mw. '% ^\.-^i^^^j'*J^J •'IWU '/^i"';V"' mm: Wm. OfornKU Unitieraita ffitbrarg CHARLES WILLIAM WASON COLLECTION CHINA AND THE CHINESE THE GIFT OF CHARLES WILLIAM WASON CLASS OF 1876 I9I8 G ddn pco™*" ""'"•'■"•y Library A sketcher's tour round the world / 3 1924 023 252 665 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023252665 M Pi m o I SKETCHER'S TOUR ROUND THE WORLD. ROBERT ELWES, ESQ. Wil^ Sllustriitiniis frnra (!I)rigiEal iramings, BY THE AUTHOR. LONDON: HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN, 13, GEEAT MAELBOROUGH STREET. 1854. LONDON; Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street. TO HER WHOM THESE TEAVELS KOUND THE WORLD WILL MOST DEEPLY INTEREST^ AS PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OP HER HUSBAND, THIS VOLUME IS APi'ECTIONATELY INSCRIBEDj BY THE AUTHOll. PREFACE. This book is simply a record of travels, undertaken for no purpose but my own amusement ; but as, in the course of so long a ramble, I visited many places of interest, and penetrated to spots not famliiar to Europeans, I venture to give the impressions of my wan- derings, such as they are, to the world, without apologizing for my temerity. We live in an age when almost every one travels ; and perhaps there is so much more reason for publishing the result of our experiences and observations, as it is not only interesting, as far as it goes, to the few who remain at home, but may afford information to those who follow in our steps. I cannot but hope that my book may be useful in at least the latter respect; and, as regards the other, the public will no doubt awai'd it, in the end, as much favour as it can reasonably claim. VI PREFACE. The illustrations have been drawn by myself, from sketches made amidst the various scenes represented; and, therefore, on myself alone rests the whole responsibility of the production. R. E. CONGHAM, NOKrOLK, HOVEMBEE, 1853. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. LA CUMBRE NEAR SAN VINCENTE BIO JANEIRO FOREST IN THE ORGAN MOUNTAINS PAULO AFPONSO BUENOS AYBES USPALLATA LIMA HONOLULU LAHAINA HALEAKALA PAPEITI HOBARTON GUM FOREST GULF AT THE WEATHERBOARD PAGSINAN RIVER HONG-KONG CANTON SHANGHAI SINGAPORE ADEN FRONTISPIECE TO FACE PAGE 4 25 33 79 106 145 166 181 211 214 227 2C2 268 290 313 328 338 360 375 392 CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. DEPABTUfiE" FEOM ENGLAND — ABKIVAL AT MADEIBA— PUNCHAL— PICO RUITO — SAN VINCENIB — THE COKKAI — THE EABAfAL — STTJPENDOITS SEA CLirP — MADEIHA INVALIDS . ... 1 — 9 CHAPTER II. TENEEIPPE — THE PEAK— VOYAGE TO BBAZIL — BIO JANEIBO— THE BOTANICAL GARDEN — NIGHT DESCENT PBOM THE COBCOVADO — A TBOPICAL POB.EST AT NIGHT — SHOPS lU BIO JANEIBO — ^BBAZILIAN LADIES— EXPLOIT OP AN ENGLISHMAN— ENVIEONS OP BIO — CAPTUEE OPASLAVEB — CONDITION OP BRAZILIAN SLAVES . . . 10 — 28 CHAPTER III. THE VENDA OP PIEDADE — POBEST SCENEET— PIC-NIC IN THE POEBST — EIDE TO CONSTANTIA — HOSPITALITY TO TEAVBLLEES — PETEOPOLIS — GEBMAN COLONY — POETA DE ESTEELLA ... . . 29 — 39 CHAPTER IV. EXCUESION INTO THE INTEEIOE — INCIDENTS ON THE BOAD— BBAZILIAN MULE- TEBES — A COITNTBY TOWN — PAETY OF ENGLISH — SAPETY OP THE BOADS — SOCIETY IN EIO . . 40 — 52 CHAPTER Y. VOYAGE TO BAHIA — STOEY OP A SLAVEE— BBAZILIAN PISHING-BOAIS— SIGNAL FOE PILOTS — MAEOIM — EOUTE TO THE PALLS — PEOPEIA— ASCENDING THE EIVEB — PORTA DES PIEANHOS 53 — 66 X CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. A BEAZILIAN COTJNTaT HOUSEHOLD— SIMPLICITY OJ THE NATIVES— APPEOACH TO THE lALLS— THE CATABACT— NIGHT ON THE BANK— AN UNPLEASANT INCLDENT— A PRIMITIVE PISHEBMAN— ANGLING POB PIBANHOS— NIGHT ON THE BIVER— FOSSIL BEMAINS— DISCOMEORTS OE TBAVBLLING THE EIVER AMAZON "' °'' CHAPTER VII. SHIPWIUECK ON THE BAB, — SHOOTING EXCUESION — DEUNKEN SLAVES— THE VIL- LAGE OP THE BAE— OUE VESSEL DEIVEN BACK — CEITICAL SITUATION OP THE 'BOM JESUS' — THE BAE CEOSSED — EETUEN TO BAHIA — THE SLAVE TEADE— ATTACK ON A CAPIUEBD SLAVBB — BECKLESSNESS OP SLAVE DEALEES — HABITS OP THE NEGEOES — VOTIVE OPPEEINGS — INSECTS AND EEPTILES — THE BEITISH MINISTEB — OUE LADY OP THE BOCK. 84 — 103 CHAPTER Vm. MONTE VIDEO — BUENOS AYEES — THE GAUCHOS — THE ARGENTINE HOESE — BUL- LOCK-WAGGONS—THE SALADEEAS — lEISH SETILEES — THE EED EIBBON — TYEANNY OP EOSAS — VISIT TO BOSAS' DAUGHTEE — A NOCTUENAL VISITOE — MIEAGE — HOBSE BACES— STAET POE THE PAMPAS . . 104 — 122 CHAPTER IX. THE FIBST STAGE — THE POST-HOUSES — LIPE ON THE EOAD — THE INDIANS — HABITS OP THE GAUCHOS — A SCOTCH SETTLEE — THE AEAUGANIANS — INDIAN EAVAGES— AN ESCAPED CAPTIVE — AN ALAEM — A STOEM— PIEST VIEW OP THE ANDES — MENDOZA — LIFE IN THE ANDES — THE MOUNTAIN PASSES — POBDING THE TOBBENT SUMMIT OP THE PASS — THE DESCENT. 123^153 CHAPTER X. SANTIAGO — ^A CHILIAN BANQUET — NATIONAL PESTIVAL TBAVELLING IN CHILI — VALPARAISO — CHILIAN POLICE — PEAT OP A SAILOE — VALLEY OP QUILLOTA — FESTIVITIES . . 154—163 CHAPTER XI. CALLAO — LIMA — NATIVE COSTUMES — PIZAEEO's CEOSS — THE GIfflAT BELL — BULL- FIGHT — LAMAS — PEEUVIAN "WATEBING-PLAOE — INDIAN CEMETEBIES — AN- CIENT CIVILIZATION— IDEA OF ENGLISH BEAUTY — EELIGIOUS PBOCESSIONS. 164—178 CONTENTS. XI CHAPTER XII. VOYAGE TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS — HONOLULU — OEIGIN OE THE PEOPLE — NATIVE HUTS — DIAMOND HILL — BEAUTIFUL PLAIN — PBODUCB OF THE COUNTRY — EXCUBSION INTO THE INTEBIOB — AN EXTINCT CEATEB — DE- CEEASE OP POPULATION — PBOCEEDINGS OP THE MISSIONAEIES — PBESENTA- TION TO THE KING THE KING VISITS THE ' AMPHITEITE' — THE KING's YACHT — THE KING IN PBIVATE LIPE — MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT — THE KING's WELCOME — THE DEATH-PLACE OP CAPTAIN COOK — THE VOLCANOES — NATIVE CAED-PLAYEKS— NAEKOW ESCAPE 179 — 210 CHAPTER XIII. WBST MAUI — ^AMERICAJN HOSPITALITY — SUGAB PLANTATION — STUPENDOUS CEA- TEB.— SUNSET ON THE MOUNTAIN— LAHADIA — OUEIOUS CUSTOM AT HONO- LULU—NATIVE BUEIAL-PLACES — THE MISSIONAEIES . . 211 — 221 CHAPTER XIV. THE SCHOONEE ' CAEOLINe' — SIOEIES OF CALIPOENIA — PIEST VIEW OP TAHITI — FEBNCH OCCUPATION — INTEEIOB OF THE ISLAND — XS ENGLISH SETTLEE-— MOUNTAIN LAKE — THE NATIVES — IDEAS OF MUSIC — A NIGHT AT A FEENCH OUTPOST — TAHITIAN WOJIEN — CHABACTEE OF THE POPULATION — PEODUCB OF THE ISLAND — SYSTEM OP EXCHANGE .... 222 — 241 CHAPTER XV. ISL.UfD OF EIMBO— COAST OF AUSTRALIA — THROWN ON A SAND-BANK — THE WRECK — CAMPING IN THE BUSH — VISITORS PROM THE ISLANDS — GUN- CARRIAGE ISLAND — THE SEALEE's FAMILY — SNARING THE MUTTON-BIEDS — THE LIGHTHOUSE— SIGNAL OF DISTRESS— MOUNT WELLINGTON. 242 — 260 CHAPTER XVI. HOBABT TOWN — THE CONVICTS — CHARACTER OP THE COLONISTS — CLIMATE AND SCENBEY — THE ABORIGINES — ^AN AUSTRALIAN FOEEST — GREAT TREES — THE sawyer's HUT — (JROSSING THE COUNTRY— -LAUNCESTON . 261 — 273 CHAPTER XVn. GEOEGE TOWN — UP THE ■ TARRA EIVEE — MELBOUENB — PRODUCE OF THE COUN- TRY — BOYD TOWN — SYDNEY HARBOUR — SYDNEY BOTANICAL GARDEN — BOTANY BAY — LIVERPOOL — PARAMATTA — THE BLUE MOUNTAINS — STEANGE ADVENTUEE — BEAUTIFUL VALLEY — BATHUEST — A SHEEP STATION — THE PIEST GOLD-FINDEE — RETURN TO SYDNEY — THE MUSEUM — THE WATERING- PLACE— ^JEPARTpRE PROM AUSTRALIA — THE NEW HEBRIDES — LADEONE ISLANDS ... . . ... 272—300 Xll CONTENTS. CHAPTEE XVIII. MANILLA BAY— SPANISH COURTESY— THE MALAY POPULATION— THE BIYEB,— LUDICBOUS ADVENTURE — LAKE OF BAIA — SANTA CRUZ — A MANILLA HOUSE- HOLD — HOT SPRIN&S — ^EXTINCT CRATER — THE NATIONAL PASTIME— MANILLA CI&ARS— MANUFACTURES— GRAND BALL MAIAY FUNERALS . 301 — 324 CHAPTEE XIX. AN EQUESTRIAN TROOP AT SEA — HONG KONG ESTABLISHMENTS OF ENGLISH MERCHANTS — CHINESE ARTISTS — PIRATICAL JUNKS — INDUSTRY OP THE CHINESE — CHINESE KITES ... ... 335 — 334 CHAPTEE XX. MACAO— PEARL RIVER — CANTON — LIFE ON THE RIVER — THE HONGS — CHINESE SHOPS — STREETS OP CANTON — SHOPPING IN CANTON — ITINERANT TRADERS — COSTUME — JOSS-HOUSES — TEA — THE HONAB TEMPLE — FARTEE GARDENS — CHINESE COOKERY — A CHINESE FUNERAL — TOUR OF THE CITY. 335 — 353 CHAPTEE XXI. OPIUM SMOKING A CONVIVIAL PARTY SHANGHAI PAWNBROKERS' SHOPS THE STREETS TEA-GARDENS — CHINESE ACROBATS — JUGGLERS — MECHA- NICS — COINERS — SHANGHAI JUNKS CHINESE TEMPLE — PRINTING IN CHINA ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS — ^WOOSUNG CHINCHEW . 354 — 373 CHAPTEE XXII. SINGAPORE — PULO PENANG— COAST OF SUMATRA CEYLON — CINNAMON GARDENS — BOMBAY— AN EAST INDIA BANQUET — CAVE OF ELEPHANTA BASSEIN BOMBAY BOATS MALABAR POINT . . . 374 ggj* CHAPTEE XXIII. THE 'ATALANTa'— VOYAGE TO ADEN THE CANTONMENT- THE RED SEA SUEZ— ACROSS THE DESERT— THE VANS— ARRIVAL AT CAIRO. 388—397 CHAPTEE XXIY. CAIRO ALEXANDRIA — QUARANTINE AT MALTA — VISIT TO SICILY RUN THROUGH ITALY— SWITZERLAND— HOLLAND THE RHINE RETURN TO ENGLAND ...... 398—411 A SKETCHER'S TOUR ROUND THE WORLD. CHAPTER I. DEPABTURK FROM ENGLAND ARRIVAL AT MADEIRA FUNCHAL PICO RUIVO SAN VINCENTB THE CORRAL THE RABA9AL STUPENDOUS SEA CLIFF MADEIRA INVALIDS. On the 20th of March, 1848, I embarked on board the brig ' Eclipse,' A 1 , Madeira regular trader, for a passage to Madeira, and about 1 P.M. we were hauled out of Shadwell Basin, taken in tow by a tug-steamer, and proceeded at a rapid rate down the river. The ' Eclipse' was well fitted for passengers, and could carry forty ; but it was now spring, and as invalids generally return to England at that time, we had but eight in the cabin. Five days elapsed before we discharged our pilot and got clear of the Downs, and we were afterwards becalmed in the Bay of Biscay, but we made about an average passage, and on the sixteenth morning, at daylight, sighted the craggy island of Porto Santo. At FUNCHAL 2 P.M. we were off Brazen Head, and in sight of the white shining town of Funchal, the capital of Madeira. Arriving at this time, we were of course becalmed, as all vessels are, and could not -land till the next morning, but everything looked so bright and riant under the rays of the setting sun, that we hardly regretted being detained a few hours to contemplate the charming scene. Funchal is built on the sea-coast, but the streets run some way up the hiUs, which rise with tolerable steepness from the beach. The quintas, or country houses, are scattered about, and are excessively pretty, being generally surroutided with gardens, in which all kinds of trees, both tropical and English, flourish luxuriantly. The town seems excellently adapted for invalids, and as there are no wheeled carriages, it would be very quiet, were it not for the yells of peasants to their oxen as they carry wine about on sledges, and the continual hammering of coopers making wine-casks in the streets. Some of the gardens are very charming. Bananas, bamboos, daturas, oleanders, with hedges of geranium and hydrangea, meet the eye on every side, and there are fine specimens of rarer trees. Amongst these I observed some eucalypti from Australia, which bade fair to become large trees. A few date-palms added to the tropical appearance of the whole. I stayed with some friends at the Quinta da Pico de San Joao, but my time was spent in riding about the island. Madeira being composed of mountains deeply cut with ravines, the distances are greater, and take more time to traverse, than one could imagine, judging from the apparently small space in view. For my first excursion I hired a horse and burroquero, as the horse-boys are called ; and set off' on a circuit, sleeping PICO RUIVO. 3 the first night at Santa Anna, the next at San Vincente, and on the third day returning past the western edge of the Corral, to Funchal. A steep road leads from the town past the Mount Church, " Nossa Senhora del Monte," and leaving the quintas and gardens, ascends abruptly through scenery of quite a Welsh character. Then skirting the edge of deep ravines, the path leads into the beautiful valley of Ribierafiia, down which, winding amongst luxuriant ferns and all sorts of vegetation, rushes a clear sparkling brook. The views towards the northern coast are very fine. At Santa Anna I slept at a good inn, much frequented by the English in summer, as a boarding-house. Starting early the next morning for San Vincente, I first crossed the preci- pitous valley of St. Jorge, which takes its name from a little town squeezed in the mouth of the ravine, close to the sea. The view of Pico Ruivo up the valley was really splendid. A few streaks of snow still lingered on the top of the mountain, which rises upwards of 6000 feet above the sea, and is the highest in the island. The whole of the country round bore the most evident marks of volcanic action, the high slopes being covered with red hillocks, worn by rain, while the steep sides of the ravine were composed of huge buttresses of lava. I noticed several pretty ferns here, and amongst them the As. crenata, and As. saggitaria ; and, stuck against the rocks, were curious plants of a flat-growing sort of saxifrage. From the village of St. Jorge the" road sometimes went along the sea-shore, sometimes rose high on the hill sides, and along the edge of steep precipices overhanging the sea. I had a narrow escape of my life on one of these steep zig-zags. At a turn of the path, my horse would not face B 2 4 SAN VINCENTE. the hill, and when I pressed him at it with stick and spur, he backed at the angle, until he got one leg over the edge of the precipice, and I actually heard it sinking in the brambles which fringed the path. I jumped off the other side as quickly as I could, and he recovered himself ; but I should have fallen several hundred feet had I gone over. The most remarkable part of this road is called the Entrosa. Here a narrow path is carried along the face of a perpendicular cliff, rather in the style of the famous pass of the Gemmi in Switzerland, but not at so great an elevation. The coast scenery near San Vincente is as good as any I have ever seen, and equals Norway in grandeur, though not in wildness. A heavy swell was rolling in from the Atlantic, and dashed up over the great black lava rocks, long since fallen down from the mountains, which rose steeply on the other side of the path. A light blue haze, with the sun gleaming through it, hung over the cliffs, softening everything, though hardly making the outlines less distinct ; and the whole formed a perfect picture, but one that would require a skilful hand to paint it rightly. At San Vincente, a pretty village embosomed among trees and vines, about two miles from the sea, 1 found a tolerable inn. It is rather a central situation, one path leading by the Raba9al to Calheta, another by the edge of the Corral to Funchal. I chose the latter, and found the scenery magnificent. The mountains were very steep, and of the most beautiful forms, covered with wood up to their summits, and enlivened with sparkling torrents. In colour they appeared to be of the deepest blue, and a few wreaths of smoke rising from their ravines added to the beauty of the scene. Having accom- THE CORRAL. 5 plished the ascent, "the road crosses into the valley of Serra d'Agua, and, skirting this, leads along the ridge dividing it from the Corral, which is the central and deepest valley of the island. The strength and endurance of the Madeira horses is wonderful. They clamber up the steepest paths with a heavy weight on their backs, and although I sometimes dis- mounted and gave them a few minutes' rest — for they ap- peared perfectly exhausted — yet in a couple of minutes they were quite fresh again, and eating the grass as if nothing had happened. The men, also, are equally good at their work, and walk up the hills with immense loads. The view from the western edge of the Corral is truly unrivalled. As its name signifies, it is a valley enclosed with mountains (corral being, in Spanish or Portuguese, enclosure or fold, and some say the name was given from the nuns of the island having a fold there) . Pico Ruivo fills up the background. At ike bottom of the valley, the diminutive appearance of the village and church nestled among the vines, made one sensible of the size of the surrounding objects ; but without such a com- parison, it would have been difficult to estimate the height at which I stood. The place was called La Boca des Ena- morados, but why I know not. The Corral is supposed by some to be the crater of a volcano, and the lava streams in all directions give some support to the conjecture ; but there is nothing in the shape of the valley to authorize it, and though there might formerly have been a crater there, the lapse of time, probably from the stream opening a passage to the sea, and the surrounding peaks falling in, has quite oblite- rated it. The depth of the ravines and the steepness of their sides are very extraordinary, but seem to be caused by the THE RABA9AL. agency of water enlarging the cracks first made by earth- quakes. The torrents, which generally trickle over a bed far too wide for them, are occasionally swollen by heavy rain, . and at once become rushing rivers, sweeping everything before them. Funchal has suffered from their violence more than once, and Captain B. Hall relates that houses and their occupants have been carried bodily into the sea by these inundations. I made another excursion of four days towards the west end of the island. The first day I went to the bottom of the Corral ; the second, by the Boa Ventura pass, to San Vincente ; the third, by the Raba9al to Calheta ; returning on the fourth day by boat to Funchal. In this tour I saw the finest scenery of Madeira. I slept at a cottage in the Corral ; and the next day's ride, ascending from it, and descending the Boa Ventura valley, was most magnificent. Being less accessible than the other valleys, more of the large trees have escaped the axe, and the path is shaded over with the til and venatico. Both of these fine trees are evergreens, and something like the bay in leaf. The wood is good and much used for furniture. The til wood is dark brown, the other more like mahogany. On the higher parts of the mountain I was astonished at the size of the heaths, which were, in fact, quite trees, being 15. or 20 feet high, with trunks as large round as a man's body. The flower was small, white, and insignificant. I slept at San Vincente, and then pursued my -way to the Raba9al. After a steep ascent, commanding a fine view, the path leads across a flattish plain called Paul de Serra to the Rabagal, another steep precipitous valley, the scenery of which is by some thought equal to the Corral. I did not STUPENDOUS SEA CLIFF. 7 descend into it, for while eating my lunch, the clouds gathered, and in a quarter of an hour the valley was perfectly ftdl of white mist ; so I turned my horse's head, and pro- ceeded to Calheta, a village on the sea-coast, where I found a good inn. The next day I sent my horse to Funchal by the road, and set out myself in a boat, so that I might pass under the stupendous cliff of Cabo Gerao, which rises 1600 feet perpendicular from the sea, and is said to be the highest sea cliff known : I think, however, there are some in Norway which have a greater elevation, but they are in fjords, and do not face the open sea as this does. The strata of these cliffs is curious, showing how they are composed of thick layers of lava with earth between, but broken and streaked in many places with perpendicular veins and faults. Near the cliff is the little fishing town of Camera de Lobos very pic- turesquely situated ; the boat harbour protected by a natural wall of lava, which has run out into the sea. A great quantity of tunny is caught here. The fish of large size, chiefly eaten by the poor, are carried across the mountains each on a man's back ; a string of men thus laden have a curious appearance. Between Camera de Lobos and Funchal, another point of black lava runs out into the sea, called Punta da Crux, from an iron cross fixed on the top of it, com- memorative, I believe, of a shipwreck. The scenery of the eastern end of Madeira is not inferior to that presented by the other parts of the island. The valley of Machico, with the little town of that name, is very beautiful ;- and from the upper end of the valley, you obtain a fine view towards the north, with the grand rock of Penha d'Aguila in the centre. It is said that the first settler, Robert Machin, a fugitive from England, landed at Machico, and gave his name 8 MADEIRA INVALIDS. to the place. Beyond, near the eastern promontory of the island, are some famous fossil-beds, with which, however, I was disappointed, as they seemed more incrustations than fossil. However, my journey was amply repaid by the splendid view of the north coast, and the grand sight of a heavy sea breaking against the black and red lava rocks. I took many other rides about Funchal, and found much to admire. The Little Corral, the Alegria, and Paliero are all beautiful scenes ; and the view of the town from any direction is always fine. People have an idea that Madeira is like an hospital, and that it must be very melancholy to see nothing but sick people ; but this is a mistake. A stranger may constantly meet the invalids without knowing, from their appearance, that anything aUs them. They engage every day in riding parties, sketching, pic-nics, &c., and one would think they must enjoy themselves ; for instead of being confined to a warm room all the winter, directly they come to Madeira, they feel comparatively well again. This convalescence, in fact, tends to do a great deal of harm, as they make too free, and the fault is then laid to the climate, when really it is the sufferer's own imprudence. Horse exercise is very beneficial, so ladies go long expeditions, and get up pic-nics, and some- times return so completely knocked up that they are obliged to be lifted off their horses. They go out also to dinner parties, especially the young men, walk home with a cigar, and wonder they do not get well. Then they go the tour of the island ; and one can hardly imagine anything worse than being caught in rain amongst the mountains, having to ride at a foot's pace for hours in the wet, for there are no houses for shelter on the road ; and then arrive at a town, which, MADEIRA INVALIDS. 9 though comfortable enough for a traveller, is not fit for an invalid. These sort of expeditions are continually being made, and in Funchal, when, perhaps, it has just set in for a regular wet day, you hear people remark : " What a dreadful time the So-and-So's will have in the mountains ; they started this morning for the north of the island." And these are people who come for the benefit of their health ! The first time I rode to St. Anna I found two young fellows sitting at lunch in the Ribierafria ; they were both invalids, and the next morning intended to go to the top of Pico Ruivo to see the sun rise. Now, it would be difficult to conceive any- thing more likely to give one cold, or to hiu-t a delicate person more than this sort of trip ; for after getting up three or four hours before sunrise, and riding to the top of the mountain, you arrive there (an elevation of above 6000 feet) in the coldest time of the twenty-four hours, have to wait perhaps a quarter of an hour or more in a strong breeze, or crouched under a rock, and then return — if you are lucky enough not to be caught in a mist — to the warm regions which you should never have left. Others dislike the sea voyage, though that does them more good than anything, and instead of going in a comfortable sailing vessel, prefer a steamer, which is always in a draught. The idea that people are obliged to go for the winter is disagreeable enough, and many have no employment or occupation when away from their homes ; but that is the case with idle people in any foreign town. CHAPTER II. TENERIFFE THE PEAK — VOYAGE TO BRAZIL RIO JANEIRO THE BOTANICAL GARDEN NIGHT DESCENT FROM THE CORCOVADO A TROPICAL FOREST AT NIGHT SHOPS IN RIO JANEIRO — BRAZILIAN LADIES EXPLOIT OF AN ENGLISHMAN ENVIRONS OP RIO CAPTURE OP A SLAVER CONDITION OF BRAZILIAN SLAVES. I SAILED from Madeira in H.M.S. ' Linnet,' Lieutenant James, for Rio Janeiro. We had a fair wind, and in forty- eight hours, cast anchor at Santa Cruz, Teneriflfe, having sighted the island some hours before. The north end of the isle is grand and rugged ; but I was not much struck with the peak, though the weather was tolerably clear, and we could see the summit, capped with snow. The long gradual slope which lava generally takes, detracts from the apparent height of volcanic mountains, and Etna from the shore at Catania, and the Peak from Santa Cruz, with their regular forms, do not look near the height of many lower mountains which have a more craggy and broken outline. I went on shore, but there was little to see. The town was hot, dirty, and fuU of beggars. The camels in the streets usually attract a good deal of attention, but to me, who had travelled PEAK OF TENERIFFE. 1 1 in the East, they were no novelty. I visited the church, where the Custode showed the flags taken from Nelson when he made his unsuccessful attack on the Mole, and lost his arm. I then repaired to the Alameda and fountain, and here the lions of St. Cruz were exhausted. The principal trade of the town is in wine, a great deal of which, I think, is brought to England, and sold as sherry. The price is very moderate. The best, sold by the Consul at £20 per pipe, is very good wine. About an hour after sunset, as we sailed from the island, we had a fine view of the Peak. It stood up dark against a clear sky, and appeared at this distance (about 40 mUes) much higher than when we looked at it from the harbour. We left Teneriffe with a fine breeze, and soon got the north- east trade-wind, crossed the Line, and luckily picked up the south-east trade, with only half a day's calm intervening, so ran on, with studding-sails set, 1 80 to 200 miles per day, and sighted Cape Frio, in Brazil, thirty days from our leaving Funchal. Running down the coast for Rio Janeiro, it appeared to be a succession of blue mountains, terminating at last with the False Sugar Loaf, and then the real one, which forms one side of the entrance to the harbour of Rio. Soon we discovered the Garvia, TopsaU Mountain, or Lord Hood's Nose, Tejuco, and the Corcovado, all of which were eagerly recognized, and pointed out, by our fellow pas- sengers. The wind died away at sunset, and we anchored under the Sugar Loaf; but the land breeze came off loaded with a delicious perfume, like a green-house or a garden after a summer shower. This was most delightful after a long voyage, and particularly for me, about to land for the first time in a tropical country. The first day in any foreign 1 2 RIO JANEIRO. region is said to be one great era in one's life ; the first day in an Oriental town is certainly another ; and the first day in a tropical country, like Brazil, is no mean third. Nor did it diminish my satisfaction that for the present my voyage was over. The ' Linnet' was anchored in the harbour's mouth, and the next morning South America was to open to me. The voyage had passed over pleasantly and quickly. The heat had never been excessive, the thermometer being from 78° to 84° in the shade, even when the sun was vertical; and I have often felt the heat more oppressive in England in the month of August. The morning sun rose red over the pointed hills to the northward of the harbour, and the mist clearing away by de- grees, the white forts which guard the entrance, the houses of the town, the churches and convents on the hUls, shone bravely forth. Several men-of-war, English and American, lay oppo- site the city, and amongst them, the huge ' CoUingwood' showed its double row of guns. Beyond was a forest of masts of merchantmen of all nations ; and, in different directions, lateen-rigged feluccas, country boats, rafts of timber, and little black canoes, darted about, enlivening and diversifying the scene. At half-past eight, we weighed anchor, and beat in against the land-breeze; and as we stood across fi"om one side of the bay to the other, we had an admirable opportunity of seeing the beauties of Rio. The atmosphere waS now quite clear, and as the different views opened to us, Praia Grande, the Bays of Botafogo and Zuruzugu, the numerous islands, and the blue range of the Organ Mountains behind them, we all owned that no description could exaggerate these scenes, and that Rio was certainly the most splendid bay in the world. BOTANICAL GARDENS. 13 We anchored, and were visited by health and custom- house officers ; and I immediately found myself an unwilling encourager of the slave-trade, as I was obliged to employ two blacks to carry my luggage to the hotel. I soon found how excessively ignorant they were, for they did not know the hotel, nor their way ; and I had to direct them, and keep my eye on them, so that they should not lose me. They seem like machines, and will do any work, but generally want a white man to direct them. However, I arrived at last at a large French hotel called " Pharoux," well known to, and frequented by all naval officers. In the afternoon, I hired a horse, and rode to the Botanical Gardens, about four miles from the city. Every turni of the road presented new beauties, and I hardly knew which most to admire, the calm purple bay, the picturesque outline of the mountain, or the splendid appearance of the virgin forests. The gardens were not badly laid out, and possessed many trees interesting to a stranger: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, several sorts of palm and aloes, bread-fruit and the huge jack-fruit were all growing well. It was the last-named fruit, with its rough rind, that so much astonished a Yankee, who looked at it, and said : " Wall, if I had seen that fruit in our woods, I should have took it for a critter and put a ball into it." There was also a large plot of ground planted with tea, which seemed to flourish tolerably. It was in flower. Many of the rides about Rio are splendid, but the finest view is from the top of the Corcovado. The road winds up through the forests, which are not allowed to be cut, as the spripgs which supply Rio, rise in the mountain, and the shade of the trees is a great protection to them. The trees were ftill of lianas and creepers, and their branches loaded 14 NIGHT DESCENT FROM CORCOVADO. with orchideous plants, many of them with fine red and lilac blossoms; and numbers of ferns grow on the rocks. Forty, species are said to exist on this mountain alone. The view from the top is a perfect panorama ; for though the mountain is no great height, 2000 feet, it is quite isolated. The bay, sixty miles in circumference, studded with islands, lies stretched below. The town of Rio, with its suburbs of Gloria, and Botafogo; the Sugar Loaf, a solid rock of granite, 900 feet high, guarding the entrance of the harbour; aU different styles of scenery, yet here united and harmo- nized together in a wonderful way. Bare rocks surround the gardens of the tropics, and the most rugged and luxuriant spots form one grand picture. The nearer hills are covered with forest, the trees of which, growing thickly together, and struggling up for the light, all run to the same height, and form a yelvet-looking mantle over the mountain. The trees are generally tall and straight, with flat, spreading tops, like those which Martin loves to paint in his ideal views of Paradise, &c. The first time I ascended this mountain I started too late ; and though I delayed but little on the road, I and my two companions did not arrive at the summit till nearly five o'clock. The sun set whilst we were there, and it was certainly a very splendid sight ; but we could not linger to survey it, being obliged to descend as fast as possible. There is no twilight in these climates ; and as the path is shaded with thick trees, in a few minutes it was pitch dark. We walked, and led our horses down, but could not see a yard before us ; and as the path was steep, and full of great stones, we fell repeatedly. The heat was tremendous, and not a breath of air stirred the leaves ; but my companions TROPICAL FOREST AT NIGHT. 15 knew the way well, and at last we got safely down to the aqueduct, and rode along by the side of it to the town, where we arrived about seven o'clock, quite knocked up. I shuddered afterwards to see the place I had ridden along in the dark, for the path led along the top of a high wall which supported the aqueduct, and which had no parapet, while there was about a hundred feet to fall. The forest presents a singular scene on the approach of night. In the middle of the day it is nearly silent, and nothing living is seen but small insects and butterflies ; but as the sun gets low, every tree teems with animal life. Beetles fly about, crickets chirp in the trees, and the frogs create a great uproar. One called the Ferrador, makes a noise like a smith hammering on his anvil, another is like a bell; and different sounds of humming and chirping come from every bush. , To a person the least interested in natural history, the forest offers endless amusement; and a man must have a dull mind, indeed, who does not notice and « admire the different forms of the trees and flowers. The town of Rio Janeiro (its proper name is St. Sebas- tiao) is the largest and best in South America, and the population about equals that of Liverpool. It is laid out in regular squares : the streets are narrow, which, at first sight, seems objectionable to an Englishman, but he soon finds that it affords protection from the scorching sun ; and the thoroughfares are tolerably well-paved and lighted, and have trottoirs at the sides. To obviate the inconvenience arising from the narrowness of the streets, carriages are only allowed to go one way, up one street and down the next, and a hand is painted up on the corners to show which way the traffic is to flow. The best street, Rua d'Ouvidor, is nearly aU French, 16 SHOPS IN RIO JANEIRO. SO that one can almost fancy oneself in the Palais Royal ; and nearly everything that is to he found in London, or Paris, may be bought in Rio. Many English merchants have houses in the city, but most of the shopkeepers are French ; and this proves a perfect blessing to visitors, for a BraziUan shopman is so careless and indolent, that he will hardly look for anything in his stores, and will often say he has not got the article asked for, to save himself the trouble of looking for it. The best native shops are those of the silver- smiths, who work pretty well, and get a good deal of custom, for Brazilians and blacks revel in ornament, often wearing silver spurs and a silver-hafted knife, though perhaps they may not have any shoes to their feet. The Brazilians are very fond of dress; and though it seems so unsuitable for the climate, wear black trowsers and an evening suit to walk about the streets in. Strangers will find no curiosities in Rio Janeiro except the feather flowers, which are better here than in Madeira, and fetch a higher price. A Frenchwoman, who employs a number of girls of all complexions in her business, is the principal manufacturer. They are made (or ought to be) entirely of undyed feathers, the best being those of a purple, copper, or crimson colour, from the breast and heads of humming-birds. One of these wreaths has a beautiful effect, and reflects different-coloured light. The wing cases of beetles are also used, and glitter like precious stones. Madame has her patterns from Paris, so the wreaths are generally in good style, and newest fashion. The worst shops are kept by English, and this will be found a general rule in these foreign towns. The merchants are good and honest ; but if one wishes to be well taken in, BRAZILIAN LADIES. 17 go to a shop kept by an Englishman. The best streets are the Rua Dereita (the only crooked one in the town), the Rua d'Ouvidor, and the Rua da Alfandega. The Emperor's palace, a very ugly building, occupies one side of the main square ; on the other side is the market. The inhabitants of Rio Janeiro are fond of carriages, but' the specimens generally seen would hardly do for Hyde Park, being chiefly old-fashioned coaches, drawn by four scraggy mules, with a black coachman on the box, and a postillion in jack-boots on the leaders, sitting well back, and with his feet stuck out beyond the mule's shoulders. The liveries are generally gorgeous enough, and there is no lack of gold lace on the cocked hats and coats; but a black slave does not enter into the spirit of the thing, and one footman wiU have his hat cocked athwartships, the other fore and aft; one will have shoes and stockings, with his toes peeping through, the other will dispense with them altogether. But the old peer rolls on unconscious, and I dare say the whole thing is pronounced a neat turn-out. The Brazilians are great snufF-takers, and always offer their box if the visitor is a welcome guest. It is etiquette to take the offered pinch with the left hand. Rapfe is the Portuguese for snuff, hence our word rappee. They do not smoke much. Of course I went to the theatre ; but as I was not a good Portuguese, the interest of the performance was lost on me. The opera was good, the house very large, tolerably lighted, but not so thickly attended as it might be. The ladies look better by candle-light, their great failing being in their com- plexions, the tint of which may be exactly described by the midshipman's simile of snuff and butter. The orchestra 18 EXPLOIT OF AN ENGLISHMAN. was good, many of the performers being blacks or mulattos, who are excellent musicians. The African race seem to like music, and generally have a pretty good ear. Both men and women often whistle well, and I have heard the washer- women at their work whistling polkas with great correctness. I was amused one evening on going out of the opera when it was half over : oflfering my ticket to a decent-looking man standing near the door, he bowed, but refused it, saying that men with jackets were not allowed in the house. Beyond Botafogo, the ride may be continued to Babylonia, the hiU on which stands the telegraph ; the view from hence is superb. It is the continuation of the chain which termi- nates in the Sugar Loaf at the entrance of the harbour. This is a most singular rock of solid granite, 900 feet high, so smooth that it was thought to be perfectly inacces- sible till it was scaled by an adventurous Englishman, who planted and left a Union-Jack on the summit, to the great annoyance of the Brazilian authorities, who could get no one to go up and dislodge it ; and it is said that, having found out the culprit, they at last begged of him to make another ascent to take it down. There are a good many new houses belonging to Bra- zilians about Botafogo, and on the road to the Botanical, Gardens, but they are buUt in the worst taste, painted with glaring colours, and surrounded with white-washed walls and terraces. The owners have succeeded in defacing the most beautiful prospect in the world. The great fault of Rio is its situation. Although sur- rounded by mountains and even divided by smaller hills, the city itself is built on such a flat piece of ground, that ENVIRONS OF RIO. 19 there is no drainage, nor are there any cesspools : so all the filth of the town is carried away in tubs on the heads of slaves, and thrown into the sea. These vagrant nosegays, called by the inhabitants " Tigres" (tigers), walk down the street about dusk, and discharge their burden at one of the landing-places ; so " tub time" is an hour when one must be scrupulously careful, not only in walking along the streets, but in landing from the harbour. Sometimes, if a person has a spite against another, he will bribe one of these " tigres"' to upset his pot-pourri opposite his enemy's door. From one of the smaller hills, surmounted by a telegraph, there is an excellent view of the town, which, from here, looks a good deal like Lisbon, though the background is far more beautiful. This hill is a great inconvenience to the town, for it checks the sea-breeze. It is said that some Englishman offered to remove it, but his offer was not accepted by the government. Most of the hUls are com- posed of whitish granite, so the best building materials are to be got close at hand. They are quarried by the blacks, and this labour is inflicted as a punishment on refractory slaves. The environs of Rio afford the most pleasant residence. Hardly any of the foreign merchants, or even the clerks, live in the town. The favourite situations are the shore of Botafogo Bay, about three miles from the city, the suburb of Gloria, a distance of a mUe, and Praia Grande, which is on the other side of the harbour. Small steamers ply to the first and last-named places, and omnibuses run to Botafogo and Gloria. From Praia Grande, there is a fine view of the city, and near it, pei'ched on a steep hill, covered c 2 20 AQUEDUCT. with vegetation, palm-trees, &c., is a very pretty church, dedicated to the Virgin. There were also several fine speci- mens of the Brazilian aloe [Foucroya gigantea), a very striking plant, but I do not think it so striking as the American one {Agave Americana), of which one sees such numbers in Sicily and Portugal. The church is much fre- quented by sailors, who make their vows and offerings there before and after their voyages. Just beyond, is Zuru- zugu or Five Fathom Bay, surrounded by steep mountains, and beyond that an inland lake ; but the water is brackish, as it is only divided from the sea by a long slip of sand. This is a noted place for landing slaves, and it is not always safe to walk about there, as those engaged in the nefarious traffic may think you are watching their proceedings. The water for the city is chiefly brought from the moun- tains of the Corcovado. The springs are collected, and brought down a little ravine to a large stone cistern called the Mia d'Agua, at the head of the beautiful valley of Larangeiras, and from it a covered stone channel leads the water round the shoulder of the mountain to the city. It is carried over the suburbs on an aqueduct, consisting of a double row of handsome arches, which communicates with the fountains of the town. As the supply is not sufficient, the government is now at work, bringing a large stream from the mountains of Tejuco. When this undertaking is completed, no city will be better supplied. I stayed at Tejuco a few days, with a merchant, who had a small country house there ; but the weather was rainy, and I could not go far. The view towards the bay and city of Rio is very fine. Near Tejuco are two cascades, which are great lions to the Brazilians; but though the situation is COFFEE PLANTATIONS. 21 pretty, the supply of water is too small to make them effective. I met a Norwegian captain here, who came with some Englishmen, and he and I drew some invidious compa- risons between the fall and the fosses of his native land. He was a very agreeable man, well-educated, and spoke English fluently. He was very fond of English poetry, and spouted a quantity of Shakespeare to me, but with such an odd pronunciation that I could not understand one word of the performance, and to this day do not know from what play he quoted. The view beyond Tejuco reminded me of one of Poussin's landscapes. On the slopes of the hills is a very good cofi'ee plantation, belonging to a gentleman named Mott, who will generally show it to strangers. Coffee is the principal export of Rio, and is sent chiefly to Europe. It is of a very fair quality, but not equal to the Mocha or to that of the West Indies. The plantations are frequent on the hills at the back of the Organ Mountains, and look like rows of Portugal laurel bushes, five or six feet high. The berries are brought down on the backs of mules, and coffee forms the usual beverage for the inhabitants, who drink it rather strong. Half a cup of ground coffee is used for each cup of the liquid. There is also a good deal of gold exported from Rio. It is brought from the mines of the interior ; the principal are called Morro relho and Morro del Rey, and the precious metal is procured by washing. The market of Rio is a fine large building to the north of the principal square. It is well supplied with fish ; but the price is always very high, as the fishermen have a sort of monopoly, and will only bring a certain quantity to market. 22 BRAZILIAN FRUITS. in order to keep it up. The best fish is the garoupa ; immense prawns (camaroens) are very plentiful. Strangers are often told, as a joke, that these are kept in pits, and fed with the dead bodies of slaves thrown in from time to time ; and I have known people who would never touch them on that account. Parrots, monkeys, &c., are very common, and a few game birds. Occasionally, large lizards of two or three feet in length are brought to market, and they are said to be excellent eating. Deer are sometimes killed in the woods; but I have never seen them in the market, though there is a smaU animal, called the paca, to be had, the flesh of which is very good. Fruit is supplied in great abundance. Oranges and bananas are to be had all the year. The oranges were superior to anything I had before tasted, and excel the Maltese. They are said to be better in Bahia, and better still in Pernambuco ; so it appears that the hotter the climate, the more suitable it is to this fruit, as the Maltese and the Egyptian are certainly far superior to those of Portugal and Sicily. The banana {Musa paradisaica, called " plantano" by the Spaniards, and " plantain" in the West Indies,) is a most nutritious fruit ; but few people like it at first, as the taste is rather sickly and insipid. There are a variety of sorts, which bear fruit of different sizes, but the short thick one is the best. It is very nutritious and productive; and it is said that forty feet square, planted with bananas, wiU support a man for a year. The plant itself is very handsome, and the great leaves, ten or twelve feet in length, and two in breadth, make a splendid feature in the landscape of the tropics. Each plant bears one bunch of fruit, after which it should be cut down, when suckers spring up in all directions from the root, so that it CAPTURE OF A SLAVER. 23 is a vegetable more suited for idle people than even the potato, as it does not require planting, and the fruit can be eaten without the trouble of cooking it. The fruita da Conde, or cherimoya of the Spaniard, and custard-apple of the West Indies, is delicious, but varies a good deal in quality. The maricuja, Spanish granadilla, the fruit of the passion-flower, is very good. It is about as large as a swan's egg, with a pulp and seeds like a gooseberry. The alligator or avocada pear, the mammon, papaw, or mammy apple, are common fruits, not so good as those before- named. Pine-apples are common enough, but not very good. A great many ships are built at Rio, including numbers of beautiful clippers for the slave trade. It was rather amusing to see the audacious way in which these vessels sailed about, though an English-war steamer was generally lying in the harbour. They always effected their escape from the harbour by the same stratagem. No vessel is allowed to sail after sunset, so as sunset approached, the slaver would slide past the steamer, and before she could light her fires, or get up steam enough to follow, the sun was down and the slaver gone. Even if the steamer was more alert, the slaver was pretty safe, as the law protects her till she is four miles from the Brazilian coast. Not- withstanding these favourable circumstances, however, whilst I was at Rio, one fellow was captured. H.M.S. ' Kestrel,' employed to carry the mails to Buenos Ayres, sailed one morning, and was becalmed a little way outside the harbour mouth, when a Brazilian tug-steamer appeared, towing out a fine clipper brig, bound for the Coast, which she cast off, and left near the ' Kestrel,' thinking that being 24 CAPTURE OF A SLAVER. employed in the packet service, she had no commission for searching vessels. But this was reckoning without their host, and Lieutenant Baker soon sent a boat on board, and took possession. The tug was just returning into harbour, with the owner of the brig on board, when, to his horror, he saw the green and yellow ensign hauled down from the peak, and the Union-Jack run up. He immediately returned, and found the vessel had been seized. The owner stood on the paddle-box of the tug, stamping with rage that he had been outwitted, and at length ordered the crew to throw a hawser over the bowsprit of the brig, and tow her back. A musket or two pointed at the steamer showed that such a thing could not be done with impunity, and her captain not much liking the job, said he had been paid to tow the brig out, but there his business ended, and he was not going to fight ; so the disappointed owner was obliged to return, and the slaver, now in charge of an officer and prize crew, continued her voyage to Sierra Leone where she was condemned, broken up, and sold. A vessel is liable to be taken as a slaver if she is fitted up for the trade, or even if she has anything on board ready for fitting. Thus if there are planks on board to make a slave deck with, or more hands than are necessary to work the, vessel, stores of farinha, or extra tanks for water, the vessel is considered to be prepared for the slave trade, and is condemned ac- cordingly. The Americans engaged in the nefarious traffic, adopted a very cunning artifice, which answered well for some time. Ai captain would navigate an empty vessel under American colours to the African coast, where a Brazilian captain, crew, and cargo, were ready for him, and he would then BRAZILIAN NEGROES. 25 sell his ship to the Brazilian, and take a berth back as a passenger. Arrived at Rio, he repurchased the vessel, and again started for the Coast to pursue the same course, so that, in all the voyages from Brazil, the ship was safe, and half the risk was avoided. Rio Janeiro is generally allowed to be the most beautiful place in the world. I was often asked my opinion of it as compared with Naples and Constantinople; but these com- parisons are very difficult to make, as one city excels in one particular, but fails in another. With respect to Naples, I think that there is one view of the town, from near Virgil's tomb, which, for a picture, surpasses anything in Rio ; and in Constantinople, the city itself, with its numerous mosques and graceful minarets, far exceeds in point of beauty the city of Rio, which is flat, and has no fine buildings. But if we take the whole thing, the harbour, the city, the rocky mountains among the distant chain of the Organs, and then ascend the heights and bring in the rich vegetation with, the glow of the tropical sun, I think that Rio must be as- signed the palm. In Rio, indeed, so many beauties are concentrated, and they come so fresh to one not conversant with tropical scenery, that it generally presents itself to people as one of the most beautiful spots on earth. One thing that strikes strangers on the first visit to Rio is the number of negroes in the streets, some work- ing hard, but many idling about, looking out for a job. The best and strongest negroes not brought up as ser- vants or to any trade, are employed in carrying coffee from the stores to the custom-house, where it is shipped. They work in gangs of ten or twelve, each carrying a bag of coffee on his shoulders. They are well fed, look 26 BRAZILIAN SLAVES. fat and healthy, and work cheerfully, one singing a song and often carrying a rattle, whilst the others join in chorus, and always go at a jog trot. The work is too hard for them, and they soon get knocked up, but they like it ; as after they have earned a certain sum every day, which they pay to the masters, the rest becomes their own. Many slaves are ?ent out into the street in this way, often with a basket to do porter's work ; then they have to pay their owner a milrei (two shillings), and keep the rest themselves. They appear much like machines, or rather children, and can never be trusted to go anywhere alone. When hired and loaded, it is always necessary to walk before them. They then follow with apparent indifference ; but if they lose sight of their hirer for a moment, they are lost, and so is whatever they have been entrusted with. The Brazilians appear in general to be kind masters to their slaves, and it is their own interest to feed them well and take care of them, as they then do more work, just as the owner of a horse keeps him well for his own interest ; but with a slave he must also be kept cheerful and happy. They some- times flog them, but 1 cannot see how that is to be avoided ; and though it appears cruel to the spectator, who only sees one side of the question, yet if he inquired into it, he would generally find that the slave richly deserved punishment. Many of the slaves are excessively idle, and are led away from their work by the least thing. They get drunk with their master's money, steal, and commit all sorts of crimes, and how is the owner to punish them ? If he puts them in prison he loses their labour, and has to pay for their maintenance, and this is a mode of treatment the black does not dislike. The master cannot fine him or stop his wages, as he has CONDITION OF THE SLAVE. 27 neither money nor pay. He cannot turn him oflf as one does in England, because the slave is his property and not hired. The only thing is to let him out to some man who has a quarry or plantation, where he will be kept at hard work, and then, if idle, he will be flogged ; so it comes to the same thing in the end. This is one of the evils of slavery, and no one here would have slaves if they could get free labour. What trouble should we have in England if we were obliged to buy and own our servants ? How should we keep them in order ? Many would flog them I am sure, otherwise we should be continually having to sell them, and buy others at a loss. With us a good steady servant lives for years with his master, and so does a good slave in Brazil, and then becomes much like a servant, and does not wish to have his liberty. A labourer in England often works nearly his whole life for one master, and often oh the same farm, and he does not wish to change. The only diff"erence is that he gets his pay, (little more than sufficient to keep him,) instead of being kept ; but when he is old and past his work, he has not the advantage of a slave, for then he must starve or go into the ► workhouse, whereas a slave must be kept. A sailor on board a man-of-war is a slave for the time : he sells his liberty for three years, although he is always singing of freedom. He is liable to be flogged, and even shot if he runs away ; but he is always happy, for he gets his meals at regular times, without having the trouble to think about it, and generally has not much to do. A private in the army is nearly the same thing. I abhor slavery, but if one view all the circumstances with an unprejudiced eye, and then looks at the condition of our own people, the freest in the 28 CONDITION OF THE SLAVE. I world, it will be found that there is not so much to blame in one system and to praise in the other. Many of the slave women are sent out as pedlars, with a large basket of goods to carry round to villages : others with cakes and sweetmeats, which the Brazilian ladies make themselves. Slaves expert at all sorts of trade and work, are to be bought, and fetch prices proportioned to their attain- ments. Good cooks, seamstresses, washerwomen, tailors, and blacksmiths, are bought and sold, and it is curious to see them advertised in the newspapers, to be let or sold just like horses ; and sometimes it is announced that these useful slaves are to be sold in payment of a debt, and then comes a long list of their names, with the qualifications and capabilities of each person. They have long, fine-sounding names, as Januario, Celestino, Theodora, Agrippina, &c. Their price, of course, varies according to the supply. Boys of twelve or fourteen generally sell best, as they are easier taught at that age, and are generally made house servants. They fetch from £60 to £80. They are chosen from their look and figure, and are not taken unless they have clean sound legs, as negroes have often swelled legs, and are subject to the elephantiasis. Beggars may be seen lying in the streets of Rio, most disgusting objects from this disease, their legs nearly the size and shape of elephants, and so swollen, that hardly any vestige of foot or toe are visible. CHAPTER III. THE VBNDA OF PIEDADE FOREST SCENEET PIC-NIC IN THE FOREST RIDE TO CONSTANTIA HOSPITALITY TO TRAVELLERS PETROPOLIS GERMAN COLONY PORTA DE ESTRELLA. I HAD put oflf my journey to the Organ Mountains for some days, in order to accompany a gentleman, who was going to stay a few days with a friend who had a house just behind the range. Monday, June 3, was at last fixed, and we left Rio in the morning, in a felucca or latteen-rigged boat for Piedade, a small port at t e head of the bay. We put our two mules, our saddlebags and some provisions on board the boat, so that, on landing, we could begin our journey without further trouble. The felucca was rowed by four black slaves belonging to the owner of the boat, a Portuguese, who steered us. Three of them were tolerably good-looking, but the fourth had a most diabolical countenance. He was like the Ghouls drawn in the illustration of the " Arabian Nights." I remarked to C what an ill-looking fellow he was, and soon afterwards, when he got up to take a draught 30 THE VENDA OP PIEDADE. of water from a jar in the bow of the boat, I saw that he had a heavy chain round his leg. It is not an uncommon sight to see slaves working with chains on their ankles, and there is another punishment for runaways, still more cruel — namely, an iron collar round the neck, with three hooks sticking out in different directions, designed originally to prevent their running through the woods, just as refractory pigs in England are decorated with a wooden triangle. We expected to get the sea-breeze about midday, when our sails would have been of service, but, unluckily for the rowers, it did not blow at aU, so we had to depend on our oars alone, and did not reach Piedade till past four o'clock. We landed our mules, and at sunset started for Frejao, a venda at the foot of the mountains, at which we intended to sleep that night. It was about four leagues from Piedade, along a flat and sandy road. The moon soon rose, and we had a pleasant ride, arriving at Frejao about 8 P.M. The venda, or inn, was a nice-looking house, but inside it ap- peared to have but little furniture. The innkeeper was well- known to C , so bestirred himself to make us comfortable; and after a supper of fowl and rice, the regular Brazilian fare, we turned in for the night. Frejao is prettily situated near the mountains, and is the usual halting-place for people about to cross, this being one of the chief roads to the province of the mines. Near the inn was a rancho, a large open shed, and a troop of about fifty mules with their drivers, were halting there for the night. We were up in good time the next morning, and after a light breakfast, started for the ascent of the mountain. The scenery, as usual, was very beautiful. In two or three FOREST SCENERY. 31 places, torrents rushed down amongst great rugged stones overhung with trees. One was crossed by a bridge built of beams half of which had fallen into the stream. Near the summit of the first ridge the road had been altered and improved : in fact, the men were still at work at it, and had cut it along the face of the hill, through the virgin forest. The great trunks of the trees were laid bare, and the deep shades festooned with creepers, were now opened to the light of day. The trees were nearly all evergreens, a great many of the rose-wood species {Jacaranda), with leaves something like a Portugal laurel, and while stems. They were chiefly of hard wood, and it is nearly a general rule, that the smaller the leaf is, the harder is the wood. The trunks are mostly white : a few palm trees shot up here and there, but no fir. One species of Araucaria is a native of Brazil, but none of the wood is good for masts or spars ; so in Brazilian built vessels they are generally made of foreign timber. The lanchas and smaller craft often use the hard wood of the country for masts, but they do not look well, being long though pliant sticks, and generally crooked. Much of the forest here had been cut some time before, and though it had all grown up again as thick or thicker than before, yet, to an experienced eye, it presented a very difi"erent appearance. Many of the hard wood trees do not grow up again, but the new forest is, perhaps, more difficult to get through than the original one, as bamboos and lianas lace the whole together, rendering a long knife necessary to cut a path. The views into the valley below were exquisite. The rounded shoulders of the lower hills were covered with forest, and the sun lit up one side of the trees with a golden light, whilst the other side and the ravines 32 FOREST SCENERY. were softened with a light blue haze. Above us rose the bare crags of the " Finger Mountain" and the " Cabeza de Fraile," the two points so conspicuous from Rio, which have given their name to the chain, Serra dos Orgaos, being compared to the pipes of an organ. From the top of the pass called Boa Vista the view was still more extensive, embracing the whole of the plain, the bay, the city of Rio, and all the mountains round. After a short halt, during which I made a hasty sketch, we proceeded on our journey, and descending a little, passed March's House, formerly a sort of boarding-house, and. once a great place of resort for the Rio merchants. Then, fording a rocky ■ torrent just below one cascade and above another, we turned down to the hospitable house of Mr. H — : — , at which we were to stay three or four days. We arrived about 11 A.M., and after an early lunch went to look at the cascade, then drawing our knives and cutting a path, climbed to the top of it, and followed the course of the stream for some way into the forest. We found the easiest way was to get into the water-course, and jump from one rock to the other. The scene was very beautiful. The trees, thickly covered with creepers and parasitical plants, formed a green arch over the torrent, and the sun, shining through with a dim, broken light, could hardly penetrate the thick veil. The stones were nearly covered with green moss, here and there varied with patches of red and grey lichen. Ferns of the most elegant forms hung over them, and the whole, reflected in the clear brown pools, formed the most perfect picture imaginable. Every turn of the brook seemed more lovely than the one before it ; sometimes a huge tree had fallen across, making a ¥ <: o PIC-NIC IN THE FOREST. 33 sort of bridge covered with vegetation; here a clump of bamboos overtopped the trees, and hung down again nearly to the water; there the palmito, with its slender stem, rose above all the rest, and waved its feathery crown in the air. In another place, the brook seemed to emerge from a green cave like those sometimes represented in the scenery of a ballet ; but the most fertile imagination could never have invented anything so beautiful. I could have spent hoiu-s there, but was obliged to go back to dinner. The next morning, however, I returned, and choosing a place where a huge tree overhung the water, set to work with my sketch- book. The stillness of these forests is very impressive, for there seem to be hardly any animals in them, and very few birds. Occasionally a flock of green parrots skim over the tops of the trees, or a toucau climbs about the branches ; but there is not much for birds to feed upon, and they are more numerous in the open parts, and where there is cultivation. There are plenty of insects and a few snakes, but not so many as I expected. One day we had a pic-nic in the woods, at a place where the river falls over a ledge of rocks, and near which Mr. H had been clearing a patch of ground for cultivation. The spot was excessively picturesque. Above the fall, the river, much broader than where I had before seen it, ran deep and tranquil through the forest, the trees forming a thick wall on each side. Everything was silent, the dark brown water hardly appearing to move, and no living crea- ture in sight, though footmarks on the sand banks told us that the capybary made them his frequent haunt. This species of water-hog is common in the rivers, but is very timid and D 34 RIDE TO CONSTANTIA. rarely seen in the daytime. Our pic-nic went off with the greatest success, two stout negroes having heen sent forward laden with provisions, and the sohtudes of the forest were enlivened in a manner not very common, before we broke up and returned home. The next day, Mr. C and I took leave of our hos- pitable friends, and rode over a distance of four leagues to a place called Constantia, a farm and boarding-house, kept by a man named Heath. This person had originally been a clerk in Rio, then a manager of March's estate, and had now purchased a farm of his own, where he had laid out a splendid garden, and built and furnished a house for the accommodation of visitors. Soon after starting, we came to a large cleared space, in which were the remains of several small houses. We rode up to one, which C well remembered in its palmy days, when a great friend of his lived there, holding it as a sort of country house. It had been deserted only a few years, yet nothing remained to mark its former importance but the corner posts, the fallen-in rafters, and a heap of stones. Two or three trees that stood in the garden still flourished, but the enclosure was broken up, and all in ruins. C turned away with expressions of regret, for he had spent many pleasant days there, and the impression remained on his mind till we reached Constantia. Here I was greeted by a shout of welcome, for two friends, who had been staying at the place for some days, instantly caught sight of me. These were the English minister from Rio, and the captain of H.M.S. ' Comus,' lying in the bay. Heath's was a very comfortable place to stay at. The house was in a little valley amongst the hills, and put me much in mind of some of the little farms in Norway. The garden A MOUNTAIN PATH. 35 was well laid out, and planted with different kinds of fruit trees, including peaches, pears, and apples, which all flourished. Vegetables and strawberries also do well in the cooler climate of the hills, which is more suitable than the country about Rio. The scenery immediately round Constantia, though not so pretty as usual, was not without beauty, and we spent a few days pleasantly, amusing ourselves in leisure hours with an occasional game at quoits, which the English luxury of bottled porter enabled us to pursue with vigovir. I thought of proceeding alone to a place called Morro Quemado, a Swiss colony, planted at the farther end of the mountain by the Emperor. It was said to be rather a difficult road to find, being only a " picada," or wood path, and I was surprised to learn that I could not get a guide anywhere. Heath had some blacks, but they had never been to the place, nor had he himself, so I could not get a very good description of the road. Rather reluctantly, I was obliged to give up my project, and turn my steps to Petropolis, whither C had preceded me the day before, intending to return to Rio to meet the English packet. The distance was nine leagues. Mr. Hudson described the route to me, and sketched out a little plan of the country, riding a league and a half with me to a farm called Aurelianos, to set me on my way. Here there was a black man very ill, to whom he took some medi- cine. The poor fellow appeared to be sinking, and we heard that he died two days afterwards. From this place I rode on alone through very pretty mountainous scenery, but I could afford but little time for sketching. The path was narrow, and, in places where others crossed, it was rather difficult at times to distinguish the right one. I began to think, at last, that it would turn D 2 36 HOSPITALITY ' TO TRAVELLERS. out like the famous Yankee road, that began near the town broad and level, but diminished by degrees till it became a horse-road, then a deer-track, then a squirrel-path, and finally went up a tree. At one place where the path forked, I debated a long time which turning I should take, examined the footmarks in both, and ultimately decided on the one contrary to my directions. I rode along for more than an hour in doubt, looking anxiously round the country, but at length I saw a negro, who told me I was right, and about four o'clock I came to a house, at which I had been recommended to sleep. There are no inns in this part of the country, and one has to depend a good deal on the hospitality of the people ; but it is the custom to pay them quite as much as one would at an inn. The owner of this place, however, though tolerably civil, evidently would not have been pleased at ray stopping all night ; and, discerning this, I got a feed of Indian corn for my mule, and started again for Petropolis. I reached the main road, which leads to the mines, just as it got dusk, and then had three leagues more to go. Here I met several blacks, and was surprised to find that they appeared to know nothing about Petropolis, so that I began again to doubt whether I was in the right road. While I was hesitating, I saw another black and asked him; but though he appeared to be very intelligent, he seemed equally puzzled. At length, he asked me if I meant Corgo Seco ; I replied in the negative, adding that it was the colony I wished to go to. He said that was Corgo Seco, and then I found that this was the old name for Petropolis, and was generally used in preference by the natives and blacks, who have a difficulty in pronouncing the new one, though they PETROPOLIS. 37 sometimes call it Petrops. The negro was very civil, and told me that about a mile further on I should come to a broken bridge, where there was a path on the right hand going down to the water, which I was to follow. On reaching the spot, I found the path with little difficulty, but it was a most dangerous place, the whole centre of the bridge having fallen in, and left a hole upwards of twenty feet deep. The bridge had been in this condition for some time, but such casualties are not much heeded in Brazil. I passed the brook safely by the little side path, and about half-past eight arrived at my destination. The inn at Petropolis is kept by a Swiss, and has tolerable accommodation. On my alighting, the servants inquired for my guide, and were quite astonished that I had come on without one, telling me that many had missed the road even when they had guides, and been obliged to sleep in some cottage ; but the blacks are so stupid when they move at all out of their usual coui-se, and are so easily puzzled, that I think one gets on just as well without them. Petropolis, so called from the Emperor Pedro who founded it, is a German colony, stiU quite in its infancy, having only been in existence two years. It is situated just at the back of the Organ Mountains, about two miles beyond the culmi- nating point of the road which leads from the end of the Bay of Rio Janeiro to the mines. The elevation is about 2260 feet above the sea. Several small valleys, each with a clear brook, meet here, and joining, form the head of a river called the Piabanha. They all have German appellations, and are called Rheindal, Bingenthal, Westphalie, &c., rather odd names to meet with in Brazil. Petropolis, indeed, is a complete German village. The men, dressed in blue cap 38 GEEMAN COLONY. and blouse, drive their long light waggons about the roads, and smoke their china-bowled pipes, and drink their Schnaps, as regularly as in the Fatherland. In fact, they stick rather too much to the German customs, and often fall into the vice of intemperance, which, bad enough in Germany, is much worse in Brazil. The settlers have each a piece of ground given them, and many have built rather neat cottages on their allotments, but they seemed to want system, and many of the trees had been thrown into the river, which in some places was nearly choked up. A palace has been built for the Emperor, and a good broad road is in progress up the Organ Mountains, so the colony has every chance given to it ; but I do not think it will succeed. Morro Quemado, a Swiss village, did not get on well, nor did the German colonies planted many years ago in Spain, in the Sierra Morena. As Petropolis is situated at so high an elevation, one might expect a great difference in the temperature from Rio Janeiro, but I observed that in the mornings and even- ings it was quite cold, the thermometer nearly, if not quite,, down to the freezing-point. Yet the forests around were very luxuriant, and the trees were crowded with orchids, a class of plants generally supposed to require great and constant heat. There was a good deal of bamboo here, and that beautiful production of the forest, the palmito fEuterpe edulisj, was not uncommon. It is a most graceful tree, and looks like a very slender palm, with a stem six or eight inches in diameter, rising to the height of 70 or 80 feet. It has a small crown of leaves at the top, and just below this, where the blossoms shoot forth, the stem is thicker, and something hke the stalk of a cabbage. This part is eatable. PORTA DE ESTRELLA. 39 and considered very good, either boiled or in a salad, and the graceful tree is often cut down for the sake of this morsel. I have myself eaten it with great relish. The tree-fern, another ornament of the woods, is common here, and near the vUlage I saw some with stems 25 to 30 feet in height. I stayed at Petropolis but one day to rest my mule, and then returned to Rio, intending to revisit it at some future time. The ride to Porta de Estrella, on a small river, at the head of the bay, was about four hours, and the scenery as usual magnificent. The new road, as broad as a turnpike road in England, was just being made, and led down the mountains through the forest with a very gradual slope. It was well engineered and supported with great walls like a Swiss pass ; but it appeared to me that, unless it was a whim of the Emperor's to make such a grand causeway up the mountains, it was far beyond what was required for the traffic. The old paved road which leads down a different part of the mountain is stiU in use. It is shorter, but in very bad repair. It is said that the blacksmith who lives at the bottom of the hill petitioned against the new road, under the plea that his trade would be destroyed, as it chiefly consisted in supplying shoes for the mules that had lost theirs in the descent. At Porta de Estrella we found the little steamer, which plies daily between that place and Rio, had just arrived. Accordingly I hastened on board with my mule, and after threading the numerous windings of Rio de Estrella, we emerged into the bay, and made a pleasant passage to Rio. CHAPTER IV. EXCURSION INTO THE INTERIOR INCIDENTS ON THE ROAD BRAZILIAN MULETEERS A COUNTRY TOWN PARTY OP ENGLISH SAFETY O? THE ROADS SOCIETY IN RIO. Whilst at Petropplis I learnt something of the Falls of San Francisco, on a river of that name, which runs into the sea between Bahia and Pernambuco ; and though the infor- mation was very meagre, I had some idea of visiting them. The report of their grandeur chiefly originated with a German, named Schram, who had a sugar-house near Bahia, and had visited them, and coming to Rio some time before, he gave an extraordinary account of the Falls, which, he said, surpassed Niagara in grandeur, though they were not so large. The height of the fall he calculated to be 500 feet. A German whom I saw at Petropolis, told me that he had been on the river 400 leagues above the Falls, where he was engaged to build a steamer for its navigation, and that it was there a good broad stream. I heard afterwards that his so- called steamer was not worked by steam, but in some other way, by paddles. At Rio I made more inquiries about the EXCURSION INTO THE INTERIOR. 41 Falls, and found an Irish doctor named Malet, who, about twelve years before, had descended the whole of the river, starting in the province of the mines, where it rises, passing the Falls, and going down to the sea. He had encountered innumerable dangers and difficulties ; had nearly died from a fever ; and had been nine months on the voyage. He was given up for lost and dead, but at last made his way down to the sea, and re-appeared at Bahia. He told me, how- ever, that he had never wholly recovered from the fever, and that he thought he should always feel the effects of it. From him I learnt that the Falls, which were called Cachoeira de Paulo Affonso, were very fine, though he did not estimate the height at more than 250 feet. He described the river as being very large — so wide, indeed, some way above the cataract, that he could not see across it. This I could hardly credit, but he showed me his journal written in pencil twelve years before ; and I took down the names of all the places, thinking they might be useful, having half made up my mind to pay a visit to this unknown wonder. The English packet * Petrel,' now came into Rio, and. was to stay a fortnight, when she was to start for Bahia, and I determined to take a passage in her, and see if I could get up to the Falls. I was the more tempted to make this arrangement, as it was too early to go to Buenos Ayres and cross the Andes, on account of their being still blocked with snow. In the meantime, till the packet was ready to sail, I arranged to ride up as far as the Parahyba river, on the road to the province of the mines, which is beyond Petropolis. Accordingly I started again for the mountains, and having 42 START FOR THE MOUNTAINS. ordered a mule to be sent on board the steamer, embarked for Porta de Estrella. The steamer sailed at noon ; but no mule appeared, and I afterwards found that the man of whom it had been hired forgot all about it. Fortunately there was an English merchant on board also bound for Petropolis, and he agreed to take a gig with me as far as a place called Fregoza at the foot of the mountains, where I could sleep and hire a mule to pursue my journey. We arrived at Porta de Estrella at 3|- P.M., and found a gig ready. It was a sort of cabriolet drawn by two mules, one in the shafts, the other fastened to a splinter bar outside, and carrying the black postilion. The mules appeared to be nearly unbroken, at least to harness, and every now and then we were treated to a bout of kicking and plunging, but we got on very fairly, and after an hour's drive arrived safely at Fregoza. We stopped at the inn, a good-sized house, but my friend soon proceeded on his journey, while I remained for the night, so that I might go up the mountains the next day at my leisure. I succeeded in hiring a good mule here for two milreis (four shillings) a day, for as long a time as I pleased, of course keeping him on the road; and the next morning, about eight o'clock, throwing my saddle-bags on his back, I started, ascending slowly the steep road, and making a good many sketches on the way to Petropolis, where I arrived about 3 p.m. I put up at the house of Mr. Moss, who has 'opened a sort of private boarding-house, and I found it a most comfortable and well-arranged one. I stayed here the whole of the next day, merely riding a few miles to see the waterfall of Itamyrati, one of the lions of the place. I did not expect much, yet in that little was ROAD TO THE MINES. 43 rather disappointed. The stream was but small; and although the rock over which it fell was high, yet just around it (a thing uncommon in Brazil) the scenery was not pretty. However, I followed the stream upwards into the forest, and there its course was indeed beautifiil. Tum- bling over the rocks, or sleeping in deep pools, over- shadowed by all sorts of trees and creepers, it presented a much prettier aspect in these recesses than at- the faU. The next morning, I started on my journey towards the Parahyba river. I had no exact object in going, but only rode up there to see the country, and chose that road, as it was one of the main channels of communication in the country, being the chief road to the mines. Several of the other visitors who were staying at Moss's accompanied me for the first two leagues, to a house called Padre Correo, which formerly belonged to a priest of that name. There is a small chapel attached to the dwelling, and in front of it, in the road, stands an enormous tree, the boast of the place. It has five or six huge stems joined together at the base, but separated above, and extends over a large space of ground, affording a most grateful shade to the troops of mules that stop to bait there, as a rancho is now attached to the house. From this point, I continued my journey alone. The road, which is tolerably wide and good, leads by the side of the Piabanha river, which, at a place called Olaria, is crossed by a wooden bridge. The scenery was pretty, but there was a good deal of sameness in it, consisting always of hills covered with thick forest, and blue mountains rising up behind them. I passed several vendas and ranches, at 44 BRAZILIAN MULETEERS. which troops of mules were resting. The troperos, or carriers, answer in some respects to the arrieros of Spain, and, like them, carry aU kinds of merchandize into the interior of the country, as the roads for wheel carriages are confined to a few miles round the capital. AU other traffic is carried on by means of mules, and thus a carrier's calling becomes very profitable. The troperos are generally very, active hard-working men, very honest in their dealings, and anything entrusted to their care will be delivered safely. Many of them are from the province of St. Paul's, the inha- bitants of which seem to have more spirit, and more industry and enterprise, than the other Brazilians. A troop generally consists of fifty or a hundred mules under one tropero, and several black slaves, who drive and take care of the mules and of the burdens. Each black has seven mules under his charge. They travel three or four leagues a day, and every mule carries about twelve arrobas — four on each side and four on the the top, called the " sobre cargo" — about 384 lbs., or 274 stone in all. The troperos will undertake to carry any kind of mer- chandise, but the principal thing brought down from the interior is coffee. Salt, linen, crockery, millstones, and even chains are sometimes carried up to the mines. The mill- stones are carried on poles, between two mules, and the chains sometimes require three or four to transport them, a coil being carried between each animal. When they arrive at the resting-place, the mules are unloaded, tied to stakes, which are always stuck in the ground round the ranches, and the burdens ranged in regular order on the ground, with the packsaddle on the top of each. The ranches are long open sheds, supported on posts, generally a ROADSIDE CAMPS. 45 little way from the venda. The muleteers lodge there free, but buy their milho (maize) and caxas (brandy) at the venda. Often these roadside encampments presented very picturesque scenes — the men cooking or lying down round a fire, the mules tethered each one to his pole, everything quiet except the noise of eighty or a hundred pair of jaws munching and grinding the hard milho. Trains of mules sometimes come from very long distances — some from Cuyaba, on the head waters of the Paraguay, or from ViUa Bella in the province of Mato Grosso, and take ten weeks or more on the journey. If a traveller wish to go to those out-of-the-way parts, he can hardly do better than entrust himself to the charge of one of these people, and he will travel safely, get shelter at night, and obtain a fowl and rice, or something of that sort, for his supper. After proceeding about eight leagues, I stopped at a place called Pampulho. It appeared a pretty good house, with a venda in the ground-floor as usual. The cuisine, however, was not well furnished, so I had to make acquaintance with the regular Brazilian dishes, farinha, and fajao, which are to the natives here what potatoes are to the Irish. Farinha is Mandioca flour, and fajao a sort of small black bean, neither of them bad when eaten as vegetables, but poor fare ' alone. But with the help of some dried ham, I made out my supper pretty well. In the venda was an old man, who I found spoke Spanish, and with him I was able to enter into conversation, as I could speak that language better than the Portuguese. Unfortunately, he was much more anxious to show oflf his own knowledge than to give me any information. He was chiefly learned in geography, and 46 A COUNTRY TOWN. seemed delighted to talk about foreign countries. Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Egypt, all seemed familiar to him ; but he had jumbled them all up together, and made one great mistake, thinking that London was on one bank of the Thames, and Manchester on the other, and joined together by a tunnel. This was the Thames Tunnel, which, indeed, seems to have spread its fame over all the world, and astonishes people more than anything else. I slept at this inn ; and starting in good time the next morning, by mid-day reached the town and river of Para- hyba. It was a moderately large stream, fiill of black rocks, but not rapid ; and the bills being low and cleared of wood, the situation was by no means picturesque. Six large stone piers for a bridge stood up in the middle of the river, but they have been in the same unfinished state for years, and wiU probably remain so for years to come. The river is now crossed by a large ferry-boat, which traverses it on a chain stretched from side to side ; and a train of mules coming down at the same time with ourselves, we crossed immediately. The town on the bank of the river was a small insigni- ficant-looking place, containing only a few shops ; and I could find no venda or inn where I could get a little milho for my mule and a meal for myself, or even a bed, had I wanted one. However, I had plenty of time to go on, so I fed my mule at the door of a shop, where I bought the com, and rode out of the town, annoyed the more for having seen in the shop, tins of preserved salmon and other English things of the same sort, while I was unable to procure a piece of bread. The road now led among hills of no great elevation, A COUNTRY INN. 47 cleared in some parts, but generally covered with thick forest — " Majestic woods of every vigorous green. Stage above stage, high waving o'er the hills, A boundless deep — immen^ty of shade." The evening drew on fast, and my mnle began to be tired. It soon grew dark, and I had not yet found a place of shelter. Descending a long, steep hill, I rode on in the dark, asking every one I met the distance to Paryhybuna, where I had been recommended to stop. At last I came to a small house, where some people were laughing and talking round a fire, which blazed before the door. " Au Senhor," I shouted, " es este Paryhybuna ?" " Si, Senhor," answered the merry voice of a black, who I found kept the venda. And he told me that I could have a bed there ; and on my alighting, got me a tolerable supper, and was very civU, as blacks generally are. My bed-room was not first-rate. The walls were of wattle and mud, not quite meeting the roof; but 'the bed was clean, and I found no fleas. In the morning, it was cold enough, and on getting up, I found that a thick fog obscured everything. Wishing to make a sketch, I walked down to the river, and the mists clearing away, disclosed a very pretty scene. The Paryhy- buna, a considerable stream, looking like a salmon river, full of rocky rapids and deep pools, was here crossed by a long bridge built of beams on stone piers ; but the river was so confined by rocks, that I think it was possible to jump over it without a bridge. Above, the stream was tranquil, and overhung with thick groves of splendid trees — below, it 48 ENGLISH TRAVELLERS. expanded into several deep pools, and then ran under a huge rocky cliff which had a picturesque effect. It forms the boundary between the province of Rio Janeiro, and that of Minas Geraes. As I advanced, I found that the scenery did not improve, and I determined to retrace m]^ steps, and return to Rio. Accordingly, mounting my mule, I rode off, intending to sleep at Pampullo. As I approached this place, I saw some very primitive-looking mills for pounding Indian corn. A log of wood is balanced on its centre, and one end has a pestle fixed to it, under which the corn is placed upon a stone, while the other end is hoUowed out into a long trough. Water is brought into the trough by a spout, and as it gets full, it sinks by its weight, raising the pestle, when the trough of course sinks, and the water rushes out, causing the pestle to faU with force upon the corn. The machine necessarily works very slowly, giving about two strokes per minute ; but time is of no consequence in this country, and the mill wants hardly any attendance. My mule was tired before I got to my destination, so I stopped at a large venda, called Riberon, where the host told me I cotdd have a room, though the house was very full ; a large English family having just arrived from Rio, on their way up to the mines of Morro Velho. It proved to be a Mrs. Keogh, who had come out with her family by the last English packet, and was now going to join her husband, who was engaged at the mines. They were under . the charge of a Scotchman, Dr. Brent, whom I knew in Rio, so on asking for him, I was invited in and drank tea with them. It was rather a large party ; Mrs. Keogh and her eight children, five of them grown-up daughters, and with servants, arrieros, &c.. LUDICROUS INCIDENT. 49 they had a troop of thirty-eight or forty mules. Many of them had hardly ever been on horseback before, and at first, the worthy doctor found no small difficulty in getting them along on their journey of twenty days. One ofCthe young ladies was very pretty, all were good-looking, and one was said to be as fine a singer as Jenny Lind. I could not help thinking if this were true, that she had better have remained in Europe than gone to the mines of Morro Velho. They had brought an immense quantity of baggage; among other things, two piano-fortes, rather difficult articles to move in Brazil, where everything is carried on mules. I started before they were up the next morning ; but I heard after- wards that they all arrived safely at the mines. I got on but slowly all day, my mule being lame, and I only kept her going by continual feeds of milho. Stopping at one place called Luis Antonio (I suppose from the man who kept it) I was highly amused by an exhibition of saga- city where one would least look for it, namely — in a pig. The mule was feeding from a nosebag, and the pig was watching for any grains of corn that might chance to fall, when, none having been dropped, he got tired of waiting, made a dart at the mule, and seizing the nosebag, twitched it oif in a second, and scampered away, spilling the milho in all directions. Luis Antonio, if that was indeed my host's name, was a fat, good-tempered fellow, but rather too civD. He offered to take my saddle-bags off the mule, but I anticipated him, and did it myself. After a minute or two, he took them up and put them on a low wall in front of the house as if for more security. He then looked at me, and I could not but smile as our eyes met, knowing well why he did it. The E 50 SAFETY OF THE ROADS. fact was, he thought I was bringing gold down from the mines, and lifted the saddle-bags to try their weight, so I took an early opportunity to show him that most of the weight was caused by a sketch-book, and a pair of thick boots. The circumstance gave me a favourable impression of the security of the country ; for I found it was a common practice to bring gold down in this way, and instances of robbery are very rare. There is a good deal of coffee grown on the hills about here ; but the trees did not look healthy, the leaves having a yellow tinge. They should be dark, like a Portugal laurel. The other crops were milho, or maize, fajao, a sort of bean, mandioca, or cassava, and castor-oil. Birds were not nume- rous ; black parrots, and a few red-breasted toucans being all I saw. It was late when I arrived at Petropolis, where I remained one day, and returned to Rio the next, descending the Organ Mountains by the old paved road. The mule went very well as far as Fregoza, her home, but beyond that nothing wo\ild induce her to move. I reluctantly plied my whip and spurs, but she bore it all patiently, and stood still in the middle of the road. I dismounted, but she would not lead, so I got on again, not knowing what to do. The heat in the wide, flat plain was terrific. At last, a black who was passing, drove on my mule for about a hundred yards ; but he went away, and she stood still again. Thus brought up, I should have been too late for the steamer at Porta de Estrella, had not some Englishmen overtaken me ; and one of these, by frequent application of a hunting-whip, kept the mule at a canter all the way to the port, where I arrived at last in good time. SOCIETY IN RIO, 51 There is not. much society for a stranger in Rio Janeiro, for the English residents mix but little with the natives ; and the Brazilian ladies hare none of that ease of manners and fluency of conversation which distinguish those of Spanish descent. Another drawback ife, that the English live chiefly in the country, at a distance of four or five mUes, and so leave town after business hours and ride home. From my countrymen, however, I experienced the greatest hospi- tality. I had many letters of introduction, and on presenting them, the recipients, with hardly an exception, put them- selves and their houses, not only in words, but literally and truly, at my disposal. Rio is chiefly supplied with flour from the United States, from which they also import another article, almost a necessary of life : I mean ice. In the Rua Dereita is a regular Yankee bar, where a thirsty soul can obtain sherry-cobblers, juleps, and sangarees, compounded in the true New York fashion. I endeavoured to learn something more about the Falls of San Francisco, but was unsuccessftd. Mr. Gardner, a botanist, sent out here to collect plants for Kew Gardens, attempted to ascend the river some years ago, but soon became so ill from fever and ague, that he was obliged to halt at a hut on the river bank, and gave up the project. He pub- lished an 'account of his wanderings in Brazil, and was after- wards appointed curator to the Botanic Gardens in Ceylon, where he died about a year ago. Everybody agreed upon one point, that it would be a rough journey, and some said dangerous; but the reports of dangers are so often exag- gerated, that 1 was not much alarmed, and so prepared to start by the English packet for Bahia. It was some satis- faction to reflect that if I did not succeed in reaching the E 2 52 POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS. Falls, I should see Bahia, perhaps Pernambuco, and quite a dififerent part of Brazil. I was astonished at the want of communication between the different parts of this immense empire, and the long time required to transmit intelligence from one part to another. When the last mail came in from England to Rio, they had the same dates from London and Park, about the fifth largest town of the empire, situated at the mouth of the Amazon River. The dates for the upper part of that immense valley must have been nearly a year old. CHAPTER V. VOTAGB TO BAHIA STORY OP A SLAVER BRAZILIAN FISHING-BOATS SIGNAL FOR PILOTS MAROIM ROUTE TO THE FALLS — PROPRIA ASCENDING THE RIVER PORTA DES PIRANHOS. I LEFT Rio, on the 7th of July, in H.M.S. ' Petrel,' T. Creser, commander, and had a long but not un- pleasant voyage to Bahia. My friend C , who had accompanied me to the Organ Mountains, was one of the passengers, on his way home. On leaving Rio, we had contrary winds, which kept shifting about from north to north-east, so that after five days' beating, we were to the south of Rio Harbour instead of the north. As we ap- proached Bahia, we saw two or three of those curious craft, the jangada. They lie so low, that, at a little distance, they look as if the men on them are standing on the surface of the water. They consist of a raft of five logs of light wood bound together, but so loosely, that the water washes up between each log. They are very buoyant, but every wave dashes over them. They have a seat or two for the crew, which consists of two or three men, and there is a little 54 BAHTA. frame to keep their provisions out of the wet. We passed close to one which had three men and two sails ; on the foremast a square sail, and a latteen aft. It was steered hy a paddle, and was on a fishing excursion twelve or fifteen miles from the land. We made Bahia on the evening of the 20th, but the wind dying away at sunset, we were obliged to anchor off the lighthouse. When the land-breeze blew, the odour from the shore was delicious, and the air felt heavy and loaded with the fragrance of flowers. We hung over the bulwarks, inhaling it with a pleasure that none but those who have been some time at sea can appreciate. Bahia has an excessively pretty appearance from the harbour, which is the mouth of a bay much larger than that of Rio Janeiro. It takes its name from the " Bahia de todos OS Santos," the proper name of the- city being San Salvador. In the same way the proper title of Rio is San Sebastiao, but it is commonly called by the name of its harbour. C and I landed, and took up our quarters at the hotel, such as it was, and I went and called on the English Consul, Mr. Porter, tod presented my letter of introduction, which had been given me by Mr. Hudson, the English minister at Rio. Mr. Porter received me most kindly, and hearing my wish of proceeding to the Rio San Francisco, took me to the house of a German named Gultzow, to whom I had letters, and who proved to be agent to Mr. Schram's house at Maroim, the nearest town to the river. Of course he knew more about that country than any one, and on my inquiring about the best means of getting there, he told me that a Bremenese schooner now lying in the bay was to sail for Maroim at three STORY OF A SLAVER. 55 that afternoon, and I had better go in her. Mr. Dyssel, head of the house, was then in Bahia, and gave me letters to the other Germans at Maroim ; but I could learn nothing more about the Falls, nor could I get a guide to them, as no one in Bahia had been there. However I saw the captain of the schooner (yclept, the ' Katarina,') and agreed for my passage, not sorry to find that, as there was no wind, he would not sail till the next day, for I had not yet obtained any passport. At seven on the following morning, I was ready and on board, and we soon got our anchor up, and stood down the harbour with a fair wind, but which, unfortunately, did not last long, and for the two next nights we were still in sight of the lighthouse. The ' Katarina ' was a schooner of about 200 tons burden, of the clumbungy build, and with the light winds that we usually were favoured with, we thought ourselves fortunate when she went four knots. The old pilot, who had come on board at Bahia, was a native of Maroim, and was our chief amusement on the voyage. He had been in the slave-trade, and had, like many others, been ruined by it. He gave us a lamentable account of his last voyage, when he was second mate of a fine brig fitted out in the most expensive way from Bahia, and had arrived safely on the coast of Africa, and taken in a fuU cargo of slaves, but was becalmed two days' sail on their return ; and here an English steamer hove in sight. They had every sail set to catch the slightest breeze, and were just beginning to move through the water when the steamer came on flap, flap, flap, and . The old man threw up his hands, and walked forward to hide his emotion. He soon came back, however, for it was a grievance he liked to 56 BRAZILIAN FISHING-BOATS. recount, though he obtained no pity from us. He had had a quadrant, a telescope — a new one from London, as he said — and besides his pay would have been allotted three slaves as his share had they been landed; but the cruel English captured all. He was taken up to Sierra Leone in the vessel, which was condemned, and he was turned adrift, with nothing but the clothes he had on. He then described to us the way the slaves were shipped ; how they packed them, fed them, &c. ; and never thought of the abominable practices he was exposing ; but the conduct of the English he considered to be too bad. We sailed up slowly in sight of the coast, and saw many jangadas fishing. The old pilot pointed out to us all the remarkable hiUs and headlands, the entrance to Sergipe del Rey, &c., and in the middle of the fourth day from Bahia, we made the entrance of the Cotingiba river. The shore was low and sandy ; but on the southern point was a high tower, or Atalaya, as it is called, in which was a look-out man, who hoisted flags as signals to vessels about to enter. If there was sufficient water on the bar, two flags were shown, one over the other ; if it was dangerous, one only. As we came abreast of the tower one flag was hoisted, and in a few minutes hauled down. We stood off again, waiting for the other signal, and the old pilot began to get puzzled. I was the best Portuguese of the party, and with the mate, who had picked up a little of that language on the coast of Africa, cross-examined the old fellow about what was best to be done. We did not know a great many of the technical terms, such as the pilot-boat (catraia), so had written down several of them in pencil on the top of the companion ladder, and referred to the place as to a SIGNAL FOR PILOT. 57 dictionary. Our pilot was quite decided that we mvist not attempt the bar unless we saw two flags, so we tacked, and stood up and down the coast for some time. The sea-breeze was very light, and the old craft missed stays several times, which did not improve our position ; for if it had fallen calm, the swell would have certainly sent us ashore. The spy- glasses were in great requisition, and we watched the bar anxiously, but could see nothing but long lines of white rollers without any apparent opening. At last, just as we had gone about to gain a greater offing, a little sail appeared in the river behind the white line of rollers, and the old pilot recognised it as the long wished-for catraia. She was well handled, soon beat over the bar, and nearing us, passed under oiu" stern. Then rather a doubt arose, as the captain, I saw, did not wish to pay for two pilots, and the old one not liking to lose his job, no one knew quite what to do. I, on my part, had no idea of the pilot-boat being sent away again, and we to run the risk of lying outside the bar aU night ; so I said to the captain : " Tell the pilot to come on board, and we wiU go in." He said nothing, rather wishing to implicate me ; but the mate pulled off his hat and waved it to them, on which they tacked again, and lay to under our stern. The boat was dropped with a couple of hands, and we took the pilot on board. He was a fine stout negro, jet black, with a red shirt on, and he immediately took charge of the vessel. The pilots going ahead in their little schooner, we squared the yards and followed them, and in a few minutes were in the rollers. The captain was in a great fright when we reached the rushing brown water, and as one of the men in the gang- way gave the soundings four fathoms, three and a half, three. 58 CROSSING THE BAR. he got worse and worse, and his teeth chattered so that he could hardly speak. We were now in the channel, and close on each side of us rolled the muddy waves foaming along towards the shore ; but there was no real danger, and the pilot looked on with the greatest coolness. However, it was a relief to aU when we were fairly in the river ; and there, after sailing up for about a mile, we anchored for the night. The river was a pretty-looking stream, with low wooded hills a little way inland, and the shores fringed with groves of tall cocoa-nut trees. A few cottages appeared amongst them, and one or two large lanchas, or sailing-boats, were anchored near. The moon soon rose, and then the scene, with the glassy river and the graceful cocoa-nut trees, was excessively fine. The next morning we were under weigh \vith the flood tide, and sailed up the river about six miles, to another village, boasting a custom-house and police-office. The captain and I went on shore to present ourselves to the authorities, and enter the ship, for which purpose I acted as interpreter. Here I found Mr. Winter, the manager of Schram's house, who had ridden down from Maroim ; and on reading my letter, told us that he should expect us both to dinner at four o'clock, and that a room should be prepared for me at the house. He returned on horseback, and we, taking the boat, went up by water. It was a long puU — for the tide had turned against us — but at length we came in sight of the little town of Maroim, and I disgusted the captain, a German, by saying that I thought it looked rather like Hamburg. We landed close to Mr. Schram's house, where Mr. Winter most hospitably received MAROIM. 59 US. Maroim is situated at the end of one of the branches of the Cotingiba river. It might be expected to be a most sickly place, for at low water it is surrounded with mud, mangroves and musquitoes, but oddly enough it is one of the healthiest places in Brazil. Mr. Schram's is the principal house in the town, and is distinguished by a flag-staff, and the Hanseatic Arms over the door, as he acts as Consul for those towns. He was now in Europe, and the establishment was left in charge of Mr. Winter. Nearly aU the produce of this part of the country consisted of sugar, which is bought by this house and shipped for Germany. Several other Germans, Messrs. Weiderman, HoUzerman, Weucherer, &c., were employed in different situations, and seemed to vie with each other in showing me kindness. There was also an Englishman settled in the town, named Wynn, a most good- natured, indolent fellow, who had formerly been a clerk ; but liking everything better than business, now kept a shop, and acted as Swedish and Norwegian Consul. Both he and Weucherer were very anxious to go up to the Falls of Paulo Affonso, and had been thinking of doing so for some years, but never could make up their minds to start. Weiderman had been there with Mr. Schram, but could give me very little information, though all agreed the expedition would not be a difficult one. Having waited at Maroim a day or two to see if Mr. Weucherer would accompany me, I found that it was no use to delay longer, and so hired a couple of horses and a black as portador, or guide, and set out. My guide was to convey me as far as the town of Propria, or properly Piripuru, on the river San Francisco, a distance of about fifteen leagues. Here I was to send the horses back, and 60 ROUTE TO THE FALLS. embarking in a canoe, ascend the river as far as Porta des Piranhos. We did not start till nearly ten o'clock in the morning, as we had but seven leagues to go that day. The road was deep and clayey, and in the first half-hour the porta- dor's horse fell twice, but luckily both steed and rider escaped unhurt. Neither of the horses were shod, as it is not the practice in this country — why, I could not imagine, and they could tell me no reason, except that they never did. The country we rode through was uninteresting, though in many places were luxuriant crops of sugar-cane, and the landscape was dotted with red-roofed Engenhos. Many curious plants ornamented the thickets, and the banks were covered with the sensitive plant {Mimosa) which shrank from us, and drooped as we brushed past. In the evening we arrived at a large house called Alegrete, where we were to stop for the night, and to the owner of which I had brought a letter from Mr. Winter. He was very polite, and bestirred himself to get me something to eat. He called to the slaves ; " Au Minerva, chiame Patroclo," (Oh, Minerva, call Patroclus,) and Patroclus having answered the summons of the woolly-haired black girl, supper was soon set before me. My host and I then reclined in ham- mocks, and smoked our cigars, when he questioned me con- cerning my journey, the state of Europe, the revolution in France, &c., and I did my best to enlighten and amuse him. I had a slight breakfast the next morning, and at half-past seven left Alegrete for Propria, my host wishing me a prosperous journey, and begging me to rest at his house on my return. I soon found that my guide had never been beyond Alegrete, and therefore did not know the wav ; but he made THE RIVER. 61 inquiries of every one we met, and so we arrived at last safely at Propria. On our way we passed at least seven or eight crosses on the road-side, each marking the spot where a murder had been committed. Several had been put up recently, and I found that the unfortunate victims had generally been either killed in revenge, or in attempting to catch runaway slaves. We came in sight of the San Francisco river half-an-hour before we arrived at Propria. Black clouds were gathering overhead, and we had to gallop into the town to escape a wetting. This was just the beginning of the rainy season, but fortune favoured me, and I did not suffer much from it. Having a letter to a Portuguese named Gimaraens, I went immediately to his house. He received me kindly, gave me a dinner and a bed, and arranged about a canoe for me. I hired a good one with two men, to go up to Porta des Piranhos, a distance of about twenty-two leagues, where it was to wait to bring me back, and it was agreed that I should pay for the canoe at the rate of two milreis per day, and eight milreis to each man for the journey, a milrei being equal to two shillings English. For provisions, I bought ten pounds of biscuits, two stone bottles of Figuera wine, and a large bag of farinha or mandioca-flour. I had besides a four-pound pork piece, that I got on board the English packet, half a ham, given me by Mr. Winter, and a large flask of gin. After dinner, Senhor Gimaraens walked with me to the river to look at the craft. It was a large " canoa aberta," which is a canoe hollowed out of a large tree, and then sawed down the middle, four or five planks being let into the bottom to give more beam, and strengthened with timbers. It had a mast 62 PROPRIA. forward, on which was set a large triangular sail, and in the bows was a " toldo," or hut made of palm-leaves, thatched over bent sticks. This, with a mat laid in it, was to be my house for the voyage ; and I afterwards found it an excellent protection from the sun and rain. I was now introduced to the crew, Manuel Christo, a Brazilian, and his cad Januario Caboclo, a sort of half-bred Indian ; and I was immediately dubbed Capitao, no one here being without a title. The San Francisco is a fine stream at this point, being half a league wide, tolerably deep, and with a current of about three miles an hour. After the rainy season, it is said to be nearly a league wide — four English miles — and the current to run more than six miles an hour ; so it must then pass a large volume of water into the sea. I heard that at all times vessels could get fresh water on the bar, without enter- ing the river. Propria, which appears to be a corruption of its Indian name Piripuru, is a town of about 400 inhabitants, situated on the southern bank of the river, twelve leagues from the mouth. It has two churches, one a large edifice, but in an unfinished state. Everything being prepared by the morning of the 30th July, I rose very early, anxious to begin my voyage, but the wind did not spring up till half-past nine, when we set our sail, and shoved off into the stream. At the first village, Colajio, the men stopped to buy dried beef, or carne sertao (country meat) as it is called, which they ought to have pro- vided before; but said they thought it had been provided' by me. As, however, there was but little wind, we did not lose much time, and all was soon arranged. The man put a shovel full of earth on to a board, and making a fire on it, ASCENDING THE RIVER. 63 cooked the meat as we went before the wind. Several other canoes accompanied us up the river. Some of them, in addition to their triangular sail (which like ours was laced to the mast, and boomed out like the mainsail of a cutter), had a studding-sail of exactly the same size and shape on the other side, hauled up to a block at the mast-head, and also boomed out ; thus the two sails together, when they bellied out with the wind, and the booms rose, formed a square, having a very odd appearance. The old canoe went merrily through the water, the foam rushing and hissing under her bows, and when the wind dropped, a little after dark, we had made nine leagues. During the day we passed the villages of Colajio and Traipoo, and we now anchored at a place called Serkao. I was stretched under the toldo and just going to sleep, when I heard a grating noise under the boat repeated several times. On inquiring the cause, Manuel told me that it was a fish called manding, cantando, as he expressed it, under the canoe. I was rather doubtful of this, but a day or two afterwards I caught several of these fish ; and whilst pulHng them up, and when they were jumping about on the bottom of the canoe, they aU made the same noise. They were a yellowish-brown in colour, something like a large bullhead. The next morning was calm and clear, and the river was as smooth as glass. Swarms of little fish, called piabas, were swimming about the canoe, and with a small hook, and some farinha, I soon caught enough for breakfast. The fish of this river are very numerous, and some sorts grow to a large size, and are excellent eating ; though when I wanted any I always found great difiiculty in purchasing them. One of the most curious is the piranhos {Myletes macropomus) . It 64 ASCENDING THE RIVER. is a yellow fish, growing to about eighteen inches or two feet in length, and is very thick. The mouth is strong, and furnished with pointed teeth as sharp as a razor, and fitting one into the other like the teeth of a saw. It is so fierce and eager after flesh, that it is quite the terror of the river. If a man or any animal fall into the water where they abound, the piranhos rush at him in a shoal, and each one tearing out a mouthful, soon destroy life. All the animals fear it, and when they drink, which they seldom do except in shallow water, take care not to put their noses below the surface, yet even with this caution, they often get bitten. Dr. Malet told me that he saw a dog thrown into the river as an experiment, when he was seized immediately, gave one yelp, and dis- appeared. The piranhos is excellent eating. The wind sprang up about 9^ a.m., on the third day, and with occasional squalls and rain storms, continued till nightfall, when we anchored for the night at a village called Pao de Assucar (sugar-loaf), fi-om a conical hill near it. We had run eight leagues, passing Barra de Panama, Lagoa Fonda, and Limoens, all on the north bank of the river. The stream seemed about the same breadth, but I cannot think that it was near two mUes ; generally, the banks were flat, but here and there rocky blufis projected into the river. The next morning, as usual, was calm and clear, but the wind, as is the case on most of the rivers in hot countries, did not spring up till about nine o'clock. Whether it is a continuation of the sea-breeze I know not, but it always goes down at sunset, and probably arises from the same cause as the sea-breeze. I bathed this morning, being assured there was no danger from the dreaded piranhos. We ran up the PORTA DES PIRANHOS. 65 river before the wind, and arrived at Porta des Piranhos at 3 P.M. For the three leagues previous, the river was much narrower, full of black rocks, and ran between high hills covered with a scanty vegetation. Above this, navigation ceases on account of the rocks and rapids. The " port " is a small village on the north bank of the river, and the inhabitants, to all appearance, are poor . enough. Several of them came down to my canoe to look at me, and hear the news, &c. ; and amongst others was the portador Felix, who accompanied Mr. Schram up to the Falls. I immediately enlisted him in my service, and sent him to hire a couple of horses if possible, whilst I walked up to the village. There were two small shops at which were sold came seco (jerked beef), wine, caxas (brandy), pronounced cashas, gin, hardware, linen, &c. The chief one was kept by a man named Pacheco, to whom, having a letter to him, I applied for horses, and he soon procured two. Several of the natives gathered round staring at me, and asking all sorts of questions. Some inquired about Senhor Adolphe (Schram), Senhor EmiUo (Weiderman), &c., and described how the latter lit his cigar with a match between his teeth, asking if I could do the same, and were much amused when I struck a light on amadou with my knife. They were wild-looking fellows, with long black hair, dressed in a shirt and pair of drawers tied at the ankle, leather hats, and sometimes leather jackets, and each had a long pointed knife in his belt. Although in such a different part of the world, they were very fike Laplanders, or rather Fins, but much taller ; and, in point, of scenery, the swift rocky river, and the bSrreri hills added- much to the resemblance. The houses, canoes,- -Sc, were very much in the style of the north of Norway, arid I could '■."■' , F" 66 PORTA DES PIRANHOS, almost fancy that I was on the banks of the rushing Alten. After some little bargaining, I hired the two horses to go to the Falls and back in five days, paying eighteen milreis for the job ; and that being made safe, I packed my saddle-bags, replenished the wine-bottles, bought a little maize for the horses, and then returned to my canoe to sleep, prepared to start in the morning. CHAPTER VI. A BRAZILIAN COtJNTRT HOUSEHOLD SIMPLICITY OP THE NATIVES APPROACH TO THE PALLS THE CATARACT NIGHT ON THE BANK AN UNPLEASANT INCIDENT A PRIMITIVE FISHERMAN ANGLING FOR PIRANHOS NIGHT ON THE RIVER FOSSIL REMAINS DIS- COMFORTS OF TRAVELLING THE RIVER AMAZON. We did not leave Piranhos till nearly nine o'clock, and ascending a valley between two hills, soon lost sight of the river. The country was rocky and dry, thinly wooded with stunted trees, and the ground covered with prickly plants, including the carawa, of which, in this part of BrazU, ropes are usually made. The cacti grow to a large size here ; I noticed some as big round as my body, and upwards of thirty feet high, branching out like regular trees. The country was uneven, though without high hills, and was very thinly populated, not without good reason, for there was little to attract inhabitants. After a ride of four leagues, accomplished in three and a half hours, we came to a place called Olho d'Agua (eye of water), from an adjacent spring. A few F 2 68 A COUNTRY HOUSEHOLD. cottages were scattered about, and we stopped at the best, saluted the owner, and dismounted. Felix, my portador, seemed well acquainted with the host, and after unloading the horses, we turned them out to graze, and entered the house. Our host was a man well off, and possessed land, cows, a wife, and two slaves ; but like all others in this wretched country, he seemed to live almost wholly on farinha and fajao. He was hospitable as far as his means went, cooked some fajao for Felix, and brought me a basin of milk. The back part of the house in which the family sat, was nothing but a roof supported on posts, at the foot of one of which was a fire. In a corner, the wife' was sitting on the ground working, and near her, a black slave-woman was making lace on a pillow. Dogs, goats, turkeys, and fowls, went in and out as they pleased, and on the rafters sat three or four green parrots. Nearly every cottage had some of these birds, which were being tamed and taught to talk. When they have learnt a few Portuguese words they are taken down to the towns, and sold, always bringing a price in proportion to their accomplishments; We ate our frugal meal, and as it came on to rain hard^ stayed some time. Fehx availed himself of the opportunity to make some snuff, which he did in rather a primitive way, roasting some tobacco on a wooden skewer, and. then rolling it up in a corner of his leathern frock, when he pounded it on a stone with the handle of his knife, till he had reduced it to powder. The conversation was rather amusing, but principally turned on hunting, and the host related with great glee two or three stories of his having killed some huge ounces which infested the country, and which had taken off several of his cows. At last, the rain ceasing, we saddled the SIMPLICITY OF THE NATIVES. 69' horses and continued our ride ; but having gone one league, another heavy storm came on, and obliged us to stop at the next houses called Talhao, where, though we had only come five leagues from Piranhos, we decided, on sleeping. We went to the house of a man who was called rich, but I saw no difference between his dwelling and those of his neighbours. He was dressed in a shirt and drawers, but wore neither shoes nor stockings, and the boys, his sons, ran about naked. Our horses were turned out to graze, but there appeared to be hardly any grass, everything was so burnt up and barren from the former drought, though the rain now came down in torrents. The people here appeared wilder than ever, and I thought of the Cornish miner's speech when he was crossing the Pampas with Head : " They be so wild as the donkey, and there be one thing, Sir, that I do observe, which is, that the farther we do go, the wilder things do get !" In the house they collected round me, asking aU sorts of questions and wanting to see everything. Felix rather acted as showman, and I had to exhibit my knife, compass, pistols, &c. ; but what created most amusement, was an indian- rubber elastic band that I had round my sketch-book. It was passed from one to the other, examined, stretched, and commented on. At last I told the master of the house, who •was showing it off, to put it round his head. He stretched it carefully, and did so, and amused ever}' one excessively ; but much more were they dehghted when he tried in vain to get it off, creating on every side roars of laughter. He looked serious enough as he pulled his hair up, and thought some trick had . been played upon him, and that the magic fillet was a fixture ; but at last he succeeded in getting rid of it, and joining in the laugh, wanted somebody else to put it 70 SIMPLICITY OF THE NATIVES. on. They then asked why I went to the Falls, and would not believe that it was from curiosity alone. I did not tell them how far I had come from curiosity, as they might have thought I was really a madman, and treated me as such. They imagined, indeed, that I was on the look out for mines, and inquired whether I should know where gold and silver were to be found, if I were to pass near them. I assured them of my ignorance, and retorted by inquiring if they had ever seen a steam-boat or a railway, and if they had not curiosity enough to wish to see one. I said I had seen plenty, and they were nothing to me ; but all agreed that a railway with an engine that would draw people, merchandize, and cattle, at the rate of ten leagues per hour must be indeed a wonder. I had now excited them, and had to describe a railway train, engine and all; but when I came to the tunnel, and said that instead of going over the hill the train went through a hole cut in it, and that it sometimes went nearly a league under ground, their credulity seemed taxed to the utmost, and I have no doubt that they set me down as not only half cracked, but an unscrupulous romancist. At last, it was time to go to rest, and we slung our hammocks in an outer room, and slept soundly till day- light. We started in the morning at seven o'clock, intending to reach • the cataract in the evening. Nine leagues only now separated me from these wonderful Falls, and in proportion as the distance grew shorter, my eagerness to see them increased. I was rather doubtful about the horses, for they did not seem very fresh ; and neither of them being shod, and the path hard and stony, their feet began to get very tender. In the middle of the day we rested at a place Called Salgado, four AN IMPROMPTU DINNER. 71 leagues from the Falls, and got a sort of dinner there, con- sisting of three plates — one of farinha, one of fajao, and one of brown sugar — which we set between us on a bench, and Felix and I sat across the ends of it, diving our spoons alternately into each dish. The people here had a good deal of Indian blood in their veins, showing it in their swarthy countenances, straight black hair, and large hand- some eyes. A bow and some arrows rested on pegs in the wall, and a couple of naked boys amused themselves with shooting at a hide with a roughly made cross-bow — aU very Indian. We gave the horses some railho, and I was much surprised to see several lean dogs, which were loafing about the house, watch the horses as they ate, and eagerly snap up any grains that happened to fall. I have since often seen a dog with an ear of maize between his paws, gnawing oflf the grains as he would gnaw a bone, and I remember a terrier that always came when the chickens were fed to pick up his share. A league further on we passed the last cottage on our road ; it was called La Cruz, and was inhabited by a fine-looking negro, who came out and brought us a calabash full of mUk. The country was now very rocky and sandy, and we crossed two or three dry water-courses. The ground was covered with bushes, amongst which a shrub called alecrin was very plentiful. It is a sort of rosemary, with a curious twisted stem, and aromatic leaves. One tree, with leaves something like an oak, and a smooth bark, stung like a nettle. I believe it is a sort of Tatropha. Felix knew aU the pro- perties of the different trees, and announced one fAngecaJ to be good for tanning, another for making ropes, another for curing the bite of poisonous snakes ; and it is said that the 72 APPROACH TO- THE FALLS. armadillo, when wounded by fighting with snakes, runs to this tree, and eating some of the leaves, renders the bite harmless ; but no other animal possesses this important secret. I became very anxious to get to the Falls ere the sun went down, so that I might see them before I slept, for it would not have been pleasant to have waited all night with- out gratifying my curiosity. But the path was bad, the sun very hot, and the horses tired, so our progress was extremely slow. At two leagues more, we came to a huge rock, called " Piedra de Agua," in which was a small hollow full of water, covered with two or three flat stones. We stopped here, and though the water was rather green and warm, quenched our thirst, and replacing the stones, continued our route. At this point we obtained an extensive view over the country, and Felix pointed out the most remarkable hills. One to the south, a great distance off, he said was composed of one stone only, and was called the Serra Encantada (the enchanted mountain). It was a wild-looking scene : an undulating country, covered with low trees. During the last league I listened anxiously for the sound of the Falls, but got very near them before their roar was audible. The reason was, that they fell into such a deep sort of trench, that the sound was suppressed. At last I heard their sullen thunder, and saw the river above glancing in the sunlight, and full of rocks and foaming rapids. I urged ray horse forward, but he would not go out of a walk, which appeared slower than ever. At last we got to our destination, and halting under a large "caibea" tree, hobbled and turned loose the horses, and taking ofl" our spurs, walked down to see the Fall. We were separated from it by two large water-courses, now dry, THE FALLS. 73 but which in the rainy; season become large torrents, and present serious difficulty to any one wishing to approach the river. When Mr. Schram was here, in May, they were full of water, and he was only able to pass them by the assistance of two fishermen, who were there by chance, and who made a sort of raft, and floated him over ; Felix first swimming across a pool with a line. Even now they were full of huge rocks, troublesome enough to climb over. The sun was just setting, and lit up the steep cliffs below the Fall with a beautiful red glow, the water itself being in shadow. The river above was full of rocks and rapids, but was not much below the general level of the country. It divides into two large branches, and several smaller ones, the largest of which, about two-thirds of the river, is again divided at the top of the cataract by three or four large rocks, like the Rhine at Schaflfhausen. Between these it rushes down in great torrents, and joining in the descent, falls about one hundred feet into a sort of huge cauldron, inclosed, except on the side where I stood, by. perpendicular cliffs. The next largest arm shoots down this precipice, and joins the first just where it leaves the basin, and then the united streams take their final plunge into a deep pool below. Between the two, three smaller streams fall into the same basin. Thus, from the place where I stood, I had on my right, a Fall something like Trollhattan in Sweden ; in front, one like Terni, though not quite so high, and some others which anywhere else would have been considered large. Below the last pool, the river runs in a sort of deep trench, and being turned sharp to the right by the perpendicular cliff which forms the side of it, from a course about S. by W., it runs away about W. by N. The point of land formed by this angle of the river, is cut off by two 74 THE FALLS. other large streams, which leaving the main river above the Fall, tumble into it some distance below ; so that it would be, I think, nearly impossible to approach it from the right or Bahia bank. Below the Fall, the river, running directly against the perpendicular cliff, turns both ways, on the left (looking down the stream), it forms a sort of creek, terminating in a deep cavern, inaccessible when the river is high ; on the right, it continues its course. Having now a very good general idea of the place, I returned to the trees where we had left our saddles, and provisions. Walking in the dark, I drove the sharp spine of a cactus, numbers of which grew in all directions among the rocks, right through my deer-skin boot, nailing it to my foot. I had some difficulty in getting it off; but though wounds from these thorns are generally troublesome to heal, I suffered but little pain from it afterwards. I was very tired, and indeed knocked up by the heat of the sun, and the fatigues of the day's journey ; so after a supper of ham and biscuit, and a cup or two of wine, I lay down by the fire, and wrapping myself in my Spanish cloak, tried to go to sleep. I tried, however, in vain ; for I always find it very difficult to sleep the first night in the woods. First, the fire got low, and I had to replenish it with fuel ; then it was too hot, so I had to move again ; then I lay listening to the bells of the horses, wondering how far off they were, and whether they would stray ; then to the sullen roar of the cataract; to the owls, and the cries of the various birds and wild animals of the forest, and so passed most of the night. Towards morning I slept a little ; but awoke unrefreshed, and found it was raining. I had no time to lose, and although I felt very ill and THE FALLS. 75 agueish, and began to doubt whether I had not taken the fever, I walked to the top of the perpendicular cliff, made a sketch, and then measured the height. The cliff is but little higher than the whole Fall : so, joining some fishing lines (which I had brought on purpose), we let them down and found the height to be 248 feet, showing that Dr. Malet's judgment (he guessed, it at 250 feet) was not far from the truth. I could not see the stone, which we tied at the end, touch the water ; but letting down 50 fathoms, I measured how much had been wet. . Felix then amused himself by rolling huge stones over, and by watching them splash in the river, and taking the time of their descent, I came nearly to the same measurement. The sun soon afterwards shone out, and formed a beautiful rainbow across the whole gulf. I then returned to the upper Falls, looked them all over again, and made one or two sketches. The stone is reddish, and I think is a sort of clay- slate : where the river washes, it is black, and polished like coal. I do not know the cause of this curious appearance ; but I noticed it also at Assouan, at the first cataract of the Nile, and it occurs, according to Humboldt, in the rapids and falls of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. I think that the action of the water mixed with sand must be the cause, as there is a good deal in both rivers ; ■ but the stone is different, that at Assouan being granite or syenite. It resembles the Egyptian cataract in another respect, which is, in the number of kettles, or devil's cauldrons, scooped in the rocks in all directions. Some stones were perforated in an extraordinary manner, one about five feet high was nearly hollow. The perforation had commenced near the top, a stone or two had got in, and then being 76 THE FALLS. whirled round continually, had by degrees descended and worn away the inside of the stone, leaving a hollow shell. Sand is a great assistance in this process. I could not form a correct idea of the breadth of the Fall, everything being on so large a scale, and not being able to cross it. My sketches being finished, I cut my initials on a tree, fired a pistol-ball into it just below one of Sctram's, and took my departure about 3 p.m. We soon caught the horses, loaded up, and then took them to the river to drink, for although they had been timied out close to it all night, yet not knowing the place, it was impossible for them to get down to the water. At the spot to which we now led them, there was a sandy creek running in from the river, between walls of blackened rock, and here the water ebbed and flowed just like the sea. This was caused by a huge rapid aboVe, which drove the water backwards and forwards in great waves. I held my horse by the halter, and he went in up to his knees, but just as he began to drink, the wave retired and left him dry, sucking at the sand and wondering where the water had gone to. I held him back from following it, or he might have been carried away, but climbing along the rocks I let him go in deeper. He then slaked his thirst, the water being sometimes up to his girths, sometimes not covering his hoofs. The place is called " Ven y va," (come and go.) I went as far as Salgado that evening, and slept there, at the house where I purchased my hammock. I now bought a boa constrictor's skin, though a small one, not more than ten feet long. These snakes are common in this part of the country, and grow to the length of twenty-eight feet, though I have never seen the skin of one of that size. I AN UNPLEASANT INCIDENT. 77 did not see one alive, though I much wished it. They are here called Giboa. They will seize any animal, and destroy it by crushing it in their huge folds, but when found gorged with a recent meal, they are easily killed. Sometimes the troperos have killed them with - their sticks. The natives tan the skins, and sometimes make riding-boots of them. Whilst resting in the forest, amusing myself with finish- ing a sketch, I took a draught of water from one of the stone bottles ; and on a sudden felt a burning sensation in my mouth and throat. I told Felix to taste the water, which he did, and said that it was quite good. I tried it again, and my mouth burnt worse than before. It then struck me that he had poisoned me, yet I hardly knew what object he could have for such an action. I told him to try the water again; and he took two or three gulps so wiQingly, that I could not believe there was anything wrong on his part, and afterwards eating some biscuit and drinking a little wine, I tried the water again, and it was perfectly good. As I was painting, I must have got some whiting into my cup or my mouth, and this caused the burning. We arrived at the river, at Porta des Piranhos, at ten o'clock next morning. The horses were regularly knocked up, and went their last day's journey dreadfully.* Their hoofs were worn down to the quick by the hard stony path, and they limped along as if they were on hot irons ; but we got back safe, and recommended the owner of the horses to have them shod, which is not the custom of the country. As I had not yet breakfasted, I rode down to the canoe ; but my men, though they were delighted to see me, could give me no breakfast. Meat was out of the question : it would 78 A PRIMITIVE FISHERMAN. take a long time to buy, kill, and cook a fowl, and there was no fish. Altogether, this is the usual Brazilian bill of fare. As a last resource, I told my men to catch me some piabas, and throwing a handful of farinha into the water, thousands swarmed round the boat. Manuel told the Indian Januario to catch some : so he, grumbling, took the earthen pot, or " panella," which we had for cooking in, and a plate, and stepped out of the canoe. I was changing my clothes, and looked on in silence, not knowing what he was going to do. He walked into the water where it was about eighteen inches deep, held the panella between his feet, and taking the plate in one hand, with the other sprinkled farinha in front, and in the mouth of the pot. The piabas rushed to the place, and actually followed his hand into the kettle after the meal ; when he slipped the plate on the top, came out of the water, and poured them out on the sand. This to me vvas a new way of fishing. The piabas were soon replaced in the kettle, put over the fire, and by the time I was dressed, they were ready for my breakfast. This being soon finished, I walked up to the venda of my old friend Pacheco, to pay for the horses, &c. Several natives were idhng about, and I was scrutinized all over, and asked all sorts of questions ; while FeHx, who was now the great man, amused them with describing all I had done on the journey. Senhor Pacheco's house was not very fragrant, as the eaves and some poles in front of it were garnished and festooned with strips of beef, undergoing the process of drying, and they smelt as if in a state of incipient decay. Several hides also were pegged out on the ground to stretch, and the combined odour was anything but pleasant: ANGLING FOR PIRANHOS. 79 therefore, having bought two or three things that I wanted amongst which was a tanned boa's skin, I returned to my canoe ; but first treated all the natives who liked it to a glass of gin. It was no use to attempt going down the river till the evening, when the wind, which during the day always blows up the river, might lull ; so I prepared jay fishing-tackle, and set to work to try and catch piranhos. Cutting the wings oflf a sabnon-fly, I baited with a piece of ham, and threw in. They were not fastidious, and I soon had a bite, but pulled up the line minus the hook. 1 put on a large one with treble gut ; but, with hardly any pull, it shared the same fate. I then set to work in earnest, using a large salmon-hook, bound strongly to a thick line, and armed it for six or eight inches up the line with wire from the porter-bottle. Baiting my hook with a piece of fowl, which Manuel had just killed for my next day's dinner, I tried my fortune again. The smaller fish were a great trouble, re- peatedly getting the bait off; but at last, after missing one or two bites, I hooked a fine fellow, hauled on him, and got him to the top of the water ; but he gave one plunge, and bit the line and wire through, as if it had been cut with a knife. The natives were not surprised at my want of success, and described the teeth and jaws of this fish as something tremendous. I thought I would have one yet, so took a strong Irish salmon-hook, a rare good one fi-om John Phillips of Dublin, which might well have been trusted on the Namsen, bound it on the line, and armed it well with triple wire. At length there was a bite, and I gave him plenty of time, struck him, and began hauling him in hand over hand. Manuel seeing the great yellow fish as he came near 80 NIGHT ON THE RIVER. the surface, rushed at me to seize the line and jerk him into the boat ; but he gave two or three plunges, bit off the hook, and escaped. We examined the line, and found that he had not only bitten through the line and wire, but actually through the thick shank of the hook. I had nothing stronger, and as it was now getting dark, I gave up any farther attempts, though much wishing to get a piranho for a specimen. The moon now rose and shone brightly over the quiet scene. My men, and one or two of the inhabitants, were sitting on the sand round a fire, talking and watching the pot in which my fowl was boiling ; and after looking on for some time, I, tired with my journey, crawled under my toldo, and was soon asleep. I started from Porta des Piranhos on my downward journey at about half-past 10 P.M. The full moon was shining brilliantly, and the night was beautifully calm. We soon passed through the rocky, rapid part of the river, and then my men ceased rowing, and both were soon fast asleep. I awoke at sunrise, and found the men still sleeping, and the canoe drifting quietly down the centre of the river. The wind sprang up as usual about nine, and landing at the village of Pao de Assucar, the men cut a huge bundle of a sort of creeping plant that grew in the sand, with a flower like a large pink convolvulus, and which they called Salsa; and fastening the bundle to the painter of the canoe, which, like the anchor, was at the stern, they threw it overboard, and as it floated just below the water, and exposed a large surface to the current, it was of great assistance in towing the boat down stream against the wind. Dr. Gardner, in his work on Brazil, says that he never heard of this method before ; but a similar plan is mentioned by Herodotus, who FOSSIL REMAINS. 81 says that the boatman on the Nile (for in that country, as here, the wind generally blows up the river during the day) used to fasten a wattled handle, with the lower edge loaded with stones, under the bow of the boat, to tow them down the stream, steering by means of a rope with a stone at the end of it, dragging over the stern. We arrived in the evening at Propria, and again slept at the house of Senhor Gimaraens. Manuel enlisting himself into my service, as portador, I hired horses, and started next morning for Maroim. Senhor Gimaraens showed me some bones of a Megatherium, or some animal of that sort, which had been found a short distance up the river, and he told me that they were not uncommon. I also heard that at some distance up the country, to the north-west of the Falls of Paulo AfFonso, large beds of oval stones are found of different sizes, but every one of which, on being broken, is found to inclose a fossil fish. I afterwards saw one of these curious stones in a shop-window in Rio Janeiro ; but they rated it at so high a price, that I did not pur- chase it. Returning towards Maroim by a different route, I slept the first night at a place called Cabral. The house was large, and newly built, arid the owner had a fine sugar estate adjoining, and was a rich man. When we rode up and asked for a night's lodging, as is the custom in Brazil, he asked who I was, which I left Manuel to explain, and he then ushered me into his drawing-room. It was a large handsome room, containing a table and about three dozen chairs, ranged in order, but little other furniture. He and two of his friends who were in the house, sat down and con- versed with me till tea was ready. I was dreadfully hungry, G 82 DISCOMFORTS OF TRAVELLING. having had no dinner ; but I did not like to ask for anything to eat, and when tea came, there was nothing with it but a plate of little cakes. I made an excuse for retiring to the bed-room, hoping to find Manuel to get me something more ; but he did not appear, so in my room I was fain to eat for my supper a few little biscuits, and drink some gin and water, which I luckily had remaining in my flask. I made a resolution not to go to such large houses in future. I was up before sun-rise, got a cup of coffee, and started again, hungry enough, but had four leagues to ride before I could obtain anything to eat ; and though I tried to appease my cravings by chewing the end of a cheroot, was nearly famished by the time I reached Maroim. The Brazilians seem to care little about breakfast. They drink a cup of coffee when they get up, and then wUl go, if necessary, tUl the middle of the day, without feeling any inconvenience. At the hospitable house at Maroim a beefsteak and a glass of Lisbon soon set me right, and then I had to recount my adventures, and show my sketches to my German friends. I found that Weucherer had much wished to accompany me to the Falls, and would have done so if I had waited a day or two. The Falls are called Paulo Affonso, or Cachoeira de Paulo Affonso, from a man of that name, who, as the story goes, being one of the first white men in that country, was taken by the Indians, tied hand and foot, and sent over the falls in a canoe ; but by some miracle he got safe to the bottom, loosed himself, and escaped. It is extraordinary how slowly Brazil has been advancing in most parts, particularly with regard to the Amazon river. This enormous river, unlike most others in the world, was once navigated downwards from near its sources : Orellana, THE AMAZON RIVER. 83 one of Pizarro's generals, having embarked on the Napo, and after one of the most wonderful voyages on record, arrived at the mouth of the river at Para. But it would take as long, and be nearly as troublesome, to go down it now, as in Pizarro's time. It is a most splendid river, and well adapted for steam navigation. There is plenty of water, with hardly a rock for a thousand miles ; for another thousand the navigation is easy, and the only difficulty would be getting the wood, which lines the banks of the river, cut for fuel. G 2 CHAPTER VII. SHIPWRECK ON THE BAR SHOOTING EXCURSION DRUNKEN SLAVES THE VILLAGE OF THE BAR OUK VESSEL DRIVEN BACK CRITICAL SITUATION OF THE 'BOM JESUs' THE BAR CROSSED RETURN TO BAHIA THE SLAVE TRADE ATTACK ON A CAPTURED SLAVER RECKLESSNESS OF SLAVE DEALERS HABITS OF THE NEGROES VOTIVE OFFERINGS INSECTS AND REPTILES THE BRITISH MINISTER OUR LADY OF THE ROCK. I FOUND at Maroim that the Englishman Wynne, with a Frenchman named Dominic, had gone to the mouth of the San Francisco, where a Jersey vessel had been wrecked on the bar. She was called the ' Malvina,' and was homeward bound from the river Plate, with a cargo of hides and tallow. The master said that he was beating up to the northward, and thinking that he was yet some distance from the land, on a sudden ran on to the bar of the San Francisco, where the vessel struck, and soon became immoveably fixed in the sand. He said a current must have put him a long way out of his reckoning ; and many suppose that when this river is in flood it pours so much water into the sea, that it forms a strong back eddy to the southward; but there WRECK ON THE BAR. 85 must be some other reason for the numerous wrecks which happen on this coast. H.M.S. ' Opossum' some years ago got clean over the bar of this river by some accident, and anchored safely inside; but it was with the greatest difficulty that she was got out again, there not being sufficient water on the bar, till she was lightened of nearly everything, Wyrme acted as agent to the 'Malvina,' and sold the wreck and cargo ; but had some difficulty in preserving them from the attacks of the natives, who would have plundered everything. I found that they had written a letter to me, telling me of the wreck, and sent it to a town called Pinedos, seven leagues below Propria, thinking I should return that way. Had I done so, I would have gone down there. With regard to my retui-n to Bahia, I found that a Brazilian schooner, called the ' Bom Jesus' (Good Jesus), was going to sail at the next high tide, which was in six days' time ; so I went down and took a passage in her, as I pre- ferred to return that way, to taking the long uncomfortable ride by land. With a tolerable wind, it is a voyage of two days only, whereas the journey by land takes seven or eight, the roads as well as accommodation being bad, and there was now every probability of rainy weather. During the week, I and Weiderman paid a visit to Weucherer, who lived at a place called Santa Anna, about three leagues oflf. It is a very rich sugar district, though wild and lonely. Nothing can be bought for food but farinha and dried beef, and often not even that. The country is flat, and although but little above high-water mark (for the tide runs up nearly to the house) and a long way from the mountains, yet in the nights and mornings it was very cold. We had some 86 SHOOTING EXCURSION. difficulty in keeping ourselves warm at night, though covered with plenty of coats and blankets. Early in the morning, when we went out shooting, the bushes and trees around being full of birds of all colours, we often started in our thick pea-jackets, with our hands in the pockets to keep them warm. In the morning the birds were very numerous, singing on every spray ; but we found, what I heard before, that it was nearly useless shooting them, unless we had a clear space for them to fall on, the bushes being so thick, that unless we could mark the exact spot, or if they moved in the least after they fell, we could never find them. They were tolerably tame, and some of them remarkably so. I one day saw five little green parrots sitting on a branch, and knocked down three at one shot ; but the remaining two did not fly away, or take the least notice. Little monkeys were not uncommon ; but they make such piteous gestures and cries when wounded, that it is impossible to fire at them. There were not many flowers in the woods, except orchi- deous plants, which grew in the forks of the trees like great aloes. Near the house, however, was a beautiful speci- men of an aristolochia. I was told it was the gigas, but I do not think it was. It grew on the clayey banks of a river, covering a bush about twelve feet high, and- had a great many blossoms, about eight inches long by four wide, of a beautiful velvetty reddish-brown, veined all over hke a dragon-fly's wing. It was called by the natives Papo de Peru (turkey's breast) from a fancied resemblance to the plumage of a copper turkey. It is also called Flor de Casimba (pipe flower), from the part where the stamens and pistUs lie being twisted downwards like a pipe. DRUNKEN SLAVES. 87 On my return to Maroim, I found Wynne and the French- man, who had come back from the wreck, and learnt that a very large turtle had been caught, and part of it was the next day to be converted into soup, all of us dining together at Schram's house. Wynne, who thought he knew a great deal about turtle soup, was to concoct one tureen, and the black cook of the house, a very tolerable artist, was to make another, to see which was the best. The nigger carried off the palm, though Wynne, according to one of the Germans, had " travelled {travailler) all day in de kitchen like de debil, and then lay down in his hangmat (hammock) tiU dinner time." After the soup we had some cold punch, quite en regie, when a rather amusing circumstance occurred. One of the slave boys, three of whom waited at table, had for his dinner what we left, and thinking to imitate us to the letter, must have some punch also, so took a draught of the Demijohn of " canha," and then gave his companion some, both coming into the room to prepare tea quite drunk. The consequence was that they were punished the next morning at the hands of the cook, receiving a certain number of strokes on the hand from a piece of wood called a Palmitorio. The slaves here, however, were treated with excessive kindness, though they were always giving a great deal of trouble, and I am sure no one would have slave labour if they could get free. The day for the ' Bom Jesus' to sail had now arrived, so Dominic, who was going to Bahia on business, accompanied me down to the bar in a canoe, the schooner having already dropped down the river. Wynne and Peter Holzer- man, the cashkeeper, went with us for pleasure, Wynne taking his dogs, from which he never parted. We had a 88 VILLAGE OJ THE BAR. good canoe, furnished with a large toldo or roof, and at one in the morning, on August the 16th, we left Maroim. I soon fell asleep, and did not awake till sunrise, when I found we were about half-way. My companions each took a mata-bichou (a dram of canha to " kill the insects," which might be supposed to have got into their throats during the night), and I washed my face and hands. Canha is not at all disagreeable, and I believe it is as wholesome as any-: thing of the kind, if it can be taken (and this, I think, is the great secret) weak enough. New rum, indeed, is considered to be the most deadly drink that is to be found ; but canha though coming under that name, is white and pure ; and I suppose, being just expressed from the sugar-cane (hence its name) it is free from the deleterious qualities of regular rum — or kiU-sodger, as it is called in the West Indies. At Maroim we used to take one glass regiilarly at twelve o'clock, and throughout my tour I always, when I could, had a glass of weak rum or brandy-and-water at noon, and again at eight o'clock in the evening; and It certainly did no harm, for though I went into all sorts of climates, and was exposed to all sorts of weather, yet I hardly had a day's illness the whole time. At the village of the bar, which is called Cocoeiras (the cocoa-nut grove), we stopped at the house of a Portuguese, an old settler in Brazil. He had a very tolerable house, and a large garden at the back, planted with cocoa-nut trees, man- dioca, and cotton. The village extended on both sides of it, and the shores of the river, for some distance, were wooded with groves of cocoa-nut palms. A great number of these nuts are sent to Bahia, and our vessel, the ' Bom Jesus,' was loading with them. The trees are in bearing all the PREPARATION OF FARINHA. 89 year, and each year produce fifty or sixty nuts, worth a vintem (halfpenny) each. They grow best on the sandy shore, within reach of the spray of the sea, and are said to bear sooner if planted on a bag of salt.* They begin to bear when six or seven years, and, I fancy, go on bearing till very old. The flower is small and white, and flowers and fruit in every stage may be seen on the tree at the same time. The bark, leaves and every part are very useful — the leaves to thatch with ; the fibres, for making ropes, and a variety of purposes. The mandioca {Jatropha manhihof), otherwise called cassava, is the great support of the population, and fi-om it is made the farinha, which here supplies the place of bread. The roots, which are like thick knotty sticks, are dug up, and ground by being held against a wheel, the tire of which is covered with points like a rasp. The moisture and liquid, which are both deadly poison, are then squeezed out with a screw or lever press, and the residue, or flour, is dried on large copper pans about four feet in diameter, under which a fire is kept burning. The flour must be continually raked about whilst drying, and all that is ground in the morning must be dried the same day, or it will spoil. A good deal of castor-oil is also made here. It is obtained from a plant called Mammon, the seeds of which are pounded, and then pressed in bags made of cocoa-nut fibres, and the oU is boiled in a flat copper pan. About 3f P.M., the tide turned, and taking leave of our friends, we went on board the ' Bom Jesus,' and beat down * Sometimes the nuts fall off; the remedy then is to drive a large iron nail into the stump of the tree. This odd treatment is said to have the desired effect ; I suppose by letting out some of the super- abundant sap. 90 DRIVEN BACK FROM THE BAR. to the bar against the sea-breeze. We had in company my old Bremenese friend the ' Katarina,' another schooner like our own, and two lanchas or native boats, so we made a nice little fleet, beating down the channel, and passing each other on different tacks. The difficulty of crossing the bar arises from a vessel having always to beat out against the sea-breeze, just after the turn of the tide ; and as the breeze lasts but from nine till sunset, the bar can only be crossed with safety when the tide turns to run out some time in the middle of the day ; as, if the vessel does not get a certain offing before sunset, and is becalmed outside, there is great danger of her being set ashore by the rollers. Great black storms were flying about, it had blown fresh during the night, and the weather altogether looked very doubtful. The pilot-boat went out first, but when on the bar, found the sea running so high, that it was thought dangerous for us to attempt it, so, to my great annoyance, the pilot put up his helm and returned. We were all obliged to do the same, and in about half an hour, were quietly anchored again at the Cocoeiras. Wynne and the German had just started for Maroim in the canoe, so Dominic and I stayed at the ■ house of the Portuguese, and slung our ham- mocks there for the night. The next day we went on board again, and once more beat down to the bar; but just as we reached it, we en- countered a tremendous squall of wind and rain, and were obliged to put back as before. This was the last day of the high tide, at least it would afterwards fall too late, so we had nothing to do but to return to Maroim and wait eight days, till the tide served again. Such are the delays which often occur to travellers out here, and they cannot be avoided. THE 'BOM JESUS.' 91 Our time being up at last, Dominic and I again went down to the village of the bar, and slept there, as the schooner was to weigh about 11 a.m. Before that hour we were on board, and started on another attempt, the pilot boat leading the way, followed by the ' Katarina,' while our craft, the ' Bom Jesus,' and two large lanchas brought up the rear. We had a motley crew on board. The captain, Chico Pedro, was a smart, active little fellow, of an athletic build. His nose and mouth were finely shaped, but his crisped hair showed he had in his veins a slight stain of African blood. He was most civU and obliging, and did all in his power to make his passengers comfortable. The crew were of different shades, from the mate, a Portuguese, to the common sailors, who were chiefly true bred darkies. The craft was a schooner of about 180 tons, with an immense mainsail and other sails in proportion, and was deeply laden with hides and sugar, besides upwards of 9000 cocoa-nuts, taken in whilst waiting at Cocoeiras, by way of filling up, and most of these were loose on deck, incommoding us not a little. To add to the confusion, pigs, turkeys, and tortoises, were running about, with three or four monkeys and some parrots ; and as the cabin was full of cargo, and we had nine passengers, there was not much room to spare. On the quarter-deck were three bunks like dog kennels, one of which I had for my sleeping place, and two fellow-passengers filled the others ; the rest slept on deck. I did not look forward with pleasure to the bar; for I saw that, if we missed stays, a thing likely enough to happen from the crowded state of the deck, nothing could save us from des- truction. I had some dread, also, of the 9000 cocoa-nuts, knowing that, if we were swept by a sea, they would be all 92 THE BAR CROSSED. adrift, and help most materially to prevent the management of the ship. Indeed, a merchant told me that he had once been off the bar in company with eight other sail, when five were wrecked in attempting to get in, and one of them being a slaver, numbers of unfortunates perished. But on we went to the trial ! The pilot-boat dashed gallantly ahead, and soon got into the broken water. The ' Katarina ' followed ; but just as she reached the first of the rollers, up went her helm, round she came, and passing under our stem, squared yards, and made for the entrance of the river, having found that there was not water enough for her to pass. We persevered and got out safely, though a sea swept us fore and aft, as we crossed the bar, and sent all "the cocoa-nuts to leeward, pitching them up as high as the bulwarks, and carrying many over the side. I burst out laughing to see the black fellows, who, not able to turn pale, became a sort of slate- colour with fright, and showed their chattering teeth from ear to ear. One of the passengers, however, admonished me not to laugh, as the next sea might send us to the bottom. Soon after crossing, we had dinner, Chico Pedro doing the honours with the greatest politeness. He provided us all with plates, and most of us had knives and forks, and two large dishes of beef and fajao being placed on the booby-hutch, which went over the hatchway, we stood round, and each helped himself. We quenched our thirst with red wine, and cracked a few fresh cocoa-nuts for desert. In forty-eight hours we entered the harbour of Bahia. On landing, I took up my quarters at the hotel ; but Mr. KETURN TO BAHU. 93 Porter, the English Consul, kindly inviting' me to his house, I went there, and remained his guest till the arrival of the English packet, fourteen days afterwards. Never did I spend a more pleasant fortnight. The scenery cannot be compared to that of Rio ; but it is more tropical, and the broad-leaved banana, the black shadowed mango, and the massive jackfruit trees, give it a luxuriant appearance, which is perfectly enchant- ing. Bahia being built partly at the foot, and partly at the top of a steep bank or hill, is divided by this eminence into two parts — the mercantile and trading community residing at the bottom close to the shore, while the gentry live on the top. The latter portion of the town, called the Victoria, contains a great many beautiful viUas, and it is here that most of the English merchants reside. The houses stand in nice gardens, and are well exposed to the sea-breeze; so that although quite in the tropics, the Victoria is always a plea- sant and cool residence. The negroes form a large pro- portion of the population, and indeed in the middle of the day, few white people are seen about the streets and roads. The negroes are a fine race, much superior to those in Rio ; and coming principally from the same country, speak one language, and therefore are much more likely to revolt, and are more dangerous than the negroes in other parts of Brazil. Many of them are well educated, and can read and write Arabic. They have formed clubs for liberating each other, and hold secret meetings, while they are able to com- municate in a language unknown to their employers, and consequently must possess a great deal of power. On one occasion, indeed, they did revolt, and carried everything before them ; but having no head or organized plan, they attacked the fort without arms, and as it was defended by the troops. 24 THE SLAVE TRADE. who had nothing to do but fire on them, numbers were killed. They work hard, and may be met toiling up the hill, in the heat of the day, with huge loads ; but they never seem the worse for their exertions. The women have particiilarly fine figures, and dress in a very graceful and becoming costume. They shave the head, covering it with a small white turban ; and wear a white chemise so loose that it only hangs on one shoulder at a time, wrapping round their waist a striped cloth called a " pafio de la costa ;" the ground white, and striped horizontally with broad blue, narrow blue, or blue and pink stripes, or some mixture of that sort, but always in good taste. This fine race of blacks come from Upper Guinea, and are called " Minas," being shipped at the port of Mina. About ten thousand per annum are now imported, although the traffic is not allowed by Government, and they must be smuggled on shore. Still the slave trade is connived at by the authorities, and so long as the slaves are not actually landed in a port, it is not difficult to manage. Numbers of beautiful slave-vessels were now lying in the bay, looking like men-of-war in their equipments.* I saw one called the 'Andarinha' (swallow), which had just landed her eighth cargo. She was formerly a Baltimore pilot-boat. Such luck is not common, for it is said that the trade pays well if two ships land their cargoes, and the third is lost. Another beautiful vessel, the ' Brasiliense,' sailed for the coast whilst I was here, and went down the harbour in fine style, under all her canvas, going a great pace with a very light wind. Her * Since my visit, the trade has been nearly entirely stopped, partly by the vigilance of our cruisers, but more by the Brazilian Government itself. ATTACK ON A CAPTURED SLAVER. 95 hull was painted bright green, and this circumstance oddly enough saved her on the coast. H.M.S. ' Amphitrite ' had taken a slaver, and the master asked the slave captain whether there were any more loading on the coast. They wiU generally give every information of the whereabouts of the other vessels (I suppose to keep up the price, by getting them taken), so he described exactly where this ' Brasiliense ' was, and gave all particulars about her. As a last question, the master happened to ask what colour she was. " Verde, Senhor," (green. Sir,) answered the slaver, which was such an odd colour for a ship to be painted, that the master thought he was telling lies, and as he did not follow the man's directions, she escaped. Just at this time there was an affair with a slaver which caused a great sensation amongst the inhabitants of Bahia, and made the English for a time rather unpopular. H.M.S. ' Grecian,' cruising off the Brazilian coast, took a brig, the ' Bella Michalena,' bound to Bahia, with a full cargo of slaves ; and putting a prize crew on board, under the command of an officer, sent her into Bahia for provisions, of which she was in want. Hearing of another slaver in the vicinity, he did not accompany her in, hoping to be able to capture the other also. The brig was brought in, and anchored in the bay, apart from the other ships, and the officer went on shore and reported the case to the Consul. Mr. P — told him he had better go on board again, and warned him to keep a good look-out, as the people were in a very excited state; naturally enough annoyed to see a ship belonging to Bahia, brought in captured. In the evening the vessel was attacked. Two large lanchas, manned by seventy or eighty Brazilians, Portuguese, &c., were drifted down on her. The officer fired 96 RECKLESSNESS OF SLAVE-DEALERS. both his pistols, and then threw them at the attacking boats, and somehow or other they were beaten oflf ; but he was so unprepared, that no ammunition could be got at ; the key of the arm-chest could not be found, and was obliged to be broken open, and not a musket was fired until the boats were going away. Then, indeed, they were fired on, and several were killed. The attack does not seem to have been con- ducted with much courage or energy, and principally con- sisted in throwing billets of wood at the Englishmen, calling tliem names, and defying them to " come on." Some of the prize crew were said to be wounded, but I know that not a drop of blood was spilt on their side. The decks of the attacking lanchas were nearly, if not quite as high, as those of the brig, so that if the seventy Brazilians had had the least courage, they must have carried her. The English papers made rather a fuss about the affair, and the officer obtained great credit for his gallantry. A short time before I arrived at Bahia, another incident occurred in connection with the slave trade, exhibiting the recklessness of the traders, and their utter disregard of the lives of the blacks. A man had had his ship captured on the coast of Africa, but still wishing to make a venture of some sort, he bought a boat about the size of a ship's long-boat, and decking it, and buying fifty young children, set sail for Brazil. Having a long passage, and being out of water, he was fallen in with by an English merchant ship, which, pitying the poor wretches, supplied him with water, and he continued his voyage, and arrived in Bahia with great part of his cargo. The Brazilians, as I said before, are not- in general severe to their slaves ; the worst masters were the Dutch and the English — perhaps, because being very indus- HABITS OF THE NEGROES. 97 trious themselves, they, dislike to see idleness in others, whilst the Brazilians and Spaniards, though more cruel, have not this failing. When a slaver is captured, it is taken to Sierra Leone or St. Helena, tried before a commission, and if found to have been engaged in the trade, is condemned. The crew are set free, but the ship, after being sawn in two, to prevent her being bought again for the same trade, is sold. Slave vessels are slightly buUt, but are beautiful models. Many are con- structed at Oporto, Genoa, and other ports of Europe, but not unfrequently are American. The slaves are liberated, but here the great difficulty comes — ^what is best to be done with them ? It would be no use taking them back where they were shipped, for they are generally brought down from a distance in the interior, so they would be unable to regain their own country, and would be soon taken and sold again ; they are therefore sent to the West Indies, and apprenticed there for a certain number of years. In Brazil, each haAring a price, can soon earn sufficient, if they are industrious, to free themselves ; but when they obtain a little money they buy slaves themselves, and most cruelly they treat them, working them much more severely than white men do. They seem to have no feeling of race, or love for their country or countrymen, but ridicule those lately landed as an inferior set, and abuse each other with such epithets as " negros," " negros from the coast." To avoid this reproach, they will say : " Senhor, I am a Brazilian ; a Brazilian born, and not a negro from the coast, Senhor." A good many whales are caught at Bahia, sometimes in the bay itself Large open boats are employed for this H 98 VOTIVE OFFERINGS. purpose, carrying about twelve men. They have one large lug-sail, and are very fast. The crew, who are mostly blacks, are often dressed en costume ; one crew in red, red woollen shirts, red trowsers and red caps, another in blue, &c., and they look very well. There is a boiling establish- ment in the bay. It adds much to the picturesqueness of the beautiful bay, to see its waters covered with the white sails of the whale-boats, scattered about, or clustered together in a group, when in pursuit of a fish. The rides and walks about Bahia are very pretty. On Cape St. Vincent, the northern point of the entrance, stands the Hghthouse and a church, and near it the English burying- ground. I looked for the grave of a relation of mine, poor Musters, who died here, a midshipman; but no stone or inscription marks his last resting-place, and the only memorial of him, is his death recorded in the Consul's books. On another point, running out into the bay beyond the town, is the fort of San Felipe, and a large church, which enjoys a great reputation for sanctity. I went to visit it, and found in one of the chapels a large collection of wax models of limbs, which had been healed of various diseases, and these memorials were put there as thank-offerings, interspersed with crutches and sticks, no longer required by their cured owners. But the most curious feature was a collection of pictures, which had been hung up as votive offerings. Some of these were ill-done daubs of fires, carriage upsets, escapes from robbers, and other casualties ; but most of the offerings were representations of slavers escaping from English cruisers : schooners and brigs, with tall raking masts and aU sail set, and an English man-of-war in chase, while, from a cloud INSECTS AND REPTILES. 99 close over the mast-head of the latter, appeared an angel's hand which held the wicked English vessel back. I suppose if the blacks were to paint a votive picture, they would put in a different effect. Near this church is some very pretty scenery, a villa or two now going fast to decay, and some fine trees. From this spot there is a beautiful view of the bay and city. I think the plague of insects and reptiles in- Brazil is much exaggerated, but in the Para districts, they are no doubt very bad. The chief pest is the chegoe, or jigger of the West Indies ; but if the feet are frequently washed and examined, it is easily extracted. It gets into the foot gene- rally at the side of the toe-nail. At first it is hardly visible, and only causing a slight itching, is often not perceived for some days. It then grows nearly to the size of a small pea, and has with it a bag fuU of eggs. It must then be taken out with a needle, by undermining it with the greatest care ; for if the bag is broken, or any part left in, it forms a trou- blesome sore. A little snuff or cigar-ash is generally rubbed into the hole to kill any part that may be left. The negroes are careless about them, and the flesh is often all eaten off their feet by these insects. It is said that an English doctor once attempted to carry one home in his foot, but he fell a victim to the love of his profession, for the chegoe bred in his toe, which mortified, and caused his death. The carapato is another nuisance, and is generally found in the woods, or in sheds where cattle have been. It is a sort of tick, attaches itself firmly to the skin, in which it buries its head, and it is difficult to get off. Mosquitoes and fleas are very plentiful ; but I have found them so in aU countries that I have had the pleasure of visiting. The vampire is H 2 100 THE BRITISH MINISTER. common, but principally attacks horses. At Maroim the horses were often found in the morning, weak from the loss of blood, caused by these attacks, and the blood still stream- ing down from the withers, at which place they are always bitten. I returned to Rio Janeiro by the English packet ' Express,' and there found Mr. Southern, and the ' Alecto' steam sloop, waiting to convey him to Buenos Ayres. He had been sent out as Minister Extraordinary to try and settle the affairs of the river Plate and the Monte Videan war, and was going to start in a few days. I intended to go there in H.M.S. ' Spider,' which was employed in carrying the mails to the river Plate, and was then lying in the harbour. Three brothers named Arcos, Chilians by birth, who had come from England in the 'Express,' and with me from Bahia, also took a passage by the same vessel. I dined the first day with Mr. Hudson, the English Charge d 'Affaires at Rio, and there met Mr. Southern ; but the next day, when I went for my passport, they both strongly recommended me not to go, saying that there was no protection at Buenos Ayres for any British subject, there being neither Minister nor Consul there, and that Rosas might put me in prison as a spy, and no one could take any notice of it. This was true enough ; and they argued so strongly upon the subject, that though I held out for some time, I at last gave way, and said that I would not go. The only way now left me was to go back to Bahia, from thence to Para, and get up some way or other to the West Indies. I landed everything, therefore, from the ' Express,' and the ' Spider' and ' Alecto' sailed, leaving me at Rio Janeiro. On making inquiries, I found that it was perfectly easy to ACCOUNTS FROM BUENOS AYRES. 101 go to Para, as a steamer went there every three weeks ; but there was no communication northerly from that place, except by occasional American vessels which happened to call there, and touched again at Bermuda. I might go to Chili round Cape Horn, and several good ships were advertised for Valparaiso ; but then I should miss Buenos Ayres and the Pampas, which I particularly wished to see. In the mean- time, H.M.S. ' Inconstant' arrived from Monte Video, and soon afterwards the ' Kestrel' schooner ; and hearing better reports of the country, I began again to alter ray opinion with regard to my course. Captain Shepherd of the ' Inconstant,' and Lieutenant Baker of the ' Kestrel,' both gave the same account, and said they believed that, as far as Rosas and the Government were concerned, I should not encounter the slightest difficulty, but there was always danger to be appre- hended on the Pampas, from the attacks of the Indians. This, however, I knew that I must risk. The officers of the ' Inconstant' were going round the Horn to Valparaiso, and offered me a passage ; so I determined to go down to Buenos Ayres by the ' Kestrel' which would sail in three weeks' time ; and if I found there I could not cross the Pampas, to join the ' Inconstant' at Monte Video. I got rid of part of my luggage — for one always has to carry a good deal in these countries — by sending it round the Horn to Valparaiso in a Danish vessel. An English yacht, the 'Nancy Dawson,' belonging to Mr. Shedden, was lying in the harbour. He intended to go to look for Sir J. Franklin, and then continue his cruise round the world ; but death put an end to his enterprise, at Mazatlan, on the coast of Mexico. It was now October, and the weather was rather rainy, and when fine, began to be excessively hot. I made several 102 OUR LADY OF THE ROCK. excursions with the officers of the ' Inconstant,' and could not regret being detained another month at Rio. I made a new acquaintance here, Sir H. T , who, coming from England by a Jersey merchant brig, brought letters of introduction to me. He was a capital fellow, and I tried to persuade him to go on with me to Buenos Ayres ; but it seemed that, like Lord Bateraan, he only " shipped himself on board of a ship, some foreign country for to see," and did not care to go further ; so finding an English schooner about to sail for Falmouth, he took a passage in her, and sailed for England the same morning that I set out for the Plate. I must say a few words about one of my rides at Rio. We went to a chm-ch about twelve miles distant, called Nossa Senhora da Penha (Our Lady of the Rock), being built on a huge rock of granite, which rises bare and smooth from the richly-wooded plain. A flight of steps chiselled in the solid stone leads up to the church, and in front is a large cross, visible to the whole of the surrounding country. The view is very fine, being backed by the mountains near Rio, and the magnificent hay glitters in the distance. The road led through forests,, the trees of which were loaded with parasites, and the banks ornamented with flowers. The large pink amaryllis was not uncommon ; and the top of the rock was covered with a bed of gaudy zinnias. I left Rio on the 3rd of November, in H.M.S. ' Kestrel,' for Monte Video and Buenos Ayres. She was formerly Lord Yarborough's yacht, but had been bought into the Government service. Among the passengers were an old Chilian gentleman and his wife, named Arcos, the father and mother of the three brothers who came from Bahia with me. DEPARTURE FROM RIO. 103 They had now come from England, and were going to return to Santiago, of which place Madame A. was a native, and they intended to cross the Pampas in carriages. M. Arcos, who was a Spaniard, had been in the army of San Martin, and leaving South America about twenty years before, had since lived in France and Spain, but was now returning to his adopted country. We were welcomed to the south by a few heavy squalls, mixed with rain, thunder, and lightning ; but after a voyage of about ten days, anchored off the town of Monte Video, where, besides several smaller vessels, we found the ' Raleigh,' 50-gun frigate, bearing the pennant of Commodore Sir Thomas Herbert. CHAPTER VIII. MONTE VIDEO BUENOS ATRES THE GAUOHOS THE ARGENTINE HORSE BULLOCK-WAGGONS THE SALADERAS IRISH SETTLERS THE RED RIBBON TYRANNY OF ROSAS VISIT TO ROSAs' DAUGHTER A NOCTURNAL VISITOR MIRAGE HORSE RACES START FOR THE PAMPAS. Monte Video has not an inviting appearance at a dis- tance, nor does it improve on better acquaintance. It was formerly a place of great trade, and a pleasant residence; but the civil wars of the country have destroyed it, and the siege, which lasted for nearly ten years, completed its ruin. The troops of Rosas under General Oribe now closely beleaguered it ; and before we landed in the morning, we heard shots fired from his lines. The streets seemed to be nearly deserted — no carriages, but few foot-passengers, and the pavement in most places broken up. Everything showed that the life of Monte Video was gone ; and though no one dreaded immediate capture, they did not seem to think it would be long delayed. The situation for trade is excellent, MONTE VIDEO. 105 the port being very fine, and at the mouth of the immense Rio de la Plata, the estuary of the three great rivers, the Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay. What a country do these run through, fruitful in every production ! The people want only a stable government to be the richest in the world. There is no limit to the quantity of cattle, horses, &c., they might produce ; but there is no security for any one to invest money in such a country. Monte Video is not only suffering from the harass of a long siege, but it has become a sort of refuge for the dis- contented vagabonds of all the countries of Europe — English, French, Italians, Germans, Basques, go there as mercenaries, style themselves patriots, and consider they are fighting for the liberty of the country. The men of war go there also to protect the place ; the French land their troops, the English their marines, but hardly know what they are fighting for, or who they are supporting. Gari- baldi formerly had a command in the Monte Video army before he found a struggle for liberty, as it is called, in Europe. Another famous commander, and I believe a very good fellow, was an Englishman well known as " Cockney Sam." The anchorage is good, the bottom shelving out very gradually for miles ; but ships are exposed to those tremen- dous gales called Pamperos. It was one of these drove H.M. steamer ' Gorgon' on shore, though with steam up and all anchors down, leaving her on the sandy beach high and dry. Her captain, master (who now commanded the 'Kestrel,') and officers, having worked and persevered in the most extraordinary way, at last succeeded in getting her afloat again. It was supposed to be such a hopeless case, that 106 BUENOS AYRES. the French and Spanish officers said it was useless to attempt it ; but when they saw the ship again in her element, they complimented our gallant countrymen by saying that none but obstinate, pig-headed Englishmen could have done such a thing. I was not sorry to leave Monte Video, for the army of oppression outside the walls, and the troops of liberty within, made a sojourn there anything but pleasant. The outsiders would fire if any one was seen near the lines, those inside had a habit of lassoing people, and robbing them, if they went down to the landing-place at night. Embarking again in the ' Kestrel,' in twenty-four hours we cast anchor in the river off Buenos Ayres. The Parana is here a very large river, about twelve miles wide, but so shallow, that we were obliged to anchor four miles from the town. The shelving of the shore is so gradual that, except at high water, no people can land even from boats, and high wheeled carts ccome out and take the passengers on shore. Small vessels can anchor within two miles of the town : they then discharge into lighters, which again unload into carts. At low water the sands are dry for a long distance, which gives the town the appearance of standing on the sea-shore, though the water is fresh for forty miles below. The tide is very irregular, and depending chiefly on the wind, will be sometimes high for a day, and then low water for a day or two afterwards. Buenos Ayres is built on a slight ridge, which here runs across the otherwise level plain. It has a fine appearance at a distance, a cluster of well-shaped domes and beU-towers rising above the houses, while it is fronted towards the river by the ancient red fort. It looks rather like an Oriental BUENOS AYRES. 107 city. The plan is very regular: all the streets cross each other at right angles, and are equidistant, so the city is divided into a number of solid squares, or " quadras." Hence quadra becomes a term of measurement, and as the city is laid out in the same way much beyond where the houses end, quadra is used a long way into the country, and several miles from Buenos Ayres I have been told a place is so many quadras off. The centre street is called the CaUe de Federacion, all others branch from it to the right and left, but have different names on each side. " The houses are good, and built after the old Spanish or Moorish fashion, with flat roofs and a court-yard in the centre. In the middle of the court is generally a tank and well, called " algibe." The flat roof, called the " azotea," is used as a promenade, and furnished with seats. It was from these azoteas that the English troops under General Whitelock were so annoyed, when he entered Buenos Ayres in his unfortunate and ill-planned expedition. The great square is bounded on one side by the fort, on the others by the public offices, and the cathedral, a large im- perfect building. Towards the square it has a large Grecian portico, but being unfinished, it looks like the Parthenon in brick. Besides a great number of churches belonging to the town, there is one English, one Scotch, and one American, all in good situations in the main streets, an instance of liberality towards the Protestant religion, that I never before saw in a Catholic country. Rosas gave the ground for the English church, and I believe was present at the ceremony of laying the first stone. Buenos Ayres is badly off for hotels. There is a French one, but very dear ; and all are filled up with captains of ships. 108 THE GAUCHOS. who generally live on shore a good deal, on account of the distance that their vessels are from it, and beef-steaks and onions play an important part in the cuisine. On entering the town one cannot but be struck by the picturesque appearance of the population, and the inde- pendent air with which the Gauchos ride about the streets. Their costume is very attractive. They wear very wide white linen drawers called " canzoncillas," handsomely ornamented from the knee downwards with open work, and sometimes having a fringe of silk falling over the feet. A " chiripa," a poncho of some bright colour, is fastened round the waist, and drawn up loosely between the legs, forming a sort of large baggy trowsers ; and a short jacket, and a broad leathern belt with pockets in it, complete the costume. The belt, which is called a " tirador," is fastened behind with four or more pillared dollars, and in this is stuck a long knife, often sheathed and hafted with silver. Their boots, which are open at the toe, are white, and made with great care from the skin of a horse's hind leg. They are formed without seam, the heel fitting into the angle which constituted the hock of the horse, and the opening at the toe is where the animal's shin bone passed through. These boots are troublesome to make, being scraped and rubbed with great care till quite thin and pliable. The hat is a narrow-brimmed Panama straw, encircled by a red ribbon, and they wear large silver or iron spurs. The uniform of the soldiers is good and simple, and cor- responds with what they have always been accustomed to. They wear a red woollen shirt, red chiripa, and a red foraging cap, with white cross-belts. They are all cavalry, as no gaucho can be expected to go anywhere without a horse, THE GAUCHOS. 109 though they are sometimes used also as infantry. They are generally very handsome, wild-looking fellows, and their grace- ful and easy seat on horseback strikes one with admiration. The gauchos should only be seen on horseback. They ride very long, not depending at all on the stirrups ; and as the saddle, " recado," takes the shape of the horse's back, they sit in the position that a man would, if he had no saddle or stirrups, just as we see the warriors on the frieze of the Par- thenon sculptured. As in this position the chief of the pressure against the saddle is from the thigh, they appear to sit loosely on their horses, for the leg and foot swinging gives that appearance, but all the time they are perfectly firm. They generally go with a loose rein, and do not pretend to know anything about " holding a horse together," " lifting him along," or " lifting him over the fence by the bridle," as our English jockeys do. They do occasionally get thrown ; but when a horse plunges, they hold on by sticking their long spurs under the hide of the recado. If the horse falls with them when galloping, they often manage to alight on their feet. Rosas was reckoned the best gaucho of his time ; mieaning that he was the best rider of an unbroken horse, and the most skilful thrower of the lasso and bolas. He could drop on the back of a wild horse as it rushed from the door of the corral without saddle or bridle, ride it, and bring it back to the enclosure. The saddle called a " recado,". is, I think, peculiar to this country. It is not pleasant to ride on at first, but most people like it when they become accus- tomed to it, and they will often ride a horse with a recado that would throw them with an English saddle. The Oriental loves his horse and treats it well, but the gaucho neglects his. Probably this arises from the character no THE ARGENTINE HORSE. of the horses of the Pampas and their cheapness. The same reason makes him cruel to the cattle, which he seems to think are without feeling. When driving cattle into the town for slaughter, the gaucho does not scruple to ham- string those that are tired, and leave them groaning in the road tUl they have leisure to come back and fetch them. I have often found three or four in this state in the course of a mUe, after a drove has passed along the road. The horses are not what we in England would caU good, but they are very tolerable, and generally are pleasant to ride, with a long easy canter. When broken, they are very tame " muy mansos," as the natives say, for often forty or fifty are turned loose into a corral together ; and in the town they are left standing in the street at the door of the house with perfect impunity. At first. Englishmen generally find a little difficulty in riding them, as they are accustomed to be turned by the whole bridle being pressed against the neck, and not by one rein only being puUed ; and as the bits are very sharp, if not ridden with a light hand, they are apt to rear. It is the fashion to cut off the mane, leaving only one lock to take hold of in getting up. The tails are never cut, and the commonest gaucho would think it infra dig. to ride a short- tailed horse. The only paces are a walk and gallop, and as none of them trot well, the best way is not to try them. Few are shod except in the town. The country round Buenos Ayres is very flat, but not so perfectly level as the Cambridgeshire fens. Nor is it so utterly destitute of trees as I expected. Many of the roads are lined with weeping wiUows and poplars, and the hedges are made of huge aloes (Agave). There is another tree called the ombu, not uncommon, and as it will not burn, it BULLOCK-WAGGONS. 1 1 1 escapes the ruthless axe. Plantations of peach trees are grown for fuel, and cut regularly like coppice wood in England ; but in the town the bakers heat their ovens with thistle stalks. Of thistles there are two sorts, one very large with lilac flowers, and which is apparently the wild artichoke ; the other of a more slender form, with variegated leaves and small purple flowers. This is the true Pampas thistle which so overruns the country, and though only in- troduced by the Spaniard, now covers it for hundreds of miles. Fennel was also imported at the same time, and now grows in great quantities about the outskirts of the towns. The roads near the city are excessively bad, and are often impassable in wet weather. There is no stone to use for their repair, so the water collects in large pools called " pan- tanos," which, when drier, become deep muddy quagmires. In these the carts stick fast, and many a bullock dies in them. No attempt is made to mend the holes, except when a dead ox is thrown into them, and this rather makes the passage worse, The natives sometimes turn these impass- able pantanos to their advantage, by opening a passage through their field, where they put up a bar and charge a small toll on passengers. The bullock-carts, by which all heavy goods are carried into the interior, are cumbrous-looking machines, with two very high wheels and a hide tUt. They are drawn by three pair of oxen, which are guided and goaded by an immensely long cane slung to the roof of the tilt and reaching the lead- ing bullocks; a small cane hanging from this, like the dolphin- striker of a ship, goads the middle pair of oxen ; and the wheelers are pricked along by a hand cane. A row of these 112 THE SALADERAS. waggons slowly rolling along with all the canes at work, has a most curious appearance. Troops of waggons often cross the Pampas to Mendoza, and accomplish the journey in about seventy days. Sometimes they go to Tucuman and the northern provinces, a much longer voyage, taking up European manufactures and bringing back sugar, rum, &c. Hides, tallow, and jerked beef are the chief exports of Buenos Ayres ; and the quantity of cattle driven in from the country and slaughtered, is enormous. Near the town are large killing and salting establishments, called Saladeras, the principal at Barraca, where a creek, runs up from the river, affording great facilities for shipping. The saladeras here, five or six in number, are on so large a scale that when in full work (which is not all the year), nearly five hundred head of cattle a day are killed at each. The rapidity with which they are killed and cut up is wonderful. Several corrals fuU of cattle surround the yard, and from these about sixty beasts are driven into a small enclosure, which terminates with a sliding door, raised above a platform on wheels. A block is fixed over the doorway, and through this is passed a lasso, the end of which is made fast to a couple of horses, each having a rider. The butcher then stands on a board running round the outside of the enclosure, near the top of the rails, and throws the noose of the lasso over the head of one of the bullocks, when the horsemen gallop off, dragging the entangled animal up to the block; and one thrust of the knife piercing him just where the head joins the neck, he falls dead on the platform, and is drawn away. In this manner a whole herd are quickly dispatched. The dead bullock is pushed under a long shed, where THE SALADERAS. 113 about a dozen men, covered with filth and dust, are each busy on a carcase. The flesh is cut off in flakes, the bones disjointed, and the skin taken off at the same time. I looked on at one fellow dressed in a poncho ; and thought that, by the rapidity and sureness with which he handled his long knife, he must have been at this work from a child. At last he looked up, and said to me in a rich brogue : " Is it the first time yer honour has seen this sort of business ?" He was one of the numerous Irishmen who have emigrated to this country. The flakes of meat are put by to make jerked beef, so called from the native name " charqui," the joints and other parts are thrown into huge coppers and boiled down for tallow ; and the heads are ranged in order by themselves. After the horns are taken off, the front of the skulls, with the bone of the horns, are used to build walls round the saladeras, and have a most curious appearance. Sometimes the roads are repaired with them, and very unsightly they make them look. As may be supposed, the smell from these saladeras is dreadful ; and the first time I rode down to the Barraca, I was nearly sick, though I soon became accustomed to it. In the evening, the stench is often very strong in the city, as on every side there is beef, beef, beef. The pigs eat beef (but more frequently horse- flesh) ; the poultry eat it, and it is said that it ma,y be tasted in their eggs; the ducks are fed on beef, and even in the pigeon-house a large lump is thrown for the pigeons to peck at. Fleas and flies swarm every- where, fostered, I suppose, by the quantity of cattle and beef. All sorts of animal food are plentiful; and when the English fleet blockaded Buenos Ayres, instead of there being any scarcity in the town, it cheapened every- I 1 14 IRISH SETTLERS. thing to a wonderful degree, as the country had mo sale for its produce. Sheep farming is carried on to some extent near Buenos Ayres ; and many of the estancias — for so the farms are called — are owned and managed by EngUshmen. The flocks increase very fast ; but the country is subject to such droughts, that often the hopes of the farmer are at once destroyed The thistles also are a great nuisance, and do much injury to the wool. At Monte Grande, near Buenos Ayres, a Scotchman, named Robertson, hired a farm, and planted a sort of colony there, but it failed. Riding near it one day, we found an Englishman, who had charge of a farm, and he gave us a dreadful account of the drought which happened some years ago — a visitation to which the country is always liable. It had not rained for a long time, but by working hard at the weUs, they could just keep the sheep supplied with water, when a pampero (gale from the south-east) bringing clouds of dust, came up across the plains. The sheep ran before it, and were scattered about the country, and died in heaps. One farmer lost 25,000, another 30,000 in this drought. I think a great deal might be done to improve this country, as water is generally found at the depth of ten or twelve feet. Poplars and other trees grow well ; and if they were planted in belts and rows, they would not only keep the soil moist, and attract more rain, but would break the force of the pamperos, and shelter the flocks from their violence.. The soil is good, deep earth, without a stone for miles ; and it grows, amongst other things, splendid crops of lucerne, the stalk of this most useful plant being often a yard long. The Irish, numbers of whom have emigrated here, do most of the hard agricultural labour, such as ditching, harvest THE RED RIBBON. 115 work, &c., a gaucho only working hard on horseback. The Irish generally dress in the costume of the country, but are easily distinguished by the slovenly mode in which they put on their clothes, and the odd combinations they adopt, such as a blue tailed-coat with brass buttons over a chiripa. I found Buenos Ayres a pleasant place to stay in. The chief amusement was riding ; but there was a tolerable opera . in the city, and an Italian company. It was well attended, few gentlemen appearing in the front row of the boxes. The ladies usually dress in white, but each had a little bow of red ribbon in their hair. This is the colour of Rosas, or rather the federal colour, and all were obliged to wear it. The ladies are generally handsome, of a very good style, and winning manners ; and in few countries could you see so many pretty faces and such well-dressed women, as in the Opera House of Buenos Ayres. In the Pampas, and among the lower orders, on the contrary, though the men were often very handsome, I never saw one good-looking woman. The gentlemen of Buenos Ayres were at this time all obliged to wear red waistcoats, as well as a red band round the hat, and a red ribbon in the button-hole. The red waist- coats at an evening party, or at the opera house, have a curious effect, and make the wearers look like a swarm of club footmen. At the opera every night, just before the performances began, the curtain rose, and the principal actors were dis- covered standing on the stage, when one cried— " "Viva la Confederacion Argentina !" and all the others answered, "Viva!" "Viva la Constitucion !" was then called out, with the same response, followed in succession by — " Viva el el Restorado, Rosas !" " Mueran los salvajes Unitarios !" (Death to the savage Unitarians.) The curtain then fell, I 2 1 1 6 TYRANNY OF ROSAS. and again rising, the opera began. AH the actors wore their bow of red ribbon, and when the part of a "gentleman" came on, he presented himself in a red waistcoat ; and even Amina herself, in the " Sonnambula," was obliged to walk in her sleep with the red badge in her hair. The forbidden colours, denoting the Unitarian or opposition and Monte Videan party, are blue, green, and yellow, and these are never seen. Oddly enough, the Buenos Ayrean flag is blue, striped with white. Foreigners were not obliged to wear either the waistcoat or the ribbon, but I wore the latter when crossing the Pampas. At this time Rosas had the people completely under his command, and they were forced to obey his mo^|j^Mtrary mandates. On Sundays and fiesta days he generally exercised the National Guard ; and as some citizens, who were not enrolled in its ranks, had laughed at their having to turn out for driU in the hot day, whilst others were amusing them- selves, Rosas ordered that no one should stir from his house, or even look from his housetop or window, whilst the ex- ercise was going on. At half-past three, therefore, when there was exercise, a gun was fired, and every one retired to his house and stayed there till another gun at sunset withdrew the interdict. During the interval, the police perambulated the streets, and only women and officers in uniform were allowed to pass. On Sundays and fiesta days, when there was no exercise, there was a " paseo," or promenade, on the banks of the river. A band was in attendance, and the people drove or rode up and down quite in the Hyde Park style. The ladies ride in habits and hats, well turned out, and many of them in looks, equipment and style, would cut a good figure in Rotten VISIT TO ROSAS' DAUGHTER. 117 Row. One of the best figures and riders was the daughter of Rosas, Manuela, or Manuelita, as she was always called. A short time before I left Buenos Ayres, I called at the town residence of Rosas, and his daughter received me, as she does all strangers, with great urbanity. Finding that I had not seen their quinta or country house, she begged me to do so ; so one afternoon, I rode out there, in company with Mr. Southern's secretary. The quinta of Palermo, is a long, low, white building, surrounded by arcades, gardens, poplars and weeping willows planted around it. It is^ buUt in some flat meadows, but little above the level of the river, and was formerly a complete morass. Rosas has, by great labour and perseverance, made it tolerably dry, and planted it. He is said to have chosen this marsh fi-om a sort of obstinate pride, saying that any one could build a house in a good situation. We did not see General Rosas, the governor, liberator, restorer of the laws, &c., but were received by his daughter, whom we found walking in the gardens with one of her maids of honour. She showed us over the house and gardens, and then mounting her horse, without hat or habit, and merely tying a handkerchief over her head, cantered back with us to Buenos Ayres. As Mr. Southern wished to purchase some carriage-horses, he made an arrangement with a man who owned one of the largest droves, and some of the best horses in the country, to collect them on a certain morning, that he might send his coachman to choose some of the best. Of course I was anxious to witness this interesting sight, and Mr. Henderson, his secretary, with Mr. P of the ' Alecto,' agreeing to ac- company me, we rode out to a place called Quilmes, about five leagues distant, in the evening, and slept at the farm of an 118 A NOCTURNAL VISITER. Englishman, so that we might be near the appointed place in the morning. There was a pulperia (grog-shop) attached to the house at Quilmes, and several gauchos were drinking there. Amongst them was an Irishman rather far gone, who came out and spoke to us. He seemed to have been pretty well educated, and occasionally used Latin quotations, and speaking of something or other said, that it must be done " vi et armis." I asked him what part of Ireland he came from. " The wust part," he answered. " The west or the worst part ?" said I, " though I believe the terms are nearly synonymous." " Faith they are," said he ; " and I come from both." "What place?" asked I; "Galway?" " You're very near it ; I come from where the great Atlantic rolls his huge billows on the coast, but not Galway." " Mayo, perhaps," said I, and this time I was right, for he came from near Westport, a part of the country I knew well. He now returned to what he called his " otium cum dig- nitate," with his " buenos amigos," at the pulperia. I and my friends retired to another room for the night, but as I went to sleep I heard him enlivening the gauchos with hunting songs, roaring out loud choruses. His view- halloas and tallyhos, mingling with my dreams, I was soon galloping over the plains, then in the vale of White Horse and the Braydon country, till at last I awoke with a start, thinking that I had just blundered through a thick fence and that they were who- whooping the fox in the adjoining field. A crash and who-whoop there certainly was, for our Irish friend had staggered into our room with his shout, and tumbled over our saddles, which we had brought in for security. I called the landlord, and soon tallyhoed him out MIRAGE. 119 again, and the rest of the night we slept in quiet, or as quiet as swarms of fleas would permit. The next morning we rode out before sunrise, and found the horses collected in the middle of the plain — a drove of about fourteen hundred, stallions, mares, and foals, all together. The owner was there ; and two of his men, by riding round the horses, easily kept them together. They did not attempt to break away, but now and then thirty or forty would run round in a body disturbing the rest, and raising a cloud of dust. The owner said he did not know how many he had, but that he had a great many. These being all unbroken, none of them would suit us, so he said that he would have a small lot of good broken horses driven in from another place. We returned to his house, and in a short time saw the horses approaching, looking at a distance like a long black streak on the plain. There was a good deal of mirage floating about, and sometimes they appeared to be skirting a large lake ; sometimes the plain seemed bounded by steep cMs, reflected in the water ; then all would change again and vanish. At last the horses arrived, and were driven into the corral. There were about two hundred of them, mostly black and brown. We chose three tall black horses, and they were soon lassoed and sent to Buenos Ayres. The cost, £5 each, was considered a high price, but it was for the "English minister," the owner having told Mr. Southern that he might have the pick of them at that price. We returned to Quilmes, and after a late breakfast, rode back to Buenos Ayres. Mr. H and P would not eat any pork. The reason was that, as they rode back, they had seen three pigs in the road, feeding on a dead horse, one inside his ribs. On our ride home, I was amused to see some people 120 HORSE RACES. drawing water from a well. A woman on horseback, with a lasso attached to her saddle, let down a hide bucket, and then, riding away, drew it up to a man, who emptied the contents into another vessel ; but these people can do nothing without horses. On the afternoons of Sundays and feast days, there is generally horse racing among the gauchos on a flat piece of ground near the river. It is one of the most picturesque scenes I ever saw. Every one is, of course, on horseback, dressed in his best, and the variety of colours in the ponchos has a most lively effect. The racing is not at all in the style of Newmarket ; the horses starting in pairs, when and how the riders please. The great object seems to be to try and get a good start. The jockeys ride side by side for some distance, each with his whip raised ; when one thinks his horse is going well (for they are both cantering), he cries " Vamos" (let us go),' and the other, if ready, answers " Vamos," and away they both gallop, pushing and jostling each other all the way. Before they are at the end of the course, another pair often start. The gauchos bet on the races, and ride about with their bank-notes held up between their fingers, shouting, " Cinco pesos sobre el picazo. Diez pesos sobre el alazan," (five dollars on the grey ; ten dollars on the chestnut), &c. These bank note dollars are not very valuable. Though they began at, I think, 4s., their price depreciated gradually, till now they are only worth 2|d. Many people specu- lated in them, and lost a great deal of money, thinking that when at a shilling or sixpence each, that they could not descend lower. Rosas tried to keep up their credit a httle, by ordering that nothing but notes should be used as payment. START FOR THE PAMPAS. 121 My time for starting across the Pampas now drew near. I found that Rosas, who knew I was going, expressed a solici- tude about my safety, and talked of the danger from Indians, giving Mr. Southern to understand that it would be better for me to go with Mr. Arcos, who was to have an escort of twenty-five soldiers for his protection. I did not quite understand their arrangement, nor did I wish it, but preferred going with my one peon, Jose Maria Pavon, whom I had already hired. After thinking it over a good deal, I made up my mind to start just before Arcos. Arcos got his passport rather suddenly, and on Saturday evening told me that he was going to start on Monday morning. On Sunday I found my peon, Pavon, with some difficiilty, and told him to be ready with the horses at five the next morning. It rained so much in the night, that he did not come till seven o'clock, and then said that it was of no use starting, as the roads were nothing but water. " Agua y no mas, Seiior." I was ready, and as the day was now fine, said I would start in the afternoon. After breakfast I went round the town to pick up a few letters which I had promised to take for the merchants, and returning to my lodgings about twelve, found the horses at the door. One American, I well remember, wanted to send a letter to Santa Fe, and tried to persuade me that it was In my route, and more safe than the direct way ; but it was really one hundred or two hundred miles out of it. The day was dreadfully hot, and I felt quite exhausted — rather bad to begin a long ride. Pavon made his appearance at one o'clock. We packed our baggage, saddled the horses, and about three o'clock, I buckled on my great iron spurs, and mounted. Looking down the street in which Arcos's house stood, I saw the 122 START FOR THE PAMPAS. carriages at the door, a servant on the roof of one fastening the luggage, and several peons standing about. " I am off before them," thought I. I then called on Mr. Southern to bid him good-bye. He smiled as I walked in, in poncho and long boots, wished me a safe journey, but shook his head as if he never expected to see me again. Poor fellow ! the thought was prophetic, for he has since died of the yeUow fever at Rio Janeiro. Pavon overtook me just outside the town ; and putting our horses into a hand gallop, we began our ride of a thousand miles. CHAPTER IX. THE PIRST STAGE THE POST-HOUSES LIFE ON THE ROAD THE INDIANS — HABITS OF THE GAUCHOS A SCOTCH SETTLER THE ARAUCANIANS INDIAN RAVAGES AN ESCAPED CAPTIVE AN ALARM A STORM FIRST VIEW OF THE ANDES MENDOZA LIFE IN THE ANDES— -THE MOUNTAIN PASSES FORDING THE TORRENT SUMMIT OF THE PASS THE DESCENT. There is a line of post-houses all the way from Buenos Ayres to Mendoza, established by the Spaniards. I posted across, and employed four horses the whole distance — one for myself, one for Pavon, one for the baggage (though I had but little), and one for the postilion, who goes each stage to show the road, and to take the horses back. The charge for the four, if I remember rightly, was about a shilling per league. This cleared everything; but I generally gave the postilion something after his ride, by way of buono- mano. The horses are always paid for at the post where they are hired.* On leaving the city, the road was bad for a short distance, and full of ruts and pools ; but it became clearer by degrees * The distance from Buenos Ayres to Mendoza is three hundred and eighteen leagues. 124 THE FIRST STAGE. as we got more into the open country. We changed horses at Figuera, a distance of three leagues, and went on four leagues more to Puente de Marques. The horses were bad, but cantered along, and I was surprised to find how easily they seemed to do their work. At Puente de Marques, Pavon agreed that it was better for us to stop the night, although the sun was not yet down. He said there was danger of robbers, and the postmaster corroborated his opinion. " There always were robbers," he said, " untU the thistles were withered." " Quando hay cardos, hay siempre gauchos," " and you have got a good poncho," added he. I thought my poncho not a great temptation, and knowing that I had between forty and fifty pounds in gold in my belt and in the carpet-bag, was disgusted at the thought that I might get my throat cut for a tolerable poncho. It is necessary to take a good deal of coin on these expeditions, as I had not only to pay for the horses, but to give Pavon forty dollars for his services, and find him in horses and food — a pretty high guerdon, considering that he was a native of Mendoza, so was going home ; but that made no diflference. He was an honest fellow, and I had not the least scruple in giving him money without counting it. At Mendoza I should have to hire mules, and did not know what they would cost, and, in fact, I must pay the whole journey till I arrived at Valparaiso, the first place at which I could draw afresh. We stopped at Puente de Marques, unpacked the horses, spread my recado, or saddle, in the post-house for my bed, and put aU things to rights. The postmaster went to finish a tank, which he was building by the well, and I walked a few yards ofi^, and looked over the plain. The sun's red orb was just touching the horizon, and cast a ruddy glow over the OUR OUTFIT. 125 low thatched cottage, the well, and the stooping figure. Beyond was nothing but thistles, dark purple in the distance, then reddish and brown in the foreground, but nothing else for miles and miles. I was off in good time in the morning, and about 1 a.m. arrived at the town of Lujan, where we stopped, though it was not a post ; and in a shop I obtained some fried eggs for breakfast. Pavon said that Lujan was a very holy place, and ordered three masses at half-a-doUar each to be said to his patron saint, the Virgin (for his name was Jose Maria) for our safe journey. He did not go to the church, or see the padre, for they did not know where to find him, but left the money with the shop-keeper, who promised to see it all right. Old Pavon was a strange figure. His age might be forty- five or fifty, and he looked something between a smuggler and a whipper-in, wearing a red flannel shirt, dark- coloured poncho, chiripa, drawers, white boots, and a straw hat encircled with red ribbon. His horse was covered with all sorts of things for the journey — alforjas, or saddle-bags, lasso, bolas, maneas, or hobbles for the horse ; chifres, bul- locks' horns made into bottles, one filled with gin, the other with anise, and numberless other little things. As already remarked, I wore a red band round my white hat, and in my button-hole a red ribbon, with Rosas' sanguinary motto, " Viva la Federacion Argentina, Mueran los salvajes asque- rosos immundos Unitarios." It had also an F. o M. (Fede- racion o Muerte) at each corner. As bread is nowhere to be procured on the Pampas, I had provided myself with a sub^ stitute, ha\'ing obtained twenty ship-biscuits from H.M.S. 'Alecto' at Buenos Ayres, which would last me well the whole journey, one each day being ample for me. Beef, 1 126 THE POST-HOUSES. knew, was everywhere to be procured, and generally mutton, if I liked to have it killed. I also carried with me some tea, and arrow-root, and a bag of salt. As we proceeded, we found the country was a perfect sea of thistles, and from a shght elevation you could see over their tops for mUes. The wind whistled mournfully through them, and eddied the downy seed, like snow across the road. They had had notice to quit : the powerful November sun had scorched them up, and they were waiting to be swept down by the first pampero. Their height was not more than six feet, so that you could generally see people riding. in them, but not cattle. The road was good, tolerably wide, and of beaten earth, for the thistle does not grow where it is trampled on. In some places were many biscacho holes, with their attendant owls, which stared and bowed at us as we rode past, or rose screeching perpendicularly in the air, if we came close ; whilst the biscacho dived into the ground. The post-houses were better than I expected ; there was always a tolerable room set apart for travellers, with a hide bedstead, a table, and a chair or two. Some of the poorer dwellings, indeed, had only a mud settle, but it served very well to spread a recado on. When the room was low, I often slept in my Brazihan hammock, swinging it to the rafters, and found it a great luxury, keeping me out of the way of insects, chickens, and dogs. The people at the post-houses were always very civil and polite, and had a sort of innate good-breeding about them. On arriving and saluting the master, he always rose and returned the salute, asked me to walk in and sit down in the shade, and talked a few minutes ; then, if he was engaged in anything, went on with his work without the slightest embar- LIFE ON THE ROAD. 127 rassment. We had the horses driven in as quick as we could; but what with lassoing, loading, and saddling, we rarely got away from a station under an hour, and it was often longer. When all was ready, we mounted, and bid the people good-bye, and away we went. In a little while, Pavon would turn round and ask what sort of a horse I had. "Que tal es, Sefior?" "Bueno." " Bueno," he would answer, and then throwing the reins on his horse's neck, he would make up a paper cigar, strike fire, and smoke, without checking his horse froni a gallop. At twelve I usually found people roasting beef, and then made my chief meal. They begin the day with a mate. This is a small gourd, in which they put a quantity of " yerba," or Paraguay tea, and some sugar, and fiU it up with hot water. It is sucked up through a tube, with a small globe at the end, perforated with holes, called a bombiUa. I never liked mate (for the beverage takes its name from the cup), but used to drink it sometimes early in the morning, when I could get nothing else. It is very refreshing. At one post, on a very hot day, Pavon brought me a huge tin mug full of " cuajada" — curds and whey. I had not tasted any since I was quite a child ; but it looked very good, and I found it deliciously cool and refreshing. At Arroyo del Medio we left the province of Buenos Ayres, and entered that of Santa Fe. The thistles gradually disap- peared, and we now saw little else but long grass, from one post-house to the other. There was occasionally a good deal of mirage. It seems to be formed by a strata of heated vapour lying near or on the ground, and reflecting the light, or sky, on its surface. This of course makes it look like water. It appears often here like a thin, bright stripe, visible only 128 THE INDIANS. when the angle of vision strikes it nearly horizontally and therefore always disappearing when approached. Sometimes I saw it in the road, and as I galloped along it seemed to wave about, appearing or vanishing according to the diifer- ence of the elevation of my eye as I raised or lowered my head. Mirage occurs most frequently in flat countries, and in still, and generally very hot weather: consequently, it is common in the Pampas, and in the sandy deserts of Arabia, where there is always a sort of haze on the ground. It is this haze over the yellow sand that gives that delicate pink and purple hue to objects in that country, and causes the splendid sunsets so frequent there. The smoke of London has the same efifect on a sunset, both in magnifying and giving it redness. On the third day we reached Guardia de la Esquina, the end of the province of Santa Fe. This part of the country is all grass. It was formerly much harassed by the attacks of Indians, and the post-houses are fortified with a high hedge of cactus (Tufia), and a small ditch — a sufficient defence against a foe who can do nothing on foot, for the cactus, which is something like the Speciocissimus, but with a yellow flower, grows very strong to the height of sixteen or twenty feet. The door into the enclosure was narrow, and five or six men with muskets could make a good defence against a party of Indians. Here we had short stages, and between the posts we rarely saw anything but a few deer, and an occasional partridge. On the fourth morning we set oiF before five, intending to make a long day, but just before arriving at Cruz Alta at six o'clock, we met the corres (postman) from Mendoza. He had a postilion with him, carrying the mails on a led horse. He, THE POSTMAN. 129 Pulgares and Pavon were of course old friends, and as Ir South America, though every one goes at a gallop, neither the correo nor any one else hurries, they stopped and had a chat. We asked the news " down the road." He said there was no danger, and that aU was right — " Muy Undo, muy bueno es, Seiior." We then compared our watches. He said mine was wrong, being half an hour too fast. " AU right," said I, for he had Mendoza time, and I Buenos Ayres, but I did not stop to explain the difference. Pavon then offered his chiffres (buUock-horns of liquor), and the postman took a deep draught. Pavon followed his example for com- pany's sake, and after a polite adios, we parted. At Cruz Alta, a viUage fenced with cactus hedges, we found the people just preparing mate, and drank some with them. The horses were then packed and saddled, when it began to rain so hard that I would not start, but lay down in the post-house tiU it was over.- We did not get off tiU 4 p.m., by which time the road was very bad and slippery. The usual pace is four leagues per hour ; but I do not think the leagues here are three miles, though one of the officers of the ' Kestrel ' walked six leagues near Buenos Ayres, and said the distance was fully eighteen miles. The people thought him insane, and wondered that he was too poor to get a horse. In . Jftuenos Ayres it is said that beggars ride about soliciting alms. In Rio Janeiro I knew a beggar who had two slaves to carry him to his regular begging place, where tiiey used to leave him aU day, and come for him again in the evening. We slept at Esquina de Lobaton, a single house, fenced with cactus. Just before we arrived here, we passed a train of upwards of twenty waggons en route for'Tucuman. They K 130 HABITS OF THE GAUCHOS. had halted, and their bvillocks were turned out to graze. I was often stnick with the truth of Head's description of the Pampas, for the habits of the gauchos have changed hut little in the last thirty years. Some improvements have crept in. A few chairs have taken the place of the horse's skull, once used for a seat ; but the children still swing in their hide-cradles and play with a long knife, and the boy lassoes the dogs as they walk in and out of the hut. The postmaster here complained of the parrots, " los loros," and saying that his arm was bad, brought me an old carbine to shoot them for him. I fired, but the piece hung fire so long, that the parrots flew away : so I unpacked my own gun, and killed two for him. Nearly the whole of the way to Esquina de Medrano, we passed over one uninterrupted plain of grass. The Rio Ter- cero (Third River, for they are called by their number in suc- cession from Buenos Ayres) was a little way to the north, and was marked by a line of bushes. The two last post- houses were close to it. At Fraile Muerto is a very good house, and there we obtained some dinner, and met. two travellers, who were going to Buenos Ayres. One, a soldier, exchanged money with me, giving me silver of Cordova for: my Buenos Ayrean notes. We sat down on the bed in the post-house, laid the money out, and exchanged it, each taking it at what he thought the value. The other traveller was a sort of young merchant, who tried to engage me in politics, and seemed quite a free-thinker ; but I avoided the subject, pretending I did not understand sufficiently what he meant, and only remarking that Buenos Ayres seemed very quiet, and the roads very safe. Esquina de Medrano was one of the nicest-looking post- MISERABLE LODGING. 131 houses on the road. It stood a little way back, on a wide plain, surrounded and dotted over with clumps of bushes, which gave it the appearance of a park, and close by ran the river — a clear and rapid stream, overhung with willows. The house was clean, and the post-room large and lofty. Alto- gether it was a charming place. On Christmas day, I started at six for Tambito, the resi- dence of a Scotchman, to whom I had a letter, and I proposed to sleep at this house. It was a long ride, and my legs had been so strained and bruised with riding on the recado, that at starting, I could not mount my horse without a hoist from " Pavon. I arrived at Totoral at one o'clock, and as it was very hot — for in this climate it was now midsummer — rested there till four. But I did not gain much by this halt ; for as we were going westward, the worst part of the day was the afternoon, when the sun shone ia our faces. The stage was twelve leagues, and the sun set before we were half-way, so that it was quite dark ere we arrived at Tambito, by which time we had this day travelled in all thirty leagues. The country was aU grass, with a good track over it : " A boundless plain Spread through the shadow of the night, And onward, onward, onward seems. Like precipices in our dreams. To stretch beyond the sight." I found that Tambito belonged to the Scotchman, Charles Stewart, and that he had charge of an estancia hard by, but that he lived at the town of Rio Quarto (the Fourth River), twelve leagues farther on ; I was, therefore, disappointed in my expectation of a comfortable lodging, and found only a K 2 132 A SCOTCH SETTLER. miserable post-house, the worst on the road, a wretched hovel with one side open. But the people were civil, and I got something to eat, and slinging my hammock to the rafters, slept pretty well. In the morning I was roused, when the grey dawn was breaking, by the cocks crowing, sometimes on the roof just over my head, sometimes under my hammock, and making a horrid noise. I breakfasted on some biscuit and two or three eggs, which I ate raw, much to the gauchos' astonishment, and was in the saddle again by sunrise ; and changing horses at Chacul, seven leagues, arrived at Rio Quinto at twelve o'clock. Charles Stewart, or Don Carlos as he is here called, was a very rough diamond from Perth. He had been many years in the country, having left the banks of the Tay when young, and come to the Villa del Rio Quarto. He had undergone many vicissitudes of fortune — one day well off and the next piDaged of everything; now flying from the riotous towns- people, now leading them to battle against the Indians. Once driven away by some tumult, he had lived for a fortnight on a small island in the river. He was civil and hospitable, and I remained with him all the next day, partly to rest, and partly to hear about the Indians, who were reported to be near the town, in some force. Stewart, however, knew little, except that they were a few leagues to the southward, and had made several incursions lately. I called on the Gobernador, but he could tell me nothing more. The natives were in great alarm, though a number of soldiers (four hun- dred) were in the town, and it could easily be defended. The town was a wretched place, and very hot and dusty. I wrote a letter for Charles Stewart to his friends in Scot- land, he being quite out of practice, as he said, both of writing THE ARAUCANIANS. 133 and of English. I found it rather a difficult task, for he hardly told me anything that he wanted to say ; but I finished it, took it with me, and posted it at Valparaiso.* He had not heard from home for more than ten years. In the evening we had what he called native tea, made fi-om the leaves of a plant in his garden, which I found was sweet verbena {Aloysia citriodora.) Mixed in equal proportions with common tea, it was not at all unpalatable. The next morning I started about 10 A.M., according to Stewart's advice, neither to start early nor ride late, by which course the Indians are best avoided. . There were soldiers quartered at Achiras and also at Morro, the two places at which I was to sleep before I got to San Luis, where the danger was supposed to be over. There are also two forts to the southward of San Luis. The Indians who harass this country so much, are parties of the Araucanians, living in the southern part of Chili, whence they cross the Andes into the Pampas, and sojourn there, living on mare's flesh, and making incursions on the farms and villages, from which they carry off horses and 'cattle. They usually cut the throats of the Christianos, and carry off the women and boys captive. They are splendid riders, surpassing even the gauchos. Their arms aie bolas and spears eighteen feet long. They charge with boldness, uttering horrid yells ; but if the two first charges are received with firmness, they soon take to flight. These are the Arau- canians who made such a stand against the Spaniards in * One of the Arcos, whom I met in Valparaiso, told me that in the Pampas, south of Buenos Ayres, he met a Scotchman who hardly knew any language ; he had almost forgotten English and had not learnt much Spanish, except a few badly spoken phrases, just to express what he actually wanted, and that very imperfectly. [34 INDIAN RAVAGES. Chili, and some parts of that country have never been thoroughly conquered. Soon after leaving the town, Pavon's horse fell and rolled on his leg ; but he said that he was not much hurt, though he complained in the evening. The first stage, Tambo, was a little hut on the banks of the river, which we had to ford both at our arrival and departure. The Sierra de Cordova, a long blue chain of mountains, was now in full view. It stretched away to the northward, but in front of us sunk gra- dually into the plain, and our track only crossed the end of it. The mountains looked high, but were not really so, the absence of trees making them appear much more lofty than if they had been wooded. I observed a good deal of red verbena (I suppose the Melindris) growing among the grass here, and shining beautifully in the sun. Pavon jumped off as we passed one patch, and gathering some, gave it me, saying it was so pretty. " Que bonita es ? Sefior. Que linda ? Muy federal," alluding to its bright red, the Rosista, or federal colour. The next post-house was in a little concealed hollow of the mountain, and near it were several ruined cottages. We passed the remains of a chacra, or farm, also ruined, and a garden and orchard. Achiras is a large village, defended by a slight mud wall, loopholed for musketry, and has a garrison of soldiers. The post-house was more plentifully stocked with fleas than usual. The route over the end of the Sierra de Cordova was over undulating grassy hills, enlivened in places by little streams of water. The country seemed to have suffered from the Indians, and many a ruined cottage here might have been the scene of Head's affecting description when the old post- AN ESCAPED CAPTIVE. 135 man buries his murdered son. On one long sweep, we saw at a great distance two men galloping towards us. They appeared to be leaning down close to their horses' necks. I asked Pavon, who with the postilion was watching them, what they were. " Quien sab^," said he, " hay gente" — (they are people.) I asked again, " Are they Indians ?" " Quien sabe," and that was the only answer I could obtain. They proved to be two boys, one of whom sat his horse with his knees up to his chin and his feet swathed in ban- dages. He had been taken by the Indians some months before, and had been employed in tending horses, but had made his escape. He had walked northwards for fourteen days, living principally on ostrich eggs, tiU at last he caught an old horse, and then made his way to the dwellings of the Christianos. From Morro to Rio Quintb I had one of the worst horses I ever rode, and I was heartily tired of him by the time I reached the end of the twelve league stage, for it was whip and spur all the way. It is no joke riding such a horse as this for thirty-six miles, under a scorching sun, and glad I was to arrive at the post. Rio Quinto is a pretty pebbly stream, overhung with trees, almost like a Welsh brook. The post-house is just beyond it. Pavon said that as the last horse did not suit me, I should now have a jiotro (colt) to ride, and so one was lassoed and brought in. He was a fine upstanding-looking horse, of a light dun bay. The man said that he was a good horse and quiet, but " muy ligero a montar" — that is, quick or difficult to mount. It was saddled, and Pavon told the man to get up, to see how it went. He mounted after two or three attempts, the horse springing away directly the stirrup was touched, but once 136 AN ALARM. mounted, the gaucho rode him easily. Pavon said he would not do, but I made up my mind to ride him, so I mounted. We were all ready and off we went. The path was narrow, and led through bushes, and I nearly rode over both Pavon and the postilion in the first half-mile. We soon came to the open plain, when I gave the horse his own way, and he went quietly enough, proving one of the best horses I had ridden. This stage of twelve leagues was considered to be one of the most dangerous, so we kept a good look-out for the Indians. When we had gone a league or two I saw Pavon and the postillion, who were riding ahead of me, anxiously watching the horizon, and my eye following theirs, I ob- served a troop of eight or ten horses galloping towards us. I asked what it was. " Yeguas corriendo" (mares running) answered my peon. " Yes, but what makes them run so ?" " Quien sabe ; Indians, perhaps," answered he. " But do you think they are?" for I thought it of consequence. " Quien sabe," said he, and would give no other answer. I watched them, fully expecting to see a row of black heads appear above the ridge behind them; but we passed over an undulation of the plain, and I saw no more of them. Nor did we ever know whether there were Indians after them or not. So near may one be to danger, and escape it. San Luis is a poor town, composed of mud houses and large gardens, so that we hardly knew when we were in it, or which part was called the town. It is situated at the foot of a fine-looking mountain, washed by a clear but shallow brook. I stopped the night at a sort of inn, kept by a Frenchman. Next morning I pursued my journey on the THE TRAVERSIA. 137 vilest possible hack, and for nine leagues had hard work to get him forward. This part of the country, from San Luis to Mendoza, is called the Traversia. It is a dry desert of sand and stones, sprinkled with low bushes. Many of the rivers from the Andes lose themselves in the Traversia, and the water, as well as that of the pools, is generally brackish and bad. Darwin, in his most amusing and instructive "Journal of Researches in his Voyage round the World," says that the beds of shingle composing the Traversia were accumulated by the waves of the sea, of stones washed down from the Cordilleras before the Pampas was formed, and that the great plain of fertile soil was deposited in the form of mud in the estuary of the Rio de la Plata. This formation is now going on under the sea oif the present mouth, for the soundings for miles decrease with regularity, showing a gradual slope in the muddy bottom. Perhaps some day the whole of it wiU be raised, and form a large extent of new country. This dry shingle belt reaches to the Straits of Magellan. The Traversia was very disagreeable to ride over. The sun was tremendously hot, and everything was still except the cicadas, which seemed to enjoy the heat, and sat chirping on the bushes. After a ride of two leagues, we came to a house ; and as Pavon said it was really too hot to go on, and recommended a halt, we dismounted, and staid there two hours. I laid my recado in the shade at the back of the house, and snatched a brief sleep, but we were soon in the saddle again, and though it was still very hot, we determined to go on. Three leagues brought us to Desaguadero, when we saw that, if we proceeded, we should be in for a thunder-storm, 138 A STORM. which was coming up perfectly black from the south-west ; so we once more alighted, and made up our minds to rest for the night at a sort of farm-house, which was very fortunately at hand. The horizon now became a brownish-yeUow, and the storm began, preceded by a strong wind, bringing clouds of dust, which penetrated through the smallest crevice and obscured everything. Then came a deluge of rain, with the most tremendous lightning I ever saw, flash succeeding flash with such rapidity, that the peals of thunder seemed one loud crash. We found two other travellers in the house, who were on their way from Mendoza to Buenos Ayres, and we sat down together to a good supper, including a large dish of roasted kid. They were riding their own horses, and it was now our turn to tell the news of the Indians, about whom they inquired anxiously. We had not seen anything of the Arcos carriages, nor of the Buenos Ayres postman, which latter circumstance surprised me much, for he should at least have overtaken us at Rio Quarto. A bright sun ushered in the morning, the first of the new year ; but the air felt cool after the last night's storm, and we set off in good condition. Near the wretched post-house of Desaguadero we crossed the river of the same name, ford- ing it easily, as it was now shallow, though sometimes it is a troublesome task. Here I had the first view of the long dreamt of Andes, though we were stUl fifty-five leagues from Mendoza, which lies at their feet. Even at this dis- tance, they towered high above the horizon. The whole chain was plainly visible, and stretched down towards the south in a succession of snow-capped peaks. Aconcagua, or Tupungato, as it is sometimes called, rose high above the FIRST VIEW OF THE ANDES. 139 rest. It is said that they are visible in clear weather from the hill at the back of San Luis, a distance from Mendoza of seventy-nine leagues. We halted at the post-house at A la Dormida, and after a long look in the direction of the distant mountains, I turned into my hammock in an open verandah. I was, however, severely punished, as the house was near the river, which swarmed with mos- quitoes, and tHey made a perfect prey of me during the night. I started in good time next day, thinking to arrive at Mendoza in the evening. We got to Retamo by one o'clock, having ridden in the interim twenty-one leagues. The country here was well irrigated by canals from the Mendoza river, and was planted with poplars, fruit trees, and vines, aU exceedingly productive ; but the road was not so good as on the Pampas. We were anxious to carry out our first intention and get on to Mendoza ; but Pa von had some doubts as to how we should be able to cross the river ; and on inquiry, every one said that it was high and dangerous in the afternoon. Under these circumstances, the temptation of a good house could not be resisted, and we put up for the night. From this place, the Andes looked well, and not very far off, though, in fact, the distance was considerable. , Behind the house was a large garden, or rather wilderness of fig-trees, plums, peaches, apples, and other fruits, all quite ripe. Pavon and I demolished immense quantities of them, and having been so long without fruit or vegetables, fully appreciated their excellence. The figs, large, black, and bursting, were the spring sort, called " brebas" by the natives, the " higos" being those that are ripe later. In the same way they dis- 140 MENDOZA. tinguish the small spring peaches, which were now ripe, as " durasnos," from the " melocoton." Starting from Retamo at six o'clock, I hardly arrived at Mendoza before eleven, the last part of the road being stony and bad, and crossed with numerous water-courses. We forded three branches of the river. They were rapid, but not deep, though the water appeared to have been higher in the night, for the melting of the snow in the Cordillera causes a rise in the afternoon, but it must be from the thawing of the day before. As we advanced, we obtained fine views of the Andes, particularly from one place, about six leagues from Mendoza, where the head of a murderer is stuck on the top of a high pole. " Una cabeza Christiana," Pavon called it. It was tolerably fresh, and appeared to be grinning at us in a ghastly way as we gallopped past. The mountains had some resemblance to the Pyrenees, approached from the flat country of the south of France. They have not such a collection of fine peaks, nor, seen from a distance, do they appear so snowy as the Alps, but they look higher and more aerial. On arriving at Mendoza, I took up my quarters at the inn, a very poor place, and then proceeded to present my passport to the authorities. This business dispatched, I returned to the inn, whe/e I rested for five days. I walked over every part of Mendoza, and think I never was in so dull a place in my life. Situated just at the foot of the Andes, on a fertile plain, one would expect it to be at least picturesque, but it is not so. The beauty of the mountains is not seen to advan- tage, and hardly any snow is visible from the town. The country is well irrigated, and channels with water ran down most of the streets. There is a fine Alameda of tall poplar-trees MENDOZA. 141 at the back of the town, having at one end a wooden temple, and a niveria, or ice-shop, at the side. All this sounds cool, luxurious, and refreshing, but no one seemed to frequent the Alameda, the streets were hot and dusty, and the water in the channels was the colour of cafe-au-lait. Head and most other writers describe Mendoza as a delightful place, a ter- restrial paradise ; and from the situation, I fancied that it would be a second Granada, but it must be praised only in comparison to the treeless Pampas. The town seemed nearly deserted, nothing was going on, not even cock-fighting — though the Teatro de Gallos, a pit for the purpose, was in the back premises of my hotel. I was heartily tired of Mendoza before my five days ex- pired, and at length, having re-hired Pavon to go across the Andes with me, I prepared for a start. He lived at Mendoza, so was in no great hurry to leave it, but brought a friend of his, Felipe Dominguez, to let me some mules. Felipe was a fine old fellow, and I soon concluded a bargain with him. For thirty-five dollars he was to provide me with four mules for use, 'a spare one, and a peon to go with me, as well as find us all with provisions, which we were to carry with us ; but on this point I made no actual bargain. He treated me pretty well, sending very good animals, two spare mules, and a pie- bald mare, as " madrina," to lead the way. Thus our troop consisted of six mules and a horse, one mule carried the baggage and provisions, two ran loose with the madrina, and Pavon, the arriero Juan, and myself, rode the other three. For provisions, he sent beef, bread, onions, and pumpkins enough for all, as neither eatables nor houses are to be met with in the mountains. We also carried an iron pot, or oUa, to cook in, a small iron jug for a kettle, and last, not least, a keg of old 14'2 START FOR THE ANDES. Mendoza wine, which had been kindly given me by a gentleman named Yrigoyen, to wliom I had letters of introduction. Tuesday, January 8, was fixed for our start, but Pavon said he had some business to transact which would detain him till the afternoon, so that we had better sleep at Dominguez's house, about a league from the town, and get off early the next morning. In the afternoon, therefore, the mules were brought into the inn yard, and after long arranging and pack- ing, we were at last ready, and putting the train in motion, set out a little before sunset. Felipe Dominguez gave us a very good supper : a large dish of fowls, potatoes, onions and tomatoes, stewed up and gar- nished with chiUies, was placed on the table, and each taking his plate, helped himself. This is the national Chili dish called " Casuela," and will almost bear comparison with Meg Merriles' famous soup. " Pavon," said I, after supper, " where is the keg of wine that Sefior Yrigoyen sent ? let us try it." A cup was brought, filled, and passed round. " Caramba," said Pavon, " bueno es, vino anejo, muy bueno es mi patron" — (It is good old wine, very good it is.) "Let us try it again," said I, and the cup was passed round again, and then a third time " para probar" to try it, as Pavon said : " para probar," we each repeated. " Vino anejo, Sefior, bueno de Mendoza." At dawn we were up and mounted, taking a northerly direction, and skirting the mountains for some distance. The country was parched and barren, only producing a few prickly bushes. We passfed another pole with a man's hand and arm, " Una mano Christiana," nailed on it. He had been executed for robbery and murder. About twelve o'clock, we ASCENDING THE ANDES. 143 turned towards the mountains, and ascending slightly, entered a barren looking valley. I took one last look at the Pampas, which I should never see again. The view extended back for miles — flat like the sea, but covered with a light haze. A dark green stripe, and a wood of poplars, pointed out the situation of Mendoza and its fertilizing river, and towards the south, the Cordillera raised its snowy summit. I felt very independent as I followed my little troop into the ravine, but could hardly realise to myself that I had actually crossed the Pampas, and was now entering the Andes, places which I had read of since I was a child, but which had always appeared to me as visionary and almost fabulous. Ascending this barren looking valley, we soon arrived at ViUa Vicentia, a fine sounding name, though it consisted of only one house. We halted, cooked some beef, and then lay down to rest for about three hours. A young guanaco was tied to a post of the verandah, a pretty little thing, with large soft black eyes ; it seemed quite tame. An old black sheep came and rubbed noses with it, and it licked the sheep's face all over, as if it recognised a friend. At 4|- P.M. we loaded again, and left Villa Vicentia, pro- ceeding slowly up the valley, which was still rocky and dry. I asked Pavon where we were to sleep ? " Onde alcanzamos" — (wherever we shall arrive at,) replied he, throwing up his open hand in the direction of the mountains. He seemed to like to consider himself as master, and that he had charge of me. At length we came to a rill of water, which, lower down, was lost in the stones, and passing through a narrow gorge, entered a side valley running into the main one, where a patch of grass offered an inviting spot ; and here we halted for the night, turning out the mules to graze, only one being tethered- 144 LIFE ON THE ANDES. with a lasso. We then lit our fire, and dressed our supper — beef-steaks and a puchero, composed of beef, pumpkin, and onions, over which we made merry, and at last lay down to sleep. Next morning we rose early, before the stars had faded from the sky, and boUing a pot of tea whilst the mules were being caught and loaded, had our breakfast, and left the little valley just as the sun was bronzing the higher points of the mountains. The ascent for some way was steep. Near the top we met a drove of donkeys, which had been carrying pro- visions up to the silver mines, situated in one of the most desolate parts of the mountains. From the highest point of the ridge, the eye scanned a curious and extensive view of barren rock and mountains, backed by the snowy summits of the main range. The valley of Uspallata, where we were to stop that night, lay stretched below, and a narrow dark green stripe pointed out the " potreros," or horse-pastures. The descent was long and tiresome, but we arrived in the valley by twelve o'clock. It is called fifteen leagues from Mendoza to Villa Vicentia, and fifteen more to Uspallata, but the distance cannot be near so much. The valley contained only two or three houses, one of which was the Argentine police-station and custom-house, and another had been inhabited by an Englishman, an old man, who had managed one of the mines. I had seen him in Mendoza, where he introduced himself to me, hearing that I was English. He told me that he had left Uspallata a fortnight before, as his wife had just died, and he could not' stay there any longer, but he intended to return for the corpse, and take it to Buenos Ayres to be buried. The distance was much less to Valparaiso, but he said it would be easier to %iftSSai»^5»J^">*3':-;:'ir:^Vtfll^^-Jjf;-i.-'.-^- THE MOUNTAIN PASSES. 145 carry her across the Pampas in a waggon, than over the Cordilleras on the back of a mule. Two rapid streams joined at Uspallata, and formed the river which ran down to Mendoza ; one stream came from the northward, the other down the ravine we were to ascend on the morrow. The water was good, and continues so as far as Mendoza, but lower down the river runs through some marshes and brackish lakes, and at Desaguadero it is not drinkable. The colour of the rocks and mountains here was very remarkable, and, as they were quite devoid of vegetation, they showed their strata and formation in a curious way — red, yellow, brown, purple, black, and white hills and rocks, all piled one over the other. We remained at Uspallata the whole day, which Pavon said was the custom of all travellers, and we found a Spaniard, also bound for Chili, who had been staying here all the day before, having suffered much from pu:^a, shortness of breath arising from the rarity of the atmo- sphere. This was rather singular, as the elevation could not have been more than 6000 feet. In the evening I witnessed a fine storm effect. It gathered first behind the snow and then came rolling down one of the upper valleys, enveloping every crag and shoulder in its misty mantle, till all was obscured and dark. We started in the morning at seven o'clock, in company with the Spaniard, but he soon lagged behind, and I saw no more of him. Fording the river, we ascended the valley, the path sometimes running close to its banks, sometimes being carried high along the face of the perpendicular rocks. These places are the much talked of " laderas," but the danger is greatly exaggerated. They are not difficult to pass, and the peril is principally to laden mules, who knock their burdens L 146 FORDING THE TORRENT. against the rock and fall over, and numbers of skeletons are seen in the valley below. To prevent the mtJes striking in this way against the rocks, in narrow places large stones are put on the inside of the path, so as to make the animals walk on the edge, and thus clear the danger. Some of the passes are very picturesque, the mountains of porphyry rising around, like huge red pinnacles. One pass in particular, called Las Animas, is exceedingly striking. Nor must I omit to mention the famous Arroyo de las Vacas, a rapid rocky torrent, which comes foaming down from the mountains. We all forded it in safety, and I think its dangers are overrated in descriptions, though the skele- tons and dead bodies of fifteen or sixteen mules on the brink, showed that a struggle for life and death had often taken place here. On the other side of the stream we found a little pasturage, and encamped for the night, taking up our quarters behind a huge stone which had rolled down from the mountains. Beneath this boulder I spread my ponchos, and slept soundly, being heartily tired, as the slow pace of the mules was more fatiguing than the galloping on the plains. Next morning the mules were nowhere to be found. As the pasturage was scanty, we had turned them all loose, and they had wandered away. Juan followed their footsteps, and after a long absence we heard his halloo, and saw him with them, high up the mountains, so high that he was hardly discernible. Our day's journey took us over the Incas' bridge, with which I was disappointed, as I had pictured in my mind a huge ravine, such as that on the Via Mala or at Handek, blocked up by great rocks, with the path carried over them. Here the bridge had been THE VOLCANO OF ACONCAGUA. 147 formed by incrustation of lime, which had made a hard layer over the shingle and debris, of which the bottom of the valley is composed, and this having been washed away by the torrent, the layer of limestone has been left and formed a natural viaduct. We rode across it, for it is more than thirty feet wide, and found the ground on the other side covered with the same formation, and sounding hollow under our feet. In it were two or three hollows, like graves, which Pavon pointed out as bafios. I saw here many flowers which are now common in English gardens. The yellow calceolaria grew in the cre- vices of the rocks, and the pretty mimulus . around the marshy springs. There is a great quantity of small pink amyryllis on the Chilian side, and near the summit another flower, which looked like the hellebore, or Christmas rose. As we ascended, the scenery became wilder ; the mountains on the right hand were very steep, and seemed to have been thrown up by some tremendous volcanic eruption ; and they might really have been so, for a short distance behind them was one of the highest peaks of the Andes, the volcano of Aconcagua, which rises upwards of 23,000 feet above the sea. One high peak, which bounded the valley, seemed to be capped by a layer of whitish stone, I suppose limestone ; this was covered by a thick layer of snow, in bright contrast with the dark brown stone of the rest of the mountain. We passed at intervals, small round-topped houses of refuge, called casuchas, built by the Spaniards, and by them kept in good order, for the convenience and shelter of the postman crossing the mountains in the winter. They had steps up to the door, which was placed high, so L 2 148 RARITY OF THE AIR. as to be out of the snow, and they were formerly supplied with fuel. They were then kept locked, and each postman had a key ; now they have gone to. ruin, and have neither fuel nor door. In several places we observed collections of walls, the ruins of small houses, which Pa von called " toldos Indies:" they are supposed to have been resting-places for the Incas. We were now in a large valley, which for wildness and savage grandeur was equal to anything I had ever seen. In front was La Cumbre, the dividing ridge, serrated at the top with a succession of rocky pinnacles. To cross this would have have been a difficult undertaking, had it not been for the disintegration of the rock, which had run down in steep slopes. It was approached by a zig-zag path, around the foot of which were stretched the skeletons of forty or fifty horses and mules, and among them a few human bones. They were the remains of La Madrid's troops, who, flying from Rosas in the winter, tried to get over into Chili, but were here caught in a snow-storm, and perished. On a large rock, by the side of the path, was placed a little cross of lath. Juan, the arriero, dis- mounted, and from a cleft in the rock pulled out part of the skeleton of a man, still retaining a portion of the jacket. A small troop of mules had halted here, and one of the animals having gone astray, Juan undertook to catch it with the lasso. From the rarity of the air at this elevation, he could only run a few steps at a time, and came up with the mule quite out of breath. I suffered nothing myself The best cure in such cases is said to be eating a raw onion, and we carried several with us for 'the purpose. We now began our last ascent, and it proved a long and SUMMIT OF THE PASS. 149 -tedious pull. The road was a succession of zig-zags, carried up the steep slope of earth, the harder strata cropping through it in many places, and forming walls of rock across our path. It was very steep, but the mules carried us up well, stopping a short time at nearly each turn to get their wind, and then starting willingly again. The scene was indeed wild, and the effect was increased by the cries of the peons, who shouted to encoiurage the mules. At one turn, Pavon, who was before me, stopped me suddenly, and jumping off, picked up a stone just in front of my mule, and looked at it intently. " What is it ?" said I. " Nada, Sefior ; no es plata," (Nothing, Sir; it is not silver), answered he, throwing it down the hill, and he told me that sometimes cargoes of silver ore are brought down by this pass, and he thought the stone was a piece that had been dropped. In the Andes, people are always thinking of mining, and of finding gold and silver ; and farther down the valley, I saw many places where the ground had been dug for a short distance. It is said that many cargoes of silver were buried in different parts of the road during the revolution, and men wUl often dig at the foot of a tree, or opposite any remarkable-looking rock, for the chance of finding these entombed treasures. At length, we arrived at the summit of the ridge, and looked down some huge ravines into Chili. It was a fine picture of wild mountain scenery. The valley we had left ran up northwards, both sides shut in with snowy peaks. A small stream (the head of the Mendoza river) ran down it, but it was quite barren — a perfect picture of desolation. The summit of the pass on which we stood was, according to Darwin, 12,454 feet above the sea, so some of these peaks must be very lofty; but I could not see Aconcagua. The 150 THE DESCENT. snow lay about in patches. A condor soared high over our heads, but no other living thing was in sight. I walked about on the summit, but did not suffer from pufia, feeling only the sensation that one experiences in winter on coming out of a house into the frosty air. The madrina here turned restive, and ran every way but the right one, leading her children, the mules, astray. Juan at last lassoed her, sprang on her back, and gave her a good spurring. It was rather a high elevation, and not a very safe place for such a feat, particularly as Juan had neither bridle nor saddle, but only the lasso round the mare's neck. The descent called " Las Caracolas" was very steep, and on reaching the bottom, we found ourselves in an enormous ravine with huge buttress-like sides. On a flat patch were encamped two large troops, the mules turned loose to graze, and the burdens arranged in a circle, with the pack-saddles of each on the top. Both troops intended to cross the Cumbre next day. In several places there appeared to have been large land- slips from the north side of the pass. The summit of the mountains had fallen into the valley below, blocking up the streams and forming lakes, which had again burst their bar- riers, and left flat beds. In one place, which I suppose had fallen later, there was still a black-looking lake ; in another, the valley had been completely blocked up, and the path was carried down the face of the barrier in zig-zags. We travelled on till sunset, passing two or three other troops encamped, and at length halted for the night among some fragrant bushes. The following day we continued our route down the valley, the rill," which took its^rise at the top of the pass, increasing ROPE SUSPENSION-BRIDGE. 151 as we descended, and becoming a noisy torrent. It was the river of Aconcagua, which runs down to the famous valley of QuHlota, and covers it with fertility. Near the first house, called the Guardia Vieja, now deserted, I saw the bushes and trees, which were here more plentiful, wreathed with the beautiful Eccremocarpus scdber. Lower down on the side of the hill grew huge round-topped Cacti, twelve or fifteen feet high, and as large round as a man's body. They were laden with ripe fruit, and Pavon took some trouble to get it down for me, for the spines are a formidable defence. The fruit had black seeds inside, and was insipid and unpala- table. At the Guardia, or custom-house, our passports were ex- amined and kept, and the marks of the mules compared with their description. All horses and mules are branded in these countries ; and when one is bought, the new owner must mark it over the old brand, or he is liable to have it taken from him. The ride down the valley was long and tedious ; the river was crossed in one place by a suspension-bridge of ropes, fastened to posts firmly fixed in the shingle. This is one of the primitive suspension-bridges, of which the Chilians are said to have been the inventors. It was narrow, and only fit for foot-passengers. At sunset, we arrived at the town of Santa Rosa de los Andes, and put up at the house of a friend of Dominguez, the owner of our mules. "We had a good supper, with plenty of figs and peaches, for we had now arrived at a part of the country which is well cultivated and fertile. It rather put me in mind of the head of some of the Piedmontese valleys, such as Aosta, but the scenery could not "compare 152 VALLEY OF ACONCAGUA, with that of Italy. It wanted the grassy hills and walnut trees that make that country so beautiful. Leaving Santa Rosa, we crossed some high ridges, which separate the valley of Aconcagua from the plain of Chacabuco. This was famous as the scene of one of the chief battles between the Chilians and the Spaniards, in the war of inde- pendence. Juan pointed out the field of battle, and asked me if my country was near the country of " Los Godos." I inquired who they were, and asked whether he meant the Spaniards. He did not know, but said they were called Los Godos. I then asked him if he meant the people with whom the Chilians fought at Chacabuco. He said, yes, they were Los Godos ; so I told him where they came from, but do not think that he had any idea that he himself and the other Chilians were sprung from these hated Goths ; but seemed to consider them as a sort of invaders, who had formerly oppressed the country, and held it in subjection — something like the impression entertained by many of the North Ameri- cans with regard to Englishmen. The country here was well cultivated and irrigated, and, the valley of Aconcagua is a beautiful spot. All the houses are surrounded with gardens, fig, and peach-trees, with vines clustering over the doors. The view of the Andes, as we left the valley, was very fine. The road, too, was broad and carrozabile, as the Italians say, but the zig-zag descent was tiresome. We crossed the plain and another ridge, and at sunset arrived at the edge of the plain of Santiago. We had now but six leagues to go, but thought that it would be better to arrive at the city in the morning, so stopped for the night at a cottage. We lay down by the baggage outside the door, and I slept soundly tiU Pavon roused me, saying the day was just whitening. PLAIN OF SANTIAGO. 153 " Ya. esta blanqueando el Dia, Sefior." We then mounted again, and rode to the city, arriving there about 9 a.m. The road was four inches deep in solid dust, and the sun very powerful. At the stone bridge which crosses the river Maypocho at the entrance of Santiago, the mules would all go wrong, and ran up different roads. I waited at the bridge till they were caught and fastened together, and we then rode into the city. None of us could tell exactly where the inn was, knowing only that it was called " Fonda Inglesa ;" but a gentleman who was riding into the city, seeing my travel- stained appearance, Buenos Ayrean ponchos, and the gaucho look of my attendants, asked me if I was from Mendoza, and on my replying in the affirmative, and asking him the way to the hotel, said he would show me, and rode with me to the door, thus saving me a great deal of trouble. CHAPTER X. SANTIAGO A CHILIAN BANdUET NATIONAL FESTIVAL TRAVELLING IN CHILI VALPARAISO CHILIAN POLICE FEAT OP A SAILOR VALLEY OF QTJILLOTA FESTIVITIES. Santiago, or St. Jago, as it is sometimes written, the capital of Chili, is a city of about sixty thousand inhabitants. Though situated so much higher above the sea, it was hotter than at Valparaiso, or the Port, as it was generally called, whither most of the rich inhabitants had now migrated. There is nothing pretty or picturesque about the city. The long streets of low houses, built usually of one story, on account of the frequency of earthquakes, straggle on in con- fusion, large houses and ruinous cottages side by side. As at Mendoza, the Alameda is the finest thing in the place, and it is superior to that of Mendoza, and in the evenings more frequented. The rest of the city is hot and dusty. From a rock and small fort, called Santa Lucia, in the middle of the city, is a fine view over the plain, backed by the snowy Cordillera. Soon after my arrival at Santiago, M. Arcos, son of the A CHILIAN BANQUET. 155 gendenian who was now travelling across the Pampas, called upon me to ask for news of his father and mother. Hearing they might be expected shortly, he gave a dinner to his friends to celebrate the event, and sent me an invitation. We were a large party, and the dinner was in the best style. Many young men (for it was confined to the male sex) of the best families of Chili were present. Between the courses, cigars were handed round, and smoking was universal till the next course appeared. The wine circulated freely, and after dinner, liqueurs, among which was one called Italia, of a most delicious flavour, made in Peru from a grape of that name. The party soon became noisy ; healths were drunk often in the Italia instead of wine; and when I left, about ten o'clock, pleading fatigue, they were mounted on chairs, several were speaking at once, and I heard they kept it up till one or two in the morning. There are but few foreigners resident in Santiago, and, to all appearance, not much trade, the chief of the commerce of Chili being confined to Valparaiso. The anniversary of the battle of Maypo, another famous victory of the Chilians over the Spaniards, happened whilst I was there, and a fiesta and fair were held in the outskirts of the town in celebration of the event. It was an animating spectacle. Booths of all kinds lined the road, and in most of them there was dancing, singing, and drinking. The national dance, the Samuqueca, ^ seemed to be the favourite. It was something like the '"C Spanish fandango, but much behind it in grace. The band generally consisted of two guitars, and a leather strap to make a cracking noise, and the musicians joined in with their voices. Many of the dancers were miners, wearing their peculiar jacket and trowsers, one leg often red and the other •^i-^ 156 NATIONAL FESTIVAL. green. The ladies wore short petticoats and trowsers, and all had remarkably small feet. Most of the country people were on horseback, and their amusement seemed to consist of gallopping at full speed, and then stopping the horse sud- denly, sometimes doing it so as to stop the horse with all his feet on a poncho laid on the ground. The severe bits enable them to do this. They also rode against each other, trying to unseat their adversary by pressing their knee against his. They do not look well on horseback, everything appearing clumsy after the neat trappings of the gaucho ; but they say it is more suited for the country, and that their huge saddles and lumpy wooden stirrups, are the only ones that will do for Chili — why, I cannot imagine. They are admirable performers with the lasso, and ride up and down the steep ravines with great nerve and skill. I do not know where the use of the lasso originated, but it is now spread all over the Spanish part of South America, Mexico, Cali- fornia, Texas, and the southern part of Brazil, and it would be difficult for these countries to get on without it. It does not seem to be much used by the Indians on the Pampas, the bolas being their favourite weapon. The hotel at Santiago was very good. Most of the visitors were foreigners. The theatre is large; but the acting in the worst style. One woman, who was con- sidered the best actress, " piled up the agony so high," as the Yankees would say, and screamed and yelled to such a degree, that her voice rang through the whole house. I soon got tired, and left the theatre ; but the audience generally appeared to be pleased. I left Santiago on the 20th of January, taking a place in a virloche for Valparaiso at 7 a.m. The way people are TRAVELLING IN CHILI. 157 conveyed from the capital to the Port does not say much for the progress of civilization in this country. The distance is between ninety and a hundred miles, and the road bad, crossing three high ranges of hiUs; but there are neither posts, nor relays of horses. The virloche is a sort of cabriolet, holding two people. One horse is put in the shafts, another is fastened on outside as an outrigger, and a man and another boy drive eight or ten other horses all the way. They change the horses occasionally, driving the tired ones on with the rest, so that all the horses have to run the whole distance, and ten or twelve horses are required to do the work of two. They are very enduring, but looked thin and half- starved, and no wonder if they often go the journey. Starting from Santiago, at 7, we arrived at Casa Blanca at 9 a.m. ; left it at 3 the next morning, and arrived at Valparaiso at 10 A.M. At Casa Blanca, a man who was sitting at supper, addressed me in Spanish, and we talked together. I thought, from the way he was eating, that he could not be a native, and, going out, I asked the landlord, and found that he was a Scotchman, who was also going to Valparaiso. When I joined him again, he still talked to me in Spanish ; but at last I said I thought we might as weU converse in our own language. He had been long resident in the country, engaged in the mines, but now intended to go and try his luck in California. I had heard of the discovery of that El Dorado at Mendoza, but did not give much credence to the report. On arriving at Valparaiso, however, I found every one mad about it. Ships were sailing daily, loaded with everything that comd possibly be thought of as wanted, and crowded with passengers, all certain of making their 158 VALPARAISO. fortunes in the land of gold. Chili being such a mining country, it created the more sensation, and many of the richer Chilians were taking numbers of peons, their servants, to dig. Ships, too, soon began to arrive from San Francisco, when specimens of gold were shown in the town, and the excitement became intense. The first view of Valparaiso is not inviting, and for my part, I cannot say that I was ever pleased with it. The red earth hills rise steep behind the town, and appear parched and barren, hardly any trees being visible. The town is squeezed in between the hill and the sea, and is so narrow in one place that there is only room for the street. This place is called Cape Horn by the sailors, and divides the town into two parts — one to the south, where most of the mercantile houses and best shops are situated ; the other, called Almen- dral, contains the theatre. Besides this, at the southern end, the town runs up the hUls, and is divided by deep quebradas (ravines) into three parts. They are well known to sailors as the Fore, Main, and Mizen Tops, and are inhabited by the worst characters. Behind the middle part of the town is another height, where many of the best houses are ; it is sometimes called the Quarter-deck. As one might expect, Valparaiso is a port, and nothing else, and is full of English, Germans, and other foreigners. The bay, which is generally well filled with ships, is but a bad anchorage, as it is open to the north, and the water is deep. However, as the wind seldom blows from that quarter except in winter, vessels are tolerably secure. The prevaiUng wind is the sea-breeze, which, oddly enough, from the shape of the land, blows off shore, and rushes down the hills and through the streets with great violence. CHILIAN POLICE. 159 Hence the dust is all blown out of the town, and the ships in the harbour are often covered with it. Valparaiso is badly off for inns, but in these towns there are few people who require them. The houses are lightly built with frames of wood, filled up with bricks, this mode of structure being thought best adapted to resist earthquakes. One slight shock occurred whilst I was at Valparaiso; but I hardly felt it, and thought that it was only something passing in the street. The natives are much more sensitive of these visitations than strangers, and from the frequency of the shocks, the least movement makes them fully alive to the danger.* I found here an old schoolfellow, Ancram, in charge of the English hospital, from which, and the hUl behind, there is a fine view of the Andes, Aconcagua towering above all the rest. From Captain King's measurement in 1834, the height of this mountain was found to be upwards of 23,000 feet, far exceeding Chimborazo, long thought to be the highest in South America. Now Sorata and lUimani are both considered higher than Chimborazo but it is doubtful whether they overtop Aconcagua. The town of Valparaiso is clean, and kept in good order by the police, who, some mounted and some on foot, patrol the streets night and day. They are provided with whistles, with which they give signals to each other, when any sus- picious character passes, or when they require aid. The * If, in countries subject to earthquakes, the houses were built on the Norwegian plan, of pine logs morticed and pegged together, and the partition of the rooms and the floors morticed through the outside walls, I think they would be quite safe during any convulsion. Certainly no mere shaking of the ground would injure them in the least. 160 FEAT OF A SAILOR. horsemen are all furnished with lassos, and it becomes a most excellent weapon in their skilful hands. Our sailors are greatly puzzled by it, for when they go on shore and get tipsy, as they usually do, and offer to fight everybody, the policeman waits till they come froni among their com- rades, and then cooUy lassoes them and drags them off. In a late rebellion in Valparaiso an English sailor played a prominent part. The Insurgents had pointed a cannon, loaded with grape, down one of the principal thoroughfares, and were waiting for the opportunity to fire on a body of horse, which were expected to charge up the street, when Jack, getting it into his head that they were a set of lubbers, and did not know how to fire the gun, or were afraid, staggered up, and discharged it himself, just before the soldiers appeared. The grape rattled harmlessly down the street, and the soldiers coming up just afterwards, put the insurgents to the rout. The night watchmen are called Serenos, as, when they cry the hour, if the night is fine, as it usually is, they add, " Y sereno." Malefactors are worked on the roads, but there is also a penal settlement on the island of Juan Fernandez, well known as the place where Alexander Selkirk was wrecked. The group consists of two large islands, and one or two smaller ones. The main one is called " Mas a tierra," the other " Mas a fuera :" " More to the Shore," and " More Outside." Though the hiUs at the back of the town appear so barren and sterile, the valleys and gullies (quebradas), are fertile and full of trees. In these thickets, fuschias grow in large bushes, and bamboos are not uncommon. Although in so high a latitude, palm-trees grow in some places in great VALLEY OF QUILLOTA. 161 numbers. At the head of the Quebrada Verde is a rather noted waterfall ; but on visiting the spot, I found it nearly dry. In the rainy season it may be worth seeing, as the water falls from a great height. On my arrival at Valparaiso, I found the ' Inconstant ' already here. She had come round the Horn, and anchored in the harbour a few days before. Her chaplain, an old Etonian, came ashore, and we made an excursion to the re- nowned vaUey of QuiUota, a continuation of the valley of Aconcagua, well irrigated by a considerable river. It is about thirty miles from Valparaiso, a tedious ride in hot weather. Descending into the valley from one of the ridges, we saw the view to advantage, and it was certainly very fine. The valley is quite flat and well cultivated, the river winding through it from end to end. It is shut in at the head by the Cordilleras. The town is of large extent, for it appeared that every house had a garden, full of fruit-trees ; and peaches, apples, pears, figs, and oranges, were very abundant. Grapes are cultivated to a great extent; but the wine, called " chicha," is bad, and it seems that the natives take but little trouble with the vintage. The Chilian valleys being well irrigated, are excessively fertile, and Quillota supplies the port with most of its fruit and vegetables. A great deal of corn is grown on the high plains, which are now, from the quantity exported, the granary of Cali- fornia, and unremitting attention is paid to its cultivation. Channels to irrigate the land are often carried for miles along the hill-sides; no labour is spared, yet the produce is very cheap. I hear that corn has been sent from here to England. M 162 FESTIVITIES. The chief wealth of the country consists in its mineral productions, the sUver mines of Coquimbo having lately been peculiarly productive. A string of mules, each laden with four hundred pounds weight of silver, a bar of two hundred pounds on each side, is often seen coming in from the country ; and at the custom-house bars of silver are loaded into the carts, without guards, in a way that would astonish people in England. There are copper mines also at San Felipe, near Quillota, and silver-mines are common in the Cordilleras. The theatre in the Almendral is large, and at the time of my visit the acting was much superior to that at Val- paraiso. There was also a good company of Spanish dancers, who enlivened' us with the Cachucha, Boleras, and the Jota Arragonesa, in a superior style. One evening there was a grand masked ball, and the pit was boarded over for the occasion. The Samocueca appeared then to be the favourite dance. The ladies only were masked, and as we should not have known them had we seen their faces, the interest of the festivity, as far as we were con- cerned, was entirely lost, A grand ball was also given by the officers of the ' Asia,' on board their ship. A great number of invitations were issued for the shore, and it was attended by the President, and all the best families of Valparaiso. The poop and quarter-deck of the 'Asia' (an eighty-gun ship), were covered in like a lofty tent with flags, the chandelier in the middle being formed with bayonets. Dancing was kept up till a late hour. We all went on shore by detachments in the ' Asia's ' boats; but one gentleman, either overcome by wine, or FESTIVITIES. 163 exhausted by his exertions, fell asleep during his short voyage, and being overlooked when the boat went back, it was hatJed out to the booms, made fast, and left, and the sleeper was not discovered till late the next morning. M 2 CHAPTER XI. CALLAO — tIMA NATIVE COSTUMES PIZARBo's CROSS THE GREAT BELL BULL-FIGHT LAMAS PERUVIAN WATERING-PLACE INDIAN CEMETERIES— 'ANCIENT CIVILIZATION IDEA OF ENGLISH BEAUTr RELIGIOUS PROCESSIONS. I LEFT Valparaiso about the 1st of March, in H.M.S. ' Inconstant,' for Callao, and after a pleasant voyage of twelve days arrived in Callao Bay. The ' Inconstant,' a fine frigate of thirty-six guns, was commanded by Captain John Sheppard. I need not therefore add, that she was in the highest state of discipline, and first-rate order. She re- mained only one day at Callao, to take in water, and sailed for California a few hours after I landed. The harbour is considered one of the best on this coast ; but the others are so bad, that this is not saying much for it. The bay seems to exhale a disagreeable smell, particu- larly in the evening, when it is almost like that of bilgewater, and has the same effect on the white paint of a ship. Callao is a wretched town, full of ship-chandlers and grog-shops, and the dirty streets are crowded with sailors of all nations. CALLAO. 165 Being the seaport of Lima, which is only seven miles distant, and which is plainly visible from the anchorage, it has, of course, a good deal of trade ; but the principal mer- chants live in the capital. To the south-west of the bay is the steep island of San Lorenzo, so barren, sandy, and parched, that it looks like an African mountain brought from the shores of the NUe. The plain on which Lima stands appears nearly flat, though the city stands five hundred feet above the sea. The slope is quite gradual. The road from CaUao to Lima is of the most execrable description, and a disgrace to Peru, if anything can be. It was originally well laid out by the Spaniards, and was straight, broad, and weU-paved, the last three miles being edged with a dwarf wall, and planted with rows of trees overshadowing the footpath, where seats were placed at intervals, forming a fine approach to the City of Kings. Now the pavement is broken up, and the loose stones are lying about in heaps ; the wall is nearly destroyed, and the road is full of holes, and covered with a thick layer of dust. The trees alone remain; but some President — no one can tell when — bent on improvement, may cut them down. A few years ago there was a fine Alameda on the banks of the river, but the President cut it down and re- planted it, as he said, " with trees of a better sort," which will take a long time to come to any perfection. The authorities do not like to mend the roads, or lay out any money for improvements, as when they lay their accounts before the public, they become unpopular, and are not elected again. The consequence is, that though omnibuses run from the port to the city, each drawn by five horses, they nearly upset at every journey, and go pitching into the 166 LIMA. holes, and over the heaps of stones, Uke a ship in a heavy sea. The fare is two dollars, and it is three dollars to Cho- rUlos, a distance of nine miles. Lima is situated on the banks of the river Rimac, whence it derives its name, the Spaniards having mistaken the Indian designation of the stream. It is a fine rapid moun- tain torrent, crossed by a massive stone bridge, built as all other works of the old Spaniards were, to last for ever. It is said to have cost so much, that the home government sent to inquire whether it was built of gold or silver. The city has a fine appearance at a distance, both from its situa- tion at the foot of the rocky hUls, and the number of its fine' domes and towers. It does not improve, however, on a closer inspection, as many of the buildings are of adobie, or unbumt bricks (so-called from the Arabic word), and some of the ornaments and urns, where broken, show that they are only fremes of wicker-work covered with plaster. The streets are at right angles, but have few other pretensions to regularity. They look oriental, and put me much in mind of some of the streets in Grand Cairo, the houses having projecting windows of lattice-work as in the east. The buildings are flat-roofed, and some of the old ones, built by the Spanish grandees, are handsomely ornamenlied with carved stonework ; but Lima has declined fearfully from its former magnificence. Liberty seems to have ruined these countries, and of all governments that of a republic seems least adapted to them. They are always fighting and quarrelling, and the six republics, Buenos Ayres, ChUi, Peru, BoHvia, Ecuador, and Mexico, usually average more than a revolution amongst them every year, and are often the Scene of two at once.