Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-09-15
"A Your IN South America.
PROM THE FRANKLIN GAZETTE

sketcn oil TIE Journey across the continent of
South America, by citizen OF the u. States,
has induced me To send YOU an account OF Rio
Janeiro, and Bueros Ayres from the same
source, for publication. To the tray eiler 4
make no apology for the Injustice am DONG
sini by sending these scraps into the world.
lie has at all tunes IN his power to redeem his
reputation from any injury ii may thereby
sustain. lie can easily gather mp and arrange
the ample materials he has collected. and
give them to his countrymen, in form wor
lily ut their character, and his ambition |
repeat, that wish 10 tempt to him the per
torrance OF an act OF public duty.
embarked At ---- in the month Of
= on board tie ship ----- for RioJaueiro.
A fresh north west wind soon carried, ms out of
sight OF land. Nothing particular occurred
during our passage until the 18th November
when we observed in deg % min. Sonth lati
tude, and although our captain sed him
self IN ~. 56 West ions,tude we had some rea
son TO fear has calculation was incorrect and
that we had fallen 10 leeward Of Cape Sante
Rogue. There was neither Sextamt nor chro
nomcter Oh bOaid TO ascertain correctly the
longitude, and no confidence Can be placed i'm
a dead reckoning during so long "A yo,are:
sometimes lying too III heavy gales of wind and
sometimes baified by Gains. L., The after
noon, the mate, who was at the mast head
discovered land and the LONG range of break
ers which extend along the coast of Santo
Rogue. Our ship was not coppered, and being a
uuii sailer we all dcspaired of weatherin. the
Cape. Ships that fall TO leeward. are rcnerni.
~ obliged To bear away TO the West Indies.
we "e'eimiheu, however, 10 attempt to beat
round and had made but little progress durin,
the night, when early in the morning we dis
covered three or four large lattine sails risintr
from the sea. As we approached they proved
lie Tafts on winch tie natives of this coast
venture cut 10 fish. They endeayored ia avoid
MS, but at length we haii. Il one of them andbv
entieaties and threats, prevailed anon the fish
ermaa 10 cOIse on board. He told us thar they
had ibeen SO frequently pIuudered of their fish.
that they avoided the vessels which passed
We induced them to pilot us around the Cane
,which ne declared 10 be practicable; his raft
was also hoisted on board. 1t consisted of 40
ven logs OF Palmetto bound aud trupneI!cd TO-
geiher. A small scatioldiny is erected on ono
extremity tor the man TO sit on. He steers with
al oar, IA iattime sail is fixed to a low mast: a
board thrust between the middle logs answers
Ter a lee board, and thus equipped these Jonna
das beat to ,rindward faster than any vessel I
have ever seen. Our pilot carried the shin
close in shore where IL counter current SET ms
to the East, and by making short tacks we
beat mp to Pernambuco in eight DAYS. He
could not give any correct account ofthe peri
Ods or continuance of the currents, but inform
ed us that the east flow had set i'm about fouI
teen days before. We dismissed orr niIot off,
Pernambuco and stood out to sea.
The coast along which we passed, lies very
low and the white sand is seen like linen laid
out To bleach i'll the sun. After doubling Cane
irlo at p. IN. the ship was put under easy sail.
Out tie current here sets so strongly 10 the
southwark, that in mailing in for the land in the
morning. we found 10 our great modification.
that we were to the leewara the Port Pin do
Janero. The coast is in tl,i, part hold and
rocky, aud several small islands lie TO the lee
ward OF she port. After beating two day,
without gaining any thing, we resolved to 70
between the islands and The shore, i'm the hone
OF hnuinS counter current, setting north We
ran IN towards evening and anchored On The
ensuing morning, we found the current close
TO Tue shore setting toward the port; and AT
10 d. m we entered through narrow passage
into one of the finest basins in the world On
the south side of the entrance there is a very
htS" rock IN the form Of sugar loaf by which
Tie port OF Rio de Janero may be known AZ a
very srear distance. On entering the basin,
tue Town OF kio Is seen on the south extended
over low flat, and almost surrounded Inv hills
a range OF mountains rises above these. and
skirts the whole of the basin, which is studded
WIN beautiful islands. On the north, hills
.osertu win Tue NEST lnXuriant vegetation,
rise abruptly from the water, aud The LOFTY
palms and dark foliage of the tropical plants
give peculiar grandeur to this scene After
I've usual custom house visits and examination
oI passports, landed at the stairs in front of
the palace, formerly the residence of the Vice
Roy, and now inhabited by the ROYAL family
Inc prince was leaning out of the window
amusing himself with looking at the sbps thar
e"ieied, ana AT the strangers who landed The
palace is large square building of very b.avv
architecture there is an open space i'm front
OF II, winch Is the resort of the inhabitants in
the afternoon. Nextto it stands magnificent
chapel, and there are several private honses ON
me square. Inc streets are narrow, and near
the water the houses are built near toms
ther. The shops are neatly Ornamented and
there Is a great appearance of business. The
streets more retired, are generally composed
OF low small houses with gardens annexed TO
them but some large handsome buildings are
nterspersed. One of these streets is occnnied
entirely by siIversmiths and jewellers WIN
make great display of the precious stones or
The Brazlls, such as topaZes, amethysts. and
town is hilly, some houses are scattered ire
gnlariy over the hills. The police is very bad
and the notwithstanding objects are coutinuaIIy
presented to the eye, the streets swarm viIh
blacks, who from neglect are prey to all the
diseases OF a tropical climate. Leprosv. lien
ma and Elephantiasis are common disorders
among Them. When they first come out of the
depot, where they are kept and sold and wi,ere
tney contract every contagious disorder, these
victims Of barbarity present most reyolting
spectacle Of filth and small pox. and sweit.3
limbs. The treatment of this unfortunate race
throughout tile BraZiS, is inconceiyably bar
barous, and constantly intrudes itself upon the
stranger, whose indignation and compassion
are alternately excited at every step. Oar
minister, MIR. Sumpter, of South Carolina. re.
Slded IN the country, not being able TO procure
house In town. Upon his arrival at Rio Gle
Janeiro, lie was requested by the minister of
foreign relations to make choice Of one. The
minister iptiaated that lie might select anv
that was not occupied by European, for thai
the prince had adopted the plan of turning tie
Brazilian families out of their houses, in order
to accommodate the Portuguese mobiles aJd
the foreign ministers. MIR. Sumpter very pro.
perry declined this extraordinary offer, and re.
tired INTO the country until he could procure
a habitatloD IN a less despotc manner Exceut
the Pope'S nuncio, lac was the only minister
who had not prOfitted by this summary mode
ct lodging themselves conveniently. [ found
the uuncio living in small house, and was in
formed by this respectable old man that upon
lns arrival, a house was preparing tor his ,e-
ceptiOn, but on going TO see il he found lis in.
habitdnts IN deep affiiclion. He concluded
INT iIIeN md LOST Snime dear relatinn nnL IN