Some idea of the extent of the city may be formed from the population, which, including the negroes, (its most numerous portion,) is estimated at a hundred thousand souls: the dwellings, at the out-skirts, are generally of one story only.
The numerous convents and churches are well built, and rather handsome; the church of Candelaria, now finished, is in a superior style of architecture. The streets were formerly incommoded by latticed balconies, which had a very heavy appearance and obstructed the circulation of the air, but they have been taken away by order of Government. The greatest nuisances now remaining are those which arise from the custom of persons of all ranks on horseback to ride on the foot-paths, and from the preposterous hanging of shop and house-doors, which all open outward into the street, to the great annoyance of foot-passengers: I may also add the frequent pools of stagnant water, which, from the lowness of the site, cannot without much labor be drained away, and which, through the heat of the weather, often emit the most putrid exhalations. Water for the use of the city flows from the hills through aqueducts, and is distributed to several fountains in various public places. It is to be regretted that there are not more of these for the supply of the inhabitants[25], numbers of whom live a mile distant from any of them, and are obliged to employ persons continually in carrying water: many of the poorer classes earn a living by selling it. The fountains in dry weather are frequently so crowded, that the carriers have to wait for hours before they can be supplied. The water is good, and, when kept in large jars, drinks cool and pleasant. The inns and public houses are almost destitute of accommodations, and so very uncomfortable that a stranger will not reside in them if he can find a friend to take him in. House-rent, after the arrival of the Royal Family, became equally high as in London, owing, it should seem, to the dearness of building materials, and the high price of masonry. Timber in particular is unaccountably scarce, considering the quantity which grows in almost every part of Brazil; even firewood is dear. Provisions are in general plentiful, but not very choice in quality: the beef is very indifferent, and indeed bad; the pork is better, and, if the feeding were properly attended to, might be rendered fine; mutton is almost unknown, as the natives will not eat it[26]; the poultry of every description is excellent, but it is very dear. Pulse and vegetables of all kinds are very abundant, and the fish-market is not ill supplied. Turtles are frequently caught, as well as a great variety of fish; there are abundance of very fine large prawns. The oysters and muscles, though not equal to ours, are very tolerable.
Owing to its low situation, and the general filthiness of its streets, Rio de Janeiro cannot be called healthful. Improvements are now making which will in part remedy these evils; but other causes tend to increase the insalubrity of the air, and to spread contagious distempers, the principal of which are the large importations of negroes from Africa, who commonly land in a sickly state, the consequence of close confinement during a hot voyage. It is much to be regretted that the city was not originally built on the plan of those in the Netherlands, with canals for brigs and small vessels, which might then have been unloaded at the doors of the warehouses: such an improvement would have also greatly tended to the cleanliness and salubrity of the town.
The police is by no means ill regulated; and, from the attention which has been paid to it since the arrival of the court, there is every hope that it will be placed on a footing equally respectable with that of any European capital. The prisons are loathsome, and require the benevolent genius of a Howard to reform them altogether. One great step in favor of humanity has been gained: the inquisition has been abolished, and with it the spirit of persecution, so that no one can now be offended for his theological tenets, unless he openly insult the established religion.
This city is the chief mart of Brazil, and especially of the provinces of Minas Geraes, S. Paulo, Goyazes, Cuyaba, and Coritiva. The mining districts, being most populous, require the greatest proportion of consumable goods, and in return send the most valuable articles of commerce, hence innumerable troops of mules are continually travelling to and from those districts; their common burden is about three hundred weight each, which they carry to the almost incredible distance of 1500 or 2000 miles. Their homeward freight consists chiefly of salt for the consumption of the cattle, and iron for the working of the mines, and goods of all descriptions.
No colonial port in the world is so well situated for general commerce as Rio de Janeiro. It enjoys, beyond any other, an equal convenience of intercourse with Europe, America, Africa, the East Indies, and the South Sea Islands, and seems formed by nature as the grand link to connect the trade of those great portions of the globe. Commanding also, as the capital of a rich and extensive territory, resources of immense amount and value, it seemed to require only the presence of an efficient government to give it political importance, and this advantage it has now gained by becoming the chosen residence of the court of Portugal. The benefits resulting from this great event had but just begun to display themselves at the period to which this narrative refers; and the commercial relations of Rio de Janeiro, though considerably augmented, were still but in their germ. I shall proceed to state them according to the best information I was then able to procure.
The imports hither from the River Plate, and from Rio Grande de St. Pedro, consist in immense quantities of dried beef, tallow, hides, and wheat. Those from the United States are chiefly salt provisions, flour, household furniture, pitch, and tar. The North Americans generally send cargoes of these articles on speculation, and, as the market for them is fluctuating and not to be depended on, they frequently take them to other ports. Their provisions are commonly sent to the Cape of Good Hope. They bring European merchandize, which they exchange for specie wherewith to trade to China, and also take in necessaries on their voyages to the South Seas.
From the western coast of Africa, Rio de Janeiro imports wax, oil, elephant’s teeth, gum, sulphur, and some woods. The negro trade has been restricted to the kingdom of Angola by a decree of the Prince Regent, who has declared his intention of abolishing it altogether as soon as possible.
The trade to Mozambique is trivial; but, since the capture of the Isle of France by the British has cleared that coast from French privateers, it may be expected to increase. It affords many valuable products, such as gold-dust, brought from the interior, ivory, of which the Prince monopolizes the largest sort, ebony and other fine woods, drugs, oil, excellent columbo-root, and an abundance of various gums, particularly of the gum meni. The whale fisheries on the coast have proved a source of riches to many speculators.