EXTRACTS.
CROSSING A TORRENT IN THE ANDES.
"TuE velocity with which the water comes down when the snow melts in the mountains, is beyond all conception. I was here informed, that the first troop of mules crossed the Cordillera on the 15th of December. I entered it on the 18th. In order to cross the rivers we were obliged to have lassoes made fast round our bodies, for fear of the mules losing their footing from the rolling stones : a man first crossed over with one lasso, when on arriving at the opposite shore, he held it fast while all the others crossed with two : in this manner we all succeeded in getting over. Shortly afterwards we ar- rived at the Rio de los Orcones, which was terrible indeed : for being two o'clock in the day it was very high, and at its greatest velocity. The noise of the stones rolling at the bottom, was certainly appalling, and much re- sembled underground thunder. I went first with the old courier, and it re- quired our utmost exertions to keep the mules' heads up, to face the torrent, which flew past us over our knees, at the rate of ten knots per hour. I could plainly feel the mule trembling and slipping beneath me, yet straining with all his might to keep upon, his legs. On the opposite shore we held the las- soes while the others crossed. Just as the boy got out of the rapid, his mule stumbled and fell; but we caught them with the lassoes before they got into * Another anecdote of the same kind by another hand occurs, p. 344. " It was on the same evening that the Doctor for a long time kept his eyes stedfastly fixed on a tine print of a crucifix suspended over the fire-place. I could not but notice the solemnity and earnestness of his gaze. At length I ventured to say—' May I pre- sume, Sir, to request your opinion upon that extraordinary personage "fhe Doctor started from his reverie, and with vehement anger replied, I am surprised, Sir, at the indelicacy of your request ;' and then with the finger's ends of one hand pointing to his breast, he waved backward and forward in his chair in much agita- tion. Thus he continued for a considerable time. I was speechless, and astounded with fear." See also, p.:115, with what peculiarity one of his admirers has recorded his taste in mutton. " Like Johnson, he loved good living, though he professed to disregard it. He was fond of a shoulder of mutton roasted. I have heard him give directions that it should be sent to table; covered with a brown incrustation of salt and flour. His favourite part of the joint, to which he liked to help himself, was that which contained nothing but fat—it lies opposite the part that is first carved. This he would cut not into slices, but into a large circular lump be called it it !. hunch. the stream again. I now looked anxiously for my black mule with a cargo. He brought it over admirably, and was sent across again for the other one, with which he struggled through, but buffeted the waves with a little more difficulty. As the merchandise was coming over, one mule was swept off its legs; the torrent first whirled him round and round, then head over heels he went, dashing against the rocks, while the peons were following him down the river, throwing their lassoes at him : strange to say, he disengaged him- self of his cargo, which proved his destruction, for that appeared a greater consideration to the peous than the poor animal, it being saved, and the mule lost. To get this cargo over, now required another mule to cross the river again. Although I strongly protested against it, the poor black one was sent. I saw he was very weak, for he was nearly lost in going over light : however the load was put on, and the lassoes made fast to him ; when by dint of hallooing, beating, and throwing stones, lie made the attempt ; but just as he got in the middle of the rapid, he was whirled round like a top, off his legs, and away he welt, dragging the lassoes out of the men's hands : others were thrown at hint, but to no purpose, his head went under water, and dashing from one rock to another, life appeared to be extinct in an instant, and intwo minutes we lost sight of him. Poor animal ! I could not but feel for him ; for it was owing to his good qualities that he lost his fife."—Front Lieut. Brand's Voyage.
THE EMPEROR OF BRAZIL AND HIS FAMILY.
" Our stay was only three days, but I visited the Opera, for the purpose of getting sight of the Emperor, who happened to be there, accompanied by his two daughters, the Queen of Portugal and the Infanta. The former is about ten years of age, and the latter an interesting little child of six or seven : they were very plainly dressed, and as they sat in their magnificent box in the centre of the theatre, were to be seen to great advantage. The interior of the house is very elegant, consisting of four tiers of boxes on each side of the Emperor's, which occupies the whole front of the theatre, excepting .four small boxes just above it. The grand entrance to the pit is underneath it, and it was certainly most superbly fitted up, with chandeliers, pier glasses, tables, chairs, &c., having all the appearance of an elegant drawing-room ; and being quite open in front, with the exception of a light gilt railing, they were quite exposed to the full view of the audience. Whenever the curtain dropt, the audience stood up out of respect to the Emperor ; those in the pit facing him, at which time he would always rise and conic forward with the little Queen and child. He wore a plain blue coat, without star or mark of distinction of any sort, with white trowsers and shoes, and but for the gentle- men in waiting never sitting down or coining forward, it was impossible to distinguish one from the other. The weather being very warm, he used a. plain white fan during the whole of the opera, which, by the bye, is customary among the gentlemen in South America. The Queen is a very pretty little girl, with flaxen hair, and remarkably fair. She was dressed quite like a Ettle old maid, very plain, wearing a prim close cottage bonnet. The pretty. In- fanta was the gayest of them all, being dressed just like an English :had of the same age, with petticoat-trowsers and sash, her bright flaxen hair flowing in long ringlets over her shoulders. The Emperor is a handsome young man, about thirty years of age, with very dark hair and large whiskers. He is not very particular with respect to etiquette, for lie was talking promiscuously to the ladies and gentlemen in the boxes on each side of him, and they appeared to be very familiar with him : he is frequently to be seen driving about the town in his tilbury, or riding, on horseback, in plain clothes, with only one servant ; a vast contrast this to his mother, the Dowager Queen of Portegal,,, who never appeared in public without the greatest parade, and whoever~ passed her carriage, be they who they might, were obliged to kneel down if it were ever so dirty.
"The Emperor is a very active man, being up every morning by five
o'clock. At six he may always be seen publicly bathing amongst the towns- people, at the small Island of Cobres, on which is a small fort opposite the palace stairs, from whence he starts in his boat, undresses before every body,. and jumps into the water, swimming amongst hundreds of others that are constantly there about that hour; it being the public bathing-place of Rio. de Janeiro."—Brand's Voyage to Peru.
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