A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 12 by Robert Kerr

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We visited the good fathers of this convent on a Thursday day evening,
just before supper-time, and they received us with great politeness: "We
will not ask you, said they, to sup with us, because we are not
prepared, but if you will come to-morrow, though it is a fast with us,
we will have a turkey roasted for you." This invitation, which shewed a
liberality of sentiment not to have been expected in a convent of
Portuguese friars at this place, gratified us much, though it was not in
our power to accept it.[64]

[Footnote 64: Mr Barrow is no admirer of the monks that swarm in
Madeira--he represents them as a very worthless, and a very ignorant
race of beings.--E.]

We visited also a convent of nuns, dedicated to _Santa Clara_, and the
ladies did us the honour to express a particular pleasure in seeing us
there: They had heard that there were great philosphers among us, and
not at all knowing what were the objects of philosophical knowledge,
they asked us several questions that were absurd and extravagant in the
highest degree; one was, when it would thunder; and another, whether a
spring of fresh water was to be found any where within the walls of
their convent, of which it seems they were in great want. It will
naturally be supposed that our answers to such questions were neither
satisfactory to the ladies, nor, in their situation, honourable to us;
yet their disappointment did not in the least lessen their civility, and
they talked, without ceasing, during the whole of our visit, which
lasted about half an hoar.[65]

[Footnote 65: According to Mr Barrow's account, it should seem, that
though there are several nunneries in this island, "not a single
instance of the veil being taken has occurred for many years past."--E.]

The hills of this country are very high; the highest, Pico Ruivo, rises
5,068 feet, near an English mile, perpendicularly from its base, which
is much higher than any land that has been measured in Great
Britain.[66] The sides of these hills are covered with vines to a
certain height, above which there are woods of chesnut and pine of
immense extent, and above them forests of wild timber of various kinds
not known in Europe; particularly two, called by the Portuguese
_Mirmulano_ and _Paobranco_, the leaves of both which, particularly the
_Paobranco_, are so beautiful, that these trees would be a great
ornament to the gardens of Europe.

[Footnote 66: In Mr Leslie's table of the heights of mountains appended
to the second edition of his Elements of Geometry, the altitude of this
remarkable peak is stated to be 5162 English feet, but on what authority
is not mentioned. That of Ben Nevis, in Inverness-shire, as ascertained
by the barometer, is 4380.--E.]

The number of inhabitants in this island is supposed to be about 80,000,
and the custom-house duties produce a revenue to the king of Portugal of
20,000 a-year, clear of all essences, which might easily by doubled by
the product of the island, exclusive of the vines, if advantage were
taken of the excellence of the climate, and the amazing fertility of the
soil; but-this object is utterly neglected by the Portugueze. In the
trade of the inhabitants of Madeira with Lisbon the balance is against
them, so that all the Portugueze money naturally going thither, the
currency of the island is Spanish: there are indeed a few Portuguese
pieces of copper, but they are so scarce that we did not see one of
them: The Spanish coin, is of three denominations; Pistereens, worth
about a shilling; Bitts, worth about sixpence; and Half bitts,
threepence.[67]

[Footnote 67: The reader need scarcely be apprized of the necessity of
verifying on modifying the account of some of the particulars now given
respecting Madeira, by an appeal to more recent authorities. A hint to
this effect is sufficient, without further occupying his attention on
the subject.--E.]

The tides at this place flow at the fall and change of the moon, north
and south; the spring-tides rise seven feet perpendicular, and the
neap-tides four. By Dr Heberden's observation, the variation of the
compass here is now 15 deg. 30' west, and decreasing; but I have some doubt
whether he is not mistaken with respect to its decrease: We found that
the north point of the dipping needle belonging to the Royal Society
dipped 77 deg. 18'.

The refreshments to be had here, are water, wine, fruit of several
sorts, onions in plenty; and some sweetmeats; fresh-meat and poultry are
not to be had without leave from the governor, and the payment of a very
high price. We took in 270 lib. of fresh, beer, and a live bullock,
charged at 613 lib. 3,032 gallons of water, and ten tons of wine; and in
the night, between Sunday the 18th and Monday the 19th of September, we
set sail in prosecution of our voyage.

When Funchiale bore north, 13 east, at the distance of seventy-six
miles, the variation appeared by several azimuths to be 16 deg. 30'West.

SECTION II.

_The Passage from Madeira to Rio de Janeiro, with some Account of the
Country, and the Incidents that happened there_.

On the 21st of September we saw the islands called the Salvages, to the
north of the Canaries; when, the principal of these bore S. 1/2 W. at
the distance of about five leagues, we found the variation of the
compass by an azimuth to be 17 deg. 50. I make these islands to lie to
latitude 80 deg. 11' north, and distant fifty-eight leagues from Funchiale
in Madeira, in the direction of S. 16 deg. E.

On Friday the 23d we saw the Peak of Teneriffe bearing W. by. S. 1/2 S.
and found the variation of the compass to be from 17 deg. 22' to 16 deg. 30'.
The height of this mountain, from which I took a new departure, was
determined by Dr. Heberden, who has been upon it, to be 15,396 feet,
which is but 148 yards less than, three miles, reckoning, the mile at
1760 yards.[68] Its appearance at sunset was very striking; when the
sun was below the horizon, and the rest of the island appeared of a deep
black, the mountain still reflected his rays, and glowed with a warmth
of colour which no painting can express. There is no eruption of visible
fire from it, but a heat issues from the chinks near the top, too strong
to be borne by the hand when it is held near them. We had received from
Dr Heberden, among other favours, some salt which he collected on the
top of the mountain, where it is found in large quantities, and which he
supposed to be the true _natrum_ or _nitrum_ of the ancients:
He gave us also some native sulphur exceedingly pure, which he had likewise
found upon the surface in great plenty.

[Footnote 68: It is not said by what means Dr H. ascertained the height
of this peak, and one may safely call in question his accuracy. In the
table referred to in a former note, its height, as measured by the
barometer, is stated to be 12,358 English feet, being nearly 10,000 feet
lower than that of Chimborazo, the highest summit of the Andes, which is
estimated at 21,440. But there is a good deal of contrariety in the
statements of the heights of mountains. The following quotations from
Krusenstern's account of his voyage will both prove this, and at the
same time give the reader some lively conception of the magnificent
effect of the Peak. "At half past six in the morning we distinctly saw
the island of Tenerifle, and at seven the pic cleared itself of the
clouds in which it had been enveloped until then and appeared to us in
all its majestic grandeur. As its summit was covered with snow, and was
extremely brilliant from the reflection of the sun, this contributed
very much to the beauty of the scene. On either side, to the east and
west, the mountains, which nature seems to have destined to sustain this
enormous mass, appeared gradually to decline. Every one of the mountains
which surround the pic, would be considerable in itself: but their
height scarcely attracts the attention of the beholder, although they
contribute to diminish the apparent size of the pic, which, if it stood
alone, would be much more striking," "At six the next morning, (this was
the second morning after leaving Tenerifie) we still saw the pic from
the deck; it bore by compass, N.E. 15 deg. 30', that is, allowing for the
variation, which is here 16 deg. W.; N.W. 0 deg. 30'. At noon, we had an
observation in 26 deg. 13' 51" latitude, and 16 deg. 58' 25" longitude. Between
six in the morning and noon we had lessened our latitude 21' 53", and
increased our longitude 19' 15". The ship was consequently, at the time
we saw the pic, in 26 deg. 35' 45" lat. and 16 deg. 39' 10" long. and as,
according to Borda and Pingre, the pic lies in 28 deg. 17' N. lat. and 19 deg.
00' W. long. of Paris, or 16 deg. 40' of Greenwich, we must have seen it at
six o'clock at the distance of 101 miles, and due north of us, in which
direction it in fact bore. In very dear weather the pic may be seen 25
miles farther off from the mast-head; but this is the greatest distance
which it is visible even from that height, and under the most favourable
circumstances. The elevation of the pic has been determined by several
observations. Borda's calculation, which is founded on a geometrical
admeasurement, and is conceived to be the most correct, makes it 1905
toises, or 11,430 feet." The relations which some authors have given of
the height of this famous pic or peak, are extravagant beyond all
credibility. The reader will meet with some of them in Crutwell's
Gazeteer.--E.]

On the next day, Saturday the 24th, we came into the north-east
trade-wind, and on Friday the 30th saw Bona Vista, one of the Cape de
Verd Islands; we ranged the east side of it, at the distance of three or
four miles from the shore, till we were obliged to haul off to avoid a
ledge of rocks which stretch out S.W. by W. from the body, or S.E. point
of the island, to the extent of a league and a half. Bona Vista by our
observation lies in latitude 16 deg. N. and longitude 21 deg. 51' west.

On the 1st of October, in latitude 14 deg. 6' N. and longitude 32 deg. 10' W. we
found the variation by a very good azimuth to be 10 deg. 37' W. and the next
morning it appeared to be 10 deg.. This day we found the ship five miles
a-head of the log, and the next day seven. On the 3d, hoisted out the
boat to discover whether there was a current, and found one to the
eastward, at the rate of three quarters of a mile an hour.

During our course from Teneriffe to Bona Vista we saw great numbers of
flying fish, which from the cabin-windows appear beautiful beyond
imagination, their sides having the colour and brightness of burnished
silver; when they are seen from the deck they do not appear to so much
advantage, because their backs are of a dark colour. We also took a
shark, which proved to be the _Squalus Carcharias_ of Linnaeus.

Having lost the trade-wind on the 3d, in latitude 12 deg.14', and longitude
22 deg.10', the wind became somewhat variable, and we had light airs and
calms by turns.

On the 7th, Mr Banks went out in the boat, and took what the seamen call
a Portuguese man of war; it is the _Holuthuria Physalis_ of Linnaeus,
and a species of the _Mollusca_. It consisted of a small bladder about
seven inches long, very much resembling the air-bladder of fishes, from
the bottom of which descended a number of strings of a bright blue and
red, some of them three or four feet in length, which upon being touched
sting like a nettle, but with much more force. On the top of the bladder
is a membrane which is used as a sail, and turned so as to receive the
wind which way soever it blows: This membrane is marked in fine
pink-coloured veins, and the animal is in every respect an object
exquisitely curious and beautiful.

We also took several of the shell-fishes, or testaceous animals, which
are always found floating upon the water, particularly the _Helix
Janthina_ and _Violacea_; they are about the size of a snail, and are
supported upon the surface of the water by a small cluster of bubbles,
which are filled with air, and consist of a tenacious slimy substance
that will not easily part with its contents; the animal is oviparous,
and these bubbles serve also as a _nidus_ for its eggs. It is probable
that it never goes down to the bottom, nor willingly approaches any
shore; for the shell is exceedingly brittle, and that of few fresh-water
snails is so thin: Every shell contains about a tea-spoonful of liquor,
which it easily discharges upon being touched, and which is of the most
beautiful red-purple that can be conceived. It dies linen cloth, and it
may perhaps be worth enquiry, as the shell is certainly found in the
Mediterranean, whether it be not the _Purpura_ of the ancients.[69]

[Footnote 69: It is quite impossible to discuss this subject here. But
it may be worth while to refer the learned reader for some curious
information about it, to the illustrious Bochart's work entitled
Hierozoicon, Part II. Book V. Ch. II. There are several sorts of
sea-shells, that yield the purple-dye so much esteemed among the
ancients. Pliny, who has written on the subject, divides them into two
classes, the _buccinum and purpura_, of which the latter was most in
request. According to him, the best kinds were found in the vicinity of
Tyre. That city was famous for the manufacture of purple. To be _Tyrio
conspectus in ostro_, seemed, in the estimation of the Mantuan poet,
essential to his due appearance in honour of Augustus, Geor. 3--17. But
several other places in the Mediterranean afforded this precious
article. Thus Horace speaks of Spartan purple,

Nec _Laconicas_ mihi
Trahunt honestae _purpuras_ clientae.

Od. Lib. 2. 18.

The English reader will be much pleased with several interesting remarks
as to the purple and other colours known to the ancients, given in
President Goguet's valuable work on the origin of laws, arts. &c. &c. of
which a translation by Dr Henry was published at Edinburgh 1761.--E.]

On the 8th, in latitude 8 deg. 25' north, longitude 22 deg. 4' west, we found a
current setting to the southward, which, the next day in latitude 7 deg.
58', longitude 22 deg. 13', shifted to the N.N.W. 1/4 W. at the rate of one
mile and a furlong an hour. The variation here, by the mean of several
azimuths, appeared to be 8 deg. 39' W.

On the 10th, Mr Banks shot the black-toed gull, not yet described
according to Linnaeus's system; he gave it the name of _Larus
crepidatus_: It is remarkable that the dung of this bird is of a lively
red, somewhat like that of the liquor procured from the shells, only not
so full; its principal food therefore is probably the _Helix_ just
mentioned. A current to the N.W. prevailed more or less till Monday the
24th, when we were in latitude 1 deg. 7' N. and longitude 28 deg. 50'.

On the 25th we crossed the Line with the usual ceremonies, in longitude
29 deg. 30', when, by the result of several very good azimuths, the
variation was 2 deg. 24'.

On the 28th, at noon, being in the latitude of Ferdinand Noronha, and,
by the mean of several observations by Mr Green and myself, in longitude
32 deg. 5' 16" W. which is to the westward of it by some charts, and to the
eastward by others, we expected to see the island, or some of the shoals
that are laid down in the charts between it and the main, but we saw
neither one nor the other.

In the evening of the 29th, we observed that luminous appearance of the
sea which has been so often mentioned by navigators, and of which such
various causes have been assigned; some supposing it to be occasioned by
fish, which agitated the water by darting at their prey, some by the
putrefaction of fish and other marine animals, some by electricity, and
others referring it to a great variety of different causes. It appeared
to emit flashes of light exactly resembling those of lightning, only not
so considerable, but they were so frequent that sometimes eight or ten
were visible almost at the same moment. We were of opinion that they
proceeded from some luminous animal, and upon throwing out the
casting-net our opinion was confirmed: It brought up a species of the
_Medusa_, which when it came on board had the appearance of metal
violently heated, and emitted a white light: With these animals were
taken some very small crabs, of three different species, each of which
gave as much light as a glow-worm, though the creature was not so large
by nine-tenths: Upon examination of these animals, Mr Banks had the
satisfaction to find that they were all entirely new.[70]

[Footnote 70: The reader is referred to the account of Captain
Krusenstern's circumnavigation, for a very satisfactory relation or an
experiment on this subject, which clearly proves the truth of the
opinion above stated, as to the cause of the shining appearance so often
noticed at sea. It is too long for quotation in this place.--E.]

On Wednesday the 2d of November, about noon, being in the latitude of
10 deg. 38' S. and longitude 32 deg. 18' 43" W. we passed the Line, in which the
needle at this time would have pointed due north and south, without any
variation: For in the morning, having decreased gradually in its
deviation for some days, it was no more than 18' W. and in the afternoon
it was 34' east.

On the 6th, being in latitude 19 deg. 8' south, longitude 35 deg. 50' west, the
colour of the water was observed to change, upon which we sounded, and
found ground at the depth of thirty-two fathoms; the lead was cast three
times within about four hours, without a foot difference in the depth or
quality of the bottom, which was coral rock, fine sand, and shells; we
therefore supposed that we had passed over the tail of the great shoal
which is laid down in all our charts by the name of Abrothos, on which
Lord Anson struck soundings in his passage outwards: At four the next
morning we had no ground with 100 fathom.

As several articles of our stock and provisions now began to fall short,
I determined to put into Rio de Janeiro, rather than at any port in
Brazil or Falkland's Islands, knowing that it could better supply as
with what we wanted, and making no doubt but that we should be well
received.

On the 8th, at day-break, we saw the coast of Brazil, and about ten
o'clock we brought-to, and spoke with a fishing-boat; the people on
board told us that the land which we saw, lay to the southward of Santo
Espirito, but belonged to the captainship of that place.

Mr Banks and Dr Solander went on board this vessel; in which they found
eleven men, nine of whom were blacks; they all fished with lines, and
their fresh cargo, the chief part of which Mr Banks bought, consisted of
dolphins, large pelagic scombers of two kinds, sea-bream, and some of
the fish which in the West Indies are called Welshmen. Mr Banks had
taken Spanish silver with him, which he imagined to be the currency of
the continent, but to his great surprise the people asked him for
English shillings; he gave them two, which he happened to have about
him, and it was not without some dispute that they took the rest of the
money in pistereens. Their business seemed to be to catch large fish at
a good distance from the shore, which they salted in bulk, in a place
made for that purpose; in the middle of their boat: Of this merchandise
they had about two quintals on board, which they offered for about
fifteen shillings, and would probably have sold for half the money. The
fresh fish, which was bought for about nineteen shillings and sixpence,
served the whole ship's company; the salt was not wanted.

The sea-provision of these fishermen consisted of nothing more than a
cask of water, and a bag of Cassada flour, which they called Farinha de
Pao, or wooden flour, which indeed is a name which very well suits its
taste and appearance. Their water-cask was large, as wide as their boat,
and exactly fitted a place that was made for it in the ballast; it was
impossible therefore to draw out any of its contents by a tap, the sides
being, from the bottom to the top, wholly inaccessible; neither could
any be taken out by dipping a vessel in at the head, for an opening
sufficiently wide for that purpose would have endangered the loss of
great part of it by the rolling of the vessel: Their expedient to get at
their water, so situated, was curious; when one of them wanted to drink,
he applied to his neighbour, who accompanied him to the water-cask with
a hollow cane about three feet long, which was open at both ends; this
he thrust into the cask through a small hole in the top, and then,
stopping the upper end with the palm of his hand, drew it out; the
pressure of the air against the other end keeping in the water which it
contained; to this end the person who wanted to drink applied his mouth,
and the assistant then taking his hand from the other, and admitting the
air above, the cane immediately parted with its contents, which the
drinker drew off till he was satisfied.[71]

[Footnote 71: It seems pretty obvious that the form and position of the
water-cask, were accommodated to this known practicability of getting
conveniently at its contents. But how such a method should have become
familiar to these fishermen, it is difficult to conjecture. Some
accidental observation of a reed or similar body containing water when
one of its ends was pressed close, had, in all probability, furnished
them or their ancestors with the hint. Man, when necessitated to
exertion, is essentially a philosopher; but when his natural wants are
by any means supplied, he dwindles into a fool. Hence his discoveries
are often invaluable in their consequences, whilst his reasonings in
explanation of them are absurd and childish. A contrasted collection of
both would be a most amusing, and at the same time a humiliating picture
of the inconsistency of human nature.--E.]

We stood off and on along the shore till the 12th, and successively saw
a remarkable hill near Santo Espirito, then Cape St Thomas, and then an
island just without Cape Frio, which in some maps is called the island
of Frio, and which being high, with a hollow in the middle, has the
appearance of two islands when seen at a distance. On this day we stood
along the shore for Rio de Janeiro, and at nine the next morning made
sail for the harbour. I then sent Mr Hicks, my first lieutenant, before
us in the pinnace, up to the city, to acquaint the governor, that we put
in there to procure water and refreshments; and to desire the
assistance of a pilot to bring us into proper anchoring-ground. I
continued to stand up the river, trusting to Mr Bellisle's draught,
published in the _Petit Atlas Maritime_, vol. ii. N0. 54, which we found
very good, till five o'clock in the evening, expecting the return of my
lieutenant; and just as I was about to anchor, above the island of
Cobras, which lies before the city, the pinnace came back without him,
having on board a Portuguese officer, but no pilot. The people in the
boat told me, that my lieutenant was detained by the viceroy till I
should go on shore.[72] We came immediately to an anchor; and, almost at
the same time, a ten-oared boat, full of soldiers, came up, and kept
rowing round the ship, without exchanging a word: In less than a quarter
of an hour, another boat came on board with several of the viceroy's
officers, who asked, whence we came; what was our cargo; the number of
men and guns on board; the object of our voyage, and several other
questions, which we directly and truly answered: They then told me, as a
kind of apology for detaining my lieutenant, and putting an officer on
board my pinnace, that it was the invariable custom of the place, to
detain the first officer who came on shore from any ship on her arrival,
till a boat from the viceroy had visited her, and to suffer no boat to
go either from or to a ship, while she lay there, without having a
soldier on board. They said that I might go on shore when I pleased; but
wished that every other person might remain on board till the paper
which they should draw up had been delivered to the viceroy, promising
that, immediately upon their return, the lieutenant should be sent on
board.

[Footnote 72: There is no reason for supposing that this viceroy had any
greater dislike to our countrymen than to any other, or that he acted
otherwise towards them than he was accustomed to do in similar cases.
Bougainville complains of him much, and represents him as a turbulent
ill-mannered fellow. "Having," says he, "on one occasion, upon the
repeated leave of the viceroy, concluded a bargain for buying a snow,
his excellency forbad the seller to deliver it to me. He likewise gave
orders, that we should not be allowed the necessary timber out of the
royal dock-yards, for which we had already agreed; he then refused me
the permission of lodging with my officers (during the time that the
frigate underwent some essential repairs) in a house near the town,
offered me by its proprietor, and which Commodore Byron had occupied in
1765, when he touched at this port. On this account, and likewise on his
refusing me the snow and the timber, I wanted to make some remonstrances
to him. He did not give me time to do it: And at the first words I
uttered, he rose in a furious passion, and ordered me to go out; and
being certainly piqued, that in spite of his anger, I remained sitting
with two officers who accompanied me, he called his guards; but they,
wiser than himself, did not come, and we retired, so that nobody seemed
to have been disturbed. We were hardly gone, when the guards of his
palace were doubled, and orders given to arrest all the French that
should be found in the streets after sunsetting." According to this
writer, it appears that neither the laws of nations, nor the rules of
good breeding, were respected by this very important being, "vain of his
authority."--E.]