When the moon rose we continued our journey, but the lowering clouds, together with the dark shade of the overhanging trees, prevented our deriving much advantage from its light. When we emerged from the forest and gained a glimpse of the horizon, everything betokened an approaching storm. Towards the north lay a mass of the darkest clouds, whence streamed, from time to time, sheets of the most brilliant lightning. This continued till we reached home, shortly after ten o’clock, and we were scarcely seated when the storm broke forth in all its fury, accompanied with a deluge of rain. From various parts of the watercourse fine views of the low country are obtained. The finest, perhaps, is that which discloses the Lake of Rodrigo Freitas. We looked, as it were, through a large portal; on the left is the Corcovado, covered with a dense forest of various tinted foliage, and on the right, the nearly perpendicular face of another mountain, covered with a few _Cacti_ and other succulent plants, but richly wooded towards the summit. From this point there runs a large wide valley, at the bottom of which lies the Botanic Garden, and still further on, the lake. On the flat grounds by the shores of the lake are a number of cottages, surrounded by cultivated fields. Immediately beyond these is the sea-shore, with its broad belt of white sand on which a heavy surf is always breaking. All beyond, with the exception of a small island or two to the left is the great Southern Atlantic Ocean, bounded by the blue sky. In the course of our walk we often sat down to rest ourselves, and to enjoy, in the silence and repose which surrounded us, the romantic prospects which were constantly presenting themselves.