the Papists to suppress it, and it was hoped that it would continue to work until the whole lump was leavened. The slavery of Rio is one of the most prominent characteristics which present themselves to the traveler, on arriving at this place. And, to those of us who had never seen slavery in its practical effects, it was "enough to make one's heart bleed," to witness these ill-fated sons of Ham driven about by their cruel task-masters, and compelled to perform their tasks in a state of almost perfect nudity, exposed to the burning rays of a vertical sun. As cruel, however, as Brazilian slavery appears to be at first sight, there are some mitigating circumstances connected with it, when compared with the slavery of some other countries. Unlike the laws in the Southern States of our Republic, which give the master the same control over his slaves that he has over any kind of property, those of Brazil guarantee to the slave a number of important privileges. First, the slave is required to labor for his master from morning until two o'clock, which is the business portion of the day; and the remainder of the day he has to himself. Second, the slave is entitled, by law, to two days in each week to employ as he sees fit. These two provisions give the slave nearly one half of the time, and the property he accumulates, when thus at liberty, belongs to himself. He is compelled, however, to procure his own food, without expense to his master. If, by industry or good fortune, he succeeds in obtaining his freedom, which is not an unfrequent occurrence, he is immediately entitled to all the privileges of a freeman, and his offspring are not liable to be enslaved. But, notwithstanding these extenuating circumstances connected with Brazilian slavery, it is a system of cruelty and oppression. The naked appearance of the slaves, the ponderous burdens they are compelled to bear, their frequent flagellations, and when worn out with fatigue, their lying around the streets and under the walls of buildings like cattle, and at other times like horses dragging around their drays, unmercifully loaded, all had a tendency deeply to excite our sympathies for suffering humanity, and to increase our abhorrence for this system of cruelty and blood. It was cheering, while beholding some of the worst evils of the system, to indulge the reflection that the time will come when slavery must be abolished throughout the world. Incompatible with civil and religious liberty, and opposed to the doctrine of Christ, it must feel the paralyzing influence of those benevolent principles which are destined to destroy the pride and tyranny of the human heart, and to induce man to acknowledge in his fellow man, an equal and a brother. Thus it appears, that, while there are a few things in and about Rio which are calculated to excite our admiration, there are many which are truly deplorable. Enveloped in a midnight gloom, forgetful of her God, and bound with chains of bigotry and superstition, Rio de Janeiro is indeed a valley of the shadow of death. But the beauty and grandeur of the natural scenery by which she is environed, the salubrity of the climate, the spontaneous growth of the most delicious fruits, with all the natural advantages by which she is distinguished, in connexion with the pure religion of the meek and lowly Jesus, would constitute her an earthly paradise. CHAPTER III. Journal continued - Departure from Rio-Rev. Mr. Spaulding - French Fleet — Violent storm-Flying jib boom carried away - Dinner lost Storm abates Christmas Heat Doubling Cape Horn — Gale nineteen days Under bare poles Prosperity Sight of land --- Brig Andes - Arrival at Valparaiso - Danger Description of the city - Its civil and political condition Religion Superstition, illustrated by amusing incidents — Protestantism Importance of Valparaiso Adventures round about the city Great discrepancy - Appropriate name. Small pox - - THE time fixed upon for leaving Rio, to proceed on our voyage, was Saturday morning, the 14th of December. Accordingly, at that time, we were all prepared for weighing anchor; but a strong south wind commenced blowing directly into the harbor, and detained us during the whole day. In the morning, the Rev. Mr. Spaulding came on board, and continued with us for several hours, during which he gave us a very interesting address. He also gave a short account of the mission in Rio, in which he related some striking anecdotes, illustrative of the success with which his labors had been crowned. Before leaving, he commended us to God and to the word of His grace, in fervent prayer, and then, bidding us an affectionate farewell, lowered himself by a rope into a small skiff, which lay under the lee of the Lausanne, and was conveyed back to the shore. The season was one of deep interest, and kindred feelings palpitated every heart. And, as this fellow missionary left us to immure himself again in what is worse than heathenism itself, we could but invoke the God of battles to prepare his way, and sustain him with omnipotent grace, that he might witness more abundant success attending his labors, and finally see the man of sin fall to rise no more. The south wind had abated the next morning, and a land breeze was favorable for our leaving the harbor. Consequently, after the customary visits by government officers, we raised the anchor, and spreading our sails again to the wind, bid adieu to the dominions of Don Pedro the second, and were soon tossed upon old ocean's billows, with our vessel's prow directed towards the cape of storms. The same morning, a French fleet of war of eight sail, weighed anchor, and passed majestically out of the harbor before us. This fleet was destined to join the blockading squadron before Buenos Ayres, and to bombard the city, provided the United Provinces did not comply with the imperious demands of the French. The first day out we had a violent storm; the sea was very rough, and nearly every one of the passengers was called again to suffer with sea sickness. In the course of the storm the vessel encountered a number of mountain waves. At one time, through the carelessness of the helmsman, she plunged her bows so far into the water that her jib and flying jib went completely under, and when she rose, her flying jib boom was carried away, and the sails were both rent into shreds from top to bottom. A table was set for dinner in the captain's cabin, and all the dishes were thrown clear from the table into the steward's locker, and dashed to pieces. The shock given to the vessel was exceedingly violent, and caused it to tremble in every joint. This was on Sunday. The following day the wind abated, and, changing a few points, became more favorable. For a number of subsequent days, a fine breeze wafted us rapidly onwards, and on Christmas day, at 12 o'clock, M., we were in latitude thirty-nine degrees, thirty minutes, south. This was the warmest Christmas we had ever seen, the thermometer ranging at eighty in the shade. Rev. Jason Lee delivered, on the occasion of Christmas, an appropriate discourse, on the subject of the advent of Christ. Wednesday, January 8th, 1840. For a number of days past we have been favored with a prosperous wind, and are now within four degrees of Cape Horn. Thus far, our way has been remarkably prospered. The weather is now very calm, with a gentle breeze from the north-west; but we are approaching the region of storms, and can scarcely hope to double the Cape with the delightful weather we are now experiencing. Friday, 10th. According to our expectations, the slumbering winds were aroused, and we began to experience the difficulties of doubling Cape Horn. About 9 o'clock, A. M., a severe gale came down upon us with the most threatening violence. Every stitch of canvass was immediately taken in, and for more than forty-eight hours we lay under the bare poles, the very sport of both wind and water. The gale was said by the captain to be one of the most violent he had ever experienced. On the 15th, the wind had so far abated that we were able again to carry sail, but found by an observation at noon, that we had been driven several degrees out of our course. Monday, 27th. For many days past we have been baffled with contrary winds, and indeed this is the nineteenth day since we have had any thing like a fair breeze. Our course has been west, but we have been compelled to run almost every point of compass, and the most of the time to contend with violent gales. In consequence of head winds we were carried nearly to the sixty-first degree of south latitude; and Cape Horn being in the fifty-sixth, we were nearly three hundred miles south of the Cape. By an observation this day we found our longitude to be sixty-eight degrees, twelve minutes, which is a few miles west of the Diegoes. We have therefore left the Atlantic ocean, and are now on the waters of the Pacific. It is not common for vessels to be driven so far to the south in doubling the Cape. Perhaps the greater part pass round within sight of the Cape or the Diegoes; but the only land discernible from our vessel, in the vicinity of the Cape, was Stater Land, which presented its lofty summit to our view the day before we experienced the commencement of the Cape Horn gales. Though it was midsummer, in the southern hemisphere, while we were doubling the Cape, yet at sixty-one degrees we found it excessively cold. Hail |