death.” I immediately deposited the property at the British Consul’s office, being under some apprehension, but I never heard more of the matter. No doubt the body became a prey to the dogs and wild birds, and the friends of this poor man will most probably never hear of his fate. Upon being detected in the commission of a crime, the perpetrator frequently flies to the altar of a contiguous church; where I once saw a criminal remain for several hours, being privileged from capture till an order was obtained from the bishop for his arrest. This, like many other observances of the Roman Catholics, is a practice derived from the Mosaic law. The circumstances attending the execution of the criminal alluded to in the last note were rather singular, although common here upon such occasions. He was conducted on foot for a considerable distance through the streets, accompanied by padres, to the place of execution. There he was laid upon his back against the upper part of the ladder attached to the scaffold, and, on the rope being fastened round his neck, he was pushed off, with a negro upon his shoulders to accelerate his death. The head and hands were afterwards severed from the body and placed at each angle of the gallows, as represented in the plate. The regular military force of Rio de Janeiro, and the immediately surrounding district, may be estimated at five thousand men, consisting of two regiments of infantry and one of cassadores from Portugal, some regiments of Brazilian infantry and cavalry, mulattoes and blacks, including the royal guard, exceedingly ill mounted and ineffective. The police of the city consists of a regiment of infantry and cavalry; this department appears to be well arranged. Although the principal plan for the protection of the Brazil is the militia law, to which all the inhabitants are liable, yet, in point of discipline they are very deficient, but in dress and equipment they reach mediocrity. None of the regular regiments are in a state of good discipline; those from Portugal are the best, but they are dissatisfied with the Brazilian service, and I was assured by one of their officers that they have relaxed very much in their duty. The mining districts and the other adjoining provinces are furnished with light cavalry, to which may be added the militia, who are usually called out for exercise on Sundays and holidays. The force at Monte Video amounts to eight thousand men, under General Le Cour, and the troops under General Rego (the Captain-General) at Pernambuco, are decidedly under the best discipline. Those two officers served with Lord Wellington in the peninsular campaign. The thirty-eighth British regiment proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope put into Rio de Janeiro for refreshment; the men being permitted occasionally to go on shore were soon recognised by one of the regiments from Portugal as their companions in war. The salutations which occurred between them induced the King to make some