposite at a distance of three and a half nautical miles, and extend- ing at the foot of lovely hills along the strand of the small bay of Praya Grande®. The point of this bay with Fort Gravata at S. Domingos, narrows the strait to about two nautical miles, and separates the bay of Praya Grande from the southern, lovely bay of Sacco de S Francisco, or “Three Fathoms Bay,” above which I had from my cabin seen the sunrise. Still narrower is the strait between Santa Cruz and S. Theodosio, where its width is only one nautical mile and a fifth. Near this entrance lies the msular fortress of Lagem with its submarine prisons, whilst Villegagnon is distant about two nautical miles and a half from Santa Cruz, and not quite one nautical mile from the 20 of about city. The bay of Rio contains an archipelag cighty islands, which, like the surrounding coast, are clothed in the most glorious and fresh green; I will only mention the Ilha do Governador, the largest, and Pa- queta, which is much visited. * Praya Grande (large strand) is the collective name for all the villages which stretch along the shore of this bay. Nitherohy conse- quently forms a part of Praya Grande, and was for a long time called ‘““ Villa real da Praya Grande.” 230 RIO DE JANEIRO. Before nine o’clock in the morning the Brazilian man- of-war lying in the roadstead hoisted the Prussian flag, and fired the customary royal salute of twenty-one guns ; and about an hour afterwards the officer on duty sume moned the boat which was to convey me ashore. It gave me a painful feeling of regret to part, although for only a few months, from the fine Frigate, on board of which I had passed so many happy days, and from her amiable and distinguished corps of officers, who had in every way established a claim to my respect and gratitude. We pushed off: the San Michele” and the British squadron manned their yards, the guns boomed forth their echomg salute, mingled with the hurrahs and « E viva!” of the crew. The smoke circled high m the air, surmounted by the white flag, with cross and eagle, which waved aloft ; whilst between the columns of smoke, flying before the sea-breeze, was seen the line of coast backed by misty mountains, in shifting and smiling pic- tures. I landed not far from the imperial castle at Rua Iresca, close to the Largo do Paco and opposite the Hotel Pharoux ; the tall, obelisk fountain of Chafariz do Largo do Pago was on my right hand. A number of people had collected out of curiosity ; the carriage was standing ready, and we quickly rolled off. Wherever 1 looked, negroes and mulattos were scen on all sides ; they seem to constitute the greater part of the popula- tion ; and although thé features of the negroes were fa- miliar to me from my Eastern travels, 1 had never before seen such a multitude of blacks collected ; these, together THE VILLA MANGUEIRA. 231 with the mixed races, gave a peculiar appearance to the whole scene. We drove at a quick pace through some wide and bustling streets, the houses of which with their high roofs reminded me again of Madeira; the shops in this part of the city did not strike me parti- cularly, but we did not pass through any of the principal streets. After first driving a litt through the city, we turned to the left, along the tae ioned rows of houses on the strand. The immense crowns of the cocoa- palms and the gigantic leaves of the bananas rose above the garden-walls by the wayside, and through the lat- ticed doors we caught peeps of the most exquisite dowers ; but these very gardens soon intercepted our view of the sea. The steep Sugarloaf rose before us, and on our right the C ee r We now turned into a garden-gate, an d a short, dark avenue of mango-trees, tho thick crowns of which closed nto a kind of arbour over our heads, led to a walled terrace, on the bushy hill-side, upon which stood the elegant villa that had been hired for me. [t is impossible to 1magine a more charming spot than the « Chacara das Manatees » or “a Mangueira,” as this villa is called from the magnificent dark-green mango- trees which give such an air of solemnity to its avenue. The views down from the terrace, from the verandah with its numerous windows, and from the bow-window facing the north and east, are unsurpassably beautiful. Two fine black Ly stand upon the terrace, at the point where the flight of steps descends to the mango avenue, 232 RIO DE JANEIRO. and at the corners are two arbours ; parterres, inter- sected with narrow paths, occupy the rest of this narrow plateau. In the distance, far over the gardens, houses and trees, the eye catches a view of the narrow, long, blue strip of the bay. Between the two cypresses, and over the dark-green carpet of the high-vaulted crowns of the mango avenue, is seen, set as it were in a frame which separates it from the rest of the view, one picture upon which the eye rests with peculiar pleasure,—the rock of Boa Viagem, with light-blue hills behind it, and two palm-trees gracefully bending their heads in front. To the right of the cypress on the south is a view of the mountainous cast coast beyond Santa Cruz, and of the peninsula of S. Theodosio, where the small bay of Botafogo begins. Next follows the rocky cone of the Pao de Assucar, rising above the Morro do Fla- mengo, the outline of which is broken by slender palms and various kinds of tall trees, while the wooded acclivi- ties of the Morro descend precipitously, in part like a wall of rock, to the narrow valley on the south near the villa. On the right of the Sugarloaf is seen the beauti- fully formed ridge of a mountain, connected with this conical hill. The narrow valley on the south is covered with houses, the roofs and gables of which stand out among the foliage ; the fantastic branches of the North American pines™, looking like inverted fans of the palm- tree, rise high into the air, waving in the wind. In * This was the name of the tree mentioned to me, which is said to have been introduced within a few years into the gardens around Rio. VIEW FROM THE VILLA. the foreground, by the side of the stables belonging to the villa, stand a thick group of bananas clothed in the freshest green, but on the other hand there are scarcely any palms. Turning our eyes to the dark cypresses on the east, and following the bay northward from Boa Viagem on the opposite shore, we see first Praya Grande, a long line of white houses backed by light-blue hills, like a string of pearls upon a turquoise ground, and bounded by the Morro da Armacao. Further to the left the azure winrar of the bay disappears behind the tall houses and trees of the shore on this side, between which low hills rise in a pleasing, rounded outline, intercepting the view of the greater part of Rio, and depriving the city of the cool breath of the viracio, or sea-breeze, which in this hot country may be regarded not only as a refreshment, but almost a necessary of life, at least for us Europeans. The Signal-hill, in the background of which are seen in clear weather the blue Orgfios mountains, rises above a depression between these hills; whilst a long and lofty mountain-crest, connected with the acclivities of the Corcovado, bounds the glorious valley on the north ; the latter, opening on the left by the side of the Mangueira, is closed on the south by the wooded acclivities upon the last spur of which this villa 1s built. These hills also ? 1 "yo Te belong to the most advanced spurs of the Corcovado, which, with its sharp rocky summits, forms the back- ground of the valley, clothed to its base with woods. A tract of meadow succeeds; on the other hand, the remaining space, as far as the opening of the valley, 1s 234 RIO DE JANEIRO. covered with the most splendid banana grove that can be imagined. The long mountain-ridge which bounds this lovely valley on the north forms, although but slightly curved, a noble line, surmounted by trees of fantastic forms, and numerous single palms, which stand out in sharp relief against the dark tropical sky. Its sides are only wooded in parts; here and there it de- scends in rocky walls or picturesque terraces and plat- forms, upon which stand detached buildings surrounded by beautiful gardens, some of them quite stately edifices. Below, from out the banana grove rises one tall, splendid palm, and several other lower ones; but the greatest ornament of this valley is the high-arched crown of an immense tree, resembling a colossal flower of a splendid red or violet, almost crimson colour, which is a promi- nent object in the landscape ; while the valley extends in full exotic beauty and tropical luxuriance on the north of the villa; seen from the windows of my sleeping- room it presents an indescribable picture—one which I had now daily mn view. Scarcely had we taken luncheon, when the Minster of Foreign Affairs, Aurcliano de Souza ¢ Oliveira Cou- tinho, and the Mordomo of the Emperor, Paulo Barboza da Sylva, waited on me with an invitation from his Majesty to an audience at ten o'clock the next morning, and also to attend the anniversary of the independence of Brazil, which was to take place the same day. When these gentlemen left me, 1 could no longer resist my impatience to go out into the open air and survey the wonderful objects mm the vicinity : the little hill behind ENVIRONS OF RIO. the house was ascended in quick time; I remarked that the mica in the granite rock which forms this acclivity appeared to be remarkably large-leaved. The view from the top is even finer than that from the villa: on the terrace I could sce every ship entering or leaving the bay, but at this point the eye follows the vessels further inland, and observes their entrance still more distinctly. I wished to penetrate into the thicket of underwood which covers the acclivity, to reach the palms and the various fantastic trees, but in vain: the creepers scarcely allowed me to advance ten paces. 1 picked up a stick and walked down to the meadow, adjacent to the ba- nanas. It was intersected by small ditches, in the mud of which a troop of naked negroes were wading about, cleaning them out, whilst a lazy white fellow sitting by, with a large straw hat and a stick m his hand, made a face as if he were overworking himself mn the noonday heat. In the middle of the meadow stood a group of s range-looking trees, with a small garden close by, in which 1 observed many large and beautiful butterflies ; one in particular, of iridescent colours, azure- blue bordered with black (the A¢ronaunta nestor), 1 shall never forget. I next went up to the red tree above- mentioned, and found that its leaves were crimson, and the thousands of flowers upon it were violet blossoms. Dr. Lippold considered it a Nissolia, darker and more violet than the Sepuwcaja. On the road to the suburb of Rio I passed many half- naked, black women standing in a brook washing linen ; 230 RIO DE JANEIRO. I also met a number of negroes, and hackney carriages drawn by mules, and driven by creoles or blacks drest in a blue coat with a red collar and high boots. This reminded me of the old Prussian livery, and it is in fact of Prussian origin, for the ex-Major von Suckow, the proprietor of all these carriages, was formerly in the Kaiser-Franz Grenadier regiment. After the war he quitted our service, and entered the German legion in Brazil ; when the legion was disbanded he went back to Rio, where he established this hackney-coach trade, and got the whole horse and mule business of the metropolis into his hands: from that time no journey into the inte- rior, no drive in the city, no ride into the country with- out Herr von Suckow! I met many negroes carrying glass boxes upon their heads, with all kinds of articles for sale, and also bundles of sugar-canes: the singing and roaring tones with which they offer their wares are strange and ludicrous. The sound of the breakers on the shore attracted me from the straight road,—I was delighted to find that my house was so near to the sea. After dinner I walked out with My. Theremin, along the < Caminho Novo,” to which my villa belongs, and which extends to within a short distance of Botafogo, until a turn on the left past the row of houses of Praya do Flamengo brought us to the shore. Here lay two of the canoes, formed of the hollowed trunks of trees, in which the negroes navigate the bay. From the strand we ascended a small hill—backed by the Sugarloaf—the Morro do Flamengo, on whose sides a quarry is cut in COVE OF BOTAFOGO. 237 the micaceous granite, called Pedreira de Botafogo. Ne- gro-slaves were busy moving a huge stone with heavy crowbars, accompanying their work with a song to give the time; this scemed to be the chief part of the busi- ness, for half that number of European workmen would have done the task without the least difficulty. On the side of the Morro do Flamengo stood a mass of Tilland- sias, and some tall cactuses with angular stems. The view of the bay of Rio de Janeiro from its summit is wonderfully fine. At our feet lay the narrow entrance into the cove of Botafogo, which, like an enormous cleft, separates the Morro from the rugged side of the Pao de Assucar. We walked down the steep path to the shore of this small secluded bay—a little paradise! A semicircle of elegant villas, with beautiful flower-gardens, encloses it on the north and west sides, and on the other sides it 1s sur- rounded by luxuriant tropical wood scenery and moun- tains of the most glorious forms. In the cast rises the Sugarloaf, pointing like a gigantic finger to the sky, and opposite to it the summit of the Corcovado looks threat- ening down from a giddy height upon the peaceful little bay, smooth as the surface of a lake. Botafogo is quite like a European bathing-place on the edge of the pri- maeval forests,—a seaside summer resort of the diplo- matic circles. We set out to return. As the blood-red orb of the sun was sinking behind the mountains, the little leaves of a tall Mimosa by the roadside closed, just at the oun from the minute that the booming sound of the g 238 RIO DIE JANEIRO. ¢ Commodore’ reached us from the roadstead,—the sig- nal for the British squadron to strike their flags and send down their top-gallant yards. The short road to the villa led us again through the Caminho Novo. Orange-coloured flowers, called here Trombetas, covered in places the high garden-walls, be- hind which appeared the crowns of palm-trees and the jagged leaves of the bananas. In front of almost all the houses stands the straight-stemmed melon-tree, Mamocira (Carica Papaya), a tree which bears a quantity of round green and yellow fruit, overshaded by a small vaulted roof of large palmated leaves. The walk from Botafogo to my villa did not take a quarter of an hour, but it was dark, and the cicadas were chirping, when we reached the Chacara das Mangueiras. The sound which these Brazilian chirpers make is enough to split your cars; I can only, in mimiature, compare it with the harsh, whistling sound of a railway engine at starting. Before going to bed I again walked on to the terrace a, and through the avenue of mangos, to see the fireflies, which glittered upon the meadows on either side of the road. Their light reminded me strongly of the glow- worms that swarm about the traveller in Italy, especially in an cvening, when I saw myriads of them moving about like little stars in the glens near Salerno: but the flics here came out in such quantities, that the meadow looked quite like a phosphorescent sca. Before I pass to the description of the celebration of the “ Dia da Independencia do Brasil,” I may be per- HISTORICAL SKETCH OF BRAZIL. 239 mitted to give a short sketch of the history of that widely extended empire, which will better explain the importance of this festival. Scarcely had seven years clapsed after the first voyage of Columbus, when Vicente Yafniez Pinzon, who had ac- companied the intrepid discoverer of the New World as commander of the ¢ Nifia’ on that ever-memorable voy- age, sailed again in December 1499 from Palos with four carvels, which he fitted out in company with his nephew Arias, to prosecute new discoveries. He passed the Cape Verd islands, then turned south and west, crossed the line, which no Spaniard had before passed, and on the 26th of January, 1500, came in sight of the long, rounded palm-hill of Cabo S. Agostinho, projecting from the cocoa-woods of the coast: this he named Cabo de Consolacion, and was thus the first discoverer of Brazil. Ie then turned northward, and following the line of coast, passed the mouth of the Amazon and arrived at the Orinoco, from whence he returned to Eu- rope with the loss of two ships. But ere Pinzon reached the coast of Spain, the Portuguese had already taken possession of this new continent, which, as before re- marked, the Pope had assigned to Portugal. Scarcely had Vasco de Gama, after the discovery of the passage to India round the Cape of Good Hope, safely entered the Tagus, when the King, Dom Manoel, equipped a fs a; 240 RIO DE JANEIRO. second squadron to sail for India, and gave the com- mand of it to the Fidalgo Pedro Alvarez Cabral. Great ceremonies preceded the departure of the fleet, which took place on the 9th of March. Cabral first directed his course to the Cape Verd isles, in order to take mm the necessary store of water, and then sailed west, to avoid the calms which had detained Diaz and Gama. It hap- pened that storms and currents carried the Portuguese squadron so far west—according to their reckoning, 660 to 670 leagues from the above-mentioned 1slands— that on the 21st of April, Easter Tuesday, they observed masses of sea-wrack, the first indications of land. On the following morning they saw the first birds, © called Fourabuchos,” and the same day, Wednesday evening, the 22nd of April, discovered land, “a large mountain, very high and rounded, with another chain of hills to the south, and wooded plains.” Cabral named this mountain Monte Pascoal (Easter Mount), and the coun- try, which he took for an island, Ilha da Vera Cruz (of the true Cross). On the 23rd of April the Portuguese anchored oppo- site to the mouth of a river, but were compelled by stormy weather to set sail again the next morning. They steered ten leagues northward along the coast, and 1m 16° 27' south latitude, ran into a large, safe harbour, ‘h . | v9 Al v which they named ¢ Porto Seguro ’—a name which it # Compare the account given by Pedro Vaz de Caminha to the king Dom Manoel, of the discovery of Brazil, in Von IFeldner’s Tra- vels, ete. vol. 2. pages 159-200. According to Southey, the Por- tuguese first named Brazil, Ilha da Santa Cruz.” VOYAGES OF AMERIGO VESPUCCI. 241 bears to the present day. Cabral staid here a short while, during which Mass was performed several times, and on these occasions little tin crosses were huug about the necks of the natives, and a large cross was erected on the shore: on the 5th of May he continued his voy- age round the Cape toward Calicut, but at the same time despatched Gaspar de Lemos to Lisbon with the news of this unexpected discovery. Four ships of Ca- bral’s squadron were lost in this passage round the Cape, and with them perished the discoverer of the Cape of Good Hope himself, Bartolomeo Diaz. In the following year, 1501, King Dom Manoel sent Amerigo Vespucci, a Castilian whom he had taken into his service, with three ships to the new country, the coast of which he first saw 1 5° south latitude (at Cabo Roque), and followed as far as 52° —mnear the entrance of the Straits of Magellan. Tad he prosceuted his voy- age only 4° further south, the southern point of America would have been discovered *. No sooner had the Portuguese landed, in 8° south latitude, near the present Pernambuco, than they wit- nessed the frightful spectacle of one of their countrymen roasted and caten before their eyes—a miserable sight ! and yet more lamentable is it to consider that even at the present day, after the lapse of three centuries, this horrible custom still exists among some tribes of Brazil. This first voyage lasted sixteen months, in which Ame- rigo Vespucci again came to Pinzon’s Cabo de Consola- cion, to which he gave the name of S. Agostinho; but * Cape Horn lies in 55° 58" 40” south latitude. VOL. I. R 242 RIO DE JANEIRO. he found neither the harbour of Porto Seguro, nor the cross erected by Cabral. On the other hand he is said by some to have discovered the Bahia de Todos os San- tos, of which however Southey, in his celebrated [History of Brazil, says nothing. As early as the year 1503 Vespuccl repeated the voy- age, and established the first settlement on the soil of Brazil in 18° south latitude, and 35° west of the meridian of Lisbon, on the heights of the Abrolhos, in Espirito Santo. He erected here a fort, which he mounted with twelve guns, and garrisoned with twenty-four men, the sole survivors of the crew of his lost flag-ship. No sooner had the Spaniards discovered the South Seas, than they despatched a squadron to explore their connection with the Atlantic, but especially with a view to forestal the Portuguese. On this voyage Juan Diaz de Solis discovered by chance, in the year 1515, the mouth of the river La Plata, the shores of which were soon after colonized by the Spaniards. The I'rench also sought thus early to establish commercial dealings with Brazil ; and, according to Southey, it was the French who in the year 1516 discovered the noble Bahia de Todos os Santos, in 13° south latitude, of which how- ever the Portuguese under Christovao Jaques nearly at the same time took and retained possession. During the first thirty years after the discovery of the Ilha da Vera Cruz, the Portuguese showed little terest in this newly acquired land; they appear to have sent thither yearly only two ships with cmigrants, which brought wood and parrots as back-freight. Tt was PORTUGUESE SETTLEMENTS IN BRAZIL. 243 ~~ not until this period had elapsed that Dom Jodo the Mois i i viiis I'hird began to divide the colony into Capitanias, each of which received a strip of the coast territory fifty leagues in length,—an allotment which however was not afterwards properly observed. Many large districts, stretching fifty leagues into the interior, were given to single families and persons as fiefs of the crown, and with almost unlimited dominion, even over the natives. As the sugar-cane, which was imported from Madeira, thrived well, they established sugar-plantations, which were cultivated by negro slaves from Congo or Angola, as well as by native slaves, procured by slave-hunting, or prisoners taken in war. At the same time they carried on smuggling in European manufactures with the Spa- nish silver countries. The colonization excited m general little interest among the Portuguese, partly because the first settle- ments had not been attended with the rapid success ex- pected, and partly because the more important and ex- tensive conquests which were at that time prosecuted, attracted the public attention and drew colonists to India and Africa, by the allurement of gold and precious stones, which Brazil was not then supposed to offer. Thus it was that only expatriated Jews and criminals— and even these, especially the latter, very unwillingly— emigrated to Brazil, since no path was opened to theo, here, as in the bloody but glorious wars in India, to re- gain a position in society by deeds of valour in the field. Although the newly discovered country was poor in the precious minerals, it displayed on the other hand a R 2 244 R10 DE JANEIRO. great variety and fruitfulness in products of the vege- table kingdom. A certain kind of wood, which yielded a dye, was the first object that particularly attracted the attention of the new possessors. Amerigo Vespueel had already carried this to Portugal, and named it « Ver- cino.” At a still earlier period a dye-wood, known by the name of Brasil, Bresil, and Bresilje, was procured from the East Indies, where, according to an old Nubian geographer who called it Batram, it grew in Sumatra. Whether this East Indian name was transferred to the dye-wood found in South America, or, as others suppose, the wood of the Ibiripitanga, which yields this bright- red colour, took its name from the word braza, red-hot coal or the glow of fire, or the French brasiller,—it 1s af all events certain that this wood had carly the name of drasil, and that the present name of the country, which it bore even in the time of King Dom Manoel, is derived from this source. In the year 1530, the Englishman, William Hawkins, who visited this country and took back with him to London one of the native kings, called it Brazil. A century later the central part of Brazil, where the first settlements lay, exclusively bore this name. In the same year, 1530, Duarte Coclho Pereira laid the foundation of the present city of Pernambuco on the spot where a French factory had once stood. At the sight of the spot he is said to have exclaimed in rapture, “ linda situacam para se fundar huma Villa!” (Oh what a beautiful place to found a city !) and hence the name of Olinda is said to have arisen. At this tine PORTUGUESE SETTLEMENTS IN BRAZIL. (1531) the first of the larger and more fixed settlements in the southern part of Brazil, S. Vicente on the beau- tiful gulf of Santos, was established by the Captain- General Martim Affonso de Souza, who, as we have seen, discovered in the same year the bay of Rio de Janeiro. He planted the sugar-cane, and introduced the breeding of cattle. The Fidaleo Pedro de Goes, who in 1531 re- ceived a grant of territory extending thirty leagues along the coast between S. Vicente and Espirito Santo, was less fortunate. He sailed to the mouth of the Parahyba do Sul, and found there the Goaytacazes, with whom he lived in peace for two years; a war afterwards broke out between them, and he was expelled. Ten years later the Spaniard Francisco Orellana made his adven- turous voyage, and was the first who sailed down the Amazon river from Peru to its mouth ; but of this more clsewhere. We now come to a principal event in the history of Brazil. Up to this time the efforts of the Portuguese in South America wanted unity, the numerous Captains- General a common chief, and the country a centre. To remedy this want, Dom Jodo the Third sent Thomdé de Souza as his lieutenant (Capitdo Geral) to Brazil, in- vested him with judicial and civil powers, and appointed him over all the Captains-General. At the same time he commanded the new metropolis of Brazil to be erceted on the magnificent Bahia de Todos os Santos, and named it S. Salvador. Thom¢ de Souza arrived at the place of his destination in the begining of April, 1549. In three ships he carried over with him a thousand men, 24.06 RIO DE JANEIRO. of whom four hundred were degradados, criminals ; the squadron was under the command of Pedro de Goes, who had been driven away by the Goaytacazes. But more important than all this warlike equipment was the small unpretending band of six men, who accompanied the Governor-General of Portugal,—the first Jesuits who set foot on the soil of Brazil, having at their head the Padre Manoel de Nobrega as the chief and most distinguished. The first and anxious desire of Dom Joo the Third, in his heart a pious though bigoted monarch, was to extend the blessings of Christianity to his new heathen subjects. As a friend and admirer of Loyola, and a zealous protector of the Society of Jesus, he joyfully opened to them the wide bounds of his transatlantic kingdom, and invited them to direct their efforts to enlighten the poor savages, who were still lost in the night of paganism,—darker even than the shades of their primeval forests. The residence of the Jesuits in this country, for more than a century, was not without beneficial results: they laboured with un- wearied perseverance in the education of youth, took the poor and oppressed natives under their protection, and defended them against the eruel persecutions of the Portuguese. At the same time they sought to inspire the Indians with confidence, to accustom tnem to a set- tled mode of life, and by degrees to introduce among them civilization, and even to convert these former heathens and their descendants into a strong defence against their still savage neighbours. Every year they extended the net of their missions wider and wider, car- THE JESUITS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 247 rying civilization and humanity into countries where, without their agency, the savages would probably have lived in a state of war and cannibalism down to the present day. On the cther hand it cannot be denied, that their motives were probably not always pure; and indeed the pernicious effects of their influence were Inso- far manifest, as they imposed shackles on the minds of the white population, succeeded in keeping the natives more or less in tutelage, and suppressing the free moral development of the people. Regarding their operations from the Christian point of view, it is natural to ask, whether their efforts for conversion were directed to the outward form, or to the inward mind ; and the reply to this question may perhaps not be much more satisfactory than with respect to the conversions going on at the present day in many parts of Brazil, where baptism 1s degraded into a mere act of subjection to the crown, and no explanation of its meaning 1s ever thought of. The city and fortress of S. Salvador arose quickly : the Tupinambas, the most powerful race of the abori- gines, who possessed a large portion of the coast-region, themselves assisted in building this their future op- pressor; so that as carly as the year 1552, the first bishop appointed to Brazil, Dom Pedro Fernandez Sar- Let us now cast a passing glance on the aborigines of Brazil. A chaos of names and contradictory accounts meets us on entering the very limit of this nquiry, and we feel an uncertainty at every step in its history. When the Portuguese discovered Brazil, its cast coast was in- Hi RA Sees oa TRVETE ones AR OS SET 0 248 RIO DE JANEIRO. habited almost exclusively by one race: these were the tribes of the Tupis, whom we meet with under various names, and whose common language is understood to the present day by the inhabitants of the coast from S. Paulo to Para. The Jesuits, m their intercourse with the natives, derived great assistance from this so-called “lingoa geral”® on account of its general extension, and have left behind them an excellent grammar of it, written by the Padre Jozé de Anchieta. To the Tupi race belong, among many others, the Tapinambas (Tupi- nambazes) and the Tamoyos in the province of Rio de Janeiro. Ome of the few foreign races—perhaps the only one—who dwelt on the east coast among the tribes of the ““lingoa geral ” were the above-mentioned Goayta- azes : the plains of the lower Parahyba do Sul, where the city of S. Salvaddr now stands, are still called after them, “os Campos dos Goaytacazes.” From this race, who have long disappeared, the Coroados, the Coropds, and perhaps also the Puris{ are descended, who are met with at the present day in the vicinity of the above- named river. The first Europeans who visited the country met with the tradition among the Tupi tribes, that this large na- tion had come from the mterior toward the coast, and had driven back to the mterior another large tribe, the Tapuyas, whose hordes had possessed the coast territory * Southey, History of Brazil, vol. 1. page 225. Spix and Mar- tius, vol. 3. page 1093. + Southey, vol. 2. page 599 ef seq. : Von Feldner’s Travels, vol. 1. page 38 ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF BRAZIL. 249 before them. Whilst now the Tupi tribes were becoming gradually more and more thinned by the persecutions of the Portuguese, a large swarm of the Tapuyas gathered in the interior, parallel with the strip of coast from the mouth of the Rio de S. Francisco to Cabo Frio, and inundated the coast territory anew under the dreaded name of the Aymorés. Another opinion is that the Aymorés, the ancestors of the Botocudos (whom the Prince von Wied has described in so detailed and inter- esting a manner in the second volume of his celebrated work on Brazil), were a people of the south,—a supposi- tion which is said to be confirmed by their large stature ; while the important differences between their language and that of the Tapuyas appear to disprove their having any relationship with the latter. This is the opinion of Southey, whose account we have followed up to this point *. The Portuguese historian Vasconcellos, on the con- trary, divides all the tribes of Brazil mto two classes, the Indios mansos (tame Indians), and the Tapuyas, or the savage hordes, hostile to the Europeans. With the first he classes all the Tap tribes, while the latter, whose lan- guages vary greatly among themselves, include all the restt. Thus the Goaytacazes] and the Aymorcs with * Southey, vol. 1. pages 281 and 378. + Southey, vol. 1. page 378.—Spix and Martius, vol. 2. page 752.—Maximilian Prince of Wied-Neuwied, Travels in Brazil, vol. 1. pages 28 and 35.—Denis, Résumé de I’ Histoire du Brésil, pages 10-39. 1 Maximilian Prince of Wied-Neuwied, Travels, vol. 1. page 119 el seq. 250 RIO DE JANEIRO. their descendants are comprised in this latter classifica- tion, which has gradually extended more and more. All the various opinions however agree in one point, that the savage hordes have in the course of time retreated further and further into the interior, before the persecu- tions and slave-hunts of the Portuguese, and that the last traces of the Tupi tribes especially are at this day met with far in the interior on the shores of the Ama- zon*. A wonderful apparition indeed! what intermi- nable, toilsome migrations for these tribes, in small bands with their wives and children, across a continent covered with impenetrable forests, and what a contrast to the mounted hordes of the Huns, Goths and Tartars ! But we have anticipated the course of events ; let us resume the thread of history. The result of Villega- anon’s expedition, the expulsion of the French from the insular fortress in the gulf of Nitherohy, has been already related ; and we have observed that the survivors join- ing the Tamdyos carried on war against the Portu- guese for many years. But Brazil had a new misfor- tune to suffer,—the first fierce incursion of the Ay- morés (before whom the Tupi tribes had retired) into the Portuguese colonies in Ilheos and Porto Seguro m 1560. A calamitous fate hung like a heavy cloud over Brazil, until the conquest on S. Sebastian’s day, 1567, dispersed it. The victor, Mem de Sa, and his faithful companion Nobrega, who, like all the members of his Order, was on all occasions fearless of danger and * Spix and Martius, vol. 1. pages 213-213, and vol. 3. page 1061.— Denis, Résumé de I’ Histoire du Brésil, page 36. SPANISH DOMINION IN BRAZIL. ready to risk his life, founded Rio de Janeiro in the same year, and named it, in honour of their tutelary patron, S. Sebastiio. Three years later, after the death of both these great men, Brazil was partitioned into two General-Capitanias ; Luiz de Brito received the north with S. Salvador, and Dom Antonio Salema the south with the metropolis of S. Sebastido. It was reserved for the latter to give the death-blow to the combined French and Tamoyos: from eight to ten thousand men were slain on the field of battle or made prisoners. Happily for the colony this double sway did not last long, for after a few years one of the General-Capitanias ceased to exist. The union of Portugal with Spain in 1580 was at- tended by the most lamentable consequences both to the mother-country with her colonies and Brazil; Spain even seemed purposely to neglect this large and fine pos- session of her subjugated rival. Brazil likewise, as a Spanish colony, was soon threatened and laid under con- tribution by the enemies of her new master. English freebooters, under Fenton, Withrington, Cavendish and Lancaster, carried on their traffic with more or less suc- cess on her coasts in the latter part of the sixteenth century. 8. Vicente, Santos, the Reconcavo (Bahia) and Recife (Pernambuco) were laid waste by them, whilst in the beginning of the seventeenth century (1612) some French under Rasilly and Ravardicre settled in Maran- hao, and founded there a city upon an island at the mouth of the Meari, which, in honour of their sovereign, they named St. Louis ; this was however captured three Seruy Co —— 252 RIO DE JANEIRO. years afterwards by the Portuguese Jeronymo Aries. que. In the same year the Capito Mor Francisco Cal- deira de Castello Branco founded Nossa Senhora de Belem (the present Pard), at the southern embouchure of the Rio das Amazonas. Some years before (1608) Ceard had been declared a Capitania. But these small advances in colonization were insuffi- cient to indemnify Brazil for the losses which she suffered from the ensuing war with Holland, the formidable enemy of Spain and her colonies. Scarcely had the Dutch West-India Company been formed (1622), when two years afterwards it made a great attack on Brazil. We find the names of Willekens, Piet Tein and Vandort at the head of the sea and land forces which advanced upon Bahia, and took possession of S. Salvador almost without 4 blow. In the March following a Spanish-Portuguese fleet, under Don Fadrique de Toledo and Dom Manoel de Menezes, consisting of sixty-six ships with twelve thousand troops, appeared before Bahia de Todos os Santos,—an armada larger than had ever before crossed the line. Notwithstanding that the Dutch had materially strengthened the fortifications of S. Salvador, in spite of the ninety-two guns upon the ramparts (the new fort on the strand fired red-hot balls), and the ten men-of-war in the harbour, they found themselves compelled, by a mutiny which broke out among the troops of the gar- riven; Ao restore the important conquest to the enemy. Not long afterwards the Dutch flag was again victorious in those watels the brave Piet Hein twice ran into the hav of S. Salvador (1626), m spite of the vigorous fire oo St NS Noi THE DUTCH IN BRAZIL. of the enemy,—the first time with his flag-ship alone, which was sunk; he was however amply revenged by the capture of twelve of the enemy's vessels. On his return home the silver fleet of Mexico fell into his hands. Four years later Holland assembled a new force off the Cape Verd islands, under Hendrik Loneq and the admi- ral Peter Adrian, which was destined to make a second attack on Brazil. They took possession of Pernambuco in 1630, which thenceforth became the chief arsenal of the Dutch. In the course of the next five years the provinces of Pernambuco (Itamarica), Parahyba and Rio Grande do Norte fell into the hands of the Dutch, who had also garrisoned Porto Calvo in Alagoas, but lost it again. Count Johann Moritz of Nassau found the Dutch pos- sessions in Brazil in this position, when in 1637 he re- ceived the command of them from the United Provinces of the Netherlands. He immediately retook possession of Porto Calvo, erected Fort Moritz on the S. Francisco, made an incursion into the province of Sergipe del Rey, and in the same year also reduced the province of Ceara. With equal activity and success he in the interim, which he mostly spent in Recife, undertook the important task of administration. The perfectly lawless condition of the colony and the abandoned life of the immigrants were reformed, and the numerous frauds and gross abuses stopped, which had hitherto impoverished the revenues of the country. The neglected sugar-plantations were sequestrated and sold as state property, culture and colo- nization were encouraged in every way, and even the ex- R54 RIO DE JANEIRO. pelled Portuguese were summoned to yosinne Se of their former property, under the dominion of Ho . Towns, fortifications and bridges were erected, or i and palaces built, gardens and plantations oy much was especially done for Pernambuco ; v hilst on the other side the great Stadtholder laboured with equal zeal to promote art and science. itera Although in 1638 the fortune of war ¥ as less pe able to the Count than in the preceding y pe is at- tempt on S. Salvador having entirely foiled aftr 3 ii of forty days—he could nevertheless look ack » pride and pleasure on the great colony, wiih ie might of his arm, had already extended 1ts ie SIX provinces,—Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Para ; a, Rio Grande do Norte, and Ceard. The war was from this time carried on more by sea than land, and con- sisted chiefly in a mutual devastation of the territory and harbours along the coasts; until in 1640 a gr and unexpected event, the separation of Portugal fom Spon, put an end to the struggle for some time. Soon after Jodo the Fourth of Braganza ascended the thwone of Portugal, he concluded a truce with the Puteh for jo years, which however the latter broke m 164 | by t 2 capture of S. Luiz de Maranhdo ; and the Count o Nassau had shortly before his recall, mn 1644, also the mortification of being obliged to surrender this port ant place to the Portuguese. On the Aeporture of the Count the Dutch colony lost its powerful head, its strong arm ; instead of the wise moderation with which erne y iO wv, acts of op- that great man had governed the country, a CESSION OF BRAZIL BY THE DUTCH. pression of every kind were committed by the func- tionaries of the Company, which, embittered by the reli- gious hatred against the heretical Dutch, gradually ex- cited the Portuguese to rebellion. In the following year a general insurrection broke out in Dutch Brazil, headed by Jodo Fernandez Vieira, who was soon joined by the new Governor-General Francisco Baretto de Menezes. From this time fortune turned against the Dutch, and their tottering power received a d adly blow from a de- feat in the mountains of Guararapi near Pernambuco in 1648. The commencement of the war with Cromwell, added to all these misfortunes in South America, com- pleted their downfall, and in 1654 they were expelled from Brazil, with the loss of their chief town Recife. Holland however did not cede all her claims on this country to the crown of Portugal until the Treaty of the Hague, in 1661, for four millions of cruzados, and meanwhile she effected rich conquests in the East Indies. Although many outbreaks occurred among the natives, in consequence of the imposition of serfage, and quarrels arose with Spain from the establishment of the colony of S. Sacramento on the Rio de la Plata, opposite to Buenos Ayres (1679), which favoured smuggling, repose was at length in some degree restored to Brazil, after the sup- pression of the thirty years’ Dutch invasion. A subject of vast interest, which had long been kept in the back- ground, was now revived, namely the search of the precious metals in the interior of the country. The Paulistas a mixed population, of whites, natives and the descendants of both (Mamelucos), who formed a kind of a — Wa : oi BEE Ses SRR — pp I SAAN A Sl En AA A 1 i SAW 0 BE ——— 256 RIO DE JANEIRO. , : 1, independent republic m the neighbourhood of 3. Paulo — had hitherto roamed the terior, penetrating to the limits of Mato Grosso and Goyaz, in search of treasure. At the close of the seventeenth century the likewise began, and not without hope of Success, to send ditions with the same object mmto the interior of the One of these met a troop > » WS » Portuguese expe present province of Minas. of Paulistas, and both expeditions, 1t appears, discovered simultancously, and almost together, the rich gold dis- tricts which were afterwards such an important source of wealth to the kingdom of Brazil. After long struggles between the Portuguese and Paulistas, the Government at length, in 1709, founded the new Capitania of Minas Geraes and S. Paulo, which however in the year 1720 was divided into two Capitanias. Since Villegagnon’s expulsion Rio de Janeiro had yared (he storms of war and foreign invasion ; but f more than 140 years, the French In the year been sj now, after a lapse o renewed their attempts upon this country. 1710 M. du Clere anchored off Guaratyba, twenty-seven nautical miles west of the entrance to the bay of Rio de anded with a thousand marines, and marched Janeiro, | h the forests straight for the me- for seven days throug tropolis. [Ie entered Rio on the west side, but was 1 » 9 * W » - overpowered and taken prisoner. On the 12th of Sep tember in the following year™ the celebrated Du Guay Trouin, favoured by a fog, forced the entrance of Bio de Janeiro with seven ships of the line and four frigates, # Compare Eugene Sue, Histoire de la Marine Francaise, tom. v. page 304, and Southey, History of Brazil, vol. 3. page 113. EVACUATION OF BRAZIL BY THE FRENCH. 257 but not without considerable loss, which he himself stated at 300 men. After bombarding the city through- out the night, he the next morning took possession of the Ilha das Cobras, with 500 men, then landed 2750 more troops and sailors, and immediately erccted a bat- tery upon the island ; indeed the inactivity of the Portu- guese Governor, Francisco de Castro de Moraes, even allowed him to erect another upon a peninsula on the shore. In the night of the 20-21st of September he opened such a deadly fire upon the city, during a violent thunder-storm, that at daybreak he saw himself in pos- session of the place without drawing a sword. Du Guay Trouin was well-aware of the difficulty of his position, and the impossibility, notwithstanding the ready capitulation of the forts, of maintaining it for any continuance with his handful of men; nevertheless he was unwilling to leave the bay without reaping all the fruits of his victory. By threats he succeeded mn bring- ing the Portuguese Governor, who had retreated to a fortified post a league distant from the city, to guarantee the payment of a very heavy contribution. The treaty was honestly fulfilied, although on the day after its con- clusion considerable reinforcements joined the Portu- guese, under the command of the Governor of S. Paulo and Minas, Antonio de Albuquerque Coelho de Carvalho, who had ordered each of his 1500 horsemen to take be- hind him one of the infantry. The French thus saw themselves obliged to embark again in the beginning of November, and on the 13th of that month to quit the bay, laden with rich booty. VOL. I. S 258 RIO DE JANEIRO. In the year 1728 the first diamonds were found in the province of Minas, and from that time the mining operations, the gold- and diamond-washings, and the in- crease of the duties levied in the commercial and market towns (Registos) of the interior, engaged the principal attention of the Government, and very little was done for the civilization of the country. The Jesuits gradu- ally tightened the bonds in which they held the jmmi. grants and natives fettered ; whilst the grandees, on the lands which the Crown had granted them, ruled with increasing despotism, and adventurers, sanctioned by the Government, undertook the conquest of unknown lands at their own cost. This not only led to many battles with the savages (as with the Botocudos, in 1767), but gradually laid the foundation to the hatred of the native Brazilians toward the Portuguese. We now come to the time when the celebrated mini- ster Pombal held the reins of power in Portugal. Tt was he who expelled the Jesuits mm 1760, upon their arro. gating excessive power, and in 1763 transferred the scat of the Viceroy from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro. After hig fall and the death of the king Dom Jozg, S. Sacramento was ceded to Spain at the peace of S. Tldefonso in 1777 . on the other hand the island of Santa Catharina was recovered, and the Punta de Castillos, as had been settled in the treaty of Madrid ( 1750), was fixed to be the most southern point of Brazil, With the beginning of the present century, and the transference of the seat of the royal family of Portugal to Rio de Janeiro, commences a new wera in the history ARRIVAL OF DOM Joao IN BRAZIL, 259 of Brazil. When on the 29th of November, 1807, the advanced guard of Marshal Junot appeared on the heights of Lisbon, the Prince Regent, Dom Jogo (after- wards Dom Jodo the Sixth), who had seized the reins of government im the name of hig deranged mother Dona Maria the First, embarked at the last moment on hoard a fleet consisting of cight ships of the line, four frigates, and twelve brigs, for Brazil: an English squadron ac. companied him. A storm dispersed the fleet, and forced some of the ships to run into Bahia ; but jt at length anchored safely, on the 7t} of March, 1508, in the road- stead of Rio de Janeiro, On the arrival of the royal family the colony was speedily freed from the leading-strings of the mother- country, from the bondage in which Portugal had hither. to held this transatlantic fairyland. This change was chiefly effected by the celebrated royal decree of the 28th of January, 1808, throwing open to the ships of all nations the harbours of Brazil, which had been closed for cen- turies. Industry was from that moment cmancipated, a national bank and an upper tribunal for ga] affairs of Justice and finance were established, an academy for art and another for medicine decreed, the first print- Ing-press introduced, the rich asures of the royal library thrown open to the public,—in a word, institutions for the liberal sciences were called into existence, and at the same time numerous reforms effected ip the adi. nistration of the government and laws, A consciousness of independence began to awaken in the nation : a new, vigorous and self-relying spirit pervaded the country, $3 260 RIO DE JANEIRO. prosperity rapidly advanced, and customs outgrown by time were laid aside. Foreigners, who had been almost denied admission to the soil of Brazil, now flocked thither in great numbers ; while Portuguese of rank, and amongst them many adventurers, collected around the court of their native princely house, whose splendour flat- tered the Brazilian love of pomp, and whose liberality won the attachment of the nation, notwithstanding that the jealousy between the Brazilians and Portuguese increased from day to day. Even the erection of Brazil into a kingdom, like Portugal and Algarvia (1815), failed to stop this jealousy, which the short-lived insurrection that broke out in Pernambuco in 1817, in the second year of the government of Dom Jodo the Sixth, manifested in the most decided manner. Two years after the proclamation (acclamagio) of the King, which took place on the 5th of February 1518, the revolution broke out in Portugal, in August 1820, which excited such a powerful sympathy on the other side the ocean —and how could it be otherwise in a country which saw the old Spanish colonies in full insurrection all around, not to mention the example given by the United States in the preceding century >—that on the 26th of February, 1821, the Crown-Prince Dom Pedro de Alcan- tara, twenty-three years of age, proclaimed to the revolted populace of the metropolis, in his father’s name, the royal assent to the Constitution, which the Portuguese Cortes should frame. On the 24th of April Dom Jodo the Sixth embarked for Lisbon, after appointing the Crown-Prince Regent of Brazil and his Viceroy. DECLARATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF BRAZIL. 2061 The Prince Regent soon saw himself in a most em- barrassed position. The Provinces, summoned purposely by a decree of the Cortes of Lisbon, began to negotiate with the latter independently, so that Dom Pedro’s sway in fact only extended over Rio de Janeiro and the ad- joining provinces. To this trouble was added the msol- vency of the Bank, and, to fill up the measure of embar- rassment, new decrees of the Cortes continually appeared, which, from jealousy of the Prince Regent's growing in- fluence, abolished the most important courts and institu- tions of the country granted by King Dom Jodo, sum- moned Dom Pedro back to Portugal, and even ordered troops to be sent to Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro. These hasty and extreme measures roused a spirit of resistance ; the hostility of the two parties increased, and a single measure only was needed—that the rulers in Portugal should prohibit the importation of arms and ammunition into Brazil—to determine the powerful Co- lony to declare her absolute independence of the mother- country. Dom Pedro yielded to the persuasions of the municipality of the metropolis, on the 3rd of May, 1822, and placed himself at the head of the inswrection. On the 7th of September of that year, during a short excur- sion into the province of S. Paulo, he proclaimed on the banks of the Rio Ypiranga the independence of Brazil, and on the 12th of October, 1822, his birthday, upon the Campo de Santa Anna, assumed the title of “ Em- perador Constitucional ¢ Defensor perpetuo do Brasil.” On the 1st of December his coronation took place, and at the same time an assembly was convened to frame a a S——— 2062 RIO DE JANEIRO. constitution for the kingdom. Lord Cochrane, who had previously commanded the Chili fleet, was induced to enter the Brazilian service ; for a naval power was above all things necessary to the new State, to expel the Por- tuguese from the places on the coast, to reduce the extended coast-territory under the dominion of the Em- peror, to restore rest, and to protect the country from any hostile attempts of Portugal. Cochrane organized a squadron with great expedition, consisting of one ship of the line, four frigates, one corvette and two fireships ; he hoisted his flag on board the ¢ Dom Pedro I.” on the 21st of March, 1823, sailed from Rio on the 8rd of April, and returned thither on the 9th of November, after having defeated the Portuguese fleet, subjugated Bahia, Maranhiio and Para, and cleared the whole coast of hostile troops. The Constituent Assembly had meanwhile by no means completed the project of a constitution ; on the contrary they began gradually to assume a formidable and threat- ening attitude toward the Government, which caused the Emperor to dissolve the Assembly by force on the 13th of November. A new commission was appointed on the 26th of that month, which in the begining of January, 1824, submitted to the Emperor a draft of a constitu- tion, dated the 11th of December, 1823, which more accorded with his wishes, and was accepted by him and sworn to on the 25th of March. Most of the provinces gave in their adhesion to the new constitution ; the north alone formed an exception, seduced by the example of Pernambuco ; several of the coast provinces north of INDEPENDENCE OF MONTEVIDLO. 263 that place revolted, and attempted to set up a “ Confede- ragido do Equador,” with a republican form of govern- ment. General Francisco de Lima and Lord Cochrane however restored peace, which lasted until November. On the 29th of August, 1825, the treaty of peace was concluded with Portugal, which now recognized the in- dependence of Brazil. Nearly at the same time however fresh clouds gathered around the political hemisphere. In the Banda Oriental (Montevideo) or “ Provincia Cisplatina,” as it was called since its incorporation with the kingdom in the year 1823, an msurrection had broken out, which led to a conflict with the neighbouring state of Buenos Ayres, and at length in the year 1825 to a protracted war, which entailed an immense expense upon Brazil and vielded her little profit. This war lasted until the 2Sth of August, 1528, when it was ended by a treaty effected through the mediation of England, which declared the contested province independent, and gave her the choice, at the expiration of five years, either of joining one of the two contesting parties or remaining an independ- ent state. Montevideo (Uruguay) subsequently chose the latter, as was to be anticipated. Since the first session of the Chambers, on the 6th of May, 15206, the members of which had been already chosen in 1824 in accordance with the new constitution, these sessions were held annually until the year 1830, without any budget being settled or the means found to avert the threatening financial crisis. Meanwhile the disposition of the representatives of the nation grew 2064 RIO DE JANEIRO. more disinclined to monarchical government. Partly it was that the members considered themselves personally aggrieved, partly that they thought the constitution endangered by the measures which the Government had taken for the suppression of an insurrection in Pernam- buco. Their discontent indeed was so plainly declared, that, notwithstanding the state of peace, the army was still maintained on a war footing ; but the especial cause of dissatisfaction was the unsuccessful mission of the Emperor’s daughter, Dona Maria da Gloria (in whose favour he had resigned his claim to the Portuguese throne) to Europe, and the large sums which had been expended in her interest and for a purely Portuguese affair. The malcontents went even further, and accused the Emperor Dom Pedro of being in his heart more Por- tuguese than Brazilian. The Chambers were dissolved on the 3rd of Septem- ber, but again summoned on the Sth. Now for the first time a budget was declared®. The expenditure was restricted to the most necessary items, the army and the fleet were considerably reduced, and a new penal code was adopted. The liberal party had this time completely obtained the upper hand in both Chambers. Then came * The Gotha Court-Calendar for 1846 gives the following state- ment for the year from July 31st 1843 to 1844, taken from the re- port laid before the Chamber of Deputies by the Finance Minister. Expenditure, 27,894,922,543 Reis. Revenue, 20,500,000,000 Reis ; leaving a deficit of 7,394,922,543 Reis. An average of the years 1826 to 1829 gave—Expenditure, 19,271,645,000 Reis. Revenue, 13,808,928,000. Thus during the last fifteen years a considerable and nearly equal increase under both heads has taken place. ABDICATION OF DOM PEDRO. 265 the news of the French revolution of July, which tended not a little to increase the dangerous excitement of the country. The state of Minas Geraes especially, in which the chief symptoms of discontent appeared, induced the Emperor to visit that province in person, accompanied by his second consort, the amiable Princess Amelie von Leuchtenberg, whom he had married in October 1829, three years after the death of his first wife, the Arch- duchess Leopoldine, who left behind her a son and two daughters. The cold reception he met with in Ouro Preto (formerly Villa Rica) induced the Emperor to make but a short stay: his return was celebrated by the Portuguese with rejoicings of all kinds, which led to quarrels with their opponents, who were however worsted. Highly incensed by this defeat of their party, twenty Deputies met mn the metropolis, and had the audacity to call the Emperor to account in an impudent address couched in the most violent terms. The dismissal of the ministry was the consequence ; but at the same time, and notwithstanding this measure, an open insurrection broke out in Minas, S. Paulo and Bahia. The revo- lutionary tendency daily acquired increasing sympathy throughout the whole kingdom, and even the officers and troops were soon seized with the spirit of revolt. Dom Pedro knew the desperate state of his position ; he saw that the only hope for safety was m firmness. On the 6th of April the Emperor dissolved the ministry, whose composition he did not approve, and collected around him men devoted to his interest ; but it was too late! Crowds of people assembled on the Campo de Santa a 2606 RIO DE JANEIRO. Anna, and demanded the recall of the dismissed minis- try. At six o'clock in the evening three justices of the peace repaired to the palace of S. Christovéio, and laid before the Emperor the demand of the people. “He would do all for the people, but nothing 4y the people,” was the energetic answer of Dom Pedro, which was 1m- mediately the signal for the rebellious masses to take arms, and the open desertion of the military under the command of General Francisco de Lima to the revolu- tionary party. The Emperor, on being informed of this by an adjutant of the General, seized a pen at two o’clock in the morning, and wrote of his own accord the following memorable document, which he handed to that officer :—< In the exercise of the privilege which the Constitution gives me I hereby declare, that I abdicate the throne of my own free-will in favour of my beloved son Dom Pedro de Alcantara. Boa Vista®, the 7th of April, 1831, in the tenth year of the Independence of Brazil.” The Emperor then dismissed his ministers, appointed Jozé Bonifacio de Andrada to the guardian- ship of his children, and embarked on board the English ship of the line the « Warspite’ +, never more to set foot on the soil of Brazil. On the same morning Dom Pedro 11. de Alcantara, not yet six years of age, was proclaimed Emperor, amidst the general acclamation of the people, and a new regency * Usually called S. Christovio. + Dom Pedro made the voyage on board the British twenty-six- gun frigate the < Volage’, and the French corvette © La Seine’ ac- companied him. PROCLAMATION OF DOM PEDRO II. 207 nominated consisting of three members. This was suc- ceeded in the year 1832 by a similar one, whereupon mn 1835 the well-known Diego Antonio Feijo, (whose suc- cessor, in 1838, was Pedro de Araujo Lima) was ap- pointed sole Regent. At the desire expressed by both Chambers, Dom Pedro, on the 23rd of July 15840, de- clared himself of age, and summoned a new ministry, including among the rest Aureliano de Souza e Oliveira Coutinho, who frankly told the youthful monarch the dangers that had threatened his empire, torn as it was by parties, from the republican tendencies and efforts of the different regencies. How difficult indeed the position of the Emperor is, can alone be estimated from the numerous msurrections which, since the abdication of Dom Pedro the First, have broken out in the different provinces of the empire, and which still in part continued at the period of my visit. In the year 1835 the formidable Indian revolu- tion in Pard took place; in the same year the insurrec- tion in Rio Grande do Sul broke out; m 1837 occurred that of the negroes in Bahia; in 1839 the revolt m Maranhito, and in 1842 Minas and S. Paulo rebelled *. Among the last important events were the coronation of the Emperor, on the 18th of July, the appointment of the Council of State on the 21st of November, 1841, # All these insurrections are now quelled. The merit of having restored peace to Brazil belongs in the first place to General Baron Caxias, of the family of Lima e Silva, who finally suppressed the revolution in Rio Grande do Sul in 1845, and for this achievement was elevated by the Emperor on the 25th of March in that vear to the title of Conde de Caxias. 208 RIO DE JANEIRO. the revisal of the penal code, and above all the betrothal of the Emperor with the Princess Theresa of Naples ™. We shall here close our historical sketch, which has extended to a much greater length than we had origi- nally purposed; but we considered it necessary to form this historical bridge, in order to transport the reader to the following day, which without a knowledge of the past would have little interest. This may also be the proper place to offer a few general observations in refer- ence to this transatlantic empire. The constitution of 1824 recognizes four powers: the legislative, which 1s administered by the general assembly, consisting of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies,—the moderative and the executive, which are solely lodged in the hands of the Emperor,—and lastly the judicial power, which 1s quite distinct from the others. There has likewise ex- isted, since 1834, in each of the eighteen provinces t a provincial assembly, whose office it is to watch over its particular interests. Fach province has a president at * The squadron despatched to convey the young Empress left Rio for Naples early in March, 1843. The marriage by proxy took place on the 30th of May, 1843, and the actual marriage was cele- brated at Rio on the 4th of September in that year. By the birth of the Crown-Prince Dom Affonso Pedro, on the 23rd of February, 1845, the succession is secured to the male line; until then Dona Januaria, the present wife of the Count d’Aquila, was the pre- sumptive-heiress to the crown. + The names of the fifteen provinces which touch the coast are from south to north,—S. Pedro or Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catha- rina, S. Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espirito Santo, Bahia, Sergipe, Ala- goas, Pernambuco, Parahyba, Rio Grande do Norte, Ceard, Piauhy, Maranhio, Pard ; and the names of the three provinces of the inte- rior,— Minas Geraes, Goyaz, and Mato Grosso. THE IMPERIAL EQUIPAGE. 269 the head of its administration; its subdivisions are named Comarcas (districts), and these are again divided into Freguezias (dioceses). To describe the boundaries of the Empire would lead us too far; we will only observe, that Brazil extends at the present time from 33° 47" south to 4° 17" north latitude, and from 34° 47' to 69° 59" west longitude, and covers an area of about 130,000 geog -aphical square miles, equal to about three-fourths of Europe ; whilst its population, not including the Indians living in a per- fectly savage state, is estimated at about five millions ™. % There exists no official statement of the population of the country, with the exception of a few provinces, and the most recent estimates vary from seven to four millions ; according to Von Feldner (vol. 1, page 43) the population of all classes appears to amount to not much more than three millions. Von Roon (Grundziige der Erd- Volker- und Staatenkunde, Part III. Sect. II. page 1088.) states that of the population about thirty-five per cent. are free, and sixty-five per cent. slaves, and that these are divided according to their chief elements :— 1. Whites (Brazilians, i. e. Creoles, Portuguese, Germans, etc.) 1,000,000 . Negroes 3,116,000 Bree ....cocecennnrnsnnies 180,000 Slaves 2,936,000 3. Mestizos and Mulattoes 1,009,000 Free 600,000 SIaves.....o cor rinsrnnssons 409,000 Total 5,125,000 CC YAIONIE .rorvernsannrronsnsinsnsssiire mmarsvanes 1,990,000 Under subjection 360,000 Independent ............ 1,630,000 | Total population of the country 7,115,000 R70 RIO DE JANEIRO. September Tth.—Soon after nine o'clock this morning an imperial state-carriage, harnessed with four mules and attended by servants in livery, drew up before my residence. The imperial livery is green and gold; the outriders wore large boots and three-cornered hats ; the reins are also green, ornamented with little gilt stars. A body of cavalry of the line, in dark-blue jackets with red collars, drew up to form an escort, and the Chamberlain De Werna Magalhiies came to accompany me to an audience of the Emperor. We rolled quickly along the same road by which we had yesterday entered the city. The high double arches of the aqueduct, which | had seen in Mr. Theremin’s sketches, bridged the street before us, and 1 recognized the beautiful bananas grow- ing among the houses, over which the mighty aqueduct stretches far away. At a brisk trot we passed under the aqueduct into the heart of the city. The crowds in the streets gave indications of the great festal day— the day on which, twenty years before, Brazil had de- clared her independence. The cavalry of the National Guard, in uniforms of green with yellow collars, formed in the streets, and single horsemen were seen mounting with the help of their negro attendants. We now ar- rived at the wide, somewhat desolate-looking square of Santa Anna, called also the Campo da Honra or Campo da Acclamaciio,—the same in which Dom Pedro the First was proclaimed Emperor of Brazil,—and gradually came again out of the city. The fine high-road leads over an extensive tract of marsh and fields covered with rushes and encompassed by wooded hills. Upon one DRIVE TO THE PALACE. 271 of these, on the right of the road, I saw a perpendi- cular granite rock, apparently traversed with veins of quartz. Large, black Urubis flew circling over the marshes. This valley is watered by small arms of the sea or canals, connected with the bay, the surface of which IT also discerned after a time in an open tract of country on my right. Upon a steep acclivity on the shore stands a large white building, named the hospital “ dos Lazaros.” We were soon again in the midst of houses and gardens, surrounded by tropical plants which excited our admiration. A peculiar tall shrub, frequently growing to the size of a tree, especially attracted my notice by its splendid, scarlet flowers, larger even than roses : it was a tree-like Camelia. It brought the Chi- nese tapestry to my mind; I had always laughed at the strange figures, the fabulous trees with flowers, depicted on that work; but I now saw such trees actually in existence. A green square, ornamented with flags, lay on the left of the road, upon which was pitched a large tent ; great multitudes of people had collected, and were awaiting the ceremony, at which the Emperor was to assist in person, and to which 1 was also invited, of laying the foundation-stone of an imperial institution for the orphan daughters of faithful servants of the State. This was to take place in an hour. An instant afterwards we turned into the gates of a park, and a short avenue led straight to the imperial palace of S. Christoviio; a two-storied building, with two wings in the course of erection—a proof that the palace has sufficient accommodation for 270 RIO DE JANEIRO. September Tth.—Soon after nine o’clock this morning an imperial state-carriage, harnessed with four mules and attended by servants in livery, drew up before my residence. The imperial livery is green and gold; the outriders wore large boots and three-cornered hats ; the reins are also green, ornamented with little gilt stars. A body of cavalry of the line, in dark-blue jackets with red collars, drew up to form an escort, and the Chamberlain De Werna Magalhiies came to accompany me to an audience of the Emperor. We rolled quickly along the same road by which we had yesterday entered the city. The high double arches of the aqueduct, which I had seen in Mr. Theremin’s sketches, bridged the street before us, and I recognized the beautiful bananas grow- ing among the houses, over which the mighty aqueduct stretches far away. At a brisk trot we passed under the aqueduct into the heart of the city. The crowds in the streets gave indications of the great festal day— the day on which, twenty years before, Brazil had de- clared her independence. The cavalry of the National Guard, in uniforms of green with yellow collars, formed in the streets, and single horsemen were seen mounting with the help of their negro attendants. We now ar- rived at the wide, somewhat desolate-looking square of Santa Anna, called also the Campo da Honra or Campo da Acclamaciio,—the same in which Dom Pedro the First was proclaimed Emperor of Brazil,—and gradually came again out of the city. The fine high-road leads over an extensive tract of marsh and fields covered with rushes and encompassed by wooded hills. Upon one DRIVE TO THE PALACE. 271 of these, on the right of the road, 1 saw a perpendi- cular granite rock, apparently traversed with veins of quartz. Large, black Urubis flew circling over the marshes. This valley is watered by small arms of the sea or canals, connected with the bay, the surface of which T also discerned after a time in an open tract of country on my right. Upon a steep acclivity on the shore stands a large white building, named the hospital « dos Lazaros.” We were soon again in the midst of houses and gardens, surrounded by tropical plants which excited our admiration. A peculiar tall shrub, frequently growing to the size of a tree, especially attracted my notice by its splendid, scarlet flowers, larger even than roses : it was a tree-like Camelia. It brought the Chi- nese tapestry to my mind ; I had always laughed at the strange figures, the fabulous trees with flowers, depicted on that work; but I now saw such trees actually in existence. A green square, ornamented with flags, lay on the left of the road, upon which was pitched a large tent ; great multitudes of people had collected, and were awaiting the ceremony, at which the Emperor was to assist in person, and to which 1 was also invited, of laying the foundation-stone of an imperial institution for the orphan daughters of faithful servants of the State. This was to take place in an hour. An instant afterwards we turned into the gates of a park, and a short avenue led straight to the imperial palace of S. Christoviio; a two-storied building, with two wings in the course of erection—a proof that the palace has sufficient accommodation for 272 RIO DE JANEIRO. e—stood before us, with a large the imperial residenc Two winding flights of basin and fountain in front. steps outside the building, upon which were groups of sons in uniform and court-dress, led up to the chief All the Ministers and the Court came to meet arriage, and conducted me per entrance. me at the door of the through several apartments to the Emperor, who, stand- ing In the middle of the Audience-chamber, received me in a very gracious manner. I handed to his Ma- the letter from my most gracious Sovereign, ac- le insignia of the Order of the Black ror accepted the Order with evident for the royal present Py this proof of the jesty companied by tl Fagle. The Empe pleasure, and expressed his thanks in a few words, saying how hap s royal brother made him. His Majesty st gracious manner, that he was pleased to create me a Knight of the most honourable Order of the Southern Cross. Delighted at receiving this proof of imperial favour, 1 immediately put on the and the blue ribbon, and then followed the retired apartment, where his friendship of hi then added In the mc new Order Emperor into a more Majesty sat down and conversed with me in the most friendly manner upon the plan and objects of my journey. Dom Pedro the Second 1s remar mental vigour and acquirements for his age; a largish head, kably advanced In he is of small stature, and rather stout, with blond hair, and well-formed features ; his blue, speaking estness and benevolence. Although eye expresses earn old he has the gravity of deport- only seventeen years THE EMPEROR OI" BRAZIL. ment of a full-grown man. Ile evinces great pleasure % the advancement and acquisition of ir a ag > : Th Da every branch thoroughly. Wicory 1s his write study, although he takes an interest in various Ohne subjects, and among the rest botany The : Sovereign likewise manifests great talent in art io He ing ; and here the earnestness of hi ; i he 8 | ss of his character 1s seen his interest in all that is great and noble, for rally chooses as the subjects of is 4 dh oy ¢ subjects of his pencil the portraits of great rulers, celebrated m history, whose ex: desires to emulate. ey The Emperor rises as carly as six o'clock mn the morning, and devotes himself to the affairs of st ro a great portion of his spare time is spent in ny . which an excellent memory assists him orently ar is a noble spirit of ambition in the ny ll pm educate himself more and more for his exalted it cult station,—an ambition which we cannot but res : : and admire. What a happiness for this beautiful oi try to be governed by a ruler who knows so weufoetly the duties of his position, and has such an attest Si to make his people happy! May Heaven or oy blessing on his efforts ! : ai His Majesty wore a dark-blue uniform, embroidered on the seams, with a collar and cuffs of the same colour and a white lining ; over this, in the Partnmacse tok : a band composed of the ribbons of scver] Eo Orders with the Southern Cross, upon is brpost stars, and the Golden Fleece with large pellets his neck outside the collar. The gold epaulets wit : wn 0 1 long, v ue ~~ Cy ~ oi, ct A Ta NS oy + Nally > » te Bt nS Sn 212 RIO DE JANEIRO. the imperial residence—stood before us, with a large basin and fountain in front. Two winding flights of steps outside the building, upon which were groups of persons in uniform and court-dress, led up to the chief entrance. All the Ministers and the Court came to meet me at the door of the carriage, and conducted me through several apartments to the Emperor, who, stand- ing in the middle of the Audience-chamber, received me in a very gracious manner. I handed to his Ma- jesty the letter from my most gracious Sovereign, ac- companied by the insignia of the Order of the Black Eagle. The Emperor accepted the Order with evident pleasure, and expressed his thanks for the royal present in a few words, saying how happy this proof of the friendship of his royal brother made him. His Majesty then added in the most gracious manner, that he was pleased to create me a Knight of the most honourable Order of the Southern Cross. Delighted at receiving this proof of imperial favour, 1 immediately put on the new Order and the blue ribbon, and then followed the Emperor into a more retired apartment, where his Majesty sat down and conversed with me in the most friendly manner upon the plan and objects of my journey. Dom Pedro the Second is remarkably aavanced in mental vigour and acquirements for his age; he is of small stature, and rather stout, with a largish head, blond hair, and well-formed features ; his blue, speaking eye expresses earnestness and benevolence. Although only seventeen years old he has the gravity of deport- THE EMPEROR OF BRAZIL. 273 ment of a full-grown man. Ie evinces great pleasure in the advancement and acquisition of knowledge, and has pursued every branch thoroughly. History is his favourite study, although he takes an interest in Chfihos Other subjects, and among the rest botany. The young Sovereign likewise manifests great talent in art, in iy and here the earnestness of his character is seen 1s interest in all that is great a ior He hal rally chooses as the HO 4 a pry i s pencil the portraits of great rulers, celebrated in history, whose example he desires to emulate. ey The Emperor rises as early as six o'clock in the morning, and devotes himself to the affairs of tke; a great portion of his spare time is spent in reading in which an excellent memory assists him greatly. There 1s a noble spirit of ambition in the youthful Emperor to educate himself more and more for his exalted but diff. cult station,—an ambition which we cannot but respect and admire. What a happiness for this beautiful Sr try to be governed by a ruler who knows so perfectly the duties of his position, and has such an earnest dosize to make his people happy! May Heaven orant ts blessing on his efforts ! : : His Majesty wore a dark-blue uniform, embroidered on the seams, with a collar and cuffs of the same colour and a white lining ; over this, in the Portuguese fashion a band composed of the ribbons of sever differant ig with he Sotho Cross, upon his breast three im ad the Golden Fleece with large brilliants around 1s neck outside the collar. The gold epaulets with long, YOL. I. TP 274 RIO DE JANEIRO. heavy tassels, were ornamented with the arms of Brazil, At his side hung a golden sword, upon a white and gold belt, with a light-blue enamelled hilt, upon which was the Southern Cross in brilliants. His crimson silk sash was completely covered by the sword-belt, the gold tassels alone hanging down in front on the gold-em- broidered Hungarian knot, over long white casimir trowsers, ornamented on the sides with broad gold stripes. A three-cornered, black velvet hat completed the costume. At the close of our conversation the Emperor gra- ciously presented me to his sisters. Both Princesses are fair, like their brother, but rather older; both pretty, especially the younger, Dona Francisca, now the Princess de Joinville. They wore green and gold robes, em- broidered with small stars and spheres, and birds formed of brilliants in their hair. Each had the star of the Southern Cross, and the ribbon of an Order composed of several others. The ladies of honour were dressed in similar robes, every one here being clad in green and gold,—chamberlains, ministers, and indeed the whole court from first to last. After awhile we all repaired to the fore part of the palace. The state carriages drove up in front. My six-windowed carriage was the first, then came Dona Francisca’s, then Dona Januaria’s, then the Emperor’s. In this order the procession started, accompanied hy a squadron of National Guards as an escort to the Emperor, and many court carriages. On our arrival at the spot where the ceremony of laying the stone - STATE CEREMONY. 27: was to take place, the diplomatic corps, the clergy, the naval and military officers of rank, the municipality, ete. were already collected under the tent. When the Emperor appeared, a short religious service commenced. His Majesty pointed to me a place on his right hand, while his two sisters stood on his left according to their age: this is the order invariably observed in all ceremonies. The Bishop of Chrysopolis, his Majesty’s former tutor, consecrated the foundation-stone, which was suspended from two elegant polyspasts ; the Emperor himself laid it. The procession returned slowly in the same order, but considerably increased, to the city. The large Urubis circled aloft overhead, and crowds of negro-slaves, with here and there dark-coloured Indians dressed like Euro- peans, and the black drivers of the heavy oxen-waggons, stared at and greeted the procession of carriages. With European pomp it proceeded om its way, under a burning sun and enveloped in thick clouds of dust, passing clear l rivulets, in which stood clumsy half-naked female slaves busy washing, slender palms, large-leaved bananas, trees with red flowers, marvellous exotic plants and lovely wooded hills. The streets of Rio were filled with people ; at all the corners were gathered groups of black slaves, to greet the Emperor; all shades of colouy were here seen col- lected, from the negro and mulatto to the half-brown or white dandy. Out of the windows and over the half-doors at the entrance of the houses, hung crimson silk shawls, and over these generally smaller ones of T 2 276 RIO DE JANEIRO. white stuff. In the background stood smart fat mu- latto women, black nursemaids, and the elegant white ladies of Rio, who for the most part appear to be very kindly treated by nature. Black hair and eyes pre- dominate, but here and there the fair complexion had a somewhat equivocal, almost brownish tint. Several battalions of the National Guard were drawn up on the Campo de Santa Anna, and presented arms, whilst the music played. Whites, mulattoes, and free negroes stood promiscuously in rows. At length we reached the Quay: all the merchantmen, coasters and men-of-war in the roadstead were drest out with flags. The procession stopped before the palace, on the Largo do Paco, the square with the obelisk fountain. In the vestibule was a throng of gentlemen of the court, cham- berlains, and archeiros (archer-guards) clad in green and gold, with tall halberds, to receive the Emperor. We all went up into an apartment with light-blue de- corations, from the balcony of which is the finest view of the roadstead. Among the numerous streamers float- ing in the breeze, I observed with a feeling of joy the Prussian flag. After a short pause the Emperor went to Mass. The way to the royal chapel led through several saloons and long corridors. The Brazilian flags worked in cloth, or rather green cloth hangings embroidered with the Brazilian arms in the old Portuguese fashion, serve here, as at S. Christovio, for door-curtains. In general the apartments of the imperial palace are decorated im a simple style. In former times this building was the SERVICE IN THE ROYAL CHAPEL. 277 seat of the Portuguese viceroys; the Emperor now only lives in it for a short time, as his chief residence is S. Christovao. On entering the church I received a hint to follow the Princesses to the tribune on the right side. The box was closed with a crimson silk curtain, which was immediately undrawn, when the two exalted ladies had placed themselves behind their kneeling-cushions. At the same time the Emperor, followed by the whole court, entered the church, knelt before the altar, and then took his place under the canopy opposite to his sisters. The Bishop of Chrysopolis performed Mass, with the accompaniment of vocal and instrumental music: when it was ended, the procession returned the same way to the throne-room. The Emperor approached the window. The National Guards were drawn up in front of the palace ; they were formed into appropriate bodies, and had a field-train of six guns of different calibres. The Emperor was received with the usual honours, amidst shouts of “Viva o Imperador!” Presently I heard, to my no small astonishment, a well-known sound,—owur signal to charge, upon which salvos were fired by three battalions of infantry and twenty-one guns from the battery. After each of the volleys the Emperor gave the sign with a handkerchief to stop firing. The uniforms of the mfantry have a similar cut to those of the English riflemen ; they are dark-blue with light- areen half-collars and turned up with yellow, the tscha- kos and muskets are quite English : the officers also wear dark-red silk sashes. The cavalry and artillery of the R78 RIO DE JANEIRO. National Guard are clad in the same colours, but the artillery of the line have black collars with crimson fa- cings. The National Guards looked very well, and, re- garded as a militia, displayed a creditable military de- portment and a fair share of discipline. They performed garrison duty at this time in Rio de Janeiro, the metro- polis being almost deserted by the troops of the line, who were just now concentrated in the provinces of Minas and Rio Grande do Sul, to suppress the insurrec- tion which had broken out there. 1 had also today an opportunity of offering to the Emperor my congratula- tions upon a victory which the arms of his Majesty had just obtained in Minas under General Baron Caxias, the consequences of which were soon decisive. The troops defiled before the palace in detachments, and thus ended this short review. Cannoniers—almost all whites—drew the guns instead of horses, eight to twelve men being harnessed to cach. When the troops had passed, the Emperor left the window and took his place with his two sisters on the top step under the green velvet throne-canopy, whilst the Court ranged themselves on each side; the English Ambassador pre- sented the new Governor of the Mauritius, General Sir William Gomm, whose acquaintance 1 had made in Madeira. Mr. Hamilton afterwards appeared, at the head of the diplomatic corps, and read the address to the Emperor in the name of that body, congratulating his Majesty on the anniversary of this important day. After the Emperor had returned an answer to the address, the diplomatic corps retired, walking backwards to the door, RECEPTION AT COURT. 279 as is the custom likewise in England. The military and civil authorities now advanced in different corps, to kiss hands, and it had a most strange appearance, when an old negro officer (known in Rio by the name of Bona- parte”) and several mulattos kissed the white hands of the Princesses. Lastly were presented a numerous de- putation from a scientific society. As soon as this ceremony—rather a fatiguing one under such a tropical heat—was ended, the Emperor went back to the light-blue apartment. Here we sepa- rated for half an hour, after which the Court assembled again at dinner. One interesting thing I remarked at this dinner, that the ice had been brought from North America, and consequently had passed the line. But a short time ago this luxury, doubly salubrious and refreshing in a hot climate, was unknown here, the North American ice having been imported only within the last four or five years. On my return from the city to my country villa 1 passed a spring, at which the negroes with their pails and pitchers stood ranged in two rows under the mspec- tion of the police. The reason of this regulation was said to be that at this time there was a scarcity of water in the city. At eight o'clock in the evening I repaired to the large Theatro de S. Pedro de Alcantara, where the Emperor was expected. As soon as his Majesty arrived, and had taken his place on the platform set apart for the seats of the Imperial Family, his sisters standing on his left hand, the curtain of the box was undrawn, and the band 280 RIO DE JANEIRO. struck up the national hymn amid loud acclamations. Hardly were these silenced, when a gentleman in a black dress-coat leaned out of his box, and recited aloud to the Emperor with great animation a poem upon the festival that had taken place this day; four others fol- lowed his example, some of whom seemed to have learned their task by heart imperfectly : at last one of the National Guards declaimed his poetical effusion from the upper circle : the overture then began. At the con- clusion of the first part the Emperor sat down, and when it was ended his Majesty retired with all the Court into a small anteroom for conversation, the Princesses gomg to and fro from one to the other. The Emperor did not return to his box until the ballet, at the con- clusion of the performance, when he resumed his place upon the platform. The house is spacious and well-lighted, but the ballet did not please me much. I must not however omit to notice one amusing sport of nature in the ballet corps,—several mulatto ladies with white, flesh-coloured legs, and one man with a long tunic which gave him all the air of a clumsy woman. September 8th.—This morning at ten o'clock the imperor surprized me with a gracious visit, and re- mained for an hour and half, most of the tine in the ve- randah, conversing in a very affable manner on a varicty of subjects. His Majesty also presented to me in the kindest manner two very pretty Dagucrreotype views of S. Christoviio, taken by a foreign artist, which he had mentioned to me yesterday. The Emperor has himself Ts LL eal Sona on HL Sete a TP VISIT FROM THE EMPEROR. 251 made many experiments with the Daguerreotype, and expressed his opinion that chance has a great share in this process, in which I quite concur: I have myself taken great pains to produce something with the Da- guerreotype, but in vain. Count Oriolla made the last attempt with my apparatus in the Alhambra, but he entirely failed, as a part of the quicksilver had, by the jolting of the Malaga diligence, been spilled upon the plates. Today I experienced the first instance of the idleness and negligence of the negroes. A black was despatched to the < San Michele’ before eight o’clock, to announce that I should be happy to receive at two o'clock on board the frigate the Officers of the British squadron, who had sent to timate their desire to call on me. When I arrived on board, shortly before the appointed time, I found that the messenger had preceded me scarcely a quarter of an hour. The utmost time that could be required for this errand was from two to three hours, whereas he had been gone at least five. One great cause of this laziness lies in the irresistible at- traction of the ““ Vendas de Caxaga™ (spirit-shops) to all blacks. We shall hereafter see how other points of the negro’s character likewise conduce to give him this slothful habitude. Notwithstanding such a late invitation the English Of- ficers soon paid a visit to the Frigate. On this occasion Commodore Purvis had the kindness to offer me the ser- vice of the steamship the < Growler’ for my voyage to Para, knowing that if was iy intention to visit that province. 282 RIO DE JANEIRO. The offer was in every respect welcome to me, and | hailed with pleasure this first opportunity of availing myself of the service of a British man-of-war, the English Admiralty having shown me so many instances of cour- tesy, which 1 had been hitherto prevented by circum- stances from accepting. Among the rest, the Malabar,” of seventy-two guns, had received instructions on her departure from England to place herself at my service in case she fell in with me at Madeira, as likewise the “Talbot” of twenty-six guns. I had the pleasure today of making the acquaintance, among the other Officers, of the Captain of the ¢ Malabar,” Sir George Sartorius, Dona Maria’s victorious admiral. They were all full of a comical scene which occurred yesterday. Whilst the «San Michele’ and the ¢ Satellite” were awaiting in the roadstead of La Santa Cruz de Teneriffa my return from the Peak, an English frigate, which had likewise come from Funchal, passed them: she was celebrated as a fast sailer in the fleet, and had jestingly inquired of the corvette whether she had any commands for Rio. The Captain of the frigate, in the expectation of meeting a quartering wind south of the Equator, and thence to be carried with a flowing-sheet to Cabo Frio, held his course so far cast on the northern hemisphere, that he reached 11° longitude west of Greenwich, whilst we cut the line in 24° 57' 36". Yesterday, when the important moment arrived of entering the Bay, and all the telescopes on hoard the British cruiser were in activity, the officer on watch suddenly announced that he desceried the Sar- dinian frigate among the men-of-war lying in the roads. VISIT FROM ENGLISH OFFICERS. 283 At this news the Captain put on a serious face; pre- sently a second gratifying announcement was made,— the © Satellite” was likewise seen anchored off Rio,—he could restrain himself no longer, and the storm broke out. It was disheartening to see himself so out in his reckoning, and yet highly amusing to the bystanders. and He who attempts too much, often attains nothing so it 1s with the trade-wind, which sometimes leaves the sailor in the lurch. I returned to the Mangueira full of delight at this settled prospect for my projected expedition to the Rio das Amazonas. Had it not been for the © Growler,” 1 should have had to regulate my plans by the times of departure of the Brazilian steamer, which since 15839 had sailed monthly for Para, and should have been obliged to spend four weeks on board the packet, in- stead of, as now, making the voyage in about a fortmght in the most interesting manner, and being consequently enabled to give the rest of the time to my river expedi- tion : this was an portant consideration. September Oth.—1 availed myself of a bright, cool morning to take a short walk to that paradise of a spot Botafogo, and was in perfect delight with the glorious aspect of nature and the variety of exotic trees and plants in the gardens. In the afternoon I walked with Mr. Theremin into the narrow valley behind the “red tree,” called Laranjeiras, which extends to the foot of the Corcovado. The Rio das Laranjeiras, a brook in which a number of negresses were washing linen under thick groups of bananas,—the little village of 284 RIO DE JANEIRO. Cosmo Velho, with its pretty houses shaded by high trees, together with the thick woods on the acclivi- ties intermixed with tall stems, the type even here of the primeval forests,—render Laranjeiras a charming walk. In this valley I learned much that was new to me: here I saw for the first time one of the troops of little brown ants, which issuing from a house in the road, pursued its way in a straight line across the path. What a busy throng—what restless activity | The little animals, heavily laden, formed different streams, running parallel in opposite directions : it is enough to make one giddy to look long at them. Each ant is dragging some- thing—not one is idle; and thus they go straight on, through or over whatever lies in their path. The little white ants or Termites, here called Cupim, are more mischievous ; during my absence of three weeks from the Mangueira, they made their way into my chest of drawers, through the greater part of my linen—and luckily out again—so that I could distinctly trace their path. At the entrance of the valley, beside the first detached houses, stand some tall trees, spreading their branches and vaulted crowns (formed, not of leaves, but of yellow blossoms) high over the shrubs and bushes growing on the edge of the little green meadow. Here I saw the first Cadeirinha, the old-fashioned palanquin, borne past by negroes. My guide showed me the first Orchi- dese and the ananas-like Tillandsias, growing up aloft on the branches of the large trees, or app raring to sprout from their trunk. On the deep bed of the Rio das VALLEY OF LARANJEIRAS. 285 Laranjeiras, the rivulet which runs through the valley, I observed another strange and fantastic object,—a long, hairy-looking trunk, stretching its huge branches over the stream, from which hung down a kind of Til- landsia in long tufts like horses’ tails. Other trees bore bunches of a sort of woolly beard-moss on their branches. On the edge of the primeval forests of the Corcovado was scen here and there brilliant silvery foliage mter- mingled with the green, which reminded me involuntarily of the ¢ patriarch with the silver beard,” that venerable trunk with its silvery roof of foliage and beard floating in the wind, beneath whose shade fearful scenes of mur- der were perpetrated, which I had read of in an exciting story during an illness last winter, and which often haunted me when suffering from attacks of fever. There are likewise palms here, and, as the name of the valley indicates, orange-trees, which are called in Portuguese Laranjeiras. We extended our walk a little further, beyond the cha- lybeate spring at the end of Laranjeiras, called © Aguas ferreas”’—the usual object of attraction to the inhabitants of Rio in their walks: on our return, the cicadas, those dear little creatures, which seem to be particularly in voice at night, filled the air with their noise, and dark- ness set in ere we reached the Mangueira. September 10th.—This morning 1 and my guide were carly in our saddles; following the line of suburbs, we rode along the strand to the commencement of the city, the most charming spot on the whole shore of Rio : then, Jeaving on our right the lovely hill of the Gloria with 2806 RIO DE JANEIRO. its little church, its splendid palms and bananas—an exquisite scene, which must be witnessed to be conceived credible—we passed under Santa Theresa, the other hill on the left, with its church, visible from afar, up to the i Aqueducto.” We now arrived at the heights, where the double cow of arches of the aqueduct is rooted in the moun- tains, and came to a footpath, following the low wall which conducts the water down from the mountains to the antique-looking aqueduct. The prospect over the bay, the view of Rio, with its suburbs of Mata- cavallos and Rio Comprido far below in the charm- ing valleys on the acclivities of the Corcovado, and lastly the wide, smiling plain of S. Christovao at our feet, formed a picture which no words can describe. And what vegetation surrounded us on this excursion, numbers of the finest palms, Mimosas, Mamoeiras, and innumerable species of trees wholly new to us ! One tree in particular, of frequent occurrence, was remarkable for its beauty, with dark-green fohage and blue blossoms, like the periwinkle, only passing rather more into lilac. Tt is strange how often we meet with trees here which have so exactly the form of pines as to be indistinguishable from them, until on approach- ing them we perceive that they have no needles. All around Rio the trees present a thick mass of foliage, excepting the North American pine, which is seen in many places. Such a variety of green is never found together in Europe. The path led gradually into the thicket, and we looked EXCURSION TO LARANJEIRAS. 287 down the steep declivity on the left in the direction of Laranjeiras. Masses of lianas hung from the branches, and interlaced the trees so closely that the forest was often impenetrable, while the underwood by the wayside shut out all prospect like a wall. Here and there a colossal Tillandsia peeped out of the thickly tangled bushes, its heavy, pointed leaves hanging far down, not like the leaves of a pine-apple, but those of an aloe. When at length the view opened on to the valley, 1 was astonished at the gigantic stems of the trees, which rose up to us straight as a taper, their light vaulted crowns reaching to the clevation at which we stood. The aqueduct terminates in the midst of this impervious thicket, at a shelf of rock from which the fresh spring gushes. Beautiful, large butterflies of various colours were flying about. The path, on which the horses continually shipped, now led down to the first houses of Laranjciras, through a thick shrubbery of exotics, which enveloped us in a delicious perfume as if stepping into a hothouse, whilst the gigantic yellow crowns of the trees at the entrance of the valley looked like old acquaintances. I took a luncheon at home, and then mounting Theremin’s horse (for mine seemed to have done work enough for the day) 1 galloped toward Botafogo. Early in the morning there had been a considerable mist, which had gradually increased ; but so many new and strange objects by the roadside were continually at- tracting my attention, that IT could well dispense with the pleasure of an extensive prospect; a walk or nde wr 288 RIO DE JANEIRO. into the open air always repays itself. Following the semicircle of this little hamlet, my way led round the small bay, and then off to the right along the straight road lined with houses, the Rua de S. Clemente, until on arriving at the © Lagoa” I slackened my pace. Some groups of houses, shaded by palms and thick foliage, reflected in the little lake, presented lovely pictures. Without perceiving it 1 rode past the Botanic Garden, and came to a marshy tract, where a pleasurable sur- Isolated groups of reeds twenty prize awaited me. meadow, to thirty feet in circumference rose from the like sheaves of lances thirty to forty feet in height, and each only a few inches thick, whose waving elastic tops moved to and fro with indescribable grace. Al- though their little stems stood so closely pressed toge- ther as scarcely to admit a hand between them, yet the fans of single palms rose here and there out of the compact labyrinth, bending In graceful arches. Amidst these sheaves, whose tops sometimes touched and formed a kind of arbour, were seen by turns the smooth surface of the Laguna and the picturesque Corcovado rising above it. Thus then for the first time I saw the bam- boo—without recognizing it: to travel, study botany From the Lagoa de Rodrigo de Freitas I rede, turning to the right, through a lovely valley ascending up to the wooded heights, a high rock skirting the road for some distance. 1 passed some farm-houses lying scattered in the thicket, and detached clay cottages, similar to those I had seen this morning: they are here called « Cazas let every one who wishes ENVIRONS OF RIO. 289 de pao a pique.” The wooden framework in the clay walls is formed of small beams, about a foot square. Wooded hills rise at the side, and close to the road are fewer tall trees and more copse; the trees I had seen in the morning with the periwinkle-like blossoms ocurred again frequently, but in the form of tall shrubs. Passing two lonely houses I reached the top of the ridge, and looked down on the other side upon the sea and the hills which extend to the small plain on the sandy shore. 1 afterwards heard that this point is named Boa Vista. I descended and crossed the plain. Thick bushes in- terspersed with trees lined the roadside, with here and there a house surrounded by coffee-plantations. At the aqueduct this morning 1 had first tasted red coffee-ber- ries. In the distance before me the mountain, descend- ing steeply toward the sca, approached the coast, whilst on the left was distinctly heard the sound of the waves upon the shore. I stopped at a cottage and inquired whither the road led. “To Dom Luiz Francez,”’ was the reply, my informant pointing to a house or farm upon a rounded height, in the middle of the wood, a kind of terrace on the mountains rising above the sea. 1 soon reached the foot of this hill, and ascended its steep side. The house before me, surmounting some shelves of rock overgrown with Agave Americana, which disappeared be- low in a small group of bananas,—the tall leafy trees and splendid palms on the acclivity, and far beneath the green expanse of sea, into which projected a tongue of Jand, with some small islets in the distance,—all com VOL. | U 290 RIO DE JANEIRO. bined to form a charming picture, which was neverthe- less far surpassed by the scene that lay before me when, 0 | 3 1 oO NC ( ( WW 1 0 t [ J of the hall a small banana to the right, the path emerged from a grove interspersed with rocks. A second farm, oo it lant vegetat TOWNE e hi rounded with luxuriant vegetation, Crow ned th ; ered with noble woods (just such as I had which cov | 1 forests) descended pictured to myself the primave steeply on the left before me, projecting mto the sea with a kind of headland,—a picturesque palm-hill, be- yond which was seen another similar one in the di- stance. Lo I rode up to the neat little cottage, at the door 0 which a lady was sitting: a black cloud hung over it, coming from the hills at the back. The lady m vain tried to understand the questions which T put to her in broken Portuguese. At last a little negress made out what I said, and told me in reply that 1 was at the residence of Dom Luiz Francez, whereupon recovering breath T continued the conversation in French. The fair dame answered my questions with great fluency mm a long and well-turned speech, the purport of which was in brief, that this house was situated close under the gigantic wall of the Gavia, which was concealed from view bv the dark clouds. It was clear therefore that I was on the way to the « Lagoa da Tijuca,” and stand- ing under the head of the “ Giant.” Restating with difficulty the alluring charms of this beautiful and wild : I now turned round and took the road home- scenery, ok th ward. having received a gracious invitation from the ? oO ¢ CHARACTER OF THE NEGROES. 291 Emperor to attend the French theatre this evening at half-past six o’clock. The clouds gradually lowered, and the rain soon fell in torrents; it may be imagined that my linen sailor’s jacket could not long resist such drenching wet. A beautiful bird of a light-blue colour flew over my head, apparently too large for a Colibri. On the road I met a person wrapped in a dark Macintosh cloak, mounted on a mule, and presently after a number of negroes dri- ving strings of mules, or carrying small burdens on their head. The red clay soil was slippery from the rain, and I therefore led my horse over the hill, amusing myself with watching the negroes as they passed me on the road, and observing their mmperturbable good- humour. What a curious race are these negroes! when walking alone, they talk to themselves, or laugh aloud, whistle or sing. Singing seems to be their great pleasure, but without melody. The Black (in Portuguese “o Preto”) is always cheerful, and his tongue is incessantly in mo- tion. His soliloquy generally relates to his master and himself, and he often invents a lively conversation, in which the master is introduced as a speaker, scolding his slave, whilst the latter defends himself. When two ne- eroes meet, the conversation or a silly laugh begins at a hundred paces’ distance. A black seldom passes another without speaking, and they always rack their brains to talk in Portuguese; this habit indeed is carried so far, that not even in their soliloquies do they speak their native tongue. The slaves are forbidden by their v 2 202 RIO DE JANEIRO. masters to talk to one another anything but Portuguese, partly that they may the sooner learn the language of the country, but partly also to prevent their holding any secret intercourse in their presence. The figures of the negroes are often handsome, and in general strongly built ; their faces, on the contrary, are almost always ugly, especially those of the women. I returned to the Mangueira shortly before dark, and drove at once to the theatre. The Emperor and the Princesses took their places, as before, in the box behind the green curtain. When the curtain was undrawn the overture began, and the Court were not seated until the conclusion of the first part. The performances were ¢« Le Chevalier du Guet” and Lousiette”: the actors did not appear to be at all remarkable, and the decora- tions were in the highest degree amusing, the scenes being laid n the Boulevards at Paris, under the shade of the most splendid palm-trees and bananas, so that the inhabitants of Rio must have arried away a very correct notion of the French metropolis ! The Theatro de S. Januario is smaller than the Portuguese theatre, which T had before visited ; this evening the festival of the 7th of September was celebrated, and the boxes were hung with drapery of different colours ; the house was also brilhantly lighted with wax-candies in bell glasses. September 14/4 — Another rainy day ; but we had not yet witnessed the real heavy tropical rain. This morn- ing, while standing at the window with Count Bismark, I saw the first Colibris, flying about under the roof, and EXCURSION INTO THE FORESTS. 293 humming like wasps. To my great regret the projected party to the Tijuca, to which the Emperor had invited me for this day, came to nothing. All that I heard had led me to form great expectations of the excursion: the Princesses and the whole Court were to go on horse- back ; we were to appear in three-cornered uniform hats and dress-coats, and I was also to be decorated with my new Order, and in this costume to enter the solenn precincts of the primaval fotests for the first time! The rain had cooled the air pleasantly: only the first few days I spent in Rio had been really hot, but even then the air was not so oppressive as in Malta, Gibraltar, Seville, and above all as in the vicinity of the coast of Africa. September 15th.—This evening I was tempted to go abroad, in spite of the bad weather. As soon as a stranger sets foot over the threshold, objects of attrac- tion appear on every side: all 1s new to him, he be- comes quite like a child, and wants to see everything at once: with eager curiosity he penetrates nto the thicket, where a net of lianas envelopes him, like a fly in a spider's web. These he has to tread down underfoot, for it is impossible to clear a way with his hands ; he grasps at once ten or twelve of these little stalks, the thickness of a finger, and slender creepers like iron-wire, of all possible forms, colours and species, but with all his strength it is impossible to break them. This morning, for the first time during several days, 1 A dy», ascended the hill behind the Mangueira, and penetrated d \ I ll 294 RIO DE JANEIRO. resolutely into the thicket, turning, twisting and stoop- ing as well as I could, and at last creeping on all fours, scratched and lacerated by the thorns. There was life and movement all around ; ants and every species of dis- agreeable creeping things seemed here indigenous, and 1n- numerable cicadas chirped on every side. I saw nothing more,—even the tall Tillandsias, which looked down like giants from the short, withered stumps, as if enticing me into this tangled wilderhess, were now indifferent to me; I had one thought alone, how to get out again. In vain I looked around—there was no path, no outlet, but on every side a thick wall of lianas ; I could not see twenty steps before me. All at once a thought struck me,—1I worked my way up on to the tops of the bushes ; some gave way under me, but at last perseverance triumphed ; I saw the sky overhead, and around me a sea of tops of the thickest bushes, while, before and be- hind, this dense labyrinth of foliage descended to the bay of Botafogo. I was not far from the declivity. To prevent my sinking 1 lay down flat, stretching out my arms and legs, as if in the act of swimming, and thus distributing the weight of my body over a larger surface of bushes. This plan succeeded ; but a mere recum- bent position would not help me much,—to reach Bo- tafogo, I must move onwards; this I attempted in a swimming fashion, and with admirable success! Occa- sionally 1 fell rather roughly among the bushes, thorns, and stones, and had to work my way up again to the top, when lying down I continued my descent, until at length 1 reached the foot of the declivity and felt the ENVIRONS OF RIO. 205 ground once more under my feet: after about half an hour’s hard work, I arrived safe and sound at the gar- dens of Botafogo, arranged my dress as well as 1 could, and then set out homeward in high spirits. This evening I took my way up the hill, which rises above the banana valley on the north, and which I had constantly in sight from my sleeping-room. At first I followed a slippery footpath, and had afterwards to make my way as well as I could, climbing from one side to another. It rained : numbers of birds were flying about in the wet thicket, and shrill notes, such as I never be- fore heard, resounded on every side. A complete botanic garden surrounded me, with an infinite variety of plants and shrubs, of which we in our northern climes can form no conception : it seemed just as if some scientific pro- fessor had for years laboured to discover all the various species of plants and to collect them to one spot, in order to present the vegetation of the tropics to the eyes of his audience, for not two shrubs or trees were alike. Upon one prostrate trunk adhered a number of large snails, full half a foot in diameter. When 1 at length reached the crest of the hill, the view well rewarded the toil of the ascent. In the open spaces between enormous palm-fans I saw, on one side, the entrance of the bay of Rio and the small bay of Botafogo,—on the other, deep below me, Rio de Janeiro, with its suburbs stretching into the valleys at my feet, and the rest of the bay with the Ilha do Governaddor and the men-of-war in the road- stead. September 16th.—It was a clear and splendid morn- R96 RIO DE JANEIRO. ing, and we rode to the city as early as eight o'clock. From our tall « Minas-boots’” it might be seen, and truly, that we had today no trifling excursion in view ; a ride of eleven leagues to Santa Cruz was projected, to visit an estate or fazenda belonging to the Emperor, west of the metropolis. We passed the Gloria, cast a glance on the roadstead with its shipping, then proceeded under Santa Thereza, through the lofty arches of the aqueduct, and so com- pletely round Rio de Janeiro. What a glorious ride! The most luxuriant vegetation, splendid palms, dark mangos, and bananas of the freshest green, grow close up to the houses. We traversed the suburbs of Matacavallos, Catumby and Mataporcos, charmingly situated at the foot of wooded hills, and partly in the small side val- leys and ravines of the mountains, and, after stopping at some picturesque fountains to water the horses, again proceeded. As soon as the city is passed, the view extends over a wide plain, on the edge of which stands Rio,—a plain encompassed on the south and west by the mountain- chain reaching from the Corcovado up to the graceful horns of the Tijuca, and expanding toward the Bay of Rio on the east and north. In clear weather, as today, the blue misty Orgfios mountains are seen in their full extent in the north and north-east, over the furthest corner of this lake-like bay. In the wide plain rise single, green, wooded hills, and among others the hill already mentioned in the vicinity of the city, which stretches out to the bay, and descends to the road of S. OR — wc a mon ap sy il ee HS re ET Er GL ir rar re ae —"" % re ny AL I Br Re : AE lal PT — PLAIN OF S. CHRISTOVAO. 297 Christoviio in a large, oblique shelf of granite, traversed with veins of white quartz. At the foot of the pictu- resque mountain-chain, forming the noblest outlines, rises the dark-brown rocky cone of Engenho Velho, completely isolated and visible on all sides. From the city up to the rock of Engenho Velho and S. Christo- vilo, gently rising above the misty plain, villas and coun- try-seats are everywhere scattered among lovely gardens, rich meadows and tall picturesque groups of bananas. Indeed the whole plain forms a single tropical garden, ! intersected by the broad paved road which connects the 4 imperial palace with the city: this road however leads I still further—at least its continuation (for the proper ar- | tificial road soon ceases) extends to the gold-works and diamond-washings of Minas, and through Santa Cruz to the Campos of S. Paulo, so rich in herds. We rode past the palace of S. Christovao, and through the little place of the same name. Here we met the first travellers from the interior, who, like ourselves, wore ““ Minas-boots”’—a fashion in riding which is very common in this country. These boots are made of brown, unblacked viado leather, and are drawn half way up the thigh, like the boots which play such an im- | portant part in the costume of Wallenstein on our stage ; they also turn down at pleasure, somewhat like the Turkish cloth boots, or are plaited in folds, like the | boots of Cortez in the opera, from which they may probably be derived, as well as the heavy military spurs which the Brazilian wears, and the massy old-Spanish bridle. 298 RIO DE JANEIRO. At the last houses of the village were hung out blue ponchos, with a scarlet lining, similar to those which some of our party had purchased. The poncho is the chief article of dress of the “ Mineiro,’ —a simple cloak, consisting of a large, square piece of cloth, with a round hole in the centre for the head to go through. The Bra- zilian is very skilful in putting on the poncho; he throws it picturesquely over one shoulder, or folds it over his breast so that the arms (for there are mo sleeves) re- main uncovered, and the red lining appears outside, which has a very pretty and peculiar look. This cloak is light, offers a good protection against the rain, and for this reason is very suitable for such a climate; it 1s casily packed and carried about, can serve for a bag to contain clothes and other things, and {frequently during our travels furnished a warm blanket and a soft pillow. The handsomest and richest ponchos are to be had in Buenos Ayres. Outside the city all classes here wear jackets, chiefly of linen, but also cloth; a straw-hat «the common covering for the head, and the Chili hat of palm straw is the most valued. The Arriciros fre- quently wear a grey, broad-brimmed hat, with a low, somewhat pointed crown; they likewise occasionally wear the « lasso,” or long leather thong used in catching horses and oxen, as a girdle round the waist. A traveller is seldom without a shelter from sun and rain, “a sun- umbrella” in the true sense of the word; this 1s an essential part of his equipment. After we had crossed the bushy heights behind S. Christoviio, the Tijuca lay close to us on the left: its pos ont, a , ; a tl = sl IAT AAU Bd Sm HENS lr SON” TF I LRG Sa prime.” 55 mars gas ms. S—" WA —— rt TIJUCA AND ORGAOS MOUNTAINS. 299 form had gained in grace and variety of outline, the two horns (““ os dous Irmios’) rose higher, and the space between them was more depressed. True primeval forests cover this mountain, the high stems forming so many articulations in its noble outline. Before us on the right, the blue range of the Orglios mountains was distinctly seen,—today for the first time perfectly clear and cloudless. The rock formation on the eastern decli- vity of the Serra dos Orgdios, which gives it this name, is remarkably fantastic, resembling a row of organ-pipes of different lengths. With the exception of this decli- vity, the contour of the mountain forms a long, gently rounded line. At the bridge of Praya Pequéna we saw some decked boats, schooner-rigged, lying in the narrow stream of Maracani, which empties into the bay or inlet called the Bahia de Inhatime near this spot. The road now traversed a hilly plain for some distance, turning off’ be- hind Venda Grande to the right over Nossa Senhora de Iraja in the direction of Minas. We continued straight on. The vegetation was rich and varied ; on the heights before us a row of palms rose high above the under- wood, and single houses, or rather farms, were seen on the slopes of the hills by the roadside, affording very picturesque views, especially on the side of the Tijuca. These estates are not important enough to be called fazendas, small mandioca or sugar and coffee plantings only being occasionally seen in their vicinity, whereas large plantations are inseparable from the idea of the on Fm —— = = 300 RIO DE JANEIRO. n the country «« Sitio,” whilst of the city fazenda. For small farms, like these 1 behind S. Christovao, the proper term 18 h as those in the vicinity are designated by the word ¢ Chécara.” Behind the village of Pedregulho a tall copse-wood skirts the road, intermingled with single trees. It 18 difficult, as T have said, to form a conception of the 1m- pervious closeness of such a thicket, interlaced with thov- To the trunks of the trees adhere large , while all kinds 1d birds’ count ry -houses suc sands of hanas. Orchidea and Tillandsias as tall as a mar es float like transparent, rom s of some dead bush, or hang igs from the branches. Here are seen high up in the trees single red, lilac, blossoms, and wild pine-apples with a red fruit There were also nu- of long-haired moss nests high upon the top down like horsetails or w and there or yellow full of seed grow by the roadside. palms in the thicket, and groups of that reed, with rows of prickles also enormous palm- merous slender small palm, or large palm-like tem-like black rings ; y short stems that they appear to laces large encircling the s branches, with sucl earth or thicket. In many | 1g branches overgrown ance of enormous spring out of the leafy trees—their wide-spreadiz g—had quite the appear The great variety of creepers, and the y give to the bushes, are ex- tremely attractive. The black, parrot-like Anil, the small, yellow Bemtevi (which 1s continually repeating its own name Bem-te-vi, ie “1 saw you’) and a species of brown bird with yellow wings, enlivened the thicket, f beautiful butterflies, among with Orchide: andelabra. graceful forms which the together with quantities 0 re i ——" vy Sn EAE SY Cam ig % WS ip” Erne a de wa Ay CLEARING IN THE FOREST. 301 which I agai cular I again particularly noticed those of an iridescent ) u S . - 3 . - e colour. With the twittering of the birds was min gled the chirping of the cicadas. A broad road 1s ¢ vad 1s cut thr the thick Whom ; rough the thicket, well-adapted ding on wrseback, and which was formerly used 0CCas1onN: > Emy oc oy by the Emperor and the Princesses as a car riage-drive r Ir tvs By i g a From time to time we passed houses by he roadside Z oadside, generally surrounded by a small garde but seldom with any regular plantati } ny Dg a y regular plantation, and occasionally ame to ‘here fame ~ spot where the thicket had been recently rnt. "he lece ien a piece of land has to be brought i cultivation, the first thing 1 Ee " : rst thing is to cut down the forest-trees and bur ATS 5 Ia n their stumps; the earth is then brought under illage, in a shorter or longer time hy nger time according to the seed wat 1s sown. It 1s af oh : s afterwards generally left for fm ard generally left for awhile : : der not to exhaust it, and during this time of rest a young copsew AY a young copsewood springs up,—the “ Capueira,” or voune forest. as wi Ta ite : y oe forest, as contrasted with the virgin forest ie“ Mi nroem > gy pi virgem.” The same process 1s afterwards repeated, ¢ { i I i. and thus all around Rio is seen this kind of underw hie : i nderwood, which has been burnt down once or oftener. 1ly the fores 1 : : ; Only the forests of the Tijuca and a part of 108€ ( » Corcove on f the Corcovado have escaped the fire, and retain 1e1r origmal ¢ acter b : i riginal character. The Government watches over heir preservati CaN and My. Theremin was just remarking ¢ to bring out the ser ain—when we per- nt almost three feet dually increased, that it was weathe ing sun succeeding op. grass-green serpe ceived a slender, grass-green Serj a fectly harmless species, sunning =x a ature perceived middle of the road; as soon as the creature | oy of i . of an arrow. before us it glided away with the swiftness of an arrow ; iy arly + league arriving at the village of Campinho, nearly four a ] oad 1 under a rocky , ; we city, the road runs distant from the city, ie aded by beautiful groups of palms, fay : : | x 1 ‘ \, ‘ jue spot between Rio and Santa 4 L yents—a burn- several days of which, sh haps the most pictures Cruz. At twelve o'clock, at Campo Grande, | Santa Cruz, where we turned 1n Creolas or Brizida,” five leagues and Ee randah, like all the houses on this road, We were shown into an apart- ander a burning sun, We arrived lage about half-way to at the venda of As a half from Rio. It a large vil had an open ve and only a single story. Ve —— BT SR aa Sr py Spe Tw. Nas VILLAGE OF CAMPO GRANDE. 303 ment, in which stood some slender bedsteads, with straw mats, esfeiras, and upon them mattresses and pillows. Although these comforts are not found in every Brazilian venda, yet the bedsteads and esteira are scarcely ever missing. The dinner was very good, with no lack even of bread, which is seldom met with at a few leagues di- stance from Rio, the mandioca-flour, farinha, being eaten with everything instead : I tried this today for the first time, but could hardly get it down ; on the contrary, the dried “ goyabada™ tasted excellent. The situation of Campo Grande, on a broad plain be- tween the Serra of the same name and that of Barata, 1s very pleasing; but at a short distance behind this place the country is still far prettier, three high, wooded hills advancing in front of the Serra do Campo Grande, but without concealing it. The road now again led through tall underwood, intermixed with beautiful trees: on the left lay the mansion and estate of Lieutenant-Colonel Bangu, where the Em- peror usually sleeps. Large pools of rain-water had formed mm the road, and the brooks which crossed it were swollen. In passing one of these streams, we met an elegant, fair-featured lady on horseback, with a groom behind her. To the right and left paths led into the thicket, and it was evident that all this land belonged to some large estate. Presently after we saw another considerable fazenda, with extensive sugar- and coffee-plantations, and meadows, upon which herds of cattle were grazing : the name of this place was Casa Viega.” orn i PT A rs Mr om ETI, CA Si ’ # . ns PN 304 RIO DE JANEIRO. At Santissimo, an insignificant village consisting of a few houses, among which the church stood prominent upon a small hill, the view extends more widely over the valley. The splendid Agave Americana, with 1ts straight, narrow gladiate leaves, forms bushes by the roadside, so high that a man on horseback can conceal himself be- hind them. Near the church is a small fort for two guns, which serve to announce the arrival of the Em- peror, when he travels to Santa Cruz; a flagstaff stands by the side. On approaching the little village ch likewise crowns a rising d to me prettier than any we had passed me to the first rancho, a large shed pas : under it were a of S. Antonio, whose chur ground, the country appeare through. Here we ca for the accommodation of the Tro number of saddles, and the mules, fastened up to posts, cked on the wide road. We saw something similar, but on a larger scale, soon afterwards at Curral Falso, where the steward received me at the entrance-gate of the imperial domain, the Fazenda de Santa Cruz. Ie 4 me in the twilight through a beautiful avenue J bridges, to the pa- y wide road lined the end of the bivoua conducte half a mile long, and over sever: lace, the approach to which 1s a ver with single-storied houses, and joining avenue. This is the negro-vill of the 1700 imperial slaves wl All the young blacks were on their legs. Jucted through the spacious rooms of this (for Brazil) e, to the apartments prepared for me, where age, In which live the greater part 10 belong to this estate. 1 was con- grand palac IMPERIAL FAZENDA. 305 an excellent dinner awaited us. This castle was built by the Jesuits, who retained possession of it, together with the extensive lands attached, until their expulsion from the country, when it was seized by the Crown. Before retiring to rest, I cast a glance out of my window upon the meadows: the night was not dark. It gives a strange feeling to gaze thus on the limit of civiliza- tion,—of the immense uncultivated continent of South America ; a journey of a few days, nay even of a few miles, into the interior, and how changed must be the aspect of life and nature, how different to the scene which here surrounded me,—here, on the threshold of an interminable wilderness ! September 17th.—On going to the window this morn- ing, I saw beyond the meadows the Serra de Itaguahy appearing partially above the grey mist and the high woods in front. In the immediate vicinity of the castle T observed a small cotton-plantation,—the first I had seen. Beside the white flocks of cotton, hanging like ripe fruit upon the branches, the shrubs bore lly tiful yellow blossoms, which gave them a pleasing ap- pearance. We had hoped today to have good sport in shooting birds, and had been also promised a shot at some I (alligators) ; our little party therefore started early in the morning, and crossed the meadows to the capueira. At the first shot I had the good luck to bring down an Anti, a black parrot-like bird : they are here very plenti- ful, and do not appear shy. We then passed over a canal VOL. I. X A , y En — ! TR SA re 3 . me see Fr —————. iy a ad Re _L. 306 RIO DE JANEIRO. or side branch of the Taguahy by a stone bridge, not far from a large imperial tilekiln. nt ws The neighbouring wood was soon reached. He oe dismounted, being told that we could only roan 0 foot to the « Lagoa,” the lake or pond, which the a > tors were said to frequent. A number of negroes Ss with large knives (facdez) went on hems, to ; 2 path through the forest. Tall, slender trunks, wi : lossal Orchidez attached to their branches, ones trees, laced and entwined with a thick net Soenn splendid groups of Heliconias, © Bananas bray or > " bananas) with their densely compressed masses a" 0 ik and gracefully bending heads, and lastly i Wy on nades of large palm-fans, under the shade of whic \ path continued for some distance,—let the reader il gine all these scenes and objects, enlivened ioe by innumerable, various-coloured birds, and he » ; sil have but a faint picture of the forest through which we wandered. - After a few minutes the blacks who preceded us stopped short; we had come to a deep a Shen twenty yards across, shaded by palms and ot : long creepers hanging down to the surface of the wa " This was the spot of which we had heard SO much, an this—the famous lake! we saw ourselves bitterly deceived for what hope was there of here meeting with any ine worth powder and shot? The negroes were sent bio ue water, and partly swimming, partly wading, they di CW : i pond with a net, but found no Jacarés. What giants o CR RE A SHOOTING EXCURSION. 307 the deep these alligators must be, the reader may easily imagine. The whole affair with the negroes pleased me little, and the end of it was that the alligator chase was given up without a single Jacaré being caught, and we took the field against other more innocent creatures, especially variegated birds: a chase followed, without plan or order, the field of our operations lying partly in the forest, partly in the capueira, and on the meadows, where at a distance stood the castle of Santa Cruz upon a gently rising ground. My passion for the sport 1in- creased every instant, and, beside the pleasure of a suc- cessful shot, I was interested in obtaining a near inspec- tion of those beautiful birds which had attracted my notice at a distance. Eleven birds an Ant, two Bem- tevis, a Tié, a Sabid, a Picapao, three Piasoccas, a Peru- inho do Campo and a Gaviio—were brought down by my gun. The most beautiful of the birds we shot was a Tié-fogo, a male Tid: its breast is of a splendid red colour. I took aim at several, but could not succeed in shooting any. After dinner we went into the castle-garden, and wan- dered through the wonderful dark arbour, 1185 feet long, of bamboo-canes, more than thirty feet tall and one to one and a half inches thick ; at the termination of this we again came to a large tract of meadows, adjoining the garden, in which lies the “ Coral,” a spacious enclosure set apart for the reception of wild horses. A great number of these animals had here been driven together, to give us an opportunity of seeing the Emperor’s negro- slaves fling the lasso and the “bolas.” The lasso is a : X 2 a, 308 R10 DE JANEIRO. very long platted leather thong, with an iron ring fastened to its end ; through this ring is drawn the other end, so as to form a running noose. The negro, holding the end of the lasso in his left hand, swings the noose high above his head with his right, and then throws it so skilfully as to drop it round the meck or leg of the horse which he wishes to catch. He then draws up the noose, holding fast with both hands to the end of the lasso, and letting himself be dragged along. The strength which he exerts in this manner is so great, that the horse, after dragging him a few yards, 1s generally knocked up. Frequently several negroes throw two or three lassos at once round the meck or legs of a wild horse, and in this manner pull him to the ground ; whereupon a number of other negroes immediately run up, to hold the horse by the lassos, while the animal makes all imaginable efforts to get free, leaping, rearing, and plunging in an unheard-of manner. Sometimes it is necessary to bring the horse down again by means of the lassos, and lay him on his side, in order to bind him faster and impede his freedom of motion ; when this is done they let the horse jump up again and saddle him. The bow of the Zumbilkho, or saddle, is like that of the German saddle; the leather girths on the contrary are similar to the rope girths of the Hungarian saddle-bow. Over the saddle is thrown a skin covering, and upon this a small sheepskin, to give the negro a firm seat. A halter is then put upon the horse, as he stands stamping and foaming with impatience ; his tongue is tied fast to CAPTURING WILD HORSES. 309 the under-jaw with a thin string, and to this is fastened another thicker cord of hemp or horsehair for a bridle. The “ Pedo,” the black horse-breaker, now comes up, distinguished by long military spurs on his naked heels, which give his whole figure a comical air. When he mounts, another negro keeps the horse’s eyes closed with a thick bridle; the rider flings himself into the saddle, and twists the long end of the halter, which also works upon the lower jaw, several times round his body. The lassos are then loosened, and instantly the horse begins to plunge and rear. No one can form an idea of such plunging. The task of the rider is now to bring the horse into paces, which, if the black succeeds, that is to say if he is not flung off (which happened re- peatedly today), generally ends in the animal’s running away, until after five or ten minutes he stops again of himself. With the halter twisted round his body, the horse is now unmercifully screwed up and contorted in his limbs, until, with his head forced on one side, he yields. The method generally adopted when a horse is aptured, 1s to tire him out in this manner and with in- cessant riding, until from sheer exhaustion he can go no further, and submits to his fate. We witnessed another method of capturing wild horses: a feeble old negro, in a green coat, flung the “bolas” in the manner practised at Buenos Ayres, but only once successfully, failing at least ten times; this was however from no want of will, for he exerted him- self bravely, but strength and luck seemed, at least for today, to have left him. The bolas consist of a cord, to the 310 RIO DE JANEIRO. end of which is fastened a little ball, the other end being parted like a fork into two short cords, of equal length, to which are fastened two heavier balls. These balls are thrown between the horse’s legs, in such a manner as to wind round them; the horse is thus stopped in his course and falls. This race of animals is neither par ticularly strong nor handsome, and mostly of a small make. This evening, before dark, I had again the pleasure of shooting off the orange-trees five green honey-suckers, a large species of Colibri, with a true metallic lustre. On my return to the castle, the gamekeepers brought in two living Jacarés, one about four feet, and the other which was younger about one foot long; they had been taken in the little river of Taguahy. The difference between these Jacarés and the proper alligators is said to consist in the teeth, not in their size ; we were told for instance that on one occasion an alligator was caught from seven to cight fect long, for the consort of Dom Pedro the First, the present dowager Duchess of Braganza. September 18th.—Early this morning, on emerging from the long avenue, the Serra de Itaguahy lay before us perfectly cloudless. On our ride back we met at S. Antonio the Justice of the Peace in his carriage, with the yellow and green band over his shoulder. The elec- tors were riding up to the church, where an election of Deputies was to take place; and among the rest a gentleman clad as a civilian, with a star on his breast, was riding up the hill at the head of a number of horse- men in dress-coats and jackets. 1 made several sketches A BALL AT COURT. 311 on the road. The day was very fine, and not too warm : we again dined at Campo Grande. In the neighbour- hood of S. Christoviio several German families have settled. The Tijuca was suffused with the rosy light of the evening sun, when from behind the castle we saw the Emperor approaching with his escort. Swarms of Sunday horsemen had been enticed out by the beauti- ful weather this afternoon. The moon was already mir- rored in the waters of the bay, and imparted an air of enchantment to the Gloria and the shores of the Bay, when we reached the Mangueira. September 19th.—Dona Januaria’s nameday was cele- brated by a Court dinner and a large ball in the palace at Rio. At one end of the ballroom was a raised floor, upon which the Emperor and the Imperial Family took their places. I was invited in turn by each of the Prin- cesses, in a very courteous manner, through Senhor Paulo Barboza, to dance a quadrille, and afterwards to waltz. I waltzed! No one can imagine the import of that word but one who, like myself, possesses not a particle of natural Zact for this dance,—borrowed surely from the course of the planets,—and who either hears the hurried time of the music flying before him like a phantom, or panting after him as he vainly tries to escape. In fact the pivot-like repose of the gyrating bodies is absolutely requisite in order to stand up in the struggle against time, music, giddiness and corners, and the slippery smoothness of the floor, and to accomplish these circum- volutions with true planetary accuracy and regularity. But practice makes perfect; by degrees I fell into the I" 312 RIO DE JANEIRO. measure, and had I continued to waltz for another hour, who knows what a dancer I might have become ! The heat might be called tropical in the true sense of the word, and the Emperor occasionally left the ball- room to enjoy the fresh air in an antechamber. 1 could then step down from the platform for an instant, and converse with the persons standing around. At midnight we all repaired to the supper, at which chamberlains served the Emperor and the Princesses. Etiquette is observed with extreme strictness at the Court of Rio de Janeiro, and isolates the Royal Family perhaps still more than in other countries; I was told for instance that, until the visit of the Prince de Joinville, the Princesses could only dance—waltz at least—with foreign princes or with ladies ; since that time the ice 1s broken, inas- much as they are generally allowed, during the visit of a foreign prince at the Brazilian court, to dance with gen- tlemen. Except at these times however the Princesses waltz only with the ladies of the court. September 21st.—Our excursion to the Orgdos, which had been fixed for the 21st, was yesterday postponed, as no steamer went to Magé. I have subsequently heard such interesting accounts of these mountains, their pe- culiar and wonderful rock-formation, and the charming estate of Mr. March, who lives high up amid the forests and is said to be remarkably hospitable to strangers, that I greatly regret having relinquished this celebrated excursion. I advise all who visit Rio to see the Orgéos, were it but that in Europe every one who has been at Rio inquires about these mountains: so it is all the EXCURSION TO THE CORCOVADO. 313 world over—there are certain points which a man who has travelled must have visited. Insteac of making this excursion, we agreed to de- vote a few more days to our projected trip to Canta- gallo. In order not to lose the fine weather this morn- ing, we took a ride to the Corcovado. The way leads through the charming valley of Laranjeiras, which has already been described. At the end of the village we rode up a steep path into the thick capueira and among wild coffee-plants, until we gradually came into the shade of the forest, where the eye ranges in asto- nishment from one trunk to another. The horses are generally left at a farmhouse, about half an howr’s ride from the summit of the mountain. Up to this point the path is so admirably kept, the bridges all new and sub- stantial, that a person might fancy himself in the most splendid park. The path now became steeper: on se- veral high trees I noticed a kind of short, thin props growing out of the trunks, like narrow planks set on edge. There are a great variety of palms likewise on this road, and higher up we gathered some handsome flowers which were new to us. But above all our attention was caught by a beautiful serpent, lying by the wayside,— not large, but of the most splendid scarlet colour with black rings. The summit of the Corcovado consists of two rocks, parted by a narrow ravine. Formerly there was a bridge from the platform of the first rock over to the higher detached rock which rises perpendicularly above the valley. This bridge is now destroyed, so that it is almost 314 RIO DE JANEIRO. impossible to reach the proper summit of the mountain ; the view from the platform however is wonderfully fine, the opposite peak concealing very little of the land- scape. The eye wanders down to the valley of Laran- jeiras, then to Rio and the whole extent of the Bay. Unfortunately the Serra dos Orgaos was today hidden from sight by the mist, which in clear weather forms on this side the vapoury background of the picture. On the other side of the peak which intersects the pano- rama, you look down upon the Lagoa de Rodrigo de Freitas, and the fertile plain which separates it from the bay of Botafogo; next is seen the Sugarloaf, and on the further side, as if depicted upon a map, the entrance of the Bay, Santa Cruz, and the islands, floating as it were in the mist. On turning round, the spectator surveys the wooded range of mountains, topped by the Gavia and Tijuca, which exhibit the true character of virgin forest. On a second ride to the Corcovado, which 1 subse- quently took alone on the 23rd of Outober, 1 hed the good fortune to see the range of the Orgéos perfectly clear. At the very commencement of the ascent they have a most picturesque aspect, lying at a distance in a line with the road, enclosed in a pleasing frame of tall, graceful palm-fans and luxuriant bashes ; whilst in the foreground I saw decp below at my fect the mirror-like surface of the Bay with its numerous islands, and the city of Rio. On this second excursion to the mountains [ discovered a new and charming road, turning oft along the Aqueduct at the farmhouse where the horses are left, -- -.. __ AP tary eb nh C—O I I ea rapes FORT OF SANTA CRUZ. 315 with the Botanic Garden lying deep below. My desire to sketch the fine trees in the forests induced me to make this excursion; but after the primeval forests which T had seen in my journey to the Parahyba, 1 could not find any tree that seemed worth sketching. It was however a different thing today, when I entered for the first time these forests of the Corcovado, which fill the traveller just arrived from Europe with astonish- ment, and leaves nothing for his imagination to desire. We returned to luncheon at twelve o’clock, and at half-past one were on our way to the fort of Santa Cruz in the third cutter of the ¢ San Michele.” The fortress is situated upon a flat tongue of land on the castern side of the entrance to the Bay, and separated by a cleft in the rock from a steep hill or ridge between two cones, on the summit of which stands the old Forte do Pico. In time of war this fort is capable of being restored without much trouble,—an important circum- stance, as it would otherwise be open to attack and might easily be taken from these heights at the back. Santa Cruz, according to the statement of the Com- mandant and the artillery-officer of the place, has from 111 to 130 cannon, but their heavy carriages are perhaps not in a completely serviceable state for war; the ac- counts I received of the garrison ranged between S00 and 1200 men. There are as yet no mortars, which might be here of great service. The side facing the entrance of the Bay, opposite the Sugarloaf, has three stories, or more correctly platforms, one over another, for guns; the sides facing the sca and the Bay have EH Ee h—— it FA I wr 316 RIO DE JANEIRO. The lines toward the sea are SO skil- an excellent raking-fire The stone breastworks cach two stories. fully broken as to maintam against any ships that approach. a on the contrary, over which the guns fire, appear ; ; ] n a shi 1e line nd weak, that a few broadsides from a ship of t : ji A : TNE ving the sailing past might easily sweep off the men serving no : guns or drive them from their post. Until The fort of Santa Cruz on the cast side, Lagen : 1 ~ a he west side middle, and S. Theodosio and § Joo on the © : y ' yy « - a e, thus command a cross fire and orm ¢ nemy’s ship intending to f Rio 18 obliged to pass. strongly fortified, of the entranc | semicircle, through which any e force an entrance into the Bay o ; 1 se works to be a Sg f heavy guns and the Jounted with a full complement of heavy guns, i : 1 ) ich as possible against the artillerymen protected as mi : if unable w yre- mv’s fire,—they would, even if unable wholly to | Ln Wy ot at least damage an enemy's fleet, at lea g hat it would require SOME i service 1 the same manner time to refit them for service. In a es , " » fr, 4 > « » { as the south front of Santa Cruz, Fort Lagem % ‘hv a third line are SO d and Fort Villegagnon 1m a t — ————— vent the entrance of the ships so materially t | secon ad 0 aking-fire, that a large | advantageously situated for a raking five, that a larg | . rhaps a strong walled work of at least two stories, pe Sear Su 1 wid tower, would be very serviceable, which mounted Wi )V > 3 J 7 J ’ . p li ts ‘A ; ships ¢ distance mortars could annoy the enemy's ships at a and hinder their approach. dit Supposing the enemy's flect to have coil : 2 | orts of Gravata or S. trance, it would encounter the forts of Gravata S Boa Viagem, situated upon two points on Domingos and bed 9 DpOrAts ; hich. if their fortifications were restored, ) the east coast, W i dias Po TR a We AT vn SL ei—— ———— ES FORTIFIED DEFENCES OF RIO. 317 would form in conjunction with Villegagnon a second chief line in the defences, the efficiency of which might be considerably increased by some men-of-war anchored with a spring between these islands and the forts. The east side of the city, with its adjacent suburbs, is pro- tected against a landing by the above-mentioned msular fortress advanced far in front of it, and by the Ilha das Cobras projecting like an immense caponniere, whose present state of defence I do not exactly know ; it is also im some measure defended from the approach of large ships by banks and reefs,—at least, according to the charts of the Bay, from their anchoring within about 3% to 7% cables-length, or 950 to 1900 paces from the Ponta do Calabouco. The north side of Rio, on the other hand, is quite exposed to any hostile attack by sea. On the land side also the metropolis may be considered un- protected ; for the Morro do Castello, which stands like a bulwark at the Ponta do Calabougo, can hardly be regarded as a fortification; and a hostile landing therefore on the west side of the entrance of the Bay might ecasily prove dangerous. To protect Rio at least on the south against a coup-de-main—which would be practicable along the Bay through Botafogo— the forts da Praya Vermelha and do Leme have been erected south of the Sugarloaf. Opposite to them we find at Praya da Fora also an emplacement for a strand- battery, the chief object of which might be to oppose any landing directed against the Forte do Pico*. * Amongst the above-mentioned forts the following have Com- manders of note, and appear therefore to be kept up in a state of a p— — IR, dios wor ot, = EC a - TEN in Ne RE = iv si A = 318 RIO DE JANEIRO. cutter carried us from Santa Cruz to ted on the north side of Rio of S. Bento,—a glorious Our swift-oared the Naval Arsenal, situa de Janeiro under the heights » in brilliant weather. assage in brillian A : % ! There seemed to be little life in the spacious on ; n p ng which contained no “Dry Docks,” mor amy roo : 5 P 1 :. S or e for the ships in the course of construction; a i ras > stocks. 1¢ steamer only, of small size, was on the stock enty guns, was just arming. « Euterpe’ corvette, of twenty guns, : .ared to me too high, and The cabins of the officers appearec g p 3 ara- those for the crew on the contrary to have compe i re , TOUN( tively insufficient comfort ; she had Do fo ; ‘he ¢ Dom Pedro 11.” 0 p 1c‘ Dom m, wW e porthole. 1 stern, with only on E. four guns, on board which is the naval school, the ’ seveniy- onstituiclio’ of sixty ; 1 om i) fricates < Principe Imperial and ‘ C | Pay : d and third very small corvettes (the last : d two used for experimental trips by the School), 3 vs re the Ar whils small steamers, were anchored before the Arsenal, C " of-war lay in the roadstead. « Buterpe’ 1 visited the © Consti- guns, a secon some brigs- On my way from the : inter h was In rapic the interior fitting-up of which we I as this frigate was destined to fetch the Emperor's Bride. She was built m the United dn about twenty years ago, and for a il J extremely small; I heard that she was of only 12 tuicio,’ progress, y Villegagnon, S. e:—Santa Cruz, Ilha das Cons, Lagem, aon, & ig Vermelha, and Boa Viagem. y a ih $0 learn the former state of defence of Rio de Janeiro, ee en Trouin’s interesting account, dated December sth, 7 2 i A Sue’s Histoire de la Marine Francaise, vol. 5, pages 500, 307. . i TE 7 na GY Po Mas ve Hany - a — a EO I IR I — VISIT TO THE DOCKYARDS. 319 tons burden, not much more than half that of the © San Michele’; she is however very high between decks; on the other hand her quarters are extremely confined ; and the chainwales, on account of the guns, divided. She carries throughout twenty-four-pounders. The state cabins for the Empress and her suite were already fitted. From her geographical and political position, Brazil appears to be destined by nature to be a naval Power. Commerce and navigation constitute the only connection with the transatlantic, civilized world, whilst the flect offers by its cruisers the means of gaining for the young State consideration and respect among the nations of Europe. If the trade-wind, on the one hand facilitates the communication between Europe and Brazil, and thus narrows in some degree the wide gulf that separates the two countries, it on the other hand considerably length- ens the passage of ships from North to South America. Brazil is therefore perfectly isolated as a naval Power, or at least cut off by a tedious navigation from all the important naval states, in which number we of course include, together with the great Powers of Europe, the United States of America. Now this isolated position is a source of strength to the young Empire, inasmuch as it gives her time to prepare for a defensive war, and in certain circumstances also offers at the commencement of a war an opportunity of developing superior forces against the enemy. Moreover as the course round the Cape of Good Hope to India, and that round Cape Horn to the Pacific—those two great highways of commerce TR —— 320 RIO DE JANEIRO. to all maritime nations—nearly touch the coast of Brazil, the latter Power can with ease, in such a case, cut off the enemy’s commerce and whalefishery, by sending and cruisers, which, without going swarms of privateers uge the ocean from the Ama- far from home, might del son River to the La Plata, and at the same time convoy Brazilian vessels safely in and out of the harbours of the Empire in spite of all the enemy’s force. If a hostile fleet is actually off the coast, it has an extent of nearly 3600 nautical miles to blockade, and this at a great distance from any means of aid or relief. This last circumstance presents the chief ob- on account of the coal they require ; stacle to steamers, adapted for such a and yet these vessels are peculiarly y alone have the power to coast back- service, since the te of the equatorial ward and forward at pleasure, in spi and the Brazilian branch of it, as well as the Hence it is that the imperial navy would age from having a superiority in ssage offers, stream trade-wind. derive great advant But in a country where a sea-pa the shortest, at all events generally the st convenient channel of commu- nication between the coast provinces and the metro- polis, steam-navigation is an essential requisite, especially evolts in the provinces and tne conse- oops, are events of not rare occur- the world moreover POSSESSES such ater communication as South e its continent like life- and, whilst they steamers. if not exactly safest, quickest and mo when, as here, T quent despatch of tr rence. No country in an extraordinary mland w America ; gigantic rivers travers arteries, branch out far into the interior, RN ot Od, ADVANTAGES FOR A FLEET. 321 form the only path that winds through these endless wildernesses, open to steam-navigation a new and fertile field of activity. By this means the imperial banner can penetrate hundreds of miles into the mterior, to the furthest settlements, and there unfold to command to chastise, or to conciliate. Brazil possesses noble harbours; those of Santa Ca- tharina, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia and many others are capable of sheltering the largest flects. The ditentive coast of the empire offers, as we have seen, an immense basis for the operations of her own squadrons, an ey field for her cruisers and privateers, which every foreign Power, desiring to conclude an alliance offensive and defensive with the young State, will surely take into ac- count. If strongly fortified, these fine harbours would serve as a bulwark for their own force, and as a safe asylum for the squadrons of allies, which would find how shelter, rest and every requisite to refit and enable them % venture out again upon the treacherous element. In all this nature has done much, but much remains for art still to effect. There is no want of excellent wood for building although in Brazil, as well as elsewhere, complaints i heard of its deficiency ; but how can these complaints be reconciled with the fact, that a sumaca once sailed to Rio from Para which was hollowed out of a single colos- sal tree? Another essential requisite, for the Ha I maintenance of a fleet and the conduct of a naval ot are Dry-Docks for building, which I do not remember to have seen either at Rio, Bahia, or Para. It has been io till to establish larger iron-foundries, for Y — a - 322 RIO DE JANEIRO. ~ the manufacture of boilers and machinery, but coals for this purpose will have to be imported from abroad. The chief obstacle to the growth of the naval power of Brazil is undoubtedly the circumstance that, although the places along the coast are among the most populous in the country, they do not supply a sufficient number of sailors for the navy and merchant-service, which 1s the reason that blacks or coloured people, mostly slaves, are almost exclusively seen on board Brazilian ships. The Indians are especially in request, being considered to have a great talent for seamanship, and are said to be drawn from the very heart of the country into the naval service. This has some resemblance to the French and Russian conscription for the fleet, which seems to have confounded the military with the sea service in no very advantageous manner. Although 1t might be difficult to reconcile this view of recruiting for the fleet with that of other maritime nations, yet Brazil —in her excuse be it said—is so circumstanced as to be obliged to make a virtue of necessity. If the Emperor the United States, command eighty thousand could, lke inances of the em- sturdy, northern sailors, and if the fi pire were equal to the maintenance of such a force, what a position might he assume in the face of the world | For a country however so remote as Brazil less 1s re- ace her, for a time at least, among the first quired to pl The seven Dutch two-deckers, for 1n- naval Powers. stance, are not of much account among the naval forces of Europe ; nevertheless if we imagine these ships, fully armed and equipped, transported to the Dutch posses- - a an THE BRAZILIAN FLEET. 323 sions in India, they would form unquestionably the first naval power in those seas, and at the same time would extend a strong arm commandingly over the Pacific; they would exercise an unlimited sway over all those countries—a sway which no naval power in the world (at least for the first half-year) however formidable, could oppose; since at the present time no fleet is in a position to send a squadron into those waters, within that period, able to encounter these two-deckers. Con- sequently if in Europe only those ships of the line repay their cost which are built in large masses, and kept together in strong squadrons and fleets, yet the Bra- zilim navy—which might occupy a position in the western portion of the southern hemisphere somewhat similar to that of the Dutch two-deckers in the East— would at least derive advantage, in its isolated position, from possessing some such ships, if the great cost of building and manning them did not make it more ad- viseable to relinquish this, and to apply those two rare requisites in Brazil, money and sailors, to other purposes. We have already shown the necessity of steamers for the imperial fleet : these would naturally be divided into two chief classes,—those destined for the rivers, lakes, and shallow harbours, and those to be employed upon the ocean. The first of these would have to be re- stricted to the minimum, but the latter to be fully equipped in point of tonnage, number, horse-power and armament, as far as the resources of the State would permit. In recent times the Ministry of Marine has very decidedly advocated the employment of steamers, y 9 —————.. A— 324 RIO DE JANEIRO. and proposes to have two steam-cruisers built in En- gland, of 250-horse-power and armed with mortars. The liability of steamers to have their machinery and addles damaged, as well as the fact of their presenting no powerful broadside—two defects which, it is hoped, the Archimedes-screw may perfectly remove—have ren- dered these vessels hitherto unadapted either for fight- ing at close quarters, or for the destruction of artificial defences and the bombardment of fortified places. In the present position of things, a navy therefore like the Brazilian requires some stout sailing ships for the ser- vice, not merely to harass but to vanquish the enemy. Next to the two- and three-deckers, the sixty-gun frigate is the ship best fitted for this service, taking the thirty- two-pound calibre as her minimum weight of metal, in- cluding a number of mortars, discarding the carronades on the quarter-deck, and lastly rendering her capable of a burden of above 2000 tons. The frigates which Brazil now possesses date, as we have seen, from a period when the requirements were not so great as at present, and when for instance the twenty-four-pound calibre was fully sufficient. It is now proposed to adapt, by boring, not only these twenty-four-pounders, but most of the guns in the fleet, to a greater calibre. With regard to the equipment of the small sailing cruisers, only a few of them are armed in an equal manner to the correspond- ing vessels in other navies; the same may be said of the gunboats. But another standard must in part be applied to these smaller vessels, as some classes of them may be used rather in the suppression of revolts, in the THE IMPERIAL NAVY. 325 police service, and against the natives, than in conflict with regular men-of-war; their chief requisite therefore is to be able to wind their way through shallow waters, whilst the smallest number of guns is sufficient. To the above observations I will here add the most recent list of the Brazilian Navy, with which I am ac- quainted, taken from the © Relatorio da Reparti¢éio dos Negocios da Marinha” of the year 1845. ARMED VESSELS. FricaTe. Guns. Cannons. Carronades. Paraguassu.... ... 94 .. 26 18-p™. 8 24-p™. CORVETTES. Dois de Julho .... 26 .. 26 12 o_o Dona Januaria .... 2% .. 2 18 ,, 22 32 ,, Euterpe .... .. Ce SL, 18 32. Bertioga ......-- 16... «2 18 14 32 URIS ....vonvsas 16... 9 12 14 24. ., Brics. Tresde Maio .... 14... 2 12 12 18 Capiberibe .. ...... 12... 2 12 , 10 18 Imperial Pedro .... 10. 2 12 ,, 8 18 Brasiliero ........ B oe —, gS 12 ,, ScHOONER-BRIGS. Calliope .... .....- 14 .. =— = 14 18 ,, Fidelidade ... viv 12 4s == == 5 12 18 Guararapes... .. 10 .. — = 10 18 ,, Leopoldina. ... .... 10 .. — = 10 18 ,, Nicterohy ........ W .. 2 12 gS 18 ,, Olinda .......... WO.. 2 9 8 18 ,, Pirajé.......c-.-- MO my 10 12 ,, SCHOONERS. L’Egalidade ..... 8... — — 8 12 Primeiro de Abril . . 5. iF 42, 4 18 Riograndense . .. . .. Sel rg ny {fy 326 SCHOONERS. Fanfa......... va: Guahiba. . .... cies Jacuhy ...... ve Rio Pardo .. . Cassapava .. Gravatahy ........ Paraxos. Argos... .. ova Januaris ....e0e» Desterro ..... “aie Camaro Hyates (Yachts). Veinte ocho de Julho Cahy -.»virin onsen Capivary ........ S. Gongalo....... . Jaguardo ........ Ibicuhy .......... Parker .....cxeus Neptuno ........ Quince de Noviembre Cacador .......... CUTTER. Guarany.......... CANONIERES. Nr. 1. STEAMERS. Guapiassu .. ...... MHetis ...corvine Urania Bwmelia ........ +» Cassiopéa ........ Fluminense ...... RIO DE JANEIRO. 2 ro ro — — — — ~ J— ~~ So . b or © ro eo f— — iv — pp — DN | pp fod pond — . . . . . . S— Son An A . . - — pp . — — — — | Also seven Transport-vessels. Carronades. 18-p™. 18 18 18 18 18 18 12 3» > > Bb 3» MILITARY ARSENAL. In addition to the above :— Dismantled :—One ship of the line (Pedro Segundo), two frigates (Principe Imperial and Constituiciio), one corvette, two schooners, two steamers (one of 120 horse-power), one charrua and one life- boat. Vessels no longer fit for service :—Two frigates (Imperatriz and Campista), one corvette, two barques, one canonicre and one charrua, also two prizes. The manning of the fleet consists of 234 officers n active service, and 283 third-class officers (those who are withdrawn from active service, without any pension or claim to promotion, but who are employed on various commissions),—consequently in all, 517 officers, whilst the Etat-major strength amounts to 521 officers. The fleet has moreover from three to four thousand sailors, and a corps of marine artillery of 36 officers and 1166 men. The Admiral, who conducted me round the Naval Arsenal, afterwards took me in his elegant barge, rowed by a crew drest like those of the Dutch boats of this kind, over to the Military Arsenal situated on the Ponta do Calabouco, where the Minister of War, Jozé Clemente Pereira, received me. This establishment has more the appearance of a general depot than an arsenal, yet ap- sufficient extent, as the Emperor has be- pears to be of 1 and larger one. There are five fore him a plan for a new other Arsenaes de Guerra in the provinces, namely mn Mato Grosso, Bahia, Pernambuco, Para and Rio Grande do Sul. The manufacture of arms is not inferior to that in the great European armies. In the pistols, a Coll- nection between the barrel and ramrod attracted my ne A 328 RIO DE JANEIRO. attention ; a hinge of a peculiar kind holds the ramrod fast, but allows it so much play, that the loading is in no degree impeded. This contrivance, which is very useful in quick firing, is also adopted by the North Ame- rican cavalry ; I noticed these pistols the next day on board the American ship of the line ¢ Delaware,’ —in- tended for boarding. Before 1 left the Arsenal, the Minister to my great joy presented to me, by command of the Emperor, a complete collection of the imperial Brazilian weapons. I was especially interested by the peculiar and national equipment of a horseman of Rio Grande do Sul, which formed part of the Emperor’s gracious present ; amongst other things there were the dark-blue poncho, with a grey lining, and a round hat covered with oiled silk ; also the basket-hilted sabre, the firearms with the cart- ridges, and a genuine lumbillo. The revolts still rife in the provinces, as I have said, had completely emptied the metropolis of troops of the line; and the horse-artillery were likewise called away, so that I could form but an imperfect idea from obser- vation either of the Brazilian army or of the artillery. The few guns remaining in the Arsenal of Rio were constructed quite on the English system, the adop- tion of which by an army like that of Brazil, where the troops are subject to such frequent seca-transport both in peace and war, certainly appears to be very convenient. The army is not above 23,000 men strong, and seems to be somewhat disproport ioned to the immense arca of the A — ER THE BRAZILIAN ARMY. 320 country ; but we must not here apply the same standard as to European armies, which are chiefly engaged in war- fare on a grand scale. In Brazil the system of war is more confined to partial enterprize, as we have seen in the history of this country. There are consequently three principal objects for the service of the Brazilian army, which absolutely requires the strength and organization sufficient to effect these,—to preserve peace and se- curity in the interior, to watch the accessible points of the land-frontier, and to co-operate in the defence of the extensive line of coast. Brazil comprises three very different kinds of terri- tory,—impenctrable forests, mountain-ranges, and large plains or Campos,—upon which the troops have to act, in maintaining peace in the interior, suppressing revolts in the provinces, and defending the frontier against an enemy. The accessible points are not nu- merous, and, on account of their remoteness from all civilization, possess little military interest. The only frontiers on which a serious war has been waged are, as we have seen in the history, those of Buenos Ayres and Montevideo, where noble Campos, peculiarly adapted for the use of all three weapons, present a fa- vourable field for warfare. The Brazilian force in active service here, at the time when it was under the command of General Braun, (mow resident in Dresden,) amounted to between 7000 and 8000 infantry, and 5000 cavalry, with three batte- ries of four guns,—one five-inch howitzer and three nine-pounders ; the fine German Legion, which has since 330 RIO DE JANEIRO. been disbanded, belonged to this force. There was one d with the cavalry here,— strange circumstance connecte d to cach man. On that three to five horses were assigne the march each cavalry regiment was followed, at tance of about a thousand paces on the side turned from Trupilho (a troop), consisting of the all the men, and driven by some ca- r of Indian men or women. A consisting of the third and oiment, followed the a dis- the enemy, by ¢ second horses of valry and a small numbe second, but larger troop, fourth horses for each man of the rc baggage, together with the droves of cattle. When the second Trupilhos of several regiments fell in with the most carefully baggage, a commingling was always avoided. A third troop, of one or two more reserve horses for each soldier, formed a kind of © flying horse- depot,” which seldom approached the army within twenty leagues, and was generally left much further behind. During the march the cavalry r worses daily, and they never neglected « Tt was as dif- cgiments were accus- tomed to change i to do this when on the eve of battle. ficult to wean them from this custom,” overcome their predilection for said General Braun to me, “as to These large troops of horses and cattle the carbine.” as well as the enemy, al- obliged the Brazilian General banks of rivers, where alone could be found sufficient fodder for the animals, of which frequently a deficiency In the plains. The "the troops on hoth sides were ways to bivouac on the there was movements therefore of often directed merely to obtaining possession of a parti- Form, wa hy mci THE BRAZILIAN ARMY. 331 cular valley, or the dispersion of the enemy’s troops of horses, whilst these wide tracts of country enabled them easily to evade any decisive engagement. In other parts of the empire likewise, where revolts had to be suppressed and internal war raged, the same system, of postponing as long as possible any decisive movement, seems to have prevailed both with friend and foe, or these disturbances must have been sooner quelled. The interminable Campos in the south, in the Banda Oriental and Rio Grande, and in other provinces the endless virgin forest or impassable mountain districts, Tay have equally impeded military operations, in addi- tion to the enervating effects of the tropical heat, both mental and physical, upon officers and men. In the last- mentioned description of country the light mfantry con- stitutes the principal force, formed into small moveable columns, which are alone here able to advance; the avalry is impeded by the narrow footpaths, and the artillery, with the exception of a few light howitzers packed on mules, has to be left behind or The place sup- plied by rockets. As it is seldom that many thousand men are concen- trated upon any spot, the division of the infantry into independent battalions, light-armed, with light hagnine and a dress suitable to the climate, seems os adapted for the service required, and for overcoming the natural obstacles of the country. ws ap c [he old military principle, of keeping the forces as much as possible together, and bringing them to bear upon decisive points, may be recommended to no army BR RIO DE JANEIRO. t)e) SJ more properly than to that of Brazil, from its deficiency in numerical strength; and this 18 especially the case when it is called upon to defend the immense extent of coast. To effect this, the land and naval forces when- ever practicable must co-operate, and restrict their efforts to holding a few commanding points. In this case the kill of the military engineer 1s required to fortify and strengthen these points as much as possible, by taking every advantage of the soil and the configuration of the coast, as soon as he has clearly ascertained in what di- rection and in what force an enemys fleet 1s able to ap- proach for the purpose of bombarding the fortress or land- ing troops, and what points of attack the land-side offers to the latter. Such places, amongst which we reckon and Rio de Janeiro, require a large of artillerymen to man their extensive works ; therefore see sufficient reason for the four bat- talions of foot-artillery in the Brazihan army, which at first sight scem to be disproportioned to the rest of the Preparations must also be made to facilitate, In the concentration on these points of , National Guards, since the vicinity will seldom ted for instance Baha number and we troops. case of necessity, a considerable body of the stationed in the actised troops, when suppor illery, would oppose a powers Almost every , and only troops of the line suffice, and since less pr strong and efficient art to any attempts to land. ak moment at the beginning by degrees ; ¢ therefore the enemy 1 and with a superior force, 1t bya ful resistance landing has its we acquires strength attacked at the right time asy to stop the attempt at the outset. will be THE BRAZILIAN ARMY. 333 The Imperi ny, accordi ; In pe 1al Army, according to the Relatorio da eparticiio dos Negocios da Guerra,” of the year 1845, as at that period composed of the following troops :— TROOPS OF THE LINE. 19 Generals.—177 General Staff-officers. INFANTRY. i, Men. 8 Battalions of Fusileers .......c...00 4918 8 Battalions of Chasseurs .. ..ce ovens 4418 Detached corps of these .... cc. aaa 883 1102 9 Depbt-Companies .......ce... LD as eee Provisional (including 6 Chasseur) Companies. . 1015 4 Corpos Fixos ......ecnnennns 1450 : 3 : : : : CEE EL EE BE J "Re 1 Corpo de Deposito in Rio Grande do Sul .. 365 1 Depot of Recruits in Pernambuco ....... 34 \ ». . ‘ ’ . : 1 Contingent das Alagéas in Ceara ..... Es 200 4 : 3 . : 1 Corps of German Volunteers in Rio Grande do SUL oiuiinnivninssin Cie 5 90 14,475 CAVALRY. 3 Light Regiments. ...oovuveeeeennn. is aie 673 3 Companies of Cavallaria Fixa ......... 210 883 ARTILLERY. 4 Battalions of Infantry ......... 1576 1 Corps of Cavalry ....... cere 103 Several Companies of Artillerymen ...... 279 2,258 J PIONEERS, ««vonvnsrs 60 : : a Total of Troops of the Line..... . 17 676 ; x 2 : * . te se se sees ve /y / (including 159 Staff and 1018 Subaltern Officers) Also, a National Guard Mobile . 1,405 ead 4,405 r \ y . a » . . . . . ) 5 Companies of Pedestres agaist the wild Indians in Maranhio, Goyaz and Minas Geraes .... 440 Invalids in Santa Catharina .. ... aye 146 re > . . - ~ iy : Total amount of the Army, including Officers. 22,863 ; co “yO. er } Unis 334 R10 DE JANEIRO. The National Guard has been completely organized f in only ten Provinces of the empire; 118 strength 1s as follows :— Men. : a GO In the Province OE Bard cians ann rennvane v's 18.897 Maranhdo ..eosoesrneennes 10,324 3 bb ; 3 994 Pivnhiy ov connivesspwares 3,82 3 3» > . 9 973 . Rio Grande do Norte ...... 9,97. ’ Ee Parahyba .......c0 eee 13,255 . ? : 95.782 . > Pernambuco «.oevevseerees 25,782 2 OR " “ Bahia cosererevnr Eo 18,259 Rio de Janeiro* (exclusive of LB] 3» a > 300 the Metropolis) .. eeeeee ve 24, : i Metropolis... . «+ aie ee ae 6,579 : i ’ 23,033 ,, Province of S. Paulo....eescveesss eae 2340 , : Qanta Catharina ........eee-ee 6,282 2 ’ ’ mss 156,338 Tr The entire force of the National Guard which may he raised in the other cight provine Goyaz, Ceard, Rio Grande do revolt furnished 4000 men, incl Espirito Santo, Sergipe, may probal ly amount to not l¢ men ; so that the strength of the when the complete to between 915,000 and Metropolis, Bahia and Pernambuco have able bodies of Municipal- 900 men, Bahia 600, and P All well disciplined and maintained. ) this province is not yet % The organization Ii en that the above state but it can be readily se the mark. cs— Mato Grosso, Sul (which during the last wling about 3000 horse), Alagéas and Mas Geraes— ss than 55,000 to 60,000 whole National Guard, organization 1s effected, will amount 220,000 men. Besides this, the also consider- Police,—Rio de Janeiro about ernambuco about as many, completely finished, ment will be within VISIT TO PRUSSIAN VESSELS. 335 September 24th.—This morning [ attended, in full Ge- neral’s uniform, the funeral service for Dom Pedro the First in the church of Nossa Senhora da Gloria, which took place in the presence of the Emperor and the Court. I arrived carly, and had time to enjoy in this beautiful weather the splendid view of Rio and the Bay. After the ceremony I drove into the city, and went on board the Prussian barque Charlotte,” Captain Rein- trok, a pretty vessel, in good trim, with spacious cabins ; she had (a thing I had never before seen) no bitts, and was provided with a simple stopper worked by means of a hook. The crew consisted of sixteen men, who unhappily were destined never to reach their homes : the barque sailed from Rio, and no tidings were ever heard of her again. In this vessel was lost, to my great regret, the arms and accoutrements which the Emperor had graciously presented to me. Not long after the loss of this barque, the Prussian Chaplain to the Embassy, Neumann, whose acquaintance I made in Rio, also perished by shipwreck : he had crossed the ocean In safety, and met with this lamentable end at the mouth of the Elbe, in sight of his native land ! From the ¢ Charlotte’ I passed over to his Majesty's merchant brig < Der Kronprinz, Captain Sievert, at whose topmast waved the Prussian pendant, which mer- chantmen are only allowed to hoist south of the Line ™. * Tis Majesty’s corvette the ¢ Amazone’, as is well known, hoisted the Prussian pendant two years later, for the first time after more than a century, in the waters of the northern hemisphere out of the Baltic Sea. | | 330 RIO DE JANEIRO. Both the brig and the barque were well-rigged, ol everything in perfect seamanlike orders the oh oe « Kronprinz’ was also very Shaan. The Sa I applies to a fine ship the © Johns of Ham we, ns visited last; her cabin was fitted up quite op J: The German ships all hoisted their flags wi nd heard of my presence in the roadstead,—a 3 id tribute of interest and sympathy; but the further fron home, the more do Germans cling together. September 26th—As early as halt-past Tice I galloped off in the direction of the oy ollo ne wherever possible, the shore of the Bay. On my > x : I got into a number of by-ways and streets, w i had little the appearance of belonging to » Bm polis. Upon a rising ground, near the Tall bay ae the « Bahia de Inhatime,” stands a large Mie ing, the hospital dos Lazaros. Several 5 oe i greatly enhance the beauty of this hy, oh eked quite a paradise in such heavenly wonkier, ] ine wished to extend my ride today some longoes a i ; H along the west shore of the bay, but to my ogre i road I took was soon obstructed by Hh i ments, not often encountered 1n Yaa, dh on] 1e gn and fences ; 1 therefore turned off to S. Cha wo Bs, a following thence the road to Minas and Sl ne ca 8 to Venda Grande. Before the point at whic b je 10 : branches off to Minas I turned sharp to Se i then proceeding parallel to the shore of a ok nie receded from my sight, 1 vode on through low capueira, interspersed with the stems of tall cactuses. } i a. RIDE TO VENDA GRANDE. 357 e Shortly before reaching the bare rock of the Penha, upon which stands the little church, the capueira became taller and more fragrant ; splendid forest-trees rose here and there like giants out of the underwood, with a dark and solemn air, and the hills extended behind the Penha before me on the right. For some distance the wood approached nearer to the road, converting it into a shady avenue, and then by degrees the country became again more open and hilly. I stopped at a brook near some fazendas, and met a cattle-dealer, with high, black, shi- ning boots, who told me, in good French, that I was on the road to Porto da Estrella, and pointed out the di- rection. In half an hour I passed a second brook and some detached houses; and presently a negro, who was journeying the same way, joined me, and we jogged on for some distance together. The sun’s heat was oppressive ; my horse was tired, and I was hungry, —I longed for a venda. My black companion, who could not very well understand what 1 said, soon disap- peared, and my charger refused service, so that I was obliged to dismount and lead him along. After wan- dering about for some hours, I came upon a straight, interminable path cut through the capueira, leading up to some detached houses surrounding a square, on one side of which stood a church. 1 believe the name of this place was Nossa Senhora da Iraji. A young Parisian showed me the inn, where I refreshed my- self with bread and oranges, and then proceeded in the direction of the road to Minas, which soon led me to Venda Grande. The country through which 1 Vol. 1. 7 vind 338 RIO DE JANEIRO. passed today was hilly and covered with capueira, but I noticed more palms than on the road to Santa Cruz. The cattle-dealer had told me that a large body of troops were escorting a number of prisoners on this road from Minas to Rio, but I saw no trace of them. It was past four o’clock when I again reached Venda Grande, where I turned in to rest for awhile. Having ordered coffee, in a few words of broken Portuguese, I was going to look after my horse, when in crossing the yard I heard the landlady rating her daughter soundly in good German. My pleasurable surprize may be readily imagined ; and the good woman, in an instant forgetting her wrath, was very anxious in her attention to my comfort and accommodation ; she was a native of Baden, and had been settled here for some time. Soon after I passed San Christoviio it grew dark: in the city I met the Emperor, on his way from the Botanic Garden, and it was seven o'clock when 1 reached home. I went to bed early, in order to enjoy a good night’s rest after my ride, for at daybreak the next day we were to set out upon a longer excursion through the Province of Rio de Janeiro. END OF VOLUME 1. PRINTED BY RICHARD AND JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. R y Campos de ca i "vp, ! a y, Cndib, Pogo Roti?” { FE Hag nha A “iy ww i x { Hendra) hs. " “der Huang i i Sigma. V argpo de S Lourenge GCamboq nh Afra 7 &. do Sco pean) nhos \ Ng or” de burgaz Aw o -~ 2 or da Leconmn 3 2 4 : f ; 5 Praya isto dihe my kf Of A, Jad, el +) WI i ir. \ rg 3 5 Re % 5 - Tans : . A i i : 2 SY Lop 2 ; Di 3 A. Gut ff Jt Demin? oS 5 ; 4 . a nS ARAL JAMEOS, DR] gD v3 2 { . ny 4 % 7 y i i, 1 + a a EG Ce LL nd 78 mh # Fido" Er Sm yr WE: + lS. gids 2 Rank 0 pons & Rim ? Ao Frtirady Qo ware” “dy edly, » "0 “eg, ” No Monta Frio ” 5H pagans ar do >. enditige dere i. @ tr » ‘ “. Boric Is a8 PM ALR er “Japebugu oz, V Hag 2-AnnA apebugn PL y : \%, Prager } do driv 7 S fe wo { INE Re ata FF LB oe BEES 30 “ Fornardes : ne 3 Nh Se LY: : inal A % * 2 4 . g % Bp: JOB] J dncora Para > F- = BV ade Cond Gt gi £ & - = aly alien (pre ¥ ©, \ / “iP 9 apna gy ig ry | { 2 dnd rs AR ol US (3 . , Boge E : or Sl 0 bins gusting 5, 33 1 og a Emerenci : Sg ~ A Post PA gb R iy Se Biel a - /4 > 4% Br “ldolBreo 27 h o YET TTERQRYALIT, 2 My h pnt of. STE BrP ” Jal P J (y A; 26 JAS fl agri) ¥ ia g Yrripria bE Ga 3 ght : L Pw Cavallas od dos Papagmos SARS iE R Fre > i p jo pes ~ 9 < oo PAs oe tr ? oe ¥ 3 " . wi DY ro Forse 54 / nl, 5 Jalind’ $7 vi] 3 EE, a 9 & 7. 0 . bs, L brie le Yang VIO bis Dies boanst et fy 1a. Trombasd do CabosFrio | €* . : se 33 qe Th Cabo p.. - - ez i “ rio ‘ ih enw yo oF THE A lige RN rr : of das Palmas I ao, v. 2 J Naricas i z. Wl © % dar (or, 7] pr = 4 & “0 opita des ly ucas tris: 0 rrivem gp > re, “aay No NX pe 7 wr — oH] q v £67 ; 37 5 a PROVINCE OF RIO DE JANEIRO, ~— ~ J Ys p——— 5 : principally accordin gz lo <6 pA yur MAPS 4x0 OBSERVATIONS OF 2 0 rg ” 3 . Freycinet, P.Taulois publ feo deen Garg. Six wed v Martius Eschwege, # sp Eo bn EXPLANATION oF SIGNS AND ABBREVIATIONS. HO Mertlian Semel ieieaiCapdnor RAN “a, | @ cipapm (oT) C°_ (itbo rlape) Ph Pluarol deagbeteorese) Prince Maximilian of Neuwic Pohl A StHlilaire, yardner Ss ¥eo Villa Bow) Corr Corrego Brook) >. 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Yay Ph Flared Lplthoeesel 70 avrmibian of 2 J Jot Harbour) 7 Millet 8 \dolph ¥ - > SIGNS AND (“tito Aegpre) Corr Corrego ( (Brook) Lrs Ensecdet ( Ke pcedateced or bets) /rn Lraye: Levech) Sertlt, 1 Fe Woe Wars Jylarnds BR feos Reveror Jerecent) L. Lagoa Luke) Jud. fbecrao 1 Jie cerntlel) We. Morro Hell) J Sivo, Serle, ye NS Nofoa Senhora (Ore Lady) 7 - Sante NV Slirstorn hotere) Pe Ponta (loent Sra Serre (Morten heawer) 7 Te / feerghit fninintr or groen tre le wresear foot, the Jo Sonnelersys wn Ereglerh, Jaltoonts. 45 5D y pPedcaya EXPL ANATION OF © CIDADE (CITY Yao Villa (Tow n § Fre Cuenia Paresh) oY aoperl ¢ Werte) . Mea Irdleare Fazenda (Farner) ngertho voter rill) Vonidor chur). - Vetea farm fooeese). + Capella (Dipped) cong hy ZL ud H. MAHLMANN. lortegt ¢ Eve TRAVELS or HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ADALBERT OF PRUSSIA, IN THE SOUTH OF EUROPE AND IN BRAZIL, WITH A VOYAGE UP THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU". Translated by SIR ROBERT H. SCHOMBURGK AND JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR. VOLUME IL. LONDON: DAVID BOGUE, FLEET STREET. MDCCCXLIX. CONTENTS. VOLUME Il. PRINTED BY RICHARD AND JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. AN EXCURSION TO THE BANKS OF THE PARAHYBA. Page Country around Rio— Roads in Brazil— Portodas Caixas—En- campment of Tropas— Approach to the Mountains— A Brazilian Inn—Prim:eval Forests— Meeting with Germans— Hunters of the Forest—Colony of Novo Friburgo—Flocks of Parrots—A Night in the Forest— Village of Cantagallo—A Coffee Estate— Condition of the Negroes—Ride through the Forest—Chase of Antas— Aldea da Pedra—Iray Florido—A Visit to the Indians ~The Cavaleade— Description of the Indians—The Puris— Forest Scenery—Dance of the Indians—Aldea da Pedra— Banks of the Parahyba—Rio Preto—Town of Campos— Canoe Voyage—Visit to a Fazenda—Process of Sugar-boiling— Re- turn to Rio—The Guide Antonio—The Lagoa de Jesus—The Lagoa Feia—Ride through the Capueira—The Mato de Boacica —Campos Novos—Moonlight Ride— Lagoa de Saquaréma Return to Rio— Visit to the Emperor— Environs of the City— Falls of the Tijuca—Voyage in the Growler—The English Mail-packet........... V3L'7484 CONTENTS. THE RIVERS AMAZON AND XINGU.. Continent of South America—Its great Rivers—Forests, Llanos, and Mountains—Voleanoes—Tierra del Fuego—The Andes —Mountains of Brazil—Rivers of Brazil—Course of the Amazon—Rio Negro—Rio da Madeira—Tributaries of the Amazon—Rio Tapajos—Branches of the Maraion—Roads in Brazil—The Tocantins—Phenomenon of the Pororoca —Account of the Amazon—Tradition of El Dorado—Orel- lana’s Expedition—Race of the Amazons—Portuguese Ex- peditions—Expulsion of the Jesuits—Tradition of the Ama- zons—Insurrections in Brazil—Population of Parda—IEx- ports from Para—City of Nossa Senhora de Belém ........ Excursion up the Xingt—The Igarité—Ilha das Ongas—Aroizal River— Entrance of the Para River—Dinner on board— Stores of the Igarité—Island of Tucupi—Island of Maraj6—Ilha de Santa Isabel—Rio das Bocas—Town of Breves— Ubussi and Assai Palms—Branches of the Rio dos Breves—Alligators— Aénal Roots and Palms—Native Indians—Adventure of Count Oriolla—DBearings of the Jaburd—The Jabixava—Torest Scenery—The Uituquara River—Songs of the Indians— ’ a vo AA 5 Ben Cha Amusements on the Voyage— Encounter with a Boa Con strictor—The Town of Gurupa—A fabulous Serpent— En- trance of the Xingi—Aurrival at Porto de Moz—The Pilots Families—Prayas of the XingG—Town of Veiros—Arrival at Souzel—Padre Torquato—Expedition to the Indian Settle- ments— The Estrada—Inhabitants of Souzel-—Voyage up the Xingt—Crew of Indians—Journey along the Estrada—The Bivonac—Journey through the Forests— Destructive powers of the Ants—Porto Grande—Arrival of the Canoes—An Alli- gator—Islands in the Xingi—Monkeys— Arrival among the Yarduas-Missions of the Jesuits—Tavaquara— Indian Huts- Description of the Jurdnas—Indian Marriages and Burials Pace { 97 ——— i ————. ——— CONTENTS. —Pagé or Conjuror—Habits of the Jurdnas—Arrival of the Chieftain—Tuxdva of the Jurdnas—Dance of the Indians— Flotilla of Canoes—Islands and Shores of the Xingd—Rapids of the Xingd—The Taconhapéz Indians A Night in the Forests—Passage of the Caxoeiras—Maloca of the Indians—Martinho the Deserter— Barter with the Indians— Indian Eloquence—The Rapids—Capture of an Alligator—A Nettlement of Jurdnas—Mosquitoes in the Forest—The Iriri River—Visit to another Maloca—Island of Castanhal—Indian Hunters — Jurdnas of Pi -anhaquéira — Introduction of the Chieftain—An Evening with the Indians—Superstitions of the Jurinas—Indian Hunters —Preparation of Caxeri—Gold Mines—Upper Course of the Xingti—Account of the Jurtinas —Bows and various Arrows— Preparations of the Mandioca —Tribes of ““ Indios mansos’’ and Cannibals . . ... Return Voyage—Islands in the Xingti—Bivouac in the Forest— The Caxoeiras—Distances on the Xingi—Voyage down the Xingu—Traces of a Tapir—Passage of the Rapids—Caxoeira Acahitéua—Indian Customs—C Cataract of Tapajina—Com- mencement of the Lower Xingi—A Night at the Seringera— Return to the Igarité—Parting with Padre Torquato—Pombal— Porto de Moz— Entrance of the Amazon—Christmas Eve— Navigation of the Amazon—Tributaries of the Amazon—The Rivers Tagipurt and Jaburd—The Furo das Velhas—Rio dos Breves—Voyage down the Pari—Islands—The Tocantins— Miriti Palms—New Year's Eve—The Anapti River—Arrival at Santa Anna— Entrance of the Rio Moji—Arrival at Pard— Pernambuco—Return on board the Frigate— Voyage back to Europe—Return to Berlin. . . . .. SED CY SESE Cs rere Page ~- 161 320 EXCURSION TO THE BANKS OF THE PARAHYBA. SEPTEMBER 27th.—In planning our excursion through the province of Rio de Jane ro, our tention hs: cross over to Praya Grande in the first steamboat ; and 4 with this view we drove into the town at hs ad been to alf-past five o'clock this morning, hut unfortunately arrived at the embarcadere just at the moment when the vessel had left the shore. We therefore engaged a feluga, a large open boat with two lateen sails and six black rowers, which in a short time landed us on the eastern shore of the bay. On our way we passed two English packets, a fine brig the Crane, and a handsome schooner the “Spider,” both carrying six guns; the ‘John’ was also just getting under sail. The view from Praya Grande over the bay to Rio, which lay be- fore us in its whole extent, was wonderfully fine. The VOL. 11. B 2 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. long line of houses is agreeably broken by the rising ground of Gloria, the Signal-hill, and the high Ilha das Cobras, before which two ships of the line and the British Commodore’s frigate rode majestically upon the waves, while the misty blue mountain-chain of the Cor- covado and the Tijuca, with its noble outlines, formed a magnificent background. It was eight o'clock when our small party, consisting of four gentlemen and two servants, left Praya Grande, some on horseback and some on mules. Two Arrieiros headed the caravan with two beasts of burden, and a re- serve mule, together with two horses which they intended to sell on their own account at Campos. With the ex- ception of my own active grey nag—which I called the « Botocudo”’—we were wretchedly mounted. The beasts were lean and jaded, and promised ill enough ; neverthe- less they stood the fatigues of the jowrney better than we expected. Count Bismark rode a superannuated mule, Mr. Theremin and one of the Arrieiros were similarly mounted, while Count Oriolla, the two servants, and the other Arrieiro had given the preference to horses. Our caravan thus consisted altogether of thirteen beasts. The road, for the most part lined by hedges, followed at first the shores of the bay, turning afterwards east- ward into the wooded hilly country. The form of these hills is rounded, and the copse-wood, intermin- gled with a few palm-trees, bears: the decided cnaracter of a thick capueira. The land is principally cultivated with bananas, maize, and mandioca, with occasionally considerable tracts of meadows: villages, or a/deas, are FEATURES OF THE COUNTRY. 3 scattered about, and we passed or our way single vendas at different intervals. The day was fair, yet not free from that white mist which, since our arrival at Rio, al- most without intermission alternated with rainy weather. To-day it also enveloped the Orgdos, which, though only at a short distance, could scarcely be recognized. The sumpter-mule (carga) and the frisky steeds of the Arri- eiros tried our patience to the utmost, every few minutes breaking through the hedges and running into the mea- dows, turning into the vendas, or dashing along the rivu- lets at full gallop, and resisting all our attempts to bring them back to the proper road by violent kicking. The mules showed their natural cunning in these freaks, employing stratagem where the horse uses violence, and for this reason they are not to be trusted: after walk- ing on before a person as quictly as a lamb for a whole hour, the mule will suddenly, in the most unaccountable way, take it into its head to begin kicking with might and main. The terrain opened gradually. We crossed the broad stream of the Rio de Alcantara by a bridge, from each side of which is an interesting view over the river, meandering among shrubs intermixed with palm-trees. Close to the bridge, on the other side, stood a venda in the capueira, at the foot of a hill covered with bushes, which, with a few houses partly concealed among the copse, is known by the name of Alcantara. Here we dismounted and took a plain meal, neatly served, while our beasts were fed on capim, a kind of grass, and milho or maize. AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. We arrived at this spot at twelve o’clock, and started again at two. The country now became more flat, and the capueira attained by degrees a greater height, until it was succeeded by a forest, bearing the name of «“ Mato do Gamba ;”’ an occasional glance between the trunks of the high trees showed that the country was still in parts hilly, and the outlines of the Serra dos Orgdos were dimly seen from time to time on our left. There were great numbers of beautiful palms, and lofty trees with large leafy crowns. The high-road had ceased at the Rio Alcantara, and we now followed a footpath, which was frequently crossed by fences. The roads in Brazil are usually constructed in the following manner :—a person, on establishing a “Fazenda,” * makes a communication between it and his neighbour’s by a footpath, or picada : a series of these ultimately form a highway, which is in general merely a small path, although called by the pompous name of estrada, or estrada real. These fences are peculiar to the country; they do not always form part of the enclosure of a fazenda, but are often constructed by the Tropeiros or mule-drivers. The trains of mules bivouac by the wayside, or upon the estrada itself, and the drivers close the path by these fences to prevent their beasts running away ; the thick apueira forms the remaining part of the enclosure. On emerging toward evening from the wood, which was enlivened by some fiery « Tié-fogos,” we saw before us two undulating ridges of hills, and upon the furthest * A Fazenda is properly a farm or estate, with a house attached to it: in the following pages it denotes a sugar or coffee estate. Qt THE CAPUEIRA. the village of S. Jodo do Itaborahy, which we reached at six o'clock, just before dark. It consists of a square, with a few short streets ; the church stands in the for- mer, near which we dismounted at a venda or mn, mn a narrow lane. The prospect from the church commands the whole country around,—parallel ridges of hills, ex- tending to the horizon. September 28th.—While taking our coffee this morn- ing, we were amused by watching a young equilibrist, who was on his way to Rio, making his toilet,—the two most interesting moments being those when the little fellow anointed his hair carefully with butter, and then stepped into his large jack-boots, which gave him just the air of a puss-in-boots. We mounted our horses at seven o'clock, and entered the capueira : the weather was unsettled, and we de- sired one of our Arrieiros to follow us with the sumpter mules, intending ourselves to proceed at a quicker pace, so as to arrive betimes in the evening. A journey of twelve leagues was before us, and we had been able on the previous day to accomplish only eight. Before we had gone far it began to rain, which gave my com- panions, the two Counts, a very picturesque appearance, in their ponchos lined with scarlet ; their brown faces, with large beards and black hair, were set oft by broad-brimmed, grey, Marseilles hats, which had at- tracted general attention in all the Spanish alamedas, from their resemblance to the hats of the Picadores : add to this the large boots, @ /« Wallenstein, of rough veado leather, with clumsy spurs, and the picture of my i t 1 | i 0 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. two youthful companions is complete. Mr. Theremin also accompanied me, who was distinguished by his large Chili straw-hat, wrapt in the blue cloak of a civilian, and wearing jack-boots with the tops pulled up. I was the only one of the party, except the two servants, who car- ried a gun slung at my back, with a cartridge-box round my waist. I had stowed away my little blue steel facdo, which was of no service in cutting our way through the forest, in the small portmanteau that contained all my things. Our Arrieiro proposed that we should pass through Porto das Caixas, as it was not out of our way *; and I hailed this suggestion, in the hope of being able to procure there a piece of oilcloth, to protect from the rain my blue jacket—one of my chief treasures, for which there was 1no room in the portmanteau. Passing through a flat, marshy tract, between hedges and bushes, extending over the Campos of Marabu, we arrived at the small harbour of Porto das Caixas. As we rode through this place the rain fell in torrents, and the horses slipped on the clayey soil, or sunk mto the mud, which bespattered our Mineiros boots. A few large open boats, roofed-in near the stern, were lying in the small river of Macac(, which falls into the bay of Rio near this spot ; these, and a number of large vendas, bespoke the active commerce carried on at Porto das Caixas. The venda, I may observe, is a shop as well as an inn: we passed none without enquiring for oil-cloth, and the last onc in the village excited my hopes, but alas! only to # This is not correct, as the road to Santa Anna through Porto das Caixas is a league and a quarter further than the direct route, ENCAMPMENT OF TROPAS. { disappoint them when we approached. One of my com- panions however afterwards gave me a piece. Since leaving S. Jodo de Itaborahy, the road had been for the most part a broad carriage-way. We continued along this, over the flat capueira, and it afterwards formed a kind of dam across a broad morass, in which grew numerous plants of the papyrus. At the end of this dam, which was crossed by several trenches bridged over, the little village of Macaci lay upon a raised ground, shaded by palms and underwood : behind it, the capueira is succeeded by plantations. We continually passed enclosures, and observed several encampments of Tropas: the mules were tied to tall stakes, and the Tropeiros had formed a square heap of the saddles and wicker baskets containing the coffee. These were covered with skins, extending beyond on one side, which, sup- ported by poles, formed a hut for the half-naked people; on the journey, the skins serve to cover the merchandize. In front of this tent were piled three poles, from which hung the kettle over a fire. These people, who are mostly slaves, negroes and mulattos, with occasionally Indians, require no greater comforts. The country now gradually became more open, and we traversed extensive plains, bounded by rising ground. One meadow in particular attracted my attention, sur- rounded with trees, and covered with large blossoms resembling the white 7iuca; while upon the marshy ground various other white and yellow flowers sprung up, forming a carpet of flowers, skirted by the wood,—a most pleasing picture to the eye. We continued our AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. ride at a brisk trot over the Campo do Collegio, distant three leagues and a half from Porto das Caixas, and as far in a straight line from S. Jofio: at the end of it we noticed the former College of Jesuits, surrounded with magnificent trees; it 1s now transformed into a large fazenda. Behind the Campo rose a chain of mountains on the right, the summits of which were enveloped in thick clouds; this was the Serra do Rio de S. Jodo. Notwithstanding the rapid pace at which we proceeded, the road to Santa Anna, five leagues distant from Porto das Caixas, scemed interminable ; for a long time every person we et told us that it was only a league distant, and after travelling on for more than an hour, it was reported to be still a good half league off. A negro, mounted on a jaded nag, had joined our party, and acted as pilot in passing the deep pools which the ram had formed. All we could get from him, beside curses on the laziness of his Rosinante, was that he was riding to the Tenente-Coronel ” at the “round moun- tain.” Issuing suddenly from the capucira, we entered an extensive tract of meadow, upon which stood three gigantic Sapucajas, raising their heads proudly like enormous crimson flowers, and standing out in contrast against the black rain-clouds: a few houses were scat- tered over the meadow. This was the long wished-for Santa Anna. 1 cannot describe the magical impression which these wonderful trees, enlivening the dark picture in so remarkable a manner, made upon me. We turned from our path to the right, and rode up to the house of M. Boulanger, who unites in lis person the dignity of FOREST VEGETATION. 0 Jazendeiro and imnkeeper, and occasionally navigates his own vessels upon the Macac(, trading with Rio. Here we dismounted, at half past one o'clock, after a forced ride and wet through. M. Boulanger politely conducted us upstairs into a large clean room, and in a few minutes the soup was steaming upon the table,—an instance of alacrity not often found in a Brazilian venda! Our Ar- rieiro, pricked by conscience, now confessed that his comrade, who had remamed behind with the sumpter- mules, did not know a step of the way; we were there- fore obliged to send the fellow who had accompanied us after the culprit, arranging to mect the next evening at Novo Friburgo, as the second éclelon on our journey. We mounted our horses and collected our troop for departure,—military discipline being now introduced among us; a negro was to accompany us to the moun- tains, and M. Boulanger politely offered to conduct us to Agoas Compridas, five leagues distant, where we in- tended to rest for the night at the house of M. Daricux. Our host had exchanged his house-dress for a brown jacket, a pair of large boots, and a blue cloak or poncho, wrapt round his body in the Brazilian fashion. It was already four o'clock ; the rain had ceased, and the sun was going down, as we entered a wood—truly like an enchanted one—our ride enlivened by agreeable con- versation with our host. The trees, with their beautiful blossoms, the profusion of which on some clothed them as it were with a lilac colour, produced a magical effect creepers hung down from their branches, here and there siwrrounding large, shield-like leaves (of a Polhos or 10) AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. Calladinm), the slender bright-green stems resembling a coat-of-mail. Wild plantains (//eliconie) and many other plants new to a European eye, growing on the swampy ground, gave a peculiar charm to this scenery. In spots where the water had drained into pools by the roadside, or where springs issued from the ground, the moisture imparted to the surrounding vegetation a sur- prizing luxuriance, and small alcoves or bowers were formed on the skirts of the wood. How enviable one feels the artist’s skill to be, in viewing such charming pictures of repose! Nature in these tropical regions scems to have withdrawn her loveliest charms, like a modest nymph, to such secluded spots, bathing and re- flecting herself in the mirror of these waters, unexposed to the eye of the passer-by. What garden in Europe, with all the aid of cultivation, can equal such a spot ? These woods were no longer properly a capueira, nor did they belong to the primeval forest; the Brazilians call such a tract of country, overgrown with marsh-plants, by the name of “ Brejo.” The wood was passed only too soon, and we now looked up at the murky clouds, in the direction of Novo I'riburgo, in search of the Serra, which we hoped to enter the same day. Mountains seen for the first time have always a peculiar charm ; if enveloped in clouds, our cu- riosity is only heightened, and the imagination pictures to itself every variety of form beneath the veil. After a ride of three quarters of a league, we came to a lonely chapel called the Capella da Conceigiio, near the wooded hills on our right, while the dark brown waters APPROACH TO THE MOUNTAINS, I of the Macacii rushed along close to our road on the left. We turned suddenly toward the rapid stream, and with M. Boulanger at our head rode through it, and followed a path up the right bank of the Macacu, through a low coppice. It now began to grow dusk, and we all set off at a quick trot, our companion not wishing us to pass the bad part of our road in the dark. N otwithstanding the clouds, it was clear that we were approaching the mountains. We passed an extensive but low building, the Engenho do Coronel Ferreira, near which spot our attentive guide pointed out the place where the Macaci ceases to be navigable: the rapids commence here, and the course of the river is obstructed by rocks. As the communication by water is stopped, more attention seems to be paid to that by land, and a high-road has been macadamized for a few hundred yards, which is to be continued to Novo Friburgo. But no sooner had we passed this short picce of road, than the rest presented a striking contrast, being the worst portion of our route today. We now observed that we were entering the moun- tains : the road, which had hitherto been muddy, became more rocky, and the clayey soil assumed a red ochre co- lour. The Macaca hurried along its course on our right, and its bed scemed to sink deeper and deeper below us. All was dark around. M. Boulanger’s mule stepped carefully over the numerous picees of rock, and my beast followed her steps with the greatest caution. The birds were singing, and the shrill noise of the cicadas sounded disagrecably in our cars: fireflies illumined the air with 12 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. their blue light, and, as our faces oc asionally brushed past the branches, we perceived clearly that we had en- tered the forests of the Serra. « What may be the ap- pearance of the primeval forest by day?” I thought to myself, looking forward anxiously to the following morning. Suddenly the path descended toward the Macacii: M. Boulanger hesitated—we were all attention. “ Suivez les pas de ma mule, Messieurs!” he cried ; “ ce passage est dangereux ; plus d'un cavalier y a dis- paru avec sa bite!” In passing the river we felt the force of the stream, which seemed as if it would take the horses off their feet; whilst on our right we heard the noise of the rushing water, as if dashing down pre- cipitous rocks. We had just climbed the opposite bank, when the last of the column passed the Macact in safety : it was seven o'clock, and we halted at a cottage. At Bou- langer’s call, Darieux, the little mnkeeper, opened the door, but shrugged up his shoulders as he surveyed our large party, exclaiming, “ La maison est pleine comme un ceuf!” We however dismounted, led our horses to the back of the house, left them there for the night, and entered the inn. Darieux did not exaggerate, for in truth «la maison éfait pleine comme un ceuf |” A Frenchman, in a light-blue blouse with manifold plaits, first attracted our attention by his volubility. The wife of the landlord was a young Swiss from Freiburg, and spoke French; a fair little German girl assisted her in the management of the house. Some Brazilians were seated at a table in the adjoining room ; nor must [ forget to mention an interesting person—a light-haired A BRAZILIAN INN. « Stralsundian,” who was journcying as a carpenter; he had been a sailor, and, having been pressed into the imperial service, had fought in the war with Buenos Ayres. At dinner—which was well-served, although we were kept waiting for it long cnough—we were highly amused by the little Frenchman in the blouse, who made us guess in what part of France he was born, but in vain: he then told us that he was a Béarnois, adding that he had been educated in Paris; whereupon our compliments on his pure pronunciation came naturally, though rather late. We had from the first observed that the little man took evident pains to preserve his Parisian accent uncorrupted in the forests of Brazil, and displayed his powers of ora- tory on every opportunity. We four occupied a small room, each having a bed to himself: the French conversation continued for awhile mn the adjoining apartment, mingled with the rushing noise of the Macaci, but ere long T unconsciously fell asleep. Of one thing however 1 was conscious, before closing my eyes, that my map of the province of Rio de Janeiro, published at Mannheim, contains some errors; for in- stance the Macac( flows past Agoas Compridas—as our inn is called—and extends a considerable distance above it into the Serra™. September 201}. —1It was nine o'clock this morning be- fore we mounted our horses. In front of the house lay * The river from its source to the Engenho do Coronel Ferreira is called Agoas Compridas” (Long Water); and from the point where it becomes navigable, the © Macac.” 14 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. the trunk of a gigantic tree, covered with Orchidacee, at the foot of some rising ground. The forest-trees had been cut down in the lower part, but the stumps rose high above the grass and plants, while here and there a tree, which had escaped the axe and fire, stript of its bark, reared its head toward the black rain-clouds. Higher up the acclivity extended the primeval forest, the deep shades of which sct off strongly the slender white stems. Our way led up the valley of the Macaca, which swept along far below us on our right : we gazed upon the vaulted tops of the lofty trees on the oppo- site bank, admiring the varied tints of green, which are not seen in our woods. The forest extended as far as the cye could reach: we soon entered its refreshing shade, and lost sight of the surrounding country, which was seen in an unfavourable light today, the fine rain obscuring the outline of the mountains. On emerging from the wood, we skirted the side of another hall, and, at about half way up the ascent, came to a number of huts: the ground was cl ared, and coffee-planta- tions covered the heights. These dwellings, behind Agoas Compridas, bear collectively the name of Re- gistro,” though the Registro, or custom-house, itself is only a few hundred yards behind the inn ; it was marked on my map about half-way to Novo Friburgo, where there were formerly two outposts, at which the Swiss colonists—who in the reign of Dom Jo@o VI. were transplanted hither from Europe—had their passports inspected, in travelling to Rio. These posts were aban- doned about the year 1828, but their sites are still PRIMEVAL FOREST. 15 alled Primeiro and Segundo Registro. We met several Tropas, mostly conducted by Indians, and ere long were again surrounded by the forest. Hitherto we had been used to inquire, in passing through a wood, whether it formed part of the primeval forest ; we no longer asked this question, for we were now conscious of the fact. The solemn feelings which arise on entering these forests for the first time indicated the truth surely enough. At first we gazed in wonder on the labyrinth of tall, straight trees, rising like giants, and into the tangled creepers and climbers which sur- rounded us; we looked up to the light roof of foliage, through which was seen the vault of heaven as through a veil, but we could not account to ourselves for all we beheld. The imagination may picture to itself the aspect of these forests in the most glowing colours, but it will fall far short of the impression produced on the spectator when setting foot in them. Every object 1s here colossal, everything seems to belong to a primeval world: we feel ourselves to be mn disproportion to all around us, and to pertain to quite another period of existence. The gigantic scale of all the objects first excites astonishment, and this is increased by the great difference between the vegetation in these forests and our own. Where in our country we find a shrub or fruit-tree in flower, we here see gigantic trees twice or thrice the height, in all the splendour of bloom, clothing the whole crown of the tree with its colour. This was the case with the red Sapucajas, which now exhibited scarcely a vestige of green. 106 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. The chief ornament of the forest, on our ride to-day, were trees with magnificent, large, lilac, and others with white blossoms, contrasting beautifully with the surrounding varied tints of green. After enjoying, with a restless glance, this splendid display of colours, we turned to the deep shades which lay disclosed, solemn and mournful, between the gigantic trees on our way- side. The flame-coloured raceme of a Tillandsia, a foot tall, and resembling a brobdignagian pineapple or straw- berry, glowed like fire among the dark foliage. Again our attention was attracted by the charming Epiphytes, climbing up the straight trunks of the trees, or pic- turesquely covering their branches, which seldom shoot out from the trunk at a less height than fifty to eighty feet from the ground. From the fertility of the soil, the trees spring up so densely, that when young, their branches, not having room to expand freely, strive to overtop one another. The Tillandsias nestle at the ra- mification of the smaller branches, or upon excrescences, where they often grow to an immense size, and have the appearance of an aloe, the length of a man, hanging down gracefully from a giddy height over the head of the passer-by. Among the various plants which spring from the branches or cling to the stems of the trees are the mosses, hanging down, not unlike horses’ tails, from the branches which support the Epiphytes and Tilland- sias; or one might fancy them the long beards of these venerable giants of the forest, that have stood unbent beneath the weight of a thousand years. Myriads of FOREST SCENERY. Lianes hang down to the ground, or suspended in the air, several inches thick, and not unfrequently the size of a man’s body, coated with bark like the branches of the trees. But it is impossible for any one to conceive the fantastic forms they assume, interlaced and en- tangled : sometimes they depend like straight poles to the ground, and striking root might, from their thick- ness, be taken for trees; at other times they resemble large loops or rings, from ten to twenty feet in diameter, or are so twisted that they look like cables. Some- times they lace the tree regularly from distance to dis- tance ; often they embrace 1t so closely as to choke it, and cause all its leaves to fall off, so that it stretches out its dead gigantic arms like branches of white coral, among the fresh verdure of the forest,—a picture of death, surprising us in the midst of the most blooming life : frequently however they give the old trunk a new covering of leaves, so that the same tree appears clothed in several different kinds of foliage. The variety of leaves in short is infinite, but they are mostly very fine and small, and the roof which they form is of no great size, being often vaulted hke that of fir-trees. 1 have never observed conifers mn the primeval forests, but the dark-coloured foliage of some other trees much resembles them. A group of Imbaibas, on a rising ground near our road, presented a peculiar appearance, their slender, smooth, and white stems rising high above the surrounding thicket, and their small crowns, of large-lobed leaves, crowded pie- turesquely together or overtopping one another. Nor VOL. 11. 0 18 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. less interesting was another tree which 1 observed, resem- bling the Imbaiba in several respects; but its leaves are silver-grey, and perfectly white beneath ; and the regu- lar growth of its branches, extending like the arms of a candelabrum and bending over at their summit, gives this tree a character of its own. In my opinion however the greatest ornament of the primeval forest is the graceful palm, yielding to the gentlest breeze : its slender, plant stem may almost be spanned by the hand, and nevertheless it rises to half the height of the tall forest-trees, being frequently from sixty to seventy feet high. The small crown at the top resembles a tuft of pendent feathers, consisting of finely pinnated fronds, from the midst of which rises a pointed spire, of a light-green colour, giving to these beautiful palms the appearance of the slender shaft of a lance or a waving reed : never have I beheld anything more grace- ful. They are generally seen in groups, and their clus- tered tufts rising from amidst the foliage, and agitated by the least breeze, bow their heads as if in graceful salutation to the passer-by. All species of palms usually love company,—not only those of a tall and slender growth, but also those with stiff spines, and thick crowns, as well as many others with larger trunks; even the stemless, shrubby palms are generally met with mn groaps in these primeval forests. The traveller sometimes jour- neys on a long way without seeing anything like a palm, and again at other times his road will lie for hours among these trees. At first we rode on for some time without speaking, | sn es FOREST SCENERY. 10 but at length exclamation followed exclamation, and our amazement increased at every step, as one new picture succeeded another. Not a picture indeed for the Berlin Exhibition! for the critics would fancy that the artist had amused himself with collecting together on his can- vas all possible marvels, and all imaginable products of the country—the whole Flora of Brazil, viewed through a magnifying-glass,—to produce an effect. Everything here is truly wonderful, and altogether different from what we, in our cold northern regions, can picture to ourselves. In what other part of the world is to be seen such a union of the grand and sublime, with the beautiful, the lovely, nay even the fantastic, and all forming so harmonious a picture, as we witness in these tropical forests of the New World ? My admiration of the palms had nearly made me forget the arborescent ferns, which alone vie with them in gracefulness : they indeed somewhat resemble small palms, only that their light clastic tuft is flatter and less bushy than the crown of the former trees, and the fronds hang down more, without the arched form of the palms. It is beautiful to see the enormous fern- leaves, at least ten to fifteen feet long and five feet broad, agitated by the gentlest breeze, and gracefully waving to and fro with a ceaseless motion. Perfect silence however does not reign in these forests, as is generally but erroneously imagined, for the singing of birds and the sounds of the cicadas are heard inces- santly ; some of the former, especially a beautiful large brown bird, attracted our attention, and Mr. Theremm ) c 2 20 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. also recognised the cry of the white Ferrador or Ara- ponga. We were diligently on the look-out for monkeys, but in vain. The road became more and more steep, and we had again an occasional view over the forest at our feet. The woods stretching to our left were pathless, and a man might cut his way through them for days in that diree- tion without meeting a person. We were however more fortunate, for on the Serra Alta—at the highest pot of the pass—four leagues from Agoas Compridas, we not only met men, but even honest Germans! Wilhelm Eller, from Darmstadt, gave us a hearty welcome, and the best entertamment in his power. Whilst listening to the pure Darmstadt dialect of his youth, we almost forgot that we were surrounded by these forests upon the inhos- pitable Serra! It was touching to sce the strong attach- ment which Wilhelm still retained for Germany, after an absence of fifteen years,—how he clung to the recollee- tions of former times, and seemed delighted at seeing his boys grow up like good Germans, as if they had been educated in the home of their parents. Our host told us many particulars about the birds of gay plumage, which at certain seasons visited his lonely dwelling ; the macaws frequently alighted on the branches in front of his house, and he had once a visit from an onga, or jaguar, which prowled about his settlement for some weeks. Another German, Heinrich Vogler, from Brunswick, was living with Wilhelm ; he had been a soldier in the German Legion here, and appeared dissatisfied with his ) residence in Brazil. Our hostess, who was from Bingen, COMMENCEMENT OF CULTIVATION. 2 served the repast, and we soon afterwards mounted our horses. The reckoning showed that these good people retained the true spirit of German simplicity and honesty. What an interest people often attach to trifles! one of the first things they asked me was whether the stick I carried was a German one, and they seemed quite disappointed when I answered in the negative-—they had taken it in their hands with such delight! We continned our ride, and following a stream de- scended on the other side of the Serra, but not quite so far as we had ascended on this. The forests covered the two ridges which enclosed the valley, and nearer to us stood a few lofty trecs, while graceful palms and ferns grew in abundance around. A new object now presented itself, which gave a changed character to the whole scene, —the tall reed «Taquara Assi.” Except in our ride to the botanical garden near Rio, 1 had never before met with the Brazilian bamboo: it overtops high trees, re- sembling in appearance dark-green lances, from thirty to sixty feet high, and bent like bundles of flexible spears in lofty arches over the road. Toward the lower end 1t 1s frequently as thick as a man’s body, and has regular in- ternodial divisions : sometimes it is quite smooth, and bears small leaflets on its slender and scarcely visible branches. The bamboo, like the palms, generally occurs in large masses. The bottom of the valley appeared in many places to be overgrown with capueira : the side of the mountain had been partly cleared by fire, and only a few singed palms remained standing on the open space, the vellow 22 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. tufts of which hanging down presented a mournful ap- pearance : in a word, cultivation had already commenced its inroads on the great primeval forest. We noticed this in riding over the ground of a Swiss named Claire, below Wilhelm’s estate ; and as we descended, the cultivation continued to increase. The valley now widened into a fine verdant basin, sur- rounded by hills, on which were still seen traces of the ancient forest. Near a limpid brook stood an isolated house, in which a party of jovial Germans seemed to be making merry. A man came trotting after us, and the baker, Master Grippe—by which ominous name he announced himself—reproached us for not having halted at Schott’s house. He seemed to have made free with the glass, and in a pelting rain, which almost swept us down the clay hill, he accompanied us to his dwelling. The rain prevented our enjoying the prospect, and the sun had already set, when we observed before us an open grassy plain, surrounded by hills,—the colony of Novo Friburgo, also called « Morro Queimado™ (Burnt Hill*). It was five o'clock when, after a day’s journey of seven leagues, we entered this small village, which consists of sixty or eighty houses, surrounded with little gardens, and dismounted at Mrs. Gould's residence. The rest of the evening was spent in procuring infor- mation about hunting:* From the accounts given us at Rio, we expected to meet with all kinds of wild beasts.— * The hills and mountains around Novo Friburgo have a parched autumnal appearance during the cold months; hence the name Morre Queimado. HUNTERS OF THE FOREST. 23 « In the Serra near Novo Friburgo,” we were told, “you will shoot antas (tapirs) in plenty; tigers indeed are not quite so common, but why should you not fall in with an onca?”’ My passion for sporting, which had hitherto been confined to gay-plumaged birds and small animals, was excited by these reports, though perhaps less than that of my companions the two young Counts. Mr. Besecke, to whom we had been referred, expressed his regret that on the morrow we could only stalk deer, and that we should not be able to penetrate further into the Serra till the day after, to hunt antas. With our heads full of tapirs, tigers, handsome birds, of climbing plants and gigan- tic trees of the forest, we retired to rest, and soon fell asleep. September 301h.—Before entering the wood we stopped for a moment at the house of Mr. Besecke, our Nimrod, who on nearer acquaintance made himself known to us as a trader in birds’ skins and taxidermist. He gives employment to above thirty huntsmen, whom he has provided with guns, and from whom he purchases the game they shoot. [is pretty wife assists him in the evening in stuffing the produce of the day’s sport,— a task which she executes with great skill and grace, but which yet seems unfitted for a woman’s hands. Mr. Besecke at this time had 35,000 birds on his shelves, among which were magnificent humming-birds, the gorgeous feathers from the breast of which are used in Rio for the manufacture of feather-flowers: these form his chief article of trade. Our Nimrod has navi- gated a considerable part of the globe, but has never I 24 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. visited Europe, though he speaks German as well as ourselves. His father was born in Berlin, and emigrated to North America; he is himself a native of the United States. Young Besecke appears to have inherited his father’s restless disposition ; when quite a lad he under- took a voyage to the coast of Mozambique, from whence he came to Brazil, and has been settled here for some years. During our chase today, which was not crowned with success, the chief subject of our conversation was © the deer,” —as the only representative of the race of quadru- peds in the forests around Novo Friburgo. All our high- raised hopes were now centred on this gentle animal— the sole object of our chase. As we stood watching, with the most laudable patience and breathless expecta- tion, behind some rising ground among the bamboo- canes, the deer played us no bad trick, bounding off, to the great joy of all the youthful beholders, through the wide street of Novo Friburgo, up to our own servants, as if it would run into their arms; on coming near them however it turned quickly about and presently disappeared. : As there seemed to be no chance of killing the deer, 1 went with a German lad into the capoeira to shoot humming-birds. At first he would speak only Portu- guese, till at length I persuaded him to converse im Ger- man. As we walked singly along the slippery path, 1 asked where his parents came from: he replied, “ From Germany.” Bat from what part of Germany-—what place 7 said 1; for, judging from lis pronunciation, 1 St i ot COLONY OF NOVO FRIBURGO. thought they must have come from the Rhine. ¢ What place!” answered he; «why, my parents say from Fu- rope.” He laughed outright when 1 told him that we had no humming-birds in Germany, and could not conceive why I shot such common birds, adding, that thrushes and pigeons are much prettier and more rare.” October 1st.—To our great regret we were again dis- appointed in our tapir-hunt, being told by our sports- men that it was out of the question to meet with antas in the forest in such rainy weather ; the dogs too had no scent. 1 therefore sallied forth again with my young companion to shoot humming-birds. The first settlement of the Swiss colony of Novo Fn- hurgo took place in 1520, during the reign of Dom Jodo VIL., who ordered a row of small huts to be erected, and distributed among the first colonists allotments of land, which extend five to six miles around Morro Quei- mado. The colony advances slowly, chiefly in conse- quence of the difficult communication with the metro- polis, which in the rainy season, when the roads are bad, is maintained by means of costly Tropas. Fresh butter, a Very scarce article in Brazil, potatoes and other Euro- pean products which thrive in the cold climate of the Serra, are sent to Rio, mn exchange for salt, wine, and manufactured goods. Besides the Swiss, a number of Germans have settled here ; French and English are also met with, and indeed representatives of most nations. German is as much spoken here as I'rench, but the young people mostly speak Portuguese, al least when away from home. The Protestant winister, Mr. Sauer- el 20 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. brunn is from Homburg. In general the people do not appear to be satisfied with their residence here, and seem anxious to return home: this is however not the case with all, some having fared better than the rest. Novo Iriburgo 1s said to be sometimes very gay, chiefly when a number of strangers, mostly English, repair hither from Rio. At these seasons indeed there is even dancing at Mrs. Gould’s house, probably for the amusement of her three or four young lady boarders; and the fame of these balls extends to the banks of the Parahyba! We found the air much colder on the Serra than in Rio; in the night indeed we were shivering. October 2nd. —We left the colony at six o'clock this morning, just at daybreak, and rode obliquely across the broad street or square, which Novo Friburgo forms, passing two magnificent Brazilian pines, the only ones which I have seen on my journey. We then entered the surrounding capueira, out of which rose the naked, round masses of rock encircling the basin of Morro Queimado, pointing with their summits toward the dark clouds. Our road lay for some time through this coppice, in- termixed here and there with fine trees of the primeval forest ; it afterwards led down to a lovely valley, along the right margin of which we continued our journey. On the opposite bank of the stream, which murmured below us, cactuses climbed up the naked walls of rock on our left, while at a short distance on the right the dark forest commenced. We had now entered the basin of the Parahyba: the FLOCKS OF PARROTS. 297 little rivulet below gradually increased to a rushing mountain-stream ; in fact, it here assumes the name, more high-sounding indeed than it deserves, of “O Rio Grande.” Occasionally a house is seen near its banks. The Estrada Real is here merely a footpath, on a hill- side, so narrow that we had often difficulty in passing the Tropas that we met. The feet of the mules, which follow in each other’s steps, have formed holes one to two feet deep in the slippery clay soil, which are perfect pools of mud. The mules stepped with great difficulty over these places, sometimes slipping with their fore legs into one hole and their hind legs into another, so deep, that their belly rested upon the firm ground between, and it was almost impossible to proceed. These roads in fact are so bad, that, after long and heavy rains, the mules are said frequently to fall exhausted and perish on the spot,—a fact which we saw confirmed by the bones lying scattered about on the road. Such accidents render it necessary for the traveller to be provided with spare mules. Our attention was here first attracted by the peculiar nests of the genus Cassicus, suspended like green bottles from the branches of the high forest-trees. At nine o'clock we reached some lonely houses, situated down in the valley, called “ Banquetta,” where we passed the Rio Grande over a rickety bridge. The precipice on cach side had been cleared of trees, a few high trunks only having escaped the flames. The capu- eira now began gradually to re-appear on the roadside, and higher up stretched the forest; while the walls of rock had ceased, and were succeeded by isolated, pictu- te, AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAIIYBA. resque rocks rising among the bushes in the valley. Just behind Banquetta Mr. Theremin drew our attention to the scream of the parrots, which is so loud, that you in- voluntarily turn round, supposing the birds to be close at hand ; when, after a vain search, you at length desery them at a great distance. As we continued our ride along the lovely banks of the Rio Grande, a whole flock of these birds alighted on a high tree close to the river. We dismounted, loaded our fowling-pieces, stole silently to the tree, and fired into the midst of the parrots. Some fell into the stream, and were carried away; but we had an opportunity of admiring the fine play of colours on their plumage. When on the wing, they have a dark appearance against the blue sky; and when perched on trees, their green colour makes it difficult to distinguish them among the leaves, were it not that their incessant noise readily betrays them, sitting on the branches or stepping from one to another with great gravity. As soon as a shot 1s fired among them, the whole flock set up a loud scream, and taking wing fly round and round in a circle, generally alighting on a neighbouring tree. Count Bismark had thus an opportunity of shooting a third parrot, which we took with us. After a few hours’ ride, we arrived at one o'clock in the afternoon at ¢ Bomjardim,” a solitary venda belong- ing to M. Maulaz, six leagues distant from Novo Fri- burgo. The valley 1s here less wild, and the coffee- plantations commence. A Tropa was encamped on the road, close to the house, and there were also other visi- tors: a young Swiss, from the banks of the Parahyba, ET ————— A NIGHT IN THE FOREST. 29 and a Savoyard, were resting their beasts here. They had both many stories to relate of antas and jaguars, which, they told us, inhabited the adjacent forest. A rock that we had passed in our morning’s ride was a principal feature in these accounts. The most interesting adventure however was an instance of heroism in a wo- man, who, in the absence of her husband, defended her house against a tiger. Seeing that we were anxiously im quest of adventure, these men volunteered to assist us; we however declined their offer, soon observing that they were making promises for others, which would probably be unfulfilled. Our host appeared to have seen better days: M. Maulaz is, T believe, a Swiss by birth, of good family, who lost all his fortune during the revolution of July. Madame Maulaz was from Burgundy. They had both resided in Paris, where their eldest daughter, a pretty girl, was born. Poorly as the parents were clad, their four children all appeared neatly drest, and everything betokened cleanliness. The dinner was very good, but we had to wait a long time for its appearance. It was a fine afternoon when we left Bomjardim, at four o'clock, accompanied by the Sardinian. Flocks of screaming parrots were soaring high in the air, around the hills which encompassed the valley and are planted with coffee and milho. The plantations of coffee on the hill-sides gave the country a peculiar aspect : this plant is a dark green, small, and roundish shrub, and has a pretty appearance, although planted regularly. Num- bers of birds, of variegated plumage, were flying about, 30 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. and T was twice induced to dismount and have a shot, but without success. The road now improved, the sun was already sinking, and having still a long way to go we set off at a brisk trot. We skirted a charming valley of meadow, here and there interspersed with groups of large forest-trees; and at two leagues distance from Bomjardim we passed the fazenda “a Penha,” which lay far below us. Our Sardinian companion turned in here, without taking leave; and, having sent our Arrieiros on before with the pack-mules, we were left quite alone upon this strange road. Twilight succeeded, and soon after it grew perfectly dark : no trace of any path was longer visl- ble. In this dilemma we could only rely upon our mules to find the way,—animals in whose instinctive sagacity 1 have for years placed the greatest trust. Count Bismark headed our troop, upon his old grey mule, and we rode on confidently in the dark. The forest—if such it was through which our road lay—resounded with many an old German song, while the mule that led the party ad- vanced cautiously, as if conscious of the importance of her task. We followed each other closely, and Count Oriolla brought up the rear. The peculiar harsh sound of the cicadas was mingled with the occasional lugubri- ous croaking of a toad, and the loud noise made by a species of bull-frog, which might be compared to that of felling timber. Tt was so dark that we could not see one another, though now and then T fancied that I caught a glimpse of Count Bismark’s grey mule. We proceeded thus for a long while ; then came : cross-path—a consul- tation was held, and the mule decided for us, as we knew ACCIDENTS IN THE DARK. 31 nothing of the road in this strange country. Sometimes we had all the feeling of riding along the edge of a pre- cipice ; at others, the beasts seemed to be sliding on a smooth clayey soil; and again, by the inclination of our bodies forwards, we were apparently on a descent, —this we could feel, though it were so dark that not a trace of the path could be seen. Every now and then we heard a fall, which however did not silence our songs —“Prinz Eugene,” “Der Dessauer ” or “Das Mantellied.” It was not till afterwards that we learned who had mea- sured the ground. All at once we descried a light—our road lay in that di- rection—we listened with breathless eagerness : plaintive sounds, and a noise like that of felling wood, led us to believe that we were approaching some human habita- tion ; but alas, no! the light proved to be merely one of the glowworms, similar to those I had observed in the glens of Salerno. Several times we were led astray in this manner, before discovering our error. Suddenly our animals stumbled over some poles, which seemed to stop the way; we presently observed a fire, and heard di- stinctly the sound of voices. We halted, at the bivouac of a Tropa, on a cold, wet meadow !—rejoiced never- theless at finding that we had taken the right road. « Cantagallo is still two leagues off,” said the man who opened the paling of the enclosure to let us pass. Ta- king courage at this information, we pushed on briskly. Mr. Theremin, on his mule, now took Count Bismark’s dangerous post. Lightning followed, and such light- ning! For a moment it showed us the path, winding ah ——— ee ————— li 32 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. through a mountamous region, and again we were enveloped in perfect darkness. From time to time voices were heard from the rear of our column, calling on us to halt—some one must have fallen: we stopped for an instant, and again were in motion. Suddenly there was a general confusion—we started—all trace of the path was lost. A flash of lightning discovered some of our party on the edge of a ravine, and the rest below : at least ten minutes passed before our column was re- formed. We rode on thus for some time, when a vivid flash showed that we were at a cross-road. Again we hesitated—the rain fell in torrents ; the Sardinian, like true friend in need, offered to conduct the party. Soon after we forded a broad piece of water, the depth of which Mr. Theremin had the pleasure of ascertaming with some accuracy, by falling over the head of his mule. This however was not all ; we soon entered another ra- vine. Mr. Theremin, who, instead of following the foot- path, had with some others of the party kept along the top of the acclivity, dismounted for an instant from his dripping animal, and was standing on the edge; we called out to him to take care, when, not knowing which way to turn, he set a wrong step in the dark, and rolled down the bank at our horses’ feet. A shout of laughter followed, and it was some time before the Consul could induce his faithful beast to come down to him. We continued our way along slippery roads, and sometimes apparently on the edge of precipices. About midnight we reached Cantagallo in safety, and halted at the house of M. Friaux. Our accidents, although trifling, had been nu- VILLAGE OF CANTAGALLO. 33 merous : beside the Consul’s fall, Count Oriolla had been down seven times with his rough bobtailed beast, and my servant thrice. I remembered that at this very day and hour, five years before, (October 2nd, 1837), I was on board the Austrian man-of-war steamer, the < Marianna,’ in the Black Sea, when a storm came on which drove us about near the mouth of the Bosphorus, threatening to cast us on the coast of Asia Minor; on the second of October, 1822, a shower of stones fell on us near Fiirst- enstein in Silesia, as T was going with a party from the « Grund” to the old castle. To these recollections of my featless youth, this night spent in the forests of South America may form a worthy counterpart. After enjoy- ing a good supper, we betook ourselves to rest, and soon fell asleep. October 3rd. when we awoke this morning; the monotonous plash of the dropping rain, the wet window-panes, the gloomy light in our small room, all bespoke one of those days of Cheerless and drear was the prospect continued rain so frequent among the mountains. Going to the window, I overlooked the end of a green valley, which lay before me, in the form of a saddle, with a flat depression. Two gentle slopes planted with coffee seemed to rise out of a glen, the bottom of which was concealed from view by the foot of a hill on the right. Ixcepting a few houses in the neighbourhood, we saw nothing of Cantagallo: the w ather was uninviting, and our time too short to allow us to make any excursion, especially as the principal part of the town lay on the other side of the valley VOL. 11. D 34 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. We took our departure soon after ten o'clock, following the road along the valley, which widened considerably ; and presently met Dr. Troubas, one of the proprietors of the large fazenda called ““ Aldea,” situated at a short distance. We intended to visit this establishment, ha- ving been told that the cultivation of coffee upon it was very interesting. The Doctor—as we afterwards learnt—was on his way to assist in amputating the arm of a negro, who had been bitten by a snake ; he how- ever returned with us to his fazenda. Aldea is situated in a valley of meadow-land, through which flows the Rio Negro, a broad stream that we had to pass. The ac- clivity on the right is planted with coffee, but the op- posite hills are still partly covered with forest. « When I burned down the trees hereabouts,” said Dr. Troubas, “the monkeys took refuge in yon remains of the old forest, where there are still great numbers of them: in the wooded hills at the back are jaguars and antas.” We dismounted in a pretty garden, the chief ornament of which was an arbour of passion-flowers, and entered the spacious mansion, where we met with genuine French society, consisting of Madame Henry, Madame David, Dr. Troubas and M. David; their cultivated manners and deportment struck us the more forcibly, from meet- ing them thus as it were in a wilderness. The black servants however, and a few negrinhos ” who were play- ing with the white children, reminded us that we were not in Europe. The conversation soon turned, from the fatigues of travelling in B razil, to the condition of the negroes, who seem to be regarded here as merely an CULTIVATION OF COFFEE. 35 intermediate step between man and the brute creation. On this point even the ladies observed, “ Ils ne sont pas 3 la hauteur du mariage,” adding, that on this account no marriages were allowed among the negroes at the fazenda. After taking some refreshment, we were accompanied by the gentlemen over the establishment, and shown the system of coffee cultivation. This plant requires the best soil, and exposure to the sun; it 1s generally grown upon tracts of the old forest recently cleared by fire,— sometimes, but rarely, upon old capueira, of at least twenty years standing, the ashes of which serve as manure. The plant bears fruit well for ten or fifteen years; it is then cut down, and the new shoots bear at the end of two years. One negro is required for every thousand or fif- teen hundred coffee-plants: at Aldea there were a hundred and seventy, beside the children, who tended 250,000 plants. The profit derived from coffee-cultivation is shown by the fact, that the sum of 110,000 milreis—the price at which the proprietors purchased this fazenda, with a hundred and thirty negroes upon it, five years before— had already nearly been paid off. When the coffee has been picked by the negroes, the berries are dried on the Zerreiro, an open space or floor of clay beaten hard; after which it is put into large boxes, and carried to the pulping-mill, which is driven by water, and then to the fanning-machine, where it is twice winnowed : the coffee is then ready for transpor- tation by the Tropas. We also inspected a contrivance for drying the coffee-berries by steam, which has proved D 2 306 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. unsuccessful, and some buildings for the accommoda- tion of the negroes,—an indispensable part of a fazenda. Here we saw for the first time an “engenho,” or mill for pressing the sugar-cane in the preparation of brandy. The press, like all the machinery in this part of the country, is very simple: the sugar-cane is placed be- tween three upright cylinders, which revolve in opposite directions. The spirit prepared in this manner, or «“ Agua ardente de Cana,” is of better quality than the « caxaca,” which is made from the scum of boiling sugar or syrup. I had nearly forgotten to enumerate one principal adjunct of a fazenda—the pigsty—to which we were first conducted. It was constructed of trunks of trees, laid one over another, open above, and apparently very clean,—a fault in the eyes of these gentlemen, who fancy that this animal thrives best in dirt. Hog’s lard is considered an indispensable ingredient in the prepara- tion of food for the negroes. Whilst 1 was conversing with the ladies of the house, my companions went to sce the dwelling where the negroes are lodged,—a long, dirty building, one story high, externally resembling a stable. In the hospital, which my friends first visited, the hall and rooms for the two sexes were separated. A negress was lying on a mat, with her little “negrinho” at her breast, to which she had given birth only the night before. “In a few days she will be able to resume work,” said the Doctor to Count Bismark. In the men’s room there were four or five patients, suffering from accidents of various kinds. LIFE OF THE NEGROES. Then followed the laundry, where each negro has a shelf, numbered. The men receive every Sunday a pair of clean white linen trowsers and a shirt,—the women, a gown and chemise. Passing through a long corridor, the visitors entered the rooms set apart for the negroes, which are small and blackened by smoke. Every evening, when their work is done, they light fires in these apartments, around which they sit for hours, even after the severest day’s work, all talking and smoking, women as well as men: they have every week a certain allowance of tobacco. Work begins at the fazenda at four o'clock in the morning, after every slave has had his coffee: at ten o'clock they take a second breakfast, which consists of mandioca-meal, and boiled rice, or maize : at two o'clock they dine, off carne secca, (dried meat, mostly 1m- ported from Buenos Ayres) with rice and farinha; but in the country around Cantagallo, the negroes have more frequently pork and hog’s lard, the carriage of the dried meat from Rio being too expensive. After this they continue their work until seven in the evening, from which hour till nine o’clock they have supper, con- sisting again of rice, mandioca- or maize-meal : then comes their time for sleep, although they generally sit up talk- ing till twelve or one o'clock. Seven or eight persons lic in one room, each being provided with a mat; many however construct recesses of branches and boards, which they prefer to the esfeiras, or mats—a prejudice perhaps derived from their former wild hfe. After taking this survey of negro life on the planta- I 38 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. tion we continued our journey. It was now two o'clock, and the sun shone brightly. At the back of Aldea, we saw beneath a bridge a little fall of the Rio Negro, of which we had heard previously. Our Arrieiros, who by the way were just as ignorant of the road as ourselves, had been sent on before, and we were again left alone. The path soon led us under the delightful shade of the forest : slender palms and fine trees rose on all sides, but the red flowers of the Tillandsias formed the chief attraction on our journey; while, to heighten the effect, large flights of butterflies, of the most splendid colours, alighted on the road, and scarcely moved until disturbed by the footstep of my horse. A flock of green parrots, whose plumage gleamed brilliantly in the bright sun- shine, rose close to us, filling the air with their shrill cries. On a sudden my “Botocudo” began to snort, and started, and looking on the ground I observed a snake lying coiled up, sunning itself after the long rain ; frightened at the sound of the horse’s feet, it glided rapidly into the thicket. None of the three snakes which we had seen this afternoon—and among them was the dreaded and venomous Jararaca—appeared to be above five feet long. We twice heard the rustling noise of other snakes, but could not catch a sight of them. I succeeded in shooting a handsome bird, which I took for a Toucan, but unluckily it fell into the impenetrable thick=t and was lost. Our attention was so engaged by the remarkable objects around us, that we missed our way, and on Issuing from the forest suddenly saw before us an extensive valley, covered with coffee-plantations. On our left, high rocks RIDE THROUGH THE FOREST. 39 towered above the trees, overgrown with cactuses, whilst the wide tract of forest recommenced above us on the right. We were now still more doubtful of our road; Count Oriolla however consulted his pocket-compass, and finding that the valley lay N.E. in the direction of Santa Rita, we followed it at a brisk canter. This valley was soon succeeded by another, clothed with plantains, interspersed with a few fazendas. Wherever plantain- trees are met with in Brazil, it is a sure sign that human habitations are near at hand: but such a number of these trees I had never before seen. We ascended a rising ground, and continued through the forest along a mountain-ridge. For some days past our road had led through wood and valley, shut out from any open view ; but we now enjoyed again a prospect of the distant blue mountains, upon which still rested a few clouds, the last trace of the rainy weather. It was a beautiful evening. The slippery road soon descended to the valley of the Rio Negro. We could not trace the course of the stream from Aldea to this spot, having seen so little of the surrounding country; all we could ascertain was, that it did not flow through the coffee and plantain valleys. Below, we passed a few houses, the fazenda of Clemente Pareira—the senator and ex-minister of war and justice—and continued our way under shady trees, which overhung the river. Red Tié-fogos were flyimg about. We fancied ourselves near Santa Rita; but where to take up our quarters for the night, was the question. Knowing that M. de Luze, from Neufchatel, 40 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. a relative of my friends the Counts Pourtales, lived near Santa Rita, and retained a great attachment for Prussia, I resolved to find out his residence and demand hospi- tality. Mr. Theremin, who had formerly known M. de Luze, when he owned a fazenda on the picturesque Organ mountains, galloped on before to announce the visitors. Santa Rita consists of a few miserable huts, situated on a hill near the meandering stream, which we were twice obliged to ford. In passing through this place 1 met a flaxen-haired lad, and asked him the way in Ger- man,—taking the chance of his understanding me; in an instant he pointed it out to us: we by mistake how- ever passed the place of our destination, and had some distance to return; but this only gave us further oppor- tunity of admiring a portion of the primeval forest, which exceeded all that our imagination could conceive. In the most charming and secluded spots springs rise from the ground, in the midst of beautiful marsh-plants and broad-leaved Tlecliconias, overshadowed by mag- nificent trees, luxuriantly clothed with Epiphytes and creepers. We returned to the green, cultivated valley, near Santa Rita, where we found M. de Luze’s “ Fazenda dos Tanques,” situated in a meadow covered with plantains, and surrounded by hills planted with coffee and crowned by the forest. M. de Luze received me with the great- est hospitality and politeness. We changed our dress, slipped our feet into wooden shoes, after the Brazilian fashion, and seated ourselves on the benches around the large table mm the sitting-room—the chief apartment in FAZENDA DOS TANQUES. 41 the small house, which was divided by plaster walls reaching nearly to the ceiling. Our host’s neighbour, Dr. Dennewitz, from Werni- gerode, a son-in-law of Pastor Sauerbrunn of Novo Friburgo, and the Nimrod of these parts, entered the room soon afterwards, and took a seat near us. Our conversation awakened in him recollections of his native country and of the wars; and, as if in return or the pleasure this gave him, he promised us a hunt of wild- beasts in the forest. Three negresses, smartly drest, were quietly busied at a sideboard in a corner of the room, and presently laid the supper on the table, waiting on us in their peculiar, slow and impassive manner. We began talking about snakes, and M. de Luze told us that a negro was at that time lying dangerously ll in his house, from the bite of one of those reptiles, adding, that he had himself found them in his own bed. We did not retire to rest till late in the evening. Mr. Theremin slept in one room with our friendly host, and we occupied another. October Ath—FEarly this morning M. de Luze con- ducted me round the fazenda, the arrangements of which were similar to those I had seen at Aldea. [le after- wards accompanied me to a spot, where an ochreous clay is traversed by veins of rock containing gold und from, The granite of the Serra of Novo Friburgo and Canta- gallo terminates at Santa Rita, and the hmestone ss mences, which extends a few leagues beyond the Para- hyba. The appearance of these latter rocks had attracted our attention in the distant mountains, which we saw 42 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. shortly before reaching Santa Rita. 1 picked up several pieces of quartz containing iron, and my kind host gave me some specimens of gold which had been found in the vicinity. After breakfast we sallied forth, accompanied by Mr. Dennewitz, to hunt in the neighbouring forests. We expected to meet with antas, and were told that veados™ were also to be found there. The dogs were let loose, and scoured up the hills, while we remained standing below in anxious expectation, on an open space and sur- rounded by the trunks of felled trees. At my side stood M. de Luze’s foreman, a native of Konigsberg; the other huntsmen were at some distance, on the wooded de- clivity upon our right. The chase in this country is very simple : the animals, on being pursued, gene ally take to the streams and pools of water; and the business of the dogs 1s to start the game, drive it from the heights toward these spots and direct the huntsman by their full ery, where to follow up the game, in order to fire at the moment when the latter enters the water. The dogs started a veado, which escaped the range of our guns, and was knocked down by our black attendants in the Rio Ne- gro. Following the course of the river, we stopped at the house of a Portuguese named Lauterio, who, with Brazilian hospitality, placed before us fish and coffee. After waiting a long time, the negroes brought in the veado, which proved to be a doe. We also shot a few * Veado is the Portuguese name for deer: in Brazil the word signifies any animal with branched horns. CONDITION OF THE SLAVES. 43 birds, and were returning, when we observed the dogs on the scent along the slope of the thicket below us : we followed, and presently after met the negroes, who had just taken from the dogs a Quati, or coatimundi, (Nasua). We reached home quite fatigued by the heat, and the toil of following the rough footpaths, being fre- quently obliged to climb over and under the gigantic trunks of felled trees. M. de Luze and Mr. Theremin met us in high glee, jokingly displaying a Paca—-a small species of wild hog—as a trophy of their success ; it had been killed by the negroes of the Fazenda! The dinner, to which we did ample justice, was ex- cellent, and introduced us to some Brazilian dishes. The principal topic of conversation was again the negroes, their condition and treatment. It is true that instru- ments of punishment, of various kinds, were hanging around the walls of the room ; nevertheless it seemed to me, that the negroes are less ill-treated in Brazil than we are wont to imagine ; nor indeed do they appear, from what I observed, to be conscious of the grievance which we attach to slavery, as the same exists also in their own country, and they are accustomed to 1t from youth. The blacks require a strict but just treatment, and the self-interest of the master demands that they should be well-fed and provided for. They did not ap- pear to me to be overworked ; at least they certainly dad not tax their strength. M. de Luze has resided alone for many years among his slaves; he and his foreman were the only white men among seventy negroes. The loaded guns and pistols hanging up in his bedroom how- NE TI TAT 44 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. ever showed that he had not entire confidence in them, and indeed he had more than once been obliged to face them with his loaded gun. The bell was rung at eight o'clock, to summon the negroes to their dwellings. The evening was very cool, and Reaumur’s thermometer stood at 12° R. (59° Falr.). After perusing for some time our host’s interesting Al- bum, we retired to rest. October 5ih.—At eight o'clock this morning we went to the house of Dr. Dennewitz, picturesquely situated on the bank of the stream, where we breakfasted sumptu- ously. Madame Dennewitz, who is a native of Meissen- heim, afterwards made her appearance, with her son ; we soon mounted our horses, and, accompanied by M. de Luze and Dr. Dennewitz, set out for Aldea da Pedra, distant seven leagues, which we hoped to reach before night, so as to be ready to hunt the next morning on the banks of the Parahyba. Favoured by the finest weather, we again passed the tract of primeval forest which we had seen on our arrival. A small valley, covered with capueira, and en- closed by gently undulating hills, ran into the forest, the aspect of which retained its interest, until at noon we reached an acclivity, the Serra da Agua Quente. On the opposite side of the Parahyba, we saw before us the blue mountain-range, stretching far away, with its re- markable summits, among which the Morro da Pedra was preeminent. In the foreground extended several parallel ranges of hills, covered with wood ; while deep below m the lovely valley at our feet was situated the Fazenda eem— I ts stm ses SERRA DA AGUA QUENTE. 45 da Agua Quente, toward which a steep path con- ducted. On our left, the slope of the Serra, cleared of wood, descended from left to right; a few gigantic trees, of the old forest, had been spared, from the branches of which hung long beards nearly touching the ground, while their summits towered on high be- neath the dark-blue sky. Before us stretched the broad and undulating plain, and also to a considerable distance on the right, the ridges of hills forming a frame to the picture. I had lingered behind, to sketch, and had now to hasten after the rest of the party. M. de Luze was waiting for me in the alley, and off we galloped through the capueira and forest. We soon overtook our Arrieiros with the pack-mules, one of whom, in trying to get out of our way, stuck fast in the morass; we waited till he had extricated himself, and then dashed along at full gallop, bespattered with mud from head to foot. Some lovely valleys succeeded, with apueiras and fazendas, rivulets and meadows ; and after again passing through a portion of the old forest, we reached a heauti- ful, broad valley, skirted by high acclivities, and over- grown below with coppice, among which single trees arose here and there. We had scarcely rejoined our party, when a flock of parrots tempted me to dismount, and scour the copse in their pursuit, but in vain: mean- time my companions had gained a considerable start of me. Mortified at my ill-success, I strapped my fowling- piece at my back, and mounted my trusty Botocudo,” when M. de Luze’s negro joined me, and proved a wel- ET ON res 40 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. come guide. We came up with the party in a pictu- resque valley, and soon afterwards stopped at the house of Pierre Davoine, a native of Neufchatel. The good people were SO delighted at my visit, that they refused to accept any payment,—happy in having an opportu- nity, in this foreign land, of testifying their hospitality and attachment to our House. After shooting a few brown and yellow Piasoccas—a species of snipe—and partaking of some coffee, we took leave of our kind- hearted countryman, with a cordial shake of the hands. M. de Luze and Mr. Theremin rode on before, in order to arrange our quarters at the Aldea da Pedra. In the midst of the forest we came to a small green valley, called Ribeira das Areas (Sandy Stream). Dr. Dennewitz stopped at the house of one of the best hunts- men in the country, and desired him to join us the next morning at Aldea da Pedra. As we were looking around for our companions, who had preceded us, our glance fell on the Parahyba, gleaming like a silvery streak through the lofty dark trees on our left. We approached its bank, and followed with our eye its course through the forest. Tt is a magnificent stream, about the width of the Rhine near Coblentz : islands, covered with bushes, are scattered about, and some shrubs appearing just above its surface, as if drowned in its waters, presented a curious appearance. The summit of the dark Morro da Pedra, resembling a truncated cone, overtopped the impenetrable forests and wooded hills, behind which the sun was just setting, reflecting his last rays in the waters of the Parahyba, and suffusing them with an orange light. ~ HAMLET OF ALDEA DA PEDRA. 17 A string of chained negroes passed us on the small path; next we met a civilized Indian (Caboclo), and soon after came to some mud-walled huts belonging to the Indians, which are scarcely distinguishable fron the other habitations in this part of the country. Riding along the river, over a marshy meadow, we approached the hamlet of Aldea da Pedra, consisting of a few houses, which crown the ridge of a hill projecting towar ) Parahyba : a church Se above ’ oo the oy Bo 3 > right. ark- ness began to set in, as we dismounted at the venda of Louis Dépanier, who quickly made himself known as a quondam Prussian soldier in the Rifle Guards. Soon after our arrival I received a visit from the priest, Fray Florido, a Franciscan from Florence, who was settled here. He was very friendly, and promised to conduct us himself to visit the Indians on the oppo- site. bank of the Parahyba, with whom he was in fre- quent intercourse, having baptized many hundreds among these wild tribes, and effected their settlement in this country. Though late in the evening, Dr. Dennewitz assem- bled the huntsmen of the place; it was agreed that the next morning we should have a tapir hunt, and the day after pay a visit to the Indians, of whom the worthy priest gave us an interesting account. We fell asleep, dreaming of tigers, antas, Indians, parrots, forests and rivers. October 6th.—On awaking this morning our prospects for the chase were gloomy enough; we were told, that a tapir hunt could not be arranged until the next day, 48 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. which was the one appointed for a visit to the Indians. I gave the preference to the latter excursion, and at an early hour paid a visit to our friend the priest, whose spacious dwelling was also adapted for the accommoda- tion of strangers. Ie showed me many articles which he had received from the Indians, and very kindly gave me several of them as a souvenir; among the rest a wooden figure of an angel, carved with a stone knife ; and the skin of a water-animal, which the Padre had received from an Indian, a hundred and forty years of age, who had shot it himself, and never remembered to have seen a similar creature ; these people indeed have no name for it. Ie also gave me a picce of black resi, collected by the Indians from certain trees, which, with a wick passed through it, will burn for a whole night,— and lastly a large feather, from a bird which has a horn on its beak ; together with a tree fungus, given by the Indians to the priest as an extreme rarity. Regardless of the great heat, we went an excursion to hunt veados, but did not succeed in killing any ; how- over we shot some birds, and gained at all events an excellent appetite. The Padre dined with us, and ac- companied us afterwards to the lonely church. The view thence was magnificent, commanding the course of the Parahyba, with its numerous islets and rocks, and on the opposite bank a view of the Morro, brilliantly illumined by the setting sun. The Padre conducted us to an Indian hut, just below the church: it consisted of a straw roof supported by four posts, and was inhabited by a family of Coroados. A VISIT TO THE INDIANS. 19) From the posts were suspended four small net-like ham- mocks, reaching nearly to the ground. An old woman, eighty years of age, was sitting, half-naked, in one of these hammocks, playing with a little naked girl, and warming her bare feet over some live embers in the middle of the hut. Vessels made of the shells of the Sapucaja were standing about. To the hut was attached a small building, slightly built of clay, after the manner of the country. A pretty young Indian girl, Joaninha, who seemed afraid of us, was busy in this room, and only approached to receive some glass beads which Oriolla offered her. We again passed the evening with the Padre, who told us many interesting particulars respecting the Indians, and his labours among them. The Coroados, who are now located around Aldea da Pedra, have been driven from the opposite bank of the Parahyba by the Puris, who were themselves forced along by the war- hike Botocudos, now settled on the Rio Doce. The chieftain of the latter tribe was baptized by our friend I'ray Florido, and went afterwards to Rio to beg some agricultural implements from the “Gran Capitdo,” as the Emperor is called. The Padre told us that he had baptized about nine hundred Indians,—six hundred and fifty of the Coroados tribe, one hundred and forty of the Puris, and twenty families of the Coropds, to- gether with a number of Botocudos. Fray Florido has lived and laboured for sixteen years at Aldea da Pedra, but he had still to remain another year, before, accord- ing to the strict rules of his Order, he could return to VOL. II. E 20 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. elite ls ois hits ; his native land. The first missionary, who preceded him, arrived at Aldea in 1804; but S. Fidelis has been a missionary station ever since 1779. Before stretching ourselves on our esteiras, after the priest had left us, M. de Luze performed the charitable » i » Sv . . . . - 3 - » office of extracting a “bixo” (Pulex penetrans) from my foot—the first I had seen. This species of flea nestles mm the flesh under the nails, often penetrating deep, and depositing its eggs beneath the skin, where it multiplies so rapidly, that many a negro, from not re- moving the insect in time, has lost an arm or lee. Talk- ing about such disagreeable guests just before going to sleep seemed to conjure them up, for no sooner had we extinguished the candle than a ¢ Carapato™ created a disturbance in the whole venda. ’ op 17 The IPQ 1 , : } Ny > October Tth—The first thing we did on rising this morning was to bathe mn the Parahyba. This was the day fixed for our visit to the Puris with the Padre : we took leave of our friendly host M. de Luze and Dr. Dennewitz with regret; the latter fired a salute, as our canoe—which was merely the hollowed trunk of a tree— stemmed the strong current of the Parahyba; M. de Luze calling after us, “Nous manquons de poudre pour iy I ARE AY. gh : ; les vingt autres!” With the exception of the discomfort of our squatting position in the canoe, unprovided with seats and which the slightest motion put out of trim, our passage among the islands, covered with shrubs and bushes, was charming. Here and there single trees pro- jected almost horizontally from the thicket, whilst the bushes bent in a kind of arbour over the water, and the THE CAVALCADE. 51 current broke foaming against the rocks, which were scattered about the river; on the opposite bank these consisted of granite. We had to wait a long time for the horses, which were ordered to meet us here, but pa- tience is indeed a virtue frequently called for in Brazil! The saddles we had brought were put upon the animals, and away we rode into the forest, the Padre taking the lead. His yellow, turret-like, Chilian straw-hat set off his friendly, dark-brown features and long reddish beard : the great heat gave his face an expression of suffering, and he appeared to labour under the inconvenience arising from his weight of flesh. In place of the usual cowl, he wore a brown cape, near the lower edge of which some coloured robes peeped out, tucked below into a pair of brown Minas boots, which reached above his knees. The priest was mounted on a sturdy, white mule, and carried a thin switch, dangling negligently m his right hand,— a sure sign that we should not make much progress today. Our cavalcade presented a faithful picture of the time of the Thirty Years’ war,—the priest at the head, followed by his small troop, all accoutred in jack-boots a la Wallenstein, with guns slung at their backs and part of them with broad-brimmed, grey, Marseilles hats, vying in originality with the straw hat of the Padre. Two persons only, who had joined our troop, formed exceptions to this picture,—the negro belonging to the priest, and an amateur of the chase, from whom we had hired our horses and mules. We passed in succession two valleys, stretching into the forest; the first, a small one planted with capueira, B 2 a H2 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. plantains and coffee, run wild from neglect ; the second consisting of meadow, with a fazenda, encompassed by wood. Scarcely perceptible heights surrounded us, and magnificent crimson Sapucajas grew at the edge of the forest. We turned from the meadow to the left, and, after about an hour’s ride from the bank of the Parahyba, stood under the shade of some high trees beside the Rio da Pomba * (Pigeon River)—a stream certainly not wider than the Spree—which forms the boundary of Minas Geraes. We crossed it in a canoe, taking our saddles with us, while the horses and mules swam over the stream. The opposite bank is higher and projects ; upon it stood some mean-looking houses, with a little cultivated land around them, and a tract of cleared ground stretching at the back. Here again the magnificent Sapucajas reared their heads, like gigantic flowers,—a wonderful spectacle, which will form one of the pleasing reminiscences of this journey. On reaching the other bank we saddled our beasts, and, guided by the fat proprietor of the adjacent houses, went to visit the huts of some Indians, who work for pay in the valley. On our way we met Johanna, an old woman a hundred years of age; she had veiled her tawny and venerable charms in a dirty garment, so that we could raise our eyes to gaze on this monument of * The course of the Rio da Pomba seemed to me erroneously marked on the Mannheim map, which I have before mentioned ; 1 believe this river falls into the Parahyba below Aldea da Pedra. Moreover only a small, muddy rivulet falls, on the right bank near Aldea da Pedra, into the Parahyba, which cannot be the Rio Negro or Bosarahy. LONGEVITY OF THE INDIANS. n3 past days without a blush. She was leading two chil- dren by the hand,—probably her great-great-grand-chil- dren! Our reverend conductor told us that she had lived to see four or five generations; but he believes there are Indians in this tribe who have witnessed as many as six, and hence he infers their age to be from a hundred and forty to a hundred and sixty years. The absence of excitement and passion in their way of life, together with their simple fare, seems greatly to favour this longevity. These tribes of south Brazil are by na- ture indolent and lazy ; their sole occupation seems to be sleeping and eating, and they resort to hunting and fish- ing only when compelled by hunger. Those who still reside in the forests, live on fruits and roots, which they roast in the ashes, while those who live in the vicinity of the fazendas and aldeas cultivate a little mandioca and a few bananas, or hire themselves, as in the present case, as labourers upon the Rocas. We soon reached the Roca of which we were in quest. The trunks of gigantic trees were lying about, on the plantation, which was close to the border of the primeval forest. In the midst of it was a hut, seemingly built by the proprietor of the land for the Indians: the exterior had quite an European appearance, but the mside was fitted up in the Indian fashion. The first sight that met us was a woman stark naked, who no sooner saw the missionary at a distance, than she quickly donned her shift and slipped into her hammock. The aged Methu- selah however, the oldest among the converted Indians in this district, did not imitate her example, but re- Hd AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. mained lying unconcernedly in his hammock, in the state of primitive innocence, and staring at us with perfect apathy. The offer of a few copper coins however seemed to produce an effect on him: he took them, but instantly turned round, and did not vouchsafe us another glance. Several Puris one by one made their appearance, as- sembling before the door of the hut. Around lay strewn a quantity of red and blue feathers, as | suppose from a macaw (Ara) that had just been picked. The colour of the natives is a dark brown : they are not exactly ugly, though they have in some degree the fea- tures of the Kalmucks, with high cheek-bones and an expression of stupidity. Black hair—which is only of a lighter tint in some of the children—falls matted ove the shoulders, and 1s cut before and behind in a straicht line, like that of the Russian peasants. The Puris ad Coroados are mostly of low stature, with usually a pro- minent abdomen : still it cannot be said that they are on the whole ill-formed. Almost every Indian had put on clothing of some kind. We purchased from these people bows and arrows, and also a rede or hammock ; they treated us with nuts of the Sapucaja, roasted in the ashes. Afterwards we visited another hut in the forest close by, very picturesquely situated and built quite in the Indian fashion. It consisted of a simple framework of poles, covered with leaves of the prickly palm, form- ng a more oblong and much larger square than the hut of the Coroados which we saw yesterday. The hammocks were here suspended about a foot and a half from the ground, and we observed the same kind of vessels as in TRIBE OF THE PURIS. the other hut. Some Indians in trowsers, and a few even drest in shirts, were squatted round the fire. A gun, with bows and arrows, were leaning against a post: two slender trees had been bent down, on one of which some clothes were hung, while a pair of tame parrots were pacing demurely backwards and forwards upon the other. On entering the hut, we observed a woman and a savage-looking man, resting in their hammocks : this seems to be the favourite mode of passing the time with these Indians, and they gave us the impression of feeling shame at being visited. Generally speaking the Puris of the Roca did not an- swer to our expectation ; they were estranged from their natural state, and an instance of this we noticed mm their preferring copper coin and even paper-money to the glass beads which we offered them. We soon took our leave, resolving to pay a visit to another tribe of Indians, inhabiting the Serra das Frexeiras, distant about twelve to fifteen leagues, and who lived, as we were told, in a perfectly savage state. We therefore returned to the banks of the Rio da Pomba. Our worthy guide the priest toiled on in the sweat of his brow; he began to throw out hints that dinner was waiting for us at Aldea da Pedra, that the Indians of the Serra were too far distant for us to think of reach- ing their abodes today,—and concluded by observing, that it would be well to breakfast first, and then re- turn home, “where,” he added, with a foretaste of the feast, “our dinner awaits us, with a surubim to boot, the most delicious fish that swims in the Parahyba, H0 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. aught fresh this morning.” The reader may imagine that it cost the poor Padre not a little to yield with Christian resignation to our desire, of relinquishing the tempting repast he had 7% spe, and accompany us to visit the Indians of the Serra, where we intended to pass the night. Fray Florido mastered his appetite, and heroically submitted to his fate: this was fortunate for us, as without our reverend guide the timid Indians would most probably have fled at our approach. We pushed on at a good trot, to the Fazenda das Frexeiras, near which place we meant to take refreshment. The situation of this solitary house, upon a meadow sur- rounded with wooded hills, and commanding a view of the distant Serra das Frexeiras which rises above the tops of the trees, enveloped in light-blue mist, is delight- ful. The proprietor of the fazenda kindly not only con- tributed an addition to the cold breakfast which we had brought with us, but gave us also cloaks and blankets for our use during the night. Thus equipped we began our ride in the direction of the Serra, guided by ob- serving that the side of the Morro da Pedra turned from the Parahyba was now at our backs. Before we reached the forest, the owner of the horses and the Padre’s negro secured another horse from the pasture, for Count Oriolla, leaving behind his old stiff grey in its place—certainly a very simple proceeding ! Following a small picada, we entered a magnificent forest. Great as was the difference between the forests of Corcovado and those of the Serra of Novo Friburgo, the contrast between the latter and the majestic primeval FOREST SCENERY. D7 forest through which we were now passing appeared equally striking. We now for the first time realized the fecling of being in an entirely wild country: the few and deep marks of horses’ feet soon disappeared, and there were no traces of the ground having been travelled over. We proceeded with great difficulty, the low branches and thick creepers obliging us continually to bend and stoop, while the numerous trunks of trees 1 ( 1 3 2 3 : 1 lying prostrate across the path, put to the test the skill of our beasts in surmounting these obstacles. We fre- quently also came to immense trees, uprooted by the storm, and held suspended over our heads by an en- tangled mass of creepers. The lanes (C7pos) sometimes appeared twisted like ropes; at others they resembled chains, covered with leather : here they were interlaced in folds like serpents, or there, hung down from the high- est branches like pointed beards, reaching to the thick, tangled mass of plants which covered and quite con- o » 3 cealed the ground. The trees were of a colossal height, apparently seldom less than from a hundred to a hun- dred and twenty feet, and, although of considerable girth, they gave quite the impression of being slender. After proceeding some way through this chang forest, we observed in the thicket under some magnifi- cent trees an Indian hut, covered with palm-leaves, and soon again another, equally picturesque. We halted under a tree, from which we shook down a number of Jabuticabas,—a fruit resembling a black cherry,—which were refreshing; and then rode on, through a shady, arched avenue of Heliconias, more than twenty fect high, 58 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. which bent their gigantic leaves over our heads, fanning us most agreeably. This lovely wild scenery was occa- sionally interrupted by clearings, which the proprietors had turned into Rocas, by the labour of half-civilized Indians. Here and there too we came to a small house, and saw with regret that we were not yet in a perfectly savage region. These clearings however had a certain interest and charm: the number of felled trees, with their enormous roots, which lay in tangled masses on the ground, formed a picture of wide-spread desolation which produced a powerful and peculiar impression on the spectator. As huntsmen too, we were amused to see how quietly the horses climbed over one tree after another, at which our eager hunters at home would pro- bably have stopped short. Irom one of these cleared spots we had a beautiful view of the Serra das Frexeiras, rising to the left above the forest, and clothed in a ruddy hue by the evening sun. The forest soon after became again thicker, until, shortly before dark, we arrived at a large open space, close to the foot of a rising ground, upon which stood a clay house with two adjoining huts. We had reached our destination! Interesting as the journey had hitherto proved, our expectations were now greatly disappointed. Instead of entering a large camp of Indians, the smoke rising from a few fires on the skirts of the forest promised no such spectacle. Our curiosity was nevertheless great, but the poor Padre was too much exhausted to satisfy 1t immediately : all his thoughts were absorbed in one sub- ject—the speediest way of relieving the pangs of hunger. DANCE OF THE INDIANS. 09 Many a time on the road we heard the poor man sighing and ejaculating, “ Ah! aquelle surubim 1” Suddenly he became all agility : he roused the negro of the house, and the Indian female servants, and ordered his own negro to ride off in quest of fruits and coffee in the neighbourhood. These arrangements being made, he was now persuaded to accompany us to two Indian huts in the adjacent capueira, similar in appearance to those before described. On our way we met the Capitao of the tribe, which com- prises forty to fifty families : he passed us at a short distance, naked as when born. Fray Florido called to him, and he came up to us,—not however before he had quickly slipped on a pair of trowsers. The Padre told him that we were anxious to witness one of their dances that evening, and requested him to collect his tribe in front of the house; having done so, he hastened on before, to expedite the arrangements for supper. The sun had set, and the moon was just rising, as we reached our night-quarters. There stood the worthy Padre before the door, plucking a fowl, with a visible expression of anticipated enjoyment. Now came the first act of the supper, during which the owner of the horses and the negro of the house, the black ruler and manager of the fazenda, were busied in making a fire. The Indians soon began to assemble, and kindled small heaps of faggots close to the large fire, as they are used to do in their huts, around which they squatted, warming their feet. It required much persuasion from the Padre, and many a good-natured joke from our horse-jobber, before three men could be induced to commence the dance, hanging their heads as if from a feeling of shame. The 60 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. Capitiio took the lead, and the two others danced side- ways behind him. The dance consisted of a waddling motion, backwards and forwards, accompanied by a mo- notonous nasal chant: it was intended to depict figu- ratively a contest between the Anta and a bull; another exhibition represented the Caitetu, or wild-hog, roaming through the forest; these at least were the explanations given us by the Puris themselves. The Indian ladies, who were all drest in a kind of shift or tunic, kept in the back- ground, seated around their fires, and would not take part in the dance : an old man sat in the midst of them. All other persuasives failing, Count Oriolla distributed some brandy among the Indians, which induced two or three more of the men to join in the dance. After a time some of the women formed a row behind the men, but without stirring a foot. The second act of the supper, which the Padre seemed to conjure up as if by magic, being concluded, glass beads were distributed among the dark beauties, who nevertheless gave the preference to Count Oriolla’s brandy-bottle. None of the Puri women were as pretty as the Coroado girl at Aldea da Pedra, though they were not so ugly as I had imagined from the repre- sentation of the Puris’ dance given by Spix and Martius. Count Oriolla remained for the night in the chieftain’s hut, while the rest of our party slept in the house. Our saddles served admirably as pillows, and we used them for this purpose almost every might. The negro and horse-dealer continued joking together for some time, till at last the latter taking his guitar soon lulled me to sleep. October Sth.—Day had scarcely dawned, when we were all on our legs, and busily employed in preparing ARRIVAL AT ALDEA DA PEDRA. 61 for our departure. The first thing was to catch the horses in the capueira, which detained us a long time, from the darkness that still prevailed in the forest, and it was six o'clock before we started. We took the same road by which we had come the previous day. The weather was at first doubtful, but it gradually cleared up, and we enjoyed the aspect of the magnificent forest, un- surpassed in beauty by any we have seen in the course of our travels. Here we first made acquaintance with the Araras, or macaws, a flock of which flew high over the tops of the gigantic trees, with deafening screams. Before reaching the skirts of the forest, we turned to the left and went up to one of the Indian huts which we had noticed yesterday: we found two, situated on a small spot under lofty trees, interlaced with lanes, whose picturesque appearance induced us to sketch them. At the first barrier across the road behind the Fazenda das TFrexeiras, we met Count Oriolla’s grey mare, which had been stopped here in attempting to run home. A second exchange of horses took place, and after this we bade adieu to the province of Minas, and crossed the Rio da Pomba, just as a raft guided by In- dians was floating past. We stepped ashore at eleven o'clock, near the venda of the “ Rifle-guardsman” at Aldea da Pedra, some- what disappointed with our visit to the savages. The sumpter-mules were immediately loaded, and we then assembled at dinner, at which the priest presided. The long-desired surubim was now served up, followed by another fish from the Parahyba called piabanha, with 62 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. other dishes which the Padre had ordered to be pre- pared in his own house. Delight and satisfaction beamed in the features of our reverend friend, whose enjoyment of the repast seemed to atone for the pain of its delay ; and I was involuntarily reminded of the charming aria, “Je suis content, je suis heureux,” in Auber’s opera of “ Le Dieu et la Bayadere.” We took leave of this friendly man with grateful hearts, and left the Aldea da Pedra—it was already one o’clock at full gallop and in high spirits. We soon however halted outside the hamlet, to collect our little column, and profited of the delay to ascertain by the compass the direction of the Serra das Frexeiras: finding that it lay exactly north-east of Aldea, we now followed the banks of the Parahyba toward S. Fidelis, distant eight leagues. The estrada real, which was here a mere foot- path, led at first through a portion of primeval forest, which is impressed on my memory from seeing here for the first time a group of the upright, columnar cactus, about twenty-five feet in height. The path rarely diverged so far from the flat bank of the Parahyba, but that the water was visible between the trunks of the trees. The virgin forest was soon succeeded by capueira, which lay between the high woods and the banks of the river. Flocks of parrots were flying around us; my servant suc- ceeded in shooting one, and I myself soon after brought down my first parrot! We now came to an extensive cleared space in the forest, stretching along the Parahyba, which here presents a peculiar and picturesque appear- ance. Large masses of rock, forming reefs and clothed BANKS OF THE RIVER. 63 with vegetation, followed the course of the broad stream, and alternated with charming islands, mostly of an ob- long form, which might be called enchanted isles,—so magical was the aspect of the magnificent palms and crimson Sapucajas which rose above the mass of foliage. A lofty range of hills, on the opposite side of the river, covered with wood, formed the background, whilst the forest on this side was also traversed by hills. Some Tropas were encamped on the banks of the stream, and numerous water-birds, especially the brown and yellow Piasoccas, were flying about in large numbers, or resting on the stumps of felled trees. The country gradually became more open. The first large sugar-plantation, with an engenho in the centre of it, extended along the river. The forest ceases alto- gether on this side of the Parahyba, and the hills on the right were covered with grass. How rejoiced were we at reaching this open country, where, the first time for so many days, we were again able to enjoy the view around! Beautiful as are the woods in these regions, one feature is missing, which the eye and the imagination require—a prospect. This evening the view was really charming: every instant the forms of the mountains on the opposite bank of the river seemed to grow in beauty ; and what more lovely foreground to the picture could we desire than those isles of palm-trees ? We now trotted briskly over some large meadows, intending to cross if possible before dark the ““ Rio dos dous Rios” (the River of two Rivers), formed by the junction of the Rio Grande and Rio Negro. The note 64 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. of the yellow Bemtevis, with their incessant cry— “ Bem-te-vi”’—now succeeded that of the Piasoccas. The bed of the Parahyba was at times narrow, at others wider ; the stream also made several large bends, which distanced for a time our straight road from its course. Wooded hills soon after again descended to its banks. Suddenly we found ourselves on a cross-road, and follow- ing a turn to the right, we left the Parahyba, and passed the small stream “ Dos dous Rios,” in the same manner as we had done the Rio da Pomba, which is of about an equal width. On the opposite bank stood a single house, belonging to a Swiss, behind which and above the primeval forest rose a high hill, tinged with a red colour by the last rays of the sun. In consequence of the delay caused by swimming the horses across the river, and disembarking and re-fixing the saddles, we did not enter the forest until after darkness had set in. We were now in the same predicament as on our ride by night from Novo Friburgo to Cantagallo,—left without any person acquainted with the road: in fact the two nights resembled one another, but that it was now casier to find our way, assisted by the rising moon. Emerging from the forest, on a mountain-ridge, we saw the Parahyba again, and unexpectedly met the sumpter-mules that had preceded us, upon a road lead- ing past some detached houses. In a few instants we were in the main street of S. Fidelis, a place rather larger than Aldea da Pedra, and after many inquiries succeeded in obtaining a small lodging for the night. October 9th.—We quitted S. Fidelis at six o'clock, just THE RIO PRETO. GD as the day began to dawn. The country hereabouts assumed a character which reminded me of home; the Parahyba too resembles a German river, flowing through meadows, margined by hills. A small coffee-plantation, which we passed at the beginning of our route—cocoa- nut-trees, with short, thick and scaly trunks, standing singly or in rows, their branches spreading in a form resembling the glory around the head of a Saint—these objects, and a few solitary orange-trees, covered with golden fruit, and surrounded with parasites like a spider’s web, formed altogether a picture which reminded the traveller every moment that he was in a tropical region, though without weakening the general impression. At a short distance behind S. Felis we passed through the Rio Preto, a little above its junction with the Para- hyba. A fine Serra approaches the river on its opposite bank : it consists of a precipitous hill, resembling the steep side of the Hammerstein, near the Rhine, but crowned with wood, and followed, parallel to the course of the Parahyba, by a range of little Hammersteins. The banks of the river, along which we rode, now began to rise, and we looked down upon the stream, directly below our narrow slippery footpath, which, scarcely dis- cernible, led over smooth ledges of rock: this is here called an estrada real. We then cut our way across a swampy tongue of land, around which flows the Para- hyba,—looking about anxiously for crocodiles in the mo- rass, but in vain. Next we passed a hill overgrown with apucira, and descended on the opposite side, crossing a meadow, to the fields of sugar-cane on the banks of the VOL. II. F 66 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. river. At about nine o'clock we halted for a few mo- ments at a venda, and after taking a little rest and re- freshing ourselves with some water and goyabada, we continued our ride under a hot sun. The islands of the Parahyba gradually lost their charm; capueira and low bushes succeeded the palm-trees, and Sapucajas and sand were now seen upon their banks. Before us extended a large, fertile plain: on our left rose a pointed hill, and on the right, three hills with rounded summits,—the last spurs of the mountain-range, which higher up gives such an interest to the banks of the Parahyba. We passed large fields of sugar-canes, with fazendas, and were struck by observing the houses furnished with windows,—a sight which we had not noticed for many days. Then followed extensive pastures, with cattle grazing on them ; in a word, we had entered the Campos dos Goayta- cazes. The road now became a track through the open country, enclosed between two hedges, thirty feet apart : the clayey soil, which had been almost uninterrupted since we left the Macacii, was now partially superseded by sand. The animals were so fatigued that all our efforts were unavailing to keep them up to a trot; even my Seville cane had lost all power over the “ Botocudo,” which was completely worn out, and the spurless heels of my boots vainly stimulated the flanks of the poor beast. The heat grew more and more oppressive, and our longing in- creased at every step to reach the « Cidade,”—S. Salvaddr dos Campos dos Goaytacazes,—a distance of ten leagues from S. Fidelis: no sign of it was yet to be seen. The TOWN OF CAMPOS. 07 Parahyba too was for a long time lost to sight, and with it disappeared the last charm of this monotonous, flat country, which on the whole did not please us: we missed the mountains, and the magnificent trees of the primeval forest. At length we again reached the river, its banks lined with a row of houses: this was the suburb of the Cidade, and our little cavalcade entered it at half past three o’clock, p.m. in good order, though we had travelled seventy leagues with the same animals. Campos, although according to our German ideas a small town, produced quite an impression of stateliness. The aspect of the Quay bespoke considerable commerce, and venda followed venda: in one of these we procured lodgings, and in another we dined. As soon as the au- thorities heard of my arrival, they waited on me, in spite of my incognito, and placed the residence of the Xefe de Policia at my disposal. I declined this polite offer with many thanks, and paid a visit to the Xefe de Policia in the evening, shortly before our departure : he regaled me with tea, and I remained with him until the two canoes were ready, which one of the inhabitants of S. Salvador, with true Brazilian hospitality, had offered me, for my further progress down the stream to the neighbouring Barra of the Parahyba. It was our intention to embark there on the steamboat, which was to leave at eight o'clock the next morning for Rio, and with this view we had disposed of our horses on favourable terms at Campos. At nine o’clock the canoes pushed off: they con- sisted of the trunks of two immense trees, with a kind of FR 68 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. roof formed over the hind part by hides stretched upon twigs. A negro steered with a paddle, and two others rowed in the fore-part of the boat, or pushed us along when we came to shallows. Such a canoe draws about six inches, and costs fifty milreis. A bright moonlight succeeded the rain this evening, and gave a romantic charm to our night voyage on the magnificent American river. Crossing repeatedly from one side to the other, we laid the broadside of the canoe to the stream, in order to float along faster; the con- sequence of this however was, that we continually heard the boat grating upon sand-banks, and even stuck fast upon some of them. On approaching the banks, we ob- served at times the forest stretching along them, but more frequently nothing was to be seen but the steep sandy cliffs which skirt the river. October 10th.—1t was two o’clock this morning when we landed on the right bank of the river, at S. Jodo da Barra (also called S. Jodo do Parahyba, or da Praya), distant seven leagues from Campos. The authorities of the place disturbed our peaceful sleep as early as seven o'clock ; we had lain down on the bottom of the canoe, covered with mats, this kind of boat being unprovided with benches. They conducted me and my companions to a handsome house, where we rested for a short time, dressed, and partook of a good breakfast. S. Jodo is the port of Campos, whence coffee, sugar, and wood,—prin- cipally Jacaranda,—are shipped in large quantities. Slave- vessels also frequently land their cargoes of blacks in the neighbourhood, whence these unfortunate beings are RETURN TO RIO DE JANEIRO. 69 driven eto the terior, and sold in security at negro auctions. Being positively informed that the steamer would not start until nine o'clock, we did not set out till seven, di- recting our course in the two canoes to the Barra, at a short distance. A great bend in the river, between an island studded with sugar-plantations and the right bank, was soon passed. The Parahyba flowed majestically on its course toward the sea, about the width of the Elbe near Gluckstadt ; and its green, wooded banks reminded me strongly of the Elbe near Dessau and Torgau. Before us on the right and close to the shore, which is covered with coppice, the trading-vessels were anchored in a long line, but the steamboat which we expected to find among them was nowhere to be seen—it had already started! A sailor, whom we sent to the topmast of a brig, saw the smoke in the distance. For an instant we thought that she was merely cruizing before the bar ; but this hope vanished, when the man called out, « She holds on her course!” Thus then we were left behind, with- out any blame attaching to us : the captain of the steamer had sailed an hour and a quarter earlier than he had an- nounced to the authorities : in fact we were on the spot an hour earlier than we had been told was necessary. The only thing now to be done was to find a vessel bound for Rio, and we fortunately soon met with a Bra- zilhan sumaca, ¢ O Novo Tejo,” which was to sail the next morning. While Count Oriolla was seeking the captain on shore, I rowed in the canoe with Count Bismark =a little way down the stream, until we distinctly perceived 70 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. the sea breaking on the Barra. The water was still fresh just above the bar,—a fact which Dr. Lippold also no- ticed near the Barra do Rio Doce. After this little trip we returned to the ‘ Novo Tejo,” where I witnessed the service on board these Brazilian coasters: the mate gave orders which indicated a speedy departure, and, while the negroes performed the whole work, the few whites looked on. Count Oriolla soon returned, and everything seemed arranged to our satisfaction. From the want of room in the sumaca we preferred dining at a venda, near the end of S. Jofio da Barra, and then, after a short pro- menade, we retired to rest, being first informed that the Novo Tejo’ would not leave so early, but that the schooner ¢ O Judeo’ was to sail instead. October 11th—We found this morning that the wea- ther had changed, and resolved therefore to prefer the journey overland to the sea voyage: the wind had veered round to the south-east, though, according to Hors- burgh, the south-east trade wind changes in this half of the year with a southern current into a continued N.E. and E.N.E. wind; whilst from March to September the generally prevalent S.E. wind with only occasional shght deviations toward the S.S.E. extends with a northern current to the Brazilian coast. The Delegado, after con- sulting the pilot, added, from his own experience, that the wind in April and October, instead of blowing from the N.E. and N.N.E,, frequently shifts suddenly for three or four days to the S.E., and that the drift of the clouds today seemed to confirm the probability that this wind VISIT TO A FAZENDA. 71 would now continue for such a duration in the same quarter. It was therefore obvious that, reckoning the time we should be detained, the route would be much quicker by land than by sea, and the more so as just now the low water in the river might occasion still further delay. It was moreover of the greater importance for me to lose no time, as I was under the impression that the < Growler’ was waiting for me at Rio, and I scrupled to detain her from her regular service unnecessarily. But how to get horses for our projected journey, having dis- posed of our own beasts, was the question: this caused no little perplexity; we had however soon offers of assistance : Antonio—a brother of the captain of the ¢ Judeo,’—came forward, and undertook to conduct us in three or four days by land to Rio; for which service we had to consent to hard terms, as will be seen in the sequel. We left our baggage on board the ‘Judeo,’ and the ‘Novo Tejo’ received all the provisions which had been purchased for our voyage; but in order that the crew of the Jew’ might also have a share of the dainty fare, with them was left the pig! These arrangements being concluded, I started at ten o'clock, with the Delegado Jozé Martim and a Senhor faria, on a short excursion up the Parahyba to a fazenda, situated upon the island before mentioned as being so richly studded with sugar-plantations. The resemblance of the stream to the Elbe struck me again forcibly today : the few palms growing upon the opposite bank or on the islands were concealed among the other trees, so that the difference of vegetation as seen from the river was EE SS cr Ws. TREO 0 win i 0 7/2 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. less observable. Low bushes covered the downs in the direction of the bar, and among them were growing a species of the large dwarf-palm, a plant resembling the pineapple, and a few Agavas. Beside the canoes I have already described, the river is navigated by others of a peculiar construction, large boats, manned by blacks, and provided with a yardsail of immense size. But we must now turn to the sugar-plantation, and give a de- scription of the Engenho. T Woe 13 P Under a slight shed, four oxen yoked to long poles, and walking round and round in a ring, turned a simple wheel, which put in motion three upright, iron-plated rollers or cylinders, similar to those we had seen at Aldea. On one of these poles sat a negro boy, who directed the beasts with a long stick. Two other blacks were busied in drawing the cane, with their hands, through the two , spaces of different sizes between the rollers,—first the larger and afterwards the smaller. The juice, thus ex- pressed, is conveyed to the first and largest of three boilers, standing close together, in which it is mixed and boiled with the “ quada,” a fluid consisting either of ‘ . " I ‘ 2» . 1 TE yr » : r } ‘ guararema and water or lime-water, or of guararema mixed with lime. From this first boiler the liquor is conveyed by means of cocos ladles to a second, and after- wards to a third, which last is the smallest of the three here it is boiled again, until it acquires a greater con- - ’ 4 ey rm : . " . » . . I sistency. The liquor in the first boiler is the colour of sulphur, in the second it is of a dark yellow, and in the third of a brown colour. The scum which rises in hoil- img 1s used for distilling caxaca, or brandy. From the | PROCESS OF SUGAR-BOILING. 73 third boiler, the sugar, which is now extremely thick and alled ““melaco,” is conveyed into the trunk of a tree hollowed out, the cooling-tub, where it is stirred with a piece of wood. The melaco is afterwards put into wooden or clay filters, with a hole at the bottom, which is at first closed. The sugar crystallizes in these vessels, and a layer of wet clay, placed on the top of the filters, absorbs the brown colouring matter of the sugar and leaves the latter white. The fluid which drains through is also used in the preparation of caxaca ; this is accomplished by putting the juice obtained by skimming and draining into barrels, where after a time it undergoes fermentation, and is then run into coolers. At Aldea the juice of the sugar is mixed with lees, to increase the fermentation. The sugar-cane from which the juice has been expressed serves for fuel, the fresh cane alone being used as food for cattle. After inspecting the Engenho, we went to see a field of sugar-canes. The upper part of the cane serves as cuttings for propagation or planting other fields. In fertile soils the sugar-plant remains sometimes for fifteen years in the ground, the stock producing a succession of new sprouts, all that is required being to replace some of the old stumps; but common or poor soil, as on this spot, must be replanted every year, some say every second year. The sugar-cane reaches maturity in a year; it only requires to be weeded at first, when young; at a later period, when increased in size, the cane chokes all weeds. We returned from the Fazenda to the venda at S. Jodo da Barra, where some gentlemen of the place dined re — 74 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. with me. In the evening, a party of the inhabitants, with Senhor Faria at their head, treated me to a serenade, and some Germans afterwards paid me a visit, accompa- nied by a Dutchman. We all sat on the bench near the large table in the inn parlour, and a tea-party concluded the day, after which I retired to my little chamber, and presently dropped asleep on the esteira. October 12¢h.—1 was roused from my sleep at two o’clock this morning, and we soon after went in the dark in search of the yard where Antonio was waiting with the horses to conduct us to Rio de J aneiro,—a distance, according to his account, of sixty-six and a half leagues (fifty-five German or two hundred and fifty-five English miles) *. The saddling and packing however took so long a time, that it was four o’clock before we started, in a drizzling rain and Egyptian darkness. At daybreak we came to a large meadow, on which grew here and there a few shrubs, and among the rest some extremely tall, columnar cactuses: we also ob- served another species, with large white flowers, more beautiful than we had ever before seen. On our right flowed the Parahyba,—before us lay the mountains in the direction of Aldea da Pedra, and cattle were grazing around. It was now just light enough for us to distinguish our animals clearly: these consisted of * According to the accompanying map of the Province of Rio de Janeiro, in constructing which Mr. II. Mahlmann has employed the map of this country by Freycinet, the distance is only fifty-four and a half leagues,—about forty-five German or two hundred and eight English miles. RETURN TO RIO DE JANEIRO. 75 nine small horses, with long tails, cut straight in the newest fashion,—seven saddle-horses for ourselves, our two servants and the guide, a reserve bay horse, and a pack-horse. Four of these beasts promised well enough, and among them my little roan had a fair claim to a good word : the same might be said of Antonio’s bay, which we were obliged to follow at a short jog-trot. We continued at this pace, almost without intermission, until within a few leagues of Rio,—mo easy matter truly, to ride about five-and-forty German miles at a stretch at such a pace! Urgent reasons however obliged us to lose no time. In order not to detain the ¢ Growler,” which, as I have said, we calculated must have already reached Rio, I had resolved if possible to accomplish our journey thither on horseback in as short a time as if we had gone by the steamer. Antonio had engaged to conduct us to Rio in three or four days, and on our part we had been obliged to agree to numerous very troublesome condi- tions, our non-fulfilment of which would release the guide from his share in the engagement. Among other stipula- tions, the Arriciro had bargained for the exclusive right of making all arrangements on the route, settling the time and places of halting and resting, and even the pace of the animals. We had engaged to follow mmpli- citly all his directions on the journey, and for these three * » . nn iN or four days to surrender all will of our own. To this sacrifice we were obliged to assent, in order to render an apparent impossibility possible. Our small troop proceeded over the meadows in close column, and at a uniform pace. Antonio, in his blue ers ”™ 76 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. satlor’s jacket, set with buttons displaying the eagle and anchor of the American navy, and in jack-boots, jogged on silently before us, in the heavy, damp, morning air, dragging after him one of the two emaciated reserve horses ; each animal in turn stepping in the footmarks which Antonio’s beast left in the slippery soil. Several hours passed thus, when the Arrieiro suddenly halted, and dismounted,—we all followed his example. The horses were here turned out to graze in a small field, and in ten minutes we resumed our journey. We passed in succession several fazendas and sugar-plantations, si- tuated on the banks of the river, and also met a sledge, to which six oxen were yoked, similar to those we had seen at Madeira. Large brown and white aquatic birds, which we had observed from time to time, now became much more frequent: the cultivated and inhabited banks were in parts more covered with underwood, but we observed scarcely any trace of palm-trees. At length, about eleven o’clock, Campos lay before us: we hailed the sight with joy, for we, as well as our horses, showed evident symptoms of fatigue. The view of this town was more picturesque from this than the opposite side, the blue mountains forming a background to the picture. Our road lay partly through and partly around the town, which, judging from the detour we had to make, cannot be very small. We here turned to a venda, and partook of some chicken-broth, while the horses were baited with milho and sugar-cane : we also procured two pair of clumsy brass spurs, with which to stimulate the spirit of our beasts in case of need. TE nem RR THE LAGOA DE JESUS. 77 Here we rested till one o’clock, and then resumed our journey. It was amusing to observe Antonio’s movements, making his way through the deep muddy soil, cleverly avoiding the worst spots, and never passing the small- est puddle without cooling the feet of his horses and stopping to let them drink. At first our way led along a broad carriage-road, between hedges, over meadows and pastures, frequently passing through copses by the side of sugar-plantations and fazendas. In a short time we crossed the little river Imbé by a bridge, and soon afterwards a larger stream called the Ururahi. Since we left Campos, the “ Morro da Lagoa de Jesus,” a hill resembling the Zobtenberg on a small scale, had served as our landmark ; behind which toward evening the Serra do Imbé appeared, enveloped in rain-clouds of a greyish colour. The Urubis and large aquatic birds, white and brown, soaring over our heads, showed that we were In the vicinity of the Lagoa. In the meadows it was very amusing to watch the black Ants, (Croto- phaga major) continually alighting on the ground before the cattle, horses and pigs, as they grazed, or running before them, as if to direct them to the best spots of grass. We likewise saw this afternoon by the wayside the first nests of the Termites, about two to two and a half feet high, formed of black mould,—truly gigantic works for these tiny architects. The clay soil, passing gradually into a black garden mould, was now succeeded by sand, and large morass on our left scemed to me the skirts of the Lagoa de Jesus. At four o'clock we x a 78 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. reached the Fazenda da Lagoa de Jesus, and halted for a few minutes. In little more than an hour we approached the Fa- zenda Palmitar, about a league distant from the Lagoa Feia. Here we had a disagreement with Antonio, who suddenly declared that he could not take us to Rio within the stipulated time; for one of our beasts—that which Mr. Theremin had been riding—was already worn out. There was however another reason in the back- ground : when our Arrieiro made the contract with us, he probably imagined that we should be knocked up before reaching our journey’s end, and should ask him to allow us a day or two more on the road. In this he was deceived, for he now saw plainly that our party were all fresh and hearty, and found himself out in his reckoning. For some hours past he had appeared to sit restless and uneasy on his horse ; the fact was he suffered from weakness in his chest, which seemed to unfit him for such a long ride, although he must have been in the constant habit of undertaking forced journeys. Antonio was a Portuguese by birth, and had made his escape to the Azores during the government of Dom Miguel, from whence he sailed in an American whaler to Brazil. Since he came to this country, his occupation had been to watch for the arrival of slave-ships at S. Jodo da Barra, and then immediately to ride over to Rio and inform the proprietors. No person therefore knew the road better than Antonio, and he asserted that he had made the journey more than once in three days. We stopped at Palmitar, where the Arriciro wanted THE LAGOA FEIA. 79 to purchase a fresh horse; he could not however come to terms with the people. Here we rested until nine o’clock ; meanwhile straw mats were procured and placed under the saddles, which had chafed some of the poor beasts cruelly. In order to lighten the burden of the jaded pack-horse, each one of the party now took his baggage upon his own beast, and at length, these matters being arranged, we started again on our journey, enjoy- ing the refreshing coolness of the night air. We soon reached the small river Macab, not quite a league distant from Palmitar, and were quickly ferried across: then, passing through a coppice, we came to a smooth plain. On our left the Lagoa Feia extended before us like the expanse of ocean, with foaming breakers; some single, magnificent palm-trees stood close to its margin, and the brilliant moon was mirrored in its surface. Truly it was like a scene in fairyland ! The Serra was still visible on our right, when, after a day’s journey of twenty leagues, we stopped at mid- night at a venda in Quixama (Guizaman), only a short distance from Lagoa Feia. Antonio knocked at the door, which was opened after some delay, and we were told that here we were to rest for the night. October 13th.—Quixama even boasts a church: in the background rises the Serra which we saw yesterday, at its foot stretches a wide plain. We purchased here a one-eyed grey horse, and the bargaining detained us at the venda until near eight o'clock. The horses sunk at every step in the sandy soil, which was only here and there covered with dwarf-palms. As the soil improved, 80 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. the bushes grew larger, and the primeval forest gra- dually succeeded. Antonio had turned off a little ema- ciated horse by the wayside, recommending him to the care of a man who chanced to be passing. Soon after- wards we made a short halt at a “roca” in the forest, near a “sitio,” distant four leagues from Quixama, and about half-way to Macahé. The road was broad, the THE MATO DE BOACICA. S1 audible through the thicket, and presently we caught a glimpse of the ocean and some islands; the view how- ever was soon lost again behind the capueira, which now surrounded us till we reached the ferry of Macahé. A flat sandy coast here stretched out before us, mter- rupted by the mouth of the Rio Macahé, on the opposite bank of which lay the little town of the same name, trees of fine growth, and the Sapucajas in flower grew extending along the foot of a cham of hills which en- mm i ES ETS A RH —-— on all sides. Then followed capueira, fazendas, and compasses a large bay. Antonio left behind another coffee-plantations ; but there was scarcely any trace of horse at Macahé, and, refreshed by some cooling beve- sugar cultivation in this district. In the vicinity of rage, we trotted briskly along the sandy road lined the Engenho Curibatiba, which is said to have been for- with shrubs, listening to the noise of the waves on our merly a penal settlement, and consists at present merely | left. The moon shone brightly, and in a short time we of a few houses, the level plain was broken by undu- | saw her beams reflected in the Lagoa de Boacica, around lating ground, covered with small, pointed mamelons,” which our road lay. On the land side this lake is or little hillocks, five or six feet high; these mounds are skirted by wooded hills, but toward the sea its shores said to be formed by ants, but we were not able to dis- cover any trace of the insect itself. are barren, aloes and cactuses alone raising their tall heads in the bright moonlight. "The waters of the Lagoa The sandy soil in the capueira and the oppressive washed over the slippery ground which we traversed, heat fatigued my servant’s horse so much that he was and our horses had no sure footing. After riding obliged to dismount and drive his charger before him, throngh a narrow arm of the lake, we reached the Mato de Boacica (Boassica), a magnificent tract of forest, through which our road led us to Frexeiras, a lonely house situated between the lake and the small Rio das Ostras. We arrived quite tired out, after a ride of eleven ejaculating to himself, “Il y a de quoi maudire le Brézil a perpétuité!” The animals were at length com- pletely worn out, and our guide was compelled to halt before reaching Macahé, at the Venda do Barreto. Here leagues, and took up our quarters for the night. to her health. October 14th.—We were again in motion early this morning, and presently fell into our old jog-trot, cross- ing a wide sandy plain, sparely overgrown with shrubs and dwarf or field palms. On our right was again seen YOl. 11, G we dined,—it was my mother’s birthday, and we drank A ee ———— At five o'clock we continued our journey, along a —— broad road through the capueira, in which we again observed the tall cactuses. The sound of the waves was ————— SIAR REIT, ® — —- A nN ll $l { 82 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. a blue mountain-chain, and before us rose an isolated hill of peculiar appearance, the Morro de S. Jodo. Al- though Barra do Rio de S. Jodo was only three leagues and a half distant, the road seemed long and tedious, exposed as we were to a burning sun; I perhaps felt the heat more than the rest, being obliged to throw my heavy pea-jacket over my shoulders, to relieve the poor horse, which was beginning to be severely galled. This place is situated on the left bank of a small stream of the same name, which at its mouth has all the appearance of a lake, separated from the sea by a low, flat sand-bank. From the midst of this strip of sand a black rock seems to rise perpendicularly, with a house on its top; while to the left on a sand-hill stands a small church, up to which the little town ex- tends, encompassing the northern side of the bay. Across the bank of sand a chain of mountains rose on the horizon, beyond the sea, at a great distance; and com- paratively in the foreground some brigs and a schooner were sailing before the wind, just in the direction of this low sandy tract of ground, as if purposely to run upon it. All at once the schooner hauled her wind, and, marvellous to behold ! sailed to all appearance straight through the sand, close to the foot of the rock; she then swung round, and let drop her anchor near a sumaca, which was lying in what appeared to be the lake. The two brigs followed close in the schooner’s wake, and we now perceived that they were entering the mouth of the Rio de S. Jofio, which explained the riddle. We crossed the river in boats, the horses swimming CAMPOS NOVOS. 83 over, and a ride of a few hours through deep sand and a tract of low forest or capueira, with fine Orchidacee in flower, brought us to Campos Novos or the Fazenda del Rey, distant three leagues and a half. The large fazenda stands in a tract of meadow, crowning the summit of a gently sloping hill, and rendered conspicuous by a tall pointed church-steeple: a number of cottages, attached to the fazenda, are scattered on the meadow around. We dined in one of these, and at five o'clock rode on to a house about a league distant: it was built with clay walls, in the style peculiar to the province of Rio de Janeiro, and agreeably situated among orange-trees. An- tonio here made an exchange of horses,—all the more necessary, as the only remaining bay, to which we had given the name of “the Deer,” could scarcely set one foot before another. After the bargain was struck, we continued our ride through the sandy soil and ca- pueira, and just as it began to grow dark reached a venda not far from Aldea de S. Pedro near the shore of the great Lagoa d’Araruama. Refreshed by a little poncho, made with water, caxaca, sugar and lemon-juice, we now took a sudden turn to the west, having since we left Campos proceeded nearly due south. We continued in this direction for several hours, in a beautiful moonlight night, on a hard sandy road along the shore of the Lagoa. The banks are flat and clear of wood, and on the side of the sea the lake 1s skirted by a line of downs apparently opening toward the ocean. Such an opening does indeed exist—not on the southern side which lay opposite to us, but on the eastern side, G 2 ~ 84 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. near the Villa do Cabo Frio (Assumpeiio), for the Lagoa ’ Zonas oy . A d’Araruiama is the inlet or bay which converts Cabo or 3 ; Frio into a peninsula. The “ Deer” headed our column : J stumbling along as well as he could, and kept on his legs by the blows with which one of the attendants incessantly belaboured him,—an operation that seemed to exhaust the man’s little remaining strength and his last spark of interest in the journey. After this active- 1 3 CQ 1 » y 22 ’ T(> 1 2 fisted “squire” followed Antonio, down in the dumps at the thought of being unable to fulfil the promise he had made : then came our merry party of horsemen in file, laughing and singing as usual ; whilst another servant, with a long melancholy face, brought up the rear. Occasionally our road diverged from the shore of the Lagoa, and traversed for several leagues an open plain < ) barren of shrubs; it afterwards again approached the bay. On a sudden, about midnight, we saw before us a streak of mist, from which rose the spire of a church. ] / J » ‘ JQ » in x ! 1 We passed to the right of this, and halted near a pond, where Antonio requested us to water our horses. From this I mferred that we had still a long journey before us, and was agreeably surprised when, a few minutes after, we stopped at a short distance from the shore of the Lagoa, at the “Fazenda de Paraty.” Antonio procured us a lodging in the neighbourhood at a small venda—a LAGOA D ARARUAMA. 8D which we were obliged to leave behind. At first our route followed the shore of the Lagoa d’Araruima, whence we had a clear view of the rounded summit of Cabo Frio, and the small conical hill which rises near its foot. We now bade adieu to the Lagoa, margined only by aloes and cactuses, and entered the capueira. As the soil improved, the primeval forest succeeded, mn which magnificent Tillandsias attracted our notice, of a size and beauty that I had nowhere seen except on our ride along the coast of the province of Rio de Janeiro. This wooded plain gradually changed to a hilly country, cultivated with coffee. We halted for a minute near the Venda Aternado, in view of the low, wooded Serra de Bacaxa, and soon after again at another inn, where Antonio unexpectedly met a ['azendeiro, in whose ser- vice he had formerly been, and who observing the wretched plight of our beasts very kindly lent Antonio his plump, grey horse. The forenoon scemed intermi- nable, and time crept slowly on, as we pursued our way in an oppressive heat around nearly the whole circuit of the Lagoa de Saquaréma. The church of the Freguezia, of the same name, situated on the sandy downs In the direction of the sea, remained in view for several hours, forming as it were the central point in the semicircle which we made round the bay. Our horses could ——— i Tl kind of shed, where we stretche selves for : i | oF hye we stretched ourselves for the night hardly get along, and we were too tired to apply the ue on a he: an cor ordi i . : A ot 8 ndian corn. According to Antonios reck- spur. At last we came to a ferry, near a narrow part of AE oning we had travelled fifteen leagues this dav \ 3 ; 2 ad travelled fifteen leagues this day. the lake, and were soon landed on the opposite shore; then turning our back on Saquaréma, and keeping the October 151h—We quitted the Fazenda de Paraty at Serra do Mato Grosso in view, we followed the course of WR : five o'clock this morning, but alas without ¢ the Deer!” FAST TRE Sa —————— A tN 86 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. a picturesque chain of mountains, which stretched along the fine expanse of water. In about an hour we reached the Fazenda Mandetiba, or Manietiba, where we dined, and gave the poor jaded animals a few hours’ rest. Our first toast today—dear to us all, but peculiarly so to me—was the health of our beloved King; we drank it with grateful remembrance, and the more so as we owed the pleasure of this journey to his gracious favour. The health of my sister Marie followed, and several others. After Antonio had changed all the saddles, and assigned a new rider to each horse, we left Mandetiba, and continued our journey through the most beautiful scenery we had beheld since leaving Campos, approach- ing the Serra do Mato Grosso through an extensive and lovely valley. On the sides of the mountains rose the lofty trees of the virgin forest, which was continued in the valley only in narrow strips, distinguished by the large red flowers of the Heliconias, growing in groups. We crossed the Serra on foot, and upon arriving at the highest point of the pass, the view extended over another valley, of about the same width as the one we had left ; at a great distance we descricd indistinctly the Lagoa de Maric, and beyond it the ocean. At the foot of the Serra we mounted our horses again. The sun was just setting, and as his last rays shone on us, we no longer formed an orderly little troop, but an irregular body of horsemen dispersed over the valley. The irksome jog-trot, which had teased us so long, was now succeeded by an intolerable shuffling pace; in addition to which several of the horses were quite Jame,—a misery we had hitherto ARRIVAL AT MARICA’. 87 fortunately escaped, during our journey of three weeks from Rio. In a word, it seemed to be high time for us to reach Maricd. Our Arrieiro was of the same opinion : we had left it entirely to his decision, whether to pursue our journey tonight as far as Praya Grande,—which we must do, if he fulfilled his engagement punctually,—or whether we should rest here for the night. He deter- mined on the latter course, and this turned out the most pleasant to ourselves : after a journey of twelve leagues, we were glad to find in Maricd excellent quarters, a good supper, and the first regular beds we had met with since leaving the fazenda of M. de Luze. We had been in the meanwhile accustomed to sleep upon mats, laid either on a bedstead or the floor ; and our usual meals had consisted of « gallinha com arroz” (fowls with rice), “feijoes” (black beans), and rosca,” a ind of hard bread, with Hamburg beer for our drink. The horses had been fed only on milho and capim or Angola-grass. * October 16th. —A light mist hung over the valley of Maricd, the meadows of which now lay before us mn all their beauty, tinged by the early rays of the sun, as we started on our last day’s journey to Rio, distant only seven or eight leagues. The range of disconnected, conical, and strangely formed hills, seen on the north- cast in approaching Rio from the sca, and the last of which forms “the Giant,” extends eastward as far as these meadows. We diverged inland, and passing be- tween them entered a shady forest; a rivulet flowed by our roadside, picturesquely margined ty n, dick group of magnificent Daturas (Datura arborescens— rr gy o— 88 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. cultivated by us in pots), with snow-white bell-shaped blossoms, and numerous other beautiful flowers. Coffee- plantations succeeded the primeval forest, and afterwards meadows, with fazendas. Our narrow path now changed to a carriage-road. We travelled on for another hour, when on turning a corner in the road, before ns rose the conical hill situated to the north of Praya Grande, called Morro da Armacfio. It was noon when we entered the small town, once more enraptured by the glorious pro- spect over the Bay of Rio de Janeiro, the splendid pano- rama of the city, and the beautiful mountain-chains of the Corcovado and Tijuca in the background. At Nitherohy we met M. Boulanger, our friend] 7 t fr | Santa Anna, who was jus he Ti > ih > was just returning home with a horse which he had purchased here. Thus had we successfully accomplished the journey of five-and-forty German miles in four days and a half; but of the nine horses with which we Satted from S. Jodo do Parahyba, only four reached Praya Grande ; the others we had been obliged to leave behind at different stages on our route®. As the small steamer transported us rapidly to the metropolis, we missed the < Malabar.’ which had left the roadstead and sailed to Monte V oo: in vain also we looked for the “ Growler,’ —she had sot yet returned from her eruize in pursuit of slavers. We had a merry dinner-party at the Hotel Pharoux, and our h 0s reader who desires detailed information relative to the Ss em Bio de Janeiro and Campos, the banks of the ahyba and the savage tribes who inhabit that country, will find 3: 1 1v : 1 : 3 re 1 » 1 Dy, ’ Tr « | g 1 - I'ra | f i ( ) red \ i 11 iin NY wen in the terest ny Veils oO 1 1€ 2A'THK ” ot W ' 1 pp 41-156 ! Gi a —_— VISIT TO THE EMPEROR. 89 good humour was not a little heightened by the receipt of letters from Europe. After dinner we drove to the charming Mangueira. October 17-30th.—Although the * Growler’ arrived in the roadstead of Rio within two days after our re- turn, ten days elapsed ere she was again ready to sail. [ shall merely give a brief outline .of such occurrences during the few days previous to our departure, on the thirtieth of October, as may be of some interest to the reader. The nineteenth was the Emperor's anniversary. Before ten o'clock in the morning I drove to S. Christo- vito, to offer my congratulations to his Majesty. The Emperor was still suffering from indisposition, yet he received me very graciously, and in the kindest and most affectionate manner presented to me an excellent portrait of Frederick the Second, painted in oil by the Emperor himself. This souvenir, which 1 prize most highly, now ornaments my drawing-room at Monbijou, and T never look at it without calling to mind the kind reception I met with from its gracious donor, which so greatly enhanced the pleasure of my residence in the beautiful land of Brazil. Early the next morning [ rode toward the city, but without any definite purpose: following the road under the aqueduct, I took the direction of S. Christovao, but soon turned to the left, and ascended the isolated rock of Engenho Velho, which 1 have before mentioned. The view from its summit is justly celebrated, and is one of the finest around Rio. One half of this magni- ficent panorama embraces the lofty mountain-chains of Le oS CA Sos Es LT A ee ———— _— — 90 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. the Corcovado and Tijuca, while on the other side extend far away the smiling plains that surround the isolated rock, like a garden of paradise, skirted on the north and east by the gulf of Nitherohy, which from this spot appears like a beautiful inland lake. The splen- did metropolis together with the surrounding moun- tams advance into the bay, and apparently divide it into two arms of unequal width. Beyond the smaller of these are seen the mountains near Praya Grande, and still further in the background the hills in the direction of Maric and Macac, which I hailed as old acquaint- ances. The smooth surface of the bay widens as it extends to the north. On the opposite shore rise the Orgdios mountains, resembling the pipes of an organ, and stretching into a long blue ridge; while on this side of the bay, the large building of the Hospital of St. Lazarus stands prominently forward upon elevated ground, and S. Christovilo is seen on the skirts of the wide plain near the extremity of the Bay. Leaving Engenho Velho 1 followed the road toward the Tijuca Falls, which runs at first through the valley lying between the Corcovado and the Tijuca: but hardly had I proceeded for ten minutes, when the oppressive heat obliged me to halt at one of the numerous ventas on the road, the owner of which at once made himself known as a Spaniard. While my horse was baited, I refreshed myself with oranges, bread, and bananas,— amusing my host with accounts of Granada, Cadiz, and Seville, which seemed to awaken many pleasant recollec- tions in his mind. I showed him the cane I had brought WATERFALLS OF THE TIJUCA. 91 from Seville: he took it in his hand, and with visible emotion carried it into the next room to show to his wife. I now proceeded up the valley, and, shortly before reaching the saddle which connects the Tijuca with the spurs of the Corcovado range, I passed for about a hundred paces through a portion of the primeval forest, rich in vegetation, which, as I looked back, formed a magnificent frame to the small but charming picture of Rio de Janeiro that was now disclosed to view. On the summit of the pass 1 came to some more houses. Here is the division of the fluvial system between the Rio Maracana and another stream ; the first of these rivers forms, on the right hand of the road toward the Tijuca, the so-called Little Fall ; it is the same stream along which the road leads up from Engenho Velho. The other river flows in an opposite direction, toward an expanse of water, the Lagoa da Tijuca (Lagoa de Co- morim), connected with the sea: this stream, falling over large masses of rock, at about half way, forms the cataract known as the Great Tijuca Fall. 1 fol- lowed the latter stream in the direction of the valley, which descends between the rocky Gavia and the south- astern declivity of the Tijuca. Before us lay the Lagoa, and beyond this was seen the ocean : but although the alley was very romantic, the waterfall disappointed me. It was dark cre I again reached the Mangueira. The next day I repeated my excursion to the Tijuca, accompanied by my fellow-travellers, to whom this part of the country was new. I also visited today the Little Ba a a —— a ——— — 092 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. Fall, situated higher up the mountains, which want of time had prevented my reaching yesterday. We this time rode along the seacoast, round the Gavia, and after passing Botafogo came to the Jardim Botanico. An avenue of Casuarinas, from New Holland, leads to the garden, which is laid out with great taste, and occupies a truly charming site under the perpendicular walls of the Corcovado. Bread-fruit trees, and the trees that produce cloves, nutmegs, cinnamon, camphor and cocoa, were pomted out to us; also an extensive planta- tion of the tea-plant, cultivated here by Chinese, who have been brought over on purpose. I noticed likewise several species of palms quite new to me. On leaving the Botanic Garden we took the road to Luiz Francez, which 1 had travelled on my excursion of the tenth of September ; the country however appeared m quite another light today, for on my first visit the heavy rain-clouds had prevented my seeing the colossal walls of the Gavia, which renders this charming portion of the environs one of the most picturesque Reo Rio. We rode round the Gavia, and then diverging from the seashore, descended to the Lagoa da Tijuca, where we embarked in canoes,—the horses swimming alongside —and crossed over to the entrance of the valley in which is the Great Tijuca Fall. After dining at a venta close by, we rode on and soon gained the summit of the poss, when, turning to the left, we proceeded to the Little Fall, which is in truth higher and more pictu- resque than the Great Fall : it is situated romantically in a narrow glen, surrounded with forest. Night had set VISIT TO PIEDADE. 93 in when we entered the avenue of mangoes belonging to our pleasant chacara. Not having the time unfortunately to make an ex- cursion into the Orglos, I determined to see that re- markable mountain-chain somewhat nearer, and with this view started on the twenty-fourth of October, ac- companied by Mr. Theremin, in the little steamer to Piedade, situated at the extreme point of the Bay. To my great regret, the Orgfios were again concealed from view by heavy rain-clouds. Shut out from this pictu- resque background, the numerous isles in this part of the bay lose much of their interest: even Paqueta, a favourite place of resort to the inhabitants of Rio, at which we touched, wore a gloomy aspect. At Piedade however we enjoyed a pleasing view over the Bay, the mountains at its entrance, and the hills on the eastern shore: here I met with a kind and cordial reception from Mr. Moritzson, from Dantuzic, although he did not at first know me: he had just lost his wife, who had left behind her two handsome lads. The weather was very rainy as we returned. I took leave of the charming Botafogo on the evening of the twenty-eighth,—twenty-four hours later I was riding in the royal state-coach to a ball at S. Christoviao, which his Imperial Majesty had graciously commanded on my birthday,—a parting proof of his kindness. After the ball I took leave of the Emperor, and drove to the city for the last time. It was long past midnight when I stepped on board the « Growler.’ We were up and stirring early on the morning of the thirtieth of October. At ten minutes before six A.M. 94 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. the anchor was weighed, to the sound of a lively Scotch reel played by the piper. It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and once more I saw the Bay stretched out in all its magnificence. As the steamer stood out to seca, at six o'clock, all the batteries and men-of-y ar hoisted their flags, and saluted the Prussian ensign which waved from the main of the < Growler.’ By a strange coincidence the first ship we fell in with under sail, beyond the offing, was a Prussian bark, which had left Rio shortly before us. Santa Cruz and the Sugarloaf were soon passed, and we steamed through the passage between the charming isles of palms do Pay and do May (Father and Mother isles), and steered eastward along the coast, in spite of the contrary winds. At half- past ten A. the “ mustering by divisions” took place : then followed divine service, and, in the absence of a clergyman, Captain Buckle read a sermon. During this time I observed that the “look-out men’’ seemed restless, repeatedly seizing the telescope and directing it toward a certain point on the horizon. The service was scarcely concluded, when the joyful information passed from one to another that the English packet, which we had been expecting for some days, was in sight. A signal was run up to the mast-head,—the distant vessel answered it, and all doubt was removed, when she signalled her number in the Navy List, and reported herself as her Britannic Majesty’s brig the ° Express.” Anticipating our passing this vessel at sea, Mr. Hamilton, the British am- bassador, had most obligingly authorized me to apply for my letters and those belonging to the ¢ Growler’; enjoining only that my seal should be put upon the THE ENGLISH MAIL-PACKET. 95 mail-bags of the Packet after our letters were taken out. We steered directly for the brig, which, favoured by the trade-wind, seemed to sweep along upon its wing : we made her a signal to come to, which she immediately obeyed. The Growler’s engines were stopped, and Captain Buckle, my companions and my- self jumped into the boat, which danced on the waves under the heavy, rolling hull of the steamer, that seemed every moment ready to engulph us. We pushed off, and soon reached the brig, behind which, in the di- stance, the little church of Saquaréma was visible on the sandy beach. The commander of the brig, a true spe- cimen of a British naval lieutenant of the old school, received us with great politeness, though he seemed somewhat surprized at the unexpected signal from the “ Growler’ : his features were animated with pleasure when he recognized in Captain Buckle an old friend and messmate. The midshipmen crowded round the gang- way, full of curiosity ; the mate looked conscious of his dignity as second in command ; the boatswain was all attention, with his whistle, to obey any order; and the fine, manly crew stood ready at the braces. The pas- sengers, ladies and gentlemen, alone appeared chagrined at our visit, and stood like victims, with down-cast looks and long faces; in vain had they been indulging the hope of reaching the longed-for end of their voyage before night,—we had come to stay the progress of the weary pilgrims from the Old World,—nay, even within sight of the haven of their hopes! Touched by this truly heart-rending sight, I begged the Lieutenant in 96 AN EXCURSION TO THE PARAHYBA. by magic, all was life and movement on board the ‘ Ex- i hi > 2 Hi press’; the pipe sounded, and a hearty pull brought the sails to the wind,—a sight which at once restored the spirits of the passengers, who now became as lo- quacious as they had before been taciturn. We anxi- ously hastened below to search the letter-bags, which \ T Wel i » . $y were soon brought out from every hole and corner and piled upon the table of the cabin: amidst joking and laughter we then set to work. All the officers of the brig were present, and the ¢ cabinet noir” was thus EH SS Pe A constituted in due form. The Growler’s letter-bag was first secured; but our despatches were not so readily | found, as always happens when one wants most to find anything ; we searched to the bottom of the very last bag before they came to light. Tt was altogether a | most amusing scene, and one might almost have fancied us a party of pirates ransacking a ship. When all the I letter-bags had been sealed again, in the most careful b and conscientious manner, we took leave of the officers If and crew of the Packet, and rowed off to the ¢ Growler,” which had meanwhile accompanied the brig, and thus i! retrograded some miles in her course. Our return on ( board the steamer, laden with a rich freight of letters { bi and newspapers, spread general joy and animation. After dinner we observed Cabo Frio lamentably noted in the annals of the British fleet by the wreck of the ee ————— — ——— £78 frigate Thetis, on December 5th, 1830 : the Cape was _— only dimly visible, though the view of the coast had ih been perfectly clear the whole day. command to continue his course. In an instant, as if THE RIVERS AMAZON AND XINGU. AAA IPAS Tae first glance at a map of America shows us two large continents, united by a narrow isthmus. Abounding in grand volcanoes and snow-clad giant mountains, one while stretching in a single chain, at another in several ranges connected by mighty knots, the rocky wall of the Andes extends over a space of 2100 German miles,” from Cape Horn at Tierra del Fuego to where the Mac- kenzie river empties into the northern Arctic Ocean,—an extent which may be compared to the distance between Cape Finisterre in Galicia and the East Cape of Asia. The chain of the Andes runs parallel to the Pacific,— at first nearer, but afterwards, under the name of the Oregon or Rocky Mountains, at a greater distance from the ocean, and may be said to form the great backbone which gives support to the New World, and is at the [* Or 8400 English geographical miles. The miles, where not otherwise designated, are German miles, fifteen of which make a degree. The foot is uniformly the Parisian one, which is one-fifteenth more than the English foot. | VOI. 11. H vm gp— — mm 98 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. same time a bridge connecting its two halves. Although the highest summits of this great mountain-chain—the longest in the world—reach an elevation of 20,000 feet in the republic of Ecuador, of 22,000 in Chili, and of even 24,000 in Bolivia, it 1s continued, after a short interruption, in a low, disconnected range of granitic hills, not quite 500 feet in height, across the Isthmus of Panama, bidding defiance in its lowest part to the combined waters of the Atlantic mm the Gulf-stream, which for thousands of years have vainly attempted to force a passage through this barrier at its weakest point, where it is only six and a quarter (twenty-six Engl.) miles in width. But the Cordilleras stand im- moveable. Not in vain therefore, it seems, did this mountain-wall break through the crust of the earth, to an extent of from 55° south latitude to 68° north, thus comprising more than a third of the circumference of the globe; for up to this very day these mountains serve their great purpose, of being as it were a support or backbone to one whole quarter of the globe. The small barrier which separates the two oceans does in fact appear in some places almost broken through, and it is not improbable that human skill may succeed in forming a canal through the Isthmus of Panama, which in this age of the employment of steam-power may prove of the greatest importance to navigation and commerce, and may possibly even become a source of contention among civilized nations : nevertheless so small a breach through the chain of the Andes could never have any undermining effect upon that mighty ocean barrier. CONTINENT OF SOUTH AMERICA. 99 If we look more closely at the outline of the continent of South America, it appears—apart from the isthmus which unites it with North America—Tlike a Trinacria on a grand scale; for, with the exception of some in- considerable indentations, it nearly forms a right-angled triangle, of which Cabo de S. Roque, Cape Forward, and Punta de Gallinas are the extreme points. We find the right angle near the first of these promontories, where the eastern coast advances in the form of a wedge into the oceanic currents, which in an uninterrupted line wash the continent; and its convex configuration cor- responds so closely to the indentation in the opposite coast of Africa, that it seems as if the two continents must originally have formed one. The west coast, stretching from south to north, is the hypothenuse of this right-angled triangle, lying at the foot of the Andes, and forming a seam about 1000 (4000 Engl.) miles in length, and from 5 to 15 (20 to 60 Engl.) in breadth ; although mostly barren, it is irri- gated by the cold waters of the Peruvian stream. In Bolivia this flat coast passes on to the desert of Atacama, where rain never falls ; and on the north of the Gulf of Choco, on the contrary, it changes to a plain containing gold and platina. To a similar extent as Punta Parifa south of Guayaquil advances into the Pacific, the ocean near Arica encroaches upon the land, forming a consider- able indentation ; so that Punta de Gallinas and Point Forward in the Straits of Magalhiies (the actual south- ernmost point of the continent) lie nearly in the same meridian. On the other hand, the extreme western and H 2 I CE 100 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. eastern points of the continent,—namely Punta Pariiia and Cabo de S. Roque, the distance between which in a straight line is only about two-thirds of that be- tween the points before mentioned,—are in nearly the same latitude. The two catheti of the triangle are of unequal length,—the southern one, between Point For- ward and Cabo de S. Roque, extending 850 (34.00 Engl.) miles, while the northern side is only 600 (24.00 Engl.) miles in length. A comparison will show these figures more clearly. The superficies of South America, which comprises, as is well known, about double that of Europe, may be expressed by a triangle, the points of which would touch Cape St. Vincent in Portugal, the North Cape of Europe, and the city of Bombay. In this triangle, the extent of the west coast of South America represents the distance from Cape St. Vincent to Bombay ; the northern side, that from Cape St. Vin- cent to the North Cape; and the southern side, that from the North Cape to Bombay. From about the middle of each cathetus of this triangle, flows one of the two great rivers, through a wide embouchure into the ocean: on the one side the Rio das Amazonas, from the west, after pursuing a course of 770 (3080 Engl.) miles,*—a river twice the length of the Danube, * According to the fluvial system of the Marafion, as delineated by Professor Berghaus in his Physical Atlas (Section II., No. 8), this river is about 770 (3080 Engl.) miles in length, or fifty (two hun- dred Engl.) miles longer than the Yang-tse-Kiang, the largest river of the Old World. The Maranon, which does not wind so much in its course, is shorter than the Mississippi, taking the Missouri as the head-stream. Nevertheless the great number of its tributaries, and their depth of water, render the Amazon the first river in the world. RIVERS OF SOUTH AMERICA. 101 and five times that of the Rhine ; while if the Ucayale be taken as its head, its course is 850 (3400 Engl.) miles in length,—equal to the distance in a straight line be- tween Cape St. Vincent and Orenburg on the Ural. The second of these two great rivers is the fio de la Plata, which flows from north to south 480 (1920 Engl.) miles, taking the Paranda as its source, exceeding In length the Danube and the Niemen together. Bach of these gigantic rivers has its own basin. The Andes extend from the sources of the Rio Magdalena to the mountain knot of Cuzco in the shape of a curve, the chord of which 1s nearly 300 (1200 Engl.) miles long, and forms the base of the basin of the Rio das Amazonas *, which toward its mouth narrows gra- dually to a breadth of only about 30 (120 Engl.) miles. In its south-western part this basin is connected by the small strip of the Pampas of Moxos and Chiquitos in astern Bolivia, running south-cast, with the oblong basin of the Rio de la Plata, which commences near the morasses of Xarayes in Upper Paraguay. The castern limit of this latter basin follows, at a short distance, the left bank of this river; while on the right bank of the Paraguay and the Plata immense prairies covered with mumerable herds of cattle extend to the foot of the Cordilleras. Between the Sierra de Cordova, which has its roots in the Andes, and the mountains of Entre- Rios on the lower Plata, these mighty plains are nar- rowed for a short distance to a width of only forty- ¥ The inhabitants of the banks of the Rio das Amazonas generally call it for shortness “0 Amazonas.” yA - Tg — 2 ——— _— iE i | ie i EE — Nee - 102 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. five (180 Engl.) miles, but they widen again in the Pampas of Buenos Ayres, and extend in the form of a sharp-pointed triangle along the cast coast of Patagonia to the Straits of Magalhes. Following now the course of the Amazon, we arc struck by its remarkable connexion, by means of the Rio Negro and the Cassiquiare, with the third chief river of America, the Orinoco, which 1s 340 (1360 Engl.) miles in length, and, although not quite so long as the Da- nube, has a much larger quantity of water than that river. Like the rivers, the plains also on the west and north of this natural system of canals—the Llanos of the Orinoco—are connected with the north-western part of the basin of the Amazon, which they continue up to the north-cast in the form of a swan’s neck to the delta of the Orinoco. The centre of the whole continent of South America consists therefore of a conti- nuous chain of plains, extending from the mouth of the Orinoco to the Rio de la Plata,—indeed as far as the and from the foot of the Cor- Straits of Magalhdes, dilleras in Peru to the mouth of the Amazon, forming as it were a single gigantic basin, which stretches out its three mighty arms toward the ocean, while the above- named rivers traverse their entire length like so many huge arteries. But how different in character are these three great basins! The central basin of South Ame- rica, covered almost in every part, from one end to the other, with gigantic primeval forest, reminds us of the strength and vigour of manhood. Boundless woods, of a grandeur and luxuriance such as are alone found near THE LLANOS OF SOUTH AMERICA. 103 the equator, arise here, on the most fertile soil of the globe, and watered by the equatorial rains. An extent of forest covering a surface of 70,000 square miles * (1,120,000 Engl.),—more than six times the size of Ger- many,—stretches between 2° north and 12° south lati- tude, a distance of 420 (1680 Engl.) miles from the Cor- dilleras to the ocean along the banks of the Amazon ; and this sea of foliage, out of which rise here and there the light airy crowns of the slender palm-trees, extends like a forest-ocean into the grassy steppes of the Orinoco and the Plata. How striking is the contrast between the verdure of these immense plains, especially those of the Orinoco, and the luxuriant vegetation of the forests! The former present a picture of life, one while 1m its spring, at another in its autumn,—the verdure with which they are covered during the rainy season remind- ing us of the first down on the cheeks of youth, and, when the summer drought parches all vegetable life, of the last days of expiring old-age. The Llanos, or the most northern plains of South America, lie in the torrid zone,” says Alexander von [Humboldt, “like the desert of Sahara; and yet cach season in succession displays them in a new aspect,—one while barren as the Libyan desert, at another a beautiful expanse of verdure like the high Steppes of central Asia.” The superficial are of these llanos may be computed at 8500 (140,800 English) square miles,—nearly equal to that of Spain. * Mr. Mahlmann has had the kindness to compute the above able given in page 119, exhibiting a state- < calculation, as well as the t ment of the entire surface of South America. MOUNTAIN OF SANTA MARTA. 105 104 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. at its highest point, the Silla de Caraccas, to an eleva- This celebrated traveller however assigns to the plains 8 of o 1 ¢ J]. : VE i Patagonia and the Plata,—of such amazing extent tion of 8100 feet. The table-land of Barquisimeto next 3! 1 1a ¢ he a i a : . | at “they are bordered on the north by palms, and forms a connecting link in the chain ; this, which is of slight elevation at first, ascends up to the glaciers of the eastern Cordillera of New Granada, the most eastern of those three mighty rays which commencing in the Paramo de las Papas—the great buttress of the lofty wall of the on their southern limit are almost constantly covered oe * 2) wr » : C 2 with ice,” —a surface of 76,000 (1,216,000 Engl.) square miles, nearly seven times the entire size of Germany, { and covered for more than half this extent with grass. 4% f r f I'hese savannas of the south form an immense flat, im- Andes—traverse the state of New Granada and are sepa- | pregnated with salt and mitre, and in many places rated by the valleys of the Rio Magdalena and the Cauca. covered with drift-sand or morasses, in which various In the same manner as the western of these three chains, | rivers for want of sufficient fall lose themselves. The which wonderful to say appears to be completely sepa- trav > AY ro vt « : Ch . : ” : . . aveller finds no vegetation on these immense Pampas rated from the low ridge of the Isthmus of Panama, so { but S 3 . Pr 5 fr fo 3 ali 3 3 : . . vii. » i my stunted shrubs or groups of salme plants ; whilst the central Cordillera loses itself mn the llanos of the ae 'X Se 1 ) “fr CQ Sp v x 3 . . . . e is exposed to violent storms, especially the dreaded lower Magdalena: from this last chain rises the most northern of the volcanoes of South Amer ica, the great Tolima, to a height of 17,200 feet. From these llanos the gigantic mountain of Santa Marta rises, isolated, like an outpost of the host of | lofty snow summits of the South American Cordilleras cc ), 1 fv 22 Nr ? J Pampeiro™ near the meuth of the Plata. Nevertheless these otherwise sterile regions give pasture to innume- able herds of cattle and horses. On the opposite side RTT — Shim » Pe "w « » » \/ 1 J 1 1 of the Paraguay the country is covered with thick forests, stretching over the hilly region of the Parand to the hi fl i - wis " st i a ). : | mountains in the province of 8. Paulo. | against the Andes of the north, keeping watch and Having thus taken a survey of the principal plains of | guard as it were in the darkness of night among the | fiery chimneys of the southern and northern halves of — South America, the entire extent of which amounts to Hi ii 154,800 square miles (2,476,800 Engl.),—an area al- i the New World, and serving by day as a watch-tower | I most equal to that of the continent of Hurope,—we about 18,000 feet in height. Irom this mountain | | Il shall now attempt to present a general view of their l may be descried, across the blue expanse of ocean and FOE configuration. Commencing with the two eastern points the isthmus, the smoking peaks of the range of Guati- | mala,—those thirty -cight volcanoes which rise from a { ¢ | » . te » TTL » . WE of the island of Trinidad, the two parallel chains of the : » \T . ast-1" ’g » Mr | ¢ COTY TE x ‘ x ro coast-region of Venezuela separate the plains of South transverse cleft in the Andes, and stretch across the iis g ee 9 - 'é n, P, » | | America from the Caribbean Sea: the northern one of ‘«thmus from one ocean to the other. | We now return to the mountain-knot of the Paramo de these chains, a part of which is buried in the ocean, rises 106 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. las Papas, the source of the tripartition to which we have before alluded; and continuing from hence southward along the range of the Cordilleras, we follow the western limits of the immeasurable plains of South America. The great western curve extends from the Gulf of Gua- yaquil, north of Point Parifia, to its southern extremity near the deep mmdentation of Arica; it everywhere pre- sents the peculiar, articulated aspect of this gigantic system of mountains, which extends over a tenth part of South America, and which our illustrious fellow-coun- tryman Alexander von Humboldt was the first to deli- neate. Within the compass of this range one great basin or longitudinal valley joins another, encompassed by chains of mountains and closed at their extremities by mighty knots and transverse ranges, following the di- rection of the longitudinal axis of the mountain-chain. Starting from the two most northern of these basins, which are in parts very elevated, we observe, between the knot of the Paramo de las Papas and that of Porco and Potosi, to the east of the harbour of Arica, six such points of junction, and consequently seven chief links in the chain. Between the mountain-knot of Papas and that of Loxa, to the east of Point Paria, succeed four smaller basins enclosed by two mountain-ranges, com- prising among others the celebrated basin of Quito, nine thousand feet in height, and crossed by the equator. In this region we find—sometimes in the eastern, some- times in the western chain, or entirely separated from the Cordillera—those seventeen volcanoes of the Quito range, the most northern of the three series which Senn VOLCANOES OF THE QUITO RANGE. [07 occur at considerable intervals in the Andes of South America. A distance of five degrees of latitude inter- venes between the most southern volcano of Guatimala and the Tolima, which mountain re-commences the vol- .anic series in the fourth degree of north latitude, and is only surpassed in height by two volcanic peaks in the Quito chain (those of Antisana and Cotopaxi) extend- ing to the second degree of south latitude. But neither of these mountains equals in height Chimborazo, which is not a volcano, and forms the keystone of this lofty range of the Cordilleras, reaching to an clevation of 20,100 feet above the level of the Pacific, and long re- garded as the highest mountain in the known world. Between the neighbouring mountain-knot of Loxa, in 4° south latitude, and the larger one of Huanuco and Pasco,—which contains, in 11° south latitude, the Lake of Lauricocha, the source of the Amazon river,—the Andes are separated, a second and last time, into three chains. Two parallel longitudinal valleys are thus formed, through the western one of which flows the Tunguragua, or Upper Marafion—the Amazon river ; while through the eastern valley flows the Huallaga, the first important tributary which the former river receives on its right bank. After changing its course from N.N.W. to N.N.E. the Hual- laga crosses the eastern Cordillera and joins the Amazon in the low plain called the Pampas del Sacramento. At about the same height as this break in the eastern Cordillera, the neighbouring central chain forms a bifur- ation, and one of the branches turns westward toward the Loxa knot ; through this branch the Maraiion forces 108 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. a passage for itself near Jaén de Bracamoros, after which the range again joins the coast chain. The right branch, turning in a N.N.E. direction, unites with the eastern Cordillera, and approaches the Marafion north- east of Jaén, where, as we shall hereafter see, the northern spurs of this range cause the defile of Pongo de Manse- riche,—the last break which this river Tos through the mountains. It is worthy of remark, that for a i tance of about 100 miles (400 Engl.), namely from Chim- borazo to the Nevado de Huaylillas, which rises in the coast chain on the heights of Truxillo, not a single peak reaches the limits of perpetual snow,—about 15.000 feet, and that this depression of the wlan coincides with an entire absence of volcanic phenomena although it extends for more than twice the distance the south. From the Huanuco and Pasco knot springs again a double chain, which running east of Lima joins the largest of all the mountain-knots of the Andes, namely the table-land of Cuzco, which is nearly three times as large as Switzerland. Receding from west to cast or ward the interior of the continent, this high-land makes a sharp bend, and we find a corresponding indentation in the coast near Arica. Cuzco, the ancient seat of the empire, 1s situated near the eastern extremity of this knot, which is connected with the plateau of the Laguna de Titicaca, one of the largest as well as highest basins of the Andes, extending 100 (400 Engl.) miles in length, and 20 (80 Engl.) miles in breadth: the latter fs a table-land, at a height of 12,000 feet above the sea, TABLE-LAND OF CUZCO. 109 as large as the kingdoms of Bavaria and Bohemia taken together. It comprises a lake, with an extent of surface nearly as large as the Grand-duchy of Hesse. Another remarkable circumstance is, that while this lake has an outlet into a much smaller one, the latter has no visible efflux : so that this American Thibet has the appearance of a high table-land, from which the waters have no escape *,—a phenomenon, as Baron Humboldt remarks, similar to the circular basins surrounded by mountains which we observe in the moon. Here, as is well known, was in ancient times the seat of civilization in South America: the tide of culture seems to have followed the direction of the cooler mountain regions,—a fact which is also attested by the remains of a later date found on the table-land of Quito. Here too, in the eastern chain of the two Cordilleras, which run perfectly parallel and skirt this large salt-water lake, have recently been discovered the loftiest peaks of the New World,—the Nevado de Sorata, 23,690 feet 1m height, and the Mlimani, 22,700 feet; the first being nearly 3,600 feet higher than Chimborazo, and within 2.650 feet of the Dhawalagiri. Here at last we find, % The Rio la Paz, or Choqueapo, and the Mapiri, two branches of the Beni, are an exception to the above remark ; according to the latest information, they are said to arise in the western declivity of the Sorata, and therefore within the circuit of the table-land, but after a short course they break through the eastern barriers of the plateau. [+ The heights of the Sorata and Illimani given in the text are those stated by Arago upon the authority of Mr. Pentland in the « Annuaire du Bureau des Longitudes pour I’An 1830, p. 231 seq.’ But in a chart of the Laguna de Titicaca,” by Mr. Pentland, just published by the Admiralty, these heights are stated so considerably lower than they were before given upon the authority of that gentle- I —————————— 110 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. after a break of 220 miles, the second range of volcanic mountams on the southern half of this continent,—the eight volcanoes of Bolivia and Upper Peru, among which 1s the Gualatieri and the Nevado de Chuquibamba, 20,600 feet above the sea: these two mountains rise in the western Cordillera, and encompass the Gulf of Arica in a wide curve, between 16° and 21° south latitude. The large Porco and Potosi knot, famed for its gold- mines, closes the chain of the northern half of the South American Andes, and here commences its longer and little-known southern half, where, according to the latest measurements, by Captain Fitzroy, R.N., the giant mountain of Aconcagua rises, eastward of Valparaiso, to a height of 22,000 feet, and forms the third highest peak of the New World. Until within a few years, it was held to be less probable that the crest of this chain reached the limit of perpetual snow, than that in pro- ceeding southward this limit became lower and de- scended to the ridge of the Cordilleras. Recent disco- veries have proved the existence of eleven undoubted volcanoes between the latitude (33° south) of the har- bour of Valparaiso, and the island of Chiloé, at a distance of 180 (720 Engl.) miles from the volcanic mountains of Bolivia; whereas, if we were to reckon all the mountains which successive travellers have regarded as volcanic, we might enumerate more than man, that geographers are naturally anxious to know the reasons which have induced Mr. Pentland to correct his statement so ma- terially. In the above-named chart Mr. Pentland makes the highest peak near Sorata merely 21,286 English feet, and the southern peak of the Illimani 21,149 English feet.—R H.S.] TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 111 double that number in this third range of the South American volcanoes. An equal discrepancy of state- ments exists with regard to the ramification of the mountain-range that stretches (according to Péppig im a double, but according to previous accounts only in a single, chain of snow-topped mountains) along the west- ern coast of Chili and Patagonia, and crossing Tierra del Fuego extends to the cliffs of Diego Ramirez. The very name of Tierra del Fuego leads us to expect the existence of volcanic mountains, but this supposition 1s not yet sufficiently confirmed. Captain P. Parker King, R.N., is the first who has recently and accurately de- scribed the situation and height of the « Volcan Nevado,” which rises on the south side of the island to an eleva- tion of 6378 feet: this mountain was however known to Sarmiento, one of the first explorers of the Straits of Magalhies, after whom it is frequently called *. The chain of the Andes thus presents ninety-one elevations whose volcanic character is well ascertained : of this number, forty-four belong to North America and the Isthmus of Panama, ten to the Antilles, and thirty-seven to South America. We observe the chain * Captain King seems to doubt whether this mountain is volcanic : he says: “The peculiar shape of its summit, as seen from the north, would suggest the probability of its being a volcano, but we never observed any indication of its activity. Its volcanic form is perhaps accidental, for, seen from the westward, its summit no longer resem- bles a crater. From the geological character of the surrounding rocks its formation would seem to be of slate. It is in a range of mountains rising generally two or three thousand feet above the sea; but at the N.E. end of the range are some at least four thousand feet high. The height of the “Snowy Volcano,” or as we have A 5 WI — I EE— —- sr — a a 1 ian cn A —————— — m— ———— OR ETSY ee ———— ES AA 2 na an “— A 112 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. ~~ of these volcanoes frequently interrupted by long mter- vening breaks; nevertheless we can trace a connecting link, formed by the last representative of the giant-race of American Nevados, the mountain of St. Elias, (which, in the latitude of St. Petersburg, rises 16,760 feet above the flakes of ice in the Arctic Ocean,) and by the fiery craters of the icy Alaschka up to the smoking range of the Aleutian isles: these mountains form the bridge by which the volcanic action is carried over from those of Kamschatka and the numerous groups of islands on the western coast of the Pacific to the New World. The volcanoes in this chain which surrounds the Pacific Ocean may be compared to a girdle studded with spark- ling precious stones, now set singly now in rows, and terminating with the Sarmiento, against the foot of which the billows of the Antarctic Ocean break, whilst around its summit icy storms from the west almost perpetually rage, whirling the icebergs to and fro in all directions, to the terror of the navigators of these inhospitable seas. Returning now to the region where the cold waters of the Pacific, in the latitude of Arica (18° 30" south), have encroached on the coast, and where the rocky walls of the Cordilleras receding eastward form a great inflexion called it, Mount Sarmiento, was found by trigonometrical measure- ment to be six thousand eight hundred feet above the level of the sea. It is the highest land that I have seen in Tierra dei Fuego ; and to us indeed it was an object of considerable interest, because its appearance and disappearance were seldom failing weather-guides.” See ¢ Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of is Majesty’s ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836 under the command of Captains P. Parker King and Robert Fitzroy, R.N.’ London, 1839, vol. 1, p. 27. THE ANDES. 113 with the group of Cuzco and the adjoining plateau of Titicaca, we observe, between this point and the parallel of Valparaiso on the cast slope of the Andes, mighty terraces projecting far into the plains, which appear to stand as props to the Andes, their usual breadth of 14 to 16 (56 to 64 Engl.) miles extending in some parts to 75 and even 90 (300 to 360 Engl.) miles. Baron Humboldt describes three of these “props or contre- py i we : Sorts,” under which name he indicates them very di- stinctly, as follows: commencing from the north, we have first the contrefort of the Sierra Nevada de Cocha- bamba, reaching a height of 16,000 feet, and descend- ing to the plains of the Chiquitos; its ridge however does not diverge from the foot, but the back, of the Cor- dillera, which forms the eastern edge of the basm of Titicaca ; secondly, the Sierra de Salta; and lastly, the contrefort of the Sierra de Cordova, which, as we have already observed, advances into the Pampas of Buenos Ayres in the direction of the Paraguay. Having now described the limits of the immense basins of South America, from the west and north as far as they are bounded by the mountainous belt of the Venezuelan coast and the Andes, which continues al- most uninterruptedly from the island of Trinidad to the Straits of Magalhiies, we return to the mouth of the Orinoco, at which point we started. Between the plains of this river and the Amazon, or between 3° and S° north latitude, and 60° and 67° west longitude, rises the high-land of Guiana, closely encircled on its north-western part by the Orinoco, and separating VO1,. 11. I 114 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. the great system of plains in the north-east from the At- lantic. This mountain-system comprises several princi- pal groups, namely the Parime mountains in the west, the Pacaraima chain in the middle, and the Acarai moun- tains in the cast, and covers an extent equal to eighteen times the whole of Switzerland, the highest summit being the Duida®, which according to Baron Hum- boldt’s measurement is 7770 feet in height. The chief groups are divided into eight chains, separated by valleys and savannas ; and, like the line of coast between which and the mountains only a small plain intervenes, they fol- low the general direction of N. 85° W. These mountain- chains are continued by contreforts in the south-cast as far as Cabo do Norte, and within fifteen (sixty Engl.) miles of the left bank of the Amazon, where we observe the commencement of this system still further south, and opposite the mouth of the Xing is the Serra de Almeirim or de Pari. The mighty central basin of South America is bounded on the south-east by the extensive table-land of Brazil, which rises between the plains of the Amazon and the Plata. From the mouth of the latter river, the plains of Patagonia stretch, unbounded by mountains, toward the South Atlantic Ocean. The configuration of the high table-land of Brazil re- sembles an irregular triangle, the obtuse or lower point of which rises near the upper Madeira and the banks of [* The mountain of Maravaca, situated about thirty-five English miles to the north-west of the Duida, is considerably higher than the Jatter.—R. H. S.] TABLE-LAND OF BRAZIL. 115 the Guaporé, and is merely separated from the Cordil- leras of Bolivia by a small strip of the grassy plains of Moxos and Chiquitos. From hence it stretches in an immense expanse toward the ocean, the coast of which from the mouth of the Parahyba do Norte, on the east- ern limit of the province of Maranhdo, as far as Monte Video, forms its base. The superficial area of this tri- angle is said to comprise 93,000 (1,488,000 Engl.) square miles, and is nearly as large as European Russia; its mean height above the level of the sea is only from one to two thousand feet. From the plateau of Brazil rise the higher mountain- ranges, the general direction of which, as well as of ther stratification, runs from north to south. At the eastern limit of this high table-land rises at a variable distance from the coast the Serra do Mar, which stretches from the point where the Jacuy flows into the Lagoa dos Patos (29° 30’ south latitude), nearly to the Bahia de Todos os Santos (13° south latitude), and in the opinion of Von Eschwege is even continued by a low ridge as far as Cabo de S. Roque; though the latter, when seen from the sea, has the appearance of a flat country. This mountain-range, in which we must include the whole elevated district of the province of Rio de Janeiro, be- tween the coast and the Parahyba, attains its greatest height — from three to four thousand fect—in the Serra dos Orgdos, with which the reader is already ac- quainted from our description of the country around the metropolis. Nearly parallel with this chain on the coast-region, i 2 ow 116 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. and distant about forty to fifty German miles from it in its northern part, extends a second range, which traverses the entire length of the province of Minas Geraes from north to south. This is the loftiest chain in Brazil, and comprises the Ttambé, 5590 feet high, m the neighbourhood of the famous diamond district of Tejuco, and the Tthcolumi, 5400 feet in height, mn the region of Villa Rica so rich in gold: in its southern portion it attains an elevation of 7000 feet™. The chain here takes the name of the Serra da Mantiqueira, and stretches in a south-west direction as far as the province of S. Paulo, where it joins the Serra do Mar, or is at least connected with it by an clevated tract of country. The name of Serra da Mantiqueira 1s by some given to the entire chain, which seems to extend from the province of Minas northward into that of Bahia and Pernambuco, and southward as far as S. Paulo and Rio Grande. Von Eschwege calls this main ridge of the Bra- silian mountain-system much more appropriately the Serra do Espinhaco,—literally Backbone ridge. To the west of the Serra do Espinhaco, and sepa- rated from it by the Rio de S. Francisco, numerous other ranges oxtend from north to south, which partly unite by ramifications running cast and west, and partly at such angles that a general connection exists In this chaos of mountain-ranges, and we can distinguish one common ridge between the sixteenth and twenty- first degrees. This ridge, traversing the provinces of * Compare Von Roon, Grundzige der Erd-, Volker- und Staaten- € ¢ orn 9 Kunde :> Part 2. page 145. MOUNTAINS OF BRAZIL. 117 Minas, Goyaz, and Mato Grosso from cast to west in enormous bends, divides the basins of the two chief fluvial systems ; and terminating with the broad, sandy, hilly country of Campos de Parecis, loses itself near the Pampas de Chiquitos, opposite those mighty contreforts of the Andes, the Sierra de Cochabamba. Von Eschwege comprises all these chains under the general name of Serra dos Vertentes, (the mountains which separate the rivers), while each group, as may be supposed, has its own distinctive name. Among the chains stretching from north to south we notice particularly, opposite Mount Itambé, the Serra da Canastra, 4500 feet m height,—the greatest clevation of this mountain-system ; next the neighbouring Serra da Marcella, and the Serras de Tabatinga and Ibiapaba, which separate the Rio S. Francisco from the Tocantins and the Parahyba ; likewise the mountain-ridge known by the high-sound- ing name of the Cordillera Grande, situated between the two head-rivers of the Tocantins ; and between the Paraguay and the Parana, the Serra de Maracay(, from two to three thousand feet high. Among those chains which run from east to west, we will only mention the Pyrencos and the Serra de Santa Marta. Thus it will be seen that all the mountains of Brazil are connected, and that this general connexion extends from the Serra do Mar by means of the Serra da Manti- queira to the Serra do Espinhaco ; while the Serra dos Vertentes extends from the latter to the Campos de Parecis, whence this great mountain-range may be traced from between 14° and 20° south latitude across the a... tc — — en ESS . 118 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Pampas up to the foot of the Andes, forming a line of demarcation between two slightly elevated plains, SINE lar to the scarcely perceptible line of partition which, as Baron Humboldt has shown, intersects in the northern hemisphere the South American continent, between the second and fourth degrees, and is only crossed by the Cassiquiare. Having thus briefly sketched the general outlines of the plains and basins of this continent, and the moun- tains and plateaus which hound them, we shall now give a summary of the superficies in round numbers, to ren- der what we have said more intelligible. PLAINS. Sq. Miles. Sq. Miles. 8,800 70,000 Llanos of the Orinoco Plains of the Amazon.......ocoveveeeenenss Pampas of Rio de la Plata and Patagonia 76,000 154,800 Plains of the Magdalena 6,300 Joast-region of Guiana .... 2,100 Coast-region west of the Andes... cous 11,300 20,200 Total 175,000 v - This extent surpasses, by the whole area of Europe, including its islands. [* We give this table in its original form. the miles are German geographical miles, of which there to a degree ; hence, one German geograp English geographic multiplied by the square numbe miles.—R. H. S.] RA seven thousand square miles, As already mentioned, are fifteen hical mile is equal to four al miles, and the above numerical base must be r to convert them into English square THE RIVERS OF BRAZIL. 119 MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS. Sq. Miles, Sq. Miles. Cordilleras de 10s Andes........cvvverenee. 33,000 Chain of the Venezuela coast............... 1,100 Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta ............ 100 High table-land of Guiana.................. 15,000 High table-land of Brazil .................. 93,000 Total 142,200 ————————————-—— [{ence the comparative proportions of the continent of South America consist of five-ninths of plains, and four- ninths of mountainous land. It would exceed our limits to enumerate here the thousands of rivers, large and small, which have their sources in the high table-land of Brazil ; we shall mention only the three head-branches of the Plata,—the Paraguay, the Parana, and the Uru- guay ; and among the rivers of the coast-region, the Parahyba do Sul*, the Rio Doce, the Rio Grande de Belmonte, the great Rio de S. Francisco, 350 (1400 English) miles long, the Parahyba do Norte, and the Meary. To the east of the Madeira rise likewise in the mountains of Brazil all the southern tributaries of the Amazon,—the Tapajos, the Xingu, the Uanap, and the Tocantins. Most of these rivers form numerous rapids and cataracts before they enter the immense basin of the king of rivers. The Amazon however, as already observed, has its origin in the Andes. Its head-rivers —the upper Maraiion, the Huallaga, the Ucayale, and * This river is about 120 miles (480 Engl.) in length. IMA rE —-— 120 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. perhaps the Madeira in a wide sense—present a grand fluvial system, the sources of which extend from the Sierra Nevada de Cochabamba, to the mountain-knot of Pasco, its general direction being from south to north ; while the main stream, which rises from the confluence of all these rivers, makes a great bend and flows toward the ocean from west to cast. From this system of rivers geographers have selected the most western branch—the Tunguaragua—flowing from the mountain-lake of Lauricocha, twenty-five Ger- man miles north-east of Lima, as the source of the Amazon, and given it the name of Marafion, by which the Spaniards designate the main stream. The reader will likewise recollect that the upper Marafion flows through the western of the two longitudinal valleys which run parallel between the mountain-knots of Pasco and Loxa, for a distance of ninety (360 Engl.) miles in a north-north-western direction, as far as the town of Jaén de Bracamoros : here, after having made its way through the western branch of the central Cor- dillera, it takes a north-castern direction and becomes navigable, though at first only for small vessels drawing five or six feet of water. After pursuing a further course of sixty (240 Engl.) miles, including its windings, it turns due east, near the confluence of the 8. Jago, forcing a passage through high rocks in the Pongo de Manseriché, formed by ramifications of the mnorth-cast branch of the central Cordillera. The rapid stream carries a vessel in less than an hour through this strait, “bout a mile and half (six English miles) m length COURSE OF THE AMAZON. 121 its bed, which higher up is 360 paces® in width, and from twelve to twenty fathoms deep, is here narrowed to sixty paces. The stream issues from the strait just above the small town of Borja, in 4° 28' south latitude, and 76° 27" west longitude, at a height of 1164 fect above the sea. This is at the same time the point where the Marafion, on entering the plains, leaves the Andes altogether, flowing on in an even course, without either falls or rapids, but forming numerous larger or smaller islands. At the Pongo commences the main direction of the Amazon, from west to east, which 1t pursues for 420 (1680 Engl) miles in a straight line to the Atlan- tic, flowing into the occan between 48° and 50° west longitude. We have already seen that the Huallaga, the first important tributary, flows into the Amazon soon after it has forced its way through the eastern Cordillera: the breadth of this river near its mouth is 2500 paces. A little further below, the great Ucayale joins the main stream, a river which in its lower course is from 1250 to 3750 paces wide, and is eighty (320 Engl.) miles longer than the Marafion. It rises in the mountains of Cuzco, and flows for a considerable distance along the castern slopes of the Andes, bending afterwards, though only for a short distance, sharply to the north-north-east. It ulti- mately falls into the Amazon, after pursuing a course of 320 (1280 Engl.) miles,—equal in length to that of the Vistula, Oder, and Weser together. The junction takes * A pace is equal to two feet and two-fifths. 1323 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. place nearly opposite the small town of Nauta, and a little above S. Juan d’Omaguas, where the Amazon 1s half as wide again as the Ucayale, or 1875 paces. The average width of the Marafion, from the confluence of the IHuallaga to this spot, is from 625 to 1875 paces, and at one point as much as a mile and half, or six English miles. Licutenant Lister Maw found its depth to be from eight to twelve fathoms, and near the con- fluence of the Ucayale more than thirty-five fathoms. After the Ucayale follows the Napo flowing from the north, which we should have passed unnoticed like other insignificant streams from the left, but for its historical interest. The Javary, which next joins the Amazon from the south, though an unimportant river deserves mention as forming the limits between Brazil and the republics of Ecuador and North Peru. Opposite its mouth rises on a hill the small frontier town of S. Francisco Xavier de Tabatinga, in 4° 33! south latitude, and 70° 10/ longitude west of Greenwich. When Von Spix visited this place it was defended by a weak, wooden fortification, mounted with a few sixty-pounders. From the Brazilian boundary, where the Amazon 18 630 feet above the level of the sea, to the confluence of the Rio Negro, the Marafion bears the name of Rio dos Soli- modes. At the mouth of the Javary commences the great northern curve, which characterizes the middle course of the Amazon, nearly within two degrees of the equator at Fonteboa, and terminating near the junction of the Coary 14° 9" south latitude and 637 3" west longitude, after heing joined on the left bank by the I¢a or Eca (the Putu- THE RIO NEGRO. 123 mayo of the Spaniards), which is still unexplored, and the many-branched Yupura, which at times inundates the left bank of the main stream for an extent of eighty (320 Engl.) miles. Von Martius explored this latter stream, in the course of his remarkable travels, two hundred and eighty years after another German, Philip von Hutten, had roamed thus far in quest of treasure. From the right bank flows the Jutay, Jurua, and near Ega (Teffe) the dark-brown Teffe,—all considerable streams, bring- ing their tribute to the king of rivers: their banks however are almost wholly unknown to us. Below the junction of the Coary, M. de la Condamine estimated the width of the Solimdes at more than a French league ; and Von Martius reckons the width of the Puras, the next considerable tributary on the right hand, at 1250 paces, observing that it would take two months to reach oven its cataracts. After the confluence of the colourless waters of this river, follows on the opposite bank the smooth, dark-brown or nearly black waters of the mighty Rio Negro. This is the most important of all the rivers that flow from the north, and its course is 360 (1440 Engl.) miles long, nearly equal to that of the Danube. [ts sources do not lie in the Cordillera, like those of the Napo, the I¢a and the others flowing from the north, but in the Sierra Tunuhy, an insulated group of low elevation in the llanos. Like the former its direction 1s south-cast, or rather cast-south-ecast, and in its course through the plains it not only receives accessions of water from lakes fifty to sixty feet in depth, but also by means of the remarkable natural system of canals a portion of 124 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. the waters of the Orinoco, and falls ultimately into the main stream near the Fortaleza da Barra do Rio Negro, in 3° south latitude. Its width here amounts, even where the river is the narrowest, to 3600 paces, with a depth of from eighteen to nineteen fathoms. The width of the Solimdes varies frequently between the Brazilian frontier and this point, but it may be stated generally at a quarter of a mile (one English mile) to a mile and an cighth (four and a half English miles), whilst the average depth below Omaguas sees to vary from fourteen to — sixteen fathoms. From the point where the Rio Negro joins the Amazon —_ which has been reached by schooners and brigs of war®, and up to which, as Lister Maw asserts, even frigates might sail—the river bears the name of “ Rio das Amazonas.” This lower third equals the Rhine mn length, and receives on its right bank the oigantic tri- butaries which, with the exception of the first and most important, have all their origin in the mountainous re- gions of Brazil. The mighty Rio da Madeira (Wood-river), so called from the large quantities of drift-wood on its stream, 1s covered with islands, and its length is about five hun- dred (two thousand Engl.) miles,—nearly equal to that of the Wolga. The aborigines call this river Cayary or the White Stream; according to the latest accounts it 18 The whole breadth of the Para between the island of Marajé and the city amounts to four miles and three- quarters (nineteen English miles); but a number of wooded islands, the largest of which is the Ilha das Oncas, extend from the double mouth of the Rio Moja and the Guam to the Bahia de San Antonio, situated below Belém, and prevent Marajé and the chief arm of the stream from being visible to the inhabitants of Para. * The articles of export are as follows :—sugar, brandy made of sugar, molasses, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, cotton, balsam of copaiva, tow, pitch, copal, fustic (Guriuba), ornamental wood for cabinet-makers (as Moira-pinima, Jacarand4, Pio violete or de Rainha, Pio setim), timber, tobacco, cordage made of the fibre of palm-trees (Piagaba), sarsaparilla, rice, grained mandioca-flour (tapioca), fine starch-flour (goma) prepared from the roots of the mandioca or from other tubers, Indian-rubber (here called seringa), Pichurim beans (Favas de Pucheris, Pechurim), Tonka beans, preserved tamarinds, clove- cassia (Cassia caryophyllata) called here Cravo do Maranhio, indigo, rocou, Brazil nuts (castanhas do Maranhio), and small quantities of cinnamon, cloves, nutmegs, guarand, chica and amber: further- more the produce from cattle, namely raw and dressed hides, horns and horn-tips, and horses. See Spix and Martius’ Travels, vol. 3. p- 911. The exports of the province amounted in the year 1836 to 821,622 millereis, and rose in 1839 to 1,236,857 millereis, showing however a difference of 322,000 millereis less than the im- ports. See ¢ Diccionario Geographico,’ vol. ii. page 210. 158 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Hence arises the short arm of the river, extending from south to north and two nautical miles broad, named Bahia de Goajard, a designation which is sometimes given also to the mouth of the Guamd. The main channel on the other side of these islands forms an ex- panse of two miles and a half (ten English miles). On the north-east side of a point which projects below the mouth of the Guamé, from the wooded main-land into the river Par, is situated the city of Nossa Senhora de Belém, the population of which, in consequence of the frequent rebellions, has decreased since 1819 from 94,500 to 10,000 persons. Casting a glance from the roadstead toward the Guamé, a hill is seen to rise pre- cipitously from the river, crowned with a group of high buildings surmounted by the cathedral with its two towers. From hence the town extends for nearly a quarter of a mile (one English mile), down the flat banks of the stream, until it is again bounded by the forests which stretch from south to north. At a short distance above the town lies the arsenal of the 1m- perial navy, where we saw a frigate which had been seventeen years on the stocks. It is to be regretted that this establishment,—one better adapted perhaps for a dockyard than any other spot in the world,—is not of greater importance ; there would be no want of timber here for the next thousand years. A magnificent avenue of mango-trees leads from hence between two canals through fields at the back of the city; these are crossed by numerous trenches, which are filled when the flood- tide sets in. At the opposite end of this avenue is an CITY AND RIVER OF PARA. 159 open space, with a church, close to which I saw the first fan-palms (Miriti, Mauritia flexuosa), and at a short di- stance commences the primaval forest. The town itself is not well kept up ; most of the houses are of good stone masonry, and the palace of the President—the same which Pombal intended as the residence of a Portuguese prince—is the chief building ; but the grass growing in the streets detracts from the appearance of a great and thriving city. We now turn to the river, the dark yellow, almost red, colour of which resembles that of the Maine : its tide, one while forced back by the ocean, and at another urged onward by the united waters of the Amazon and Tocantins, the Mojii and the Guamd, flows along, five thousand paces in width, between the wooded Ilha das Oncas and the boundless forests of the main-land. Water and forest extend as far as the eye can reach; even the small islands scattered across the river in the direction of the ocean are covered with wood, only admitting here and there an open view of the horizon. It seems as if a small space had been with difficulty reclaimed from the surrounding vegetation between the viver and forest, on which is wedged in the capital of an immense province. To a traveller coming from Rio, this flat country must have a monotonous air, nor would the city of Pari probably produce any great impression ; although seen from the river, with the magnificent forest in the background, it has a stately appearance. The numerous boats lying along the banks of the river, filled with half-naked Indians, present a curious picture, mi NE 160 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. especially to a spectator acquainted with the south of Brazil; on entering the city he will observe an almost entire absence of negroes and mulattoes, but instead, a brown native population, with numerous mixed races, among whom the Indian type is predominant. This observation occurred to me even when looking at the troops, who on the day when 1 returned the President’s visit, formed in line from the bank of the river to the palace. This race, which has an admixture of Indian blood, is generally speaking well-formed, and 1 noticed particularly some handsome women among them. During our stay at Para there were few merchantmen lying in the harbour ; but, beside the « Growler,’ several men-of-war were anchored in the roadstead, and among others the Brazilian brig ¢ Brasileiro,” and the French corvette < La Bergtre,” Captain Blane, with the gun-brig ¢ La Boulonnaise,” commanded by Lieutenant (now Cap- tain) Tardy de Montravel. The latter officer afterwards presented to me his beautiful chart of the Amazon, which he executed during a sojourn of three years on that river, navigating with his brig as high up as the bar of the Rio Negro. This survey has formed the basis of the accompanying map of the Pard and its ramifications with the Amazon. We now made our preparations for a voyage vp the river, which was to occupy a month or at most SIX weeks, and I purposed to extend it to the Xing. I had fixed this limit for the excursion, wishing to reach Bahia at the same time as the ¢ San Michele’ on her return from the Plata, as that ship was to convey us back to 161 ike this 1se this yutaries ‘hat we 3, —the at our e main d such as the e to time mn up e was ce of were rities 3 let- here d us o de man our de- ny his 7G UY IN Nr SLi Laer Siforn Maturs) Za - red OC 3) da € gg 10 portug. Legos. Melgacod orm Arucara) Bh = ~ 51 —— ————— — os =" 2 = a hs | Bd» 5 y ™ & e —r = | “z, 1 dosRemedrar® a : a 2 Ne, 2 of - “ . 1844. . ra MACAPA rm uruparts 3 FF a A. = oP : { Ze. ft Corby Jurupary ¢ Po rg L- x Equator 2 dose =, J La v uJ reso aS RS ali / wi 2 KS oz Ff. / FE, neapeecrs, wr A s : i ES " \ Low lagnalese® «3 =A ~~ IL MEZXIANA Lo - 6 BT ; ° n | re, rn tebe ~ Miwuel or ev 2.8 i ! : _ i a 2 »-Jizare A duane 1 do Gamal v4 5 ! LdasPacas ido Equa Tr 5 0 “& 2. -~ & a0 7 - i : oq f ri Femi] doc loacdo of 2 ° 4, Chaves) (, —L yetivg ; [oom = = Sd : 3 °, S 5 RT i Bric & re hi } of (a=) fe be nz / er 0) 1 7 \ S&F 7 2 Morin » oe sted / gin Fi 8 Bed) ; 7 # ; 2 "4 ” ? , Minden», Ce * W po’ ” i { I (7 Bo doc SL rd 2 2 5 > : arose A 3 |, Ee Zag Pl § it ale af 5 et OR 2, $ RL treat hare 7e Vigia eo Lg 3 HL . = Say a 1 Yo; Wb wlacrarery CY ry Caren" “Freg.do R. scmarECTy ts Fregueziadirichy Spars 2 t0- Santo ae ? 2 o VillaTown) © Aldea Village) \ L 2 24 2 ye . mariRio I, a gabig : > ‘ £ ; fe _nger Tnere TRTlay. Be Rr - ? x 3 | INDIA. vnoted, Fag te. ley EP, ” “dri PZ A bud wy ue % borres. w neactearl - # Lrg. > Tran dl 2S nh B\ The Zl _- V-Ziior de . w ths Hp nan yore Lo = 54" Long: + w. Pans. 8 — 53 un = EMablmonn Geo lith. EXCURSION UP THE XINGU. 161 Europe. I was strongly advised in Pard to make this excursion to the Xingd, in the first place because this river was one of the least known of the great tributaries of the Amazon, and secondly as it was probable that we should meet on its banks tribes of wild Indians,—the Jurtmas and Taconhapéz; whereas, in the time at our disposal, we could at the utmost only navigate the mam river to Santarem at the mouth of the Tapajds, and such an encounter seemed unlikely on that stream, as the natives have withdrawn to a considerable distance nto the interior. The fevers which prevailed at this time on the banks of the Tocantins made an excursion up that river out of the question, though the distance was much less. Under the active and judicious superintendence of Count Oriolla, the preparations for our voyage were made in the short space of eight days. The authorities obligingly rendered us every assistance, and gave us let- ters to the official persons in the various places where we intended to halt; they particularly recommended us to visit the priest at Souzel, Padre Torquato Antonio de Souza, to whom they gave us an introduction, as a man who would be of the greatest assistance to us in our visits to the savages. Noveuser 22nd.—The evening appointed for our de- oO parture arrived. We now invite the Reader to accompany us on board the Growler,” if indeed he has made up his VOL II. M 162 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. mind to join our little expedition, or to prosecute our narrative, tedious as it may be, still further. At all events we trust he will excuse the digression we have made, in the hope that he might be interested in having presented to him, before entering this king of rivers, a brief sketch of its course, its immense plains, and the mountains in which it has its sources; this made it necessary to review the great features of the continent traversed by the Marafion nearly throughout its entire breadth. We have concluded our sketch with a short glance at the history of these regions, partly to excite the interest of others in the country, and partly to supply the place of scientific information, in the journal of a voyage undertaken from motives of recrea- tion. We hope that this geographico-historical sketch, with all its imperfections, may not have fatigued the reader so much as to deter him from proceeding with us on our voyage. Courteous Reader, will you accom- pany us >—remember only that a weary waste of water and forest are before us—you know what to expect— you do not hesitate P—be it so then. The ¢ Growler’ is anchored at a distance from all the other ships, in the middle of the orange-coloured stream, and beside her lies the open boat, roofed-in only at the stern with palm-leaves, which is to convey us up the river. The imperial Naval Arsenal had placed this large boat at our disposal : it is called an “ Igarité*,”"—a vessel peculiar to these rivers, and specially constructed for the # A word probably formed of ygira, a canoe, and eté, true, great. THE 1GARITE. 163 navigation of the Amazon. The large, heavy hull of the ‘ Growler’ lies motionless upon the water, while the mast of the Igarité swings incessantly to and fro like an mverted pendulum. The “red-coat” meanwhile paces the deck of the steamer, shouldering his musket, and from time to time stepping to the gangway from curiosity, where some people are busily running up and down the steps, conveying our scanty baggage by a smaller boat on board our river craft. The work is at length finished, and Dr. Lippold’s heavy boxes are safely deposited; they occupy, it is true, a large share of the room in our little bark, but at the same time this gives an honourable proof of the space we concede to science in our expe- dition. The glowing sun now sank behind stream and forest, and the blue ensign was lowered on the flagstaff of the British cruizer. Our crew, consisting of eight sailors from the © Brasileiro,” came on board the ¢ Growler,” and ranged themselves with their bags along the quarter- deck. The Igarité was now brought to the steps of the steamer. At the stern of this ark, which was to be our floating habitation, rocking to and fro on the brown waves of the Para, stood, rudder in hand, our pilot, Jozé Coelho de Albuquerque, a Portuguese, with a brown complexion, who resided on the banks of the Xing: by his side was an Indian from that river, whom he had brought to assist him. Captain Buckle accompanied us to the boat, to see that we were comfortably settled, and then bidding us a cordial farewell returned to the steamer. We pushed off,—the ¢ Growler’ quickly manned M2 164 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. her waists, and gave us three hearty cheers, which we as heartily returned. A moment after we were enve- loped in darkness. We now attempted to round the north point of the Ilha das Oncas, which lies opposite to Para. At first the ebb-tide carried us down the stream, and the sea- breeze being contrary, the waves ran high: owing like- wise to bad stowage, the boat had a lift forward, and the rudder would hardly act. For a long time the lights in Paria appeared to swim on the surface of the stream astern, until the tide bore us toward the island, and under the shades of the dark forest. Our men toiled on with their short Indian paddles for several hours, when at length we saw a light a-head, and the Furo (channel) da Ilha das Oncas on the north point of the island came in sight: the light, we were told, proceeded from a fazenda upon the island of Arapiranga—Uarapiranga, Guarapiranga®. We steered in this direction, leaving on our larboard side the Ilha das Oncas, from which a bank extends into the channel, and having the little island of “do Fortim” on our starboard. The short passage was quickly made, and we then turned to the south-west into the long channel between the Ilha das Oncas and Arapiranga, which is about three thousand paces broad +. The sea-breeze was now in our favour, and we set the lug-sail. The moon rose above the woods of the Ilha * This name is probably derived from the red (piranga) Ibis (Guara). + According to Montravel’s chart its breadth is 3500 paces. THE AROIZAL RIVER. 165 das Oncas, and being in still water we began to make ourselves comfortable and enter into conversation. The pilot took his part, and related to us tales of the fo- rest and of jaguars, which raised our curiosity to the utmost. We soon afterwards observed on our right the entrance to the channel of Barquaréna, between Arapi- ranga and the large island of Moja; the width of this channel I estimated at from four to six hundred paces. We entered it, and the stream soon after seemed to form a bifurcation ; but on reaching a point where it turns sharply to the right and takes the name of Aroizal, we found that what appeared to be a second branch of the fork was a bay stretching far inland. I had unconsciously fallen asleep, but awakened sud- denly, just as the men were rowing with all their might : the moon shone brightly, and I saw that they were pull- ing straight across the channel. What 1s the matter?” I enquired, and was answered with a laconic “ Hum bixo !’—this, which I did not understand, signifies “a worm,” ’—an expression applied by the common people to any kind of animal. I repeated my question, and the pilot told me that a jaguar had just crossed the river, and reached the bank only a short distance a-head of us. We were all instantly on the look-out, but it was too late, and we consoled ourselves with the idea that the supposed wild-beast might after all have existed only mn the imagination of the men. The Aroizal is from two to three hundred paces broad, but it must be recollected that this estimate was made by moonlight. Here and there among the trees on the L166 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. banks we discerned the dark figures of palms. At two o'clock a.m. the Igarité was fastened up to a tree on the wooded bank of the river. November 23rd —At daybreak this morning we found ourselves near the point where the Aroizal flows into the Para. The banks of the channel struck us particularly, from their peculiar and novel aspect. A thick and almost impenetrable forest of fan-palms, skirted by a broad mar- gin of the large-leaved, tree-like Caladium arborescens, extended along the shores, and was reflected in the smooth, still waters of the river: but at spots where this belt of Caladiums was interrupted, we observed a tan- gled mass of colossal roots, undermined by the water. At six o'clock a.m. we again hoisted sail, and soon after issued from the broad mouth of the channel into the gigantic Pard, which we traversed in a W.S.W. direction. On the north-east we observed the long, straight line of the sea-horizon ; to our left stretched the seemingly boundless, greyish-blue forest of the large island of Moja (Carnapijo), while the flat coast of Ma- raj6 on our right gradually assumed a livelier green, as we approached its wooded banks. Before us, on our larboard, lay the low island of Abait¢*, in the middle of the brown-coloured stream, which also seemed to open in this direction toward an ocean. 'I'wo small schooners and a canoe alone enlivened the view over this great * Probably the same island which is named by M. de Montravel, and likewise in several charts, < Capim,” lying opposite the flourish- ing village of Abaité, on the coast between the Tocantins, Mojd, and Iguard. See © Diccionario Geographico,” Tomo i. page 1. BEARINGS OF THE RIVER. 167 expanse of waters,—here about two (eight Engl.) miles in breadth. Near the mouth of the Aroizal black rocks rose distinctly above the surface of the river, and it ap- peared to us as if similar ledges stretched almost across the whole width of the Pari above the point where we entered it; this appearance, we afterwards found, was merely caused by the shadow of a dark cloud on the surface of the water. At eight o'clock a.m. a fresh sea-breeze set in, and we sailed rapidly before it. Half an hour later 1 took the following bearings : Abaité S.W., Cape Bacabal on Ma- raj6 (lying, the pilot told us, in about the same latitude as Pari) N.W., the entrance to the Aroizal E. I may here mention that most of the names which occur in this part of my Journal are derived from the accounts given by the pilot or the natives, and their accuracy therefore may perhaps be doubtful : it is the more necessary to make this remark, as I find many of these names, and even whole islands and groups of islands, omitted on the maps in my possession. I ascertained the bearings with a good English boat-compass, without making any cor- rection for the variation of the needle; this however is of little importance, as, according to Captain Montravel’s chart, it amounts to only 0° 16" 5" east at Pard ; increas- ing gradually as it advances westward, 1t may amount to 11° cast at the mouth of the Xing. I must also observe, that in the description of the channels which connect the Pard and the Amazon, I have noted their direction according to the course of our boat, and not according to that of their current. The latter prevented 168 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. the use of a log, so that in laying down our courses in the accompanying maps, when it proved impossible to obtain correct information from Montravel’s survey, we could merely estimate the length of each course by the time it had taken to accomplish it. Ilence the uncer- tainty of my statements is obvious, especially as they could not be checked by astronomical observations, my chronometer and sextant having been left on board the “San Michele” and the ¢ Growler,” in order not to expose these instruments to the casualities of such a voyage. Our course, which was directed W.S.W., brought us gradually so close to Marajé that we could clearly dis- tinguish the beautiful primeval woods, with their fan- palms and alternating sand and black rocks along the shore. At eleven o'clock A.M. we passed a point at a distance of about five hundred paces, which Albuquerque named Malatta, and the following bearings will give our position at noon: West point of Abaité S.S.W., east point of that island E.S.E., Cape Mandii on Marajé W.SW, We now came to an interesting part of our first day’s voyage—the dinner—for which a good appetite had long prepared us. The two servants had been left behind at Pari, and not wishing to disturb the sailors at their work or meals, our little party were left to cook for them- selves. Ome of my companions had the kindness to relieve me of this task, when it came to my turn, and thus afford me time to sketch during the halt we made at these important epochs. The Igarité however con- tinned under sail all this day. Count Oriolla, who had DINNER ON BOARD. 169 already given us a high opinion of his culinary skill m the preparation of some excellent coffee, now seized the ladle, after all the preparations had been made in spite of the rocking of the boat, and placed or rather balanced himself against a barrel filled with sand that served as our hearth : upon this barrel stood a little tripod, sup- porting a saucepan full of rice which was steaming over the blazing fire. Our patience was at length on the point of being rewarded,—the saucepan was taken from the fire,—we stood devouring with our eyes its savoury contents—we tasted the rice—it was as salt as brine, and moreover burnt! There was an end to all our mirth—we stood sad and silent, until our preceptor in the culinary art, Dr. Lippold, happily relieved us from this cruel embarrassment, and, with a skill which he had acquired in the domestic circles of the Botocudo -annibals*, served up a second edition with the most admirable success. C'est le premier pas qui coiite,—who would have thought, after this decided failure, that Count Oriolla would one day display such prowess in this noble art on the Himalaya mountains, when three years later he ac- companied my brother on his travels! Count Bismark too, favoured by great natural talents, acquired a masterly skill in cooking ; while Mr. Theremin, although strong in theory and deep critical judgement, was less happy in * Dr. Lippold embarked in the first steamer of the Rio Doce Company, which was wrecked in that river: he reached the Boto- cudos in the neighbourhood of Linhares, with whom he staid six months, before he could return to Rio de Janeiro. 170 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. his practical application of this knowledge, being some- times perfectly successful and at others quite the re- verse, although in all minor details his manipulation always bespoke the reflecting artist. Art is a wide theme,—my culinary skill may be summed up in a word : Lippold’s genius conceived the combinations and determined the proportions of the ingredients—I— stirred the ladle. Having thus spoken in detail of the chemical prepara- tion of our raw materials, the reader may wish to know of what these consisted, stowed in the bottom of the boat in casks or tin canisters,—in a word the stores of the Igarité. We had provisions for a voyage of four weeks, consisting of rice, feijoes (black beans), sugar, cho- colate, coffee, tea, biscuits, salt, hams, Dutch cheese, but- ter, vinegar, oil and wine. There were also, for the men, farinha, pirarucu (dried fish, which in the province of Pard supplies the place of the carne seca or dried meat), honey, melago and caxaca. We had plenty of fuel, wood and coals, with all the requisite kitchen utensils ; and, to be prepared in case of need, there was a tin canister full of medicines. For our accommodation the Igarit¢ had been pro- vided with a roof of palm-leaves, about four feet and a half liigh, covering the aft part of the boat, and a smaller one forward, under which the crew could keep their things dry, and the grapnel and cable were stowed. The roof aft did not extend over the stern, so that the pilot and his assistant could look over it when standing at the helm. Under the roof were placed benches in a square, THE TGARITE. 171 as in a man-of-war’s boats; and these were so broad that we could comfortably sleep upon them. Three of us were generally stretched on these seats during the night, while the two others lay on the esteiras, or straw mats, at the bottom of the boat : the fourth cross-bench served also as a dinner-table. Our own baggage, arms, and redes, or net-like hammocks, for sleeping in the forests, took little space,—in fact, there was little to spare for them, as our boat could hardly accommodate the fifteen per- sons on board of her. The stores above enumerated were stowed upon and under the benches; the guns were fixed beneath the roof ; while our ammunition, carefully protected, together with the plates, cups and saucers, knives and forks, and some bottles of Seltzer-water (a present from Captain Buckle), were put under the floor. The space between the palm-roofs, fore and aft, was oc- cupied by four benches for rowers, two sitting on each bench, and facing the bow of the boat, as instead of oars they used pagaies, or paddles, in the Indian fashion. The Igarité had also a short mast, fixed into the fore- most bench and rigged with a lug-sail : it had no keel, and the bow and stern were flat. I now return to the account of our voyage, starting from the moment when dinner was ended, and everything cleared, cleaned, and stowed away with the most scrupulous order. An idea may be formed of the thinness of the popu- lation along the banks of this river, from the fact that, during our voyage all this morning until noon, we saw only two dwellings upon Marajo ; although some smoke rising occasionally from the forest on each bank of the 172 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Paré led us to infer the neighbourhood of man. The second of these huts stood near a creek, before the mouth of which were two small, green islands, pictu- resquely covered with palms. We soon afterwards ob- served on our larboard the mouth of the Tocantins, to all appearance a boundless expanse of water. I now found the bearings of the middle of the mouth of the Tocantins to be S. and its eastern bank S.S.E. At three p.m. we crossed the short channel between Marajo and the island of Goyabal, and in an hour’s time were close to the shore of Marajé (Ilha de Joannes), in the midst of a group of little palm-islands, which, though not marked on my maps, are already in part laid down in the new survey by M. de Montravel*. They are situated in a bay of the last-named island, which lies N.W. of the mouth of the Tocantins : the bay, according to our pilot, is called Bahia do Marajot. It was a glorious evening as we steered between these islands, on one of which we observed, in passing, a remarkable picture. A tall old Indian, with long white hair, was standing naked in front of his hut, which was scarcely distinguishable in the thicket of fan-palms. At his feet, in a small bay margined by Caladiums, lay a canoe, which a boy, also naked, was apparently making ready for him. Perfect solitude and silence reigned around. * 1 took the following bearings, though not with great accuracy. The eastern point of the Tocantins S.E., the island of Coneeiciio S. ; the group of small islands, No. 1. S.S.E. (one German mile from Goyabal), No. 2. S.8.W., No. 3. S.W., and No. 4. W. by 8. + See Spix and Martius’ Travels, part iii., page 987. ISLAND OF TUCUPI. 173 An instant more, and the picture disappeared behind a group of palms. We now shaped our course toward the middle of the Pard, and sailed during the rest of the evening along an island on our starboard, named Tucupi, the other isles of this lovely archipelago lying on our left. Mag- nificent palm-trees, charming little bays, a miserable- looking house, an Indian hut, a few dark-coloured men, a canoe with some naked Indians, flocks of parrots flying high in the air, their screaming noise mingled with the howling of the Guaribas (howling monkeys), and occasionally Botos (porpoises), rolling over and over in the muddy water,—such were the various objects which caught our attention this evening. The charm of the scenes through which we passed was consider- ably enhanced, when the moon rose, and shed her silvery light over the tropical landscape. Our German songs resounded far and wide over the waters of the Par, until late into the night : at length my companions, yielding to the influence of Morpheus, stretched them- selves on their hard couches, whilst our crew continued to paddle us swiftly along, conversing in a loud tone of jaguars and jacarés (alligators). It was between ten and eleven o'clock when we fastened the boat up to the bushes on the bank, to await the flood-tide *. * The following were our meteorogical observations in the course of the day :—At nine o’clock A.M. : air 22°,3 R. (82°,2 F.), the water in the river 23° R. (83°,7 F.) At noon: air 23°,4 R. (84°%6 F.), water 23,2 R. (84°,2 I.) : at 61 p.M. air 2325 R. (84°,9 F.), water 230.5 R. (84°,9 F) 174 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. November 24th.—At four o’clock a.m. we set sail, and soon after doubled the south point of Tucupi. We thus found ourselves for a short time on the main stream of the Para, but only for a short time; before us lay the small Ilha Paqueta, which we soon passed. The islands were today more numerous: since yesterday afternoon we had entered the labyrinth of them, large and small, which the stream of the Pard seems to have detached from the flat, marshy shore of Maraj6 : at certain periods some are entirely inundated, others partially. They con- tinually impeded the view not a little, often altogether concealing the broad river, and seldom allowing an open inland view of Marajé. The glorious moonlight night was gradually succeeded by the early dawn, when at six o’clock we found that the west point of the Ilha da Concei¢ilo bore S. by E., the west point of an island behind it S. by W., and a small island in the middle of the Para SW. by S. T must observe that the pilot gave at first the name of Ilha da Conceicaio to the two islands in the first line on the west side of the principal mouth of the Tocantins, which seen at a distance appear to form one island. We discovered the mistake on our return voyage, and learned that the western of these two islands alone bears that name ; the other, situated between it and the Tocantins 1s called Tucumaiduba. We soon afterwards reached Assuranda, a small fa- zenda in Maraj6. Four houses, shaded by cocoa-nut palms lie on the flat bank of the river; in the back- ground is a magnificent virgin forest, consisting chiefly ISLAND OF MARAJO. 175 of gigantic trees, whose tall trunks and diversified tops, rising one above another, formed a great contrast to the forests of low fan-palms we had seen yesterday. The rounded crowns of the Miriti (fan-palms) generally stand so close together that the outline of the tops of such a forest forms nearly a straight line. Most of the other trees are easily distinguishable at night, but the bushy fan-palm has the appearance of a leafy tree. Beside Assuranda, we saw a second establishment on Marajo, the fazenda of an Englishman, which I think the pilot called Maruari. In front of this was anchored a large schooner, with a full cargo of cattle. These vessels are occasionally met with on the Amazon, and are called “ Gabarra” or “ Batelio de Gado.” They mostly get their cargoes at Marajé, which is rich in herds, and transport them to the “Cidade,” where the cattle are generally landed in the most miserable plight, as I no- ticed in my first walk through that city. According to the latest accounts Marajé possesses about twenty thousand head of cattle : these, together with the rice that is cultivated on the nearly flat and marshy land, form the chief articles of export. The soil of this large island, which is most conveniently situated for commerce, is adapted for the cultivation of any tropical produce. If Marajé had a larger popula- tion and the culture were improved, it might become of the greatest importance to the empire, and form the chief mart of the interior, with which it is directly connected by that noble high-road of commerce the Amazon river. 176 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. When Antonio de Souza Macedo, Baron de Joannes, was invested with Maraj6, (which was formerly called after him Ilha de Joannes), he found it inhabited by the Tupinambas, an Indian tribe famed as excellent boat- men, who were subsequently converted by the Jesuits. After the expulsion of the Dutch the island reverted to the crown. During the revolution in 1835, it was plun- dered by the insurgents under Vinagre, and afterwards by the troops of the Government. Marajo is said to possess all the various kinds of ani- mals found in the province of Para: we were especially interested by hearing that the numerous herds of cattle on the Campos in its northern part, attract more jaguars than are found in the country round about, and that the lagoons in the centre of the island are said to abound in alligators. Unfortunately we had not time to make a stay here of a week or fortnight, which would have been required for any successful hunting-excursion. These reports of the existence of such numbers of wild-beasts may or may not be true, but I will only observe that, neither in our voyage up the stream, nor on our return, did we see a single alligator in these waters, nor any trace of jaguars on the shores of the large island along which we sailed for several days as far as the northern main branch of the Amazon. Let us now return to the Igarité. About noon we were again in the open stream, and, passing the meri- dian of the small town of Oeiras, were nearly opposite the mouth of the Jacundaz, one of the tributaries of the Para which joins that river on the right bank, and ac- ILHA DE SANTA ISABEL. 177 cording to the pilot, lies SSW. by S. We had hitherto seen nothing but islands on the right bank of the river; but now for the first time we descried the main-land, in the direction of the mouth of the Jacundaz. At two o'clock ».y. we passed the embouchure of the Periha, a small stream in Marajo, and the somewhat broader Furo Santa Isabel, which here flow together into the Pari. The Ilha de Santa Isabel, lying before this double em- bouchure, may, with respect to the gradations of vegeta- tion, be taken as the type of all the islands that have been separated from the main-land on the south coast of Marajo, many of which we saw in our voyage today. The island 1s bordered by Caladiums, which, spring- ing from the water, rise with a gentle arch up to the middle of the palms, that form the second range, and partially cover their white stems. This large terrace consists of closely compacted fan-palms, whose crowns likewise form a kind of undulating roof, rising toward the land ; the small stems of the Corypha winbraculifera (Linn.) standing in the foreground, overtopped by the taller Corypha elata (Roxb.). Among both species is seen the graceful Assai-palm (Luterpe oleracea)* waving to and fro its airy crown of finely pinnated fronds, supported on a slender bamboo-like stem. In a third line, rises majestically the summits of the lofty forest-trees, crowning the whole with their true Brazilian roofs of rich foliage or vaulted tops,—red creepers, of a magnificent colour * According to the drawing by Spix: see his ‘ Atlas zur Reise in Brasilien :> Tab. I. ¢ Pflanzenformen des Tropischen Amerika,’ No. IIL VOL. 11. 8 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. that we had not before scen, here and there climbing up their huge trunks. Occasionally too the rounded top of a gigantic fan-palm appears above the other trees, formed of hundreds of green fans, all springing from a central point and radiating upwards, overshading the immense red-brown bunch of fruit, which depends from the Vi- gorous but slender stem, intermingled with a few yellow, withered fans. In some islands, where the soil is per- haps not sufficiently elevated above the water, there 1s an entire absence of the higher line of forest-trees ; and as the vegetation consists only of a grove of palms, bor- dered by Caladiums, these islands have frequently been called the Palm-islands. The nature and fertility of the soil are in general readily indicated in these regions of the delta of the Amazon by the plants on the banks and islands, which likewise show whether or no the country is exposed to inundations. Tall forest-trees bespeak a firm soil : thickets of palms and the Caladium mdicate flat, marshy land subject to frequent floods. This was to me a memorable day,—1 made my first essay at washing my own lien; and being obliged to perform this operation outside the palm-roof, I received a coup de soleil both upon my arms and back. Toward evening we observed the trunks of two gi- gantic trees in the middle of the river, stretching their withered branches high into the air : they appeared to have stuck on a sand-bank in their course down the stream, and formed quite as dangerous an obstruction to navigation as the wrecks of the Turco-Egyptian fleet at the extremity of the bay of Navarino, or the frag- THE RIO DAS BOCAS. 179 ments of the < Hellas’ which was blown up in the har- hour of Poros. Another large trunk, floating down the river, was covered with birds, sitting upon it in a long row,—a sight which instantly roused our sporting pro- pensities, and allured us out of our course, but we vainly endeavoured to approach them. What would we have given to have been so fortunate as the two celebrated Bavarian travellers®, who met with a jaguar and an alli- gator upon a similar floating tree ! If not gratified by the marvellous, our attention was caught by objects which raised our curiosity. From the centre of a fan-palm we saw what appeared to be smoke rising: after observing it attentively through the telescope, we at length discovered that the appearance arose from a swarm of gyrating insects,—a phenomenon which might be witnessed without crossing the equator or navigating the Amazon! Flocks of parrots were flying from one island to another, and large quantities of an aquatic plant, which Dr. Lippold called Pontederia, floated past us on the muddy stream. The sun was now sinking in the ocean-like Rio das Bocas, as the Pari is called at its junction with the Uanapii, Pacajaz, and Jacundazt. Three channels lay before us, all of which, according to our pilot, led to Melgaco, which he asserted, in contradiction to my charts, lay on the main-land. 1 vainly tried to reconcile these conflicting authorities. It was a bright starlight night, as we entered the most northern of these three * See Spix and Martius” Travels, vol. 3, page 1012. + See above, page 131. N 2 180 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. passages, the Rio dos Breves: it disembogues at the north-west corner of the great basin called the Bahia de Tapard, into which the Anapa flows near its south- west corner. We continued our course through this channel W. by N. until about one o’clock a.m., when the setting-in of the ebb-tide obliged us to fasten our boat to a large tree (a Bombax, I think) on the left bank *. November 25th.—We quitted our boat early this morn- ing, to ramble through the adjacent forest, and shot two black- and yellow-feathered Japis,” which we took with us on board, to be cooked for dinner. We then continued our ascent for a short distance to Breves, situated on a projection upon the muddy, clay bank of Marajo, from six to ten feet above the river. A few banana-trees are interspersed with the two short rows of houses which form this little place, and the primeval forest rises behind it. The houses in this street near the river-side stand partly on piles, rising at low-water from three to five feet above the ground: their walls are constructed either of the split trunks of palm-trees, or of a kind of frame, consisting of poles interlaced with the petioles of palms, the leaves of which form the roof. In the openings that serve as windows are fixed trellis-like, reed mats, instead of glass, which reminded me of the lattice-windows of an Eastern harem. In- side these huts—for the term /owse might convey a false notion of such lowly dwellings—is generally seen a large table, made of reeds, and occupying nearly the whole Jo * Temperature : at eight o'clock A.M, air 22°,1 (8197 F.), water 230.5 (84°,9 F) : at noon, air 24°,5 (87°,1 F.), water 23°,8 (85°,5 F.). TOWN OF BREVES. 181 of the apartment; but during an inundation this forms a kind of second floor, standing above the reach of the rising water. Nevertheless the situation of Breves is healthy, and its inhabitants, who are mostly of In- dian descent, often attain an advanced age. This place forms the central point for the commerce of Para with Portel, Melgaco, and the main stream. The good people here seem to pass an easy life, as we might infer from the little cultivation m the neigh- bourhood : they appear to spend most of their time in their hammocks, or redes, similar to those of the Puris. The various utensils in their dwellings have also an In- dian look. Some beautiful red macaw feathers caught my eye,—we had not seen any trace of these splendid birds since leaving the forests of Aldea da Pedra. The authorities of Breves, which contains from twenty to thirty dwellings, are the Juiz de Paz, a very friendly man who gave us a present of provisions, and a kind of Commandant: these officers, apparently the only in- habitants possessing any degree of education, remind one of the better times that Breves is said to have seen, before the last destructive revolution took place. At eight o'clock a.m. we pushed off, and continued our voyage on the Rio dos Breves north-west by north, having Marajé on our right and several islands belong- ing to the district of Melgago on our left. The forests on the banks of the channel, which is here from two to four hundred paces wide, resemble the primeval forests on the Parahyba do Sul: we were also charmed at sce- ing again the same beautiful creepers as yesterday, which, 182 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Dr. Lippeld thinks, are probably allied to the Huphorbia- cew. Here and there we noticed on the wooded banks a solitary house, nearly concealed from sight by the tall, handsome, white-flowering Caladiums. The course of the river soon after changed for a short time to N. by W. We now came to a lovely, narrow island, along which we sailed for several hours: I was tempted to name it the Assai- and Ubussi-island, from the quanti- ties of these magnificent palms growing on it, only in- terspersed with a few lofty fan-palms of different kinds : but the masses of innumerable creeping and climbing plants, which interlace the leafy tops of the forest-trees, seemed to outvie even the palms in luxuriance, and de- prive the spot of the title of a palm-island. The Ubussit (Bossi) palms were new to us: their stem, short and thick, rises only from twenty to thirty feet high; from its top expand the large stalks of the leaves in a fan-like manner, like the sepals of a lily, bearing in place of fronds large, narrow-plaited or ribbed leaves, often twenty feet In length and five in breadth. From their weight these gigantic leaves bend outward more or less from their central point, or hang down, like those of the bananas, on the scaly trunk, broken and rent by the wind. The Assai form a pleasing con- trast to the Ubussii palms: they resemble the shaft of a long lance, and bending forward from amidst the thicket are reflected in the waters of the stream, which have un- dermined the banks along the island, thus exposing the roots of the trees. Branches, and even trunks, stretch far over the river, and we observed a slender Assai-palm UBUSSU AND ASSAI PALMS. 183 actually twisted into a perfect ring. We cut down one of these palms, and, at the Doctor’s suggestion, splitting the spire into slices, we made a salad of it with oil and vinegar, which we relished greatly. A second island succeeded, and then a third, in the middle of the Rio dos Breves, causing a bifurcation of the river. The channel to the right, which we entered, lay NW. by N,, and the one to the left W. Soon after one o'clock we reached a large basin, surrounded by forest, and with a wooded island at its north end. At this point three channels, flowing from different directions, unite with the Rio dos Breves. We were here overtaken by the first real tropical shower during our river voyage, which considerably diluted Count Bismark’s rice-porridge, seasoned with the gifts of the Juiz de Paz, and enriched by a fowl which we had purchased at Breves. The strong ebb-tide obliged us to cast anchor, and T took the following bearings : the Rio dos Breves traverses the basin in its former course from S.E. to N.W. by N.: the Rio dos Macacos flows into it from N. by E.: another channel flows from E., and the last from S.S.E. After dinner we continued our voyage, and at three o'clock p.x. came to another chief division of the river, forming an oblique cross, with a channel striking off to the left toward Melgaco, while another proceeds from the right, as the following bearings will explain more clearly : Rio dos Breves N.W. by W., Furo de Melgaco S.S.W., Ygarapé (Garapé)* between the Rio dos Macacos and Pordento N. by W. * The general designation for a river or channel. 184 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. The primaeval forest stretching along each bank now be- came thicker and higher, and numerous large Botos were seen rolling about, exhibiting their flesh-coloured backs. Soon after passing the last-mentioned confluence, we fast- ened up our boat to a tree in the island do Pordento, and landed, to enjoy a ramble through the thicket, cut- ting our way with our fagdos, or large forest-knives. We remained on the island two hours, and were caught in a heavy shower of rain, from which I sought shelter under the gigantic leaves of a palm, surrounded by swarms of ants. At six o'clock we were again under weigh. The sailors pretended that they had seen mon- keys on this island ; but, notwithstanding our constant search, we had never seen one since our arrival in Brazil. At half a nautical mile from the second of these chief branches of the river, we noticed a strip of marshy soil about a foot wide, the only clear land along the wooded banks : the Fazenda do Pordento, our pilot said, was not more than two minutes” walk from this spot ; but Von Martius, in his map, places Pordento south of the Rio dos Macacos. There is a third branching off in the Rio dos Breves, at about two hours’ sail from the second ; and from this point the river takes the name of Jaburd, which it retains for a considerable distance. The Atu- riazal, a channel flowing from the west, and which 1s connected by the Tagipura with the Amazon river, here falls into the Jaburt or Rio dos Breves, which now flows in a north-west direction. In consequence of the strong contrary current, the pilot did not select this passage to the main stream. At nine o'clock we saw hefore us the ALLIGATORS. 185 confluence of the small Nambuaci, from the north-east, with the Jaburii: in the dark night it looked like one of the straight canals in Holland, from one to two hundred paces broad, the only difference being that its banks are margined with low bushes. I must here observe that, according to Albuquerque’s statement, all the land which we saw on our right was islands belonging to Marajo. The pilot called my attention to the sound made by the alligators, which resembles that of a species of toad, the Bufo calamita. Our men amused themselves by imi- tating the cry of the Jacarés, in order to attract them to the boat: the creatures however kept at a distance, and we could not catch a glimpse of them in the dark. Between one and two o'clock in the morning we reached the mouth of the TFuro das Ovelhas, which flows from N.E. by N., where the Jaburt turns sharply to the west. Here we cast anchor: up to this point the flood-tide had been in our favour, but we now took advantage of the ebb : the fact was that we had reached the line, from which on one side the ebb-tide flows in the direction of the northern chief mouth of the Amazon, and on the other toward the southern efflux *. November 26th.—At daybreak we were again under weigh. The Jaburi today formed a succession of bends like the movement of a snake. In the cowrse of our voyage until nine o’clock a.m. it received two Ygarapés on its left bank. At that hour the flood began to set in, # Temperature at noon : air, 23°.7 (85°,3 Fahr.), water 24° (86° Fahr.). 186 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. and obliged us to halt near the Ilha grande do Jaburd ; we had previously however a grand wash of our linen, which was exposed to dry on the palm-roof in a scorch- ing sun. The woods on this island are particularly rich in acrial roots, which grow frequently so high as to admit a person to walk under them easily: other roots projected from the trees in the form of triangular planks standing on their edge. The roots of a fan-palm were new to us, consisting of a bundle of numerous smooth and slender little rods, among which are often some of a bright red colour. On one of these palms 1 observed a root shoot- ing off’ from the trunk at ten feet above the ground, — a curious spectacle. But the most characteristic of these aérial roots are those of the Rhizophora,—a suf- ficient proof of the luxuriant vegetation of this marshy Delta country, surpassing all that we had yet seen in Brazil. Everything here is on a colossal scale, and the richness of vegetable life is increased by the mountain- waters of the Andes, which annually imundate and fer- tilize the low-lands, and penctrate into the depths of the forests, whence these are called the © Y gapo-forests *.” We saw, for instance, the slender Miriti, the tallest palm that is met with here, attaining a height of a hundred feet above the river; and gigantic trees, rich in foliage, with immense crowns, frequently rising a hundred and fifty feet above the moist ground, toward the lowering vain-clouds which the « vento geral ” drives almost daily over these forests. Colossal as these trees are, their roots are equally so in proportion, especially those of Ygapd signifies an inundated country. NATIVE INDIANS. 187 the Rhizophora, which project in high arches to perhaps fifty paces or more over the surface of the water, and together with the dark recesses in the river’s bank, over- shadowed with foliage, impart a pleasing variety to the silent expanse of these channels. Being compelled to wait until noon for a favourable tide, we resolved to ramble over the island, and try to shoot something for our dinner; meanwhile the crew, stripping off all their clothes except a covering round their loins, and armed with knife and stick, hunted turtles and shellfish in pools and ditches, or amused themselves with angling. Most of these men were tall, well-formed Indians, with smooth, glossy, black hair, and tecth filed to a point. Their sense of locality and sharp sight astonished us, as well as the light and elastic step with which they passed noiselessly over the leaves and branches that covered the ground to the depth of a foot, whilst our heavy step made a loud crackling noise. They seldom used their fac@ios, an instrument indispensable to us in making our way through the forest, but glided along among the lianes and bushes with incredible adroitness and agility, slipping under the tall, arched palm-leaves, that shoot like mushrooms from the ground, and which, when we touched them in passing, sent down a shower of small brown ants upon our heads and necks, that stung us in a most dis- agreeable manner. The negro and the two mulattoes vied with the Indians m agility, which is particularly serviceable in the chase, mn stealing upon the game. The negro was strong and well-built, and always in good 188 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. humour ; the mulattoes were handsomer than those in the south of Brazil, and differed from the Indians only in the darker colour of their skin and woolly hair ; they were of the same stature. These coloured inmates of our little ark, following our example, rambled through the forest, or stood busy beside the blazing fire at which the Consul was pre- paring our dinner; or they stepped lightly over the bridge formed by some Rhizophora-roots from the shore to the Igarité; for it was only by the help of such aérial roots, or the prostrate trunk of a tree, that the land could be reached from the boat, as the margin of the river for many yards in width is covered with boughs and creepers, which extend over the water, but would give way underfoot. The usual solitude of this secluded and wooded island was thus animated, and the deathlike silence broken which prevails here in the middle of the day, contrasting with the loud noise of monkeys and birds that resounds here sometimes mn the morning and always at night, or with the lugubrious, and monotonous nocturnal concert of toads, bull-frogs, and alligators. At the appointed time we all returned on board the [oarité, one after another ; Count Oriolla alone was miss- garite : ing. We shouted to him, fired our guns, despatched the men in all directions, and went ourselves in search of him. At length, toward evening, we discovered the straggler, on his way back to the Igarité. In the morn- ing, at low water, he had crossed several canals and tracts of swampy ground, by wading and climbing over ADVENTURES OF COUNT ORIOLLA. 189 the trunks and roots of prostrate trees: led on by the ex- citement of the chase, he had gone on and on, thoughtless of returning, and forgetting that the flood-tide would soon set in. When he at length bethought himself of making his way back to the boat, he found all the Ygarapés filled with water, and the natural bridges partly sub- merged and partly carried away. Being an excellent swimmer, he did not hesitate to plunge into the muddy stream, with clothes, weapons and all, and soon swam over the numerous channels which crossed his path. In this manner however the Count lost his way : he therefore resolved to remain where hie was, in order not to increase the distance from his companions, and this was doubtless the best course he could adopt under circumstances ; but undaunted by his embarrassed position, he set to work to spread his wet powder upon palm-leaves to dry, that he might let us know if possible whereabout he was by firing his fowling-piece ; or, failing in this attempt, that he might procure food and provide for self-preser- vation. The Count was thus engaged when one of our men came up with him, and the reports of our guns had meanwhile acquainted him with the proximity of his companions. But all the difficulties were not yet over- come; Count Oriolla and his guide had still to swim over several canals, ere they reached the banks of the Jabur(. It was five o'clock in the afternoon before we left the sland. The Jaburi now turned westward, and about a thou- sand paces from thence N.W., following afterwards for a similar distance a N.N.E. direction, then for five hun- 190 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. dred paces E. by N., a thousand paces N., and ulti- mately N. by E. At nine o'clock p.m. we passed an Ygarapé, which joined the Jaburt from N.E by FE, and in less than an hour a canal flowing from the same di- rection ; from hence it took a N.N.W. course. At ten o'clock p.m. we tied up the [garité to a tree, after a short day’s voyage. There was much sheet-lightning du- ring the evening. November 27th—We started again at four o’clock Am. The JaburG turned gradually W. by S., and was soon after joined by a channel from the E.N.E., and a quarter of an hour afterwards by two other Y garapés from the left bank ; from thence it flows E. by N. with a breadth of three to four hundred paces. A third Yga- rapé joined it from the east, and it then turned N.W. by W. Numbers of splendid macaws flew seream- ing overhead, at which we fired in vain. At eight o'clock a.m. we reached the important point where the Jaburii flows into the Jabixava, an arm of the Amazon more than a thousand paces wide soon after leaving the main river. The Jabixava at first takes a southern, and afterwards a south-eastern direction, forming a great expanse toward the cast: flowing thence to the junc- tion of these rivers, it tuins sharply castward, and from that part seems to be not broader than the Jaburi. On reaching this large expanse of the Jabixava the sca- breeze carried us swiftly over to the western shore. The flood-tide meanwhile sct in, and during the delay this occasioned we went on a hunting-excursion in a mag- nificent forest of giant-leaved Ubussii palms, which grew HUNTING-EXCURSION IN THE FORESTS. 191 luxuriantly on the marshy soil intersected with ditches. We remained here four hours. Counts Oriolla and Bis- mark came upon the track of a jaguar, and Count Bis- mark, to crown his good-luck, caught some delicate little fish, called Piranhas and Pirapitangas. Dr. Lippold re- galed us with a turtle, roasted in its shell, after the cruel Indian fashion,—a process which had more than once before, on board the ITgarité, half suffocated us by the intolerable smoke and stench emitted by the shell. We left the island at two o'clock p.m. and sailed N.W. up the Jabixava, along its east bank, the shore of the island of Marajo. The primeval forest rises high on both sides of this broad sheet of water, its grand aspect occasionally di- versified by tall, slender Assai-palms, bending grace- fully over the stream from the colossal wall of forest- vegetation,—a chaos of creepers and climbers, among which those with splendid red and purple flowers pre- dominate, clothing the gigantic trees (often a hundred feet high) from their tops to the ground, like bright coral ornaments. Never shall 1 forget that gorgeous display of colours, from which I could hardly withdraw my eyes, nor the charming picture which an Ygarapé flowing from the cast, out of the deep shades of this magic forest, presented at its mouth, whilst it opened to us a glance into the recesses of these wonders of creation. At five o'clock p.m. we saw ahead of us the two Ilhas das Pacas, and behind them a portion of the Amazon, —its southern arm, called the Rio de Gurupa, which 192 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. further down unites with the other great branch of the main river, the Rio de Macapi, forming the principal embouchure between Marajé and the coast of Brazilian Guiana®. The land which bounded the horizon behind these islands appeared to me the Ilha grande dos Porcos, as laid down in my French chart: I say appeared, be- cause neither of the charts in my possession agreed, in the connecting channels between the Amazon and Para, with my own observations. About sunset we reached the mouth of the Uituquara, flowing from the NW, a southern branch of the Rio de Gurupa, which we now ascended. On our larboard rose a fine forest, and on our right a group of palms, which were protected by creepers from the encroachment of the waves. The width of this channel, where not interrupted with is- lands, is from three to five hundred paces: its direction afterwards changed to W. by S. § S., which it retained for some hours. According to Albuquerque’s account, which was confirmed by our own observation, the Uitu- quara presents a remarkable phenomenon ; like the Ta- gipurtc (a river running nearly parallel to the Jaburaq, which we visited on our return) it always ebbs and flows off toward the Jabixava. The boat was lying still, whilst the crew were at sup- per ; but during our tea, which was not served until we had again to contend against a contrary current, rain and darkness set in. With us at home, rain is generally most unwelcome on any excursion, but in these tropical regions it seemed to produce a very agreeable effect upon the * See above, page 130. SONGS OF THE INDIANS. 193 crew, making them brisk and good-humoured : they mstantly pulled off their shirts, to enjoy the refreshing coolness of the rain upon their backs, and set to work paddling with might and main, bantering jokes or ac- companying the stroke of the paddles with their songs, which they improvised, and which, although the Bordon did not change, had a certain sweet and melancholy melody. At first only one sang, riming all the words that came into his thoughts: another would then take up the strain, and at the end of each strophe the chorus joined in. Soon after eight o'clock we passed a small Ygarapé, lying S.W., and at half-past nine p.y. the Iga- rité was made fast to the left bank of the river*. November 28th.—We resumed our voyage at half-past two A.M. ; the stars were visible, but the moon was not bright. The course of the Ultuquara soon changed from w. by S. to W., but at five o’clock resumed its former diveution : at half-past six it lay S.W. by W., and at nine o'clock S.E. At daybreak my companions rose from their esteiras at the bottom of the boat, and most of them plunged into the tepid stream, in spite of alligators and such-like monsters, the presence of which we every day relegated more surely to the realms of fiction. "After their bath, they climbed on board again by a rope ladder which Count Oriolla had manufactured. Then began the general toilet, which was followed by coffee, prepared m turn by the cook “du jour.” The business of this unlucky wight—which, as an * Temperature, at sunrise, six o'clock a.m.—air 20%1 (77,2 F.), water 24° (86° F.). VOL. II. 194 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. exception, I had today taken upon myself—was mani- fold, but the rest of the party generally assisted him out of good-nature, in cleaning and putting in order the part of the Igarité we occupied (to which we made a point of giving an appearance of seamanlike neatness), in serving the dinner, and washing the plates and dishes in the river. The Doctor usually plucked the fowls and birds which we had shot, and made himself generally useful in the preparation of our meals; although his Hortus siccus, it must be owned, gave him ample occu- pation. Count Oriolla took upon himself the distribu- tion of the biscuit (which only yielded to smart strokes of the hammer) and other provisions: he also mixed for us in a tin can a refreshing drink, of wine and water, which was in great requisition, as we were obliged to drink our Seltzer-water very sparingly. For dinner today I cooked some parrots with rice, and in the evening stewed some bananas and made tea. We were commonly restricted to tea or chocolate, but a little culinary invention was not ill relished by the party, especially when it added an agreeable dish to the re- past. The important duties of the individual « du jour” were concluded with lighting the lanthorn,—a “ fight- which we had brought with us from the bJ ing lanthorn,’ ‘ Growler.” The rest of the party amused themselves during the day with reading, writing their journals, sketching, ta- king bearings, shooting, and exploring the country. We made it a rule to have at least one gun kept in readi- ness, morning and evening, when we had usually a chance THE RIO UITUQUARA. 195 of shooting something. Today Count Bismark shot “ Japa,” and a handsome woodpecker as large as a crow ; we also saw many beautiful macaws, some blue with yellow under the wings, and others red with blue wings : they flew high over our heads, and always in pairs. The Guaribas, contrary to their usual custom, began their loud howling at an early hour today in the woods on our left. At twelve o'clock we reached a fork in the river, and pursued the Uituquara W.S.W.; a shorter channel branched off S. by W., and soon after joined the Limo : the latter forms the connection between our branch and the Tagipurt, which flows from the Amazon. At two o'clock p.n. we came to the point where the Liméo itself branches off E.S.E,, while the Uituquara keeps its pre- vious course. At half-past four there was a thunder- storm, but unaccompanied by rain; and shortly before sunset we passed a small Ygarapc on the right bank of the main stream, which was here from five to six hundred paces broad. In the evening the monkeys again broke out into their loud howling, whilst the sctting sun dif- fused a golden and rosy tint over the river before us and the magnificent outline of the forest along its banks. At half-past eight o’clock the Uituquara turned S.W. by W., and shortly afterwards flowed mto the Amazon. By the starlight we discerned ahead of us a dark island, which we kept on our right. The ebb-tide detained us for some time stationary in a narrow channel, so that we did not reach the embouchure of the Uituquara until a quarter to eleven ; here we anchored, to await the flood. There lay 02 196 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. the Amazon before us in all its majesty !—in the direction of its mouth it had quite the appearance of an ocean. November 29th.—The Southern Cross still shed its light on the cloudless sky, when at four o’clock a.m. we set sail, leaving our anchorage at the point of land which separates the Ultuquara from the Tagipurd. Both these side-branches separate in the same bay of the Amazon from the Rio de Gurupa, which is here about a nautical mile broad and flows N.N.E. This bay is parted from the Rio de Macapd, or northern half of the mighty Ama- zon, by the group of the Ilhas de Gurupd. The Uituquara flows at first N.E. by E., and the Tagipurt runs E.S.E. As the day broke, the sky became clouded, and the sea- breeze, here called the “vento geral,” set in. It is felt for a considerable distance up the Amazon, and may be regarded as a trade-wind which blows over the main- land: we almost flew before it. Behind us lay the straight line of the sea-horizon, and on each side wooded islands extended for miles ; while in the far distance we observed the Ilha grande de Gurupa, which may be regarded as belonging to the group of islands that sepa- rate the two main channels of the river. At seven o'clock A.n. the northern point of the island bore W. 4 S. looking down the stream ; the point of land near the mouth of the Tagipura N.E. by N.; the main- land behind it on the right bank of the Amazon, N.N.E. + E.; and the opposite island of Urutaui, N.N.E. At half-past ten o'clock we had an open view between the south-west pont of Urutaui, lying on our starboard quar- ter N.N.W., and the north point of the Ilha grande de ENCOUNTER WITH A BOA-CONSTRICTOR. 197 Gurupd, bearing N.W. by W.; through this passage, which was called Furo Marard, the view extended over the expanse of the Rio de Gurupé, possibly as far as the Rio de Macapi. We soon after approached the right bank, and coasted along it with a fresh breeze. In pass- ing the eye rested with pleasure on the fine forms of the trees in the adjacent forest, or followed the flight of the numberless water-birds,—many of them new to us,— especially the large white gulls called “ Garce,” or the white Egrettes and Divers, with flesh-coloured heads, with which the air and water seemed alive. Count Bis- mark shot a Mergulho,” (a bird between a goose and a duck), and Count Oriolla a large white bird of prey. I was just loading my fowling-piece, when I observed an object on the white mud of the river, which gleamed in the sun’s rays like a coil of silver : it was a serpent, basking in the sun. We rowed toward the spot, and Count Oriolla fired at it from a distance of thirty to forty paces : he missed it with the first barrel, but wounded it in the tail with the second, which was charged with large shot No. 2. This seemed to rouse the creature : our boat grounded almost at the same moment a little higher up than where the serpent lay, but some inter- vening bushes prevented our keeping it in sight. We all eagerly jumped into the river, followed by most of the crew ; Counts Oriolla and Bismark were overboard in a minute, but as the real depth of the water seemed to me very problematical, I leaped quickly on to a withered branch of an enormous prostrate tree, which served as a bridge to the shore. Although I had little 108 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. hope of coming up with the serpent, I advanced as fast as I could along the slippery trunk,—a thing by no means easy, on account of my large India-rubber shoes, which the swollen state of my feet had obliged me to wear for some weeks past. Just then I heard the report of a gun on my left, and instantly jumping into the morass, warm from the sun’s heat, sinking into it up to my knee at every step and leaving one of my shoes in the mud, I hastened in the direction of the sound. Count Oriolla, who was the first to leap out of the boat, ran to the spot where he had wounded the serpent, and aught a sight of the reptile as it was trying to escape into the forest. Suddenly it glided into the mud under the trunk of a prostrate tree, and at that instant the Count struck it with a cutlass, which however merely rased the skin: he then threw himself at full length upon the creature, as it was sliding away, and thrust the steel into its back, a few feet from the tail. The Count vainly tried to stop the monstrous reptile, which dragged him along, though the cutlass had pierced its body and entered the ground beneath. It was fortunate that the serpent did not bend backwards, and entwine its bold pursuer in its folds,—nor less so that Count Bismark, the only one who was armed with a gun, came up at this critical moment ; climbing over the trunk of the tree, he faced the enemy, which hissing lifted its head erect in the air, and with great coolness gave t a shot a bout pourtant through the head, which laid it appa- rently lifeless on the ground. My companions described the ereature’s strength as ENCOUNTER WITH A BOA-CONSTRICTOR. 199 wonderful, writhing in immense folds, and flinging its head from one side to another in its efforts to escape the well-aimed stroke of Count Oriolla; but a few moments after the shot, which carried away its lower jaw and a part of the head, the serpent seemed to arouse from its stupefaction, and Count Bismark hastened back to the boat to fetch Mr. Theremin’s gun. All this was the work of a few moments: I had hardly left the boat more than two or three minutes, when I stood beside Count Oriolla, on the trunk of the tree, with the serpent coiled up in an unshapen mass at its roots. I could scarcely wait to hear what had passed, but seized a heavy pole from one of the men who gathered round, to have a thrust at the creature’s head. Raising itself up it now seemed to summon its last strength, but it vainly strove to reach us on the tree. I stood ready, armed with a cutlass, to thrust into its jaws, while the Count stirred up the serpent, provoking it to the fight; the creature’s strength was however ex- hausted. Count Bismark now returned, and shattered its skull with another shot, and it died in strong con- vulsions. Though I could not share with my valiant companions the honour of the day, I was fortunate enough to arrive in time for the «IHallali.”” Our prey proved to be a large Boa-constrictor, m asuring sixteen feet two inches in length, and one foot nine inches in circumference ; the sailors called it a “ Sucuriji.” In skinning and dissecting it, a dozen membranaceous bags or eggs were found in its body, containing young ser- pents, some still alive, and from one to two feet long. 200 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. The Counts kindly presented me with the beautiful skin, which was spotted white, yellow and black, and covered with small scales : this trophy of their valour now forms the chief ornament of my residence at Monbijou. As soon as the task of skinning was accomplished, which the thickness of the animals scaly covering rendered very difficult, we again set sail, soon after twelve o'clock, and continued the ascent of the Amazon, carrying off the skin of the Boa in triumph, spread out to dry upon the roof of our boat. The lofty forest-trees were gradually succeeded by fan-palms, and on doubling a point we saw the Villa de Gurupa before us, crowning the banks of the river, which were here upwards of twenty feet high, and resembled a red wall rising above the muddy waters of the Amazon. This perpendicular wall, of ochreous sandstone conglo- merate, on which the small place stands, was the more pleasing to our cyes, as we had seen no high ground since passing the steep shore of Olinda, which rises from the forests of cocoa-nut trees near Pernambuco, nor had we seen any human habitations since quitting the environs of Breves. The small fort, situated upon a prominence on the eastern part of the town, was the first object that caught our eye, but the approach of dark- ness prevented our viewing it more nearly. Seen at a distance, this “Key of the Amazon” scemed merely a weak, irregular wall, mounted with a single gun and a sentry-box. Von Martius is therefore quite correct in calling it an escarpment ; he adds that it is built of clay, hut this seems to he erroncous. for it appeared through THE VILLA DE GURUPA. 201 the telescope, on our second visit to Gurupd, to be built of stone. From this wall extend some palisades. Fol- lowing hence the ridge of the river’s bank westward, a large wooden cross first meets the eye, behind which stands a plain church painted white; we then came to the small town, consisting of two streets and about a dozen white-washed houses covered with clay roofs, among which is that of the Commandant ; huts with roofs of palm-leaves, or large ranchos, terminate the place. The background consists of virgin forest, while a few palm-trees in front break the monotony of the picture. It was six o'clock p.m. when we approached the north- ast end of this place : here we stepped on shore, and sent the Igarité to the other anchorage on the south-west point. With the exception of Para, Gurupd is the largest place we have seen in our voyage up the Amazon: it is said to have been originally a settlement of the Tupi- nambas. The Dutch, in company with some English and French adventurers, established themselves here about the year 1615 ; they were however unable to re- tain possession of the place, and were obliged to yield to the Portuguese, who arrived from Belém in a carvel and twenty-two canoes, with a force of seventy soldiers and a thousand native archers, under the command of Bento Maciel Parente. As soon as they had taken pos- session of the settlement, the Portuguese erected Fort S. Antonio. Gurupa occurs in history only in connexion with the Jesuits : one day, in the year 1655, the excited inhabitants put the Fratres who were settled here into R02 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. a canoe, and turned them adrift upon the stream ; at a later period however the Jesuits met with such a kind reception from the inhabitants and their Capito, that many of them took refuge here for a considerable time ; until m the year 1661 ninety Portuguese and four hundred Indians arrived in twenty-six large boats from Belém, under the command of Pedro da Costa Favella, who seized the missionaries and conducted them to the city. In 1693 Gurupd received from Dom Pedro the Second of Portugal the title of a “Villa”; it contains at present from forty to fifty houses, and is of some im- portance, mmasmuch as all vessels ascending or descending the Amazon are stopped here and searched. The inhabit- ants make bricks, tiles and pottery ; they collect cocoa and sarsaparilla on the neighbouring islands, and extend their excursions as far as the Xing. As we walked through the streets of this small place, the thousand- voiced concert of the Howling Monkeys resounded in the neighbouring forest. At seven o’clock ».m. we con- tinued our voyage, entrusting the Boa’s skin to the care of the Commandant, who promised to have it properly dried and prepared. A fresh breeze soon drove us so close to the reefs of the Ilha Redonda, that we were obliged to enter the channel north of the island, though the regular passage lics to the south. T slept during this night *. * Temperature at a quarter past six, that is a quarter of an hour after sunrise : air 21° R. (79°,2 F.), water 23°,4 R. (84°,7 F.). At noon : air 24°,5 R. (87°11 F.), water 23°,6 R. (85°,1 F.). At 6 p.m. air 23°2 R (84°,2 F.), water 23°,6 R. (85°,1 F.) A FABULOUS SERPENT. 203 November 30th.—The rising sun shone upon the small island of Tarazéda, lying on our left. It is said that the fabulous gigantic serpent, the man-eating “ Boi-uassi*,” is seen occasionally upon this island : it is probably the same monster which Spix and Martius call the ¢ Fluss- mutter” (Water-mother). We subsequently procured more detailed information respecting this imaginary crea- ture, and from the lips of a man whose credibility we had otherwise not the slightest reason to doubt—our faithful travelling-companion on the Xing, Father Torquato, to whom the reader will soon be introduced, and who assured us that he had himself seen the Boi-uassi. He told us that three or four men are unable to encircle it with their arms, and that its articulated body resembles a number of hogsheads strung together; adding that at Vigia a cannon was fired at this creature without hit- ting it, upon which the serpent took to the water. Po- pular tradition likewise speaks of a monster called “ Aca- ra-mboya +t,” that generally lives in deep places abound- ing in fish, and swimming against the current meets the fishermen and displays its breast and head, the latter decked with three feathers. But the most formidable creature of all is the seven-headed ¢ Serpente,” which, according to Albuquerque’s description, lives in the lake of «Sette Cabecgas,” formed by the Ajard (an arm of the Amazon) opposite the Serra de Almeirim ; he said that * Boi-uassi is the name of this great serpent, from Boi or Boya, serpent, and wassit or guassi, great. The Indians call the Boa- constrictor by this name. t Acara-mboyd signifies Heron-serpent.” 204 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. the existence of this serpent was not quite certain, but the Acard-mboya had shown itself under the following circumstances as recently as the year 1834, in his neigh- bourhood on the Petur, not far from where the Xing is joined by the Aquiqui. A father went with his three sons to fish, but before setting to work he was anxious to ascertain the truth respecting the existence of this serpent. All three (?) discharged their guns thrice, as nine shots fired three at a time constitute the charm to call up the Acard-mboya to the surface: just as the ninth shot was fired, the serpent appeared, and made straight toward them, whereupon they threw down their guns and sought safety in flight. To this wonderful story the pilot added from his own experience, that he had once heard the roaring of the serpent; but as many other creatures, especially the alligators, joined in the concert, it was difficult to say from what part the sound pro- ceeded. The river is here about a nautical mile in width ; on its right bank lies the Aldea Carrazédo, near the island of Tarazéda, but we could not discern it. At eight o'clock a.m. we sailed past Villarinho, which is indi- ated by two houses beneath a large tree, with two small islands in front. We afterwards passed the Ilha do Chapeo Virado (“of the inverted hat”), a small island covered with trees, lying alone in the middle of the stream, surrounded with large-leaved plants of Caladium arborescens, and almost choked by a compact mass of lianes. At eleven a.m. we reached Tapara, consisting of a few huts upon the sandy shore, overshadowed by ENTRANCE OF THE XINGU. 205 trees. Since leaving Gurupi we had observed that a strip of sand occasionally skirted the forest,—a proof that the banks were now more elevated. A charming group of young Assai-palms stood near this spot. On landing, some strange utensils attracted our attention, among which were prettily painted Cujas, the shells of gourds or calabashes, also vessels made of the fruit of the Naja-palm, and others formed from the breastplates of the cayman. The banks of the Amazon higher up were clothed with fine forests, but the Miriti-palms now wholly dis- appeared, to us at least who were entering the Xing, where this beautiful tree is not met with. The three Ilhas do Espirito Santo on our right presented some very pretty views, and we soon after passed Boavista, which consists of a few houses on the right bank of the river. The Amazon further on widens considerably, and its bed 1s sprinkled with numerous islands, while toward N.W. by W. the long low ridge of the Serra de Almeirim had the appearance of a strip of blue mist. We now turned sharp to the left, round a wooded sandy point, and again an occan seemed to open before us,—it was the Xingu, which, unbounded on the south, presented a wonderful appearance even after we had proceeded eighty (320 Engl.) miles,—a distance which may be compared to a voyage up the Rhine from the German Ocean to Mayence. We had for some time noticed the clear, green waters of the Xing, which succeeded the muddy, yellow stream of the Amazon. Half an hour later we anchored at Porto de Moz. A long row of houses - S —_— a 2006 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. which half-way up is joined by two others, extends partly upon an undulating ground, and partly along the flat sandy shore, pleasingly interspersed with beautiful groups of palm-trees. Porto de Moz appeared to us somewhat smaller than Gurupd, and the Commandant’s house is the only one whitewashed; nevertheless it made a much more lively impression on us, for the in- habitants were just solemnizing the festival of Saint Andrew. The negroes were dancing in a house, to the sound of the “ Bengua” (tamtam), a short piece of the trunk of a tree hollowed out, and covered with skin at one end. Before the church, which stands in a square near the middle of the place, whence there is a fine prospect over the Xingii, stood some flags, wreathed with lianes and the tufts of bananas. After awhile the whole population made their appearance, consisting mostly of coloured people, the younger portion entirely naked, and a procession was soon formed, at the head of which were carried the flags. A pretty schooner, belonging to the Commandant, gave indication of the commerce of this place, and two similar craft were on the stocks under a roof of palm- leaves. The population of this district is about four thousand. The Commandant, a Major of the National Guards, is at the head of a battalion of three compa- nies,—the first stationed at Porto de Moz, the second at Veiros and Pombal, and the third at Souzel. Although the Major had been seven years on this station, he had never,— por falta de commodos,” for want of conve- nience, as he naively expressed himself,—inspected the A= Ls LR pur? i { path oer, Ze, EL ———————— 7 Son TA Alitonio de he yo up a or Corupa) A ia “itd re i ie . acini ¥ Xo ote ; A fanto—. PRA oY wp 5 oA + ? Po: Ea Moz (uv Mash Fires H, \eleaytora % - linn Ss 5) Jumbot or P pies bo % Margo's" \'\% Ny Sg Loco vgorobora i Hy treme dy lafoe angered ; i. ay rahd y spashne vgara Wits gape i Ao a Gacvrivat! ir 4 Cawovera Crpytanes '=T¢ ar « do Way terse ” i — Aida dma frm: dband Wgloca Tamhapes tir 748 ~&¥ “i, 4, “Zs, ap fd 4 “| - iti A 2, ry pt tiny Wo the \! ) $ Monloir draragua prbiemie | aguenocha oo L iar. 2aq Madocesr Q Scale 1: 2.000000 a “ Ra 8 Germ reeles 10 Bs vo Seecbeered moles. \ The dapth; vr maarked in, fathoms. A or — 35 Long west Paris a7 a Wrens ctrr R Ran he, Lermporary heel SE Serr, Moveretain ceciere or Hella: ak ~~. 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Hy - Ygarape a onal rewer or 4 rook. 2006 whicl partly flat grou] some hous made habit Andi soun trun’ one near pros liane popt colo a pr carr A gave sim) leav thot Gus nies Vel the ney nie ! 1 PORTO DE MOZ. 207 two last-mentioned companies of his battalion ; nor had he ever journeyed further than his head-quarters, about four leagues up the Xingt : the information he gave re- specting this river and its inhabitants seemed therefore not to be particularly authentic. Ile told us of a tribe of Indians hostile to the Jurdnas, who hang their pri- soners up by the legs, and kill them by a blow across the neck : this was nearly all that he had to communi- ate. Opposite Porto de Moz lies the flat island of Aqui- qui, separated from the main-land by a channel of the same name, which connects the Xingi—~here from three to five nautical miles broad—with the Jarauc and the Goajard. Thick black clouds of smoke rose from behind the distant forests on this island, which is said to con- tain tigers and alligators ; it would however have led us too far out of our way to go in chase of these creatures, as such an excursion requires at least three or four days, and my chief object, during the limited time at my com- mand, was to ascend the Xing as rapidly as possible and visit the savages. About seven o'clock p.v., as night was closing in, we again set sail, and steered southward against the current of the river, which appeared to run from south to north. It was a bright starlight night: the Furo de Aquiqui, which the pilot said flows by the place where we saw the fire above mentioned, was soon passed. About two hours later we heard a boat rapidly approaching us: in it was a young Frenchman, the son of the shipwright of the imperial dockyard at Para, M. Pichon, whom the 208 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Commandant had kindly sent after me with a present of a young ““ Jacaré-tinga,”’ a small kind of alligator hardly two feet long : although our acquaintance had been so short, the Commandant had discovered our unequivocal predilection for alligators and their congeners. These animals are said to be a great delicacy ; nevertheless we granted our prisoner its life, and after dismissing M. Pichon with many thanks, a place was given to the alli- gator under the floor, where it soon made itself at home, and began running about with great vivacity among the plates, cups and saucers; indeed it grew so bold and impudent, that when we attempted to take any of these things away, it snapped at us with its little jaws. At eleven o'clock at night we anchored near the right bank of the river, to await the flood-tide *. December 1st.—We were again under sail at five o'clock this morning. At daybreak the colour of the Xing became clearly observable, and appeared to be here of an almost black bottle-green, much darker than yesterday. We soon after saw on our left the mouth of the Ygarapé Turu, an insignificant tributary, which flows into the Xingt a short distance before the latter joins the Amazon. At seven o'clock we ran into the Acahi, a branch of the Xing flowing from E. by N. Here were the homes of our two pilots, who were anxious to visit their families. The banks of the Acahi are overgrown * Temperature :—At six o’clock a.m. : air 20° (77° F.), water, 23°%4 (8457 F.). At noon: air 24°4 (86°9 F.), water 24°7 (87°,6 F.). THE PILOTS FAMILIES. 209 near its junction with short, thick copse, which has quite the appearance of Capueira®, margined near the river with Caladium arborescens. Here and there on some small points of sand, projecting into the river, were scattered a few habitations, which like those of Tapard and Breves formed a kind of transition to the huts of the Indians. In one of these cabins on the left bank, Albuquerque the Portuguese met his wife and children, who had been obliged to fly from their own dwelling, higher up the river, by the appearance of roving bands of deserters, and had here sought protection among their also intro- relatives. Our second pilot—the native one duced his wife to us; both ladies were of Indian de- scent. A slight frame of poles supported the palm-leaf roof of the fragile hut, the walls of which were made of the same material ; and some redes (hammocks) slung across the room, together with a footstool or Indian chair, formed the only furniture in the apartment. We observed on the ground, and on a kind of shelf in a corner made of sticks, a number of utensils and fruit-capsules of the Naja-palm similar to those we had seen at Tapara ; there were likewise large baskets and pots filled with raw cot- ton. Several other baskets were suspended to the walls, together with materials for weaving, bunches of bananas, linen-jackets, shirts, and straw-hats: bows and arrows stood ranged against the wall. In a hammock in the middle of the room lay a fine-looking boy, fast asleep and naked as when born. A second door-like opening * The word Capueira, or Capoeira, is a corruption of Caii-pirera, felled forest. : YOL. II. P 210 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. behind admitted a view of the small Acahi, gliding peacefully along, and bounded by the dark forest on the opposite bank. The children, it will have been seen, here go stark naked: the men in this part of the Lower Xing and Amazon generally wear short linen trowsers, and seem to consider any other clothing superfluous finery ; whilst the women are usually dressed in a pet- ticoat and short jacket, their hair wound into a single tuft on the crown of the head, which gives them a some- what wild appearance. After a short stay here we took leave of our Indian pilot, who remained behind with his family: in the ful- ness of his gratitude he presented to us five hens’ eggs ; then bidding adieu to these friendly people, we returned the short distance down the Acahi, to continue our voyage up the Xing. The fresh ¢ vento geral,” which swept over the land, filled the square sail and favoured our progress today considerably. Any person trans- planted suddenly to this part of the river, which is here from three to four nautical miles wide, might fancy it an arm of the sea: looking up or down the stream, south or north, the waters stretch unbounded to the horizon. In the far distance behind us we saw large columns of smoke, apparently rising from the river; these were occa- sioned by the fires we saw last night on the Campos of Aquiqui, opposite Porto de Moz. The woods on the banks of the Lower Xirga have all the character of a capueira, though I am sure that neither these nor the woods at the mouth of the Acahi were ever burnt down ; in some parts they were skirted THE LOWER XINGU. 211 by white, sandy plains called ‘ Prayas.” Von Martius, though he had merely a glimpse of the Xing in passing its mouth, mentions the striking contrast of these woods with the Ygap6 and palm forests of the Lower Amazon, and dwells on the similarity of the vegetation around Porto de Moz with that of some regions of southern Brazil. Among these Prayas the great Praya de Marua is pre- eminent, situated near the little river of the same name, which the pilot told us is, like the Acahi, a small arm of the Xingt, flowing north-east. “On this sandy point,” he added, “are collected the largest number of turtles’ eggs, which abound here in September, when those creatures lay their eggs.” They not only serve for food, but also yield a kind of yellow oil, called “ Man- teiga’’ (butter), which is employed both for culinary pur- poses and for lamp-oil. At two o'clock p.m. we passed the small Aldea Aca- juira, also situated on the right bank of the river. The stream here widens gradually, the land receding on its right bank, and forming a broad bay, on the shore of which stands the small town of Veiros. As we ap- proached a pretty island, situated on the east point of this lovely bay, a number of flesh-coloured Botos rose from the water, playing around our boat, which accom- panied us as far as Veiros. This place lies toward the south end of the bay, near where the banks resume a straight direction ; it is situated on a clayey eminence twenty feet high, rising precipitously from the sandy shore. » 2 a a 5 TE a NS iain di a a a ow a ——_——— EE THE. _-_. p.m a. mT ¥ Bi i die ie a TE i Re Eh a | it I i i i | 212 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. The first object which here met our view was an Indian woman, half-naked, sitting in a canoe and bathing her children in the river; no sooner did she perceive us, than she took to flight with her little ones. On landing, numerous masses of red rocks of a scoria- ceous appearance scattered over the shore attracted our attention ; they seemed to me similar to the ochreous sandstone conglomerate, which Spix and Martius noticed in such quantities on the shores of the Amazon. We were tempted to ascend the river's bank: a broad flight of steps led from the shore to the church, which stands in the midst of twenty or thirty miserable clay huts roofed with palm-leaves, whilst a thicket interspersed with palms formed the background. On a prominent point before the church is erected a large wooden cross, a solemn and significant memorial seen from the bay and the op- posite distant shore of the Xing, which here extends like a broad arm of the sea, and seems as if it flowed from one ocean to another. To the cross has unquestion- ably been assigned the most beautiful and the most ap- propriate site in all Veiros. Peculiarly charming is the prospect from the foot of this cross over the smooth bay, receding in a gradual sweep, and its picturesque islands near either extremity. Opposite the island, before men- tioned, rises on its southern point the lovely, shady llha Roxa from the dark-green waters of the river. A few huts were seen through the luxuriant masses of foliage, from which rose here and there the lofty spire of a palm-tree. Between Veiros and this little island the Maxipand flows into the Xing. This place seemed quite deserted, the TOWN OF VEIROS. 213 woman and her children whom we had seen in the canoe being in fact the only human beings visible. The men had all left Veiros, and were gone to their “ Rocas” to plant before the rainy season,—a practice which is followed by all the inhabitants of these semi-Indian villages: the whole population therefore at this time consisted of the women, who however thought it most prudent not to make their appearance. Nevertheless Veiros was not wholly without life,—a flock of black and yellow Japs, alighting on a palm-tree, greeted us with a deafening noise. The sun was setting as we started again on our voy- age up the stream, and the stars soon shone brilliantly in the clear sky, while from the forest on our left re- sounded the cry of the Sloth, as our pilot and the crew declared, though the noise we heard resembled strikingly that of the Howling Monkeys. At eight o'clock »p.y. we reached the roadstead of Pombal, if such it can be called, where we sent Albuquerque on shore to procure pro- visions. Meanwhile, as we sat waiting in the boat, we saw through an open door a light burning in a hut, which reflected upon several hammocks presented a pretty picture : the dogs too were barking. In a quarter of an hour we continued our voyage for a short distance, and then halted to await a favourable tide *. December 2nd. —We weighed anchor at five o'clock * Temperature :—At half-past five o'clock a.m.: air 19°1 R. (75° F.), water 23° (83°7 F.). At noon: air 25°2 (88%7 F.), water 24° (86° F.). At sunset: air 25° (88°2 F.), water 24°4 (86°,9 F.). 214 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. A.M., and soon after the sun cast his rays on the small village of Maracd, lying on the opposite left bank, the character of which now changes, the ground rising gradually, and exhibiting occasionally between the dark masses of wood precipitous red-coloured banks. Fa- voured by a fresh breeze we crossed the Xingi diago- nally, here from three to four nautical miles wide, and steered toward Souzel, which we discerned a-head, near a wooded point on the left shore. It was ten o'clock A.M. when we anchored in the small and pretty bay, encircled by low bushy hills, margined by a narrow strip of sand. Souzel extends along this strand ; its red, tiled roofs had attracted our attention for some time previous. We have before said that the parish-priest of Souzel was recommended to us while at Para, as the man best able to give us authentic information respecting the sa- vage tribes inhabiting the banks of the Xing, and to afford us assistance on our purposed visit to them. All our hopes therefore rested upon the good Padre, the success of our expedition depended entirely on his aid, and Souzel was the place where our fate would be de- cided. We immediately despatched Count Oriolla on shore to look for the Padre, and deliver to him the let- ters from Para; meanwhile we sat anxiously expecting his return in our floating ark, which the light waves of the Xing rocked to and fro, as if we had been lying in a bay of the ocean. In a few minutes the Count re-ap- peared, accompanied by the hale-looking youthful Padre, Torquato Antonio de Souza, who mn the most friendly manner immediately offered to accompany us. His ap- PADRE TORQUATO. 215 pearance at once dispelled the excusable apprehension I had sometimes felt, that he might rather prove a clog to our expedition : before us stood a tall, muscular figure, drest in a Brazilian jacket and a straw-hat, while the sunburnt features of the young priest, about thirty years of age, bespoke hardihood and decision of character. His appearance contrasted forcibly with that of our reverend companion in our visit to the Puris on the Parahyba, who, though equally kind-hearted, could not compare with Padre Torquato in activity. The latter was evidently a man accustomed to toil, to whom a life on the rivers and in the forest was nothing new, and this naturally inspired us with confidence in his powers ; the Padre in fact was just the man we needed, and the more so from his position, and the respect in which he was held by the Indians. Torquato de Souza was born in Salina; in youth it had been his ardent wish to be a soldier, but this did not accord with his father’s views, and he was obliged to enter the college at Olinda, to be educated for holy orders. Though now chained for life to his vocation, he soon succeeded in procuring an appointment which well suited his predi- lections and enterprising spirit; he was sent as a mis- sionary, in the first instance to the Mundrucis, and afterwards to the Jur@inas, among whom he had now resided for two years. I told the Padre my desire to visit some perfectly uncivilized Indian tribes, and if possible to sce the cataracts of the Xing. He was of opinion that both these objects might be accomplished in about twelve days, and promised to conduct us to the 2106 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Juriinas as the nearest, and to the Taconhapéz as the most interesting, of the Indian tribes. He seemed quite to welcome this opportunity of accompanying us, as he was only acquainted with the nearest Maloca® of the Jurtnas, the inhabitants of which he had converted to Christianity, and it was of great importance to him as a missionary to extend his connexions to other Indian settlements : the cataracts likewise were as unknown to him as to ourselves. We now set about arranging the plan for our voyage : a glance at the accompanying map, which has been in a great measure laid down from our notes and observa- tions, will convey an idea of it to the reader. I would observe that the general course of the Xingi as far as the greater cataracts, or rather rapids, lies from south to north ; from thence it makes a great curve to the south- east, and, shortly before the junction of the Tucurui, re- sumes its former more northerly direction. To accom- plish the distance described by this chief curve against the stream, would according to the report of some In- cians take twenty, others said forty days, owing to the force of the current. To avoid such a waste of time, the Jesuits had formerly constructed a picada connecting the two points of the are, which two years ago had been partly repaired by our Padre. This footpath, which is much used by the Indians, forms the only land com- munication with the Upper Xing, and is called the “ Estrada: it commences at a short distance from the * Maloca (from Oca, house, hut; Malaoca, settlement) signifies in the “lingoa geral”” any settlement of wild Indians. THE ESTRADA. 217 mouth of the Tucurui, and leads in a straight line to the lower Anaurahy (Anauhirahi), which river soon after falls into the Xingd, just at the point where the great bend in the latter commences. The starting-point of this path, near the Tucurui, is called the Boca da Estrada,” and at its southern end where it meets the Anaurahy it bears the high-sounding name of “Porto Grande.” On the proposition of Padre Torquato, we now resolved to sail in the Igarité up the Xing and the Tucurui as far as the Boca da Estrada, and to proceed from thence on foot by the path to the Anaurahy, a journey which may be accomplished according to cir- cumstances in two to four days. We intended to em- bark at Porto Grande in canoes, and after descending the Anaurahy to sail up the Xingu to the last, or more properly the lowest, Maloca of the Juriinas, which lay in the vicinity. From this point we agreed to leave our further arrangements to chance; all the country above that settlement was, even to the priest of Souzel, almost a terra incognita. He conjectured however—for any calculation of time was here ox/y conjecture—that two or three days would suffice to proceed from Taua-quéra (as this last settlement is called,) to the perfectly rude portion of the Jurma tribe. We planned to return by the river; and, following the south-eastern bend, to descend the Caxoeiras (cataracts) : the Igarité was either to meet us at the small island of Castanhal, below the “ ultima Caxoeira’ (the last fall of the Xingu), or to wait for us in the Tucurui. The Indians calculated about ten days for the voyage with the stream, along 218 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. the oft-mentioned south-eastern bend of the Xing; but the Padre, aware of the dilatory movements of the In- dians, thought that we might accomplish it in five or at most six days. Having thus sketched out these arrangements for our expedition up the Xing, our new companion returned home to make the necessary preparations ; while, avail- ing ourselves of the few hours which Padre Torquato re- quired for this purpose, we set out to explore the land, after first seeing the Igarité drawn up on shore. Souzel consists of forty or fifty clay huts, and large open ranchos or sheds. The Padre’s house is the only one white-washed, and, like the adjacent small di- lapidated church dedicated to San Francisco Xavier, has a tiled roof. The church is situated at the south point of the town, in the middle of one of the two streets which run parallel with the river,—the one nearest to the bank of the Xing. Before the church is a large wooden cross, as is customary here, its foot fixed into a square clay pedestal ; close to it stands the belfry. The church has no steeple ; it is only distinguished from the other buildings by a small cross on the gable-end of its roof, through which the scorching rays of the tropical sun have in many places free access to the interior. The inside of the building presents by no means a pleasing appearance : graves have been sunk in the hard floor, which are covered with half-rotten planks, while some old and badly preserved gilt ornaments and pictures of Saints, especially an image of the Virgin, are indications of former splendour and opulence. Souzel was once the INHABITANTS OF SOUZEL. 219 chief station of the Jesuits on the banks of the Xing, and, like Veiros and Pombal, it owes its foundation to that Order. The disciples of Loyola however were less for- tunate in their efforts to convert the natives on the upper parts of the river: although they explored it to a great distance, they never succeeded in permanently establish- ing a church or missionary among the Jurtinas above the cataracts ; but the inhabitants of the three places just mentioned are mostly descended from wild Indian hordes, whom the Jesuits found in these regions, and who on being baptized settled in villages. The rest of the po- pulation consists of persons of mixed caste, descended from natives and whites ; very few of the latter are met with among them. These places are inhabited only a few months in the year, the inhabitants migrating—as was now the case— to their “Sitios,” widely scattered on the banks of the river ; here during the winter-time, from June to about December, they are occupied in gathering and prepa- ring Seringa (India-rubber), and during summer collect sarsaparilla, balsam of copaiva, clove-cassia, cocoa, ete. The men likewise hunt and fish, while the women re- main at the Sitios, and prepare farinha with which they trade. Twice a-year, on St. John’s day and at Christ- mas, the whole population assemble in the villages ; most of the inhabitants consider them therefore merely as a pied-a-terre, when they barter their raw products for stuffs and other simple articles of manufacture, or embark their merchandize for Para. The concourse of people at these times is said to be considerable ; for | i i il | | | hi i bi | 220 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. instance from Christmas to Easter each of these three places contains five to seven hundred persons, and Sou- zel, as one of our party understood the Padre to say, even twice that number®. After the festivals most of these families disperse again to the Sitios, and resume their customary occupations. There was little life in Souzel ; in fact all the large, barn-like ranchos stood empty. At the foot of the wooded hillocks behind the place, the edges of which had been cleared and planted with mandioca, bananas, mamdes, etc., rose a few solitary palms. A fine breadfruit-tree behind the town was of great interest to me,—it had perhaps been planted by the Jesuits. Returning to the sandy shore, we observed blocks of ochreous sandstone conglomerate, similar to those near Veiros ; this rock seems to abound in these parts, and probably caused the red appearance of the steep cliffs we had noted this morning on the left bank of the river. The little bay of Souzel has a smooth clay bottom, in which the anchors hold so fast that the people prefer hauling their boats on shore. Two imperial war-schooners the ¢ Amazonas’ and the ¢ Mundrucd’ some time ago visited this anchorage,—if I mistake not, it was said that they sailed up as high as the neighbouring ultima Caxoeira.” During some part of the year the tide is felt up to this point, but the flood is said not to cause a corre- sponding reflux in the Xing, and the water only swells. Albuquerque informed us that from Porto de Moz to * In 1788 this place had about eight hundred inhabitants. See Southey’s History of Brazil, vol. 3. p. 735. OVERLAND EXCURSION. 221 Souzel there 1s a depth of eight to twenty fathoms in the middle of the stream ; but the nature of the bot- tom varies equally with the depth, consisting in one place of clay, in another of sand, while in parts it is quite rocky. It is said that throughout the year there is a depth of three fathoms in the mid-channel as high up as the lower cataract. After the Padre had hastily made his arrangements and finished all needful preparations, he came on board the Igarité, accompanied by an Indian boy named Francisco; and at one o'clock we left the little bay, several Botos playing around the vessel. Our frugal dinner was soon served, and was enriched by the interesting conversation of our new companion; at its conclusion I proposed the health of the Emperor, who this day entered on his eighteenth year. We now made the necessary preparations for our march overland, pack- ing up the articles which we intended to barter with the Jurinas ; these treasures consisted of glass beads, small looking-glasses, knives and axes: we afterwards amused ourselves with sketching, or firing at the Botos, but without success. At a short distance above Souzel, round the nearest point, lies the great Roga Tapacuari, which was succeeded by several small wooded headlands jutting out into the river and imparting variety to our voyage. The forests on the left bank, along which we rowed, were margined with white strips of sand, partially covered with debris of a reddish colour; and though destitute of palms, the luxuriance of the splendid trees and their 22 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. pleasing forms gave additional charms to the numerous small projecting points. Passing Punta de Pajé, we ob- served for the first time, in place of the sea-like horizon, a long straight elevated ridge, stretching far eastward into the river, and terminating abruptly. This was the distant Cape Tapard, behind which the Tucurui falls to the Xing(, while on this side of it extend small eleva- tions. Between this Serra de Tapard, which may be regarded as the extremity of the Brazilian high table- land, and the Serra de Almeirim, the most southern spur of the mountains of Guiana, appears to be the narrowest point in the immense valley of the Amazon, the distance between these two mountain-ridges being only from thirty to forty (120 to 160 Engl.) miles. After we had ascended the stream for two days, the Xing assumed the appearance of a river, though behind us in the direction of N.W. by N. it still looked as if it opened toward an ocean. The sun set, and darkness succeeded. Soon after seven o'clock we stopped near the house of the smith of Pararuaca, to have Count Bis- mark’s fowling-picce repaired. A strange circumstance was connected with this: ever since killing the large boa-constrictor it had obstinately refused to act ; all the means which the Count could devise to repair the mis- chief were fruitless,—the gun would not go off. This was a great cause of rejoicing to our Brazilian crew, since, according to their superstitious notions, it could not be otherwise ; and at every unsuccessful snap of the percussion-cap they cried, «ste he a cobra! Este he a cobra!” They looked upon the Count’s persisting in his BRAZILIAN SUPERSTITION. 293 ~~ attempts as highly criminal, cast suspicious glances at one another, and at every new attempt to discharge the gun jumped up from their benches. After working for an hour and a half, the smith succeeded in extracting the shot, and the spell was broken ! We continued our voyage at half-past eight o’clock, and rowing without stop the whole night we doubled Cape Tapard and entered the Tucurui. T missed the moment of our passing the mouth, having fallen asleep ; nor did I awake till between four and five o'clock, when we were already in the river, which flowed from the south-west with numerous bends. December 3rd —The struggle was still going on be- tween night and day; dark masses of foliage and creepers hung over the small rivulet, which meanders through the thick forests ; here and there a solitary star was still reflected in the dark waters; a light glim- mered between the trees, and presently another, when the lusty voice of the Padre was heard, as we passed the scattered dwellings of the half-civilized Indians, calling to the men on shore to follow us to the « Estrada’ in their canoes, or to come at once on board and assist us in rowing. From time to time a voice answered from the dark forest, and one of the strange figures leaped into our boat, and began to row with all his might, never asking whither we were going or how long we should be gone : this is a matter of so little moment to these children of nature, that they have even no words in their language to express time and space. The stars now disappeared, and we began to discern the objects 224 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. around us more clearly: in a few minutes the day- light triumphed over the shades of night. What a rapid victory, in these tropical climes, as compared with the prolonged transition in our northern regions, where the purple sky indicates whole hours of contest between light and darkness !| Thus too has man himself, with us, to maintain a continual contest with nature, while here under the equator nature breathes the purest harmony, unresistingly resigns herself to man, and even mvites him to enjoyment. It was five o'clock this morning when we fastened the Igarité to a tree which overhung the right bank, and were told that we had reached the Boca da Estrada. A bright fire was blazing upon a small open spot among the trees on the bank, around which was collected a group of men, clad, in the fashion of the country, in short grey jackets or shirts of coarse linen and breeches of the same material : the brown complexion of their neck and chest showed them at once to be of Indian extraction. A short wooden powder-horn, a shot-bag, and a small grey pouch were slung across their shoulders, whilst their long guns rested peacefully against the trunk of a tree. We also observed some redes suspended from the branches, which showed that a party of the Indians had passed the night here. Previous to our departure from Souzel, the Padre, in his anxiety for our comfort, had despatched a canoe on before, to make the necessary arrangements for our voyage and to engage the crew. The group of men we now saw were to be our new travelling-companions, to hunt for us, or assist in carry- PREPARATIONS FOR A JOURNEY. 225 ing our provisions and afterwards to serve as pilots and rowers in our further navigation of the Xingt and its caxoeiras. Among them we noticed Roxa, the dark, gloomy-looking Portuguese, who, being the only one that understood the language of the Jurdinas, was to serve as our mterpreter. The other men only spoke the lingua geral,” which is here in common use: the Jurdnas are not wholly unacquainted with it, and Padre Torquato spoke it fluently : the men also understood a little Por- tuguese. As soon as we reached this point, where our voy- age was to stop, there was a general stir under the palm-roof of the Igarité; and soon after all was activity on board our floating dwelling, from which we were now to part for some weeks. Provisions were shaved out, and the packages arranged: a cylindrical tin vessel, a foot and a half long, and a foot in diameter, contained all the food to last us for the next fortnight, except the mandi- oca-flour. Our stores consisted of rice, beans, chocolate, tea and sugar. We did not add our whole stock of salt, but out of foresight I filled an earthenware bottle with it, which could be slung across the shoulder. We took with us two baskets full of farinha; a third basket, with the huge bottle of caxaga for the men and the small tin medicine-chest, were for the present left behind, as we were in want of porters: three or four more however were to follow with all speed under Roxa’s command. The sun rose as we were busied in making these pre- parations for our journey. I was struck by the great difference between the temperature of the Tucurui, which VOL. II. Q 226 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. at this time was not higher than 20° R. (77° F.), whilst the air was 20°22 R. (77°,5 F.),—and that of the Xing, which yesterday at the same hour was 24° R. (86° I.), the temperature of the air being the same. I observed the same difference in all the rivulets which crossed the Estrada, during our journey : this probably arises from the cooling shade of the large forests through which these streamlets flow. Some of the crew of the Igarité requested permission to accompany us ; to this I agreed, as we required a great number of people to carry our provisions and baggage, although so small in compass, for the great heat rendered the least burden very oppres- sive. In order therefore to advance rapidly through the forests, we were obliged to increase our force; and with this fresh accession our party now amounted to twenty men. The sailors and Indians preceded us a short di- stance ; and sufficient time having been given them to load themselves, we started at seven o’clock a.um., and in a few minutes came up with the advance-guard. It was interesting to see how skilfully the men packed their burdens : the pliable creepers served as twine, and thin strips of the bark of trees for braces. We continued our march without stopping : the Padre led the column, his gun slung over his shoulder, and lightly drest like ourselves. The footpath was at first easily discerned, but gradually the fallen leaves covered it more or less, often concealing it from our sight, while the thick bushes and tangled creepers rendered our march very fatiguing. The forest through which we proceeded could not vie with the magnificent primeval forests on the Parahyba ; JOURNEY ALONG THE ESTRADA. 297 the trunks of the trees were slender, though they shot up perfectly straight, as in all the forests of Brazil, and we seldom saw a really handsome or noble tree. The ground occasionally descended, here and there crossed by a clear little brook, and rose again with a gentle slope on the opposite side. We sat down at the first large Ygarapé, the Uassiitinga, which we reached after an hour’s march, and waited some time for our Indians, in order not to distance them too much. This con- siderate act was ill rewarded ; a hard shower of rain fell, which effectually silenced the Doctor, who had taken his station under a tree, with his « Beranger” in his hand, from which he was reciting aloud. As soon as our second column came up—it was out of the question to expect the third today, under the guid- ance of Roxa,—we crossed the rivulet and continued our march, while the Indians staid to rest. After the rain followed a hot sun, which dried our clothes in an instant. The path through the thicket now became more diffi cult at every step, as we had continually to climb over the trunks of fallen trees: nevertheless the Padre kept the lead with the same light step, and we again gained a considerable advance on the men. A fow single trees of increased size and beauty appeared here and there, but the forest in general remained true to its character. One of the trees (a Copaiba, I think, but some under- stood the Padre to say an Itaubd) measured, at about four feet from the ground, thirty feet seven inches (En- glish measure) in circumference. At half-past eleven o'clock A.». we reached the Q 2 228 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Ygarapé Uierena, where we again stopped for two hours, awaiting the remainder of our column. It was a small open spot, surrounded and shaded by some high trees and thick underwood ; close to the clear rivulet stood a rancho, resembling the huts of the Puris, and consisting of a roof of palm-leaves, supported by a few poles stuck mn the ground, and tied with creepers,—a proof that the place was occasionally used as a nocturnal encampment by the Indians on their way to Souzel. Refreshed by our halt, the whole column started again, with the Indians at the head, and after a few mo- ments we came to another broad rivulet ; across this the trunk of a prostrate tree formed a bridge, to which the Indians in passing had fixed a railing of lianes. Our party formed a curious picture as we crossed this bridge, the thick and shady foliage of the trees bending over the brook, and the graceful masses of tangled lianes nearly touching its surface. After awhile we came to some more fine trees, one of the trunks measuring thirty-nine feet in circumference ; we estimated its height, with that of many others of these giants of the forest, at a hundred and fifty feet ; for, notwithstanding its size, it appeared quite slender. The sun had for some time sunk below the horizon, when the sound of an axe at a short distance caught our ear; and descending some undulating ground, we reached at about five o'clock p.n. the place where we were to stop for the night, the only cleared spot on the wooded acclivity. Here we found some Indians already busied in making a fire. We could distinctly hear the THE BIVOUAC. 229 rushing noise of the Ygarapé das Caxoeiras not far off. At the lower point of our bivouac stood a gigantic tree, and some of our men found shelter for the night in the dark hollows at its broad base. Before the tree, and partly inclined against it, stood a light, somewhat dilapi- dated rancho, the roof of which did not look as if ijt would keep out the rain. Two fires were soon blazing cheerfully, around which we stuck some poles, fastening lines from one to another, and hanging our wet clothes up to dry. A little higher up the acclivity, we spread out the small sail which Captain Buckle had given us, so as to form a kind of roof, while three of our party slung their hammocks to the poles that supported it: the Padre, the Doctor, and I fixed our redes under the canopy of heaven, to some poles arranged round the sailcloth roof. It was quite dark, when the party collected about a small fire which we had made close to our three ham- mocks. That of the Padre was woven of blue and white cotton, and the two others of brown bast. The Padre’s boy, an indefatigable lad of his age, quickly brought out the saucers which our reverend friend destined for the Indians, but which for the present we applied to our own use. “O Francisco! O Rapasinho!” cried the Padre repeatedly to the lad,—who had to look after everything, and to wait upon the whole company,—send- ing him now here, now there, but reminding him in the kindest manner of all he had to do. Then away ran the nimble young chap, to fulfil his orders, never showing any symptom of fatigue. What he could do was really 230 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. astonishing—almost incredible for a boy of his age. Heavily laden, he had journeyed the same distance as ourselves, and in the evening was just as fresh and ac- tive as any of our party, who had carried nothing. Ra- pasinho could not gainsay his Indian extraction. Count Oriolla at length made his appearance with the steaming rice, and filled every one’s saucer: obliged as we had been to deny our appetite until this fashionable hour, it may easily be imagined that we were prepared to relish our supper. In a few minutes afterwards we betook ourselves to our redes. All was soon hushed in silence ; the fire burned brightly,—the clouds chased by the wind drifted across the sky, and the sloping ground was covered with leaves, which exhibited a phosphores- cent light, similar to that we had observed upon the sea. I now followed the example of the rest, got into my hammock, and fell fast asleep, in spite of the rushing sound of the Ygarapé das Caxoeiras and the noise of the cicadas. I had not rested long, when a shower of rain awoke me, and I fell into conversation with the Doctor. The Padre’s white nightcap just then peeped out of his ham- mock, but he quickly drew it again over his ears. We presently fell asleep. In a few hours there was a second shower, heavier than the first, which extinguished the fires. Every one now sought shelter under the sailcloth, and I was fortunate enough to secure a place. With the antipathy however natural to a European for the sting- ing ants and other insects that swarmed upon the ground, I hailed the offers of Count Oriolla and Mr. Theremin of THE BIVOUAC. 251 a place in their hammocks. We tried in vain to make room for two persons, and were obliged at last to give up our fruitless gymnastic experiments, partly from the impossibility of keeping our equilibrium, partly from the Egyptian darkness that surrounded us, and partly be- cause the slender hammocks were not able to sustain such a weight. For a moment the rain seemed to cease, and I instantly crept to my hammock. Another shower came on,—I cast a look at the Doctor, swinging in his hammock near me, and saw that he had no cloak ; the sight excited my compassion, and I tried to share cloak and hammock with him ; but although the intention was a noble one, its execution was anything but agreeable, for the end of it was that we both came rolling to the wet ground. This was rather too much for my patience; I sought again the shelter of the sailcloth as well as I could, working my way among the Indians. Once safely lodged under cover, I threw myself on the ground, and wrapping the poncho around me, managed to keep my head raised above the earth: my feet however were still exposed to the wet, and I tried to creep further under the sail ; but the same reason led the Indians to make a similar effort, and in the end they succeeded in drawing the sailcloth away from us, leaving the hammocks dangling in the rain. In so doing they broke several of the poles, one of the hammocks fell to the ground, and the cloth hung dripping down. What a condition! here was 1 lying on my back, in pitch darkness, my face upturned to the rain, which, together with the water that poured as from a gutter, threatened fairly to wash me away, 233 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. while my person offered a welcome refuge in the deluge to a swarm of ants! I can only compare myself in this plight to a pitiable beetle, lying helpless on its back, while the crowd pressed around. At length T felt a sen- sation of warmth, and perceived a light behind me : this arose from a little fire kindled by the Indians, which I manceuvred to reach, remaming all the while on my back, and placing my head between two of the Indians, unable to stir right or left. At length, banishing from my thoughts all the ants of Brazil, I fell asleep. December 4th. —Early this morning, after we had finished cooking and packed up our wet bundles, Count Oriolla, accompanied by the hunters of our party, started before the rest, promising to await us at the stream of Uassii-tingerété, where we intended to rest at noon. Their object was, on reaching that spot, to hunt, until the chief column came up. The Count fancied he might thus have a chance of a shot, which, as we had seen clearly on the previous day, was out of the question amidst all the noise made by the loaded Indians and sailors. Considering the quick pace of the Indian hunters, we followed half an hour later, soon after six o’clock. Dr. Lippold had yesterday drawn my attention to the me- phitic smell of vegetable matter, which is very percep- tible in the forests after heavy rain: we perceived the same today. The poor Doctor was much to be pitied,— he had great difficulty in keeping up with the Padre, who seemed to proceed at a quicker pace than yester- day, in the hope of reaching by evening the Anaurahy, the object of our journey. Dr. Lippold carried a long spear, HALT IN THE FOREST. 235 provided with a hook instead of a point, for the purpose of reaching the climbing plants; this instrument seemed however to have a natural predilection for the lianes, for at every step the hook got entangled in them, and more than once pulled the unfortunate Doctor down on his knees. Nevertheless the worthy botanist evinced no in- tention of relinquishing his weapon, and we succeeded at length, after many bootless attempts, in freeing him from his plant-box and the great-coat with which he had loaded himself. The Padre himself disburdened him in part, and, amongst other things, attached the Doctor’s large faciio to his own person. We had hitherto seen no palms in these forests, but today we met with them in large masses, although only along the banks of rivulets and in the low, swampy hol- lows, which today became more striking, as the hills were higher and more steep. We rested for a few minutes in one of these palm-groves: before us a clear brook ran murmuring along, on the bank of which stood a light- roofed rancho, shaded by the airy crowns of slender- shafted palms, between which the blue sky peeped forth. The sun was in his zenith, and shone down with great power, as if to make us forget the rain of the past night. Paint to yourself, Reader, the rapture with which we de- voured some chocolate-nuts shaken from the tree, some castanhas do Maranhio, and a handful of farinha which the Padre carried with him wrapt up in a handkerchief, — imagine to yourself the eagerness with which we quaffed the cold water of the forest-stream,—and you have a pic- ture of this short halt, and the simple enjoyment with 234 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. which we refreshed ourselves and prepared for new ex- ertions, Starting again we crossed the little brook by means of the trunk of a tree, ascended the rising ground at the back, and then continued for a long time our journey through the forest. We had scarcely proceeded for an hour from our resting-place, when the Doctor’s strength quite failed him, and we were obliged to leave him in charge of one of the negroes, partly not to lose too much time, and partly to enable the Doctor to follow us slowly to our halting-place at noon. Meanwhile the road became worse and worse : every moment we were obliged to climb over some huge tree, lying prostrate across our path, or to creep for a distance of thirty or forty yards under the branches entangled with impene- trable masses of lianes. Toiling along thus, we con- tinually shook down quantities of ants from the boughs, which, as we were lightly clothed, stung us unmercifully. Nothing however could stop the Padre, who advanced briskly before us, winding his way with wonderful dex- terity through the thicket, and climbing or leaping over every obstacle,—and this too slipshod! In addition to these fatigues, we had great difficulty in tracking the path, which was so covered with fallen leaves as to be scarcely visible, and was frequently wholly lost to sight for a great distance as we crept through the tangled bushes. Occasionally we came to other cross-paths or tracks in the leaves, or lopped branches, the signs left by persons in passing ; and at times we were brought to a complete stand-still for some minutes, till the Padre’s JOURNEY ALONG THE ESTRADA. R35 organ of locality befriended us and discovered the right path. Soon after we left the Doctor, the country became more hilly, and we seemed to have reached the highest point of the elevated ground of the so-called Serra, which crosses the Estrada and occasions the great bend in the Xing. I well remember with what pleasure we looked down from an open spot in the forest on to a charm.- ing valley, covered with tall Assai-palms: this was the first clear prospect we had enjoyed for two days, for it might in truth be said, that the closeness of the trees had properly speaking prevented our seeing the forest. On reaching the valley, we observed a flock of ma- caws, which had alighted on the top of a high tree, but we could not succeed in shooting one. We soon after heard the cry of monkeys, and followed in the di- rection of the sound, which gradually grew more and more distant. In crossing the trunk of a slender tree, we observed a magnificent scarlet coral-serpent, gliding along so quickly that it was impossible to secure it. At last, after a stiff walk, we arrived at half-past two o’clock p.M., hot and tired, at the longed-for rivulet of Uassi- tingerété, where we learned, to our great regret, that Count Oriolla and the hunters had started for the chase only a quarter of an hour before ; this news offered a poor prospect for dinner, which would be indefi- nitely delayed. The Padre however presently restored us to good humour; for on going to the brook to drink, he saw a large fish in the water, and was so lucky as to 236 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. strike it with the Doctor’s facio. We were told that at a few hundred paces from this spot there was a large open space, where we should find a rancho, and cross- ing the brook we hastened thither to prepare our meal. In a few minutes a bright fire was blazing near the rancho, and we promptly suspended our redes, and rested in them complacently till the dinner was ready. The walk to the Anaurahy would have occupied still several hours, and considering the exhausted condition of the poor Doctor and our men, especially the sailors who were unused to such marches or to carrying bur- dens, I resolved to proceed no further, but to remain here for the night. We all assembled again at dinner; the negro had piloted the Doctor successfully through the forest, and Count Oriolla had returned with his hunters from the chase. Though the Count had brought no game, he had much to tell of the sharp-sightedness, sense of lo ality, and swiftness of foot of his Indian companions, who had quite excited his admiration. Our dinner was enlivened by interesting conversation, while the « Tariéré-uassi ”’— the Padre’s fish, which he had ordered the people to grill in the Indian fashion, by laying it on a stick across the fire—promised us an additional treat. We all sat in our hammocks around the fire: darkness how- ever presently came on, and taking down the redes we prudently slung them under the roof of the rancho ; whereupon the whole company soon dropped asleep, un- disturbed by a little shower which fell during night. December 5th.—FEarly this morning, after a refreshing DESTRUCTIVE POWERS OF THE ANTS. 237 bath in the neighbouring stream, we started at half-past six o'clock. The ground we traversed was less hilly and undulating, and it was clear that we were again approach- ing the Xing. A number of tall prostrate trees were lying about, upon which large columns of ants of all kinds moved busily to and fro. In penetrating into the depths of the primeval forest, one sees evidence at every step that these minute creatures are the destroyers of the colossal trees, whose strength braves all the attacks of storm and wind. A striking instance is this of how small are often the means which the Creator employs to produce the mightiest results, for what greater dis- proportion can be imagined than between an ant and one of these giants of the forest? No sooner is a tree attacked by them than it is doomed, —its size and strength are of no avail; and frequently these little insects will destroy it in such a manner that the bark alone remains, and all the woody fibres crumble away, until the tall tree falls at length to the ground with a tremendous crash, a prey to the united and persevering attacks of millions and millions of the ants. Beside these proofs of the destructive power of these insects, the forests along the Estrada exhibit evidence of their skill, in the pyramidical ant-hills, similar to those we had seen on the coast of the province of Rio de Janeiro. We also observed large trunks of trees pierced with deep holes, having the appearance of filigree on a grand scale : this too was probably the work of these destructive insects. We now approached the termination of the Estrada, the 238 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. main direction of which is south-south-west. At starting I endeavoured to note down the bearings, and found that during the first hour the road from Tucuruf lay S. 40° W., then S. 20° W. ; but the continual windings in the path made it afterwards impossible to note them accu- rately. The Indians could only tell us the names of eight of the numerous little streams which cross the Estrada, and all flow toward the Xing : these were by no means the deepest, and some were at this time dried up ; their names, beginning from the north, were as follows —— the Ygarapé Curuatéua, Azoutinge (or Uassii-tinga), Ule- rena, das Caxoeiras (the sixth we crossed), Abintéua, Pocovasoroboca-uassii, Irema and Uassii-tingerété. These streams abound with fish, their water is cold and clear as crystal, and their beds sandy. The ground in the forest likewise appeared for the most part sandy, but swampy in the low hollows. The elevations that cross the Estrada from east to west are apparently only sand-hills, a few hundred feet high, and as little deserve the name of a “Serra,” as the small spot (perhaps thirty feet square) at the outlet of the Estrada near the Anaurahy merits the high-sounding name of “ Porto Grande.” Porto Grande was however the goal of our pedestrian excursion, and after walking for two or three hours we reached this lonely little place, the very picture of charm- ing and peaceful seclusion. Under a tree which bung over the river, and formed a kind of frame to the picture, our view rested upon the surface of the clear Anaurahy, — here scarcely a hundred paces wide—the opposite shore of which exhibited a high wall of forest, rendered ARRIVAL OF THE UBAS. 239 almost impervious by the tangled creepers and thick masses of foliage, from the midst of which a few species of tropical grasses bent gracefully forward. One of our sailors, the mulatto Furtoso, climbed into the branches of a tree that overhung the water, and angled with con- siderable success. Our fires were meanwhile kindled, and strings of lianes stretched from tree to tree, to dry our clothes upon, which a passing shower had wetted. We had plenty of time to accomplish all this at our leisure, as the “ Ubas,” which were to convey us to the nearest ““Maloca” of the Juriinas, had not yet arrived ; though, according to the convention made with this tribe, two of these vessels ought always to be at this spot. At length three ubds made their appearance, and at two o’clock P.M. we started. These ubds, in which we were to pass the next three weeks, are constructed, like the canoes of the negroes at Rio, of the trunks of large trees hollowed out, but differ from the latter in having less gunwale,— being more flat above. The stern and bow both ter- minate in a straight, flattened, projecting beak, like the boats on our rivers; and the ubds are propelled by pagaies, like the Igarité, or by poles cut in the forest - in paddling the crew sit facing the bow. The Ubi is not made for sailing, and, strange to say, the people of this country, which is so rich in wood, have not the slightest idea of a board or plank : the benches consist of a num. ber of sticks laid close together on the gunwale, or wedged in between the sides of the boat. For some hours the first day we found this seat very incommodi- 24.0 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. ous ; our feet too were constantly in the water that col- lected at the bottom of the boat. We therefore laid our heads together, to contrive a means of remedying this evil, and succeeded in some measure in forming a kind of grating, by placing sticks lengthwise across those fixed from side to side. With the aid of our ponchos and small bundies, laid on this grating, we made our seats comfortable, divesting them of their resemblance to the Latten*®, of which they at first feelingly reminded us. We distributed ourselves among the three ubis, two of our party in each boat,—Count Bismark and I in the first, Count Oriolla and the Padre in the second, and the Consul and Doctor in the third. We rapidly descended the narrow Anaurahy in a south-east direction, pass- ing under numerous masses of creepers, which hung down on each side close to the water’s edge. In a few minutes we entered a side branch of the Xing, on the left, about a hundred and fifty paces wide and flowing E. by S. As we advanced, the surrounding vegetation grew more luxuriant, and the magnificence and graceful- ness of the creepers and climbing plants surpassed all description. Under the shade of the thick masses of foliage, and the overhanging lianes, small groups of palms, of five or six different kinds, appeared here and there, placed as it were in dark niches or recesses : their slender stems seemed near the ground to form one single trunk, and their leaves or fronds dividing gracefully on the summit were apparently united in one broad crown. Such groups of palms were continually seen bending [* A military punishment, now abolished. ] AN ALLIGATOR. 241 over the river from each projecting point, yet present- ing to the eye a perpetually varying aspect,—arranged, one might imagine, with a taste and judgement that would have done honour to the most accomplished land- scape-gardener. As we sat absorbed in admiring the luxuriance of vegetation around us, our thoughts were suddenly called off to the animal world. « Jacaré | Jacaré |” exclaimed our Indian hunter, standing at the bow of the ub4, and pointing to a place in the water, where he had just seen a cayman or alligator dive under the surface : our un- practised eyes however could discover no trace of the creature. A few birds occasionally flew over our heads, and we now put our fowling-pieces in order, which seemed greatly to amuse the Indian hunter, who had a passion for the chase : he was cagerly on the alert, watch- ing on every side, and drawing our attention to all the objects that we passed. How great was our joy when he pointed out, on the shore of one of the islands, the first trace of a tapir or anta ! Paddling along in the dark, under the branches which formed a low roof of foliage, we noticed immense num. bers of a large species of bat, and presently came to what appeared to be a bifurcation in the river ; we however soon saw that this was occasioned by a small island, round which the stream flowed, reducing its width from a hundred to twenty or thirty paces. As we were work- ing hard to stem the increased force of the current, winding our course through the thicket, which rose from out of the water and crossing the channel excluded all VOL. II. R 242 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. prospect before us, the Indian hunter descried a fish of large size. Count Bismark fired and wounded it, and after a brisk pursuit the Indians succeeded in capturing the prey. This chase brought us rapidly out of the narrow channel, and at once the wide expanse of the main-stream of the Xing lay in all its majesty before us. Flowing from W. by S., it here forms a great bend in the direction of S.E.; in a word, we had now reached the chief turning-point of its course, where, after shortly before leaving its main direction, S.N., and then turning for a little distance eastward, it now flows in a south-east direction, here commencing the above- mentioned large bend of the Cataracts. Casting a glance down the mighty stream toward the south-east, an immense expanse of water, from a mile to a mile and half (four to six English miles) in breadth, lay before us, bounded by a line of wooded islets, be- hind which the outlines of the blue hills appeared faintly traced against the horizon. These elevated tracts oc- casion the rapids and cataracts of the Xing, and, not- withstanding their inconsiderable height, they force this enormous mass of waters, flowing with the rapidity of an arrow, out of its straight course. On a nearer approach, the islands are seen to lie in several successive rows. In the first line the island of Murissitiha is distinguished by a solitary, gigantic tree standing in the centre of i, and towering above the tops of all the others. Close to the right of Murissitiha lies a second wooded island of greater extent, at the south point of which we observed, high up in the thick wall of foliage, a round hole, looking HOWLING-MONKEYS. 243 as if made by human hands, through which was seen the blue sky. Between these two islands and the main-land of the right bank extended a second range of numerous small islands. Often did we look back upon this magnificent picture, as we rowed up the stream ; for the prospect before us was comparatively uninteresting : the river is not more than from fifteen hundred to two thousand paces broad, and much less studded with islands. Its shores are here steep and wooded, though seldom higher than one to two hundred feet. As we were rowing along the left bank, we observed the Padre’s boat standing in for the shore, and presently stop. We quickly rowed up to it, and were now gratified for the first time with a sight of some monkeys. Three months had we passed in Brazil without having seen one of these animals, —a sight which we had witnessed the second day of our visit to Gibraltar : however we were the more delighted at our present good-luck, watching the gambols of the large dark-brown guaribas, as they leaped from branch to branch. Eager for the chase, we climbed the steep bank, seizing hold of the roots of an immense fallen tree, and cutting our way with the facdes: but our efforts were all in vain, for the guaribas fled on our approach, and did not re-appear until we had returned to the boats and they were out of reach of our guns. The sun in a short time descended below the horizon, shedding a rosy glow of light over the stream : darkness almost instantly succeeded ; and at six o'clock p.y. we doubled the sharp turn in the Xing before mentioned, R 2 Er ; ee 244 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. and now steered southward against the stream. Knowing that the Maloca could not be at any great distance, we sent a boat on in advance to acquaint the Jurtnas with our purposed visit. The two other ubds kept together, and we lustily struck up a song, which however the Padre soon silenced, observing that our noise might alarm the timid Indians, and make them take to flight. We now approached the left bank, lay-to at seven o'clock among some other canoes, and went on shore. It was perfectly dark. All at once we observed torches coming toward us along the bank of the river, and soon discerned dimly the figures of some men, who lighted us up the steep and slippery bank, about twenty to thirty feet high. They led us to a hut, of which we could barely distinguish the rounded out- line. We entered, preceded by the Padre, who was the only one of the party known to the inhabitants : a group of dark-coloured, friendly-looking people, men, women, and children, stood before us, while the light of a blazing fire on the ground was reflected strongly on their figures, and displayed in their midst a thick-set man of some- what advanced age, drest in a pair of breeches, with a shirt hanging over them, like a blouse, who received the Padre in a most friendly manner. The whole group of Indians seemed equally pleased, and extending their right hand bade us welcome : at first the good people seemed a little embarrassed, but this feeling wore off in a few minutes. The Padre now introduced us one after another, my- self as a “ Tuxéva,”—a chief coming from a long way ARRIVAL AMONG THE JURUNAS. 245 off, beyond the great water. As soon as he had ended speaking, they all came up to me, one by one, holding out their right hand, and nodding at the same time with a friendly expression. The children were then brought out from every corner of the cabin, to be introduced to us,—a ceremony which was performed to each in tum. Until all this was concluded, we were not properly re- ceived, nor at liberty to fetch our baggage from the uba and deposit it in the hut where we were to pass the night. We now took our seats around the fire on some small wooden stools, and the Indians presently brought some broiled fish and “bananas da terra” as a present to the Padre, which, together with Count Bismark’s fish, furnished an excellent supper: we roasted the bananas, though, with a hungry appetite, this species is palatable in a raw state. By degrees more Indians assembled from the neigh- bouring huts, who welcomed us in the same cordial manner. It may easily be imagined that we had a strange feeling at finding ourselves transported into the midst of such different scenes of life, amongst these simple Indians, who in their natural, unaffected man- ner manifested so much good-nature and desire to please ;—and these are the so-called savages! surely we little expected such manners or such a reception, for there was not a trace in their features of savage cha- racter, nor did they resemble the shy and stupid Puris and Coroados in the forests of the Parahyba do Sul. Al- though the manners of the Jurinas bespoke the great- est simplicity, it was easily seen in their countenances 246 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. that they were on a higher grade of intelligence than the savage tribes of southern Brazil. We remained nearly an hour round the fire, to have time to observe the Indians at our leisure. The men were strongly built and well-formed, and the women, who wore a kind of apron, were in general prettier than those of the Puris and Coroados, among whom indeed we had seen only one pretty girl, at Aldea da Pedra. The women left the hut, one after another, and were fol- lowed by their husbands; but the dogs, those favourites of the Indians, were not so willing to quit the fire. Jodo, the old man in the breeches, gave up the cabin to us, in the absence of the chieftain, and took the inha- bitants to his own hut, the Indian women being afraid to sleep under the same roof with our party. Count Oriolla alone left us, and followed Jodo; but we hung our redes to the posts of the hut, wherever we could find room, for the Jurimas had not removed their hammocks. In spite of the strangeness of the place, and the glimmering fire, our fatigue after the journey of the last few days overpowered us, and we soon fell asleep. December 6th.—Early this morning I repaired to the small open space in front of our hut: close by, on the right, the bank descended steeply to the river; while another cabin similar to ours stood opposite, and be- tween the two was built an open, square, clay shed, its roof terminating in a gable surmounted by a cross. This last was a chapel, which the Padre had begun, but not vet finished : its bare walls on this occasion served MISSIONS OF THE JESUITS. 247 as night-quarters to the Indians and sailors of our party. The chapel, which in its present state resembled a barn, faces the Xingt, and before it, upon an embankment near the river's edge, stands a wooden cross,—a signifi- cant sign for this last outpost of Christianity against the heathen inhabitants of these boundless forests and wild regions. In the middle of the last century the Jesuits established a missionary-station on this spot, which, by the construction of the Estrada at the same time, was brought into closer connexion with Souzel : the new place was called Tavaquéra or Tauaquéra. This establishment however was of short duration: the last follower of Loyola who was stationed here, to promote the conversion of the heathen Juriinas, not only lost the confidence of the Indians by his bad conduct—which ill agreed with his zeal in the cause of proselytism— but exasperated them to such a degree that they mur- dered him. Almost a century passed ere the light of Christianity penetrated into the country beyond the ca- taracts, until two years ago our friend Padre Torquato visited these parts, and on the 1st of November, 1841, planted the cross a second time at Tavaquéra, and gave to the new settlement the name of Missiio da Impera- trix.” is friendly and conciliating manner, together with the rich presents of earthenware vessels, glass, beads, tools, etc. which he made to the Juriimas who occasion- ally visited Souzel, soon attracted others of the tribe, and the Padre succeeded in gaining their confidence, and baptized a large number. Although he had in this manner become known to many of the Indians, Le 248 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. deemed it prudent to have a strong escort in passing the Estrada, on paying his first visit to Tavaquéra, where he collected around him about three hundred Jurinas, forty of whom he baptized. Thus was the work of con- version commenced. From the foot of the cross there is an extensive view up the Xing, while the eye follows the river's course down to the commencement of the great eastern bend. The left bank is everywhere precipitous, while near the right bank lie several wooded islands, succeeding one another so closely that their dark-green masses of foliage appear to be connected with the forests of the main- land. Notwithstanding the early hour, all was astir on the small plot beside the cross and the chapel,—the only open space, a few feet broad, between the river and forest. The men were standing before the hut, with their bows and arrows, while the women were occupied in comb- ing their husbands’ long raven-black hair, and anoint- ing it as well as their whole body with palm-oil, which is kept for this purpose in a pretty, round calabash. Other Indian women, at the Padre’s desire, were weed- ing the small space in front of the chapel, where the grass shot up as luxuriantly as the neglected plantations of mandioca and bananas, which surrounded the huts to the extent of a few feet. We betook ourselves to the river, and bathed in the clear waters of the Xing, in spite of the biting “ piran- has,” against which the Indians earnestly warned us ; they are said to abound here, but none of our party HUTS OF THE JURUNAS. 24.9 was troubled by them. Meanwhile the whole popula- tion of Tavaquira,—men, women and children,—col- lected on the bank of the river, to see the white people bathe, who in their state of nudity seemed to be less strangers to the happy condition of their own savage life. After our bath we breakfasted. In consequence of a sore foot, I was prevented accompanying a party to one of the neighbouring islands, where the Counts Oriolla and Bismark were in hopes of meeting with tapirs and tigers. Although I had little faith in these anticipations, still I regretted being unable to join the excursion. To compensate for this disappointment, I accompanied the Padre and an Indian, armed with bow and arrows, into the adjacent forest; but even this pleasure I was soon obliged to relinquish, and now confined my observation to the interior of our hut and its inhabitants. The ground-plan of the huts of the Jurtinas, in which great order scems to prevail, forms an oblong square, rounded at the smaller sides, and about twenty to thirty feet long. Above this rises a slight frame made of poles, similar to an arbour, which is supported and strength- ened withinside by other shorter poles. At the point where the lateral poles unite and form the roof—at about twenty feet from the ground—stand the chief props, few in number, in order not to lessen the room in the hut. Some of the side poles are also supported in the middle, and again at about five feet from the floor. The first-mentioned props, which protect the side poles in the middle, are connected above by a cross-pole, ex- tending the whole length of the hut from one wall to the 250 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. other. On these cross-poles rest a number of others with sticks placed lengthwise, so as to form a kind of loft, where stores of every description are kept. Here were collected baskets for mandioca, heaps of cotton, large vessels (mostly calabashes), bundles of reeds for making arrows, etc. At five feet from the ground are other cross-poles, over which the Juréinas place smaller ones lengthwise, forming a shelf or table, intended to receive various utensils, cujas, baskets, vessels for palm-oil, ete., and on which lie their weapons, bows and arrows. Some musical instruments hung around, and a few red ma- caws’ feathers, the favourite ornament of the men, were stuck into the wall. The walls of the hut are constructed by connecting the side poles which form the roof with others run- ning horizontally round the hut, from the ground to the gable, at intervals of two feet. To this framework of poles and sticks, fastened together by lianes, are attached on the outside layers of palm-leaves, which afford a good protection against the rain. These walls have the advantage of being easily pierced with a piece of wood, enabling the people to hang up anything out of the dirt: a window might be made with equal facility. The two entrances on the smaller sides of the hut are the only openings, and a perpetual state of semi-dark- ness prevails in these dwellings; there is moreover neither chimney nor hearth, but this is no impediment to cooking, the means of effecting which are very simple. Near the fire lie some large stones, and, when required, a hearth 1s formed with these. Between the posts are THE JURUNAS. 251 suspended, without any order, the cotton hammocks, which serve the purpose of seats as well as beds, and are hung so low, that, in sitting, a person’s feet touch the ground. Beside the redes and the lofts or shelves above mentioned, some low stools made of a single piece of wood constitute the only furniture in the apartment. All the huts we visited of this tribe of Indians, who, next to the Mundrucis and Mauhdés, are considered the most civilized and industrious in the province of Para, were constructed and furnished in a similar manner. Though the sight of naked men produces at first a strange im- pression, this in a degree soon wears off, especially among people of colour: in fact we whites seemed to our- selves much more naked when bathing than the Indians. The Jurtnas are of a middle size, and though their legs are somewhat short in proportion to the rest of the body, and in most of them the abdomen protrudes a little, they are, as we have observed, strong and well- made ; their movements and attitudes are noble and graceful, while their whole bearing bespeaks true manli- ness, and their strong figures the absence of all effemi- nacy : in feature they are distinguished from the other In- dians we had seen by a somewhat arched nose. Gene- rally speaking their manners are pleasing, with an air of openness and good-nature, which is seen in their friendly looks, unmingled with any trait of a savage character. Their jet-black hair, falling over the shoulders, gives them a curious appearance, contrasting strongly but agreeably with their glossy, dark skin. Although their hair is generally loose and flowing, they sometimes in a aS EE ———— S A a ba Sa i ie a a aan CO — A —. I Sy A tow ee SOA ot rs n2 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. travelling tie it up, or make it into long tails. The men for the most part have no beards, as they pluck out all the hairs, the “ Pagés >” (conjurors and physicians) being the only exception, and these have but slight traces of a beard. The women go so far as to pluck out their eye- brows and eyelashes. It is strange that, with all the attention these Indians bestow on their hair, they seldom wear any kind of head- dress. We saw at Tavaquéra only one Indian with an ornament of this kind,—a wreath of green parrots’ feathers in his hair, which gave him a more savage and strange appearance. The men however frequently wear a red macaw’s feather stuck behind the ear, or a thin reed at the end of which is fixed the tooth of a slain enemy. They also wear strings of blue or black glass- beads round their necks, and great numbers round their waists, forming a kind of belt from three to four inches broad. Round the upper part of the arm and ankle they tie a close-fitting band of red cotton, having the appearance of Russia leather: this is of great value, being often the gift of a sweetheart. When a Jurina wishes to marry a girl, he addresses himself to her father, as neither she nor the mother have any voice in the matter. Before the father gives his consent, he requires proofs of the suitor’s skill and courage,—such as, in shooting a jaguar or tapir with his bow, or producing as a trophy the tooth of some enemy he has slain. At other times still more arduous tests of skill are demanded; for instance, when the cross was erected at Tavaquara, the old Indian took a INDIAN MARRIAGES. 253 fancy into his head to require from his daughter’s suitor that during the dance he should make a cigar and pre- sent it to him! The young Juriina began the dance with great sang-froid, luckily observing a tobacco-plant growing close by, which had escaped the old man’s notice ; during the dance he flung his arms about in the manner of the conjurors (for he had probably re- presented himself as a Pagd), and approaching the plant plucked a leaf; then twisting it into a cigar he pre- sented it to the old man, who no longer hesitated to give him his daughter, and Padre Torquato married them on the spot. Chieftains and Pagés are the only excep- tion to this rule, as every father considers himself fortu- nate to have so distinguished a suitor for his daughter’s hand ; and, while the Jurtinas are in general satisfied with one wife, the « Tuxiva > has usually several. Among the inhabitants of Tavaquéra only one young Jurina was tattoed, who looked just as if he had on a pair of open-worked mittens ; his legs also were painted, and seemed as if cased in stockings of a similar kind, reaching to the knee. The women wear a kind of apron or langa, checkered grey and brown, something like a Scotch kilt, which they contrive to fasten round their waists without either tying or pinning. They make this apron of coloured cotton, on a kind of embroidery-frame : young girls, who are not of age, go naked. The Indian ladies are loaded with necklaces, and if they cannot pro- cure glass-beads, they are content with strings of seeds instead, of a grey colour and the size of a pea; or they string together nutshells, to which they ascribe medicinal 2 ert eatin 24 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. properties. They likewise wear broad armlets, made of black wood, and the same cotton bands on their arms and ankles as the men: the hair is worn like that of the men, but they never ornament it with feathers. They seem to take greater pleasure in adorning their little children than themselves, decking them out with a pro- fusion of beads and finery. Beside the two huts and the chapel, there was another cabin on the bank of the river, a little concealed from view, and close by a rancho. Three deaths had recently taken place mn this hut, at short intervals, and the in- habitants, either considering it unhealthy or from motives of superstition, had abandoned it. In the middle of the hut were three graves, and as we entered, it was dark and gloomy, the sun being hidden by the rising clouds. The mode of burial among the Jurtmas, Padre Torquato told us, is very simple: the dead body is wrapt up in the rede and placed upon a mat, made of palm-leaves (Zupé) : a second mat is then covered over it, the grave is filled up with earth (which must be fetched from the depths of the forest), and a third 7upé is finally laid over the whole. Upon a man’s grave are laid his bow and ar- rows, and paddle ; while at the interment of a woman, all that she possessed is thrown into the river. Some time after burial, when only the bones remain, these are taken by the relatives out of the earth, and hung up in amat or basket under the roof of the hut. Thus in every dwelling of the Jurinas (except the deserted one just mentioned) we found the bones of the dead preserved in the abodes of the living. During the first twelvemonth BURIAL AMONG THE JURUNAS. 255 the survivors go every morning and evening to the grave, to weep and wail ; and it is the first duty of any member of the family, who has been absent, on his re- turn to the village to begin a lamentation for the dead. The rancho was inhabited by several families, who had come from a great way off: they seemed to have taken up their abode here, and had brought with them various utensils. A pretty little bow, belonging to a boy, caught my eye, and I asked him to give me a proof of his skill n shooting ; perhaps from a feeling of over-eagerness, he missed the mark, which seemed to annoy him greatly ; but he was still more vexed when I desired to purchase the bow. is mother eyed the glittering beads which T offered in exchange,—they were too tempting, and she used all her persuasion to induce her little boy to con- sent to the sacrifice, representing to him what a treasure the beads would prove. At last the lad yielded, with a heavy heart, and obeying his mother’s sapient advice handed me the bow. We now returned to our hut, where dinner was pre- pared, and presently the two Counts arrived, wet to the skin, and without having seen a wild-heast of any kind. Our roast-meat consisted of guariba, cooked a 7’ udienne on a stick over the fire: it tasted something like a hare, but was rather tough. Count Oriolla also contributed a “ Mutim ” (Curasow), a large brown bird he had shot, which proved excellent. After dinner we had a specimen of Indian medical skill, which excited our laughter: the negro had during the journey got a thorn into his foot, which swelled, and 2506 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. he was in consequence lodged in the little unfinished chapel. The Pagé of Tavaquira, distinguished by his diminutive figure, aged appearance and moustachios, now came up to the negro, and putting on a solemn look, as much as to say, “ Let me alone, this is a trifle for me,” he blew several times upon the foot, passed his hand over it, and presently exhibited to the specta- tors a thorn, which he pretended to have extracted. The negro evidently put full faith in his words, notwithstand- ing that, on setting his foot upon the ground, it still pained him. The conjuror afterwards undertook a similar cure of another person, again exhibiting the same thorn in proof of his skill. Nevertheless the bystanders ap- peared lost in amazement. The Indians who inhabited our hut now took their dinner : it was a curious scene, not asily to be for- gotten, and one which I should like to have sketched. A handsome young man was lying in his rede, and bend- ing gracefully down received his food from a calabash held by his wife, who knelt before him. It was a fine picture of the domestic peace and happiness so com- monly found among these children of the forest. The wife is almost inseparable from her hushand, accompany- ing him to the chase, or to fish, and even on his war- like expeditions ; or if he prefers to go alone on these occasions, she occupies herself at home with weaving cotton redes or aprons, working at the ro¢a, or preparing her husband’s meals. After dinner she always brings him water to rinse his mouth. Beside the attention they bestow on their children, the women take great interest ARRIVAL OF THE CHIEFTAIN. A257 in the education of young puppies, which are great favourites with them. They carry these about in their bosoms, tied up in a cloth, and we have even seen Wo- men frequently suckle them. The laziness of the men at home forms a contrast to the industrious habits of the women : a Jurima sits or lies in his hammock at his ease, pointing arrows or weaving a basket. His favourite amusement seems to be smoking, and he seldom lets his cigar go out : although he has several musical mstruments, he scarcely ever plays on them. We have not witnessed the manufacture of bows and paddles, or the construction of canoes; this work 1s probably carried on out of doors. The afternoon was spent in bartering various articles with the Indians, and towards evening our other canoes arrived, with Senhor Roxa and the baskets of farinha, so that we could now arrange to depart on the following morning. Presently we heard that the Tuxdva or chief- tain was coming, and repairing to the open space hefore the hut we saw a number of people assembled. Tt was a fine evening, and the setting sun shed a ruddy glow over the sky and the waters of the Xing. A handsome young Indian stood leaning against the cross, and gazing on the majestic stream and the immense forests ; while all the bystanders hastened to the bank of the river, some scrambling down the steep cliff with remarkable agility, to watch for the canoe in which the Tuxava and his young wife were returning from Souzel. In a few minutes the chieftain, with his bow and arrows, came up to us, and extending his right hand to VOL. II. S 258 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. ach In turn, gave us a friendly welcome. Jozé Antonio Bitancourt was a handsome man, of a strong and sym.- metrical frame, his noble figure and dark complexion set off to advantage by the broad blue belt of beads. There was an expression of caution, rather perhaps of cunning, in his look. The youngest of his wives, who accompanied him, was more delicately formed than the other Indian women, and her features were handsomer. Not only was he the chief over the six or eight families, with a population of forty to sixty persons, who resided at the settlement of Tavaquira, but in addition to this he had put forward his pretensions, supported by the Bra- zilian Government, to the dignity of Cazique of all the Jurimas. Beside the chieftain over cach settlement, this tribe has been accustomed to acknowledge a general head, to whom they all render homage, and whose office is hereditary. The last of these Caziques left be- hind him a son, who was a minor, and in consequence several attempts had been made to supersede him. The Brazilian Government, taking advantage of this circum- stance, had nominated the Tuxiva of Tavaquira as their candidate to succeed to the dignity of Chicf of all the Jurinas, and, with a view to strengthen his position among his own tribe, had desired Padre Torquato to summon a meeting of the Juriinas at Tavaquéra, at which Jozé Antonio Bitancourt was elected chief. The pretender however did not acquire much influence among the people; the son of the last Tuxiva principal,” now eighteen years of age, was a general favourite with the Juriinas, and they would much have preferred see- CHIEFTAIN OF THE JURUNAS. 259 ing him occupy his rightful position ; this led, if not to an actual feeling of ill-will, to a coolness and in. difference toward the usurper, an instance of which we had soon occasion to observe ; he offered to accompany us the next morning up the Xing to the other Molocas, and the Padre determined to take this opportunity of presenting him to the tribes residing there. Judging from the influence possessed by the Tuxivas of the single settlements, the common chief cannot ex- ercise any great authority. The Tuxéva is looked up to by all the members of the Moloca, as their acting re- presentative in all negotiations with the whites or other tribes. Thus far he enjoys the general confidence, hut he is not allowed to interfere in matters of domestic life, which are all under the control of the father of the fa- mily. Nor is the Tuxdva the recognized chief in war - if a war or an invasion of another settlement be resolved upon, a Pagé is consulted as to the best manner of con- ducting it. The latter then takes upon himself all the preliminary command, and leads the warriors to the spot which he thinks fittest for the field of battle : but here his authority ends ; every one fights for himself, without thought or regard for the rest,—his object is simply to slay an enemy, and when he has accomplished this he returns home. The Juriinas, like many other Indians, generally pass a part of the year in wars with single families of other tribes, carrying off their sons: for such invasions, in which several Molocas unite, an occasion is never want- ing, as the barter between the neighbouring tribes affords S$ 2 260 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. a ready cause of misunderstanding and strife. The Ju- rimas told us that the last battle had taken place thir- teen months before, on a small island in the Xingd : some Taconhapéz Indians were suspected of having stolen a ubd, and this led to a fight, in which the Jurtnas were victorious and ten Taconhapéz slain. We now return to the Tuxiva Bitancourt, who, as is often the case, united in his own person the offices of Chieftain and Pagé : he had been absent a week from the Moloca. When the new-comers had saluted the Padre, they entered the hut, and all sat down close together in a circle, with a number of women, upon small footstools ; then they commenced the usual lamentation, for a nephew of the Tuxdva, a child who had died three or four months before, and was buried in the opposite hut. There they sat howling and sobbing, and some of the women press- ing their eyes to squeeze out tears ; when any one of them was fatigued, she beckoned to another, who took her place in the circle, handing to her the child or little puppy which she was carrying. These lamentations lasted for at least half an hour : after awhile however the group of mourners showed signs of uneasiness, and shifted their quarters from the corner more into the middle of the apartment, nearer to the fire, the warmth of which seemed to be welcome as night set in. When the lamentation was at last ended, the Padre at our desire made a request for a general dance, and desired the Tuxdva to set about the necessary arrange- ments. Two or three large fires were lighted in front of the hut, around which all the population of Tavaquira DANCE OF THE INDIANS. 2061 readily assembled at the summons of the chieftain. He himself made his appearance drest in a blue shirt, and blue cloth trowsers with a stripe of gold lace, and wear- ing a cap of similar material, with his hair tied up in the fashion of the ladies. But handsome as he had looked when naked, this costume—which by the way was a present from the Padre—gave him quite an ordinary ap- pearance. His wives seemed to be of the same opinion, and it was probably at their suggestion that the chieftain soon divested himself of the burden of his clothes, only retaining the cap, on which he prided himself greatly. It was a beautiful evening, and the stars shone brightly : the light of the fires was thrown strongly upon the surrounding dark-coloured figures, and the huts and lofty trees behind the dwelling ; nay even the stream was illumined. While the preparations were in progress, we supped off a “ Quati”—an animal from the forest. At last, after a long delay, three women stepped out of the group of Indians, threw their arms around ach other, and keeping time to a song, first advanced and then retired four steps. A little deaf and dumb boy kept pulling at the apron of his mother who was dancing, until she took him up in her arms, which she did without getting out of time or step. I had sketched this boy at his own desire that morning, but the young fellow from a feeling of shame kept his hands before his face, and I could only catch the reverse of the picture. Soon after three more women joined in the dance, and these two parties now moved round each other, alternately advan- cing and retreating four steps as before, and introducing 202 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. as many changes into the figure as the narrow space between the fires would admit. I had been told that it was ga peculiarity of these Indians that the men never joined in the dances of the women, but only danced by themselves at certain solemn drinking-bouts. On this occasion however two men took part, joining in turn the two groups, or dancing between them arm-in-arm. One of these Juriinas was the Indian with the tattooed gloves and stockings, carrying a long stick in his hand as a lance ; the other, who flourished his faciio wildly in the air, was our friend with the wreath of green parrots’ feathers. The dancers now formed new divisions, of two and two, the men always remaining together : the time became quicker and the song louder, but in the midst of the confusion the mea- sured step was kept throughout. The burden of the song, we were told, expressed their Joy that the < Pai,” or father, had come to visit them, and had brought such ‘good people” with him. At last strength and breath could hold out no longer, for they had not rested a mo.- ment. Thus ended this impromptu dance, and we were presently resting quietly in our hammocks, which hung beside those of the Jurinas, whose wives did not this night fly from the hut *. December 7th.—As our « esquadrilla” of four ubis * In addition to what I have previously observed, T would here add, that according to Spix and Martius (vol. 3, page 1050), it was a German Jesuit missionary who first settled among the Taconhapéz and Jurinas, at ““ Tucuana above the Turicary” (Tucurui), a place which, according to the older-maps, was situated just below the las cataract, FLOTILLA OF CANOES. left the landing-place, at half-past seven o'clock a.m. our dark-coloured friends stood on the bank of the river, watching us for a long time as we rowed up the stream, though none had come to take leave of us ; this custom, I am inclined to think, is unknown to them. Beside the Tuxdva, the man with the green parrots’ feathers and his wife accompanied us,—all three seated in the largest and longest of the ubds, which contained also the Padre and his servant, Count Oriolla, a steers- man and three rowers,—altogether ten persons. Count Bismark and myself occupied a light ub4, with a pilot, and a mixed crew of four men, sailors and Indians, who accompanied the Padre from Souzel and Tucurui. In the third canoe, which was so small as hardly to allow a person to move, sat the Consul and the Doctor, with the same number of men. The fourth ubj was provided with a oldu, or slight awning of palm-lcaves, under which was stowed the baggage and we intended to put any purchases we might make on our way. Senhor Roxa had the charge of these things, and, mcluding himself and the four men in his boat, our expedition numbered cight-and-twenty persons. The large ubd presented a strange appearance, con- taining a mixed crew, male and female, dark-skinned and whites, and freighted with our provisions, including two large baskets full of farinha. The Indian with the wreath of feathers propelled the boat with a long pole and paddle ;—now he stepped to the very edge of the bow thrusting his oar into the green waters of the Xing, and bearing upon it with all his strength ; again he stepped 264 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. back, fixing his foot firmly against the boat as if he were going to sink it ; then suddenly starting up, he drew the oar out of the water, and repeated the operation, at the same time shaking his long black hair, as a lion does his mane : there was surprizing beauty as well as power in all his movements. Artists ought to visit these regions : the sight of such fine manly forms and attitudes calls to mind the statues of the antique; for among these people the free development of the powers and form of the body is unimpeded by dress or effeminacy ; all 1s nature, and affectation is unknown in attitude or movement. After proceeding for half an hour, we reached a reef of rocks, crossing the stream from the left bank to Capaii, the nearest of a series of islands. Numerous blocks of water-worn conglomerate, similar to those at Souzel, rise above the surface of the Xingu, forming, our pilot told us, a considerable rapid or caxoeira at high- water. The island of Capa is flat and thickly wooded, and the left bank of the river appeared still a little ele- vated, though the forest upon it was not high. After passing this reef, we turned round and gazed once more on the wooded banks of Tavaquira, and a chain of hills beyond, covered with forest, called the « Serra Arapuja.” We proceeded thus for an hour, when we observed a quantity of bushes, growing in the middle of the stream, similar to those on the Parahyba, partly upon rocks and partly rising from the water as if rooted at the bottom of the river. As the other boats were far behind, we had time to step on shore for a few minutes, to ob- VOYAGE UP THE XINGU. R65 serve more closely the rocks we had seen in small, single masses along the shore. While our men were busy cutting poles and sticks, we looked about us, and in- spected a mass of schistose granite; the beach which skirted the forest was covered with a loose conglomerate of quartz-pebbles and sand. We presently got into our boats again and pushed off. The forest on the left bank was now of greater height and much more beautiful, although entirely de- void of that ornament the palm, which we nowhere saw in this day’s voyage. Wooded islands succeeded one another closely, and we proceeded for some time along the shores of one upon our left, the island of Arasatir, from the centre of which rose a group of forest-trees, their tops forming a single vaulted roof of foliage, bent nearly to the water's edge by the large, heavy masses of climbing plants. And how beautiful are those dark shadows, under masses of foliage of the most varied green tints! Looking up the stream, on the right bank, we observed between these islands the misty outlines of the Serra Truitira, as it was called by the pilot, who was never at a loss for a name. These names sounded at times very questionable, for the Indians seem to be perfectly care- less in such matters, and in more than one instance a spot was called by two quite different names. The chan- nels between the islands became gradually narrower, and we noticed a larger number of shrubs, raising their branches above the surface of the water. The swiftened stream. which was now a continuous rapid, was passed 260 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. soon after ten o'clock a.m. On looking back we saw the river crossed by such a long line of small masses of rock, with shrubs growing between them, stretching from the left bank toward the islands, that it seemed surprizing how we could have steered through this maze, which, although at only a short distance, now entirely concealed the river from our sight. It was a fine day, but the heat gradually became so oppressive that we halted again under the shade of the overhanging creepers, to let the men rest until the other ubas should come up. We had our guns loaded all the morning, but shot nothing. Every now and then taking aim at some macaw, we stood watching impa- tiently till it should fly within reach, and unwilling to throw away powder and shot ; but our patience at last gave way, and as soon as a macaw flew overhead, how- ever high, the guns went off as of themselves. Our eagerness being damped by this ill-success, we now sur- rendered our guns to the Indians, to keep them in good humour, and allowed them to try their luck. Forgetting at once all fatigue, they leaped on shore, and were soon lost in the thicket. For a time there was silence ; sud- denly the report of a gun was heard, and—the macaw flew away unhurt close over our heads! The other boats at length arrived; our companions had also wasted a quantity of powder and shot in vainly firing at these birds. The Indians now returned, and climbed back into the uba by the aid of a large branch stretching over the river, and we were soon in advance of the other boats. Cautiously avoiding the middle of the RAPIDS OF THE XINGU. 207 stream, where the current is strongest, we kept as much as possible in the side-channels separated from the main- stream by a number of islands, which shut out any open prospect, and made it difficult to form any general idea of the course of the Xing: it was not until our return, when we kept to the middle of the stream, that we could ascertain this satisfactorily. I shall therefore reserve any remarks on this subject till we come to our descent of the river. Winding our way among the numerous islands, we had from time to time many interesting views, through the openings between these channels, of the most luxu- riant vegetation and magnificent trees. What would an Englishman give to transplant a small slice of this natural garden of South America, and attach it as a noble park to his country-mansion ! the only thing required to give it the greatest beauty and interest would be, to make roads and walks, and abstain from any caprices of artificial culture. Soon after one o'clock we saw before us a channel be- tween two wooded hills, from which the Xing seemed to rush with greater force: at first I mistook it for a kind of strait, but soon discovered that the height on the left was merely an island. At the same time we heard the distant sound of falling waters, and fancied we were approaching a cataract ; until on coming nearer, it proved to be only a strong rapid, called a Caxoeira,” or waterfall. The Xing here flows between shelfy masses of ochreous conglomerate, on which rested gneiss, or granite resembling gneiss. Our crew leaped into the 2068 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. water, and with their arms and shoulders pushed the uba against the stream, selecting those channels be- tween blocks and shelves in which there was sufficient depth for the boat. It was quite a picture to see these naked Indians, stemming the foaming current of the river, and forcing the canoe through the rushing water and the waves which it forms in falling over the rocks. They moved with surprizing security in the torrent and over the slippery rocky bottom, and sometimes losing their footing were obliged to swim till they regained a rock. After toiling thus for half an hour, we reached the head of the Caxoeira, and securing our boat between the rocks, sat awaiting the other ubas on a flat shelf, while our crew went to assist the rest. An extensive view lay before us,—beyond the rapids, a wide sheet of water, margined all round with high forest, above which rose wooded heights at various distances. The Xing flows S.8.W. toward this basin, and taking a north direction at the rapids, forms a large expanse or bay on the left side toward the NW. A line of bushes, intermingled with numerous small blocks, marks the direction of the Caxoeira, which crosses the mighty river diagonally ; and higher up the stream, at a con- siderable distance, rises a blue range of hills. When all the boats were again assembled, we sent some Indians on before in a light canoe, armed with bows and arrows, to fish ; the rest of our little squadron followed leisurely, in an oppressive heat, and crossing the basin attempted to regain the left bank of the river ; THE TACONHAPEZ INDIANS. 209 but the strong counter-current exhausted the strength of our crew, who were already greatly fatigued. At the head of this basin, above the Caxoeira, we observed several islands covered with bushes, one of which lay at some distance up the stream, isolated from the rest, and only separated from the left bank by a narrow channel. This is the deserted island of the Taconhapéz, a tribe of Indians who had some time previously taken possession of this spot, and formed a 7o¢z on the opposite bank : it was a good halting-place, and we stopped here at four o'clock in the afternoon. In Pari the story goes that the Taconhapéz are a tribe of white Indians: they are said to be really of a lighter colour than other Indians, with occasionally fair hair and blue eyes,—a fact simply accounted for, as Padre Torquato observed, by the circumstance that they are descended from runaway Spaniards and Portuguese and Indian women®. At the present time they are on a lower grade of civilization than the neighbouring tribes ; their weapons are formed with less skill, they live in mere ranchos, continually shift their abodes, and are sometimes friendly and at others hostile to the Jurinas : they are also said to be of a shorter stature and weaker frame. A small, unfrequented path led from our shady halt- ing-place on the river’s bank, to the forest, and over some felled trees to the roca, which chiefly consisted of plantains. The easy conscience of the Indians in all * Von Martius observes (vol. 3, page 1047) that they agree in language and in some customs with the Tupinambas. 70 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. matters of mewm and fuum led them to appropriate for their own and our use a quantity of this fruit, chiefly of the kind called « bananas da terra,” which we roasted. In a short time the fishing-boat returned: our tawny friend with the wreath of feathers brought us, with a look of triumph, a small delicate fish called ¢ Pacu,” and a large “ Araja,” or ray, three feet long, which he had shot with his bow : these we roasted on a gridiron formed of small sticks. The sun was already setting when we re-embarked ; nevertheless we continued rowing up the stream from half-past six until nine o'clock in the evening. At first it was very dark, but after awhile the moon threw a pale gleam on the surface of the river: our course still lay among the islands, and we were unable to note the direction of the main stream. At length we halted on the left bank, and stepped on shore at a spot where, the Indians said, we should find some de- serted ranchos of the Taconhapéz. Padre Torquato sal- lied forth in the dark in quest of these, and succeeded after a long search in finding two. We now took our redes, and followed our reverend friend as well as we could to the ranchos, which after all lay at no great di- stance from the river. Three of our party slung their hammocks in each of the sheds; but this was no easy matter, for just as they were getting into their berths the posts of these palm-roofed sheds are apt to give way, and tact is required in choosing a post strong enough to sustain the weight ; sometimes it has to be strength- ened by a second post fixed across it, to which the rope A NIGHT IN THE FORESTS. 371 of the hammock is slung; but although the rede is at first raised high above the ground, it not unfrequently happens that in a few minutes its inmate is brought to the ground in a more or less gentle manner. The men were meanwhile busied in lighting the fires, which soon illumined the forest-trees around, and their fantastic wreaths of lianes, while at a little distance among the trees we descried by the light some of the Indians who, tired out, had hung their redes to the branches of the trees, and were rocking themselves to sleep. Tt was strange to sce these naked savages lying exposed in the open air, without covering of any descrip- tion, whilst we, in addition to our usual clothing, were glad to wrap ourselves in warm cloaks. December Sth.—I1t was still dark, when the signal was given to start; and jumping out of our nets, we packed them up, together with bundles and cloaks, and went to the bank of the Xing, where our breakfast was cook- ing over a fire not far from the canoes. Our Indian friends were however ready sooner than ourselves: the hero with the head-dress of feathers jumped out of his hammock at a bound, shook his long hair, and seized his bow and arrows; while his wife anointed and combed his hair, and then taking the hammock of her lord and master patiently on her back, followed him to the river- side. It was half-past five o’clock a.n. before our squa- dron was again in motion, after the Padre and the Con- sul had made another vain attempt to shoot a macaw, which sat perched in a group of beautiful palms, waiting for the first warm ray of the morning sun. Still keeping R72 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. along the left bank of the river, we soon passed some islands : the prospect, on looking back, was closed by a line of heights, and before us rose a rounded hill. The rushing sound of falling waters was heard in that direc- tion, which gradually increased until at half-past six we reached the Caxoeira. The torrent here forced its way among a wide bed of rocks, or poured over the rocky shelves extending from its left bank to the islands in the mid-channel,—the whole covered with low green bushes, from the midst of which rose a magnificent tree with a rich mass of foliage, the rounded hill above- mentioned forming the background. The bank was here covered with forest, rising gradually, upon which the first rays of the sun now shone, lighting up every imaginable tint of the most brilliant green, while the picturesque outlines of the lofty trees stood out in strong relief against the azure sky behind. But what constituted the greatest charm in these forests was the Uauassi-palms, which we saw here for the first time ; their crowns reminded me involuntarily of the Prince of Wales” plumes, the pinnated leaves looking like a tuft of gigantic ostrich-feathers, rising with a gentle arch from the top of the large, straight trunk. With a great effort we at length surmounted the obstacles in these rapids; but it was eight o'clock be- fore all the boats were hauled over, and we could con- tinue the voyage. Our attention had been attracted to the light ub containing the Doctor, which had for some time kept apart from the rest: the crew beckoned and made signs to us, which we could not understand, until VOYAGE UP THE XINGU. A the boat came near. They had secured a Paca (Cwlogenys Paca), still fresh, which was floating along, and had probably been killed, while swimming across the stream, by the Piranhas, a fish very formidable to bathers. Above this Caxoeira, called by the Indians the « Ca- vitia,” the Xing assumes quite a new character. We now steered through narrow channels, frequently so shal- low that the boats could be pushed along with poles, from time to time crossing them and passing between islands covered with the most luxuriant vegetation, some of which scarcely rose above the level of the river, and had all the appearance of submerged land. We often passed tracts covered with low tangled bushes, rising so thickly out of the water that we could hardly sce a yard before us, and were sometimes obliged to lie down on our backs, and cover our faces with our hands, while the branches brushed over us. In these places the current swept along at the rate of five knots, while its average velocity was only two and a half to three knots an hour. After surmounting these obstacles we were richly re- warded by a view of the rich vegetation which covered the islands. The Uauassi-palms became more scarce, but were succeeded by the slender Jauari (prickly- palm*), which is only surpassed in elegance by the Assal. Their dark, round, wavy crowns generally occurred in picturesque groups near the banks of bushy islands. At half-past eleven this morning we again enjoyed an open prospect up the river. On the left bank, at the foot of a wooded Serra, apparently from eight hundred * See Spix and Martius, vol. 3, page 1158. T YOL. II. 274 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. to a thousand feet in height,—the highest we had seen in our voyage up the Xingi,—we observed a white point, which our pilot told us was an Indian hut, where we might expect a friendly reception. At a considerable distance before us extended a range of hills, with rounded summits, partly hidden by the lofty trees upon an island on the right. The hut, with a few large trees, gradually separated from the forest of the mainland, and we now observed that it stood on an island. In half an hour we entered a narrow channel between the island and the shore, when a canoe full of Indians, chiefly lads, approached us: they were armed with bows and arrows, and seemed to be returning from the forest or from a fishing excursion, and steering like us toward the landing-place under the trees. Leaving our weapons in the ubds, we stepped on shore. A group of Indian women were standing at a little distance : at first they gazed on us with astonish- ment, and then fled up the wooded hill, on the top of which we caught a sight of the hut through the branches. We had meanwhile been seen by the people there, for a number of men came running down at full speed, and conducted us to the cabin. The sight of our Indian companions, and a few words of explanation, removed at once any suspicion from their minds. On reaching the space 1n front of the hut, which was constructed of palm- leaves, we were presently surrounded by the inhabitants, who, in spite of their strange and almost savage aspect, showed the good-tempered expression peculiar to the Jurtnas. Several of the men had a vertical, dark-blue MARTINHO THE DESERTER. 275 stripe across their face, commencing at the root of their long, black hair, where was fastened the figure of a small red heart; the line descended hence, an inch or inch and half broad, across the high forehead, the well-formed nose and mouth, to below the chin. Some of the group held out their hands to us, or returned our proffered salutation ; even the women, though more reserved, imi- tated the example of the men. We entered the hut with the Indians, among whom were the youths we had seen in the canoe; and our party, together with some Indians who were in the hut, nearly filled the dim apartment. Padre Torquato ad- vanced in a solemn but friendly manner to the chief- tain of the Maloca, a tall well-built man, with sparkling eyes, and a resolute expression of feature: his thick, black moustachios, slender figure and a pair of trowsers into which he hastily slipped, distinguished him at once from the rest of his tribe. His whole manner indicated that he had experienced much hardship, and on his brow was an expression of deep care, so foreign to these chil- dren of nature: the cause was soon explained, when the Padre addressed him in Portuguese,—it was “ Martinho the deserter.” Born near Pard among the civilized In- dians, he had been pressed into the military service,—a circumstance of frequent occurrence: but availing him- self of the first opportunity to escape, he had fled to his savage brethren in the interior, and been received by the Juriinas on the Xing and admitted one of their tribe. Martinho occasionally travels to Souzel, to dispose of the wares which his friends bring him from a distance in T 2 R76 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. their canoes : these consist chiefly of cotton, but also of weapons, tame birds, monkeys, farinha, etc. On the present occasion there were for instance upwards of thirty Indians from the Upper Xing. Martinho, who understands both Portuguese and the language of the Jurdnas, executes their commissions to their perfect satisfaction, and the Government encourages him in this traffic, which opens a means of intercourse with the most distant Jurinas. Padre Torquato had procured a pardon for “the deserter,” who was eager to show his gratitude on every occasion. Our reverend friend an- ticipated great assistance from Martinho in his future labours among the Indians, and on this occasion we con- sidered the success of our expedition as dependent upon him : to our great joy Martinho expressed his readiness to accompany us. After the ceremony of introduction was ended, we looked around the apartment ; but following the advice the Padre had given us at Tavaquéra, we contented our- selves at first with merely looking at the various objects of curiosity,—mnot touching anything until we had gained the confidence of the Indians. We then bargained for various articles, the Padre acting as our interpreter, either through the “ lingoa geral ” or the medium of his Indians. The Padre, pulled from one corner to another, as the various objects caught our notice, exhibited great patience, listening to each in turn, and anxious to sa- tisfy us all. One was attracted by a kind of Pan’s-pipe, formed of thin reeds of various sizes; another took a fancy to a gourd, with a reed a foot long fixed into it, BARTER WITH THE INDIANS. R77 serving as a mouthpiece, from which were suspended different ornaments fastened by white strings: in spite however of all the efforts of our lungs, we could not draw any melodious sound from these instruments. A third of our party espied in a corner a round vessel used to hold the oil of the Uauassi-palm, with which the wo- men anoint the hair and bodies of their husbands, to protect the skin against the stings of insects: this vessel was made of a gourd, stained dark-brown by the oil, and ornamented with Greek arabesques carved round it : who would have dreamt of meeting with figures from the antique in an Indian hut? Another called the Padre’s attention to a lot of bows, each of which was recommended by some peculiar quality ; one was black, another brown; a third, coloured brown and white, looked very pretty, but it had no spring, and the pre- ference was given to the plain brown one, well-oiled and strung. The owner of the rejected bow came up to us, attracted by the beads which the Padre held, and fixing his weapon on the ground bent it with all his strength, to show its elasticity ; but in vain,—the bow found no purchaser, and the Indian gazed on the beads with a look of hopeless vexation: what were all the pearls of the Indies to him in comparison with these beads ? In the midst of this crowd of Indians, all so cagerly busied with this childish finery, and bargaining for the merest trifles, a mother sat upon the grave of her hus- band, her eyes turned in grief toward the earth, and her children playing about her; as if she would protect the weapons of her departed husband from desecration ; for SR ——— Si —— 278 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. these are held sacred among the Jurinas, who will not part with them for any price. After awhile the Indians exhibited treasures of more value, and among the rest some handsome head-dresses of parrots” feathers, much more splendid than any we had yet seen, and which readily found customers. I was fortunate enough to obtain a large war-club, made of black wood deeply grooved, which the owner had taken in battle from an Axipai. Several of the Jurlnas wore a thin piece of reed stuck behind the ear, to which was fixed the tooth of a slain enemy very possibly the pos- session of this trophy had caused the victim his life ! But this token of valour had also its price, and found its way into the neatly woven Indian basket, which one of our party had filled with various ornaments, purchased from the women, who eagerly exchanged their strings of grey seeds for our glass beads. Many of these teeth— instead of which others wore red macaws’ feathers be. hind their ear—had been taken from Peapais slain in battle ; we observed in the crowd a slave belonging to this tribe, who had been captured by his present owner and brought to his settlement. The heat was oppressive in the hut, and, notwith- standing the burning sun, we were glad to escape into the open air. The hut occupies nearly the whole sum- mit of the hill, which rises like a wooded island from the dark green waters of the river, and is called by the natives Urubliquara or Tapudma. The view from this spot is very extensive, overlooking the Xingii in its entire breadth, while between two dark, wooded islands HUTS OF THE JURUNAS. R79 the eye follows its course upward to the light-blue range of hills that bound the horizon. The river is margined by high banks on each side, covered with forests. Straight before us in the middle of the stream was a group of rocks, with a few shrubs, and further on to- ward the left bank we observed a second line of rocks and shrubs, which indicated another caxoeira in that direction. Upon examination it was evident that the river here described a bend, though of inconsiderable extent, which, like the rapids below the island of Tacon- hapéz, occasioned its increased width. Following a nar- row path, close to the slope near the hut, the long island above-mentioned lay directly opposite ; which, although separated here by a channel of at least a thousand paces broad, approaches so close to the mainland further down as in part to conceal the latter. We observed two slightly built ranchos behind the hut, for the accommodation of the numerous guests who occasionally assemble here. Under the roof of one of these were tied some tame monkeys, which were jump- ing to and fro with great activity, and a couple of fat guaribas ; while around the hut was a small plantation, neglected and choked with weeds: on the open plot of ground were stacked some poles stript of their bark, and several bundles of reeds, mtended for arrows: a rotten canoe was lying among the tall weeds at the foot of the river's bank. On returning to the hut, my attention was caught by a group of tame monkeys and parrots. I purchased a oreen parrot, with a broad band of blue and red feathers 280 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. round the neck,—the rarity of its colours attracted me. The pretty little daughter of «the Deserter ” was feeding these creatures with great care and tenderness. Our repast had been prepared under the shady trees near the landing-place, where we now found our crew and the Indians swinging comfortably in their hammocks, while a tame, long-legged black Muttm stalked proudly among the strange guests. On our return in the evening from a little excursion to a rock in the river, whence we had a fine view of the lofty forests on the left shore, we found all the people assembled before the hut, some sitting on footstools, but the majority standing ; several groups were engaged in lively conversation. We mingled among the Indians, and seating myself beside an old Pagé 1 tried to engage him in talk, with the aid of an interpreter. TI touched upon the subject of war, which the Pagé caught up pas- sionately ; he grew quite eloquent, and in his impatience to explain to me a surprize of the Taconhapéz which had been recently executed, he jumped on his feet, and acted the occurrence with such energy and vividness, that with the help of a few words explained by our in- terpreter, I was able to comprehend the whole story. The effect upon the group of Indians was striking ; they drew nearer and nearer, watching with eagerness the motions of the Pagé, as he represented a Taconhapé pierced in the back by an arrow, falling to the ground and dying in agony, while the other inhabitants of the Maloca that was attacked took to flight : he concluded by describing with great pride how his brother had been INDIAN ELOQUENCE. R81 captured and subsequently eaten by the tall Tapui-uassi, who live higher up the Xing. The rays of the setting sun illumined this scene, and the approach of darkness warned us to fetch our ham- mocks from the boats, and sling them under the ranchos, the smell in the hut being very offensive. The moon shone brightly upon forest, hut, and stream ; all around was hushed into perfect silence, and we presently fell asleep. December 9th.—According to agreement we rose this morning at daybreak ; our hammocks were soon packed up and taken to the boats, and we then sat down to our frugal breakfast of tea and farinha. Just as the sun was rising, our small flotilla, joined by the uba of “the De- serter,” pushed off from the shore, and pulled in the direction of the roaring caxoeira, which we reached in less than an hour. The Xing here is nearly a nautical mile in width, and sweeps along with greater velocity than in the former rapids, forcing its way between the shelfy rocks and rounded blocks of granite, which were larger than we had yet seen. The course of the river here changes from N.E. to N.N.E., and this bend occa- sions its increased width. Our boat, with that of our new friend Martinho, had kept close to the left shore; for the force of the current decreases considerably near the banks, and sometimes even changes into a kind of counter-current. The Padre’s uba, which was far behind, kept too near the middle of the river, and was carried along with its broadside to the stream ; it was only with great exertions, 252 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. and the directions of Martinho, that it could be worked round into the proper channel. Looking back, there was a charming view over the forest behind the « Casa do Martinho,” to the wooded range of hills which seemed to bound the course of the Xingt, and gradu- ally disappeared behind the trees on the islands below the rapids, near the right shore of the river. The fore- ground of the picture was formed by large masses of granite, between which the river forced its way in a foaming torrent, and was enlivened by the sight of the Padre’s boat contending with the stream, and urged on by the united strength of our Indian companions, cach exhibiting a power and vigour such as we Euro- peans only find in the antique. Nor were Count Oriolla and Padre Torquato idle spectators, but standing up to their middle in the water they worked with might and main. At length their efforts were successful, although for a considerable distance above the proper caxoeira we had still to contend with the strong current. I must not pass unnoticed a remarkable phenomenon I had yesterday observed before reaching Martinho’s hut, and which I saw again here. When our boat reached the middle of the rapid, it seemed as it were to be stand- ing on a high ridge, from whence the surface of the Xing sloped down on both sides : yesterday I had only observed this singular appearance In looking up the ry er; ry the cause of it 1 could not discover. A few isolated blocks of granite were still visible, with here and there shrubs upon them. We observed the boat of Senhor Roxa, a few hundred paces in ad- CAPTURE OF AN ALLIGATOR. R83 vance, suddenly strike out of its course and pass between some of these masses of granite, which encompassed a small expanse of still water, sheltering it from the sur- rounding currents. The crew made signs to us to fol- low them, and presently the cry of ¢ Jacaré!” caught our ear. We entered the small bay, and stood with our eyes fixed on the dark-green waters, and our guns ready cocked, while the Indians tightened their bowstrings and fixed their arrows. Our companions in the other boat told us they had seen an alligator sliding from the rocky shelf into the water. We crossed the small bay in all directions, those who were armed standing at the head of the canoe. All at once the Indians appeared, by their rapid glance, to have discovered the creature, but we in vain gazed in the same direction: presently however we perceived a strong musky smell, a certain indication of the presence of these animals, and the water became turbid and muddy. At the same instant a couple of arrows whistled through the air and vanished in the river: an instant after their feathered shafts re- appeared, sticking upright in the muddy water, which showed that the prey had been struck: presently the arrows were carried under again. As the water cleared and the sun shone upon it, I fancied that I discerned the yellowish white belly of the alligator, and hastily fired. The Padre, whose ubd had come up with us, seized a bow, and discharging an arrow with Indian precision, the wounded animal rose nearly to the surface of the water : the arrows fixed in its back showed us the course it took, and our canoes pursued in full chase. My shot 284 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. had missed, and IT had not a second charge at hand ; but Count Oriolla kindly lent me his gun; and, watching a favourable moment, when the alligator raised its head above the water close to the canoe, I despatched him with a shot through the head. We drew the “monster ’ into the boat, and found that it measured only about five feet in length, and belonged to the «J acaré-tingas,” a small species of alligator, with thinner plates on the back and abdomen: the larger “ Jacaré-nassis” are only met with in the Amazon. The poor creature still moved in the boat, having, like all amphibious animals, great tenacity of life. We now continued our voyage, in an oppressive heat : the river retained the same features ; but the Uaunassii- palms, with their leaves resembling tufts of ostrich-fea- thers, were more numerous. It was past noon when we reached the next Maloca. Piuntéua is a small island, only separated from the sloping forests on the right shore of the Xing by a small side-branch : at least the next wooded hill had not the appearance of an island. It is however difficult to distinguish these islands from the mainland ; and even our Indians, one of whom de- clared that he had on former occasions been as high up the river, were unable to give us any correct informa- tion. Two connected ranges of wooded hills descended close to the shore of the river. The island was margined with a low copse, intermingled with a few columnar ractuses, the first we had seen for a long time, and under these appeared naked shelves of rock, washed by the a ~~ eed po —-” a A SETTLEMENT OF JURUNAS. 85 river ; several boulders of granite rose out of the main stream, and others in the narrow channel nearer the bank, overgrown with low bushes. Close to the rocky shore of Piuntéua, under the shelter of two small ran- chos, two families of Indians were swinging in their hammocks, surrounded by the few articles of necessity which constitute Indian comfort,—calabashes of all sizes, baskets for mandioca, standing on the ground, and their weapons suspended to the palm-roof: the ranchos were shaded by trees and bushes, and separated by some large blocks of granite. On the river lay two canoes, near which we anchored ours. The good people roused themselves for a few mo- ments, to give us a friendly welcome, which done they returned to their redes. The Padre seated himself in a hammock near them, endeavouring to win their con- fidence, and thus pave the way for a future closer ac- quaintance. We likewise drew near, and inspected the utensils and weapons in the hut, some of which we pur- chased : among other things I bought a pipe from one of these Jurtinas, made from the bone of a slain enemy, a Curinaja, and a pair of small paddles with which the Indian boys were playing. The skin of a jaguar, still warm and pliable, was stretched upon a block of granite beside the ranchos, on a narrow path leading between the rocks up to a larger hut. The chieftain of the Maloca told us that he had this morning observed the tiger swimming from the op- posite shore toward his little island, and had shot it with his bow when half-way across the stream. This animal 280 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. reminded me of the alligator, which I had committed to the especial care of the negro, hoping that this trophy might one day at Berlin form a companion to the huge boa-constrictor. My horror may therefore be imagined, at seeing our tawny companions, with the negro at their head, seated around a blazing fire, and roasting some meat, which, from the strong smell of musk and the remains strewn on the ground, I at once perceived was a part of my alligator. Several women were busied close by in preparing a kind of porridge of yellow plantains for their own people, but of which the hospitable Jurtinas offered us a part. Count Bismark tasted the alligator, but did not seem to relish it much ; the Doctor, on the contrary, pronounced it excellent,—it reminded him of his former visit to his beloved Botocudos. It was past two o’clock in the afternoon when we left Piuntéua. In the centre of the small, flat and rocky island rose a forest, resplendent with the brightest tints of green, above which a Uaunasst-palm waved its tuft of feathery leaves, vying with another tree that stretched its fanlike branches, lightly covered with foliage, high into the air. Among the boats of our little fleet, the Padre’s canoe presented the most attractive picture. The Indian decked in his feathered head-dress was labouring with might and main ; close to him stood his new companion, a tall young Indian, with a white feather stuck behind his ear, his features expressive of his joy at this excursion, and readiness to share in its toils. Count Oriolla and Padre Torquato were meanwhile hard at work, alternately VOYAGE UP THE XINGU. 287 blowing the large Indian war- and hunting-horn they had purchased at the Maloca, from which they drew most unmusical tones. At the sight of these brawny Indians, and the rude sound of the horn echoing through the forests, I involuntarily fell into a train of thought : how many centuries, nay thousands of years, may the shores of this very river have presented the self-same aspect,—inhabited only by the same wild tribes, living in their isolated huts, hunting and fishing, and engaged in petty warfare with one another, like these very Ju- ranas ! how many generations, nay tribes, may thus have lived and thus have passed away ! The current was now so strong, that we could not ad- vance on an average more than one knot an hour, and did not reach the neighbouring rapids of Passai until three o'clock ».r., which opposed a formidable obstacle to our progress. We could only work our way very slowly through the low bushes which rose out of the stream, and which, with the rapids, shutting out any distant view, seemed interminable. The sun was shed- ding his last rays on the scene, when we landed on a sandy beach at a spot projecting into the Xingii, which we at first mistook for an island ; our Souzel Indians called it the “ Ponta.” While the fires were being lighted we amused our- selves in joking with our new friend the young Jurina Indian, who had come from the interior and had never before seen white people. Count Oriolla handed him a loaded gun, but no persuasion could induce him to fire it off,—mnot that he evinced any suspicion of us, but the 288 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. report had on a former occasion frightened him. He danced with us readily enough, and we one after another took his arm, imitating as well as we could the steps of the Indian ladies at the ball at Tavaquara. At this he laughed heartily, and was beside himself with delight, nay he even joined in our songs. With the aid of the mterpreter we endeavoured to learn from whence he came ; whereupon he pointed to the moon, and described eight well-marked circles with his arms, his whole body following the same motion, intending perhaps to indicate that it required eight months for him to reach his home. He evinced great interest in the different articles we pos- sessed, which he touched with considerable curiosity ; we gave him a knife, and Mr. Theremin added the pre- sent of a shirt. This delighted him,—he immediately dressed himself in the shirt, and seemed never satisfied with looking down on himself in his new attire. My blue cloth jacket was an object of especial interest to the young Indian, who watched me eagerly when I put it on and buttoned it up. Supper awaited us,—a roasted Mutéim, which we des- patched with great appetite. The mosquitoes, which had hitherto not molested us much, came out this evening in great numbers. Scarcely was our supper ended, when these gnats,—chiefly a small species called Carapani,— attacked us in such a manner that we danced about with the pain as if mad. Some of the party in despair jumped into the Xing; I seized a bottle of spirits of camphor, which we had been advised to bring with us, and rubbed it on my skin : this relief was however only momentary, MOSQUITOES IN THE FOREST. 289 and the irritation grew worse than ever. At last, after running, jumping, and rubbing ourselves, fatigue got the better of our sufferings ; we seized a burning torch, and brandishing it in the Indian fashion, made our way into the thicket to two dilapidated ranchos, which were to shelter us for the night. We slung our hammocks, got mto them and shut our eyes, but tried in vain to sleep, rolling from side to side, till the poles began to crack, and our toes and elbows broke through the meshes of our hammocks. Every now and then we started up as 1f bitten by a tarantula, and had no little trouble in regaining our equilibrium, to prevent our falling out of these swinging beds. At last we hit upon a means of protection for at least one part of our body, and wrapped our ponchos round our feet: but alas! this af forded small relief, for the dear little creatures now settled only the more resolutely upon our faces. This failure to obtain ease was moreover accompanied by another disagreeable discovery ; the poor Consul found that he had slung his hammock to a pole containing a large nest of ants directly above his head, which from time to time dropped upon his nose, and cfiectually kept him from sleeping. In despair he jumped out of his hammock, and sought shelter from their attacks near the fire ; I too followed his example, for the mosquitoes actually began to sting me through the poncho, and had found their way to my skin in spite of boots and trow- sers. My patience could endure it no longer : wrapping myself in my poncho, and holding both hands before my face, I left the dark thicket, and went up to the glim- VOL. II. U 200 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. mering fire, where Count Oriolla sat, apparently ehjaging a sound sleep, enveloped in his “Mosquiteiro,” a fine gauze covering, and his poncho: this sight gave us at last hopes of rest. Mr. Theremin however soon retired again to the rancho, and our young Indian friend alone remained with me, his face beaming with joy at the acquisition of his white shirt : he assisted me in getting dry boughs, and piling them on the fire, to drive away the plague of mosquitoes. Placing myself—alternately head and feet—close to the fire, I obtained some relief, and at length fell asleep, in spite of the combined attacks of bixos (sand-fleas) and mosquitoes. Presently however I awoke in torments; though we had slept, the cara- panas had been awake and busy. Count Oriolla too was no longer secure against these enemies ; and others of our companions quitted the rancho, and joined our party round the fire. The men were lying huddled together near the shore, under the sailcloth from the ¢ Growler,’ —it looked like a large grey heap on the sand, which occasionally gave a heaving motion. Whitish clouds now skimmed across the bright face of the moon, and presently drops of rain fel. We retreated to our hammocks, and the torment of the mosquitoes somewhat abated ; the rain however soon fell in torrents, all our men crowded for shelter into the rickety sheds, and—we dropped asleep. December 10th.—Day was just breaking as we left the ranchos, and, loaded with the baggage, betook ourselves to the sandy beach to breakfast. Dark clouds covered the sky, and a fine rain fell. "The mosquitoes also seemed MOUTH OF THE IRIRI RIVER. 291 to have aroused from rest, and were more active and troublesome than ever. The rain soon after increased, which was a good sign ; and delaying our embarkation a short time, the sun shone forth. At half-past six o’clock we continued our voyage up the river: rounded hills descended on either side, indicating the probable direc- tion of the banks ; while numerous flat islands, covered with groups of tall trees, together with the low bushes and copse rising above the surface of the river among which we rowed, shut out any open prospect. Our progress today, forcing a way through this copse, was not so agreeable, for the drops of rain continually shaken down from the bushes baffled all attempts to dry our linen, which we had stretched out upon arrows for that purpose: to counterbalance this inconvenience however, we found the fruit, which resembled cherries of a plum colour, although rather bitter, agreeable to the taste as a variety. We were told that we should today reach a Jurina hut, the residence of an Indian named Carlos, near the mouth of the Irirl, where we should hear particulars of a large Indian settlement in that neighbourhood, of which we had been told at Souzel, and which was to be the extent of our voyage. Early this morning I asked the Indian hunter who steered our canoe whereabouts the mouth of the Iriri was situated ; he pointed back toward the wooded left bank of the river, saying that the Iriri joined the Xingii behind the islands in that direc. tion. We afterwards found that this information was questionable, as these people have no clear notion of the v2 202 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. geography of their country, nor in fact any idea of those two important considerations time and space, which they treat with perfect indifference : this is sometimes very disagreeable, as one is dependent upon their guidance in such voyages. Padre Torquato counselled us always to let the Indians have their own way, and not to hurry them, as the best means of keeping them in good humour ; they will then work hard and cheerfully : but when they want to rest, to halt, or to encamp for the night, it is well to yield to them, and they never abuse such liberty. We followed the Padre’s advice, and found the advantage of doing so. As we gradually approached the left bank of the river, the Indians pointed out to us the round hut of Carlos, situated on a flat rocky islet. A river, from four to five hundred paces wide, here flows into the Xingd from the west, parallel to which extends a range of hills covered with magnificent forests. This range decreases in height toward the east, and terminates in a pointed hill, which separates this river from the main stream of the Xing issuing from the dark forests on the south. The north bank of this tributary, near its junc- tion, seems to be lined with wooded, bushy islands, upon the last of which stands the «Casa do Carlos,” project- ing into the Xing. From the first I imagined that this water must be connected with the mouth of the Iriri, but it was not till after several hours that the Indians could agree in declaring it to be an arm of the Xingu into which the Iriri shortly before flowed. Our canoe had preceded the others, in order that the VISIT TO THE INDIANS. 293 Indian pilot might announce our visit, and we landed on the rocky bank of the island, which at first sight ap- peared to be deserted. Looking about us we perceived a uba crossing the Xing and coming toward the Maloca ; and as it approached, we distinguished several Indian women and children, a number of tame monkeys and some dogs; in the fore-part of the boat stood two tall lads, armed with bows and arrows, while a manly-look- mg Indian standing near the bow propelled the canoe with a pole, assisted by two women paddling. The latter quickly leaped on shore, and ran to the hut; and in a few minutes some men, who now made their ap- pearance, came down to us, and received us in a friendly manner, as well as our companions, who had by this time arrived in their canoes. From these people we learned that the large settlement on the Iriri no longer existed, and that the inhabitants (who, we afterwards Leard, were Taconhapéz, and not Jurimas) had retired probably to the interior. They told us, that if we pro- ceeded further up the Xing, we should soon come to a larger Maloca of the Jurimas, whose inhabitants were unconverted and had no intercourse with the whites. We resolved therefore to continue our voyage, as soon as our crew had finished their meal ; and meanwhile we prepared for ourselves some boiled fish, with farimha and water, which we intended to eat on board the canoes. Carlos, a tall and handsome Indian, with strings of blue beads round his neck, joined us, and took his place at the head of the boat with the Consul and the Doctor, handling his pole as if it were a slender lance. Our 294 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. little fleet crossed the mouth of this broad arm of the river, into which the Iriri is said to fall, and paddled along the eastern point of the low, wooded Serra above- mentioned, which was soon passed. The main stream of the Xing from this point assumed quite a new character ; the boulders of granite in the river were larger, and the islands, instead of being low and flat as hitherto, now rose in the form of rounded hills, covered with luxuriant shrubs, trees and palms ; while the frequent occurrence of « Prayas™ along their margin indicated a loose soil. On the sandy beach of one of these islands we saw the recent footmarks of a large tapir. These islands divide the main stream of the Xingii into numerous channels, through which the current rushes with the velocity and force of a moun- tain-torrent, forcing its way over boulders of granite and shelves of rock. While navigating this labyrinth of waters, we were excluded from any general survey of the river : here and there only catching a view of the Serra do Triri, illumined by the golden rays of the evening sun, while the islands, profusely clothed with vegetation, formed an emerald-green frame to the picture. The frequent whirlpools and rapids obliged us rep atedly to quit the ubd, which was propelled with great labour by our crew standing in the water. Loaded with the most valuable of our effects, we leaped from one point of rock to another, until we could resume our seats in the boat. At last we had a clearer view of the river: a kind of strait seemed to open, one of the main branches, which we entered between the dark wooded Serra do ISLAND OF CASTANHAL. 295 Castanhal, from eight hundred to a thousand feet high, approaching close to the left bank of the river, and a high wooded island which we had at first mistaken for the right shore. The strait was crossed with a few strokes of the pad- dle, and we now came to a broad basin sprinkled with a number of flat and bushy islets. Among these, and not far from the left bank, lies the small island of Castanhal, sufficiently distant from the shore to admit an open view of the Serra from the summit to its foot. We reached Castanhal at half-past four o'clock p.m., and put our boats into a small harbour surrounded by a low sand- reef, upon which, amongst some bushes on a rudely cultivated plantation, we observed four huts, the in- habitants of which received us very hospitably. The elderly wife of the chieftain was especially friendly and attentive. She was born at Souzel of Indian extraction, and had followed her husband, whose acquaintance she had made during his trading journeys, into the back- woods. Her joy appeared great to sce people from Souzel once more, and the Padre availed himself of this acquaintance to obtain information respecting the coun- try, which was facilitated by her speaking broken Por- tuguese. There was a glorious sunset, and the moon shone brightly as we retired to our resting-place. December 11th.—Those of our party who had preferred sleeping in the open air, to remaining in the close hut, were disturbed and driven from their hammocks at daybreak this morning by a drizzling rain. As soon as this ceased we lighted a fire, and made the necessary preparations R96 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. for cooking. An old Pagé joined us, who brought with him a footstool from the hut; but before sitting down he looked up at the sky, in which the black clouds still threatened rain; and blowing in that direction with all his might, he stretched out his hands flat toward the clouds, and passing them violently through the air, con- jured the rain with earnest solemnity. He then looked at us with an air of triumph, as much as to say, “ Now . 3 you may be at your ease, not another drop will fall ! and holding the wet stool over the fire he complacently seated himself and smoked his cigar. It was six o'clock a.m. when we left Castanhal, called by the Indians Muruxitéua. Approaching again gradually the magnificent woods on the right bank we met a uba going down the river, in which sat a handsome young Indian female, richly ornamented with glass beads and surrounded by her children, who were decorated m like manner, while two Indians propelled the boat with poles. They looked at us with great astonishment, and turning their canoe began to accompany us up the river, so that the number of our boats was now seven. We halted a few hours later near a hut, erecting in the forest on the right bank, and called Jacui. Looking up the Xing from this point, we found a great resemblance in the surrounding country to that on the shores of the Amazon : the river is broad, the forests declining toward the horizon with the appearance of a wide avenue seen in perspective ; while here and there the great expanse of water is interrupted by small wooded islands running parallel with the main stream. We rested in the roofless AN INDIAN HUT. 297 hut until our rice was cooked: a prudent foresight obliged us from today to put ourselves upon half-allow- ance, in order to guard against casualties, as our absence from the Igarité would most probably exceed our calcu- lation. Meanwhile we Europeans rested peaceably in our hammocks beside the friendly Indians, under the open picturesque-looking hut. Large troughs formed of the hollow trunks of trees, or huge calabashes, standing on the ground, contained a yellowish liquid made of man- dioca, which the Padre told us was poisonous. All the housekeeping utensils, weapons, etc. were placed on the shelves. In the middle of the room were the trunks of two trees, off which our people ate their meal, and through the open end of the hut we had a view of the dark Xing, bounded by the forests on the opposite shore. After resting for scarcely an hour we continued our voyage, and notwithstanding the burning noonday sun, our boat was as usual soon in advance of the others. The Doctor, who had changed places with Count Bis- mark, put up his large umbrella, to shelter himself from the sun’s rays, which sadly annoyed the poor paddlers, and for a long time hid from my sight any view up the river. When at length, at the request of all the party, he furled his umbrella again,—and for a good hour at least he had enjoyed his selfish gratification—there lay the Serra distinctly stretched out before us, about a thousand feet in height. We had previously seen a faint outline of it from Castanhal at a great distance, on the southern horizon. ¢ Near yonder wooded ridge lie the Malocas,” said our Souzel hunter. The goal of our ex- 298 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. pedition therefore now lay in sight, and we determined to proceed no further than these mountains. We had hitherto, since leaving Par, only looked for- ward, and thought of the scenes before us; but at this moment, at the sudden sight of this range of hills, indi- cating the vicinity of the long-desired object of our ex- pectation, the Malocas of the wild Indians, we felt all the power that lies in the simple word “home.” Far removed as we were from our country, in the heart of these forests of South America, the distance seemed to vanish as our thoughts rapidly transported us across the ocean, and banished all calculation of space from our minds. Not so with me: the last letter from Europe was already several months old, and several more might possibly still elapse before the next despatches should reach us, when the information they contained might no longer be true,—what changes might have taken place in the interval! Imagination carried us back to all the haunts of our affectionate remembrance beyond the ocean, which distance seemed to centre in a word—LEurope ! Those only can know these feelings of separation and of attachment in their full extent, who have crossed the great barrier that parts the Old World from the New! We had been gliding along a large island, under the shade of the overhanging branches which formed an awning over our boat, when on a sudden we heard the barking of dogs and a rustling in the bushes; and pre- sently after saw a canoe, pushing off from the bank, at a spot where branches recently lopped and strewn about, and the grass trampled down, led us to infer that a chase INDIAN HUNTERS. 299 had here terminated. At the bow of the canoe stood a tall, handsome youth, handling the large pole with great energy and skill : his finely-formed and well-proportioned limbs were set-off by large black patches painted upon his skin on the shoulders and thighs, which together with black stripes down his legs reminded me involun- tarily of the Spanish costume in the opera of « Cortez.” The perspiration stood on the lad’s brow and in his long black hair; but his eye was riveted upon a man seated at the other end of the boat, of herculean build and with raven-black hair like a lion’s mane, who was steering dexterously with a small paddle. The noble and friendly expression of the old man’s features con- trasted strangely with the black stripe which divided his face from the forehead to the chin. Between the man and his grandson lay the head and shoulders of a large tapir, recently slain, the trophy of their day’s chase, to which they both pointed with exultation as we paddled along by their side. The old Indian smiling shook his head at the proud joy of the lad, who, but just mitiated by this day’s hunt, seemed in his bold looks to challenge us to a trial of skill. The tapir—¢ Tapiira,” as the old man called it—had been shot on the left bank of the river ; and after having in vain searched the island along which we were coasting for game, the Indian was now returning to his hut. The dogs pressed round the game, snuffled it, and tried to lick the blood, while the lad vainly strove to keep them off, shouting and belabouring them with his pole: the old man however soon quieted them. 300 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. We now parted from these Indians, who steered toward the left shore; and on reaching the end of the island had a view of a solitary Indian hut, upon a small islet near the right bank: then succeeded on our larboard another long island, covered with forest like the former. Since leaving Jacul we had again seen considerable groups of Jauari-palms, and for several days had ob- served trees bearing large pods, partly growing on the shore, and partly out of the bed of the river as mere bushes. On reaching the end of the last island we directed our course to the left, steering through a number of narrow channels, unable to discover our proper course, about which we had unfortunately neglected to make the necessary inquiries, until at four o'clock p.m. we unexpectedly approached one of the Malocas called Piranhaquéara, or Piranhosucuar. Upon a sandy island stood three Jurtna huts, surrounded with plantations of mandioca, cotton, plantains, and melancias, a kind of water-melon. These patches of cultivated ground are usually met with near the Indian huts, but they have no hedges and are greatly neglected. Opposite to the land- ing-place, from which the bank rises gradually up to the chieftain’s hut, lay another islet, separated from the former by a narrow channel. At this spot a gigantic tree rose above the thick green wall of tangled lanes, stretching out horizontally an enormous branch, from which hung down such a mass of creepers that it had quite the appearance of a waterfall of verdure. At each end of the narrow channel, which flows at the foot of the VISIT TO THE JURUNA INDIANS. 301 Maloca, are a number of similar bushy islets. We left the boat, and, accompanied by our steersman and inter- preter, waded through the deep sand to the hut. The Jurinas came out to meet us, with their weapons in their hands, and returned our signs of amity, although our appearance seemed to make a stranger impression upon them than upon any of their tribe whom we had hitherto met ; and in like manner the natives of Piranhaquara appeared to us if possible still more strange than any former Indians, from the mode of painting their bodies and the black stripe down their face ; their warlike mode of reception was also of greater interest. We were now conducted into the hut, and after a short while stepped outside by the opposite door: there we saw the two other cabins, situated at short distances in a line with the former. Immediately behind the chieftain’s hut lay pieces of the tapir which we had seen in the canoe, sur- rounded by several Indian women, gazing at it with eager curiosity. We also recognized our friends the old man and his grandson in the crowd of Indians, among whom a young tapir was walking fearlessly about, with- out noticing its dead brother, and thrusting its long snout among the herbs for food. We now heard the sound of the paddles in the Padre’s canoe, which, followed by the others, was just rounding the point, and our friends were presently at our side. Padre Torquato introduced us again in due form: the Tuxiva from Tavaquara was attired for the occasion in his gala dress which the Padre had given him,—the dark-blue servant’s livery bedizened with gold-lace, blue 302 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. trowsers and cap. He wore his long hair tied up mn a thick tuft on the back of his neck, which gave him the appearance of a woman in disguise; while the lower part of his figure had somewhat the cut of a monkey, his dark-brown, naked feet protruding out of the large trowsers, which he kept hitched up with his hands to prevent his treading upon them. Padre Torquato hoped that his protégé, decked out in this remarkable attire, would make a favourable im- pression upon the Indians, and gain their adhesion to his cause,—his claim to the office of Tuxiva of all the Juriinas. This introduction by the Padre was therefore of great importance to the pretender; but unluckily all the art displayed in his toilet was thrown away, and had neither the effect of withdrawing the allegiance of the Juriinas from their legitimate ruler, nor even of over- coming their indifference : they retained their cold beha- viour, regarded him without any sign of interest, and saluted him just as they had saluted us. Jozé Antonio Bitancourt squatted down among the women in a corner of the hut, and joined in their wailing for the dead,—a true Indian employment,—during which his laced livery, as may be imagined, formed a strange contrast with the surrounding figures. After the ceremony was ended, he laid aside his dress, one article after another; for, proud as he was of his finery, it evidently incommoded him not a little. We meanwhile inspected the three huts, and bar- gained for various weapons and utensils. Among other things I purchased a wig made of bast, which the owner VISIT TO THE JURUNA INDIANS. 303 had taken from an enemy—a Peapai or Axipai, I believe : but I was unable to obtain a feather-cloak, somewhat the worse for the wear, as the owner of it, a Pagé, was gone to Souzel. The wig and cloak were the only ob- jects of the kind that we observed among the Jurinas. I wished to have purchased the young tapir, for the Zoological Garden at Berlin, but Padre Torquato was beforehand with me, and had secured it for one of his friends. This evening we were to have another extempore dance which was preceded by a supper on a grand scale. On his way from Jacui to this place Count Oriolla had shot a beautiful blue and yellow macaw,—the first that any of our party had killed, although we had fired at above a hundred : this bird flies very high, and is shot with great difficulty. The macaw was served up as a great treat, but was so tough as to be a sore trial to our teeth. Count Bismark contributed a pigeon to the sup- per; but the grand dish of all was a piece of the tapir, roasted, which had an excellent taste: add to these some chocolate-soup, and the reader will admit that we did not fare badly on the banks of the Xing. Toward sun- set a number of Indians collected in front of the hut of the Tuxiva of Piranhaquara, a friendly old man, with long white hair hanging over his tawny back. I tried to enter into talk with him, with a view to learn something respecting the Indian mode of warfare, and succeeded pretty well, although our conversation had to pass through the interpretation of three or four persons be- fore it reached me in German. To give us an idea of a em a £ dda i = EA tn I 304 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. the great number of his companions on one occasion, he first counted the fingers on his hands and toes, and then turning suddenly round pointed to the hands and toes of all the bystanders, leaving me to perform the sum of multiplication : with these followers he surprized a set- tlement, where all the men were absent, and many of the women were either made captives or killed. Soon afterwards however the men returned, and the Jurinas were put to flight. On this occasion the old man was wounded in the back by an arrow,—a circumstance on which he seemed to pride himself greatly, forgetting that it was a plain proof that he had run away. When the chieftain’s story was ended, the bystanders, observing that we seemed still willing to barter, went and fetched various weapons, utensils, etc. ; an old man offered me his necklace of jaguars’ teeth, and T purchased others made of monkeys’ teeth. It had meanwhile become dark, and the red glare from a large fire at the back of the hut struggled with the silvery light of the rising moon. The dance was now to commence : some of us took our scats upon esteiras spread out close to the hut, or on Indian footstools. The place was soon crowded with groups of Indians, but no one seemed inclined to begin. While we were wait- ing for the dance, I questioned Padre Torquato relative to the religious belief of the Jurinas. Instead of an- swering, he turned to an old Indian near Us, whom he had himself baptized when once on a visit to Souzel, and asked him what was his faith. The old man answered without hesitation, that he believed in a deity from whom RELIGIOUS SUPERSTITIONS. 305 came all good, pointing at the same time to the moon, and on a being from whom came all evil. The Padre himself translated this to me,—he seemed to have ex- pected from the old man this naive confession of his pure Jura faith,—a proof how little the missionaries instruct their converts in the doctrines of Christianity baptism is to them simply a political act,—it confers on a man a name, and he thenceforth considers himself as belonging to Souzel, and as one of the children of their great father the Emperor, while the Government can add another subject to the returns of population, of whose existence it would otherwise not have known. The Moon, as the representative of the Deity, is held in great reverence by the Jurinas, and the day when she be- comes full is their chief festival. They prepare for these occasions an intoxicating drink from the root of the mandioca, called “ caxeri,” of which the assembled inhabitants of the Maloca partake in the evening; and as soon as the men are sufficiently excited, the dancing commences. Except on these occasions, the men never join in the dance. "The festival today was got up ea- tempore, notwithstanding that the moon was neither at the full nor was there any caxeri; instead of the latter, I thought of giving the caxaga we had brought with us ; but on mspecting our store 1 found so little left in the large flask, that I considered it desirable to keep this for our men on future occasions of cold or fatigue : the dance in consequence did not come up to our expecta- tions. After much persuasion, six women and a little girl VOL. II. X 306 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. opened the dance, with the same steps as the women at Tavaquéra, accompanied by a monotonous song, the 1m- provised burden of which was meant to convey a wel- come to us. I fancied that I often distinguished the words, « kain-be, kain-be tova,” which continued to sound 1n my ears long after I had lain down to sleep in my ham- mock. Several of our party followed the Indians to their huts, but the Padre, myself, and the rest of our people slung our hammocks round the expiring fires, which had lighted up the dance. December 12th. —All were astir at an early hour this morning, for the old tapir-hunter had promised us a chase today. On reaching the landing-place, he invited some of nt to take a seat in his ubd, and other boats manned by our people followed. The boy laboured va- liantly at the head of our canoe; the dogs were all eagerness for the chase, and the old hunter steered straight into the labyrinth of islands. We too seized the paddles to assist, and soon afterwards observed the traces of a tapir on the sandy beach, but not nove enough to induce us to land and follow them up. We now entered a wide channel, between two long wooded islands. Whilst the old man was searching for footmarks of the tapir, I got into another boat, leaving Count Bismark alone with the Indian and his grandson in their uba, which presently steered to the right of us along the forest. On a sudden we heard a splash in the water, and at the same instant saw the boy and Count Bis- mark pitching head over heels into the Xing. We INDIAN HUNTERS. 307 paddled towards them, laughing heartily, when the boy re-appeared above the water, and seemed to be pulling something into the boat. Count Bismark swung him- self into the ubd, shouting to us that the lad had caught a“ Capivari” (Hydrocherus Capybara). This he effected in the following manner: the boy had observed the ca- pivari running from the bank into the water, close to the boat, to swim over to the opposite island, and mstantly plunged in after it, which gave the boat such a jerk that Count Bismark lost his balance and fell overboard. The boy followed the capivari as swiftly as an arrow, and seized 1t so dexterously by the throat, that it could neither escape his grasp nor defend itself with its sharp teeth. We saluted the young hero with a round of ap- plause for his bold and skilful exploit. The little rest- less prisoner was tied with lianes and thrown into a cor- ner of the boat, where it at first made a hideous noise, and we had some trouble to keep the dogs quiet, who eyed the little beast eagerly ; our chase however soon put them on another scent. The old hunter and his grandson now left the boat, and took the dogs to the edge of the forest, in order to let them beat the island ; whilst we marksmen stationed ourselves in the boats near certain places, where, the Indians knew, the tapirs usually issued when passing from one island to another. The Indians commonly hunt the tapirs, tigers and deer in this manner, lying in ambush, while the dogs beat the forest or island ; and when the game takes to the water, slaying it as it swims across the river. In a short time the dogs were in full cry, and seemed X 2 con Ee { | | | 4 308 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. to have come upon a fresh track. The spot where we were stationed in the middle of the channel, near a mass of gneiss, commanded a view of a handsome group of Jauari-palms on a projecting point of the island. Our guns were ready cocked, and we pictured to ourselves the large animal plunging into the water, and marked the very spot behind its ear, which had been pointed out to us by the Indians as the fatal one. In a word we were so full of expectation that I could scarcely summon coolness to sketch a group of palms,—my fingers itched much more for my gun than the pencil. The barking of the dogs became less, and gradually ceased altogether. One hour passed after another: even the Counts, passionately fond as they were of the chase, thought it very irksome sport, and, to console themselves for having nothing better to do, fired away at some ma- caws, which flew temptingly close over our heads. Count Bismark was lucky enough to shoot two beautiful blue ones, and I had the gratification of—missing as many. Another boat full of Indians joined us,—women and children of course among them. After a fruitless attempt to start any game, the dogs were called together and taken to another island, where they were again put on the scent, but likewise in vain. The capivari mean- while, in the absence of its young master, made its escape, but was presently caught again. As soon as the dogs were all safely stowed in the canoe, we paddled away with might and main, against the stream and through numerous channels, back to Piranhaquara. Thus ended our tedious and bootless tapir-hunt, from which PREPARATION OF CAXERI. 309 we brought home only a few birds, and the Indians some fish which they had shot. Padre Torquato and Consul Theremin had during our absence visited two Malocas, situated at about an hour's pull above Piranhaquara, called Araraquahapuhum and Uaquéfuoga, (or Uaquéouocha), from whence they had just returned when we arrived. But scarcely were we all re-assembled, when the company dispersed again, I alone remaining in the hut. This gave me an opportu- nity of witnessing the curious preparation of the caxeri, which the Indians were making on purpose for us to taste. Three or four pretty Indian women were seated around the vessel containing the mandioca-pulp, and ta- king a handful out of it they put this into their mouth, chewed, and returned it again to the vessel. Luckily the persons thus occupied were not old women, and the whiteness of their teeth bespoke cleanliness as well as youth, or the sight would have produced a feeling of disgust, which a night’s sleep would hardly have sufficed to remove. The moon shone brightly as we retired to rest. 1 packed up my little bundle in front of the hut, to the great astonishment of the Indians, who seemed to con- sider the possessor of these things as rich as Creesus ; but the shining oilcloth especially excited their curiosity, and I explained to them its use as a protection against the rain, which they seemed to understand. An occur- rence this afternoon caused us a hearty fit of laughter : as Count Oriolla was changing his shirt, the men pressed round him with great curiosity, to touch his white skin, 310 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. and called the women to come and convince themselves that, although so different in colour, it felt the same to the touch as their own dark skin. This showed what strangers they were to the sight of Europeans, although we had been told that three months before our arrival a white man had ascended the Xing on a trading ex- pedition : my companions understood that he had pro- ceeded only as far as Castanhal, when taking a fever he returned, but I understood the Padre to say that he reached Piranhaquéra: this was the only instance known of a white man being seen in these regions. The insects prevented our sleeping in the hut, and in the middle of the night I went with Count Oriolla into the open air: we lighted a fire, to prepare our chocolate for breakfast. My companion however soon returned to his hammock, but I remained for a long time by the fire, enjoying the beautiful, serene, tropical night. The Southern Cross and the Great Bear were both visible, and the moon was surrounded by a white, oval halo. Perfect silence reigned all around,—every one was asleep, —the young tapir alone was roving about in quest of food. ¢ Tomorrow we turn our faces homeward!” 1 thought to myself, and ere long 1 likewise sought rest. We had now reached the extent of our expedition ; but before we commence the descent of the Xingu, which will present a rapid but continuous picture of its course from Piranhaquara to its junction with the Ama- zon,—I will briefly lay before the reader such informa- tion as we were able to obtain respecting the upper GOLD MINES. 311 course of the Xingu and the tribes that inhabit its shores. We have already observed that this river has its source between 14° and 15° south latitude, on the northern slope of the Serra dos Vertentes, in the province of Mato Grosso. The accounts respecting its upper course, and its passage at first between two ranges of hills, seem as problematical as those relating to its smaller tributaries, among which are named the Rios dos Bois, das Trahiras, Xanaci and the Barah, the latter flowing from the west. These accounts rest upon the information given by the Sertanistos, who are probably the only authority for the data on which the maps of these regions—surrounded as they still are with great uncertainty—are constructed. Some expeditions have been undertaken, with a view to bring Indians from the upper river to the lower settle- ments, but few have gone beyond the Iriri; and, with the exception of the voyage of a lieutenant in the militia in 1819, from Cujaba down the river to Porto de Moz, there 1s no record of any expedition from the source to its mouth. Nevertheless the region of the sources of the Xingh acquired nearly two centuries ago great interest, from the accounts given by the celebrated adventurer Bartholomeo Bueno, of the immensely rich mines of gold which he asserted that he discovered in the country of the Aracys*. He indicated the place by a rock, stand- ing close to this auriferous spot, the veins in which, he said, represented in a miraculous manner the implements * Or perhaps in the neighbourhood of the sources of the Rio de S. Joilo, a tributary flowing into the Araguayi on its left bank. See Corographia Brasilica, tome 1, page 259. 312 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. of the passion of our Saviour: but notwithstanding this indication, and repeated searches, the country described by Bueno has never been discovered. Perhaps this ad- venturer intended to work upon the credulity of his own countrymen by accounts of the miraculous rock, as he did upon the superstition of the Indians, among whom he went by the name of ¢ Anhanguera,” or the “Old Devil,” which he is said to have acquired by setting fire to some brandy, and telling them that he could burn rivers in the same way. "The nature however of the Campos in the vicinity of the Upper Xing, and its two neighbouring rivers the Tocantins and the Tapajds, indi- cates more surely than the miraculous rock the real pre- sence of gold in those regions. The country at a little distance from the river is said to be very fertile, and the climate healthy. If this latter statement, which T do not mean to question, refer also to that part of the Xing which we visited, I would only mention that a traveller fell sick of fever last year at Cas- tanhal or Piranhaquira, and that at the same time our friend Padre Torquato was similarly attacked. The Xingi leaves Mato Grosso in 8° south latitude and enters the province of Para. The first tributary which it receives here is the Iriri, flowing south-west from the country of the Arinos, and falling into an arm of the Xing near the hut of Carlos. The Iriri appears from the maps to be the largest tributary of the Xingd, surpassing the Tucurui in length. On ascending the Irviri, a footpath similar to the “ Estrada,” between the Tucurui and Anau- rahy, connects that river with a tributary of the Tapajds UPPER COURSE OF THE XINGU. 313 or Rio de Santarem, as it is here called. The country of the Arinos belongs to the province of Mato Grosso, lying west of the Upper Xing, whilst the region east of this river, quite as unknown as the former, and extending to the Araguaya (the western arm of the Tocantins), is called the Comarca Tapiraquia. In the province of Para all the country between the Xingt and the Tocantins on the one side, and the Comarca Tapiraquia and the Ama- zon on the other, is called Xingutania; whilst the coun- try situated on the left bank of the Xing was once called Tapajonia, which comprised the extensive regions between the Xing, Tapajos, Amazon, and the district of the Arinos. With the exception of the numerous rivulets crossing the “ Estrada,” we have neither heard of nor seen any river falling into the Xinga between the Iriri and the Tucurui,—a circumstance which may be ascribed to the great breadth of the river and the numerous islands in it. Nevertheless the small rivers dos Arinos, Itoma, [ta-bagua, Pacaxa, ete. may possibly exist, which we find marked on the maps as rising in the forests of Xingu- tania, and joining the main-river near the Cataracts. Not more is known of the tribes who inhabit the banks of the upper course of the Xing, with the excep- tion of the Jurinas. The earliest accounts which Southey gives of this tribe go back to the middle of the seventeenth century. Soon after the Jesuits regained possession of Gurupa, which they had been compelled to abandon for a short time in 1655, Manoél de Souza proceeded up the river, and laboured among the Jurtnas or black-lipped 314 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Indians,—a tribe distinguished from the Tupi tribes in many respects, but especially by their language : they exceeded the ordinary stature, and, unlike other Indians, were very industrious: their faces were tattooed with a black stripe from the forehead to the upper lip, where it divided, encircling the mouth: the higher the rank of the person, the broader was this stripe, and the chieftains blackened their whole face. The Jesuit missionary la- boured very successfully among these people ; they sang litanies the whole night through on Good Friday, and inflicted chastisement upon their bodies during the pro- cessions, to his heart’s content *. A few years later, when a detachment of troops was stationed, for the protection of the slave-trade, at the mouth of the Rio Negro, where the Villa da Barra do Rio Negro was soon afterwards founded, the Juripixunas, or Juriimas, with other kindred tribes, were brought to this place. Von Martius tells us that “these Indians are distinguished by a black tattooed spot (malha) on the face ; they are mild and docile in manners, and, although greatly reduced in number, are preferred to all others as rowers and labourerst.” Southey mentions a victory which the Juriinas ob- tained some years afterwards : Gongalo Paes de Araujo § in his predatory expeditions, arrived in 1686 in the country of the Taquanhapes (Taconhapéz ?) and the Ge- oll. runas (Juriinas), who inhabited the shores of the Xing * Southey’s History of Brazil, vol. 2, page 510. + Spix and Martius’ Travels, vol. 3, page 926. + Southey’s History of Brazil, vol. 3, page 7. ¢ ACCOUNT OF THE JURUNAS. 315 Notwithstanding that these tribes had been on good terms with the Portuguese, the latter now drew them into an ambush, and one Portuguese was slain. The Indians in the service of Gongalo Paes fought to the last man ; thirty of the tribe of Caravares, who were friendly to the whites, fell on this occasion, exhibiting equal courage and fidelity ; and Gongalo himself being wounded, his whole detachment took to flight. Other tribes, incited by this courageous example, now took up arms, and the Gerunas manned a fleet of above thirty boats, bearing as a standard in the canoe of their cazique the head of the slain Portuguese, Antonio Rodriguez. From their predilection for living in boats, the ¢ Coro- oraphia Brasilica’ classes the Jurnas, together with the Nhengahybas (the original inhabitants of the island of Ma- raj), the Tupinambas, the Mammayamis, and the Guaya- nas, with the Igaruinas, as the tribes are called who live in igdras, or canoes, in contradistinction to those Indians who dwell in the forests remote from rivers*. The recent history of the Jurimas would probably not exhibit the same warlike character or exploits as the close of the seventeenth century ; they exact revenge only in cases of bloodshed, and seem to prefer living on islands, where they are comparatively secure against their enemies : they are however well supplied with weapons,—cliefly bows and arrows, which we shall briefly describe. The bows are nearly seven feet long ; they are made * See Corographia Brasilica, tom. 2, page 261. + These measurements are taken from the bows and arrows which I brought away with me. 316 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. of a tough, heavy wood, brown or black, slightly rounded on the outside, and edged or smooth on the mner side,—differing in this respect from those of the Puris and Coroados on the Parahyba, and the half-civilized In- dians on the Amazon and Lower Xing, which are per- fectly round. The strings are formed of the bast of trees, and stretched incredibly tight. The arrows are made of light reeds, about six feet long including the points, and generally winged with macaws’ feathers: they are pointed variously, according to the object they are in- tended to strike : some have flat, two-edged points, made of hard wood, twenty-one inches long, and an inch and a quarter in breadth ; these the Jurinas use in war. Again, there are others, six and a half to eight inches long and three-quarters of an inch broad, also with two-edged points, made of wood, and frequently poisoned, rounded on one side and grooved on the other; these are used in hunting jaguars and tapirs. A third arrow, likewise made of wood, twenty-two inches long, is round and furnished at the end with a sharp bone ; a hollow wooden ball is fixed where the head commences, which produces a whistling sound in flying through the air: the Indians discharge these into the trees, to scare the birds, and enable them to shoot them on the wing. For the birds themselves they have still another arrow-head, consisting of a simple rod seventeen inches long, which they always sharpen before using it. Again another kind, for shoot- ing fish, differs from the former only in the point being made of a sharp bone, to which is fixed a second that serves as a barb. The sixth and last kind of arrow ACCOUNT OF THE JURUNAS. 317 resembles the former, except that it is not feathered ; the reed is thicker than in the others, and the thin round point of wood is twenty-two inches long : these arrows are also used for shooting fish, and being very buoyant they draw the prey when struck toward the surface of the water. These various arrows are however used in- discriminately, as occasion requires. It is highly interesting to watch the Jurima following the chase, his proper clement,—imitating the notes of the birds, or pursuing the game with an eagle’s glance, and stealing upon 1t noiselessly over the fallen leaves and through the close thicket ; or again watching the fish as it shoots past, when not a ripple stirs the water, and transfixing the prey with his long and sure arrow. According to Padre Torquato, the number of Juriinas amounts to about two thousand ; they are therefore one of the larger tribes, and are reckoned among the “ Indios mansos,” or those who are neither cannibals nor hostile to the whites. They live, as we have seen, in roomy and comfortable huts, constructed of palm-leaves, three fami- lies usually occupying one dwelling. They are faithful in marriage, though some have several wives, and they occasionally transfer them either temporarily or altoge- ther from one to another. They grow cotton, which the women spin into thread, and manufacture into ham- mocks or aprons on a large wooden frame: they also prepare Assi-oil, and rear domestic animals, fowls, dogs, etc. The simple products of their industry they barter at Souzel for axes, knives, and facdes ; the blades of the latter reminded me strongly of the Schaska-blades of the 3 a i a ei me 318 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Tscherkessians, who assert that they are of Spanish manufacture, although they are said in great part to come from Solingen, as likewise the factes in the pro- vince of Parad: this will account for their similarity in appearance. The food of the Jurinas consists, beside game and fish, principally of plantains, made into a kind of soup with water and Indian pepper or capsicums, and also of farinha, which they, like the half-civilized Indians on the Lower Xing, prepare variously. The inhabitants of Tavaquara treat the mandioca-flour in six different ways. The “farinha d’agoa” is made as follows: the roots of the mandioca are steeped in water, until they begin to decay ; the skin is then removed, the roots are squeezed with the hands, and put into a vessel, with a contrivance for the water to flow off: here they are left to dry, until they grow quite hard, when they are rubbed with the fingers, and afterwards roasted in large cujas or gourds, till they become a large-grained powder. This farinha d’agoa, though less esteemed, is more easily prepared, than the farinha secca,” or “farinha pio.” The latter is chiefly eaten in the southern provinces, where it is prepared in the following manner: the fresh roots are cleaned, scraped, and rasped on a grater, in- stead of which a piece of the trunk of a tree covered with prickles 1s sometimes used. The juicy flour is then put into a long cylinder, of platted palm-leaves, called “tipiti,” from six to seven feet long and a few inches in diameter: these cylinders are placed upright, and the weight of the flour causes the poisonous juice, called PREPARATIONS OF THE MANDIOCA. 319 “tocupui ’ and containing prussic acid, to flow off. After the farinha is sufficiently dried, it is removed from the cylinders, and roasted in the same manner as the farinha d’agoa. It is usual to mix about one-third of the farinha secca with two-thirds of farinha d’agoa, to combine the excellence of the former with the facility of preparation of the latter. The third product of the mandioca-root is the well- known tapioca, a kind of sago. The tapioca, dissolved in boiling salt-water, and mixed with some tocupui, yields tacaca. Mingdo on the contrary consists only of a mixture of farinha with warm water and salt. The caxerl may also be numbered among the products pre- pared from mandioca. Beside the Jurtnas, the Taconhapéz®, as already men- tioned, inhabit the shores of the Upper Xing: they seem to be less numerous, but according to the accounts we received from the Padre, which are given here nearly in his own words, they closely resemble the Jurinas in customs and manners. Next come the Axipai, a small tribe, who are gentle in manner, but cowardly in war and easily vanquished. The Peapai are a numerous tribe, and especial enemies of the Jurimas and Taconhapéz. The same may be said of the Curiérai, the nearest neigh- bours of the three first tribes, with whom they are al- ways at war. All these tribes are “ Indios mansos,” but the follow- * It need scarcely be observed, that in this name, as well as in all others referring to Brazil, I have followed the Portuguese ortho- graphy. = = rs eT ae A — A —— a om ct: — 320 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. ing are considered cannibals,—or, properly speaking, they are simply wilder and of a more hostile disposi- tion. The more numerous among them are the Babu- radei, Juadei, Hipadei, Hibai, Henacumbai, Mafurade, Arupai, Abuirafufui, Uirateua, Anenuai, Ticuapamoin and Impindei. The Ticuapamoin are larger in stature than the rest, and are therefore called «Tapui-uassi™ or the “tall people;” they are excellent archers, and, 1f 1 understood rightly, armed with spears, and are there- fore much feared by the Jurtnas and other tribes on the Upper Xing. The Impindei are small in figure, and their huts so low that a man can easily touch the roof: they live in the neighbourhood of Campos, where, ac- cording to the report of other Indians, they rear cattle and horses ; in proof of which assertion, they have shown the Padre large horns taken from the Impindei. The Pazudei, Taguendei, Thadei, Uxadei, Uaipi and Muruana, belong to the less numerous tribes. I cannot hope to have removed the darkness which envelopes the ethnography of the upper regions of the Xing, by the enumeration of these twenty-three tribes ; but rather flatter myself on the contrary, that by this catalogue of strange-sounding names I may have con- siderably increased the reader’s perplexity. December 13th.—We left Piranhaquara at sunrise, and rowed down the stream with great rapidity, hastening toward the ocean and the ¢ Growler,” and nearer still the Igarité. In imagination only we could picture to ourselves our far-distant home; nevertheless we were now for the first time twrning our face toward it again. ISLANDS IN THE XINGU. 39] We almost regretted not to be able to ascend higher up the stream, and penetrate deeper into those unknown and attractive regions. How many of the numerous tribes residing there may never have come into contact with Europeans! But above all others we should have liked to visit those “tall men,” the cannibal Tapui- uassi, the terror of the friendly Jurinas; this however was out of the question, as it would have required several months to accomplish. It was half-past six o’clock in the morning when we left Piranhaquara: the inhabitants assembled on the bank of the river and gazed after us for a long time; some even accompanied us for a distance in their canoes. Near the island before mentioned, the course of the river is N. by E., while the Serra that approaches here close to the left shore, stretches from W.N.W. towards E.S.E. The right bank of the Xing rises to a height of several hundred feet, and is covered with tall forests, with here and there a solitary palm. The larger of the nume- rous islands near Piranhaquara are covered with forests, and the smaller ones with thick copse, which in many places rises out of the river itself. Most of the islands have apparently a sandy soil, although this only comes to view occasionally in small prayas. The rocks rising above the river consist of gneiss or gneiss-like granite. We passed Jacui at nine o'clock a.m. and after a voyage of four hours reached Castanhal. According to my reckoning we made on an average about four and a half nautical miles an hour, drifting along with the cur- VOL. II. Y $8292 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. rent, which varied in force. This would give a distance of four and a half (eighteen Engl.) miles from Piranha- quara to Castanhal. The direction of the river is on the whole N. E. with scarcely any turns, the different reaches being N. by E., N.N.E. and N. We dined at Castanhal off the capivari caught yesterday, which by general con- sent was pronounced to be the greatest delicacy we had tasted on the Xing, even surpassing Count Bismark’s splendid macaws. About an hour after leaving Castanhal, we observed that the Xing, which had hitherto flowed principally N. 1 E. from Piranhaquéra, took a N.W. direction to the “ Casa do Carlos,” where one of its branches (into which the Iriri is said to flow) again joins the main-stream. The mouth of this branch, coming from the west, lies nearly three (eleven Engl.) miles below Castanhal, and it took two hours and a half to proceed this distance. The range of hills on the right bank of the Irirl stretches from W.S.W. to E.N.E., and probably indicates the direction of this tributary. At two o’clock p.m. we reached the Casa do Carlos, and in about another hour the ¢ Ponta,” where we had spent the memorable mosquito night. The direction of the river had hitherto been N. by W.,—from this point to Piuntéua it lay nearly E*. We had waited a long time in the middle of the stream, until the other boats had assembled, and it was * This small bend eastwards is caused by a hill lying opposite the island N.N.E. from the Ponta. BIVOUAC AT PIUNTEUA. 323 near six o'clock ».m. when we reached the rocky island. On the ledge of granite at its western point, and in front of the hut, we made a fire and got our supper. The sun set with a dark-red glow behind the forests at the back of “ Carlos,” clothing the flat rocky islets and broad stream in a crimson light : it was quite a Swedish landscape. In a short time the moon rose, and shone into the roofless hut, where we passed the night in com- pany with the Jurmas. The Padre, more prudent, had slung his hammock deeper in the forest, and escaped comparatively from the attacks of the mosquitoes, which tormented us cruelly. At last they fairly drove me and the Doctor from our hammocks, and at midnight we stepped outside the hut and kindled a fire. All was still and noiseless around ; the surface of the Xingt reflected the moon’s beams, but deep darkness brooded over the forests on the adjacent bank. December 14th.—We left Piuntéua very early this morning, but I cannot say precisely the hour; for on seeking to note the time as usual, Count Bismark com- municated the distressing news that his watch—the last which had hitherto continued to go—was just broken ! We were therefore now obliged to reckon the time by the sun, like the Indians, who, when they wish to indi- cate a particular hour, point to the place in the sky where the sun would be about that time. Two ranges of hills approach the left bank of the river near Piuntéua, connected at their base. We passed these and a succession of other objects, carried swiftly along by the strong current, and at nine o’clock a.m. accord- Y 2 ~ THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. ing to our reckoning, we reached the “Casa do Mar- tinho,” or Urubiquara. Here we were obliged to stop till about three o’clock in the afternoon, waiting for Mar- tinho, who had remained behind to catch fish for our men. Meanwhile we embarked the various objects that we had purchased, and amongst others a number of monkeys and some parrots. Martinho at length arrived, and we now kept to the middle of the river. Its direction from Piuntéua to Urubuquira appeared to lie between N. by E. and N.N.E.; for a short distance it flows E., and afterwards follows a N.E. direction to the Caxoeira Cavitia: from thence to the Caxoeira Cajutéua, the fourth above Tavaquara, its course is N.N.E. It is often difficult to discern the shores, and these bearings are therefore only approximate ; it may however be asserted, that the general direction from Piuntéua to the last- named Caxoeira is N.N.L. Just before sunset we touched at an island covered with tall forests, in which we descried some monkeys. Count Bismark and Padre Torquato cach shot a guariba. We supped on board our boats, near the island of Ta- conhapéz, continuing our course slowly in the bright moonlight toward the Caxoeira Cajutéua. From hence the river flows in a northerly direction, to within a short distance of Tavaquara, where it turns for awhile N. by W. It was probably past midnight when we reached this Maloca. I was the first to climb the steep bank, and was joyfully welcomed by the Jurtnas, who offered me a place near their fire in front of the hut: the old Pagé was especially cordial. Here we waited ARRIVAL OF THE CANOES. 325 for the other boats; the poor Doctor, who had been with me in the same canoe, was in a pitiable state of exhaustion from the long voyage. After sitting here for some time, we stretched ourselves around the fire in the hut, and I soon fell sound asleep. December 15th.— The canoes arrived, one after another, during the night: Senhor Roxa alone, with the cargo of treasures we had obtained from the Indians, was miss- ing, and this compelled us to wait until evening. There were still many things which we should have liked to purchase here, at this last Maloca of the Jurinas; but we were obliged to limit our bargains, finding to our regret that we had nothing but money left : sad news this— nothing but money! But here, in these backwoods, remote from all civilized society, one is made to feel the merely conventional value of money : we now longed for glass-beads, axes, and knives, as much as the Jurinas themselves, for in fact these are the only articles of cur- rent value. Roxa at length arrived,—we had begun to doubt his honesty: very probably he had passed the night of the full moon in some remote hut, drinking caxeri, as it was just the time of the Jurina feast. We now selected the two strongest ubas for our further voyage, and embarked only the most necessary articles : the other effects were sent by our sailors (the negro alone remaining with us) and some of the In- dians, under the command of Roxa, by way of Porto Grande, and thence along the Estrada to the Igarité, which was awaiting us in the Tucurui. We gave direc- tions that the Igarit¢ should proceed to a small island THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. in the Xing called Castanhal, below the caxoeiras, in- tending ourselves to follow the course of the river and visit the cataracts. I may here enumerate the different distances along the Xing, between Piranhaquéra and the junction of the Anaurahy (Porto Grande), calculated by the time which it took us to accomplish them :— From Piranhaqudra Nautical Miles. to Jacui a w CASA). esses co snniierrensnransainans >» Cost 40 Carlos....ccoovvvvvcvinienes 23 POND essai arernsamnresvasupunnnins gf ...Dec. 10th. 9 PUALEUS ss vsensssresroivinirsinsivansens OS : » Casa do Martinho ..................... 91 vi «Dec. 0ih, »» the Caxoeira Cavitia, third rapid ,» the bivouac of 7th—-8th December .. »» the islands of the Taconhapéa......... »» the fourth Caxoeira............... 8th. 7th. ,,» Porto Grande we . 5th. Making a total of nearly eighty-eight nautical, or about twenty-two German, miles. During our voyage from Piranhaquara to Piuntéua on the 13th of December, which took nine hours, I reckoned that, deducting delays, we descended the stream at about four and a half nautical miles an hour: this may be taken as the average velocity of the current. Hence the distance between Piranhaquira and Piuntéua is forty and a hall nautical miles. It had taken us nearly twenty hours to accomplish this distance against the stream, not DISTANCES ON THE XINGU. 327 reckoning the delays at the Caxoeiras, etc., and assu- ming two nautical miles as the average speed against the stream, we have nearly forty nautical miles. The differ- ence between the two results is therefore trifling. Since our last watch had stopped, we had lost this means of measuring the distance between Piuntéua and Tavaquara, but I think we shall not be far wrong in assuming two nautical miles as the average speed of our voyage up the stream, on which supposition the distances between Porto Grande and Tavaquara to Piuntéua are calculated. The journey by land from Porto Grande to the Tucurui, ac- cording to our reckoning, is about thirty-two nautical niles, and the distance from Tucurui to Souzel twenty- seven. The whole distance therefore between Souzel and Piranhaquara would amount to nearly one hundred and forty-seven nautical miles. With still less exactness can I state the distance from Tavaquara to Souzel, on the great bend of the Xingu, since we navigated this part of the river only once, the velocity of the current varied continually, and we had moreover continually to leave the boats and carry our baggage over the rocks, while the canoes descended the rapids. It may be imagined that this caused much loss of time, and great irregularity in the distances we proceeded during the day. But it is time to continue the account of our voyage. Two large ubas, from thirty to forty feet long, were se- lected on account of their solid bottom (six to eight inches thick) as the best adapted for the descent of the caxo- eiras. In the first of these were seated our whole party, . v) ™ nt N * 328 'HE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. with the Padre’s lad, two steersmen or pilots, and four paddlers, including the negro. The second large uba was covered with a 7olda, or roof, made of palm-leaves, and contained all our purchases of Jurtna weapons and utensils, and stores of farinha: the Padre’s young tapir went in it as passenger. Two men steered the boat, and two paddled,—one of the latter an old Indian, with a black stripe across his face. Two Juriina women, follow- ing their husbands, and a girl, were also seated in this boat. Martinho with his light canoe had rejoined our expedition, accompanied by his wife, little boy and daugh- ter: an Indian assisted with the paddles. In proceed- ing down the stream, the boats were of course not pro- pelled by poles ; they were often left to drift along the current, when the paddles were used chiefly for steering their course. : We started between four and five o'clock P.M., after taking on board some farinha, part of which we had been obliged to procure from Porto Grande. The sun had set, and the moon was just rising, (it was therefore per- haps nine o’clock) when we reached a small island in the middle of the river, distant about two leagues from Tava- quara, named Anauréua. We lighted a fire and cooked our supper on the small praya, slinging our redes in an old rancho ; whilst others of our party penetrated further into the forest, to select their sleeping-place, or lie down around the fire. December 16th. —We breakfasted carly this morning, as the moon was waning, and at daybreak resumed our vovage. From the commencement of the areat bend, VOYAGE DOWN THE XINGU. 329 close to Tavaquara, as far as Anauréua, the course of the river was easterly : it now became S.E. We were con- sequently near the place where, coming from Porto Grande, on the 5th of December, we had rejoined the Xing. The rapid stream carried us swiftly toward the range of isles which I have before described, while a con- cert of howling-monkeys enlivened our voyage. The upper river nowhere appeared so wide as here ; we esti- mated its breadth at from four to six nautical miles. The shores are here higher, and more easily discerned, al- though occasionally single islands rise like hills from out the mighty river. Our canoes were carried along with great velocity, the Xing here forming an almost continuous rapid: the islands approached more closely, and shut in the pro- spect. At length we entered a channel several hundred paces broad, the high banks of which were covered with primeval forest, vying in magnificence with the forests of the Parahyba and the Serra near Novo Friburgo. Among the tall trees, most of which yielded resin and gums, we observed large groups of Jauari-palms, whilst the upper outlines of the trees assumed the most fantastic forms. Here, the leafy crown of one of these patriarchs of the forest rose above the undulating masses of foliage, sur- rounded grotesquely by tangled lianas, with something the appearance of a gigantic tuft of ostrich-feathers ; in another place, the thick, light-coloured foliage resembled the huge crest of a Roman helmet, standing out above the trees, and overshading the dark masses of their trunks. Surrounded by this grand forest solitude, we stopped at 330 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. a small island with an inviting praya, where we break- fasted, and it was noon before we again took to our boats. The channel had hitherto in general retained its S.E. course, but from this point, opening into a broad and rapid torrent, it swept along in a S. direction, at times even inclining S.W., until after a few hours it expanded into an ocean-like basin. Here we had a fine open pro- spect, bounded by a range of blue hills in the distance. We now for the first time (about an hour before sunset) obtaimed a distinct idea of the course of the Xing from Anauréua. Since this morning it had flowed southward (S.E., S.S.E,, S. and S.S.W.), and on reaching the open country it described a great bend, first E.S.E., and after- wards E. The blue hills extended along the right bank, and forced the river, as we shall presently see, to turn from its easterly to a north-east direction. Soon after the moon had risen, we landed upon an island on our right. A tree thickly covered with foliage, and with wide-spreading arms, afforded us shelter for the night. We all slung our redes to its branches, partly supported by poles, so that the tree was surrounded by a complete labyrinth of hammocks. I awoke in the calm moonlight night, and went to stir the fire; and the Doctor, who as usual could not sleep, presently joined me. There was no more dry wood, but the resi- nous and fleshy leaves of our tree made a brisk crack- ling fire. December 17th.—We left the small island at sunrise ; the Xingii is here from three to four nautical miles in TRACES OF A TAPIR. 331 width, and soon commences its second principal bend, first N.N.E. and afterwards N.E., the blue Serra we saw yesterday evening stopping its course and extend- ing afterwards along its right bank ; the left shore is likewise hilly, and numerous flat, bushy islets are scat- tered over the river. We passed several small caxoeiras, similar to those above the great bend, and in a few hours reached the wooded and sandy island of Tapiiraquara, where we agreed to wait for Martinho our hunter and fisherman. I was standing near the fire beside an old rancho, busied in preparing rice, when a cry was raised that the recent footmarks of a tapir had been discovered on the island. The child’s paddle, which served as a laddle to stir the rice, was quickly handed to the Doctor, and seizing a gun I jumped into the nearest boat, and with the aid of Rapasinho paddled round the island to another praya. At this place I caught a glimpse of Count Oriolla and the Padre, but they disappeared the same instant in the neighbouring thicket ; the rest of our party had posted themselves round the other side of the island. The footmarks of a large tapir were traced from the woods across the sandy shore to the river. In the hope of meeting another anta I made my way into the thicket, creeping on all-fours, and soon came up with Count Oriolla, but the tapir had escaped to the river. My companions stole along softly toward some monkeys, which were making a noise up in the trees; but again we were disappointed, for the quick and cunning animals made their escape. A bath in one of the side-branches of the river, which surround Tapiiraquara, cooled our em ce — A —— a HT 332 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. ardour, and some fine fish (chiefly Tucunarés) which Mar- tinho brought us made up for our ill success. Below this island the Xing flows north-west, a range of hills extending along its shores, while numerous bushes raise their heads above the river, and masses of rock lie scattered over its surface. A canoe filled with Indians was contending against the stream, but it remained at a distance : our Jurimas recognized in it the Pagé of Piranhaquara—the owner of the feather-cloak I men- tioned—returning from Souzel. This was the only in- stance of our meeting any person in the desert tract be- tween Tavaquara and the first huts beyond the Caxoeiras ; and how many days may this boat have proceeded on its voyage before again meeting any human being ! High wooded islands here narrow the stream, which forces a passage between them in a northerly direction. The beautiful and varied forms of the trees of the long island on our left excited our admiration ; we also ob- served again for the first time the Uanasst-palms among the forest-trees, the Jauaris having for some days past taken their place. We now heard the rushing sound of waters, and proceeding in that direction, the boat was caught by a rapid current, which carried us toward some large masses and shelves of rock overgrown with bushes ; by turning however to the right we escaped the foaming rapid. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when we laid the boats alongside the rocks, where they were unladen, in order to lighten them for the passage of the Caxoeiras. We jumped on land, climbed over the blocks of granite, waded through rushing streams that forced PASSAGE OF THE RAPIDS. their way among the rocks, and holding on by the bushes at length reached a large block, which com- manded an open prospect : here we stood overlooking the largest cataract of the Xing, the Caxocira Jurua. The mighty river, at least a thousand paces in width, is precipitated with the roar of thunder from twenty to thirty feet, partly over steep rocks, and partly over in- clined shelves. In the centre of the fall, on the ridge above, stands a tree, with a rounded crown. The great mass of rocks below divides the broad cataract into two parts, and the basin-like expanse at its foot is one sheet of foam. Long lines of mountains, with gently undulating outlines and covered with thick forests, form a dark frame to this picture. It was now necessary to convey our effects over the rocks, to a sandy spot below the Falls, where they could be re-embarked ; unluckily the boots and shoes of our party were in too bad a condition for such work. It pained me extremely to walk barefooted on the pointed rocks, as my feet were much swollen by the heat ; ne- vertheless we had frequently to repeat this scramble, which gave me at least an opportunity of inspecting the rocks closely : they consisted in some places, one half of coarse granite, and the other half of fine-grained gneiss *. Our ubis were meanwhile carefully lowered one after another by the side of the great Fall, by means of the Either here or at another cataract of the Xing I found, besides granite and gneiss, a red porphyry which in its structure is said to resemble the Hornstone-porphyry of Elfdalen in Sweden. 334 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. little streams that force a way through the masses of rock. A strong liana was fixed to the stern of the boat, and held by twenty or thirty men, to break the descent of the canoe and cause it to slide down gradually. Two Indians remained sitting in the boat to guide it. Just as this toilsome operation was finished the sun set, and we were obliged to encamp for the night on the small praya, where, notwithstanding the rushing noise of the cataract and a shower of rain, we slept soundly. December 18th.—After a somewhat longer rest than usual this morning, our encampment was soon broken up, and we embarked again in the boats. It was not until we had passed the cataract some hundred paces, that we observed that we had seen yesterday only its western half, and that to the east of the rocks where we had passed the night, and which we now recognized as an island in the very middle of the Falls, there was another arm of the river of equal breadth roaring and foaming over the rocks. Dark, lowering clouds hung over the scene. From this first cataract the river flows N.W., but hich wooded islands soon divide it into numerous branches and shut out any open prospect. The channel which we followed turned cast, forming a short rapid, and ran past a praya, where we stopped, to give the men time to breakfast before we reached the next Caxoeira. We soon found that this short rest was well-timed, for directly below our halting-place the small north-castern branch of the Xing became a turbulent stream, and all the attention and skill of our Indians were required to steer the boats safely through the rocks, while the waves PASSAGE OF THE RAPIDS. 335 washed continually into our ubé, so that early in the morning we were completely wet through. The rocks increased so much in the narrow bed of the river, that at one place the boats had to be unladen before they could pass ; we had therefore to carry our baggage and follow the canoes by jumping from rock to rock. Hardly had we re-embarked when we came to another similar pass- age, until a third portage brought us to the charming Caxoeira Caixiio (Caxao). In the midst of these wild scenes, where for some hours past the view had been shut in, the small branch which we navigated rushed like a mountain-torrent over rocks and was precipitated to a depth of ten or twelve feet. Trees and shrubs projected over the stream, shading this lovely spot, whilst high dark-green walls of tangled foliage and creepers, overtopped by magnificent Uauassi-palms, closely encompassed this charming pic- ture of wild solitude. We seated ourselves here upon the rocks, and watched our boats as they were lowered down the falls. Looking from this still and peaceful spot upon the dark surface of the clear and rapid stream, with which the white foam of the little fall contrasts so agree- ably, who would have imagined that we were sitting on the banks of one of the gigantic rivers of the New World ? Whether the other branches of the Xing are mere rivulets like this, or form large falls, I am unable to say, for it was not till we had proceeded a considerable distance below the Caixawo that the banks of the river were visible, between the numerous bushy islands, its general direc- tion being here northerly. 330 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. The sky grew more and more clouded, and in addition to the wetting occasioned by the waves, we had now the pleasure of enjoying a fall of rain. After proceeding thus for two hours with great rapidity, we came to another praya on our right, where we made a longer halt, to await the Consul, who had today taken a seat 1n Mar- tinho’s canoe, in order to lighten our heavily laden uba, and perhaps in the hope of enjoying some sport. Upon this praya we found some poles fixed into fe ground, from which we suspended our redes ; but after waiting a long time in vain for the arrival of our friends, till the afternoon, we pushed off again, the rain falling in torrents. We now rowed in and out, through narrow channels and among bushes, which prevented our obser- ving the true course of the river, until at length we en- tered an interminable reach, as straight as any Dutch canal, passing through a grove of myrtles (Eugenias). The stream flowed in a northerly direction into this main branch, which Martinho called the Ead, with the swiftness of an arrow, and forming numerous eddies, so that it was scarcely possible to steer the boat and pre- vent its swamping. The view extended over the immense forests, to the distant hills on the opposite bank of the river. Two smaller channels soon afterwards crossed the main branch, and we were borne swiftly along toward the third Caxoeira. The floodgates of heaven seemed to have opened, and the swelling of the river showed that the rainy season had for some time past set in near the sources of the Xingii. This season generally commences CATARACTS OF THE XINGU. 337 in November, and continues until July: Von Martius observes, that the Xingi rises during this period thirty- five feet above its lowest level. In consequence of the swollen state of the river the Indian pilots were afraid to pass the cataract in the main-stream, especially as Mar- tinho, the most experienced pilot in these parts, was not with us. They thought there was a side-channel, by which the passage might be made with less danger; we therefore turned to the left, among the bushes, and worked our way slowly along, sticking fast at every moment. This was toilsome work for the Carga,” which, but for the powerful Indian who had charge of it, would have been completely fixed : its roof was several times pressed m, and in constant danger of being swept overboard, together with all the freight. After groping our way through numerous windings in the thicket, we at length heard the roar of a cataract ; and leaving our canoes we scrambled over the rocks, not without difficulty, in the direction from whence it came, and soon found a small side-branch falling over ledges of rock, and forming waves from five to six feet high. Upon a careful exami- nation, our men considered it too perilous to risk the passage of these Falls, and as the day was closing in they advised that we should seck a resting-place for the night. We wandered about for some time in this inundated labyrinth of myrtles, till we came to a small plot of stony ground, overgrown with bushes, where we agreed to encamp. Shivering as we were with cold and wet, and almost famished, this resting-place was most wel- VOL. II. Z - ————— a ——————— eo 338 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. We formed a tent of the sailcloth, lighted a fire, with some cups of tea. After awhile the rain abated, but awakening continually, I stir the embers, and look after our wet hung up to dry. The moons rays avy rain-cloud igned around. rest, we break- and then re- in the come. and warmed ourselves jumped up to clothes which were struggled through the he and perfect solitude re 197) — Refreshed by our this morning, about for some time ight main chan- §,—every one was fast asleep, December fasted at an carly hour embarked. After rowing myrtle-grove, We again entered the stra nel, which we now followed. The roaring sound of waters soon indicated the vicinity of the Caxoeira Acahitéua. The channel now turned abruptly W. and S.W. for a little distance, and then resumed its former str: ight course, forming a sharp bend, which much increased the velocity of the current, and led us to suppose that the rapids were near at hand. Our ful how to pass the falls, and we turned Martinho’s presence Was as he alone knew the men were doubt to the left among the bushes. more than ever required, and in his light ¢ best point where the he ark figure stood before us among Martinho, now anoe might have re- proper passage, connoitred the avy boats could pass. All at once a d the bushes, as if risen from the river,—i1t was recognized by his moustachios : he n- uba, and undertook to guide it the boats had to over the whom we at once stantly jumped nto our We halted in a few minutes ; toiled with our baggage r to a width of only safely. be unloaded, and we rocks, which here narrowed the rive PASSAGE OF THE RAPIDS. 339 a few hundred paces. While thus engaged we descried Mr. Theremin perched upon a projecting rock re sketching, and were soon at his side. : i : From this point there was a view of the whole Cax o oe stream here rushes along with high waves if the flood-tide were setting i I ae two nautical miles. On 1 . a x miles. its right, forests descend to the edge of the river, which is covered with the foam of the rapids : the left shore is bordered with myrtle-bushes nd huge blocks of granite and gneiss lie scattered hot in confusion. At a short distance below this rapid we came to a second, where we had again to unload the canoes. The Doctor had remained on board in passing the pre vious falls, but I now took his place, partly to a the navigation, and partly also to rest my swollen fect One instant the uba glided along between the rocks and in the next it was borne on the top of the An i Indians all the while exhibiting great dexterity in tees ing and keeping us off the rocks. The Padre’s ta pr beast! stowed in the head of the boat, Tr 3 md Se i” i i overboard, but Rapa- and held it back. The Indians now debated whether it would be better to continue our voyage with the freighted ubas down the remaining Caxoeiras, or to send all the effects overland 2d follow the course of the river with empty ots They reckoned that the land journey might be Ao plished in two or three hours ; but to this we did not Z 2 34.0 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. agree, knowing from experience the difference between an Indian picada and a footpath according to our notions, and that it is safer to proceed in a straightforward course in such regions. Martinho’s wife took advantage of the time while the boats were being again freighted, to dye her husbands white dog red (a colour for which the Indians have a great predilection) with the juice of a plant; she after- wards painted her bracelets and those of her pretty little girl, who had also some red rings painted round her temples and stripes on her arms. The mother then performed a more painful operation, pulling out her daughter’s eyebrows and eyelashes, which the child bore with great firmness and resolution : a young airl of her age begins to bestow care on appearance, and this was a sacrifice at the shrine of vanity, for even the ladies of the South American forests are not proof against the influence of this passion. Mr. Theremin was greatly pleased with his voyage in Martinho’s canoe, and had shot various animals; but he was especially interested in conversing with Martinho about the manners and customs of the Jurinas, and watching the lad’s skill in shooting fish. “The Desert- er’s” wife and daughter had prepared a comfortable meal, and the encampment near the Caxoeira Acahitéua was well-chosen : these friendly people also provided their guest with a hammock, his own being left in our boat. Martinho told the Consul many particulars of the country they passed through, and that the Had divides into two branches at its northern end, one of which, CATARACT OF TAPAJUNA. 341 alled Ananaindéua (Anauraiaéua), continues like the main-branch in a northerly course, forming afterwards the cataract of the same name ; while the Acahitéua, which we followed, turns sharply W. and S.W. as has been already observed. The whole forenoon was spent in passing the last-men- tioned Caxoeira : at length we embarked, and were carried along with the velocity of an arrow, following the straight channel W. and S.W. under a burning sun. I dropped asleep for a short time, and Count Oriolla meanwhile observed the compass; when I awoke we were gliding swiftly through magnificent forest scenery, the channel taking a more northerly direction. For a few minutes the prospect opened, but soon the river, narrowed by numerous islands to a width of only ten feet, rushed along like a mountain-torrent, forcing its way among the masses of rock that opposed its course. Once more we had to unload the boats,—thank heaven for the last time! the long-desired “ultima Caxoeira” of Tapajina, or Taiuma, lay before us. After cutting a number of poles and thick branches, our Indians set to work with their united strength to convey the first uba over the rapid. Only two strong men remained at the bow of the canoe, to guide it and prevent its running against the rocks : the rest stationed themselves near the stern, to push the boat along, or to keep it back by means of strong lianas, according as the river was shallow and rocky, or the current deep and strong. When the ubd occasionally got fast, or was stopped by rocks, the poles and branches were placed a ———— 342 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. under it and served as rollers. Meanwhile the Indian with the stripe across his face, leaped from rock to rock, with his bow in his hand, seeking the best passage for the boat, till he came to a point where the small branch of the river falls about ten feet into a basin. The stream swept the boat like an arrow toward this spot; the two men near the bow swung themselves into the ubd, which darted down into the foaming eddy at the foot of the little fall. Above an hour elapsed before all the boats had safely passed the rapids: we then re-embarked with expedition, glad enough to escape from the rocks, which were heated by the sun’s rays. We had passed the last fall of the Xing, and reached the point where the flood-tide becomes perceptible,—the last wave of the mighty ocean which unites the distant ends of the world. We emerged from the mysterious gloom that envelopes the forests along the upper and middle course of the river, passing the last barrier that separates the wild fastnesses of the interior from the regions of semi-civilization,—the line of division between the rapid, foaming forest-stream, rushing along with all the unchecked impetuosity of youth, and the majestic Lower Xing, flowing like an inland arm of the ocean into the gigantic Amazon. After a sultry day the cool of evening was most wel- come and refreshing, as we crossed two basins, closely succeeding one another. Beside the forest-stream which we had been following, five others flowed into the first of these basins; whilst a broad arm of the river, sweep- ing along between high walls of rock, emptied into the THE PRAYA CARANARI. 343 second basin, with a small rapid near the junction. The numerous islands prevented our having a full view of the Caxoeira Tapajina, immediately below which the Xingii turns westward ; and after passing the labyrinth of rocks and bushy islands, we entered a channel, a few hundred paces in width, bordered by high forests. The sky became covered with heavy thunder-clouds,— single drops fell, presently followed by a torrent of rain. We kept along the right bank of the river, turning N.W., and in less than an hour after passing the Caxoeira were enveloped in perfect darkness. Notwithstanding the continuance of the rain and wind for an hour or more, we persevered in our voyage; until at length we reached the wished-for Praya Caranari, where we stopped, in expectation of finding there a rancho. Leaping on to the sandy beach, we searched all about in the pour- ing rain for the promised shelter, but unluckily a few bare poles only indicated the place where it had once stood. We were therefore about to spread the sail from the ¢ Growler '—our sheet-anchor—over these poles, when the Padre recollected a spot, which might possibly be reached in an hour and half, where he had formerly established a « Seringera” (a place for the collection of India-rubber), with a house attached ; but his men had abandoned it, and it was very probable that, after the usual custom, they might have first burned it down. Upon consulting together, we agreed that, as we could not at all events be worse off than upon this praya, it would be better to continue our voyage to the Padre’s cettlement ; we therefore again pushed off, although it was 344 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. so dark that we could scarcely see a hand’s breadth before us. After fasting all day, completely wet through, and fatigued with climbing over the rocks at the Caxoeiras, it may casily be imagined how we longed for the flesh- pots of the Igarité, which we hoped to reach at an carly hour the next day, and the thought of which haunted oui iniagination. Our course lay S.W., as nearly as I could observe m the rain and darkness. We had been sitting for some time huddled up on the benches, listening to the mono- tonous sound of the paddles, when the barking of dogs caught our car, and we soon after saw a light upon the right shore. Our perseverance was now rewarded ; we not only found the house standing, but inhabited by In- dians, who welcomed the Padre as an old acquaintance, and led us through the plain verandah into a spacious chamber. A large fire soon blazed on the around, and the old hostess busied herself in preparing our meal, while the dry hammocks which her husband lent us were slung close to the hearth, that we might rest and warm ourselves. For more than ten days we had been without salt, and since leaving the Igarité our only light at night was that from the fires in our bivouac: today we en- joyed the comfort again of cating our farinha, as the men said, in a digestible and © Christian” form. December 20th.—The night’s rest refreshed us: had it not been for this hospitable roof, the continued rain might not improbably have caused us fever, which is frequent among strangers in these regions. While standing under the verandah of the hut, waiting till a A NIGHT AT THE SERINGERA. 345 shower of rain had passed, we tasted for the first time some cujas full of mingdo. The Seringera was situated on an open space at the edge of a large forest of India-rubber trees. From this spot we had an extensive view up the Xingi: at a short distance above the hut the river flows N.W. and W.N.W_, and near the Seringera turns due N.W. by N., which direction it keeps till within a short distance of its junc- tion with the Amazon*. On starting again therefore (at half-past cight o’clock a.m.) the Xing flowed in a straight line before us, margined with forests on both shores, and scarcely a thousand paces wide. A strong shadow cast upon the tops of the trees on our left, led us to suppose that we were approaching a tributary stream ; but we soon found that, as the Indians had told us, this was merely an inlet or bay, running deep into the forest. We landed soon after on the opposite shore, at two rocas, lying close together, at one of which we purchased a store of flour and a duck, and at the other obtained a quantity of melancias, which were no little refreshment to us after living so long upon mandioca. 1 here noticed clay-slate on the banks, and rising above the surface of the river; the granite and gneiss seemed to have ceased at the last Caxoeira. During nearly the whole morning we had seen before us on the horizon, in the middle of the stream, the tops of a group of trees, and we now recognized the little # As we ascended the Xingt, keeping along the right bank, its course between Porto de Moz and Acajuira seemed to be N.—from thence N.N.W.—at Pombal N.W., and at Souzel N.W.1N, w— 34.6 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. island of Castanhal, with two ranchos upon its slope ; but to our great disappointment there was no trace of the Igarité. We looked eagerly for it, but in vain ; until at length, when close to the island, we saw her mast peep- ing above some bushes near the shore. Our delight may be imagined, on rejoining the vessel, and reaching this point where our return voyage was to begin. We now set to work to unload, dry our effects in the sun, arrange matters, wash and dress, and, not least of all, to— cook a dinner. A roast duck and a glass of wine furnished forth a rich feast. Meanwhile we noticed again for the first time the appearance of the flood-tide on the sandy beach ; for at the season when the Xingi swells with the rains, the tide does not extend to the last Caxoeira. The Igarité weighed anchor at four o'clock in the afternoon, just as we were taking our coffee—how we enjoyed it! This day was in fact a perfect holiday,— we hardly knew what to do with all the riches that sur- rounded us. We paddled on the whole night long, and the darkness prevented our observing the mouth of the Tucurui. December 21st.— Between eight and nine o'clock this morning we anchored before Souzel. The part- ing with our faithful companion Padre Torquato, to whom we were under such deep obligations, was at- tended with sincere regret, for we had all grown attached to him. It was entirely owing to him that we had been able to extend our voyage so far, and without his pre- sence, which at once gave the Indians confidence, we PARTING WITH PADRE TORQUATO. 347 should have met with much greater difficulties ; indeed unaided we should not have found it easy to satisfy the men who accompanied us from Souzel. We waited some hours, till three o’clock ».u., for the noes of our Juriina friends ; but at length, as they did not arrive and we were afraid of losing the ebb, we left Souzel, after taking a farewell dinner with our kind friend the Padre. Frequent showers of rain obliged us towards evening to anchor on the right shore, and the Igarité rolled so heavily that Count Oriolla felt slight qualms of sea-sickness. December 22nd. —The rainy season had now fairly set in for some days past, and it was most fortunate that the difficult part of our voyage was accomplished; in- deed we were told that, during the period when the Xingii is swollen, it is unnavigable for small vessels. The wind was contrary today ; but, if I understood the Padre correctly, it generally blows at this period on the lower river from the west and north, whilst the “ vento geral 7 is said to extend only thus high up during the rest of the year. We stopped for a short time at Pombal *, to purchase provisions. This place consists of a few miserable houses, or huts, with palm-leaf roofs, standing on a sandy beach. Between the huts grow plantains, intermingled with palm-trees and tall shrubs. In the background rises a « According to Spix and Martius (vol. 3, p. 1050), this place is called Piraquiri in the language of the country, and Souzel, Aricara ; Veiros, which formerly stood on another spot, was named Ita-Corussa or Stone-cross, and Porto de Moz, Matura. me 348 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. thick forest,—mo longer indeed the fine tall primeval forests which line the shores above the cataracts, but the lower woods that accompany the Xingt as far as Porto de Moz. We passed Veiros about noon, with a strong head- wind, but the weather improved towards evening. Iwas just reading in Count Bismark’s copy of ‘ Freiligrath,” of lions, tigers, and palm-trees, when we heard the sound of pipes and drums. A boat approached and passed close to us, decked with three white flags, each bear- ing an image of the Virgin Mary. These boats, we were told, go up and down the river, for the purpose of making collections for the approaching festival. The Christmas holidays have an additional interest to the inhabitants on the Lower Xingu, from the circumstance that at this time the “ Seringeros™ (that is to say nearly the whole male population,) who have been engaged in collecting India-rubber, return to their villages and fa- milies. We anchored about midnight at Acahi, a short distance from our pilot’s house. December 23rd. —We here took in various curiosities which, at our desire, Albuquerque had ordered, such as painted cujas, the large pot-shaped fruit of the Sapucaja- tree, and the fruit-capsules of the palms, which are used as saucers. All these things we took with us to Europe. After a delay of a few hours we continued our voy- age. The pilot’s wife was near her confinement, but this caused her husband so little concern, that he did not even mention the circumstance to us, much less express I Ne TA OS YA CI er PORTO DE MOZ. 349 any wish to remain behind. The Indian women in these parts suffer so little in childbirth, that they are scarcely kept a day from their usual work ; nay the Juriina wo- men even bathe in the stream with the new-born child immediately after the event. Acahi, with its broad margin of caladiums, was soon left behind. This plant is much more common on the Lower Xingt than above the Caxoeiras. Towards even- ing we saw on the distant ocean-like horizon of the Xingii the innumerable islands in the Amazon, behind which, scarcely discernible by the eye, rose the blue out- lines of the Serra de Almeirim, while on our left extended the low land of the Campos de Aquiqui. We rowed along the woods on the right shore, and did not observe Porto de Moz until we were close to the place,—so in- significant, seen from this point, appears the range of huts which stretches along the edge of the forest. The evening sun shed a golden and purple glow over the sky. As we stepped on shore, great preparations were m progress for the approaching Christmas festival. The Commandant had kindly had an alligator caught for me, which measured ten feet in length, but unfortu- nately it had died of its wounds ; I however found some of its remains—the strong bony plates—protruding out of the river-sand. I received another mark of attention from the schoolmaster of the place, who gave me a sketch of the town which he had made; mor must I omit to mention the sketch of the Xing taken by Mr. Feio, a friend and the French teacher of the Padre, which he presented to me on our leaving Souzel : 350 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. these, together with several souvenirs from our good friend the Padre, 1 preserve with a feeling of grateful pleasure. The stars shone brightly as we entered the Amazon. A deep silence reigned around, broken only by the me- lancholy song of our oarsmen, and darkness overspread the ocean-like Xing, to which we had now bidden adieu for ever. In what a different light—how rich in recol- lections—did it now appear to us, after all the won- ders we had witnessed, the existence of which we could scarcely have imagined when we saw that great river a few weeks ago for the first time! I took leave of it as of an old friend ; nevertheless the wide ocean had now greater attractions for me, towards which our course was this night directed. December 241h.—On entering the kingly stream, we again met the “vento geral,” which now opposed our progress as much as it had before favoured our ascent of the river. We contended against it nearly the whole day, excepting only a short halt at Tapard, where 1 pur- chased the shell of an alligator, some cora-roots, and a kind of batatas. The breeze was strong, and together with the flood rocked the Igarité violently; so that we were obliged to cut poles and push the boat with diffi- culty along the bank of caladiums and rushes. Towards evening the head-wind abated, and the blue firmament spangled with stars—among which the Southern Cross shone brilliantly—canopied the dark waters of the Ama- zon, as if to add to the solemnity of the Christmas-eve. The few lights of Villarinho glimmered on the right CHRISTMAS EVE. 351 shore, and the island near the two huts was close at hand. The current mastered all our efforts, and the boat, no longer obeying the rudder, ran aground on a sandbank off the upper point of the island : by uniting all our force, however, we soon got her afloat again, and our Christmas celebration was interrupted only for a few minutes. The Igarité was illuminated on this occasion, for in ad- dition to the “fighting-lanthorn,” which was hung to the roof as usual by night, we set up four lighted candles, stuck in bottles ; these were of course continually blown out by the wind, but with unwearied perseverance as often re-lighted. Count Bismark furnished a delicious fritter, made of ship’s biscuit, called in Germany “ Arme Ritter” (poor knights),—a term not inapplicable to our present plight ; while Count Oriolla made some mulled wine, in which we drank various toasts, especially to the health of our absent friends, who were yet present to us all in affectionate remembrance ; we also made a kind of pudding of cora-roots. But in spite of all these delica- cies our thoughts continually transported us across the Atlantic: we sang our songs, but not with the same hearty merriment as usual. Dark clouds now covered the sky, our lights were extinguished, and we sought rest. December 25th.—The morning of Christmas-day found us toiling against wind and tide. The air was sultry, and a warm rain fell in torrents : we had however, Some days before covered in the open part of the Igarité with sailcloth and tarred canvas, as a partial protection in the A a ee rs . a under the shade of a group of fan-palms, covered with ¢ SS WOO WrQ TOY Y 10 ? 4 mass of creepers, over which hung a net of the most splendid passion-flowers. Count Oriolla ingeniously proposed that we should imitate the mode of rowing adopted by the boat we had met the previous day on the 398 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Amazon ; our men were therefore dispatched into the forest to cut poles, to which we fastened the pagaies. The power of the oars was thus so much increased, that half the crew could now row faster than all the men were able to do before. Another advantage was that we could have a relay of hands, and keep the men at work day and night. The ebb-tide set in strongly toward the Ja- buri in the Furo das Velhas, while the Tagipuri flowed past us with its usual velocity S. by L. We spent nearly the whole forenoon in the Furo das Velhas, having proceeded more than an hour before the pilot discovered his mistake. We did not however regret the time thus spent, for the aspect of the magnificent though low vegetation recompensed us for this labour lost ; here seemed to be collected an assemblage of all kinds of palms, together with splendid flowers of various species of passion-flower and Stizolobium. As the Furo das Velhas was too shallow for the Igarité, and moreover would have been a roundabout passage, we returned to the Tagipurd, which we followed a short distance S. by E. until we reached the mouth of the Aturiazal (resem- bling the mouth of the Furo das Velhas), which we entered. The Aturiazal flows N.E. by E., afterwards E. by S. as far as a bifurcation, and from thence S.E. by E, while another branch turns N.E. It then glides along, a hundred paces broad, in as straight a line as an arti- ficial canal, between walls of fan-palms. The succeed- ing bearings were S.E., ESE, ES.E. by E. and ES.E. \fter passing a lonely plantation of rice, situated on the VOYAGE FROM BREVES TO PARA. 359 left bank, we before sunset entered the Jaburd, flow- ing south-east, now called the Rio dos Breves, and here found the banks again covered with tall primaeval forests. We stopped at eleven o'clock at night near Breves. December 28th.—At daybreak we went on shore, to purchase some provisions and engage a pilot for our further voyage. Up to this point the passage, both for large and small vessels, going from Gurupa to Par, is the same as that we had followed, but from Breves to Pari there are two passages : the larger craft keep to the middle of the Pard, and running through the channels near the Ilha das Ongas, sail straight to the city; but smaller vessels keep close to the shore of Marajd, shel- tered by numerous islets which extend along it up to the Bahia de Marajo®; they then cross the Pari, and enter the Furo do Japim (Japii), through which they pass between the islands on the west side of the mouth of the Tocantins, and reach first the Limoeiro and after- wards the Tocantins itself : they then cross this river into the Anapi, one of its confluents on the right bank, and thence proceeding by the Ygarapé-Mirim, before mentioned, reach the Rio Moja, and finally Para. This passage 1s called “ pira dentro,” the inner one, as di- stinguished from that followed by larger vessels, known by the name of “ para fora,” the outer passage. Albu- querque was not acquainted with the former of these * According to Albuquerque, the following rivers flow into the Bahia de Marajé :—the Atua, to the east of it the Jupati, the Muana, and several others. ct E— a——— 360 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. passages, and we were unwilling to trust our safety to the mulatto Furtoso, one of our sailors, who offered to steer us: we had no alternative therefore but to look out for a pilot here in Breves. The Commandant of the place procured for us a trusty man, and we left Breves soon after sunrise; some of the ladies of the place brought me a present of eggs, for which I was duly grateful. We toiled the whole forenoon against the sea-breeze and flood-tide, then setting in, without being able to make much progress in the Rio dos Breves, which 1s here about five hundred paces broad. On its banks was occasionally seen a house standing upon piles, or a roca at the edge of the forest, in the midst of fan-palms a hundred feet high. After fruitless attempts to proceed, we anchored on the right shore, near a splendid forest of palms, which gave us an opportunity of sketching. We also got our dinner here, and then, as soon as the ebb set in, continued our voyage. The Para river lay stretched out before us, tinged with a ruddy gleam by the last rays of the sun. We kept along the island of Marajo, and a group of agile monkeys caught our attention, leap- ing from top to top of the low fan-palms. Continuing our course cast we crossed the Bahia de Tapard, and a group of fan-palm islands soon lay between us and the river : then passing the mouth of the Rio Ajard, flowing from the interior of Marajo, we entered the small Furo de Santa Isabel, between eight and nine o’clock in the evening, along which we sailed the whole night : at first it bore E. and N.E. up to where the Furo Jupatitiwo VOYAGE DOWN THE PARA. 361 flows into it from the N.W.: it then turns N.N.E., and after we had passed the mouth of another small Yga- rapé on the right, first N. by E., then E. and N.E. by E. The Furo de Santa Isabel now seemed to flow for a long distance N., then N.E. and E. The ¢ Cruzeiro” and the Great Bear shone brightly on the dark-blue, starry sky. The channel afterwards bears successively S., E., S.S.E., and EN.E., until it is joined by the Rio de Mutuaca flowing westward from the interior of Marajo, when it continues its course E. December 29th.—At daybreak the Igarité was at the point where the Furo de Santa Isabel joins the Periha, coming from Marajo, and the united rivers form a com- mon embouchure in the direction of the Para. We held on our course cast against a contrary wind, coasting along the glorious palm-forests of Marajo, from time to time passing single islands on the right, and catching an occasional open prospect over the Para and its south- ern shore in the distance. We stopped near a roca to breakfast, and then continued our voyage along the shore, crossed the bay of Coralli at sunset, and directly afterwards passed the Fazenda Maruari, which we re- cognized again by its tiled roof; before midnight we anchored near the Fazenda Assuranda. Some showers of rain had fallen during the day, accompanied by an cast wind. December 30th.—At five o'clock this morning, as the stars were beginning to disappear, we weighed anchor. The sea-breeze setting in at daybreak, we hoisted sail, close-hauled, but continued also to use the paddles, and 362 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. held our course S.S.E. 3 S. straight for the Ilha da Conceicito, on the southern shore of the Para. We left Paquetd to the cast, and behind it caught a glimpse of the isles of the Bahia de Marajd, and also saw the Ilha de Santa Cruz (as the pilot called the land to the right of the mouth of the Tocantins), appearing faintly to the east of Conceicilo and Tucumaidiba®. Having crossed the Pari safely, we rowed at first along the Ilha da Conceigilo, at about a hundred paces from land, and afterwards coasted the island of Tucu- maidiba, which is separated from the former by a small ygarapé ~~ With the setting-in of the flood, the viracéo (breeze) rose, and both together opposed our progress, ausing quite a sea; we were therefore obliged to lay-to at the latter island, and I availed myself of the delay to sketch in the forest. In the afternoon we continued our voyage along the island ; on the left, in the distance, extended the low land of Maraj6 across the broad Pari, which was enlivened only here and there with a solitary sail. Towards even- ing we reached three or four charming little islands, covered with Miriti-palms, behind which was concealed the mouth of the Ygarapé Japim; we entered this channel, about fifty paces broad, with the flood then streaming in from the Pard, intending to continue our voyage up it as soon as the ebb of the Tocantins should set in. The Japim is at first margined by tall fan-palms, which gradually decrease in height. We afterwards passed a fazenda belonging to a priest, and the appearance of * See above, page 174. ENTRANCE OF THE TOCANTINS. 363 cocoa-nut trees and some negroes indicated our approach to the regular cultivation of the coast-region. At a short distance, on the caladiums, sat perched a flock of gulls, which we saluted with a volley, but without effect. As the channel grew gradually broader, its windings seemed to increase, and I at length gave up noting its bearings : it separated into several branches, and, if I understood aright, its name was now changed to Japii-assi and Pachecé. December 31st.—After rowing the whole night long, we were at five o'clock this morning near the Fazenda do Limoeiro, and, according to the pilot, in the broad channel of the same name* which opens toward the Tocantins. We entered this gigantic river at sunrise : its clear, olive-coloured waters are divided near its em- bouchure into two large arms, by three flat islands, which succeed one another in a line from south to north. The most northern of these islands, called Tatoocca, bore N.E. by N.,—the middle one, Marapata, E.N.E.,—and the southern one, Urarai (Uararahy of Spix and Martius), S. by E. A fourth island, called Pautinga, lay S.S.W. of us. Between Marapatd and Tatoocca, which are about a nautical mile apart, were seen the faint outlines of Marajo. Crossing the left arm of the river, the Bahia do Limoeirot, out of which rose great banks of sand and mud, we steered straight toward the passage between Marapati and Urarai. The last day of the year 1842 was dull and rainy, as * See Diccionario Geographico, vol. 1. page 559. f See Spix and Martius’ Travels, vol. 3. page 982. 364 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. ¢ nature too mourned the flight of time. Monotonous in its outlines and colouring, yet grand, was the picture which the mouth of the Tocantins exhibited : as far as the eye could reach, it met only sky, water and fan- palms. The mighty stream rolls its olive-coloured waves between forests of Miriti-palms, while all the islands rising from its dark surface are so many forests of fan- palms. The straight trunks of the Miriti stand in thick, interminable rows, of a whitish-grey colour, like those of our fir trees, or of a reddish brown similar to our pines, in clumps near each other, and bearing like slender s the flat pendent roof of numerous tangled Great as is the difference between column dark-green crowns. the majestic palm and the prosaic pine, it is true that, seen from a distance, the forests of fan-palms bear a cer- tain resemblance to our pine-forests. This was perhaps the reason that some of my companions could not admire this scenery, and got tired of it : for me, on the contrary, the peculiar gloom of the river and forest landscape had great charms. A few hours later Marapatd and Urarai lay behind us, and we reached a solitary island in the right main branch, the Bahia de Marapatd®, less remarkable for the height of its palms, than the beauty of the arborescent large-leaved caladiums that margined its shore. As we followed the bank down the stream, our attention was drawn to a break in the forest lying N. or N.N.E. from us, where we were told the Anapi joined the To- .antins. Heavy black clouds hung over the stream ; the * See Spix and Martius’ Travels, vol. 3, page 982. NEW YEAR'S EVE. 36H good wa strong and the head-wind fresh, so that the arité ake : I sland, and against wind 2A4 tide steered towards an island lying more to the east, and parallel with the former. After struggling with wind and waves, our fragile Igarité sadiod ols Shand safely, and we drifted towards its southern polit The forest that covered it was wonderful ; fan-palms oily feet in height, and some reaching even to a handed feet, gave it a peculiar aspect, which was heightened by groups of graceful Assais, while the gigantic branches of the Jupati bent down in high sihos foward the stream. re As we were coasting along this island (we followed its western shore for several hours) the deep solitude was suddenly interrupted by a canoe steering up the str 0: a ‘man of colour sat in the little boat, the sc ne sail of which attracted our attention; it was os of palm-leaf mats, and seemed to me capable of being folded up, like the sails of a Chinese junk. I have saver elsewhere seen such a sail. On reaching at length the northern point of the island late in the afternoon, we had to cross in a severe sc al and rain another broad arm of the river, to Al 4 situated on the right shore. It was a severe trial for the Igarité. Sailing along this island in a N.N.E. direction we came to the mouth of the Anapi, previously pasting a fazenda situated in a small bay. Fine cocoa-nut roe grew round about, and there seemed abundance of fruits re —o ad a as + SG ms Si og 40 nT TIL 3606 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. of all kinds, and of fowls; nor were negroes wanting. But the neighbourhood of man and the crease of cul- tivation did mot surprize us so much as the entirely changed character of the landscape. The shady man- grove forest, with its luxuriant water-plants and wide- spreading gigantic roots striking downwards in arches towards the shallow river, showed that we had entered the regions of the swampy and muddy isles near the mouth of the Anapii. The sun had set for the last time in the old year, and it was the new-year’s eve when we entered the Anapt, this tributary of the Tocantins, here perhaps a few hun- dred paces broad, coming from E. by S. or ES.E. The feast was spread, consisting of chocolate mixed with tapioca, and a pudding made of tapioca with wine and butter ; nor was there a lack of punch, to welcome In the New Year in a befitting manner. At ten o'clock we celebrated with our distant friends in imagination the hour of midnight, which was then striking to them; but at twelve o'clock we commenced ovr new year in Ame- rica. We remained sitting and conversing for a long time on the roof of the Igarité, looking up at the bright stars that reflected their mild light on the surface of the winding stream, here scarcely a hundred paces broad, while our sailors accompanied the stroke of the oars with their melancholy Portuguese melodies, never tired of improvising new verses. How continually, during this delightful tropical night, did our thoughts and fervent good wishes take wing across the occan to our beloved friends so far away ! 367 January 1st, 1843.—Between four and five o’clock this morning we were in the Ygarapé Mirim*, a tributary of the Anapl. The vegetation along its banks, of which we had read so much in the Travels of Von Spix and Von Martius, disappointed our expectations. Only low man- grove-bushes, interspersed with solitary palms, extend on either side. We occasionally passed fazendas with cocoa- nut trees, and rocas of rice, mandioca and arapu, which yields a red dye. It was quite early, but the sun already shone with great power, when the Freguezia de Santa Anna, with its church, tiled roofs, and white-washed houses, appeared among the capueira. The two steeples of this church were the first, and this the first civilized place, we had seen since leaving Para. The inhabitants, of various shades of colour, and the negroes in their gala dress were celebrating the New Year's day. Santa Anna rr tains from five to six hundred persons, and 1s considered the chief mart of commerce in these regions. Shortly after passing it we came to the canal which Dom Pedro the First caused to be made in six months, to connect the channel with the Rio Mojii: it has not the least arti- ficial appearance, and indeed the transition from the river to the canal would not excite attention, but that the banks of the latter are a little more raised by the earth which, in digging it, has been thrown up. The flood carried us through this short canal, which is only about twenty paces wide, and so shallow as to be navi- gable at high-water alone, to its junction with the Moji. % apes sh Ygarapé-Mirim signifies the < Small Channel.’ qo inn Pony A TG i BA Sr mia i ogi RET 0 TTT oh 368 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. Here we were obliged to stop for several hours, as the flood-tide in the Mojii opposed our progress; and it was not until the strong ebb set in that we pushed the Iga- rité into its dark-yellow waters, which swept us rapidly along. On entering this great river, the whole character of the vegetation changed as by magic: the most magnifi- cent virgin forest, combining all the grandeur and charms we had ever witnessed in Brazil, clothed the shores, as if to make our parting from these scenes more painful. Colossal trunks, with light roofs of foliage,—impervious, wall-like masses of lianas, sprinkled with splendid flowers and interspersed with palms of every description, all vying in gracefulness and beauty, succeeded one another on the left bank of the river, which we now followed. And how picturesque was the grouping of these palms near the small, shady, niche-like groves, these sanctua- ries of nature, which the rays of the evening sun could scarcely penetrate,—while here and there a Passiiba, its light aerial roots surrounded by green water-plants, rose boldly and gracefully out of the river, upon a plot of land at a few paces from shore, forming a little island as if expressly to exhibit this beautiful palm on all sides! The Passiibas seemed to be here the most frequent among the different species of palms; next came the Naja and Baccaba palms, whilst the Miriti was rarely seen. January 2nd —We yesterday saw only here and there a solitary house, near the edge of the forest, but m our progress down the Mojii today, especially on the right ARRIVAL AT PARA. 369 bank, the fazendas increased in number and extent. These indicated our approach to the « Cidade.” The fine estate of Colonel Bricio, the largest of these fazen- das, particularly attracted our notice. J acuarary, as it is called, lies at the embouchure of the broad Acari, a tri- butary falling into the Moj on the right shore. The stately mansion is surrounded by a handsome garden, large sugar-plantations, and extensive pastures. We stopped near the bank of the Ilha do Moju, where we fastened the Igarité to the aerial roots of the mangroves, to await the ebb-tide. Carried rapidly along by it during the afternoon, we discovered first near the horizon the Ilha das Oncas, and later, still further to the left and far in the distance, the island of Arapiranga, while along the banks the fazendas and miler. tions continually increased, and the whole country seemed to form one large garden, of the finest trees, lianas, and flowers. At five o’clock in the afternoon we saw the point of the Arsenal appearing from behind the dark forests on the right bank ; and at last Para itself—the long-desired Para, with its towers and stately buildings. Ere long we discerned also the © Growler’ anchored in the road- stead. All was now life on board the Igarité; every hand was employed in cleaning and giving her as cre- ditable and seamanlike an appearance as possible, which being done we dressed ourselves. We meanwhile passed the double embouchure of the Rio Mojii and the Guamd, but with a strong wind and tide against us, and it was dark when we came alongside VOL. 1. 28 370 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. the © Growler.” “ Boat ahoy!” cried the sentinel, step- ping to the gangway. “Ay, ay*!” we replied, hoping to surprize the crew: but in an instant every man was at the waists, and a hearty salute of three cheers greeted us. The first Lieutenant received me at the gangway, as Captain Buckle was at the time on shore. Our river navigation was thus brought to an end, and our joy may be imagined as we stepped on the quarter- deck of the ¢ Growler’, after an absence of six weeks, and were cordially welcomed by our kind acquaintances. The whole crew collected round us near the gangway, to see the curiosities we had brought, but the delight of the lads was greatest when the skin of the Boa was unrolled. Meanwhile my kind friend Captain Buckle arrived, and I passed an hour with him in his comfort- able cabin, over a cup of tea, while my companions re- lated their adventures to the officers in the gunroom. * It is customary on board of British men-of-war to answer the challenge of the sentinel, in case an officer is in the boat, * Ay, ay!” If the Captain be in it, the name of the ship is called, but if it is the Admiral’s boat, the short answer is “ Flag!” If boats approach in which there are no officers, they call to the sentinel, *“ No, no!*’ that no arrangements for reception are required. t Mr. Lodwick ; this officer distinguished himself the following year when pursuing a Slaver, near the African coast, in one of the “ Growler’s’ boats, on which occasion he was shot through the knee. Though he recovered from this wound, he fell a victim to the climate fever ere he was made acquainted with his well-merited promotion as Commander. Numerous instances of kindness and attention which I received from him earned my sincere gratitude and will never be forgotten. PERNAMBUCO. 371 January 3rd to Mare) 7th, 1843. —We left the 1 ad- stead of Pari on the 4th of January at daybreak saluted by the French and Brazilian men-of-war at ae chor there, and having safely passed the banks near the mouth of the Parg we steered for the ocean. Be- fore sunset on the 6th we crossed the bar of S. Luiz de Maranhdo and cast anchor before that city, which has quite a European appearance. Like Syracuse, the town extends along an elevated ridge projecting far into the bay. From the aspect of the naked, sandy heights around us, bare of forest and wit], merely a few low bushes, we might have fancied ourselves transported to our own country, but for the palmtrees that here and there overtopped the houses in the city, reminding us that we were but a few degrees from the equator. We left S. Luiz on the 8th of January at noon, and the strong current, which had hitherto been contrary, having now turned in our favour, we sailed on the 13th round Cape Toira, the proper eastern point of South America, and before sunset passed Cabo 8. Roque ; both points having the appearance of ranges of wooded downs. On the evening of the following day we an- chored in the roadstead of Pernambuco, which together with the flat Tlhas dos Coqueiros (Cocoa-nut Islands) on the south, and the charming Olinda rising on a pro- Jecting ridge to the north, with its churches and con- vents, forms an extensive and striking panorama. Pernambuco in its architecture manifests to the pre- sent day its Dutch origin : it consists of three towns, connected by bridges,—namely, the port Recife, situated 282 372 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. at the south point of a sandy flat ground, near the foot of the heights of Olinda,—the town of Boa-vista, which borders the cocoa-nut forests of the mainland, and is the residence of the President of the province,—and the insulated town of San Antonio, lying between the other two. Recife is protected by a long reef of rocks, a kind of natural breakwater, against which the waves of the ocean dash with fury. The entrance to its small but secure harbour is near the north end of the reef, which scarcely rises above the level of the sea, but is casily recognized by its tall lighthouse and the Fort Pico or do Mar. Two other forts, do Brum and do Burico, rise about the middle of the sandy tongue of land towards Olinda. We remained at Pernambuco not quite twenty-four hours, and weighed anchor on the 15th of January, at two o'clock p.m., doubled Cape S. Agostinho the same evening, and reached Bahia on the 17th, after running mto the immense Bahia de Todos os Santos, between the lighthouse of Cape S. Antonio (which separates the north point of the bay from the oc an, and bears on the ner side of its long ridge the second city of the em- pire) and the large but little elevated island [taparica. S. Salvador is built in the form of an amphitheatre upon the hill-side, which is covered with the freshest verdure and handsome trees ; the finest part of the city crowns the heights, and is continued along them by the suburb of Victoria. This suburb consists of the nu- merous villas belonging to the consuls and merchants, and 1s connected with the shady ““ Passeio Publico,” extend- RETURN ON BOARD THF FRIGATE. 373 ing nearly to its precipitous southern end, at the foot of which stands the ta] lighthouse upon a sandy point jutting out towards the entrance. On the opposite side of the town the high ridge gradually falls off, until jt ceases altogether, near the church of “ Nosso Senhor do Bom Fim,” which stands on the shore of the gulf, near the margin of the forests of the mainland. From this point the separation of the shore from the sea is scarcely discernible, and the higher parts of the coast alone are elevated like islands above its level. The semicircular fort of S. Marcello or do Mar, surrounded with water, is the most remarkable of the fortifications of Bahia. A similar fort lies on the shore below Victoria, and a third on the ridge near the Passeio Publico. I quitted the ¢ Growler’ the following day, and went on board the ¢ San Michele’, which had arrived from Montevideo and was awaiting me here. The Frigate weighed anchor in the afternoon of the 21st of January, and favoured by the land-breeze she set sail, after we had taken leave of our friend and faithful travelling com- panion Mr. Theremin, Captain Buckle and his officers, who had rendered our stay on board the Growler’ SO agreeable, and Dr, Lippold. We now bade adieu to the charming coasts of Brazil, but they did not vanish from sight until sunset. As the wind, up to the end of January, had blown uninterrupted] yirom E.N.E., N.E. and N.NE, Captain d’Arcollicre was obliged to keep an E.S.E. course until the 29th of January, to get a sufficient offing from the coast. This day the sun, which had been for some months, and was herniceforth, to the south, appeared for a TN Bilin — oe SC alr Sg iia 374 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. short time to the north. At noon we were in 18° 6' 53" south latitude, and 29° 39' 25" west longitude®, con- sequently nearly parallel with, or a little south of, the Abrolhos, at a distance of 530 nautical miles. We now turned our course towards the northern hemisphere, and were greatly favoured by the south-east trade-wind, which set in on the 1st of February, in lat. 11° 1’ 34" S., and long. 29° 36' 13" W. We passed the Line on the 6th of February, and were at noon in lat. 0° 11’ 14" N., and long. 28° 2 48" W. On the 7th of February at noon (in lat. 2° 8" 10" N., and long. 28° 11' 59" W.) the south-east changed to the north-east trade-wind, and we saw for the last time the Southern Cross during the night of the 9th-10th (lat. 6° 2' 44" N., long. 31° 23' 46" W.). The first seaweed passed us on the 18th of February (lat. 23° PsN, and long. 43° 38' 3" W.), and we crossed the Tropic of Cancer in the afternoon of that day. The north-east trade-wind left us on February the 21st (lat. 27° 35' 18" N., long. 47° 0' 34" W.), having arried us as far west as the meridian which crosses half-way between the Great Newfoundland Bank and the Outer Bank. The seaweed accompanied us till the 26th of February (lat. 32° 21' 54" N., long. 31° 32' 31" W.). The darkness prevented our seeing Santa Maria, the southernmost of the Azores, on the 28th of February (lat. 35° 32' 25" N., and long. 25° 39' 36" W.), though we had gone out of # These statements of latitude and longitude refer to our position at noon on cach respective day. We had visited the Abrolhos on our voyage from Rio to Pard in the hoats of the * Growler.” VOYAGE BACK TO EUROPE. 375 our course on purpose. On the 4th of March, at two o'clock ».m., we descried the parched heights of Cape Espichel, but turned our back to it, the wind and sea being against us. On the 5th we kept off the coast of Portugal for the same reason, and did not catch a sight of it the whole day; but in the morning of the 6th we made the heights of Cape Roca, the precipitous chff at the end of the last spur of the blue Serra de Cintra, that sharply indented ridge, on one of the summits of which stands the charming Penha, the royal chateau. In the foreground at the foot of this ridge extends a dark yellow plain, sloping towards the sea, which breaks against it, and bordered by the Citadel of S. Julido. There was a calm,—a light breeze only occasionally rising, first from one quarter and then from another, giving a world of trouble to the officer on watch and the crew. As the stately Frigate lay rolling on the waves, a number of fishing-boats with tall sails approached us, in one of which lay the pilot,—a tall thin man, in a yellow, oddly cut jacket, high riding-boots, and a Spanish hat. He was soon on deck and immediately set to work, as a slight breeze was just springing up. Those who know the entrance to the Tagus will re- member the large sandbanks of Cachopo do Norte and Cachopo do Sul, which impede its passage. Our pilot ran between these, but kept too far south, as will be seen. On approaching the bar, the blue heights of Cape Espichel receded gradually from view behind the rounded sand- hills on the left shore, at the foot of which on a project- ing point stand the strongly fortified tower of Bugia and 3706 THE AMAZON AND THE XINGU. the lighthouse. We already saw, upon the right bank of the Tagus, the gigantic white castle of Ajuda, and on a sandy tongue of land the tower of Belém, while the city itself was visible in the distance on the heights slo- ping toward the Tagus ; nay, we could even distinguish the men-of-war, and in imagination already sought our anchorage, when suddenly the sound of breakers dispel- led these delightful prospects: the Frigate was in a fair way to be drifted by the strong ebb upon the Cachopo do Sul: though the wind was favourable, it was so light that all attempts to give the ship headway proved vain, and we were obliged to let go her anchor in fifteen fathoms. The long-boat was lowered and a stream- anchor with a hawser run out to get the Frigate off her dangerous position : this finished our day’s work. The pilot, whose singular dress reminded us of by-gone times, was the sole cause of this delay : he felt this, and paced the whole evening gloomily up and down the dimly lighted gundeck; on the morning of the 7th he brought us safely to the roadstead. It was one o'clock P.M. when Captain d’Arcollicre brought the San Mi- chele’ to anchor near the © Suffrein,” in a manner to ex- cite general admiration of himself and his crew. My sojourn in the beautiful city of Lisbon was short, but I shall always recollect with lively gratitude the kind reception I received there. I parted with deep regret from my friends on board the < San Michele’, and as we steamed down the Tagus on board the < Montrose’ my eyes were fixed on the stately Frigate, which by the gracious kindness of his Majesty the King of Sardinia RETURN TO BERLIN. 377 had been placed for such a length of time at my service, and on board of which I had passed so many happy days ; and even when her hull was already hidden by the S. Julidio, I still gazed on her towering masts. I hastened to return home by way of England, being anxious to express in person to her Majesty Queen Victoria my deep gratitude for the many proofs of attention I had received from the British authorities, and especially from the Admiralty. I arrived safely at Berlin on the evening of the 27th of March, where I had not only the great Joy of embracing my parents (for my beloved mother was then still living) but it so happened that I surprized by my arrival the different members of the Royal Family who were at that time in Berlin, and assembled at my parents’ residence. And now I take my leave of you, kind Reader, ex- pressing only a hope that the hours you have given to the perusal of these pages may not be deemed wholly misspent. THE END. PRINTED BY RICHARD AND JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. THE MASTER NEGATIVE ,FROM WHICH THIS REPRODUCT ION WAS MADE, IS STORED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICE, ROOM 20, MAIN LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 9 4 1 2 0 FOR ADDITIONAL REPRODUCTION REQUEST MASTER NEGATIVE NUMBER 83 1 JOB NO._ DATE 83 year Reduction Ratio