Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-09-10
EXTRACT FROM A LETTER.
RIO JANEIRO, Brazil, June Is, 1919


RIO JANEIRO, BRAZIL, June IS, IS49
When was about taking my departure from
the glorious old Union NOW rendered doubly dear
by the distance between me and it) wrote you
letter from the Balize, on the 18th OF April, al.
hour or two before our noble old ship, the AL
hambra, was launched upon the dark blue sea-
| will not attempt to give you minute de-
scrlptlon OF my voyage from New Orleans to
this place, for two reasons In the first place,
such description would neither be interesting
or edilylng on account of the monotony of the
scenery and incidents that occur at sea; and in
the next place. the contracted limits of a single
letter do not allow any thing more than very
cursory and superficial account of it.
In order that you may take map and trace
the route we came, will give you our general
direction, together with our latitude and ongi-
tude at different times and places.
Our bearing from the mouth Of the Mississippi
to Cape Florida was southeast. After rounding
this Cape and passing the Florida reefs, we en-
tered the gulf stream, bearing generally to the
northeast, until we reached latitude $40 North,
and longitude $40 West of Greenwich, leaving
the Bermuda islands on our right.
We were i'll the neiehborhood Of these islands
about the last OF April. From this point our gen.
era bearing to the Eqninoctcal line was south
east. We crossed the I'ropic Of Cancer about
the middle of May, i'll longitude about 2So and
wich, passing in our course near the. coast of
Africa, the Canary and Cape de Verde islands
Being becalrned several days while in lat. SO
| OR 50 North OF the line, we were unable to cross
it until the last of May. From this point to the
city our general bearing has been southwest. |
will now only add that in regard to the voyage
that we have had a remarkably pleasant passage
and that we arrived here en- The 18th of this
month, having been out 4,fays, which is some
To N.,,.,
and New Orleans to this place.
wish had descriptive power sufficient to-
give you correct and vivid sketch Of the mag
nlficent scenery presented to the view while en-
terlng this capacious and beautiful harbor. Tho
mountain scenery outside of and on the sides of
the entrance into the harbor, together with that
within and around about the city is beautiful,
| picturesque, grand, sublime and magnificent be-
You'd description. | have thought, while gaz-
ing in admiration upon the scenery, that would
/ endeavor to describe it when | wrote home; but
whenever Iattempt it drop the pen in despair
| Language is inadequate to the task The expe-
rienced artist, with his pencil, would hardly DO
able to furnish correct representation OF it up
| on canvas. The entrance to the harbor is by
narrow pass between the mountains, well forth
fled.
The forts are excavations in the solid rock hav-
I ing holes along the side, through which cannops
project and point towards the shipping as it pass
es. These notifications are very numerous and
OF such a character as to render it almost impos-
slble tor a foreign enemy to get inside OF the
pass. After passing these Notifications YOU en-
ter of the most magnifioentof harbors, large
enough to contain the united navies OF the world.
The commerce of this place is immense. For
miles along the beach, in front OF the city, you
may behold vessels of every description from
every country, and might safely say from al
most every port in the world. felt proud to see
and know that among the vessels, many, very
many, were from the United States, having at
their mast heads the stars and stripes waving to
the breeze. This is one Of the greatest coffee
mapts in the universe. There is large portion
of the city occupied by large establishments,
confined exclusively to the coffee trade. Instead
of having drays to carry their coffee about as we
do in our cities, they make the negroes carry it
about on their heads. This mode Of conveyance
is not confined to coffee alone, but it is the come
mon way OF Juggling everything about the city
The streets are very narrow, many OF them be-
| ing barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass.
| There are, however, several wide streets, and
| large public squares These squares are or at
| least, many of them, are used as vegetable and
fruit markets In these markets may be found
although it is now winter here) every variety Of
fruits, vegetables and melons never saw Or
anges in such abundance amy where else They
| are much tresher than those you see in thu
States and much cheaper, the price being rs cts
! per hundred.
| The fish market, are the finest l ever saw,
consisting of every variety that had seen be-
\ fore, together with several species that had
never seen The beef and poultry markets ara
also good. In short, you can find every thing
in this market that is to be found in the marketa
of our cities, together with many articles COM
| mon to the Tropics only. Monkeys, for in
stance, are sold in the market and considered
| by the natives great delicacy.
There are many fine hotels in the city, some
OF which are kept by persons who can speak e.
nough English to understand what you want
There are also some Mercantile establishments,
| kept by Americans, who have been and are now
making great deal Of money out Of the Cali
fornia enligrants.
| have seen little or no drunkenness among
the native population; and am sorry to say that
most of the fights and disturbances that | have
seen here has been among the California emf
grants. There are a great many of these emf
grants here, and believe that nearly every ves-
| sci bound for California from the United States
has had some difficulty with IT'S passengers be-
fore they left. I was in hopes that we should
get OFF without similar stain, but have been
disappointed. Yesterday evenings or OF our
passengers got into street fight and We're soon
marched of to the guard house, by negro Off
GERS, flor you must know that their standing ar
my and police officers are generally free me-
eroes) they, however, were soon liberated thro'
the fundamentally Of their friends.
TWO DAYS LATER FROM EUROPEs
The steamer Washington arrived at New York
at a late hour on Monday night, from Southamp~
ton, whence she sailed on the goth, two days
,fta {7.,1, No f,l- tbn fol