American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-04-10

gne Yourself entering the harbor. On the lett,
barren and naked object, one huge, solid mass
of the everlasting rock, rears itself from the
bosom OF the waves, and looks down compla-
Gently on the stranger, whose keel almost dis
turbs the waters that lave his very base-thls is
the Sugar Loaf mount: while on the other
hand, at the foot, and precisely at the point
where two less noble peaks converge into one,
frowns the bristling bastions and storm bleached
turrets of the Fortress of Santa Cruz, against
whose rock-bound foundation the blasts and
tempests of the vast Atlantic have, for years,
been hurled in vain, the space intervening be-
tween the two points being less than mile.-
Speeding on few hundred yards, and crown
ing the crest of a little rocky isle, peers forth
another battery, Fort Lage by name, the COM
mandant of which does not, like the waIder of
Santa Cruz, demand your name, country, from
whence, etc, bot ciyily and silently suffers you
to proceed, which you accordingly do, until
nearly abreast of Fort Nllegagnon, beyond
which one cannot pass, until certain iormalities
have been complied with Those who do SO,
either from design or ignorance, are brought to
by the guns of the fortress. Imagine yourself,
therefore, at anchor.
The Bay of Rio de Janeiro is certainly be-
witchingly beautiful, partakng at the same
time of the impress of true grandeur, and
uniting in cireumscribed compass all those
minute and simple fragments Of lovelness,
which nature scatters with n careless and libe-
raj hand, whose unity is finished and perfect
picture; the vision embracing at single glance,
tiny slets that seem to sleep Oh the bosom OF
the lucid waters wooded mounts, along whose
sides cottage and villa peep forth from amid
gay and luxuriant foliage: rugged sleeps, bare
and desolate, or just relieved by patches OF
verdure where the sheltered soil struggles
bravely to fulfil its destiny; towering peaks
whose sumfaits the eye looks on but rarely;
tall ships and light canoes; grim visaged steam
ers darting through the parted waters, gaily
freighted with motley crowds; lusty rowcrs
propelling gondola shaped barges from side to
side, cheering their laboIs with spirit stirring
song; latteen sail boats cutting their way to
various points; hundreds, aye thousands Of
ships, with their bright pennons and streamers
flying in the breeze; the banner of Eng land as
it floats in the air, saluting the "pece of striped
bunting," waving from the mast of "hr-built
frigate;" the gay Ncapolitan and Austrian Ea-
gle lying side by side with the tli-color Of
France, castled Hamburger and Swedish Cross
almost embracing, all give animation and life
to this enchanting panorama; and bark! as the
harbinger of day peers from his ocean couch,
tingng the pinnacle of some proud mount,
around whose rugged sides, midway to earth,
the dense yapors in heavy masses cling, or
throws his cheering beams on others in more
tinted colors, the earthly thunderer from the
FortIesses hail his glad approach, the reverbe-
rations rushing along hundred heights creep
ing into caverns deep; echo answering echo
from thousand hills. Poets have nearly sur
felted US with descriptions of the delicious
sottness and dreamy beauty of the cline and
land of Italy; the hurin of the artist, the pain
ters magic skill, have been literally invoked
to inspire fresh cause for our wonder and ad-
m.ration. do most sincerely hope that some
one, of s'imagination all compact, some soul,
pregnant with celestial fire." will ere long
hither turn their thoughts; will make the pic
turesque beauties of this glorious land the SUBJ
ject and theme of their respective arts. They
would discover, joined to all that is beautiful,
all that ltalia's plains could boast of, much of
that nobler, imposing and startling scenery
that Switzerland presents combination that
Madame Nature may well be proud of--she
has stamped it with her noblest impress.
This fine bay is indented and penetrated at
so many points by the bold and abrupt projec-
ton of the chain of mountains, presenting such
an infinite variety of pleasing prospects from
commanding eminences, that it is difficult ia
determine to which particular view the palm
may be assigned the one from "Cobras,p OF
Snake Island, however, embraces more OF the
city than it is possible to see from any other
point, the upper part of the town from where
the island nearly abuts against it, running al
most at right angles with the lower portion
1t is, should Judge, from to miles in width,
and from to 10 miles in length, dotted with a
number of small islands, the largest one being
Cobras, (separated from the city by space oil
only $50 yards which is used by the Govern
ment as a depot for naval stores, munitions Of
war, ETC.; foreign vessels are not allowed to use
this channel, but the coasters may. The island
of Enxadas is second in size, and on it the Anne
rican Government have depository for naval
stores. The elsie de Ratios Rat lsand) lies
opposite the centre of the city, and is merely a
hugh pile of rocks, few feet above the water
which the men-of-war's men are wont to visl'
for the ostensibe purpose of washing and dry.
ing their clothes, though the entire surface OF II
bears incontestlble evidence that in other occu'
pations than in putting their togs in order
much of their time has been passed, scarcely a
square yard of it but what is covered with
names and devices of divers sorts and kinds
too numerous to attempt describing, and many
that wouldn't bear mentioning. The hghes
mountains that encrcle the Bay may be seel
to the northward, rearing their singularly SHARP
pointed peaks far up into the air, while to thu
Southwest, hanging apparently over the city
a continuous range shoot their conical head
above the clouds, each morn their summit
clothed in clouds and misty wreaths, and va
pors; nearer to the waters edge, forming ridg
of secondary character, lying another chain, o
various elevations, and ofopposite appearance
some ofthem cultivated and strewn with dwell
lings; othersmerely presenting to view tina brigh
and luxurious foliage of the country: fores
there is none. Upon an eminence, jutting int
the bay, near the lower part of the city, calle'
Castle Hill, there has been an Observator,
erected, than which there could scarcely hav
been chosen more fitting spot; the signal sta
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