Wednesday, August 30th.—­Once more a wet morning; but as it cleared towards noon, we ordered horses and some luncheon, and went up to Pedro Bonito.  The ride was pleasant enough at first, but as we mounted higher and higher, we got into the clouds and lost the view.  Finally, there seemed nothing for it but to halt near the top, under a grove of orange-trees, lunch in the pouring rain, and return without having reached the summit.

Friday, September 1st.—­At three o’clock this morning, when I awoke, I saw at last a bright, clear sky, and at five, finding that there was every prospect of a beautiful sunrise, we sent for horses, ate our early breakfast, and set off for the peak of Tijuca.  Step by step we climbed, first through the grounds of the hotel, then through the forest, till we reached ‘The Bamboos,’ a favourite halting-place, by the side of a stream, near which grow, in waving tufts, the graceful trees which lend their name to the spot.  It was very beautiful in the hill-side forest, with a new prospect opening out at every step, and set in an ever-varying natural framework of foliage and flowers.  There was not sufficient time to linger, however, as we would fain have done, in the cool and shady paths, occasionally illumed by the bright rays of the sun, shining through the foliage of noble palms, the fronds of tree-ferns, and the spiral stems of many-coloured creepers.

Before reaching the top of the peak, there are twenty-nine wooden and ninety-six stone steps to be ascended, at the foot of which we tied our horses.  An iron chain is hung by the side to assist you, without which it would be rather giddy work, for the steps are steep, and there is a sheer precipice on one side of them.  Arrived at the top, the scene was glorious; on every side mountains beyond mountains stretch far away into the distance, and one can see as far north as Cape Frio, and southwards as far as Rio Grande do Sul, while beneath lies the bay of Rio, with its innumerable islands, islets, and indentations.  All too soon we had to scramble down again, and mount our horses for a hurried return to the hotel, there being barely time for lunch and a scramble to the yacht.

Monday, September 4th.—­We were all up very early this morning, superintending the preparations for our eldest boy’s departure for England.  The yacht had been gaily dressed with flags, in honour of the anniversary of the Emperor’s wedding-day; but it must be confessed that our own feelings were hardly in accordance with these external symbols of joy.  Breakfast was a melancholy meal, and I fear that the visitors from the ‘Volage’ were not very well entertained.  After breakfast, we went ashore to the market, to get a couple of lion-monkeys, which had been kept for us, and which Tab was to take home with him to present to the Zoological Gardens.  At one o’clock the steam-launch from the ‘Volage’ came alongside and embarked the luggage and servants.