"We are now on our way to Rio but not making much headway, the Endymion, as usual, retarding our passage with her slow sailing."

	August 13th "Sighted Cape Rio and observed a school of fin-backed whales. Sighted an American gunboat."
	August 14th 6 pm " Captain went onboard Admiral�s ship to dine - quite calm, 7pm thick fog came on the last light of all the ships of the squadron. Eleven captains came on board after having a long pull looking for the ship."

"All the following day, Sunday, becalmed in a fog about 18 miles from Rio. Anchored Monday forenoon. About 10am the fog cleared, we observed fleet, made sail and proceeded for anchorage. A Brazilian frigate and turret ship joined us and proceeded into harbour. The entrance to the harbour is very beautiful; the Sugar Loaf mountain towering up on one side and a large fort exactly opposite it on the other."

"The town is divided into two parts one on either side of the bay. Communication is held between these parts by means of large steam ferry boats which ply constantly to and fro during the day. Everything is very expensive but there are some nice excursions to be made in the vicinity and the palm grove in the botanical gardens is curious. The Sugar Loaf mountain and also the Corcovado are very curious and difficult of ascent especially the former which the natives assert has only been ascended by an American Lady and two midshipmen."

August 18th "Went ashore and inspected some feather flowers etc. In the evening went to a Public Ball and saw the �Can-Can� beautifully danced."
August 23rd "We had a bad accident onboard, one man fell out of the main top about ninety feet from deck and fell upon two boys (so injuring one he is not likely to live). The man broke his own arm and had various other injuries."
"In the forenoon the Emperor Don Pedro II of Brazil 1 came onboard and inspected the ship. Much saluting (he is a very fine man)."
August 24th "A great cricket match between the English residents and the officers of the fleet in which the navy came off victorious. In the evening a grand ball given by the conquered."

Wednesday morning
" Weighed and proceeded under steam clear of the land and made sail. Nothing of importance happened till Tuesday 3rd when it blew a fearful storm known in these parts as Pamparos. All the fleet were scattered but we all managed to pick one another up next day except the Scylla. We lost several sails during the storm and two of the other ships lost boats.

¹     Don Pedro II proved to be one of the most able monarchs of his time. During his reign, which lasted nearly half a century, the population and economy expanded at unprecedented rates. National production increased by more than 900 percent. A network of railroads was constructed. In the realm of foreign affairs the imperial government was actively hostile to neighbouring dictatorial regimes. It supported the successful revolutionary war against the Argentine dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas from 1851 to 1852 and, allied with Argentina and Uruguay, fought a victorious war against Paraguay from 1865 to 1870.

The chief domestic political issue of the emperor's reign grew out of a broad movement for the abolition of slavery in Brazil. Importation of African slaves was outlawed in 1853. An organized campaign for emancipation of the 2.5 million slaves already in Brazil was launched a few years later. The abolitionists won their first victory in 1871, when the national Parliament approved legislation freeing children born of slave mothers. For various reasons, including the sacrifices entailed by the Paraguayan war, a parallel movement for a republic developed at about this time. Liberalism became widespread during the next 15 years. Slaves more than 60 years of age were liberated in 1885. In May 1888 all remaining slaves were emancipated.

© Copyright Charles Fountain May 2002

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