August.] On Thursday the 2nd of August we had the coast of South America
in sight; and the head-land, named Cape Frio, was distinctly seen before
the evening closed in. Our time-piece had given us notice when to look
out for it, and the land was made precisely to the hour in which it had
taught us to expect it. It was not, however, until the evening of the 4th
that we anchored within the islands at the entrance of the harbour of Rio
de Janeiro.
At day-break the next morning an officer was dispatched from the _Sirius_
to inform the viceroy of the arrival of the fleet; and he most readily
and politely promised us every assistance in his power. A ship bound to
Lisbon passing us about noon, that opportunity was taken of sending an
account to England of the fortunate progress which we had so far made in
the long voyage before us; soon after which the port-officer, or
harbour-master, came on board, and, the seabreeze beginning to blow, the
fleet got under sail. About five in the afternoon we crossed the bar, and
soon after passing the fort of Santa Cruz, saluted it with thirteen guns,
which were returned by an equal number of guns from the fort. While
saluting, it fell calm; but by the assistance of a light breeze which
afterwards sprung up, and the tide of flood, the _Sirius_ was enabled to
reach far enough in by seven o'clock to come to an anchor in the harbour
of Rio de Janeiro; the convoy also anchored as they came up, at the
distance of about a mile and a half from the landing-place, which was
found very commodious.
Pages:
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59