Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-07-01

| SOuLu vi tuc Iqudtoi, SV NheA' ~" So"'oH
| seems we'll to the northward OF US.
l had heard much of tropical sunrises
and sunsets, aud expected to see unusual
richness OF sun painting, but had not con.
ceived a 1.-THE of their real beauty and grand
eur. Every night the great golden orb
went down into the sea behind riffs of flee
cy clouds that extended around the whole
horizon, and which were all tinged by bt ans
that passed through almost every gradation
of color. Such floods of golden, such depths
of crimson, such softness Of purple light, l
never before saw approached, and they
seemed to be refe, ted over sky, air and sea.
And then. when these had died out and the
moon came up and shimmered the rolling
waves with her bright beams, and caused
the great white wings of our ship to loom up
in all their immensely, and the cordage to
be reflected upon the hghtened deck, and
when the band was playing some beautiful
air, and the songs and jollity Of the men
came back 10 the quarterback where could
stand and take in all of sight and OF sound
lit was all wondroasly beautiful and en-
joyable.
All day yesterday we made our was west
ward and along the coast f,om Cape frio'
meeting many steamers and sailing vessels
coming out from the much frequented port
OF Rio. Many islands lined The coast,
against whose rocky bases we could see the
white waves breaking. Beyond, a noun
tam range ran parallel with the coast, lift
ing its peaks to the clouds, although its
elevation is not great, the highest mountain
in Brazil being but 5000 feet high. To.
wards the middle of the afternoon we saw
the twin islands OF Pia and Mia, Pa and
| MAJ aud farther out those of Raza and Ro-
donda, off the entrance of the Bay of Rio,
and also the two sugar loaf hills which lift
themselves up 1000 feet aud form the walls
of entrance AS night cl, sed down we
could even note the ghts of the city, though
we were still some distance outside. But
we had fine wind and went bowling III
past For, Santa Cruz, from whose massive
walls came hail to US through a long tin
horn, that made a sonorous but uninlelligi-
BILE sound. Our answer could not be un-
derstooa. but it filed the requirements of
Brazilian forms, and blue light communi-
Gated to another fort opposite the city the
fact of vessels arrival We lost our wind
before we had passed "Sugar Loaf but the
tide took us rapidly into the harbor. AS
we drifed in past the protecting wall OF
"Sugar Loaf, the vast array Of lights of The
city. stretching in long lines about the
curves and angles of the western side of the
Bay. and speeding over the half a dozen
hills. on and between which the city is built,
presented very beautiful sight.
The Bay of Rio is perhaps the finest in
the world. 1t is shut in all around by hills
and mountains, whose peculiar conical
peaks OF graz granite give them very pic
turesque appearance, while the luxuriant
tropical verdure of thin slopes add much to
their beauty. The Bay is ten or twelve
miles long by some five or six broad, and
is dotted over with islands, many Of which
are fortified or built upon and utilized in
some way. There is plenty of water and
good anchorage ground everywhere, and all
the nayies of the world could find in it plen-
tv of room and the quieest of mooring.
Just now the whole fleet of the Brazilians.
released from active service by the death of
! Lopez and The submission OF Paraguay, is
! living in the har or, an with the many ira
ding vessels, gives n lively aspect TO the Bay.
| Ferry boats. similar III sly to those on our
eastern rivers, plying rapidly back and forth
! between RIO ant towns on the opposite sife
| of the Bay, bring home-scehes as torcibly to
mind as anything have met abroad.
| MAY l6th.-l have been ashore several
times and have seen all OF the city that op-
porlunity offers. 1t is vast place, con-
tainins over half million of people, Of all
races and colors. Brazil for century or
two Portuguese colony, became the refuge
of its king and court when Napoleon over
ran the Peninsular. From 1903 until 1920,
the court remained in Brazil, when revo
luton in Portugal caused the king to pro-
ceed 10 Lisbon, leaving his son as regent of
Brazil. The next year, at the wish o. the
Braziians and by consent Of bis father Don
Pedro was proclaimed Emperor of Brazil.
and separation from Portugai took place.
Don Pedro was, however, delhroned, and
his son, the present Emperor, succeeded to
the crown al the age oil Is years. He has
reigned with much popularity since lS4l.
He is SAID to be an enlightened and liberal
sovereign, and lends hmsef TO every effort
tor the turlherance of education and mate
rial prosperity among the people. O'e of
the largest States in the W rid, being about
2650 miles east ard ives. and 2540 miles
north and south, Brazil is very rich in min
era and agricultural resources, and should
develop into ore of the most powerful en-
pires of the world. Its climate however. is
enervating. and slavery exists as an addi-
tional incubus, and its development is not
rapid. The blacks and mixed races un-
doubtedly compose one-half of the popula
ton of Rio-alhough the constant influx of
emigranls from all the States of Europe is
gradually giving the preponderance to the
| IN
lonal customs or costumes, and save the
preponderauce of dark skins the crowd in
the streets differs little IRON that in any cap
ital city of Europe. In respect to dress and
manners steam and free intercommunica-
ton are fast making all the world akin.
The streets of Rio resemble those Of the
Old World in being quite narrow and crook
! ed. The houses, however, are generally
low seldom more than two stories. Some
of the stores are tast, fully arranged, and
well filled with goo 5, but the prices OF eve
ry,hiug are enornous-lhe effect Of war
and consequent high taxes. The religion
is Catholic, although all other worship is
| tolerated. The churches have nothing no.
ticeable, and one misses all those points OF
historical interest whit, h make up the charin
of the cities of the Old World.
The 81 ecal attraction of the country is in
its arboriai and floral wealth. OF palms
there are said to be hundred varieties and
know nothing that can exceed in beaniy
and majesty some avenues Of Royal Palms
in the Botanical Garden. They have solid,
smooth, ,ape.ng trunks, showing a con'in.
nous succession OF rings ono ahove another,
extending up perhaps 100 feet without leaf
or branch save at the top where they put
cut spreading mass of great penniorm
leaves. GRAY in color. these trunks look
like great granite pillars, and the effect IN
the long avenues is very fine. L g Bam-
boo is found in the densest masses and
reaches up to very great height. Trees
of many varieties, of whose names | have
no knowledge spread their immense branch,
es everywhere, vast masses OF MOSES and
parasitic vines depending in great festoons
| from their limbs. To make your way 'hro'
wood seems impossible, SO rank and thick
and matted is the growth Of trees and bush
| es, and nowhere else, perhaps, can the veg
| ctative power be seen in more imposing
| forms. OF flowers there is an endless varl-
ETY., for everything bears them, from the
tiniest shrub to the largest tree. They nre
everywhere in wonderful masses OF the rich
est coloring.
But cannot write you farther. To-mor-
row we leave here for Bahia, where we do
/