MY TRIP TO ENGLAND.

Waipawa Mail, Volume IX, Issue 885, 26 January 1886, Page 2

MY TRIP TO ENGLAND.

Slut I NttW oil (ll<> C'OMtluCßt,

(Bv a Colonial.)

CHAPTER If. RIO DE JANEIRO,

I r being dark, we were deprived of tlio beautiful glimpse of ucenery wliioli most travellers are able to admire upon entering I lie most beautiful harbor in tlie world. However, what wc saw was as pretty as 1 could well imagine. Passing the lighthouse by, wc soon came in sight of tlio town lights, the latter appearing all round the bay at regular intervals and in ij wonderfully regular line. The shores of tlie bay arc very irregular indeed, and in lliis respect compare closely with Sydney harbor. Small promontories and doep little bays and hundreds of little inlets and caves appear everywhere. In daylight the s.-ciie is a most beautiful ono. The white houses and the pretty gardens surround tlie traveller on all sides as 110 gs/. -s upon this wonderland. When tlio sin- rose, the most lovely transformation se.uie was plac.-ii Ind-tre us, too beautiful to describe. The hills, the bays, tho forests, wi re lit up with a roso colored lute, and the water sparkled in the same enchanting tint--such an effect as could only be produced in tlie pure air and unique ciituate of ting semi-tropical region itself. At seven o’clock or thereabouts the “ morning paper ’ came on board, hut of course we omild not read one word of it : with this missive came numb is of boats from tho shore, bearing parties of tile natives eager Jo mko us on shore, or in some other way v'como posß -Kscd of u portion of our lon ign capital. We ultimately did g„ ashore, and upon reaching it iu safety, w re takeu along in a train until we were po.it ly requested to get out. This done, tiie first visit for us to pay was one to the money changer’ s office. Hero we changed our gold for the local currency. The amount of wcaltii which was given for a sov *reigu seemed to us something enorinous. Oneguin-n, is equal to twelve and a halt niiibraisan.l a tuilbrae is equal to 1000 rice : consequently we found that a pound was equivalent to 12,500 rice, in which coin all ordinary payments are made. Thus a short ride in a tram-car costs the unwary traveller 200 rice; lunch cannot be obtained for less than 1000 rice. Imagine the importance that came over me when 1 ascertained iu the evening that 1 had paid away no less than 50,000 of tho local capital and currency during that day J There were eight in our party, but it took eight vehicles to convey us to tlio hotel, so that the procession naturally struck me as being rather u formidable one. I dont know why, but these little carriages are only allowed to cany one passenger beside the driver, I he latter personage seating himself by your side. In every respect but ibis, the position of tlie driver, tic carriages of Rio aie more like hansoms ihnn any oilier kind of vehicle I can think of. I most confess however that the fellows manage their horses very well ; and when the reader comes to remember that

the streets are only 2°ft. wide from shop to shop, and that 4ft on either side is taken up for foot-paths, and a train line runs along the centie, I think he will agree with uie that ther is little enough room left for cabs, luuie carts and other conveyances. It was only surprising to me that more accidents did no happen. The mules carried hells, which tinkle a timely warning of the approach of the carts which are drawn by these animals, and the provision so made was a wise one and probably saved more tin'll on ■ mishap from What wiih these and other noises, the din that arose from Hie town was something terrible ; the rumble of the conveyances and the shouting of the drivers and the patter and clatter of the horses’ feet bei'-'r augmented by the cries of the pedlars, jp advertised their wares at the tops of their voices; and considering that the roads are all paved with granite stones it may be imagined that the rumbling of wheels was in itself no small fa. tor in the aggregate tumult. We drove through a great number of streets, and I remarked that each one of them had an effluvia which was peculiarly its own. Sir John Hall was in Kio at this time, and we found in him a friend indeed. Sir John can speak French and German, and as he had been in the district for some time, knew how to get every where, and had fairly mastered the intricacies of the coinage. The botanical gardens at Rio are, perhaps, not so different to those of most other places to warrant a minute description of them being given here, but I may say say that the drive to the gardens, which are about six miles from the city, is a beautiful one : and this portion of the town appears to he an extremely fashionable one. Many of the houses are built of splendid slabs of marble of the most lovely tints, and the tropical vegetation which surrounds the buildings is very ricb in shade and coloring. Then we passed through avenues of the most splendid palm, trees, which at first glance looked more like marble columns, as they have no branches or leaves excepting at the very top. The heads of the palms are just like huge canopies, and the trees somewhat resemble the New Zealand “ nikau” 01113- course the latter 110 not attain to anything like the size of the former. The Santa Theraza was the next object of attack at Rio, and we commenced the ascent in the afternoon. A mule tram-car conveys the traveller for the first part of the distance ; then he changes to a car that is drawn up a steep grade in

a manner similar to that in which the tram-car is raised in Dunedin. When the worst grades are overcome a car drawn by four mules is entered, ami afterwards again, our drawn by only two of these animals. When we reached the top of the Theraza we found a view that was characteristic of the couutry and so charming that it repaid us for our exertions. Far away in the distance, immense crags or mountains rear* d themselves up to a height of about 20JO feel, their sides being|most precipitous and llndr summits being lost in ( loud. These peaks resembled sugar loaves more than anything, and their uncommon shape and structure, and the beautiful surroundings —all tropical shrubs and verdure excepting in places where bare crags would stand out in hold relief—could not fail to li 11 the hardest heart with admiration.

Shopping in Rio, was an amusing if expensive operation, the chief object of attraction (with the ladies) being the sprays of feather flowers, such as those which arc to be had in all similar towns. The men who accompanied the lady passengers, however, were cont nt with looking on at the monkeys and listening to the nniy hoys, some of whom were wonderfuny efficient on tludr primitive instiumeuts. 'i gave the best player the sum of two-pence, and a fellow passenger did likewise, but, modest contribution though it may set 111, it entailed 1 lie chang of ownership of 200 rice in the ciur- nt coin. To give an idea of prices at Rio I may say that I strolled intc what umy T be called the “ Bond Street” of that town, intent on purchasing some articles of clothing. The propiietor of the shop was a Frenchman, and it being a long time since I had had b ssons in that elegant language, we found some difficulty in exchanging ideas with one another. When, by means of signs, 1 made him understand that it was a shirt that I required, the old fellow expressed great joy at the discover}*, and explained with delight that it was It* chemise* Unit Monsieur wished to purchase. This expression of his caused me to bo haunted with an idea that the articles with which 1 was to be served would, after ail, not take the place of the shirts I had been accustomed to wear in New Zealand : but 1 submitted them to a s- arching examination, and satisfied myself as to their integrity. Three shirts, six collars, and a pair of pantaloons cost no less than £il in Rio, so that the market in that beautiful locality can hardly be said to be in favor of the purchaser. However, vve paid nothing for the enchanting glimpses of scenery, for the novelty of spending a few days in a climate so rare, and amidst scenes so interesting and exciting ; so that none of us grudged the few pounds of which the natives of Rio fleeced us, and we all returned to the Rimuluka, thoroughly satisfied with what we had seen in this fairyland of South America —the most beautiful liaibor in the world.