Soco.  On hearing my intention to travel in the Brazils, this gentleman not only invited me to visit him, but also to accompany him to his establishment, to which he was about to return in a few days.  This invitation was perfectly irresistible, and I promised to avail myself of it, if it were possible for me to sit on horseback at the time of his departure.  This hope induced me to be doubly careful in promoting the measures judged advisable for my recovery.  Captain Duntz, and his friend Mr. Edward Walker, one of the Directors of the Mining Company, also called with Captain Lyon; as well as Messrs. Luddington, Power, &c. in the course of the day.

Thursday, 24.—­Captain Lyon most obligingly invited me to join a party, consisting of Mr. Gordon, our Minister, Captains Beechy and Forster, &c. &c. on a most interesting excursion to the Corcovada Mountain on the following morning, for the purpose of measuring its height; but I was most reluctantly obliged to decline it; first, because it would have been too trying for my cough; and secondly, because I wished to reserve all my strength for my journey into the interior.

Saturday, 26.—­Captain Duntz paid me another visit, bringing his friend Sir T. Thompson of the Cadmus with him.  Captain Lyon and his friend Mr. Edward Walker also favoured me in like manner.

Monday, 28.—­The packet sailed for England to-day, calling at Bahia and Pernambuco on her way.  Captain Lyon’s friend Mr. Edward Walker went passenger in her.  I heard that our journey into the interior was fortunately deferred for a day or two.  My friend Lieutenant E. Belcher of H.M.S.  Blossom, called on me to-day, as did several other gentlemen.

Tuesday, 29.—­Captain Lyon called to inform me that he had determined on proceeding to the interior the following day; I therefore busied myself in preparing for the journey.  Among the few articles of which I stood in need, were a jacket and pantaloons, which I was obliged to purchase, ready made, at a store of English slop-goods, the English tailors here being too consequential to accommodate any one on an emergency.

Wednesday, 30.—­I took leave of my friend and fellow passenger Mr. Fearon, to join Captain Lyon at Mr. Raynsford’s in Rua Pescadores, from whose house we were to set out.  Every thing being ready about noon, we mounted our mules, and formed a very respectable cavalcade, our party for the interior consisting of Captain Lyon, Mr. Sharpe, Mr. A. Walker, and myself, with a train of loaded mules, we were also favoured by the escort of Messrs. Raynsford, and Lewis, on our first day’s march.  The latter gentleman is a Prussian Jew, and has amassed a considerable property in this country by dealing in precious stones, in addition to which traffic, he has a general store at Gongo Soco.  He has also a brother a dealer in jewels who lives at Villa Rica.  How is it that other men cannot succeed so well as those of the Jewish