Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-09-15

l ~.
| Whilst almost every eye is turned to-
wards South America, nothing which re-
iafes TO that region can be Indifferent 10
AN American reader. Under that impress
sion. we give place 10 letter, with which
we have been favored, from an intelligent
American TO his intimate friend, dated
| RIO JANEIRo, FEB 4 1918.
We came to an anchor in this harbOr on
| Thursday last, 10Th ut. all in good health
| making Just eight weeks since we left Hamp
| ton Roads. About ten or fifteen DAYS after
we were out, IL came on to blow a gale, or
what should call a storm - The shot were all
| passed below, the guns housed. the top masts
| housed, that is, lowered, and all the top yards s.
| upper spars sent down upon deck And as
| the sea ran high, and the weather threatened
still worse. the ship was in all respects made
snug and laid to under storm stay sails, which,
comparatively speaking looked like so many
three cornered neckerchiefs hoisted to the
| breeze. The ship however sustained not the
least INJURY; and in the sailors phrase, is said
to he one of the finest d-bodts. that ever float
cd she rides over the tops of the lofty noun
| tain waves as buoyant and light as u cork. Ex
| cept the gale, we had light head winds, until
we entered the north easttrade winds, which
| furnished MS with steady easy breeze for two
or three days only. until we passed the Cape
| Verde Islands, but not in sight, when were
| bccalmed for ahont "A tortpiyht-we had the
J good fortune to reach the south east trades at
/ the equator and were most beautifully watt
| ed from theme here in about eleven days, at
| the rate of nine, ten. and NJ ore time, as much
! as at the rate of thirteen miles an honr. AT.
| ter having traverscd the East ocean without
| the sight OF any land, from the Chesapeake to
| this side OF the World, She high Fromontory of
| Cape Fris towards which, the vessel directed
her PROV, appeared in fnll view about an hour
| after it was predicted that il would become
| visible such was the great SIX i'll and accuracy
o! our navigat0rs.-O of about topr hundred
souls on board, there was not one sick abed
| and not more than half dozen compiainin.
| whenwe arrived here--There are HOW lying
| within the barber scar US, two British frigates
three Austrian ships of. war, a ~ and two
| smaller, besides many large vessels of the Por
| tugnese navy, and the Congress- for exactuess
| OF discipline, cleanliness aud elegance of sym
metry is the acknowledged superior and the
admiration of all.-Our stores of all kinds
have kept very well. and are yet abundant
| And our society on board is agreeable.
! This city is said to coutan upwards of one
hundred thousand souls. that is nearly double
| the number of inhabitants of Baltimore, yet
| II does not appear to cover more than half The
| space of ground. The streets are very mar.
| row, none of them wider than st. Paurs
| lane. Negroes are employed 10 clean them
| by sweeping the dirt together in small heaps
| which they take up in their hands ard
| throw IL into an old box or trencher, which
| is tOaled Oft on their heads, as seems 10 be the
| manner here in which those human beasts of
| burthen carry all sorts of loads.-'The houses
| have very uniform and poor aPpearance.-In
general they do not exceed Two stories high but
| L was IN the fonrth story of one, and on look
| ing ever those next ii, they seemed 10 have
little or no hack yards. They are all plaistered
| white on the out side, and are covered with
| red tiles. There are no cellars under any of
them, and the ground faOr is almost i'm all
| occupied as a store, work shop, or stable and
carriage house. The families, for there are
| frequently more than one in "A house reside
| IN the secoRd or upper stories, the front win
| dows of which open in the French manner
| into sort of balcony similar to some houses
you may notice in French town. Baltimore
| The streets are very level aud are paved with
the hard granite, OF which the mountains
| round about are principally formed and is
| similar IN texture to orr kirb stones.-There
are no side wax. and the large awkward car.
| riages, most commonly sort uf gig drawn hy
| two sorry mules, are srawn along at ia sliing
| rate utterly regardless OF every one on foot,
| who oblgeh somt times to spring into an
! open door for saiety.-It is said, that full two
| thirds OF the population OF tie city are ne.
| groes.
The day afterwe arrived, we landed al the
| Queens stairs which is a handsome slope from
the street to the water. built of large stone on
each side of which aud in front of the rnyai
| palace extendng about hundred yards is a
neat stoue wall, rising from the waters edge,
on the top OF which, next the street are stone
seats for public use. At one end of this wall
was large dung heap, and at the other, a
| great assemblage of negroes with canoes aud
| small boats on the beach, for there are 10
wharves about the city.-Near the stairs is a
| public fountain, supplied with good fresh wa
ter from the adjacent mountains 10y means of
| valuable aqueduct. From this place of land
| ing entered Immediately into the royal
| square, at the opposite side of which is the
| royal ch2pel.--Iwo of the best and busiest
| streets i'll the city cross this square, 30 that
| the stranger after leaving his boat and losing
| sight of the noisy troop OF boat negroes on
| the one hand. and the dung heap on tile other
| is immediately presented with all the grandeur
| OF his most faithful majesty mt once--A mo-
| march who has valuable d0miDions in each of
| tile four qua terS OF the globe.-i wish could
| convey To you just picture of this scene, pre-.
| clsely as il presented itself before me.
| The royal square is about the size of Wash
| ington square next the water is Il range of
| pillars, intended 10 represent an ancient por.
| tco, and pillar in the middle There are TEN.
| poraTy erections OF boards and canvas paint
| ed over, to make a show at the corouation
| which was celebrated on Friday, the 9th inst.
| In from, and on one side, making nearly two
| sides of the square, is the Royal Palace avery
| ugly twO-steTy building. piaisteIed on the out.
/ side white, and covered with tile. Near the
! palace and in the vestiOules Of lis entrances a
| number of soldiers were stationed as guards
Ona plank, near the range of pillars, was stout
| white man, stretched at full length, res;inr
| HIMSELF without any thing on hut his breaches
| There passed along from the fountain about
| dozen bali naked negroes, fastened together
| by AN iron chain and collar each one with a
| ksg of water Oh his head and half dozen o.
! thets, not so fastened, bawliDg as lOud as thew
could, harsh cheering song, as they dragged
| along hogSbead on sort of dray, of four
| wheels. Immediately across the foydl square
| is the royal chapel: twas open, aud the priests
| we were told, were engaged in saving mass tor
| the soul of the late Protestant Princess Char.
| Iotte OF England. This building has neat ex-
| terror, and the interior is in the same shape
| though not ia the same order of architecture
| as tina. of the chapel OF ST. Mary's Seminary
| On each side there are inches in the wall i'm
| which are placed ill-proportioned and small
| wsNen images OF some saint, or member OF the
royal iamily-and at the far end, is large ard
| very good picture of the preseUt king with bis
| wife and late mother. and fhe youu1 nriuco