With a light heart did we all retire to rest; the goal of our long voyage had been attained without any misfortune worthy of being mentioned.  A cruel piece of intelligence was in store for the poor tailor’s wife alone; but the good captain did not break it to her today, in order to let her enjoy an undisturbed night’s rest.  As soon as the tailor heard that his wife was really on her passage out, he ran off with a negress, and left nought behind but—­debts.

The poor woman had given up a sure means of subsistence in her native land (she supported herself by cleaning lace and ladies’ apparel), and had devoted her little savings to pay the expenses of her voyage, and all to find herself deserted and helpless in a strange hemisphere. {14}

From Hamburgh to Rio Janeiro is about 8,750 miles.

CHAPTER II.  ARRIVAL AND SOJOURN IN RIO JANEIRO.

Introduction—­arrival—­descriptionof the town—­the blacks and their relations to the whites—­arts and sciences—­festivals of the church—­ baptism of the imperial princess—­fete in the barracks—­climate and vegetation—­manners and customs—­A few words to emigrants.

I remained in Rio Janeiro above two months, exclusive of the time devoted to my different excursions into the interior of the country; it is very far from my intention, however, to tire the reader with a regular catalogue of every trifling and ordinary occurrence.  I shall content myself with describing the most striking features in the town, and likewise in the manners and customs of the inhabitants, according to the opportunities I possessed during my stay to form an opinion of them.  I shall then give an account of my various excursions in an Appendix, and afterwards resume the thread of my journal.

It was on the morning of the 17th of September that, after the lapse of nearly two months and a half, I first set foot upon dry land.  The captain himself accompanied the passengers on shore, after having earnestly advised each one separately to be sure and smuggle nothing, more especially sealed letters.  “In no part of the world,” he assured us, “were the Custom-house officers so strict, and the penalties so heavy.”

On coming in sight of the guard ship, we began to feel quite frightened from this description, and made up our minds that we should be examined from top to toe.  The captain begged permission to accompany us on shore; this was immediately granted, and the whole ceremony was completed.  During the entire period that we lived on board the ship, and were continually going and coming to and from the town, we never were subjected to any search; it was only when we took chests and boxes with us that we were obliged to proceed to the Custom-house, where all effects are strictly examined, and a heavy duty levied upon merchandise, books, etc., etc.