Polynesian., 1844-09-21

~ hoAI VNtNS .
with apprehension for the fate of those strug-
CLING with the maddened foe, or congratu-
lates himself or his easy situation, then in
deed does the notes of fife and fiddle sound
strangely to the ear. At first as they swell
loudly and braveIy the heart leaps to the
sound. but quickly they die away, as gust
upon gust each iercer than the last, bear
down upon the ship and shrek and howl
through the strained cordage. Anon their
notes burst forth again, and storm and music
mlngle in startling dissonance, as if
"Mcn fought on earth
And fcnds in upper air
But habit soon deadcns the senses: and their
sounds fall upon ~listless ears, and sentiment
gives way to the more practical wish of bet
ter weather. However such was not our fate
as we approached Cape Horn. The gale stea-
Oily increased, and it was mid-winter, when
day lends but a few hours light. The ship
was going through the water at a fearful
rate. The Diego Ramirez Islands by our
reckoning lay directly ahead Of us and we
expected to make them early in the morning.
The ships course was altered to enable her
TO pass them to the southwark. Anxiety
prevailed on board however, for a slight err
ror in our calculations, a current. or any one
of the accidental contingencies to which all
ships are liable, might throw us upon their
rocky sides, and we were going with a rap
ldIty which would have demolished in a sec
ond the %stOutest work of man. Men were
kept in the tops and on the yard arms strain
ing their vision for land or ice. But nothing
could be seen. One of the lieutenants who
was asleep below, suddenly awoke and said
that he had dreamed we were running direct
ly upon the islands. SO strong was his
IMPRESSION, that he could not rest until
that had been carried to the officer of the
deck, and additional precautions (if such
then could be taken. 1t was near morning
which soon broke and there were the Islands
right under our bow and VIC rushing for them
at the rate of ten knots. An hours more
dark and there is but small possibility that
either the ''"'''t or her crew would have
been heard of again. The sam day we
passed in sight of Cape Horn, and on the
second day after, were to the eastward and
nothward of the Falklands, having run that
distance under a close reefcd main-tonsoiI
and in as heavy a sea as Cape Horn can cv-
er boast.
Twenty-ninc days and the light house of
Rio Janeiro is in sight--a quick passacc
and who can ~gainsay it. How rich is the
coast of Brazil 4! The luxuriance of yerc-
tatlon here holds its empire. 1t has not the
grandnre and roughncss of the rent cliffs
and volcanic outlines of Peru with the tow
ering snow-clad Andes cleaning in cold
splendor in the sunlight, with here and there
patches of green to vary the sccne-but all
is verdure. Far off, mountains rise to a hiph
elevation. On the sca-shorc the hills are
numerous and beautiful. The bay opens
with islands at its mouth and steep hills on
either side, the boldcst and most noted of
which is the bald peak of Corcovado, and the
range which from its shape has obtained the
sobriquct of Lord Hoods nose. Upwards
of one hundred islands stud the wide expanse
OF the noble bay which is eighty miles in cir
cumtcrancc. Strongly fortified castles and
batteries protect it from an invading hcct.-
Numerous villas line its shores, and steam.
boats and crafts of all nations arc plying
about its channels. In approaching the city
the numerous men Of war first make their