these it is a work of much merit. Judicious use has been made of ancient and cotemporary authors; the style is spirited and well sustained; and we obtain from it fuller and more satisfactory information relative to the society of Spanish America, than from any work in our recollection.

Our author, who we learn is a surgeon of the navy, left New York in June 1831, on board the U. S. sloop of war Falmouth, bound on a cruise to the Pacific Ocean. He arrived at Rio Janeiro on the first of September. This has been described, not only as one of the best situated ports for commerce in the world, but as one of the most beautiful. We give our author's description of it, observing that like most other descriptions of celebrated scenery, we find it unsatisfactory. We omit some circumstances which break its continuity and distract attention.

"From the Sugar Loaf, which is a conspicuous point, we will glance round this beautiful marine basin, and endeavor to convey some idea of its form. The 'Paode-Açucar' is more than twelve hundred feet high, and bears a striking resemblance to a loaf of sugar, inclining a little to one side. Its surface is nearly smooth, of a dark, sombre color, and sprinkled here and there with little tufts of stunted bushes, It stands on the west side of the harbor, and at the entrance of the almost circular bay of Botafogo, which sweeps round towards the city as far as San Bernárdo point. "Close in the rear, the mountains are broken by deep ravines and splintered into peaks, one of which, called the Corcovado, out tops and overhangs the rest. Upon its very summit, like an eyry perched among the clouds, is an observatory and a watch tower which may be seen at a great distance, when not hidden in the vapors that frequently shroud it.*

"Between San Bernárdo and Glória points extends a long beach, which, from having been the resort, in times past, of the gorgeously plumed flamingo, is now called 'Praya do Flamingo.' On Glória point is placed, very conspicuously, a small white church, dedicated to the invocation of Nossa Senhora de Glória.' The edifice is octahedral, and has a tall slender spire at one side. The hill on which it stands is one of the most picturesque spots about Rio.

"From this point sweeps a small cove, lined by a neat row of white one story buildings that look out upon the bay, to point St. Iago, upon which stands a fortress of the same name. The next cove is short, and terminates at 'Cobras.' Here the city is seen over a forest of the masts of small craft, reposing under the shelter of the mountains. The 'Praça de San Josè,' the Palace, and the imperial Chapels are conspicuous. The whiteness of the buildings brings the whole, like a picture, in strong relief against the dark mountain sides in the back ground.

"To the northward, the mountains rise high in slender, splintered peaks, which, from a fancied resemblance to the tubes of an organ, are called the Organ Mountains. In the same direction are seen white châteaus perched on the hills and rocks, so high as to be sometimes robed in clouds. The city itself is overlooked by two or three convents, as solemn in their appearance as the monks of their cloisters.

"On the eastern side, and nearly opposite to Rio, is a neat, quiet village called Praya Grande, which, during the season of amusement, is a place of general resort. It contains several potteries, and is famed for the quantity of fine sweetmeats, made and exported. At the southern extremity of Praya is a huge mass of rocks, which, apparently, have been thrown from the main land by some natural convulsion; upon its very summit (a most romantic situation truly) stands a church or a dwelling, accessible from the main by a short wooden bridge. From this point the beach of the placid bay of Inrufuba sweeps, almost like a circle, to fort Santa Cruz. Along the

According to the measurement of Captain Beechey, R. N. made after the formula of Mr. Daniel, the base of the flag staff is by one observation 2308 feet, and by a second 2306 feet above the level of the sea."

shore is a straggling village, interspersed with gardens, and surrounded by luxuriant plantations of the coffee tree.

"We have now glanced round the bay and arrived at Santa Cruz, between which and the Sugar Loaf, the waters roll into this magnificent harbor;-an amphitheatre whose bounds are hills rising one behind the other, valleys and mountains that are smiled on throughout the year both by Flora and Pomona, yielding flowers and fruits, grateful in their fragrance, and luscious to the most refined and delicate taste. Over this sheet of water, passage boats, under a press of sail, are stretching in every direction, bearing parties from shore to shore. The naked negro toils at his oar-the black soldier in gay costume lolls in his curtained barge, wreathed in the smoke of his cigar-the tatooed slave paddles his rude canoe the barges of the men-of-war, with feathering oars, are shooting from point to point-the men-of-war sit majestically, and their flags and pennants flutter proudly on the breeze-the forts and castles frown sullenly-the palace smiles-the church and convent look grave-the hills are lovely-the mountains grand-the graceful palm tree nods.”

In the XIX. No. of the review, we have noticed pretty fully the condition of Brazil at the commencement of the year 1831; only a few months before the arrival of the Falmouth. We gave an account of the misrule and compulsory resignation of the emperor, Dom Pedro, who threw away a sceptre as if it were indeed a child's bauble, and found consolation for the sacrifice in a fishing rod. Little, therefore, could be added by our naval officer to the history of the empire, and his account of the abdication is confirmatory of that already given. The "Notices of Brazil" are scanty, consisting of a few but lively remarks on the state of the slaves, on the condition of the museum and botanic garden, the Banana, the stupendous aqueduct which supplies the city with water-the opera-the currency-the cultivation of coffee-the description of a dinner party and of a levee at the court of Dom Pedro II., who had scarce attained his sixth year-the geography of the country, products, and diamond mines-each of which topics is very concisely treated. Of this portion of the work we shall notice only an anecdote of Dom Pedro and an American midshipman, and the products and commerce of the empire.

"DOM PEDRO is said to possess a considerable share of good nature, and the following anecdote seems to bear evidence of it. A midshipman H- of the United States Navy, some four or five years since, followed a man who deserted from his boat, into the palace, where the sailor had fled, in hopes of eluding pursuit. Mr. Hrushed by the sentinel, and by mistake, got into the audience room. The noise occasioned by his abrupt entry, led the emperor to inquire the cause; and when informed that it was a young naval officer, ordered him to his presence. The midshipman told the emperor that he had entered the palace in pursuit of a deserter, and would not leave it till he should find him. Doм PEDRO was pleased by his resolute manner, and extended his hand to be kissed. The middy, however, did not so understand him, but gave it a hearty shake, and requested the emperor to allow the deserter to be sought and delivered up. The sailor was taken, and Mr. H .left the palace.

"A few days afterwards, the emperor, when driving four-in-hand, met Mr. H— He drew up the horses, and extended his hand, which Mr. H- shook very cordially, and told his Highness that he was extremely happy to see him. The emperor frequently related the anecdote, and styled Mr. H- his young American friend.'”

The vegetable productions of this vast empire are as abundant and as valuable as those of any other in the world, not only in

.

medicinal plants, fruits, and dye-woods, but in timber suitable for all the purposes of marine architecture. The province of Rio Grande do Sul, which enjoys a temperate climate, produces hides and jerked meats in abundance; Saint Paul yields wheat, rye, maize, manioc, potatoes, wine, and the Palma Christi in such quantities, that its oil is commonly burned in lamps-coarse cottons are exported, and their manufacture promises to improve. The island of St. Catharine, on the coast, near the tropic, affords coffee and rice of superior quality, and is adapted to indigo, pepper, vanilla, balsam copaiba, &c. In its forests are several excellent species of wood; and good cheese has lately been made and exported to the main. Rio Janeiro has a fertile soil, remarkably adapted to the cultivation of coffee, which is rapidly increasing, and is the focus of industry and trade whence improvements spread in every direction. The flourishing state of the spice trees in the botanic garden, near the city, induces the belief that their cultivation may be extended sufficiently for the home demand, if not for exportation. Minas Geraes, besides the major part of the productions of the southern provinces of Spain and Portugal, yields gold, diamonds, and precious stones, wheat and Indian corn; and nitre is abundantly obtained from the mines of Monte Rorigo. Matto-Grosso and Goias are thinly peopled, chiefly by tribes of unsubdued Indians. The soil is covered with rich pasturage, forests, and several useful plants, common to Peru. Espirito Santo and Porto-Seguro abound with the Ibirapitanga (Brazil wood) and woods suitable to cabinet work and architecture. Ilheos and its adjacent territories furnish manioc and the cacao tree, but their cultivation is not extensive. In Bahia, the sugar cane and tobacco are profitably planted; and at St. Salvador, as at Rio Janeiro, several mechanic arts are exercised with distinguished success. Pernambuco grows the finest cotton of South America; Brazil wood thrives better here than in any other part of the empire, but little attention is given to its cultivation. Numerous flocks and herds from Siara, Parahyba, and Pianhy supply a lucrative branch of trade. In Maranham and Para cotton flourishes, the cacao tree covers the banks of certain rivers, several spice-trees grow spontaneously, and among the choice woods is the citrin, reserved for the manufacture of the most sumptuous moveables. Indigo grows in several districts, and the cochineal may be, as it has been, raised in the neighbourhood of Rio. With these advantages, increased industry and population alone are wanting to render Brazil one of the richest and most powerful nations of the earth. Finally, the southern provinces export wheat, hides, horns, hair, and tallow; the middle, gold and precious stones; and the northern, cotton, coffee, sugar, and Brazil wood. The quantities of staple articles, annually exported, are estimated thus; sugar,

100,000 cases, of 15 quintals or 128 pounds each; cotton, 150,000 bales; coffee, between 12 and 13 millions of pounds. The imports are chiefly wines, brandy, and oil from Portugal; dry-goods and hardware from England; flour, salted provisions, naval stores, and household furniture from the United States.

In its colonial state the commerce of Brazil was restricted by the policy of the fader land; but was disenthralled in 1807, when the monarch immigrated to Rio Janeiro. The influence of Great Britain over the Portuguese government followed it across the Atlantic, as was apparent in a commercial treaty between the two powers in 1810, opening the ports of Brazil to British vessels and produce, paying 15 per cent. on a valuation made by their own consuls. This treaty expired in 1825. Imported produce generally pays a duty of 24 per cent on a valuation by the custom-house of the country, which is frequently complained of as extravagantly high.

The latest census, in 1819, gave the population as follows,Whites 843,000; Indians 259,400; Free castes 426,000; Slave castes 200,000; Free Blacks 159,500; Black slaves 1,728,000. Supposing a ratio of increase, one-half of that of the United States, the present number of inhabitants would be about five millions.

Cape Horn, like Scylla and Charybdis of the ancients, has long been the dread of seamen. All accounts concur in giving to this region a stormy character, at every season of the year. The journals of voyagers, particularly of the earlier navigators, give fearful descriptions of the tempests and disasters generally encountered in passing from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. A distinguished American naval commander says, "the passage around Cape Horn, I assert, from my own experience, is the most difficult, and attended with more hardships, than that of the same distance in any other part of the world." Still, such have been the improvements in marine architecture and navigation, that, of three hundred merchant vessels supposed annually to double the Cape, not more than one is totally lost.

The principal difficulties of this navigation arise from the westerly winds, which constantly prevail, accompanied by cold rain, snow, hail and sleet, exhausting the seamen, more by their endurance than their severity. The usual route is between the Falkland islands and the main, drawing round the land as much as the wind will permit, approaching near enough to see it, and then holding way until the vessel attain the meridian of 80° or 85° west longitude from Greenwich, before attempting to steer to the northward. If successful in gaining that meridian without being driven far to the southward, the passage is generally short, the voyage from latitude 40° S. in the Atlantic to Valparaiso, being made in from thirty to thirty-five days. Vessels, however,

are frequently driven as far as 63° or 64° S., where, if to the eastward of the meridian of Cape Horn, they meet with icebergs.

The result of an elaborate examination of this subject by our naval officer, is that it is advisable not to pass through the Straits La Mair; to keep close in with the land; not to go south of 57°; and not to attempt to decrease the latitude until in the meridian of 85° W., however promising the appearances of the weather may be. For this conclusion, he gives the following reasons. Though the winds are, generally, they do not always prevail, from the west-the gales are less severe near the land, and do not blow home-no currents set on shore-and by not being too far south, advantage may be taken of a favourable wind, that in a few hours might carry the vessel beyond the parallel of the Cape, which would be unavailing if the ship should be as far as 63° S., as has been recommended, because, these winds do not always last long enough to carry a vessel many hundred miles.

The original passage to the Pacific by the Straits of Magellan, has of late years been successfully resorted to. Their length is from three to four hundred, their breadth from eight to twenty miles. The water is deep, the anchorage good, the surface generally smooth, and both shores furnish safe and convenient harbours. An American bark, drawing fifteen feet water, lately passed through in four days. Sealers prefer it to the passage around the Cape. During the current year, a survey of this channel has been made by an English vessel of war, which may remove the objections which have hitherto prevented the use of this route to the Pacific. This subject is deeply interesting to navigators; and our author suggests that all obscurities thereon might soon be removed, if each one would forward an extract from his log book, with his observations, to some of the public journals.

The "Notices of Chile" fill seventy-eight pages of the work before us, and might be reduced under the following heads; description of the coast, harbour, and town of Valparaiso; domestic manners of the inhabitants; a ride to Santiago, and remarks upon that city and its inhabitants, and its public institutions; a visit to Colina; and an account of Coquimbo bay, and the city of La Se

On approaching the coast of Chile, the chain of the gigantic Cordillera capped with snow, is visible at sunrise in all its natural and desolate grandeur, above the clouds, many miles at sea, and long before the line of the coast rises above the horizon. Soon after sunrise the land becomes shrouded in mist, and frequently fifty or sixty miles are passed over, before the rocky, broken, wild, and precipitous shore is discernible. In midwinter, or the rainy season, all nature is gay; the hills are green, the air is soft and pleasant, and the atmosphere clear. But in midsummer