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BAHIA; OR, ST. SALVADOR.

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captain-general of Brazil, and was declared the capital of the country. Since the year 1763, Rio de Janeiro has been considered the chief city, and is the residence of the court.

The city of Bahia is one of the largest and most important in the whole continent of South America. It consists of two parts, the Praya, or Citade Baxa (Low Town), and the Citade Alta (High Town). The latter is built upon a hill, between two and three hundred feet in height, nearly perpendicular above the Praya, which consists of one street along the coast, extending nearly five miles in length; here are the warehouses filled with European and Brazilian merchandize. The High Town is well built, and contains several fine squares and public buildings; among which, the hospital and the cathedral are the most remarkable. The environs of the city are extremely beautiful, and its climate very healthy. The population is estimated at one hundred and eighty thousand, of whom forty thousand are whites. The island Itaparica, which lies opposite the city, and whose western and eastern extremities, from the entrance to the bay, contains sixteen thousand inhabitants, of whom seven thousand dwell in the town San Gonzalo, the inhabitants of which derive their subsistence principally from the whale fishery in the south sea.

The province of Bahia contains more than half a million of inhabitants, one-third of whom are slaves. It extends from Rio Grande do Belmonte to Rio Real, and westward to the banks of the San Francisco. The soil is in general extremely fertile, particularly in the neighbourhood of Bahia, in the district called Reconcavo; the vale of San Francisco is but moderately fertile. The navigable streams are the Rio Grande do Belmonte, the Rio Pardo, or Patype, the Rio de Contas, the Paraguassu, and the Itapicum. The principal exports are dyeing, and other woods, tropical fruits, rice, hides, sugar, tobacco, cotton, coffee of inferior quality, and, secretly, gold and diamonds. From 1623-1654, the whole coast of Bahia, as far as Para, was in possession of the Dutch, but in the peace of 1660 it was restored to the Portuguese. From 1820 to 1824, this province was the refuge of the Portuguese, who, in the internal disturbances of Brazil, became an object of persecution; but, in this latter year, it accepted the constitution given by Don Pedro.

THE RHINE FERRY.

THIS is a favourite subject with the painters of the Low German and Dutch schools and deservedly so, for it gives scope for the introduction of almost every object and humour which may attract the painter. He may, if he please, introduce the four elements, fire, air, earth, and water, a blacksmith's shop, or an old woman or a young one, carrying a lantern, would not be rejected by the most severe critic; trees, fields, houses, churches, are at his nod. The foreground may be peopled with men, or the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, nay even the fishes (not) of the sea, may splash and flounder in a tub, to be sent as a present to some good gossip; the air and clouds, from sultry summer's calm to winter's roaring blast; driving the black clouds before it, are at his command. And then the Ferry itself! Noah's ark presents its wealth from which he may select, with some due attention to climate, or he may introduce some miniature Van Amburgh and Carter, and display the monsters of the torrid zone. His human cargo, too, may comprise Shakspeare's seven ages, in all their different variety of form and occupation. The ferry-men may be resting for a moment, or may display the beauty of the human form in energetic action, an impatient member of the swinish herd may be ambitious of being the first to touch terra firma, and may throw the whole of the motley crew into confusion. In short, a thousand objects are at the artist's beck and call, with all the advantages of light and shade, and of these he has here ably availed himself.

VILLA REALE (ROYAL VILLA), NAPLES.

We have frequently introduced our readers to the scenes of surpassing beauty for which the Gulf of Naples is so justly celebrated. The Villa Reale, or Promenade by the sea-shore, commands a delightful view of the principal objects which are here crowded together. It is the fashionable walk of the beau monde at certain hours; but as a garden, or public walk, it cannot rank very high. Where nature has been so lavish on a grand scale, the works of man must be magnificent indeed to pretend to even the smallest share of admiration, and the sea-breezes seem, in derision, to thwart the constant endeavours of the King of Naples to promote the growth of trees in the somewhat overpraised Villa Reale.

ROUEN.

As we have subjoined to our remarks on the ecclesiastical buildings in Rouen some particulars respecting this city, (in the first volume,) we refer our readers to our former article.

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