y.

When we entered the room a signal was made from the palace,
and the fort began to fire. Orders had been left with the
commanding officer on board the Sirius, to begin to salute after
the fort had fired two guns, which was particularly attended to,
and a salute of twenty-one guns was given. It is rather uncommon
upon such occasions, for an English ship of war to salute at so
early an hour, but certainly the greatest compliment which we
could at such time pay them, was to observe in this case the
custom practised by their own ships.

On Monday the 3d of September, the watering of the convoy, and
every other part of their refitting being compleated, the signal
was made from the Sirius for every person to repair immediately
on board their respective ships, and at the same time the signal
for unmooring was shown; and on Tuesday morning, with a light
breeze from the land, we weighed with the convoy. When the Sirius
had got within about half a mile of Fort Santa Cruz, that castle
saluted us with 21 guns, which was answered by us with the same
number; a very high and uncommon compliment, and such I believe
as is seldom paid to any foreigner; but was no doubt meant as a
suitable return to the attention paid by his Majesty's ship to
the birth-day of the Prince of Brazil. We carried wind enough out
to run us clear without the islands before night.

The harbour of Rio de Janeiro may be known when you are off
it, by a remarkable hill at its entrance, called Pao d'Asucar,
from its resemblance to a loaf of sugar; but there is a hill to
the south-east of the harbour, which is called by some the False
Sugar-loaf; but which, as you view it from the eastward, I think
has more the appearance of a church, with a short spire steeple;
this hill points out the harbour to ships at a distance, much
better than Pao d'Asucar. The land to the westward of the harbour
is high and broken, and is commonly so covered with clouds, that
you cannot discover the true make of it.

Right off the harbour lie several small islands, all steep to,
or nearly so; a few rocks project a very small distance from some
of them, but which cannot be considered dangerous, as no person
possessed of common prudence would ever take a ship so near as
they lye; within those islands (if you have not wind to carry
your ship into the harbour) you may anchor; the best birth for
getting under way with any wind, is to bring the island Raz (a
low island) to bear south or so