Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-10-29
Letter from Esr:szEs.
Correspondence Of the Alexandra Gaz2t'c.
u. S. SUP GUARD,
Ram. no ToDnS Santos BRAZIL,

u. >, SLIP GUAlbI
| BAHIA DO TODOS SANTOS, BRAZIL,
September 81, 1851
Tbi1kinr that some Impressions OF Vlr
eiuian wandering in ds!an: parts Eight nave
some interest fol- The readers OF the Uaz9lte,
corplcd with the desire to see The fact stated
in print over my signature. "thst there is no
place like home" aud 30 home ike "Old VT-
einia," are my reasops FIR trcspassipg ca its
columns.
We arrived here Gu the Gtst l!s.aGt aod have
been siuoc lying out pretty we'll from the shore,
and about half mile outside The rest of the ship
ming in port, because some Of the vessels have
yellow fever 90 board. Use doth breed
habit in man." for where we first met elbow
Jack 10 Rio we feared aud regarded it ss the
"plaguo and pestilence,' mentioned 10 the
| Lltapy but as we lost only two men BY 1t at lilo,
and as it sadly incrleres with our commun!ca'
ton with shore. We have come to lock upon 1t
as bore, nuisance--or Inevitable Evil,
like Brazilian hard tack, only to be endured By
patience and philosophy.
The Bay of all Saints Is magnificent sheet
of water, large enough to contain ell the SAINTS
in half dozen calendars, and al the s!uncrs
afoat in the known world besides, which my
experience teaches me 10 think comprises every
body who follows the water, unless We may
except canal boat csplsios, long rcmarkabis as
class Of meu noted Tor pleiy and humanity.
A ridge of hills eco ject high, very bintl to-
wards the water, ru1s from Inc light house On
the point due west for about tea niles, thcDcc
tho coast line runs southeast te tie southern
light about twenty miles, aud between The Two
lights narrow island about fifteen miles long,
fences off the cc.an and tCrms .be bay. Va
TOD of The bluff, for The iis. mile and QUO bali
from the light house; aTe lie residences OF
foreign consul5 and wealthy Braz'Ilans. The
houses are light structures. tasteful ard orna.
mental, built mostly of wood. aud uncovered
10 groves CT mimoss palm aud orange. Between
this suburb aud the city is the cemetery, uoted
as the most beautiful in Brazil, aad really fax
moro Beautiful than any ever saw in the
States. Whether was tired of the wcaI:omc
monotopy of ocean and ooDh1ement ca ship
board, | caDnot say, but wondering in this
sweet and peaceful city Of the dead. l could
have easily reconcied myself to remain there
forever IN blessed rest.
Next came tic city proper, divided into up.
per and lower toWos. Communication between
which is maintained by c5uD!e OF very steep
roads, and number Of elevators From the
city to the light house DO houses arc built under
|
two miee the lower town is built along the base
of the bill, and o1 the water edge. The houses
arc built of stope or stucc,, are handsome, very
high aud close together The principle street
J is probably 50 feet wide, but q feet Is liberal
allowance for g crCS3 street.
Lowe. Bahia is the cirtcst town [ ever saw
or heard CT, except Cologne. People empty
all manner CT Stops out Of four aud five story
windows into tie narrow streets, where man
has 90 charce to ruD, evcu if he hears the fore
warning cry, "Garde rous, which means.
"msy tic Lord have mercy CD you.
The market is wretchedly dirty and Ill sup
piled. At this season not c7tn fruits are choice,
, cheap or abundant. Prices are high : Bacon
40 cents per h., ham 60, pork 30and 50. bec!-:
miserable becf-25 cts, eggs SOC per dozen,
butter CO., per TO-, and common Richmond tlaur
SIS per bb!. chickens out OF sight altogether,
aud flesh fish at prices which must make Lent
season Of pecuuiary, as we'll as carnal pen.
ance. 40 old lort-a dcmi lunottc-cov-
criug an islet 10 the bay il q picturesque
object, but did not visit it. The Custom
House is really fne building with a noble
portico built out into the Wcttr Of Tie bay
1t is 6ocr structure than any 10 Washington
except the Capitol-of course l speak Without
regard to SIZE The upper towE IS never very
much clcaucr and roomier-thc streets straight
and reasonably wide ard iDtcrscct squares,
} parks and public gardens every few blocks
The Cathedral is an imposing structure, COD.
taitiog some costly shrlGcs and plumbers oil
celebrated paintings; churches and caapes are
astonistiogy numerous; they were built aud
probably used 10 former age, the present 10
habtauts of Bahia regard them merely as or
nameotal mcmentocs Of the past. Population,
100 900 Europcans Of all ratiouslIljcs and
| M,
free and slave-abuodaDt. The ladies' here
as elsewhere, dress v5gantly, bus the pre-
domi oaion Of light coOred fabrics worn gives
the promenade tasteful, say aod cheerful ap'
pearance. Many If the fair promcnader9 are
very beautiful TIE rumbeTs Of them are
slightly tonched as to color. Upper Bahia is
pleasant city aud | shall long r,member the
pleasant s;roils have taken among her shaded
streets aud pretty parks, rendered dGutly beau
tiful by compar son 8ith the irksome c,UGoc-
mcnt on ship board. dou's propns" to con-
plain of it, but | may say with DR.. John
SOD that the difference between being 10
ship and in gaol is, thss 10 ship nao
may be drowned, wtic he ia safe 10 eaoI' "a
remark which meets my view OF the matter
exactly To day is The yernal equinox here
and it is oprresslVely hot-vary different IRON
September 10 Alexandra. We shall shortly
thence to Cuba, aud thence for HaDrton
Roads when W, wi! get orders to New York
and 90 out cf commission, IL. L. ". u.
The Friends.
Tie yearly meeting Of the Hcks'te Society
Of Friends commenced il B,liimcra yesterday.
The names Of the representatives from the
constituent quarterly meetugs Ut Baltimore,
| irfa Notf nh (inntrn
were called, nest OF whom responded 10 the
call.
Levi X. Browo, of Chester county, Pa, was
appointed clerk and Robert j. K ,5orts, Of Al
exandria, Va, assistant clerk for the ensuing
year.
ChakIey Giliogham spoke 4 few words Of
exhortation.
The question Of giviag assistance to Friends
Of Washington, D. c., 10 repairing their meet