Journal of a Voyage to Brazil: And Residence There During Part of the Years 1821, 1822, 1823Callcott, Maria, Lady
History
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil: And Residence There During Part of the Years 1821, 1822, 1823
Callcott, Maria, Lady
Brazil -- Description and travel
A great dinner was given to-day, by the merchants, to the captain and
officers. The governor, and other persons of dignity in the town, met
them; I am told it was a very handsome dinner, that there was plenty of
every kind of wine, and that nothing could exceed the friendly
politeness of the governor and his party. I had remained at Mr. S.'s,
where most of the company visited me after tea; and then we took leave
of Pernambuco, where we had received much kindness, and had at least the
enjoyment of novelty. The scene at our embarking was very pretty. Our
friends went with us to the jetty, and our boats lying in the clear
moonshine beneath it, with sailors going up and down preparing for us,
the harbour and the shipping doubled by the clear reflection in the
still water, heightened and set off the sparkling of the breakers that
dashed against the outer fort and light-house. Through these we soon
made our way and reached the ship, where I have once more taken
possession of my cabin, and put it in order for sea.
We leave Pernambuco, with a firm persuasion that this part of Brazil at
least will never again tamely submit to Portugal. Where the firmness and
conduct of Do Rego have failed to hold the captaincy in obedience, it
will be in vain for other governors to attempt it, particularly so long
as the state of the mother country is such as that she can neither fight
with nor for her colonies; and while she considers them only as taxable
parts of her states, that are bound to support her in her weakness.[62]
[Illustration]
[Note 62: We left Pernambuco on the 14th Oct. 1821. Before Nov. 18th
of the same year, the Cortes of Lisbon had recalled Luiz do Rego and all
the European troops; had repented of that recal, and had countermanded
it, and sent reinforcements. But by the time they arrived, the
captain-general had embarked on board a French ship for Europe; and the
junta, after provisioning the ships with the troops, forbid them to
land, and sent them towards Rio Janeiro.]
_Sunday, Oct. 14th._--We got under weigh after breakfast, and soon lost
sight of Pernambuco. All Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, we coasted along
within sight of the shores of Brazil. They are hilly and very woody, the
green of the sloping banks being often interrupted by bright white
patches, which seem to be of sand. In the evening of Tuesday the 16th,
we anchored in the bay of All Saints, opposite to the town of St.
Salvador, commonly called Bahia. It was quite dark before we got in, so
that we lost the first entrance-view of that magnificent harbour; but
the scattered lights show us the great extent and high situation of the
town.
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