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zilians must exceed all other nations in their wish to swell the amount of apparent revenue, for they seem to think it worth while to impose duties on articles for Government works. They entered into a contract with English people for an iron lighthouse, to be placed on the dangerous Abrolhos; and the ship which brought it out last year, instead of stopping at the Abrolhos, so that the erection might be at once proceeded with, was compelled to go all the way to Rio, discharge her cargo and reload, after paying duty on Government property! Of course the delay and expense were considerable, and apparently for no better object than that of transferring money from one pocket to the other. So at least I was informed.

The mail steamers moor about a mile from the city, alongside an island which is used as a coal depôt, and which has in that capacity realised a large fortune for the proprietor. Early next morning I was aroused by the diabolical noises of a large gang of negroes employed to coal the ship. On they came in slow procession, bearing the coals in flat baskets on their woolly heads, howling a dismal chant and grinning when they saw how disgusted we were with their performances. A proportion of them were armed with a detestable instrument of tin, in shape and size very much like the rose of a watering-pot, and containing a few pebbles, which they rattled incessantly as they stamped along the deck; having listened to this devil's music for an

hour or two, I can fully understand the strong objection of a dog to having a kettle full of gravel tied to his tail. The noise and the dust were distracting; so after breakfast two or three of us jumped into a boat rowed by four darkies, and landed at one of the quays of the city.

Some of the Africans at Bahia and Rio were beyond all comparison the finest men that I have ever seen. The most powerful tribe are bronze-coloured rather than black, and their splendid developement of muscle fully comes up to the ideal of ancient sculpture.

CHAPTER II.

ARRIVAL AT BUENOS AYRES.

THE MARKET AT RIO-FEATHER FLOWERS-HOTELS-CARRIAGES
-GARDENS-AQUEDUCT-BUSINESS ACTIVITY-PURIFICATION OF
RIO-YELLOW FEVER-THE CONSUL'S HOUSE-A CRUISE IN THE
HARBOUR-THE SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN-BOTAFOGO BAY-FEAT
OF A MIDSHIPMAN-TRANSFER TO THE MERSEY-A HEAVY
SWELL-CAPE PIGEONS AND ALBATROSSES-STORY OF ALPACAS
AND LLAMAS-LOBOS ISLAND-MONTEVIDEO-QUARANTINE-THE

PAMPERO-THE PARAGUAY, PARANÀ, AND URUGUAY-SHALLOW-
NESS OF THE RIO DE LA PLATA-LAND AT BUENOS AYRES.

WALKING up the stone steps among a crowd of por

ters and boatmen of every colour, from jet black to dirty yellow, we found ourselves at once in the open market-place, surrounded by all that mixture of dirt and luxuriance which is eminently characteristic of a city in hot latitudes. Dinah dressed in the most gorgeous array,' sat on a basket surrounded by heaps of grapes, bananas, melons, mangoes, and alligator pears; and dirty Sambo chattered by her side, holding half-a-dozen scraggy fowls by their legs with their heads draggled in the mud, and apparently negotiating a barter for his live stock. Close by were mounds of delicious oranges, and stalls covered with strange fishes, reminding me of some

which figure in Raphael's picture of the Miraculous Draught. Huge prawns abounded, and, with all due deference to the Isle of Wight, I believe I may say that the Rio prawns are considered the finest in the world; when curried they make one of the standing dishes of the country. Greatly amused, we passed through the busy throng, and reached the Rua Direita, which is the finest street in the place, and turning to the left found our way up a hill with some barracks on the top, whence we had a general view of the harbour and a great part of the city. As we were in the beginning of the cool season, the weather, though of course hot, was by no means oppressively so; and we fully enjoyed a ramble about the streets and squares for a few hours. The buildings are by no means handsome, and most of the streets are excessively narrow. Shopkeepers in the best quarters pay enormous rents, but get very little frontage to display their goods, which are generally sold at exorbitant prices. The famous feather-flowers of Brazil are among the greatest attractions to foreigners; but I would advise no one to buy them at Rio Janeiro, as they are both better and cheaper at Bahia. Hotels are very few and bad, but outrageously expensive, and I should imagine that a first-rate establishment of this kind, conducted on proper principles, would be a good speculation at Rio. A friend of mine was charged £13 sterling for eight days' stay at one of them; and at another they asked ten milreis, or a guinea, for a bottle of

A BRAZILIAN TURN-OUT.

25

champagne; such charges as these, combined with small and dirty quarters, show that there must be room for improvement. The most convenient vehicles are neat cabriolets, but there are plenty of omnibuses, which are always drawn by four mules. Some of the Brazilian grandees have exceedingly amusing turn-outs. My gravity was sorely tried by seeing a good-looking carriage, with the regulation allowance of four mules, leisurely crossing a square. A negro coachman and footman sat in front arrayed in a red, green, and blue livery, which would astonish even a Belgravian flunkey, and looking as proud as two peacocks; while four other negroes in the same uniform, and ambling on mules, brought up the rear. The narrowness and crowded state of the streets make it rather difficult for a foot passenger to keep to the pavement; but he is constantly rewarded in his walks by finding himself emerging upon some pretty spot, where palms, and bananas, and gorgeous flowers overhang his path by way of prelude to the beautiful suburbs, where the earth appears to revel in the luxuriance of her own productions.

The opera house is very fine, and some of the more distinguished European performers are, when possible, secured. The public garden makes a pleasant retreat; but the botanical garden, a few miles out of the city, with its wonderful avenue of monstrous palms, deserves its world-wide reputation. The most striking piece of architecture is a very fine aqueduct, which was built to

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