RIO DE JANEIRO, an important province of Brazil, is bounded on the north by Espiritu Santo, from which it is separated by the river Capabuan, and by Minas Geraes, from which it is divided by the rivers Preto and Paraiba, and in part by the Serra da Manliqueira; on the west it borders on San Paulo; and the Atlantic Ocean washes it on the south ar.d east. It embraces half of the old capitania of St Vincente, together with a part of territory which formerly belonged to Espiritu Santo. Its length from east to west is estimated at sixty leagues; and its medium breadth is about twenty-three leagues. This province is distinguished for its romantic beauty and great fertility, notwithstanding its being very mountainous. From south-west to north-east runs the Serra dos Orgoas, or Organ Mountains and this chain divides it into two nearly equal portions: the northern half is called Serra Accina, or Mountains Above;
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the southern, Beira-Mar, or Sea-coast. These again are subdivided, the former into the districts of Paraiba Nova and Canto Gallo, the latter into Rio Janeiro, Bha Grande, Cape Frio, and Goytacazes. The Organ Mountains derive their extraordinary appellation from the appearance of their pyramidal heads of granite, which bristle up along the horizon, and bear a fanciful resemblance to organ-pipes in a vast cathedral. The whole province is well watered by a number of streams, the most considerable being the Paraiha. This river originates in a small lake in the southern part of the Serra da Bocania, a continuation of the Organ Mountains. It flows first into the province of San Paulo; but after a long and winding course it re-enters the province in which it rose, and disembogues in its eastern part. The Rio de Janeiro is a misnomer, from De Sousa, the discoverer of this part of the country, having mistaken the salt bay or gulf, so called, for the mouth of a river. Many streams discharge themselves into this bay towards its upper end, several of them being navigable to some distance. Among these may be mentioned the Iraja, which issues from a small lake, and affords navigation with the tide to its port of the same name; the Miriti, which traverses a marshy country, but whose banks have a very rich soil, and produce abundance of sugar, milho, and mandioc; the Iguassu, which is navigable for four leagues, and has for a tributary the Iguare, a stream affording navigation for a mile to the port of the same name; the Maraby, which flows from the Serra of Boavista, and is navigable to the port of Couto 1 three leagues above its mouth; the Inhumirim, a fine river, the banks of which, as well as those of its confluents, are well cultivated; it is navigable for three leagues to the flourishing port of Estrella; the Igu-apezu or Macacu, one of the largest streams which fall into the bay, being navigable for fifteen leagues, during which it receives several tributaries from the mountains; the Suruhy, Mageassu, and Iguapimirim, which descend from the mountains. These and several other streams fall into the bay of Rio, and by their means different parts of the country to the northward of the capital may be visited with considerable facility. Near the right bank of the river Igua-pimirim is the parish of Ajuda, the soil of which is remarkably productive, and is planted with mandioc, rice, and coffee. Towns are in general situated on the banks of these streams, forming ports from which the products of the surrounding territory are embarked for the capital, the grand emporium of commerce. Lakes are very numerous in the province of Rio; the most remarkable are the Ja-caré-Pagua, and the Roderigo de Freytas.

The principal bays by which the coast is indented are the bay of Rio de Janeiro, and Augra dos Reys or King’s Bay. The bay of Rio is stated to be no less than thirty-two miles in circumference, and on its shores are numerous smaller inlets, which may be termed sub-bays. All travellers agree in praising the surpassing grandeur and beauty of this majestic inlet of the sea. “Nothing that I have ever seen,” says Mrs Graham, “is comparable in beauty to this bay. Naples, the Frith of Forth, Bombay Harbour, and Trincomalee, each of which I thought perfect in its beauty, all must yield to this, which surpasses each in its different way.” This capacious basin is embosomed among elevated mountains, having conically shaped summits, and, being well wooded, are of romantic and picturesque beauty. Some of these advance a considerable distance into the bay, whilst others retire as far inland, leaving between them deep recesses and glens. The entrance of the bay is narrow, being only three quarters of a mile in breadth; and its granite barriers are so bold, causing it to resemble a gap or chasm in the mountain ridge, that, doubtless, it was often passed by early navigators without their apprehending the existence of such an immense salt-water lake within. Being completely land-locked, and protected from gales on every side, it is perfectly secure, even for boats, at all seasons of the year; from which circumstance, as well as from many other advantages which it possesses, it has been pronounced the finest harbour in the world. It is so well defended by strong forts that it seems completely closed against a hostile force. The bay is studded with about a hundred islands, on many of which are forts. That of Ilha dos Cobras, or Snake Island, is of great strength, and constitutes one of the most commanding points for the defence of the city. In short, the Brazilians and early subjugators of the country have carefully availed themselves of every advantage-presented by nature for rendering their capital unassailable by a maritime force. On either side the shores of the bay, lined at the water’s edge with cottages and hamlets of fishermen, sweep widely round; while behind, hills in the richest state of cultivation, studded with farm-houses and villas, and crowned with churches and monasteries, all of purest white, rise abruptly on every side, till, a few miles inland, they terminate in the bold, beautiful, and picturesque ranges of the Organ Mountains.

With the exception of the capital, there are few places in the province of Rio which require particular notice. Canto Gallo is the capital of a district of amazing fertility, and carries on considerable trade with Rio in the productions of the soil. Porto d’Estrella and Mage are the names of other towns which also carry on a great deal of traffic with the capital. The productions of this province comprise almost every thing for which Brazil is celebrated; diamonds and precious stones, sugar, coffee, cotton, and, in short, all fruits peculiar to the tropics, are here produced in the richest abundance, and of the most excellent quality.

City of Rio. The city of St Sebastian, now universally called Rio de Janeiro, the capital of the Brazilian empire, is situated on the south-western side of the bay or harbour just described, about four miles from its entrance. It occupies the north-east part of a tongue of land of an irregularly quadrangular shape, and extending on an inclined plane, a short distance into the bay. The town itself, which also exhibits the form of a parallelogram, and rises between four fortified eminences, which flank it at each corner, presents a north-east aspect of the bay, whose waters wash three sides of the square promontory on which it stands. The site selected for their town by the early settlers is considered the best that could have been chosen, out of many excellent ones that everywhere present themselves. The most easterly point is the Punta do Calabouço; the most northerly is the Armazem do Sal, opposite to which is the small island of Ilha das Cobras. The most ancient and important part of the city is built between these two points along the shore, lying from north-west to south-east; and a beautiful quay, constructed of solid blocks of chiselled granite, forms an elegant façade to it. The houses of Rio are neatly and substantially built, generally of granite, and two stories high, with little wooden balconies in front, the windows and doors being cased with hewn blocks of this stone, which the quarries at the end of every street supply in abundance, and of the finest quality. The lower stories are commonly occupied by shops and warehouses, and the upper ones by the family apartments. The whole town is disposed in squares, the streets crossing each other at right angles, and, although narrow, they are well paved, and lined at each side by flagged trottoirs. The style of architecture of the old town is in general mean, resembling that of the old part of Lisbon; but the new town is in a much more handsome style. Although this town has always ranked as the most important in Brazil, or as second only to Bahia at the time when the latter was the seat of government; yet it was only after the imperial residence and the court were fixed here that it assumed the character of a European city. Great improvements took place after that event. The new town has almost wholly sprung up
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since it occurred. This part of Rio is connected with the south-western quarter, or Bairro de Mato-porcos, by the bridge of St Diogo, thrown over a salt-water inlet. Between the old and new town is situated a large plain, nearly surrounded by an amphitheatre of mountains, clothed at their bases with the richest verdure, and terminating by belts of forest-trees of immense growth, and of every variety. One of these elevations is called the Corcovado, or Broken Back, an appellation which it acquired from its extraordinary and fantastical shape. The plain thus environed is enclosed with houses so as to form an enormous quadrangle, perhaps the largest square in the world. Here are erected the senate-house, the museum, the camera or town-hall, and other public buildings. One of the most striking features of the Brazilian capital is the number of its churches and monasteries, which not only abound in the city, but are seen crowning almost all the surrounding eminences.

Near the centre of the quay, which has already been mentioned, there is a large square, surrounded on three of its sides with buildings, but having its fourth open to the bay. In this square the palace or imperial residence is situated; but although extensive in its dimensions, and commodious and even splendid in its internal arrangements, there is nothing magnificent or striking in its architecture. The public library occupies a suite of rooms in this quarter. It contains sixty or seventy thousand volumes in all languages, ancient and modern, and is considered a very admirable establishment. It is particularly distinguished for its collection of Bibles, said to be one of the most extensive in the world. On the quay, in front of the square, is a very beautiful fountain for supplying water to this part of the city, and to the shipping in the harbour. It is fed by a splendid stone aqueduct leading from the Corcovado Mountain, not more striking for the magnificent singularity of its appearance than for its importance and utility. This great work, which is called Arcos de Cariaco, extends across a deep valley, resting on a double tier of lofty arches placed one above the other to the height of eighty palms, and the water is conducted to the reservoir by a succession of stone troughs, laid on the top of this bridge, under an arched covering of brick-work. Each tier comprises forty-two arches, the upper one extending one hundred and forty fathoms. The whole of this splendid superstructure is highly ornamental to the city, as well as of the greatest utility to it. The following is the provision made for education: a military academy; a naval academy; a surgical and medical academy; an academy of the fine arts, in connection with which we may mention a national museum; and, lastly, two ecclesiastical seminaries, where the ancient and modern languages are taught, as well as divinity and the sciences. There are attached to it about twelve professors, for whose salaries eleven millions of reis are annually allowed by government. Besides these, there are several schools on Lancaster’s principle, and a primary school in almost every street of the city. In short, there seems to be ample provision made for the education of the people in Rio, and it is perfectly free to all classes, in which respect half-civilized Brazil is in advance of Great Britain herself. In periodicals, gazettes, and newspapers, the city is by no means deficient, and book-printing is carried on, although not extensively. Government has a printing establishment. There is a public walk and a botanic garden in the city, and another much more extensive at some distance from it. There is a bishop of Rio, who has under him the usual train of ecclesiastical functionaries. The Roman Catholic religion is that patronized by the state, but Protestants are permitted to exercise their own peculiar form of worship.

Rio is the grand emporium of Brazilian commerce; but we need not enter into particulars in this place, as an account of the exports and imports will be found in the article Brazil, to which the reader is referred. Its coasting trade is immense, centring in itself that of all southern Brazil. The goods which it receives from foreign countries it distributes all over this vast region, obtaining the productions of each district in return. The manufactures of this city are unimportant. The shops are generally large and commodious, and well supplied with English goods, and other kinds of merchandise. Chinese goods may also be purchased here very reasonably. There is a number of English and North American merchants in the city, who monopolize no inconsiderable portion of the export trade.

The climate of Rio is considered as favourable to health, comfort, and even longevity, as that of any other place between the tropics. The sun is nearly vertical for a few weeks in December, when the heat is oppressive; but a refreshing sea-breeze sets in every morning, and modifies the temperature. During the summer months, which may be reckoned as extending from October to April, heavy rains fall; but, on the whole, few places possess a more beautiful climate than this celebrated city. At certain seasons it may be unhealthy to strangers, but the danger is averted by adopting the Brazilian mode of living, and by avoiding the night dews, exposure to the sun, and all excesses in eating and drinking. It is among the happy immunities of the country, that it is exempt from the accidents which occur in a similar latitude on the opposite side of the continent. Earthquakes are here unknown. The population consists of a singular mixture of coloure and nations. About two thirds are negroes, mulattoes, and other people of the darker shades. Among the whites are seen English, French, Germans, Italians, Dutch, and North Americans. Much disparity exists amongst the statements of writers regarding the exact number of the inhabitants. It is supposed to be about 200,000, of whom a very great number are slaves. The city lies in lat. 22.53. S. and long. 43. 12. W.

The bay of Rio was discovered on the 1st of January 1531, by Martin Alphonso de Sousa, a Portuguese navigator. The natives had given to this tranquil basin the significant appellation of Nitherohy, that is, hidden water; but he, supposing it the estuary of some great river like the Orinoco, called it the Rio de Janeiro, after the day on which it had been discovered. It. remained many years unnoticed or unoccupied by the Portuguese, but in the mean time was taken possession of by France, and became an asylum for the persecuted Huguenots. These were subsequently expelled by the Portuguese, who, in 1567, founded the city of Rio. In 1676 it was erected into a bishopric, and its riches soon rendered it an object of cupidity to other European powers. But the few attempts made to wrest it from Portugal were unsuccessful. It steadily advanced in riches and importance, so that in the year 1763, Dom Joseph was induced to transfer hither the vice-regal residence from Bahia, hitherto the capital of the province of Brazil. In 1803 it became the residence of the Portuguese court, and in 1822 was constituted the capital of the independent empire of Brazil. In 1831 it was the theatre of a revolution, in which 6000 armed citizens were joined by the troops of the line in their opposition to the government, and in consequence of which Dom Pedro abdicated the throne in favour of his son Pedro II.

According to the census of 1823, the last that has been made public, the population of the whole province of Rio de Janeiro was 589,650. (r. r. r.)