hese stringed instruments, and two kinds
of marimba, have found a place in the Jesuit Bonnanis' _Gabinetto
Armonica_, printed at Rome, 1722, and dedicated to Holy King David. The
great marimba consists of a large wooden frame; in which a number of
hollow canes, about nine inches long, are placed, with the mouth
upwards; across these open ends are laid pieces of sonorous wood, which
being struck with another yield a pleasant sound, like the wooden
armonicas of Malacca. The whole is suspended round the neck, like the
old man's psaltery in the Dance of Death. Each nation of negroes has its
own peculiar instrument, which its exiles have introduced here. A king
of each tribe is annually elected, to whom his people are obedient,
something in the way of the gipsy monarchy. Before 1806 the election
took place with great ceremony and feasting, and sometimes fighting, in
the Campo de Sta. Anna; and the king of the whole was seated during the
day in the centre of the square under a huge state umbrella. This
festival is now abolished.]

_4th_.--I was very sorry indeed this morning at sunrise, when I saw the
boats ready to convey us from N.S. da Luz, where we had enjoyed our
three days as much as possible; a cheerful party, a kind host, free
disposal of our time, and no business but such as might beseem the
individuals of this castle of indolence, "where every man strolled off
his own glad way."

"There freedom reigned without the least alloy;
Nor gossip's tale, nor ancient maiden's gall,
Nor saintly spleen, durst murmur at our joy,
And with envenomed tongue our pleasures pall.
For why? There was but one great rule for all;
To wit, that each should work his own desire."

We returned to the ship by a different way from that by which we went,
through the archipelago of beautiful islands on the eastern side of the
harbour; and I had the pleasure to find the Captain really better,
though still with tender feet.

_6th_.--His Majesty's ship, Slaney, Capt. Stanhope, sailed from Rio.

_7th_.--The Superb arrived from Valparaiso, bringing no news of
importance. Indeed, if she had, we are scarcely in a state to attend to
it: we have sat up all night with B., one of our midshipmen, who is
dangerously ill.

_8th_.--Captain Graham not feeling well enough to leave the ship, I went
with Captain Prescott of the Aurora, to visit the French Commodore
Roussin on board the Amazone. I have seldom been better pleased. The