From the Arrival of the Fleet at Rio de Janeiro, till its Departure for
the Cape of Good Hope; with some Remarks on the Brazils.
Brazil is a country very imperfectly known in Europe. The Portugueze,
from political motives, have been sparing in their accounts of it.
Whence our descriptions of it, in the geographical publications in
England, are drawn, I know not: that they are miserably erroneous and
defective, is certain.
The city of St. Sebastian stands on the west side of the harbour, in a
low unhealthy situation, surrounded on all sides by hills, which
stop the free circulation of air, and subject its inhabitants to
intermittents and putrid diseases. It is of considerable extent: Mr.
Cook makes it as large as Liverpool; but Liverpool, in 1767, when Mr.
Cook wrote, was not two-thirds of its present size. Perhaps it
equals Chester, or Exeter, in the share of ground it occupies, and is
infinitely more populous than either of them. The streets intersect each
other at right angles, are tolerably well built, and excellently paved,
abounding with shops of every kind, in which the wants of a stranger,
if money is not one of them, can hardly remain unsatisfied. About the
centre of the city, and at a little distance from the beach, the Palace
of the Viceroy stands, a long, low building, no wise remarkable in
its exterior appearance; though within are some spacious and handsome
apartments. The churches and convents are numerous, and richly
decorated; hardly a night passes without some of the latter being
illuminated in honour of their patron saints, which has a very brilliant
effect when viewed from the water, and was at first mistaken by us for
public rejoicings. At the corner of almost every street stands a little
image of the Virgin, stuck round with lights in an evening, before which
passengers frequently stop to pray and sing very loudly. Indeed, the
height to which religious zeal is carried in this place, cannot fail
of creating astonishment in a stranger. The greatest part of the
inhabitants seem to have no other occupation, than that of paying visits
and going to church, at which times you see them sally forth richly
dressed, en chapeau bras, with the appendages of a bag for the hair,
and a small sword: even boys of six years old are seen parading about,
furnished with these indispensable requisites. Except when at their
devotions, it is not easy to get a sight of the women, and when
obtained, the comparisons drawn by a traveller, lately arrived from
England, are little flattering to Portugueze beauty. In justice,
however, to the ladies of St. Sebastian, I must observe, that the custom
of throwing nosegays at strangers, for the purpose of bringing on an
assignation, which Doctor Solander, and another gentleman of Mr. Cook's
ship, met with when here, was never seen by any of us in a single
instance. We were so deplorably unfortunate as to walk every evening
before their windows and balconies, without being honoured with a single
bouquet, though nymphs and flowers were in equal and great abundance.
Among other public buildings, I had almost forgot to mention an
observatory, which stands near the middle of the town, and is tolerably
well furnished with astronomical instruments. During our stay here, some
Spanish and Portuguese mathematicians were endeavouring to determine
the boundaries of the territories belonging to their respective crowns.
Unhappily, however, for the cause of science, these gentleman have not
hitherto been able to coincide in their accounts, so that very little
information on this head, to be depended upon, could be gained. How far
political motives may have caused this disagreement, I do not presume to
decide; though it deserves notice, that the Portuguese accuse the Abbee
de la Caille, who observed here by order of the King of France, of
having laid down the longitude of this place forty-five miles too much
to the eastward.
Until the year 1770, all the flour in the settlement was brought
from Europe; but since that time the inhabitants have made so rapid a
progress in raising grain, as to be able to supply themselves with it
abundantly. The principal corn country lies around Rio Grande, in the
latitude of 32 deg south, where wheat flourishes so luxuriantly, as to
yield from seventy to eighty bushels for one. Coffee also, which they
formerly received from Portugal, now grows in such plenty as to enable
them to export considerable quantities of it. But the staple commodity
of the country is sugar. That they have not, however, learnt the art
of making palatable rum, the English troops in New South Wales can bear
testimony; a large quantity, very ill flavoured, having been bought and
shipped here for the use of the garrison of Port Jackson.
It was in 1771 that St. Salvador, which had for more than a century been
the capital of Brazil, ceased to be so; and that the seat of Government
was removed to St. Sebastian. The change took place on account of
the colonial war, at that time carried on by the Courts of Lisbon and
Madrid. And, indeed, were the object of security alone to determine
the seat of Government, I know but few places better situated in that
respect than the one I am describing; the natural strength of the
country, joined to the difficulties which would attend an attack on the
fortifications, being such as to render it very formidable.
It may be presumed that the Portuguese Government is well apprized of
this circumstance and of the little risque they run in being deprived
of so important a possession, else it will not be easy to penetrate the
reasons which induce them to treat the troops who compose the garrison
with such cruel negligence. Their regiments were ordered out with a
promise of being relieved, and sent back to Europe at the end of
three years, in conformity to which they settled all their domestic
arrangements. But the faith of Government has been broken, and at the
expiration of twenty years, all that is left to the remnant of these
unfortunate men, is to suffer in submissive silence. I was one evening
walking with a Portuguese officer, when this subject was started, and
on my telling him, that such a breach of public honour to English troops
would become a subject of parliamentary enquiry, he seized my hand
with great eagerness, "Ah, Sir!" exclaimed he, "yours is a free
country--we"!----His emotions spoke what his tongue refused.
As I am mentioning the army, I cannot help observing, that I saw nothing
here to confirm the remark of Mr. Cook, that the inhabitants of the
place, whenever they meet an officer of the garrison, bow to him with
the greatest obsequiousness; and by omitting such a ceremony, would
subject themselves to be knocked down, though the other seldom deigns to
return the compliment. The interchange of civilities is general between
them, and seems by no means extorted. The people who could submit to
such insolent superiority, would, indeed, deserve to be treated as
slaves.
The police of the city is very good. Soldiers patrole the streets
frequently, and riots are seldom heard of. The dreadful custom of
stabbing, from motives of private resentment, is nearly at an end,
since the church has ceased to afford an asylum to murderers. In other
respects, the progress of improvement appears slow, and fettered by
obstacles almost insurmountable, whose baneful influence will continue,
until a more enlightened system of policy shall be adopted. From morning
to night the ears of a stranger are greeted by the tinkling of the
convent bells, and his eyes saluted by processions of devotees, whose
adoration and levity seem to keep equal pace, and succeed each other in
turns. "Do you want to make your son sick of soldiering? Shew him the
Trainbands of London on a field-day." Let him who would wish to give his
son a distaste to Popery, point out to him the sloth, the ignorance, and
the bigotry of this place.
Being nearly ready to depart by the 1st of September, as many officers
as possible went on that day to the palace to take leave of his
Excellency, the Viceroy of the Brazils, to whom we had been previously
introduced; who on this, and every other occasion, was pleased to honour
us with the most distinguished marks of regard and attention. Some part,
indeed, of the numerous indulgencies we experienced during our stay
here, must doubtless be attributed to the high respect in which the
Portuguese held Governor Phillip, who was for many years a captain in
their navy, and commanded a ship of war on this station: in consequence
of which, many privileges were extended to us, very unusual to be
granted to strangers. We were allowed the liberty of making short
excursions into the country, and on these occasions, as well as when
walking in the city, the mortifying custom of having an officer of the
garrison attending us was dispensed with on our leaving our names
and ranks, at the time of landing, with the adjutant of orders at the
palace. It happened, however, sometimes, that the presence of a
military man was necessary to prevent imposition in the shopkeepers, who
frequently made a practice of asking more for their goods than the worth
of them. In which case an officer, when applied to, always told us the
usual price of the commodity with the greatest readiness, and adjusted
the terms of the purchase.
On the morning of the fourth of September we left Rio de Janeiro,
amply furnished with the good things which its happy soil and clime so
abundantly produce. The future voyager may with security depend on
this place for laying in many parts of his stock. Among these may be
enumerated sugar, coffee, rum, port wine, rice, tapioca, and tobacco,
besides very beautiful wood for the purposes of household furniture.
Poultry is not remarkably cheap, but may be procured in any quantity;
as may hops at a low rate. The markets are well supplied with butcher's
meat, and vegetables of every sort are to be procured at a price next to
nothing; the yams are particularly excellent. Oranges abound so much,
as to be sold for sixpence a hundred; and limes are to be had on terms
equally moderate. Bananas, cocoa nuts, and guavas, are common; but the
few pineapples brought to market are not remarkable either for
flavour, or cheapness. Besides the inducements to lay out money already
mentioned, the naturalist may add to his collection by an almost endless
variety of beautiful birds and curious insects, which are to be bought
at a reasonable price, well preserved, and neatly assorted.
I shall close my account of this place by informing strangers, who may
come here, that the Portuguese reckon their money in rees, an imaginary
coin, twenty of which make a small copper piece called a 'vintin', and
sixteen of these last a 'petack'. Every piece is marked with the number
of rees it is worth, so that a mistake can hardly happen. English silver
coin has lost its reputation here, and dollars will be found preferable
to any other money.