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deck was ample for walking, or pitching quoits, and was protected from the sun by an awning. Over the room where we ate was also a small deck, with awning, near to and about on a level with the officers' bridge, and which was a favorite place for sitting and reading or lounging, as the prospect from it was extensive and the atmosphere agreeable. There were a few nights or parts of nights when the heat was oppressive in our state-rooms. We could generally, however, keep the round small window in each state-room open or partly open, but it was sometimes hazardous to do so. One night, when I had left the window open in my room, a wave came against the ship, dashing fully two buckets of water in upon me as I was lying in my berth sound asleep. Another night one of our European fellow-passengers had a similar experience.

The crew was composed of steady, sensible Germans, including some boys who have very good prospects, as, by sticking to their profession, and taking pains to acquire theoretical as well as practical knowledge of navigation, they may look forward some day to become masters of just such a steamship as the Bismarck. In crossing the equator a part of an afternoon is devoted to a bit of frolic to initiate such seamen as are crossing the line for the first time. On this occasion on our steamer there was a grotesque procession, after which the candidates were subjected to a mock operation of shaving, and, by some slip of their seat, found themselves sprawling in a tub of water. The whole concluded by the captain treating all hands to beer. The only dispute or quarrel, and that not serious, which occurred on the voyage, was between a couple of the seamen after this hour or so of fun.

Competent ship-masters agree that the voyage between

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the United States and Brazil is easy and pleasant as compared with that across the North Atlantic. As Captain Beers says, "it is a yacht-excursion." In coming from New York to Rio de Janeiro and returning, the weather and sea as a rule are favorable, a fact important both to merchants and to those who travel for recreation and instruction.

The United States and Brazil Mail Steamship Company began running their line of new passenger-steamships between New York and Rio de Janeiro in 1883; and in October, 1886, commenced the extension of their line to Montevideo with their new steamship Allianca. Leaving their dock at Brooklyn, these steamers proceed on every voyage to Newport News, Virginia, where they take on their supply of coal and a cargo of flour, and leave the latter place the evening of the third day after starting from Brooklyn. They pass about one hundred and fifty miles west of the Bermudas, and in the course of five days arrive in the fine harbor of the green mountain-island of St. Thomas-an island which President Lincoln bought of Denmark by a treaty which the Senate refused to ratify. There, a hundred black people, young and old, male and female, bring coal aboard the ship in baskets, which they carry on their heads, working almost on the jump. Peddlers of coral hover about the ship in their boats; also, youthful swimmers, who, to make a little money and divert the passengers, will dive and bring up any small silver coin that the latter may be willing to throw into the water.

From St. Thomas the steamer is a little less than two days in reaching Barbadoes, a beautiful undulating and exceedingly fertile island, covered with plantations of sugar-cane and numerously dotted with dwellings. It is

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a favorite resort for visitors, has a good modern hotel, and living on the island is very cheap. From Barbadoes to Pará, Brazil's rising city of the Amazon Valley, occupies from four to five days. Passengers will generally wish to visit this and the other Brazilian cities at which the steamer calls, but before doing so it may be best to consult the surgeon on board. The steamer usually runs from Pará to Maranham in a day and a half; from Maranham to Pernambuco, an important city and center of the sugar-trade, in three and a half days; from Pernambuco to Bahia, in two and a half days; and from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro, in three days. If you are fond of oranges, always lay in a supply at Bahia. No good ones are to be had at the ports north of Bahia. From Rio to New York there are British steamships leaving weekly, some of which have good passenger accommodations. A person of leisure, or traveling for health, would find a passage pleasant on some of the sailing-packets which run regularly between Baltimore and Rio, a few of which sometimes make four round voyages in the course of the year.

A sailing-vessel leaving one of our Atlantic ports, bound for Brazil, usually steers east a great distance to get into the trade-winds blowing from the northeast to the southwest. She goes east for this purpose nearly halfway across the Atlantic, then southeasterly to about the twenty-eighth degree of latitude; from there she is carried along by the northeast trade-wind to the tenth or fifth degree of latitude north of the equator, according to the season, after which there are light, variable winds till about the second degree north of the equator, when the southeast trade-winds may be expected, and which take the vessel to about the nineteenth degree of latitude south of the equator; after which there are variable winds to

Rio de Janeiro. The average crossing of the equator is at longitude 32° west.

As the "torrid zone" extends some twenty-three degrees on each side of the equator, and as the common understanding of the word "torrid" is violent heat, it is no wonder that people have a wrong impression of the character of the weather at sea in the neighborhood of and even under the equator. It is not oppressively hot. On the contrary, there is generally a refreshing breeze, and the nights are often cool enough for passengers to require a blanket for cover in their berths while sleeping.

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I believe there is nothing particularly noteworthy as to the phenomena in the vicinity of the equator and through the "torrid" zone, except that the weather may toward evening be habitually cloudy and look threatening, and soon clear up and become bright starlight. The water when agitated displays at night much brilliant phosphorescent light. During the day the sight of one or two sailing-vessels at a distance, also the frequently seen flying-fish," are about all that would interrupt the monotony. Going south from the equator, say in August, one soon misses the "Great Dipper." The Southern Cross, a constellation of but four stars, is then seen in the southern heavens early in the evening. The Scorpion is directly overhead, and at two or three o'clock in the morning Orion is visible just above the eastern horizon. The distance from New York to Rio de Janeiro direct is five thousand miles; consequently steamships that average twelve miles an hour, a reasonable speed, would make the voyage in seventeen days; but, calling as they usually do at several intermediate ports, the time is extended five or six days.

CHAPTER II.

GETTING TO HOUSEKEEPING.

CARSON'S English Hotel, at which we stopped, is handily located on the Rua Catête, the street-cars passing it every five minutes. In size and architecture it is unpretentious, but has a large lawn and garden in the rear, entirely secluded from the street by one of those high walls which still inclose many old dwelling-sites. It is an orderly and popular family hotel. If there are lady guests, a maid taps at the chamber-door about eight in the morning and hands in a pot of black coffee, a pitcher of hot milk, some rolls and butter. This is expected to sustain nature till you are dressed and come to the ordinary eating-room, where breakfast is served from nine, or a little before, till twelve. The earthen waterbottle, which I shall further along describe, set on its own little platter and placed at convenient distances along the center of the table, forms a part of what is usually on every dining-table. There are dishes of oranges and bananas. The steak, or chop, is broiled after you give your order. You may need to wait fifteen minutes for your breakfast; but be patient, and you will be treated all the better. The servants have been long in the house, and have been accustomed to wait on Brazilian magnates and their families, who are usually very polite; and if

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