employed in collecting the diamonds; but I will
tell you one thing, it is the poorest part of the Brazils. If the same
number of people who are engaged in collecting the diamonds were
employed in cultivating the waste ground, the country would, I believe,
be far richer. However, perhaps my friends here may obtain permission
to visit the mines, and if so, I dare say they will some day give you an
account of them."

Of course Tony said he would do so. If he was fortunate enough to get
there.

When the weather grew fine we passed our time very pleasantly, for we
had a number of interesting books, especially of natural history, in
which we old school-fellows fortunately took great delight. Houlston
and Tony had agreed to make collections of objects of natural history
when they were settled at Para, and as they had lost all their own
books, I gave them some of mine, as there was little prospect of their
getting any at Rio de Janeiro--so the captain told us. At length one
morning, just at sunrise, when I went on deck to enjoy the cool air, I
heard the shout of "Land!" and looking out, I saw a line of blue
mountains rising out of the water. The breeze carried us quickly
towards them, and in a short time we could distinguish a lofty height,
shaped like a sugar-loaf, which stands at the south side of the entrance
into the harbour of Rio. A little to the left rose three peaks, which
Mr Lima, the Portuguese mate, called the _Tres Irmaos_, or the "Three
Brothers," with the lofty peak of Corcovado a little further south. On
the right of the entrance we could distinguish the white walls of the
fortress of Santa Cruz, which commands it, with another range of
mountains rising above it, and terminating in a bold, lofty promontory,
known as Cape Frio, while far beyond towered up the blue outline of the
distant Organ Mountains. We sailed on, passing between the lofty
heights I have described, being hailed, as we glided under the frowning
guns of Santa Cruz, by a stentorian voice, with various questions as to
who we were, whence we came, our object in entering the port, to all of
which Captain Byles replied through his speaking-trumpet. It would be
difficult to describe the beautiful scene in which we now found
ourselves,--curious-shaped canoes and boats of all rigs, manned by
half-naked blacks, sailing about, and a number of vessels at anchor in
the vast harbour; numerous white forts, backed by picturesque hills
rising above t