June 1787 to September 1787
Attempt to put in at Port Praya--Relinquished--Weather--Sail for Rio de
Faneiro--Reasons for touching at a South American port--The Fleet passes
the Line--Arrives at Rio de Faneiro--Account of that Place--Transactions
there--Departure.
Vegetables not having been so plentiful at Santa Cruz as to afford a
sufficient supply, it was the intention of Governor Phillip to anchor for
about twenty-four hours in the Bay of Port Praya. The islands on this
side of the Atlantic, seem as if expressly placed to facilitate the
navigation to and from the Cape of Good Hope: by offering to vessels,
without any material variation from their course, admirable stations for
supply and refreshment. About latitude 40, north, the Azores; in 33, the
Madeiras; between 29 and 27, the Canaries; and between 18 and 16, the
Islands of Cape Verd, successively offer themselves to the voyager,
affording abundantly every species of accommodation his circumstances can
require. On the Southern side of the Equator, a good harbour and
abundance of turtles give some consequence even to the little barren
island of Ascension; and St. Helena, by the industry of the English
settlers, has become the seat of plenty and of elegance. Without the
assistance derived, in going or returning, from some of these places, the
interval of near forty degrees on each side of the line, in a sea exposed
to violent heat, and subject to tedious calms, would be sufficient to
discourage even the navigators of the eighteenth century.
18 June 1787
On the 18th of June, the fleet came in sight of the Cape Verd Islands,
and was directed by signal to steer for St. Jago. But the want of
favourable wind, and the opposition of a strong current making it
probable that all the ships would not be able to get into the Bay, the
Governor thought it best to change his plan. The signal for anchoring was
hauled down, and the ships were directed to continue their first course;
a circumstance of much disappointment to many individuals on board, who,
as is natural in long voyages, were eager on every occasion to enjoy the
refreshments of the shore. As an additional incitement to such wishes,
the weather had now become hot; the thermometer stood at 82°, which,
though not an immoderate heat for a tropical climate, is sufficient to
produce considerable annoyance. But, unmoved by any consideration except
that of expedience, Governor Phillip persisted in conducting his ships to
their next intended station, the harbour of Rio de Janeiro.
It may appear perhaps, on a slight consideration, rather extraordinary,
that vessels bound to the Cape of Good Hope should find it expedient to
touch at a harbour of South America. To run across the Atlantic, and take
as a part of their course, that coast, the very existence of which was
unknown to the first navigators of these seas, seems a very circuitous
method of performing the voyage. A little examination will remove this
apparent difficulty. The calms so frequent on the African side, are of
themselves a sufficient cause to induce a navigator to keep a very
westerly course; and even the islands at which it is so often convenient
to touch will carry him within a few degrees of the South American
coast.--The returning tracks of Captain Cooks's three voyages all run
within a very small space of the 45th degree of west longitude, which is
even ten degrees further to the west than the extremity of Cape St.
Roque: and that course appears to have been taken voluntarily, without
any extraordinary inducement. But in the latitudes to which Governor
Phillip's squadron had now arrived, the old and new continent approach so
near to each other, that in avoiding the one it becomes necessary to run
within a very moderate distance of the opposite land.
In the passage from the Cape Verd Islands, the fleet suffered for some
time the inconvenience of great heat, attended by heavy rains. The heat,
however, did not at any time exceed the point already specified,* and the
precautions unremittingly observed in all the ships happily continued
efficacious in preventing any violent sickness. Nor did the oppression of
the hot weather continue so long as in these latitudes might have been
expected; for before they reached the equator the temperature had become
much more moderate.
[* 82°, 51. It is not unusual in England, to have the thermometer, for a
day or two in a summer, at 81°.]
5 July 1787
On July 5, 1787, being then in long. 26° 10' west from Greenwich, the
Botany Bay fleet passed from the Northern into the Southern Hemisphere.
About three weeks more of very favourable and pleasant weather conveyed
them to Rio de Janeiro.
5-6 August 1787
On the 5th of August they anchored off the harbour, and on the evening
of the 6th were at their station within it. The land of Cape Frio had been
discovered some days before, but a deficiency of wind from that time a
little slackened their course.
Rio de Janeiro, or January River, so called because discovered by Dias de
Solis on the feast of St. Januarius, (Sept. 19) 1525, is not in fact a
river, though its name denotes that it was then supposed to be so: it is
an arm of the sea, into which a considerable number of small rivers
descends.
The city of Rio de Janeiro, called by some writers St. Sebastian, from
the name of its tutelar patron, is situated on the west side of this bay,
within less than a degree of the tropic of Capricorn, and about 43° west
of Greenwich. It is at present the capital of all Brasil, and has been
for some time the residence of the Viceroy. These distinctions it
obtained in preference to St. Salvador, which was formerly the capital,
by means of the diamond mines discovered in its vicinity, in the year
1730. The place increasing rapidly by the wealth thus brought to it, was
fortified and put under the care of a governor in 1738. The port is one
of the finest in the world, very narrow at the entrance, and within
capacious enough to contain more ships than ever were assembled at one
station. It has soundings from twenty to one hundred and twenty fathoms.
A hill shaped like a sugar loaf, situated on the west side, marks the
proper bearing for entering the harbour: the situation of which is fully
pointed out at the distance of two leagues and a half by some small
islands, one of which, called Rodonda, is very high, and in form not
unlike a haycock. The mouth of the harbour is defended by forts,
particularly two, called Santa Cruz and Lozia; and the usual anchorage
within it is before the city, north of a small island named Dos Cobras.
There are in this port established fees, which are paid by all merchant
ships, Portuguese as well as strangers: 3l. 12s. each on entering the
bay, the same on going out, and 5s. 6d. a day while they remain at
anchor. The entrance fee was demanded for the transports in this
expedition, but when Governor Phillip had alledged that they were loaded
with King's stores, the payment was no more insisted upon. Nevertheless,
the Captain of the Port gave his attendance, with his boat's crew, to
assist the ships in coming in, there being at that time only a light air,
hardly sufficient to carry them up the bay.
In the narrative of Captain Cook's Voyage in 1768, we find, on his
arrival at this place, great appearance of suspicion on the part of the
Viceroy, harsh prohibitions of landing, even to the gentlemen employed in
philosophical researches, and some proceedings rather of a violent
nature. The reception given by the present Viceroy to Governor Phillip
and his officers was very different: it was polite and flattering to a
great degree, and free from every tincture of jealous caution.
Don Lewis de Varconcellos, the reigning Viceroy, belongs to one of the
noblest families in Portugal; is brother to the Marquis of Castello
Methor, and to the Count of Pombeiro. Governor Phillip, who served for
some years as a Captain in the Portuguese navy, and is deservedly much
honoured by that nation, was not personally unknown to the Viceroy,
though known in a way which, in a less liberal mind, might have produced
very different dispositions. There had been some difference between them,
on a public account, in this port, when Governor Phillip commanded the
Europe: each party had acted merely for the honour of the nation to which
he belonged, and the Viceroy, with the true spirit of a man of honour,
far from resenting a conduct so similar to his own, seemed now to make it
his object to obliterate every recollection of offence. As soon as he was
fully informed of the nature of Governor Phillip's commission, he gave it
out in orders to the garrison that the same honours should be paid to
that officer as to himself. This distinction the Governor modestly wished
to decline, but was not permitted. His officers were all introduced to
the Viceroy, and were, as well as himself, received with every possible
mark of attention to them, and regard for their country. They were
allowed to visit all parts of the city, and even to make excursions as
far as five miles into the country, entirely unattended: an indulgence
very unusual to strangers, and considering what we read of the jealousy
of the Portuguese Government respecting its diamond mines, the more
extraordinary.
Provisions were here so cheap, that notwithstanding the allowance of meat
was fixed by Governor Phillip at twenty ounces a day, the men were
victualled completely, rice, fresh vegetables, and firing included, at
three-pence three-farthings a head. Wine was not at this season to be
had, except from the retail dealers, less was therefore purchased than
would otherwise have been taken. Rum, however, was laid in; and all such
seeds and plants procured as were thought likely to flourish on the coast
of New South Wales, particularly coffee, indigo, cotton, and the
cochineal fig.* As a substitute for bread, if it should become scarce,
one hundred sacks of cassada were purchased at a very advantageous price.
[* Cactus Cochinilifer, of Linnaeus.]
Cassada, the bread of thousands in the tropical climates, affords one of
those instances in which the ingenuity of man might be said to triumph
over the intentions of nature, were it not evidently the design of
Providence that we should in all ways exert our invention and sagacity to
the utmost, for our own security and support. It is the root of a shrub
called Cassada, or Cassava Jatropha, and in its crude state is highly
poisonous. By washing, pressure, and evaporation, it is deprived of all
its noxious qualities, and being formed into cakes becomes a salubrious
and not an unpalatable substitute for bread.
By the indulgence of the Viceroy, the deficiency in the military stores
observed at the departure of the transports from England, was made up by
a supply purchased from the Royal arsenal; nor was any assistance
withheld which either the place afforded, or the stores of government
could furnish.
The circumstances, which in this place most astonish a stranger, and
particularly a Protestant, are, the great abundance of images dispersed
throughout the city, and the devotion paid to them. They are placed at
the corner of almost every street, and are never passed without a
respectful salutation; but at night they are constantly surrounded by
their respective votaries, who offer up their prayers aloud, and make the
air resound in all quarters with the notes of their hymns. The strictness
of manners in the inhabitants is not said to be at all equivalent to the
warmth of this devotion; but in all countries and climates it is found
much easier to perform external acts of reputed piety, than to acquire
the internal habits so much more essential. It must be owned, however,
that our people did not find the ladies so indulgent as some voyagers
have represented them.
It was near a month before Governor Phillip could furnish his ships with
every thing which it was necessary they should now procure. At length, on
the 4th of September he weighed anchor, and as he passed the fort,
received from the Viceroy the last compliment it was in his power to pay,
being saluted with twenty-one guns. The salute was returned by an equal
number from the Sirius; and thus ended an intercourse honourable to both
nations, and particularly to the principal officer employed in the
service of each.