to be in 16 deg 40 min north latitude, and 23 deg 5 min west
longitude. The south end of Bonavista to be in 15 deg 57 min north, 23
deg 8 min west. The south end of the Isle of May in 15 deg 11 min north,
23 deg 26 min west; and the longitude of the fort, in the town of Port
Praya, to be 23 deg 36 1/2 min west of Greenwich.

By this time the weather, from the sun being so far advanced in the
northern tropic, was become intolerably hot, which, joined to the heavy
rains that soon after came on, made us very apprehensive for the health
of the fleet. Contrary, however, to expectation, the number of sick in
the ship I was embarked on was surprisingly small, and the rest of the
fleet were nearly as healthy. Frequent explosions of gunpowder, lighting
fires between decks, and a liberal use of that admirable antiseptic,
oil of tar, were the preventives we made use of against impure air; and
above all things we were careful to keep the men's bedding and wearing
apparel dry. As we advanced towards the Line, the weather grew gradually
better and more pleasant. On the 14th of July we passed the Equator, at
which time the atmosphere was as serene, and the temperature of the air
not hotter than in a bright summer day in England. From this period,
until our arrival on the American coast, the heats, the calms, and
the rains by which we had been so much incommoded, were succeeded by a
series of weather as delightful as it was unlooked for. At three o'clock
in the afternoon of the 2nd of August, the 'Supply', which had been
previously sent a-head on purpose, made the signal for seeing the land,
which was visible to the whole fleet before sunset, and proved to be
Cape Frio, in latitude 23 deg 5 min south, longitude 41 deg 40 1/4 min
west.

Owing to light airs we did not get a-breast of the city of St.
Sebastian, in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, until the 7th of the month,
when we anchored about three quarters of a mile from the shore.

CHAPTER V.

From the Arrival of the Fleet at Rio de Janeiro, till its Departure for
the Cape of Good Hope; with some Remarks on the Brazils.

Brazil is a country very imperfectly known in Europe. The Portugueze,
from political motives, have been sparing in their accounts of it.
Whence our descriptions of it, in the geographical publications in
England, are drawn, I know not: that they are miserably erroneous and
defective, is certain.

The city of St. Sebastian stands on the west side of t