rossed, or rather forded, after paddling through the mud in
the main thoroughfare.

Our first visit was to the post-office--'no letters'--then to the
British Consulate--'no letters'--and finally to the Legation, but
there was nobody at home there; so we set off for the Hotel des
Etrangers, to breakfast. Our way lay through the straggling suburbs of
the city for about two miles, and as we drove along we could see and
admire, despite the heavy rain, the magnificent groves of palm-trees,
and the brilliancy and beauty of the tropical vegetation in the
various private and public gardens that we passed.

After breakfast we returned to the Legation, where we were most kindly
received, but, much to our regret, no letters were forthcoming. We
next paid a visit to some of the shops in the Rua do Ouvidor, for the
sale of imitations of flowers, made from the undyed feathers of birds,
and a large number of the more expensive varieties of ordinary
artificial flowers, each petal consisting of the entire throat or
breast of a humming-bird, and the leaves are made from the wings of
beetles. They are very rare and beautiful, their manufacture being
quite a _specialite_ of this city. The prices asked astonished us
greatly; the cost of five sprays, which I had been commissioned to
buy, was 29_l_., and the price of all the others was proportionately
high. But then they wear for ever. I have had some for nine years, and
they are as good now as when they were bought.

_Saturday, August 19th_.--Though far from brilliant, the weather
improved, and we were able to enjoy occasional glimpses of the
beautiful scenery around us.

Mr. Gough and Mr. O'Conor breakfasted with us on board, and we
afterwards proceeded in a 'bond' to the Botanical Gardens, about seven
miles out of the city. These 'bonds,' which are a great institution
here, are large carriages, either open or closed, drawn sometimes by
one, sometimes by two, sometimes by three mules. They go at a great
pace, and run very smoothly. Ordinary carriages are dear; and as
tramways have been laid down in almost every street and road, driving
is a rather difficult affair. On our road we passed several
delightful-looking private gardens. The railings were completely
covered, some with white stephanotis and scarlet lapageria, others
with a beautiful orange-coloured creeper and lilac bougainvillaea, or
passion-flowers of many colours and variety. Inside we could see large
trees with green and ye