Under the exercise of prudence and discretion, all persons landing among the Portuguese are certain of receiving every civility and attention; but, when insulted, no race of men are more irascible or vindictive: the offender is sure to fall a victim to their unrelenting vengeance! At either of these islands, but especially at St. Jago, abundance of fresh provisions may be obtained: in all of them the tropical fruits abound, but should not be eaten to excess; lest a dysentery, which, in those latitudes, proceeds with hasty strides towards death’s portal, should ensue.
Many vessels, after proceeding down the Atlantic in a mid direction, between the Azores and the Canaries, until they catch the trade-winds, which in that part blow constantly from the north-east, or nearly so, stretch over to the coast of Brazil, along which they run, to about 30° south, for the purpose of avoiding the south-east trade-wind prevailing to the southward of the Line; then being in the way of variable winds, they shape their course towards the Cape of Good Hope. Few quit this coast without putting into some port for a supply of wood, water, fresh provision of sorts, &c. Rio Janiero is the most frequented by British Indiamen, both on account of its safe harbour, and the abundance of supplies it can afford. Being in latitude 23°, it will be requisite to guard against the great heats incident thereto, and to be careful not to encounter the nightly dews, which are here extremely heavy, and give birth to the most dangerous species of fever.
The customs of the inhabitants throughout this coast being nearly alike, a description of one portion may suffice for the whole.
The natives of this part of South America appear to be particularly inoffensive, and to submit with perfect resignation to the authority of their conquerors. They are of a middling stature and well-proportioned; their complexions dark, and their hair lank and black. From what I saw of Pernambuco and Olinda, which lie in about 7° south, it should seem that the houses of the better class are well calculated to debar access to the powerful influence of the sun; which, for six months, is nearly vertical at the above parallel of latitude, and does not form a very acute angle with the northern horizon at any time of the year.
The Portuguese have organized several regiments of the natives, clothed and armed in the European style: it was not easy to ascertain the state of discipline of these troops; but, if we are to judge from the equipment and appearance of the regiments in the mother-country, it might be reasonable to entertain some doubts regarding their prowess.
Notwithstanding the intense heat of the climate, the Portuguese inhabitants omit no religious duties; nor do they ever appear in that deshabille we should expect to see generally adopted among an effeminate people, under such circumstances in regard to locality. It could not fail to prove highly amusing, when we beheld boys, of about six or seven years of age, full-dressed according to court etiquette, with bags, ruffles, swords, &c. representing the more ancient part of their population in miniature. These young gentlemen, as well as their seniors, and especially the ladies, were seen every-where riding in vehicles very strongly resembling the chair-palanquins of India, but carried by only two men; one before and one behind.
The profusion of compliments, and of real civilities, we experienced, were absolutely burthensome; we were every-where welcomed in the most kind and liberal manner; barges, rowing from twelve to thirty oars, were at our command, to take us to and from the ship, which could not pass the Bar of Pernambuco, and lay full four miles from the shore, in seven fathoms. As to fruits, fish, vegetables, and poultry, they may be had to any amount, of the first quality; their beef and mutton are not, however, much to be praised, and their pork is intolerably fat, without being firm. This last is one of the principal viands at the tables of the Portuguese, in every quarter of the globe, and is dressed in various ways, all equally offensive to a delicate stomach. The serenity of the weather rendered the acquisition of a supply of excellent water very easy; the casks being floated to and from the shore; all fastened to ropes, and towed by the large boats already mentioned.
The land lying low towards the beach, though backed at some distance by hills, occasioned us to be within a few leagues before we discovered our proximity to the Continent; and we should probably have run into shallow water, had not a large floating object been seen about a mile from us. Our glasses speedily enabled us to distinguish persons moving on a low frame, that we conjectured could be nothing less than some great fragment of a wreck. Boats were immediately hoisted out, and, in less than half an hour, we had the satisfaction to see our quarter-deck covered with a variety of fine fishes, chiefly rock-cod, that had been taken by the industrious Indians, whose catamaran we had mistaken for the remains of some unfortunate vessel.
Although we could not converse with these people, it was natural for us to suppose we were not far from land; to which they directed our attention, and by significant signs, as well as by leading on the catamaran, of which they had hoisted the sail, pilotted us to the Roads of Pernambuco, leaving us in good anchoring water, and gratefully receiving some beads, and other trinkets, of no value in our estimation, but highly prized among them, in exchange for the excellent repast they had afforded to the whole ship’s company.
A few days before our arrival at Pernambuco, the usual ceremonies attendant upon crossing the Line were duly observed. Those who had never been so far to the southward, were impressed with the belief that sundry operations, by no means pleasant, were to take place: among other things, it was said they were to be suspended from the fore-yard arm, and to be thoroughly ducked by frequent dips into the sea. However unreasonable this may appear, there exists no doubt of such a practice having been perfectly common about forty or fifty years back; it was then regarded as an excellent joke, affording wondrous merriment to the veteran part of the crew. In time, the practice ceased; either from the interposition of good sense, or owing to the judicious distribution of some liquor among the chiefs of the dramatis personæ.