queues, and, in a thousand other respects, are different from what they were an age ago; and the antique custom just alluded to, a relic of heathen superstition, without even the merit of classical embellishment to recommend it, may be well dispensed with, as it must often do harm, and cannot, in any possible instance, be productive of good.

In an age like the present, distinguished for the march of improvement, and replete with discovery and advancement in every department of human science and knowledge; when a single day produces results which years could not have formerly effected, it cannot be expected that the sailor alone should remain uninfluenced by the revolutions which every thing else in the moral universe is perpetually undergoing. The changes which have been wrought in his manners and customs, have been most unquestionably for the better.

In illustration of this remark, it may be here mentioned, that, during the passage from New-York, great attention had been paid to drill the men in the exercise of the great guns. Every day, when the weather would permit, these exercises were performed; and, once a week, all went to general quarters, when all the exercises and manoeuvring of a regular attack and defence were carried through with the same precision as if the frigate were engaged in a real action with an enemy. A division of one hundred and fifty men, at this time, also, were being drilled to the use of the musket; and they evinced a readiness in the acquisition of this new species of seamanship, not to have been expected, from the generally supposed repugnance, on the part of Jack Tar, to the use of small arms; or to the acquirement of any accomplishment which more properly appertains to the soldier.

It is not strange, that, in the olden time, when sailors were dragged by force into involuntary servitude on board ships-ofwar, and performed their allotted duties only at the point of the bayonet, that strong dislike should have been engendered against those who were mere tools in the hands of others, to enforce the observance of regulations to which they had never willingly subscribed. Shipping articles, in those days, were mere mockeries, and the marines were relied on to hold the sailors in bondage. It required time to smooth such asperities in the human breast, and hence, no doubt, arose the prejudice of the sailor to the life, char

acter, and profession of the soldier. On board of the Potomac, this animosity did not seem to exist; or, if it did exist, its influence was but weak, as sailor and marine appeared to mingle together in peace and good-will, as men who might be required mutually to stand by and support each other.

Nothing material occurred until the morning of Sunday, the sixteenth, when the exhilarating announcement of "Land, ho!" from the mast-head, produced a new excitement through every part of the ship. It proved to be Cape Frio, or Cold Cape, as it is called, which bore west-northwest, forty-five miles distant; and at six, P. M., the same cape bore north by east, twenty-five miles distant. This cape is in latitude 23° 30', longitude 42° 2′, about twenty leagues east of Rio Janeiro. The ship was hoven to, during the night, with her head to the south-and-east; the weather being cloudy, and the wind fresh. At about midnight, a vessel was seen to the eastward, but not near enough to be spoken.

In the morning, it was found that the current, which uniformly sets to the southward and westward along this part of the coast, together with a high sea, at this time heaving in the same direction, had borne the Potomac to the leeward of the entrance of the harbour of Rio Janeiro. While in the act of wearing ship, in the midst of a squall, Razor Island was discovered; and, immediately afterward, the breakers on Baga Island, while the thickness of the weather hid from view every other part of the coast. The instant these landmarks were recognised, the commodore ordered the ship brought upon the wind, on the starboard tack; and such confidence had he in her qualities to weather the island and enter the harbour, that he directed. the mainsail, jib, and spanker to be set, in addition to the singlereefed topsails and foresail. It was a moment of some anxiety; and the Potomac, by occasionally immerging the muzzles of her gun-deck guns in the water, gave evidence of the powerful exertions she was making; though a strong weather-bow current was running, together with a heavy head sea. Still, her wake was as straight, apparently, as a clipper's; and, in an hour, the island was weathered, and, with square yards, she was brought to her anchorage in fine style. The maritime community were not a little surprised to see a frigate enter the harbour on such a morning, and in a living gale of wind.

There were lying in the harbour at this time, his Britannic majesty's ship Dublin, a razee of fifty guns, thirty-two-pounders, Lord James Townsend in command; the Druid frigate, Captain Hamilton, and two sloops of war; a small Swedish frigate, and the French commodore, in a double banked frigate. Also, the Brazilian frigate Constitution, the only one in commission, bearing the broad pennant of Commodore Jewett.

From each of these vessels, officers were sent to the Potomac, offering to Commodore Downes, in the name of their commanders, such assistance as he might stand in need of. The Brazilian government, through an officer despatched to the proper authorities, immediately on the Potomac coming to anchor, congratulated the commodore on his safe arrival, and expressed their willingness to return the salute customary to be interchanged between nations at peace with each other. For the seventeen guns of the Potomac, nineteen were returned from the Brazilian fort. This was probably an error; if not, it was highly complimentary to our flag. Be this as it may, instances are not wanting, where the friendly feeling of these people has been made manifest towards the star-spangled banner of the United States. So far as our country had been represented at Rio by the lamented Tudor, the Brazilians could not be at a loss for a motive to pay the highest respect to our national flag. In the successor to this worthy man, we have been fortunate in having secured the services of the Honourable E. A. Brown, a ripe scholar, possessing every requisite qualification for usefulness in such a station.

Mr. Brown visited the Potomac during her stay at Rio, and was received with the salute usually given to the foreign representatives of our country. The hospitality of our consul, Mr. Wright, and of other American citizens resident in Rio, is gratefully recollected by the officers of the Potomac; and Mr. Brown, our chargé d'affaires, seems to have made many friends by his urbanity and gentlemanly deportment. With these, the house of the Messrs. Burkitts was often visited with pleasure, and added not a little to the enjoyment of our officers during their stay at Rio.

The United States ship Lexington, Master-commandant Duncan, had arrived at Rio some time before the Potomac, in sixtytwo days from Norfolk. Like the frigate, she had been disap

pointed in meeting with the northeast trades; and had, also, experienced much calm weather near the equator.

Our claims on the Brazilian government have been adjusted. These claims were founded on a "few mistakes” which had occurred during the late war with Buenos Ayres, when the blockading squadron of the La Plata had appropriated to their own use and behoof sundry vessels and cargoes, belonging to sundry good citizens of the United States, who were navigating the high seas upon "their lawful occasions."

The British government was at this time urging its claims to indemnity for spoliations upon her commerce, committed under similar circumstances with those upon our own vessels; but, it would appear, with less success. Both parties were evidently growing warm upon the subject, and, but a short time previously, the commander of the British squadron threatened that he would blockade the port, and make reprisals. Whether the threat was officially communicated to the Brazilian government or not, we do not pretend to know; but the fleet did get under way, and proceed off the harbour; and, after backing and filling for a day or two in a rather menacing manner, returned to its original anchorage.

There were those who were ready, of course, to indulge in a sarcastic smile at this manœuvre of Admiral Baker, which, it appears, had not the desired effect, if it had been done for that purpose. The Cortez was at this time in session; and the claims preferred by the British government seemed to give rise to much excitement between the two parties.

We have stated above, that our claims on the Brazilian government were adjusted; that is, the principle of settlement had been agreed on, though much in detail remained to be done.

C

CHAPTER III.

Harbour of Rio Janeiro and surrounding Scenery-Appearance of its entrance from the Offing-Its works of Defence-City of Rio, or St. Sebastian-Public Square, Façade, and Fountain-Public Buildings, Houses, and Shops-Paucity of Accommodations for Strangers-Climate, Food, and Health-Arcos de Carioco, or Grand Aqueduct Discovery and Settlement of Brazil-Injustice to the Natives -Origin of the African Slave Trade-Discovery and settlement of Rio JaneiroEmigration of the Royal Family-Their Return to Portugal-Civil Revolution in Brazil-Accession of Don Pedro-War with Buenos Ayres, terminated by an unpopular Treaty-Abdication of Don Pedro-Insurrectionary Symptoms-Clerical Abuses-Population of Rio-Condition of the Slaves-Natural Productions -Theatrical fête on board the Potomac.

HAD human agency been exercised in planning and constructing, for human use, the harbour of Rio Janeiro, it would be impossible to conceive a more felicitous result. It is a beautiful and capacious basin, imbosomed among elevated mountains, whose conical summits are reflected from the translucent surface of its quiet waters. The entrance is so narrow, and its granite barriers so bold, that it was, doubtless, often passed by early navigators, before it was suspected that such a retired and hidden inlet existed. To the aborigines of the country, it was known by a name corresponding to its character; for they called it "Hidden water," which, in their language, is expressed by the term Nithero-hy.

As this part of the Brazilian coast runs nearly east and west, the entrance of the harbour opens to the south, a few miles, of the tropic of Capricorn. It is defended by the Fort of Santa Cruz on the east, opposite to which are others of suitable strength, in vicinity of a high conical hill, called the "Sugarloaf," which some modern travellers have compared to the "leaning tower of Pisa."

The entrance to this celebrated estuary, when seen from the offing, presents the appearance of a gap, or chasm, in the high ridge of mountains which skirt this part of the coast; and which, doubtless, once dammed up the waters within, until their continually accumulating weight burst the adamantine barrier which