by native Spaniards; those of less emolument by Creoles; the former are regarded as mere sinecures, and the persons enjoying them are considered as in no way serviceable to the community except by spending their large salaries within it. The fifth class is the militia or soldiery. Previous to the invasion of the English, the officers were not much noted for military science, or for that ardour which leads to the acquisition of it; their chief ambition was to obtain commands in town's and villages, especially those on the Portuguese frontier, where they might enrich themselves by smuggling. The privates were ill-disciplined, badly dressed, and badly paid. The effective force which the crown of Spain maintained in these possessions was one regiment of the line, which was to consist of 1200 men, but was reduced to less than half; one regiment of dragoons amount ing to 600, two of cavalry called blandengues, 600 each, and one or two companies of artillery. With the exception of the blandengues, all the troops were originally sent from the Peninsula, but not having for the last twenty years been recruited from thence, their ranks were gradually filled by natives, By eminence they were called veterans, but they have been of late disbanded, and their officers have passed to the command of the new corps which were formed on the English invasion. The force of these corps may be estimated at nine thousand men. The sixth class is the clergy, in number about a thousand. The seculars are distinguished by their learning, honour, and probity, from the friars, who are in general so grossly ignorant and superstitious that they render no real service to the public in any way, but rather tend to disturb the minds of the honest and well-disposed. Every observation I was able to make gave me a favourable idea of the general character of the people: they are tractable, prudent and generous; and doubtless, had they been under a milder and more beneficent government than that of the Spaniards, they might have become a model to other colonies; but it is lamentable to add, that in points of morality they cannot be considered as much superior to the other inhabitants of America. This is attributable to the want of a proper system of education for youth, to the pernicious example afforded by the vices of the Europeans, and, in a word, to the prevalence of an intolerant system, which, by aiming to make men what they cannot be, cause them to become what they ought not to be. The excessive rigour exercised by the ministers of worship as well as by the government, for the suppression of immorality, defeats its own end, it is like the unskilful practice of a physician, which, directed solely against the external symptoms, aggravates instead of removing the disease. Thus, while open profligacy is discountenanced in Buenos Ayres, libertinism of a more dangerous kind is connived at, if not tolerated; the peace of the most respectable private families is liable to be destroyed by votaries of seduction, who respect neither the purity of female virtue, nor the sacred rights of matrimony. This evil pervades all classes of society, and is the source of domestic disputes, which often lead to serious consequences. DESCRIPTION DESCRIPTION OF ST. PAUL'S. From the same. St. Paul's is situated on a pleas ing eminence of about two miles in extent, surrounded on three sides by low meadow land, and washed at the base by rivulets, which almost insulate it in rainy weather; it is connected with the high-land by a narrow ridge. The rivulets flow into a pretty large stream called the Tieti, which runs within a mile of the town in a south-west direction. Over them there are several bridges, some of stone and others of wood, built by the late governor. The streets of St. Paul's, owing to its elevation (about 50 feet above the plain), and the water which almost surrounds it, are in general remarkably clean; the material with which they are paved, is lamillary gritstone, cemented by oxide of iron, and containing large pebbles of rounded quartz, approximating to the conglomerate. This pavement is an alluvial formation containing gold, many particles of which metal are found in the chinks and hollows after heavy rains, and at such seasons are diligently sought for by the poorer sort of people. This city was founded by the Jesuits, who were probably tempted by the gold mines in the vicinity, more than by the salubrity of its air, which however is not excelled by any on the whole continent of South America. The medium of the thermometer here is between 50 and 80 degrees; in a morning I have observed it at 48, and even lower, though I was not there in the winter months. The rains are by no means heavy or of long continuance, and the thunder storms are far from being violent The cold in the evenings was frequently so considerable that I was obliged to shut my doors and windows, put on more clothes, and have a pan of embers in the room, there being no chimneys. Here are several squares, and about thirteen places of religious worship, namely, two convents, three monasteries, and eight churches, the greater part of which. as well as of the whole town, is built of earth. The mode of erecting the walls is as follows: a frame is constructed of six moveable planks placed edge-wise, opposite each other, and secured in this position by cross pieces bolted with moveable pins. Earth is put in by small quantities, which the workmen beat with rammers and occasionally moisten with water to give it consistency. Having filled the frame or trough, they remove it and continue the same operation till the whole shell of the house is completed, taking care to leave vacancies and put in the window frames, door-frames, and beams as they proceed. The mass in course of time becomes indurated, the walls are pared perfectly smooth inside, and take any colour the owner chooses to give them; they are generally enriched with very ingenious devices. This species of structure is durable; I have seen some houses thus built that have lasted two hundred years, and most of them have several stories. The roofs are made to project two or three feet beyond the wall, in order to throw off the rain to a distance from the base; spouts might be a more effectual preservative against wet, but their use is little known here. They cover their houses with gutter gutter-tiles, but though the country affords excellent clay and plenty of wood, very few bricks are burnt. The population of this place amounts to full fifteen thousand souls: perhaps nearer twenty thousand; the clergy, including all ranks of religious orders, may be reckoned at five hundred. They are in general good members of society, free from that excessive bigotry and illiberality which is the reproach of the neighbouring colonies; and their example has so beneficial an effect on the rest of the rest of the inhabitants, that 1 may presume to say, no stranger will be molested while he acts as a gentleman, and does not insult the established religion. His Excellency the Bishop is a most worthy prelate; and were the inferior orders in his diocese to follow his steps in cultivating the sciences, and diffusing useful information, they would command greater respect from their flocks, and by that means further the interests of the religion they profess. Priests, so ignorant, can hardly escape contempt. No endemial diseases at present prevail here. The small-pox formerly, and indeed of late, made great havock among the inhabitants, but its progress has been checked by the introduction of vaccine inoculation Professors attended at a large hall belonging to the governor, to which the public were invited, and the operation was performed gratis. It is to be hoped that the credit of this preventative will make its way among the people here, for they are not competent to enter into the merits of that controversy which injured it in Europe. Here are few manufactures of any consequence; a little coarse cotton is spun by the hand, and woven into cloth, which serves for a variety of wearing apparel, sheets, &c. They make a beautiful kind of net-work for hammocks, which are fringed with lace, and form an elegant piece of furniture, being slung low, so as to answer the purpose of sofas. The ladies are particularly fond of using them, espe cially when the heat of the weather disposes them to ease and indolence. The making of lace is a general employment for females, some of whom excel in it. The shop-kerpers here are a numerous class, who, as in most colonial towns, deal in almost every thing, and sometimes make great fortunes. Here are few doctors of medicine, but many apothecaries; some silversmiths, whose articles are equally indifferent both in metal and workmanship; tailors and shoe-makers in great numbers; and joiners, who manufacture very beautiful wood, but are not so moderate in their charges as the former classes of tradesmen. In the out-skirts of the city live a number of Creolian Indians, who make earthen ware for culinary purposes, large water-jars, and a variety of other utensils ornamented with some taste. The greatest proportion of the inhabitants consists in farmers and inferior husbandınen, who cultivate small portions of land, on which they breed large stocks of pigs and poultry for sale. With these the market is generally well supplied, an in the frui season is also stored with pines, grapes, peaches, guavas, bananas, a few apples, and an enormous quantity of quinces. Esculent they cover that side of the skin required to be stained and they prefer this material to the solution of copperas, probably with reason, as the sulphate of iron formed by the decomposed pyrites acts more mildly in this state than when applied in the common way. The horses are very fine, and in general docile; when well trained they make excellent chargers. Their size is from twelve and a half to fourteen hands and a half, and they vary in price from three pounds to twelve. Mules, as we have before observed, are considerd more useful beasts of burden. The breed of sheep is quite unsttended to, and mutton is rarely or never eaten. Here is a very fine and large breed of goats, whose milk is generally used for domestic purposes. The dogs are very in-. different, and of no distinct race. Esculent plants are grown in, a ditch for instance; with the mud great profusion and variety. Here is a favorite bulbous root called the Cara, which is equal to the best potato, and even more farinaceous; it grows to about five inches in diameter, and affords excellent food either boiled or roasted Here are fine cabbages, salad herbs, tur- nips, cauliflowers, artichokes, and - potatos; the latter, though very good, are little used: the sweet potato is in greater request among the natives. Maize, beans, green : peas, and every species of pulse flourish amazingly. Fowls are cheap; we bought some at threepence and sixpence each; small pigs from one to two shillings, and Hitches of bacon, cured after the mode of the country, at about two-pence per pound. Turkies, geese, and ducks are abundant, and reasonable in price; the latter are of the Muscovy breed, enormously Jarge, some weighing ten or fourteen pounds. Here is a singular breed of cocks; they resemble the common English in plumage and shape, but they crow very loud, and continue their last note for a minute or two. When their voice is good, they are much esteemed, and are sent for as curiosities from all parts of Brazil. The cattle are in general good, considering that so little attention is paid to feeding them; when their pastures are full of grass, they are tolerably fat, but when otherwise they become lean. A drove may be bought at 24s. or .30s. a head; beef at about a penny or three-halfpence per pound. The curriers have a singular method of blackening cow-hides and calfskins: when they have prepared them for that operation, they search for some mud-hole at the bottom of a ferruginous stratum, DESCRIPTION OF RIO DE JANEIRO. From the same. Rio De Janeiro has been so of ten described by former travellers, that, were I to confine myself to the supply of what they have omitted, or to the correction of their mis-statements, my task would be speedily performed; but, as I have uniformly chosen to write freely from my own observations rather than follow the track of others, I shall trespass on the reader with a more detailed account than he might perhaps require. It will, however, be recollected that the period at which I visited this ca pital being a political æra in the annals of Brazil, is sufficiently 'interesting to excuse if not to justify ine in the attempt to improve upon descriptions - descriptions of an earlier date, though at the risk of a little repetition. The finest view of the city is from the harbour, whence its lofty -eminences crowned with convents, and the hills in its environs, interspersed with villas and gardens, have a rich and magnificent appearance. The royal palace skirts -the beach, and is seen to great ad. vantage from the principal landingplace, which is within sixty yards of its doors. This palace, though small, is the residence of the Prince Regent and the royal family: the mint and the royal chapel form parts of the structure. Parallel with the beach runs the main street, consisting of noble buildings, called Rua de Dercito, from which the -minor streets branch off at right angles, and are intersected by others at regular distances. Some idea of the extent of the city may be formed from the population, which, including the negroes, (its most numerous portion,) is estimated at a hundred thousand souls the dwellings are generally of one story only. The numerous convents and churches are well built, and rather handsome; the cathedral, now nearly finished, is in a superior style of architecture. The streets were formerly incommoded by latticed balconies, which had a very heavy appearance and obstructed the circulation of the air, but they have been taken away by order of government. The greatest nuisances now remaining are those which arise from the custom of persons of all ranks on horseback to ride on the foot-paths, and from the preposterous hanging of shop and house doors, which all open outward into the street, to the VoL. LIV. great annoyance of foot-passengers: I may also add the frequent pools of stagnant water which, from the lowness of the site, cannot without much labour be drained away, and which, through the heat of the weather, emit the most putrid exhalations. Water for the use of the city flows from the hills through aqueducts, and is distributed to several fountains in various public places. It is to be regretted that there are not more of these for the supply of the inhabitants, numbers of whom live a mile distant from any of them, and are obliged to employ persons continually in carrying water: many of the poorer classes earn a living by selling it. The fountains in dry weather are frequently so crowded, that the carriers have to wait for hours before they can be supplied. The water is good, and, when kept in large jars, drinks cool and pleasant. The inns and public houses are almost destitute of accommodations, and so very uncomfortable that a stranger will not reside in them if he can find a friend to take him in. Houserent in general is equally high as in London, owing, it should seem, to the dearness of building materials and the high price of masonry. Timber in particular is unaccountably scarce, considering the quantity which grows in almost every part of Brazil; even fire-wood is dear. Provisions are in general plentiful, but not very choice in quality: the beef is very indifferent, and indeed bad; the pork is better, and, if the feeding were properly attended to, might be rendered fine; mutton is almost unknown, as the natives will not eat it; the poultry of every description are excellent, but they are very dear. 2 M Pulse |