money at all hazards. They would be justified by their employers, were they obliged to steal it, so little is honesty regarded. If a slave is detected in stealing, or runs away and is retaken, he has a heavy iron collar put upon his neck, with huge prongs extending out on each side. An additional punishment is sometimes inflicted by the lash.

The slaves are frequently intrusted with articles for sale; and when a person wishes to purchase of them, he makes a hissing noise, and points to some one of them, who immediately lowers his basket, and sells whatever article is desired.

The importation of slaves has been prohibited by the government, but multitudes are still smuggled in, and means are used to improve their persons so as to render them saleable. It is said that one of the Regents countenances this practice, because it is a source of profit to him. The slaves are branded with some mark on the forehead, cheek, or back. This is done in the country from which they are taken, before being delivered to the slave dealer. They subsist chiefly on mandioca, black beans, or maize flour, boiled in water. They are occasionally allowed a little salt meat, which they cook to suit themselves and eat it out of a hollow gourd, making use of their fingers instead of knives and forks.

There are about twelve thousand convicts in the city prison. Their situation is truly deplorable, as they are covered with rags and filth. This fact shows to what a low state the morals of the people are reduced, and the

great necessity there is for reform. What should we think if the largest city in our own country had a prison containing the same number of convicts?

In the course of my rambles I visited the passao publico, or public garden. This is situated by the seaside at one extremity of the town, surrounded by a high wall, and is a fashionable promenade for the gay society of Rio. It is laid out in grass plats, shrubberies and parterres of jessamine and other fragrant plants, interspersed with a variety of rich shade trees. On the side of the garden next the sea is a terrace of granite, in the centre of which is a fountain made of artificial rock-work, with figures of two alligators of fine sculpture, which formerly spouted water into a marble basin in front. The fountain is now in a state of decay, and destitute of water. In the walks are two granite obelisks with inscriptions nearly defaced. On one of them may be traced the words "a saude do Rio,” and on the other "O amor do publico," expressing the design of the garden, to promote the health and pleasure of the inhabitants. We dined at the principal hotel in the place, kept by Mr. Johnston, a Scotchman, and had no reason to complain of our fare; but what appeared singular to me, was the custom generally prevalent in Brazil, of accompanying the dessert with wooden toothpicks!

We remained at Rio about three weeks, during which time I had frequent opportunities of going ashore. A brief sketch of the city may not be uninteresting to our readers. This place, discovered in 1531, is said to have derived its name Rio de Janeiro, which signifies river of

January, from the mistake of the person who discovered the bay, as he supposed it to be the mouth of a large river. Others imagine it to be named from the feast of St. Januarius held on the first of January. The city is situated on the western shore of the bay, and compared with other cities in South America may be called splendid, though for neatness and elegance it by no means ranks with the cities of the United States. It contains a population of two hundred thousand, the greater part of whom no doubt are Portuguese. We seldom saw any of the aboriginal inhabitants, as they usually avoid the city: but it was common to meet people of almost every nation, English, French, German, Dutch, Italians, Swiss, and North Americans. The intercourse of the inhabitants of Rio with foreign nations has had a favorable effect upon the place, and the marks of civilization are more evident than in most of the cities of South America. Rio, in commercial importance, ranks among the first cities on the globe. The streets with one exception are narrow, poorly paved, and badly lighted. One whole street is occupied by gold and silver smiths and jewellers. A stranger is astonished at the vast variety of brilliants, &c., exposed for sale. The workmanship of the artisans, though inferior to the American or European, is not destitute of taste.

The houses are generally built of stone, though some are constructed of wood. The former are stuccoed and whitewashed and covered with tiled roofs, but the style of architecture is poor, though of late there are indications of improvement in this respect. To the eye of a stranger the

houses present a gloomy appearance. The entrance to the principal ones is by large clumsy folding-doors, opening into a carriage-house, through which you pass to the rooms above, where the family resides.

Rio de Janeiro, though the capital of Brazil, has a poor market. The beef has not the tender and juicy flavor as with us. Fish are abundant and of fine quality. The various kinds of vegetables raised in our own country might here be cultivated to advantage, but they are scarce, and the Brazilians make no use of them. Potatoes brought from Ireland and North America command a high price. Fruits are abundant, such as oranges and bananas, and are of very rich flavor.

Among the public buildings in Rio are a museum, an academy of fine arts, and a library. The museum faces the Campo de Santa Anna. It contains a great number of insects of rare beauty, in good preservation, and a large collection of stuffed birds, remarkable for their rich and gaudy plumage. Also rich minerals, a great variety of paintings, and other articles of curiosity. The harp bird, so called from the resemblance of its tail to that instrument, was particularly beautiful. The Academy of Fine Arts is a noble building that would not make a bad appearance even upon New-Haven common, but there has been no taste displayed in its location, which is in a narrow street not at all distinguished for its neatness. I visited this institution in company with one of my countrymen, at present a resident of the city. The instructor and his pupils politely bowed as we entered. Various branches of learning are here taught at the public expense, two of the

rooms being devoted to that purpose. A variety of paintings and drawings designed by the pupils were shown us, some of which evinced much talent. Higher specimens of paintings were contained in another apartment, but they were generally inferior to those in galleries of our own country.

There are several primary schools in the city, in which the system of mutual instruction is pursued. There are also schools of a higher order, where are taught mathematics, Latin and Greek, music and drawing. The principal instrument of music is the guitar, and when accompanied by the voice produces a pleasing effect. The higher classes of society send their children to Europe to be educated.

The public library is in an edifice connected with the Emperor's palace, and contains about seventy thousand volumes, most of which are very ancient. We saw here a copy of the first printed edition of the Bible on parchment, impressed in 1461 by the wonderful mechanism of John Faust, the inventor of printing. We noticed also several different editions of the Polyglot Bible in various languages, bearing the marks of extreme antiquity. The works on law and history are considered rich and valuable.

The people are allowed to visit the library during the day, but it is not much frequented, owing to a want of taste for reading among the inhabitants. This remark does not apply to the English and Americans resident here. The spirit which they have manifested for their own improvement is worthy of all praise. They have an English li