The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-09-01
,co-"The City of the Reef,

ial correspondence Oh ne JOURNAL.
Els AMBUco, BRAZIL, July, '92. APP
ming Pernambuco from the open sea
.nmmer's day-and it is always sum-
.irle down here-you see nothing of
.,,ous City OF the Reef until close
If when it's tall houses and towers
zones and steeples seem to rise di-
j.. cut of the sparkling water, a very
..orpart of Venice. But once at an
- inside the massive wall of coral
which forms the mighty breakwater
.,t. of the most wonderful harbors in
oard, all resemblance to the silent
IT the Adriatic ceases, for this is
.,tflv commercial place, the most
.ss and progressive of any we have
,p il Brazil. 1t lies flat upon Il fer
.1liq enclosed within a semi-circular
t.ot low, green mountains, an arm OF
,rending down to the shore in
IDllllS ZIG HOl lIlcIu SIUuIIj Oh
wand has been appropriately named
tile Beautiful
.cfelt coral reef that faces the whole
5.fc vt Brazil, like Il very long and
o sand. has at Pernambuco the
.tntarance of a massive wall erect
I. -ne industry of man instead OF that
Kan, insects. being several yards wide,
m. regularly as masonry could make
ny five hundred feet from the shore
-he entire sea-front of the town, and
. three miles beyond, leaving the
inside Of it smooth as a duck pond.
..rance to the harbor is through
..l break in the reef, not more than
.mlred feet wide. which also forms
...urh of the river that runs through
middle of Pernambuco. Vessels OF
..--t1e hundred tons may readily en-
rr larger ones must remain i'll the
-g NO miles from land. The ships
.i4-ueu-u war. steamers and sailing
..s--ate drawn mp, according to port
I-iru. three OF four abreast i'll two
-.I ines. one line Just within the
/ t.t 1ther next the jetty, thus leav-
central space between them clear
a+ftl Near the surface OF the water
tri.us recife. (reef, is at least fifty
H. width: but being barely above
-a level at highest tide, brick wall
/. eu built upon part OF it, five feet
tpd rem feet wide. In this wall large
.rl have been sunk at regular inter
is p, which vessels may moor: and
4a,- the barrier the long, measured
+, # The ocean roll majestically and
,gs IN ceaseless clouds OF t1eecy foam.
.4 northern end of the rect are two
-au,rlS forts not more than half mile
.- rAeiI brick tops bristling with guns;
Il the other extremity below the town
|n5rheI fort. low light house, and IL
|mgesque group of buildings and round
ugs belonging to the revenue depart
Nd steamer slowly rounded the reef
erowd of lateen- sailed .jan9adas,
ng1ns and other local crafts that dot
len waves and block the narrow en-
..I5a~t the fierce forts and the White
HAT seemed to spring up out OF the
l. " We approached, and fell into the
Ships at anchor like an old soldier ON
eot battle. While waiting the arrival
nedlth boat, we have ample time
opportunity, from the vantage ground
horace SO near to the Hat lying city,
General idea OF its distinguishing
aitjes. We observe at a glance
4 u4ues greatly from any other Bra
b. tv, by no means so picturesque
Aia OF Rio de Janeiro, but with a
mere modern, prosperous and pro
9,ge air. Everywhere are traces of
lt Dutch occupancy i'll its earlier
+ So especially in the narrow crooked
irf t the central portion, with their
I be-, Of Flemish architecture and tall
+l19 houses. There are ugly, many
E1W mansions. built by Count Moritz,
}.,Ia and his followers, exactly like
+. he seen to-day in Holland, but
|oNn found in the tropics, where going
0ng flights of stairs is doubly labori-
+ ~ account of the heat. The whole
uem ii the city is a cemented cut
|4f wall, lined with qIays and wharves
tail ware houses. Beyond the town
'aeeHd are great groves of cocoa palms
~ Inc other. Olinda presents a rich
Nlie Of white towers, vermilion roofs
n emerald verdure. Everywhere are
aims and clumps of banana and tall BAN
Y ald night through the center of the
|Sl runs great river, the Beberibe,
>e't by many handsome bridges of
ut IRON and covered with small
which have brought dried beef from
hsentine Republic and dried fish from
'@ndland, and will take back cargoes
sugar.
jser acquaintance with Pernambuco
'7s as that its newer portion has wide,
street. lined with ediices like those
>ecS in the smaller cities of the Unit
A.'s and several public buildings that
aadelS OF beauty and good arrange
Tad would be creditable anywhere.
-le name Pernambuco one never
ltfe. The business part, facing the
"l DIS called 'fRpcif.' w hpt her from