the eastward, but smaller.

Having passed these sand-hills, continue a course beyond the Braganza Banks, or breakers, still keeping the lead going.

Hence to the Banks, while in the fairway, from 13, 15, and 17 fathoms will be found; and when the sand-hills bear about S. E. by E., the breakers will be seen from the mast-head on the port bow. These breakers must be left on the port hand, at the distance of about half a mile. The channel here, between the Branganza Banks and Tijoca Shoals on your starboard hand, is not 2 miles wide. Having reached the breakers, the only guide for entering the river, a vessel may steer a little more southerly, keeping the lead going; for she will then have, in mid-channel, 15 fathoms of water, with foul ground. Having advanced well round the breakers the course thence up the river will be S.W. S., keeping the port shore on board.

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING PARA', BY M. ARNOUS DESSAULSAYS, 1822.†

Vessels coming from Europe ought to direct their course so as to cross the Line between 42° 40′ and 444° W. long. They can, within these limits, choose their passage, on account of the confidence they may be authorized to have in their position. By reckoning, the easterly point is to be preferred; with chronometers, a more westerly point may be taken. As soon as the Line is crossed, the lat. of 0° 24′, or 0° 30' S., is to be attained.

Under the Line, between 44° 40', and 46° 30′ W., the soundings decrease gradually from 70 fathoms to 16 or 13 fathoms.

Under the parallel of 0° 39′ S., between the same longitudes, the depth decreases from 18 to 11 fathoms, and the land ought to be made before the first depth is attained, or at least it is then to be seen. As soon as this is made out you can approach into 7 fathoms; but this is the limit, on account of the numerous shoals. There is nothing to fear from banks of very light, reddish sand, which are met with from time to time.

In running to the West, under the parallel of 0° 24' to 0° 30' S., the land will show as a series of promontories, running out into the sea. As you advance, fresh points discover themselves in the same manner, and when these are seen abreast they appear to be narrow, and the sea seems to break at their feet; the flat sandy shore frequently augmenting this appearance.

Great attention ought to be directed to the first land that comes in view. Cape Guarapi, which is one of the first to be seen, is also one of the most northern on the coast. It is easy to be known by a decided mount, situated in the lands at a little distance from the advanced point. The breakers at this point are real and apparent. It is a good point to recognise, because the route may be correctly estimated from it, to arrive readily at Salinas, which is 35 leagues to the West, 5° North. The reckoning may be then made for the night, and there will be no necessity to anchor; but care must be taken to keep at a distance of 10 miles from the land during the night, and not to have a less depth than from 12 to 14 fathoms.

To the eastward of this cape the land is all more southerly, and only one other point, 25 miles to the West, is nearly on the same parallel. These two places are the ones that project so far to the North, on more than 20 leagues of this coast.

Should this not be made out, you must anchor for the night. During the day run along the coast, paying attention not to come into less water than 7 or 9 fathoms.

*These two sand-hills have, at times, been mistaken by strangers, and have proved fatal to many valuable lives, there being no landing in their vicinity. It was off this place that Captain Mann, of the brig Warrior, in 1827, unfortunately lost his mate and three men, by the swamping of a jolly-boat, when attempting to reach the shore in search of a pilot.

These directions are taken from the "Instructions pour la Navigation aux Attérages et dans la Rivière de Pará," as above.

The land extending to the West consists of flats of sand, covered with wood, separated at distances by sandy tracts. The uniform aspect of these woods resembles a plantation. The shore thus continues to Caita, lying 20 leagues to the West of Guarapi.

The River Caita has on its western shore, in the interior, a village, which cannot be seen from the sea; and there are also, at its mouth, several islets, which are difficult to make out. A chain of hills and downs of white sand commence at the West point, and continue in an E.S.E. and W.N.W. direction for a length of 25 miles; there are islets and breakers at the foot of these downs, in front of the shore, from this point as far as Cape Atalaya, or Atasia, where these sands are more of a reddish colour. There are some woods which show themselves within the land; this is necessary to be known. The rocky and moderately high point, which is met with after these sand-hills, is Cape Atasia, or Atalaya; it is edged with rocks, more or less uncovered. In its neighbourhood the water is deeper near the land, and therefore it can be approached closer than the preceding coast. It is the most northern point that is met with after the sand-hills we have spoken of. Salinas is 4 or 5 miles from them, a little to the South of West.

This cape is a mile more to the North than Salinas; the land ought to be neared to within 7 or 9 fathoms, and then seek, in the slight indentation which the coast forms to the West of this point, for the village of Salinas, which is the only one which can be found on the whole extent of this coast.

The land at Salinas is higher than that which is passed before it. About halfway up on this land there may be seen, with the aid of the glass, a village, of which the left hand part is composed of houses covered with greyish shingles; those on the right-hand are covered with reddish tiles. Nearly in the middle is a house which is higher than the others, covered with white plaster, which sometimes appears grey when the plaster is old; it is the pilot's house; there may also be distinguished a small church and a cross.

In looking towards the right of this village the land presents the appearance of three bands of different shades of colour, which is formed by the summits of three ranges of hills, of which the tint is more feeble, according as they are more or less distant in the interior.

When arrived to the North of Salinas you must anchor, and wait for a pilot.

From this anchorage may be perceived the Point of Cajetuba to the West, which seems to be confounded with that of Tigioca. That of Marapani rests to the S.W., and Miranduba to the S.W. 5° W. The mouths of the different rivers leave tolerably large lagoons between these different lands.

ANTILLAS, &c., TO PARA'.-Vessels coming from the Antillas or Cayenne, and which are going to Para, are then obliged to proceed to the eastward, in order to be able afterwards to come southward; and then may be classed with vessels coming from the North.

Those who would make for Salinas must conform to the directions before given for finding that place. But as sometimes there may be some uncertainty as to the position in longitude, it is necessary for them to observe, that if, in crossing the Line, they should find more than 20 fathoms water, and being sure of their latitude, they may be certain that they are to the East of Salinas, and then they can make for the land.

If there should be found only 18 or 14 fathoms under the Line, great attention should be paid; you are then between the two directions of N.E. and N.N.W., from Salinas. This last position, more particularly, would lead too near to the banks at the entrance of the passages, and the currents of the flood tide would make the nearing of them very dangerous. Should you, however, make for Salinas, you must keep on the northern tack, and make for the eastward, so as not to come to the land until you have, at the point indicated, at least 18 fathoms water.

SECTION V,

THE EASTERN COAST OF BRASIL, ETC., FROM CAPE SAN ROQUE TO THE RIVER PLATA.

1.-THE COAST OF BRASIL, FROM CAPE ST. ROQUE TO
PERNAMBUCO.

THE late inquiries into the best route for vessels bound across the Equator have given a much greater interest to this portion of the Brasilian coast than it had formerly, when the great object was to avoid nearing it.

We may here also again advert to the position and character of the Rocas, which lie in the offing, as given in a former page, and again recommend caution on approaching their neighbourhood.

The WEATHER, &c.-THE EASTERN COASTS OF BRASIL being almost entirely within the torrid zone, South of the Equator, are subjected to the general high temperatures of the lower latitudes, but the great diversity in the equalities of the ground, in the mountainous part of the country, produces a variation in temperature. On the sea, near shore, the ordinary state of the air is at 75° to 77° of Fahrenheit's thermometer, from March to September, and of 77° to 86° toward noon, from September to March; but in different places the temperature is higher or lower, according to the localities; for instance, at the high town of Bahia, or St. Salvador, the mean expansion of the mercury has not been found, between September and January, in the warmest time of the year, higher than 75° in the morning, 79° at noon, and 76° in the evening. At Pernambuco, in the same season (5° nearer the Line), the thermometer has marked 83° to 84° toward noon, and risen at times to 87°; while at Rio Janeiro, nearly 10° to the southward of Bahia, the prevailing heat is much greater, even at 91° to 93°. The difference is produced by the varieties of the land.

In the southern provinces the winter is rather severe; in the parallels of 271° to 32° or of the Island of Santa Catharina and of the Rio Grande de S. Pedro, the snow falls abundantly on the high lands, and the hail at times greatly injures the plantations. More in the interior of the country, as the elevation of the land increases, so do the characteristics of winter.

The two seasons, dry and rainy, have already been described.

In reducing the seasons of the year to two divisions only, we conform, says the Baron Roussin, to the usual expression; but the diversity of exposures, the vicinity of mountains, and the various degrees of elevation in the ground, produces many local exceptions to the weather generally prevalent. At Rio Janeiro, for example, it rains much more in the last months of the northern monsoon, which generally is the dry season, than during the rest of the year; in November to March there are frequent storms in the evening or at sunset, accompanied with thunder and heavy rain ;

these are quickly succeeded by a clear sky and fine weather. The cause atises from the disposition of the mountains which form the valley of Rio Janeiro, and to the great heat which prevails in it from the sun's diurnal passage toward and from the zenith.

By causes partly analagous, circumstances are similar at St. Catherine's, where storms and heavy rains have equal place during several months of the dry season; but these anomalies are limited to certain places, and do not affect on the coast in general the characteristics generally assigned.

It may therefore be said, in regard of Brasil, as of Europe, that the state of the weather depends on the situation of the sun in the ecliptic. In general the weather is fine when the sun is in the hemisphere of the place; but the contrary cause produces an opposite effect.

The worst months of the rainy season are marked by frequent fogs, extreme and continual humidity, and very heavy rains, which often continue for 10 or 12 hours consecutively; and it has been remarked that, during the rainy season, the worst weather is at the time of new and full moon, more than at any other period.

It is this time of year that several maladies prevail, occasioned by the humidity; the heats which succeed produce lassitude, and it has been observed that the maladies are so much more heavy when there is little thunder during the passage of the sun to the equinox. In the bays and on the coast they consist, principally, in dysenteries, flux of a bad character, which, being neglected, if not terminating fatally, degenerates into obstructions, indolent tumours, and chronic affections of the viscera, to be healed only by change of climate.

MAKING OF THE COAST.-The aspect of the castern coast of Brasil, between Cape San Roque, in lat. 5° 28', and the Isle of St. Catharine, in lat. 27, varies considerably in its appearance. In the southern parallels, from the isle above mentioned, to about 60 leagues to the northward of Cape Frio, the lands are very high, have many forests, may be seen, in clear weather, 18 leagues off, and may be safely approached, with the ordinary precautions, on coming in from sea.

But this is not the case in other parts. Further to the North the land declines in height, and can be seen at a moderate distance only. It must, therefore, be approached with caution. Such are the portions comprised between Espirito Santo and the Monte Pascoal [Mount Pascal], between Porto Seguro and Bahia, or the Bay of All Saints, between the Tower of Garcia da Vila [lat. 12° 32'], and Cape St. Augustin, and the following coast, nearly without exception, from Olinda to the North, N.W., and W.N.W., as described in the preceding section; whence it will be seen that, from shores of moderate height, they decline to low and sandy beaches, and so continue westward, with few exceptions, to Maranham.

The warnings which may be acquired by soundings, in the proximity of land to which you may be approaching, depend on the part you may be on. These warnings may be of little service on the eastern coast, particularly between the Isle of St. Catharine and Olinda, as the bank of soundings extend to no long distance, and great depths prevail on its outer edges; the parallel of the Abrolhos Rocks [11° S.] excepted.

The soundings give 62 fathoms at 18 leagues East from the Island of St. Catharine; 45 fathoms at 12 leagues East from that of Sebastian; 32 fathoms at 5 leagues to the S.E. of Point Joatinga [lat. 23° 27']; 70 fathoms at 18 leagues to the S.E. of the entrance of Rio Janeiro; and 68 fathoms at 7 leagues S.E. from Cape Frio, East of the last there are 35 fathoms at the same distance.

Between the parallels of 21° and 22° South, the depths, at 12 leagues from shore, vary from 40 to 17 fathoms. At 30 leagues East from Cape St. Thomé there are more than 100 fathoms. Soundings extend more to the East and S.E. of the Abrolhos, though but little to the eastward of the meridian of 37° 10', which is 27 leagues

S. A. O.

2 s

to the East of these islets; and beyond this there is shortly no ground at 190

fathoms.

No bottom is found at 180 fathoms at only 8 leagues to the S.E. of Cape St. Antonio, of Bahia; but, at 9 miles to the South of this cape, are 28 fathoms of water. Again, at 9 leagues on the parallel of the Morro of St. Paulo, with the Morro in sight to the West, there is no bottom at the depth of 50 fathoms.

From Bahia to Olinda the bank is generally steep; at 9 leagues to the East of the Tower of Garcia da Vila the depth is not less than 160 fathoms; at the same distance to the East of the inlet Itapicuru [lat. 11° 45,] the depth is 180 fathoms; it exceeds 170 fathoms at 20 leagues from Rio Real and Rio Sergipe [or about 11° 20' South], and it is found to be nearly 50 fathoms at 10 leagues to the eastward of the mouth of the Rio St. Francisco. Finally, on all the coast, nearly to Pernambuco, there is found not less than 30 to 40 fathoms at 9 leagues from shore; and at less than double this distance, on the parallels of Pernambuco and Olinda, there is 1.ot a depth of less than 110 fathoms.

To the North of the parallel of Olinda the depth comparatively lessens, but it is again very great at a little distance from land. There are found from 6 to 9 fathoms only at 2 or 3 miles from Cape Branco, before the mouth of the River Parahyba, and before the Fort dos Reys Magos, or mouth of the Pontanyi; the same at 4 miles off from Cape San Roque, deepening quickly to 40 fathoms, and thence continuing an increase to 10 or 12 leagues from the coast.

Hence it appears that on a great part of the line of coast between the Isle of St. Catharine and Cape San Roque the depths are, in general, either too great or too uniform to serve as a guidance, or to suffice for correcting an estimation of the route to any particular spot. But it is not to be concluded that it is useless to sound on the coast; only observing that too much dependence should not be placed on the soundings at any distance from shore.

The RECIFE, a singular ridge of coral rock which borders the coast, has been previously noticed. It extends, more or less, all the way from Point Toiro, or Calcanhar (lat. 5 6'), to the Morro of St, Paulo, 13° 23', and its intervals form the entrances to the various ports. It has been conjectured that this reef is based on debris brought from the coast by the constant repulsion of the waves, agglomerated by the coralline formation which grows on it, the debris being deposited as the waves become weak in the returning movement, or where a temporary stagnation at a certain distance was produced. The Recife, from its nature, acts as a breakwater, the water within it near the shore being tranquil. In these pools there is fishing almost throughout the year.

NATAL.-The first port of any consequence to the southward of Cape San Roque is that called the RIO GRANDE DO NORTE, on the S.E. bank of which is the little city of Natal: the channel to this river is protected by the Recife both on the North and South. This river, the Pontangi of the aborigines, is a rapid torrent in the rainy season, but in the dry season it is much reduced. A survey of it up to the town has been made by Lieutenant Edm. Scott, R.N., whence it appears that the ends of the two portions of the Recife forming the entrance are nearly on a true East and West line from each other; so that the channel way faces the North, while the reefs are nearly in the same direction. The direction between the two extremities is about 2 cables' length, and the depths 3 to 6 fathoms.

The depths within, and up to the town, 4 to 6 fathoms; but there are shoal banks within the reefs on both sides, while the mid-channel is clear The town is about 24 miles from the entrance, and there the breadth of the river is three-tenths of a mile, with an increasing depth of water. Spring tides rise 8 to 10 feet.

A round fort, called the Fort dos Reys Magos, stands on the middle of the southern reef at the entrance; it is insulated at high water, but may be seen several miles off, and is the best mark.