The collections which had accumulated during the period of my residence in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro, having been put into a proper state and sent to England, I made arrangements for visiting the Organ Mountains. The peaks which receive this appellation form part of a mountain range, situated about sixty miles to the north of Rio, which, branching out in various directions, stretches from about Bahia, in lat. 12° S., to S. Catharina, in lat. 29° S. The name (Serra dos Orgãos) bestowed on them by the Portuguese, originated in a fancied resemblance which the peaks, rising gradually one above the other, bear to the pipes of an organ. About ten years before my visit a Sanatorium, or health station, had been established on this range, at about 3,000 feet above the level of the sea, in a beautiful valley behind the higher peaks. A large tract of country there belongs to Mr. March, an English gentleman, on which he has a farm for the breeding of horses and mules, and a large garden, from which the Rio market is regularly supplied with European vegetables. On this property a number of cottages have been erected, which are resorted to by the families of the English residents at Rio during the hot months. He also receives boarders into his own house, and it rarely happens that the place is without visitors. About one-third of the journey has to be performed by water, the other is accomplished on mules, which are sent down from Mr. March’s farm (Fazenda). As Mr. March happened to be in Rio at the time I purposed visiting the mountains, we started together, on the 24th of Dec., along with two or three English merchants, who were going up to spend the Christmas holidays with their families. It was mid-day before we could leave the city, and, under the influence of a strong sea-breeze, we reached Piedade, the landing-place, at half-past three o’clock, the distance being about twenty miles. The boat in which we embarked belongs to a class which is very common in the harbour, and much employed in conveying goods to the head of the bay, and produce from the interior, from thence to Rio. They are also much made use of by pleasure parties frequenting the islands and opposite shores of the bay. They are called Faluas, and are manned by six rowers, and a steersman who is called the Patrão. The latter is very frequently the owner, and most of them are natives of Portugal. They have two masts, each of which carries a large sail; the stern part is covered over and enclosed with curtains. The negroes who man these boats are generally strong muscular men. Seated on one thwart, they place their feet against another, and rise up at each stroke of the oar, keeping time to a melancholy chant all the while they are pulling. These boats can be hired for an entire day at about eighteen shillings.