A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay | Page 9

nosegays at strangers, for the purpose of
bringing on an assignation, which Doctor Solander, and another
gentleman of Mr. Cook's ship, met with when here, was never seen by
any of us in a single instance. We were so deplorably unfortunate as to
walk every evening before their windows and balconies, without being
honoured with a single bouquet, though nymphs and flowers were in
equal and great abundance.
Among other public buildings, I had almost forgot to mention an
observatory, which stands near the middle of the town, and is tolerably
well furnished with astronomical instruments. During our stay here,
some Spanish and Portuguese mathematicians were endeavouring to
determine the boundaries of the territories belonging to their respective
crowns. Unhappily, however, for the cause of science, these gentleman
have not hitherto been able to coincide in their accounts, so that very
little information on this head, to be depended upon, could be gained.
How far political motives may have caused this disagreement, I do not
presume to decide; though it deserves notice, that the Portuguese
accuse the Abbee de la Caille, who observed here by order of the King
of France, of having laid down the longitude of this place forty-five
miles too much to the eastward.
Until the year 1770, all the flour in the settlement was brought from
Europe; but since that time the inhabitants have made so rapid a
progress in raising grain, as to be able to supply themselves with it
abundantly. The principal corn country lies around Rio Grande, in the

latitude of 32 deg south, where wheat flourishes so luxuriantly, as to
yield from seventy to eighty bushels for one. Coffee also, which they
formerly received from Portugal, now grows in such plenty as to enable
them to export considerable quantities of it. But the staple commodity
of the country is sugar. That they have not, however, learnt the art of
making palatable rum, the English troops in New South Wales can bear
testimony; a large quantity, very ill flavoured, having been bought and
shipped here for the use of the garrison of Port Jackson.
It was in 1771 that St. Salvador, which had for more than a century
been the capital of Brazil, ceased to be so; and that the seat of
Government was removed to St. Sebastian. The change took place on
account of the colonial war, at that time carried on by the Courts of
Lisbon and Madrid. And, indeed, were the object of security alone to
determine the seat of Government, I know but few places better
situated in that respect than the one I am describing; the natural
strength of the country, joined to the difficulties which would attend an
attack on the fortifications, being such as to render it very formidable.
It may be presumed that the Portuguese Government is well apprized of
this circumstance and of the little risque they run in being deprived of
so important a possession, else it will not be easy to penetrate the
reasons which induce them to treat the troops who compose the
garrison with such cruel negligence. Their regiments were ordered out
with a promise of being relieved, and sent back to Europe at the end of
three years, in conformity to which they settled all their domestic
arrangements. But the faith of Government has been broken, and at the
expiration of twenty years, all that is left to the remnant of these
unfortunate men, is to suffer in submissive silence. I was one evening
walking with a Portuguese officer, when this subject was started, and
on my telling him, that such a breach of public honour to English
troops would become a subject of parliamentary enquiry, he seized my
hand with great eagerness, "Ah, Sir!" exclaimed he, "yours is a free
country--we"!----His emotions spoke what his tongue refused.
As I am mentioning the army, I cannot help observing, that I saw
nothing here to confirm the remark of Mr. Cook, that the inhabitants of
the place, whenever they meet an officer of the garrison, bow to him
with the greatest obsequiousness; and by omitting such a ceremony,
would subject themselves to be knocked down, though the other

seldom deigns to return the compliment. The interchange of civilities is
general between them, and seems by no means extorted. The people
who could submit to such insolent superiority, would, indeed, deserve
to be treated as slaves.
The police of the city is very good. Soldiers patrole the streets
frequently, and riots are seldom heard of. The dreadful custom of
stabbing, from motives of private resentment, is nearly at an end, since
the church has ceased to afford an asylum to murderers. In other
respects, the progress of improvement appears slow, and fettered by
obstacles almost insurmountable, whose baneful influence will
continue, until a