The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-04-14

ed, is Brazirs most important stronghold
"a perfect Gibralter in strength and mac
feasibility, and as picturesque as formid-
able. 1t was built in 1896, but has since
been greatly enlarged and strengthened. 1t
holds large garrison and is well armed
with modern cannon of the most approved
type. Standing at the foot of two rocky
peaks, it is further defended on the out
side beach by strong water battery,
while the summit above is capped by the
small but impregnable Forte de Pico The
only approach to the Pico fertilization is
through the Santa Cruz fortress below
and that, in turn, is assalable only by
water.
| Then there is the Fortaleza de Lage,
| built upon partially submerged rock near
the narrow entrance, the site of the first
attempted settlement in the "River of
January Its fertilization. constructed
about $40 years ago possesses no great
strength, but its position gives it great adj
vantage. In its dungeons, followed out
of the solid rock below sea level, prisoners
of State used to be incarcerated and grue-
some tales are told of how part of the
punishment consisted of letting the water
! in at regular intervals, when the wretched
prisoners were obliged to swim for their
lives, or drown like rats in a hole.
4 little fishing village, as primitive and
drowsy rs though the metropolis of Bra
I'll were hundreds. of miles away instead
of close at hand, occupies the shore of Jul
rujuba bay; and, following the coast line
i far as the eye can reach, are other villages,
forts, batteries, naval stations and splendid
government buildings many of the latter
constructed Of the beautiful white marble
from the nearby quarries of the MORO da
Gloria. The island of Villegagnon, which
lies almost in front of the entrance to the
bay, its quadrlateral fort protected by
water batteries, we'll armed with modern
guns, was the site of the first settlement of
Rio de Janeiro, in 1855.
After permission has been given by the
dutOCldlS u blC AtSUOIll lOI lltC
practique with the shore, the mails are
first disembarked, and then the steamer
proceeds to the upper anchorage, where
the passengers and their luggage are dis
charged. Customs officials are at once put
on board, who remain night and day at
their posts until the steamer is again ready
for sea. All baggage is sent directly to
the Custom House. near the Caes dos Min
eros, where passengers can claim it at any
| time between a. m. and 3 D. m. Nothing
can be passed on board without special per-
mission not even your hand bag or shawl
strap. 1t is a wise plan to pack the few
things needed for a day or two into a grip
sack and leave the trunks to their fate until
you are established in a hotel and equal
to engaging in the customary wrestlc at
the CaeS one should remember that
passports are required. both on entering
and leaving Brazil, and no steamship
! company is permitted to sell ticket to a
foreigner until his passport has been prop
orlv yisccd at the Central Police Station.
For that no charge is made, though The
passport cost a dollar at the Department
! of State in Washington, and another dol
lar for the oath before a notary that YOU
are not somebody cSe--a specimen Of
red tape, equal To that which cumpclS
needy females who are so fortunate as to
secure 4 50 k-ship in Uncle Samuel $
| Treasury, To make oath. land pay ion the
same,) that they have never borne aims
against the government. Recently Rio :
| police authorities have adopted regula-
ton requiring a consular wise before their
own, and this involves slight expense.
There is also ii port regulation which
forbds any communication with vessels
in the harbor after eight p. m. without a
special permit, Therefore, if you are UNI
acquainted with the Portuguese language
and have gone ashore merely for look
about town. you would better keep an eye
on your watch and not put faith in the
rosy lights that linger long on the noun
tain tops after the sun has disappeared
unless you want to spend some uncom-
Portable hours in prison and require the
services Of the L, s. Consul in the morn
ing; and meanwhile the ship may sail
away without you,
Passengers will find no difficulty in find
ing boats to take them ashore, for as soon
as steamer stops it is surrounded by
them like flies around a molasscs barrel
The Rio boatmcn drive a roaring trade at
all seasons and it is one of their humorous
practices to land passengers for modcr-
ate sum and then refuse to take them back
until the helpless travellers have in eff
feet transferred to them a chattel mort
gage of all the worldly goods of which
they stand at that moment possessed. The
boatmen have the best of it every time.
being in league with one another, especial
ly when their victims have acted as pas
sengers generally do and staid on shore
until the very last minute before the ship
is to sail. The common price, each way.
is two Thousand res though two pas-