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CHAPTER II.

PASSAGE FROM MADEIRA TO RIO JANEIRO.

1838.

On the 25th of September, having completed all that was deemed necessary, we sailed from Madeira, and stood to the southward, intending to pass over the localities where shoals were supposed to exist.

The morning after our departure from Madeira it was reported to me at daylight that the squadron were not in sight; as we had been making rapid progress throughout the night, I concluded that we had outrun the squadron, and hove to for them to come up. About eight o'clock they were discovered. On joining, I was informed by Captain Hudson that they had been becalmed for several hours, although we were near each other when the breeze sprang up. These veins of wind are frequent in this part of the ocean.

After passing the Canary Islands we experienced a current setting northeast by east, of about one fourth of a mile an hour, until we reached the latitude of Bonavista, one of the Cape de Verde Islands. This somewhat surprised me, for I had formed the idea that the set of the current should have been in the direction of our course; but many careful observations with the current-log, and the difference between our astronomical observations and dead reckoning, gave the same

results.

It was my intention on leaving the United States to pass from Madeira through the Sargasso Sea, in order to ascertain something definite in relation to this unexplored and interesting locality, and to gain some information relative to the Fucus natans, or Gulf-weed, the origin of which has remained so long in doubt. Deep soundings in this part of the ocean I deemed would be very interesting, and afford an

opportunity of settling the origin of this plant, which is spread over the whole ocean; but my time did not permit me to make this deviation from our direct course, and I hoped on my return to have ample leisure for its exploration.

On the 29th of September, we passed into discoloured water, as green in appearance as that of fifty fathoms depth. On entering it the thermometer fell one and a half to two degrees. The distance run in it was about four hundred and fifty miles. Repeated casts of the deep sea lead were had in from two to three hundred fathoms, but no bottom found. The water was particularly examined for animalcula but none were detected. On leaving it a rise of temperature took place of two degrees; and much phosphorescence was seen when we had passed out of it.

The first shoal searched for was the Maria Rock, said to be in latitude 19° 45' N., and longitude 20° 50′ W. In its neighbourhood our position was carefully ascertained. The vessels were then spread in open order, and a course sailed to pass directly over the spot. The surface of the ocean visible was not less than twenty miles in latitude with every opportunity which clear weather could afford. Good lookouts were kept at the masthead, and there was a sufficient swell to cause breakers on any shoal within fifteen feet of the surface. We ran over the locality without perceiving any thing that indicated a shoal.

The situation of the Bom Felix Shoal, laid down about ten leagues to the south of the above, was passed over in the same manner, sounding repeatedly for bottom with three hundred fathoms of line, but no appearance of a shoal was observed.

The reported position of the Bonetta Rocks next claimed our attention, in latitude 16° 32′ N., and longitude 20° 57′ W. After this locality had been well examined, a course was steered over its supposed bearing from Bonavista, one of the Cape de Verde Islands. The vessels of the squadron sounding every half hour during the night, which was clear and bright moon ght.*

On the night of the 6th of October, we hove to off the island of St. Jago. Seldom have we seen the sea exhibit so much phospho

* Since our examination, I hav seen a letter from the American consul at Porto Praya, F. Gardiner, Esq., detailing the wreck of the British ship Charlotte in 1841, and placing this shoal in latitude 16° 17' N., longitude 22° 21' W., 84' in longitude and 15' in latitude from the position I searched for it in; whence it appears that it is the same reef on which the Magdelaine was lost. I have no kind of doubt but that they ought all to be referred to the Hartwell Reef. The same gentleman was confident at the time I saw him that the Magdelaine had been lost, on the reef of that name.

rescence. Its brilliancy was so great, that it might truly be said to have the appearance of being on fire. We made some experiments to ascertain the depth to which these phosphorescent animalcula extended. After many trials they were not found below eighteen fathoms. The temperature of the water at that depth was 79°, at the surface 80°, and at one hundred fathoms depth 58°. The mean temperature of the air from Madeira until our arrival off this port, was found to have increased from 69° to 78°, while the difference in the water was from 71° to 81°.

On the morning of the 7th, we anchored in Porto Praya bay. The island of St. Jago presents a very different appearance from Madeira, particularly the southeastern portion of it, though its formation is known to be similar. There are many high peaks and mountains in its centre, which afford a fine background for the barren and uninteresting coast scenery.

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The time of our arrival was just after the rainy season, the island consequently presented a more verdant appearance than it does at other seasons of the year.

Our Consul, F. Gardiner, Esq., came on board and made us welcome to all the island afforded. An officer was despatched to call upon his excellency the governor, to report our arrival, who proved to be a black man. Knowing that the regulations required permission

for vessels to depart, the request was made during the interview, which he readily granted at any hour we chose.

The town of Porto Praya is prettily situated on an elevated piece of table land, and looked well from the anchorage.

The bay is an open one, but is not exposed to the prevailing winds. There is generally a swell setting in, which makes the landing unpleasant and difficult. The only landing-place is a small rock, some distance from the town, and under a high bank, on which there is, or rather was, a fortification, for it is now entirely gone to decay. It commands the bay, and is situated about two hundred feet above the sea. The horizontal stratification of the red and yellow-coloured sandstone shows most conspicuously in this cliff, and forms one of the most remarkable objects on this part of the island. It is of tertiary formation, and contains many fossils. I regretted extremely that my time did not permit me to make a longer stay, as we left the island under the impression that there is much here to be found that is new in the various departments of natural history. Between this bluff and the town is an extensive valley, in which are many date-palms, cocoanuts, and a species of aloe.

On landing, a stranger is immediately surrounded by numbers of the inhabitants, with fruit, vegetables, chickens, turkeys, and monkeys, all pressing him with bargains, and willing to take any thing for the purpose of obliging their customers. Many of them continue to follow until they meet with some new customer.

The soil, rocks, and every thing around on the surface, show unequivocal marks of volcanic origin. The rock above the tertiary formation is a thick bed of cellular lava, with fragments of the same strewn in every direction over it. A thin and poor soil gives but little sustenance to a light herbage. Goats and asses are found in great numbers grazing upon it.

The length of our visit did not permit us to make much examination, yet the character of the vegetation was unequivocally African. The walk from the landing to the town is exceedingly fatiguing, and the road deep with sand. The first view of the town on entering it is any thing but striking, and all the ideas formed in its favour are soon dispelled. The houses are whitewashed, and in general appearance resemble those inhabited by the lower orders in Madeira, but they are much inferior even to them. The northeast part of the town is composed of rough stone houses, covered with palm leaves. The streets are wide, and in the centre is a large public square, the middle of which is occupied by a small wooden monument said to be emble

matical of royalty! A chapel, jail, and barracks constitute the principal public buildings. The fort, which flanks the town, is almost entirely in decay. This is the case with almost every thing we saw here: the place is, indeed, little better than an African town. The houses are of stone, one story high, partly thatched, and others tiled. Their interior presents only a few articles of absolute necessity. Of comfort and cleanliness, in our sense of the words, they have no idea. The houses and streets are filthy in the extreme, and in both of them, pigs, fowls, and monkeys appear to claim, and really possess, equal rights with the occupants and owner.

The population is made up of an intermixture of descendants from the Portuguese, natives, and negroes from the adjacent coast. The Negro race seems to predominate, woolly hair, flat noses, and thick lips being most frequently met with. The number of inhabitants in St. Jago is about thirty thousand. Porto Praya contains two thousand three hundred, of which number one hundred are native Portuguese.

The language spoken, is a jargon formed by a mixture of the Portuguese and Negro dialects. Most of the blacks speak their native tongue. Mr. Hale, our philologist, obtained here a vocabulary of the Mandingo language, and found it to agree with that given by Mungo Park.

The officers of this garrison were, like the governor, all black. The latter made a brilliant appearance, dressed in a military frock coat, red sash, two large silver epaulettes, and a military cross on his breast. He was quite good-looking, although extremely corpulent, and speaks both French and Spanish well. He was very civil and attentive. Fruit, bread, cheese, and wines were handed about. Some of the wine was made on the island of Fogo, and resembled the light Italian wines. The cheese also was made here from goats' milk, and resembled the Spanish cheese. After doing ample justice to his excellency's good fare, we proceeded to view the lions of the place.

The first and greatest of these is the fountain, or common watering place of the town, above half a mile distant by the path, in a valley to the west of the town, and almost immediately under it. The fountain. is surrounded by a variety of tropical trees, consisting of dates, cocoanuts, bananas, papayas, sugar-cane, and tamarinds, with grapes, oranges, limes, &c. &c., and when brought into comparison with the surrounding lands, may be termed an enchanting spot; but what adds peculiarly to its effect on a stranger, is the novelty of the objects that are brought together. Over the spring is a thatched roof, and round about it a group of the most remarkable objects in human shape that can well be conceived. On one side blind beggars, dirty soldiers, and

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