Page:Sherman - Memoirs of Gen. William T. Sherman, 1891, Volume 1.djvu/24

 long voyage of its fragrant airs, and the entire contrast between all things there and what we had left in New York.

We found the United States frigate Columbia anchored there, and after the Lexington was properly moored, nearly all the o&#xfb03;cers went on shore for sight-seeing and enjoyment. We landed at a wharf opposite which was a famous French restaurant, Faroux, and after ordering supper we all proceeded to the Rua da Ouvador, where most of the shops were, especially those for making feather &#xfb02;owers, as much to see the pretty girls as the &#xfb02;owers which they so skillfully made; thence we went to the theatre, where, besides some opera, we witnessed the audience and saw the Emperor Dom Pedro, and his Empress, the daughter of Louis Philippe of France. After the theatre we went back to the restaurant, where we had an elegant supper, with fruits of every variety and excellence, such as we had never seen before, or even knew the names of. Supper being over, we called for the bill, and it was rendered in French, with Brazilian currency. It footed up some twenty-six thousand reis. The &#xfb01;gures alarmed us, so we all put on the waiters’ plate various coins in gold, which he took to the counter and returned the change, making the total about sixteen dollars. The millreis is about a dollar, but being a paper-money was at a discount, so as only to be worth about &#xfb01;fty-six cents in coin.

The Lexington remained in Rio about a week, during which we visited the Palace, a few miles in the country, also the Botanic Gardens, a place of in&#xfb01;nite interest, with its specimens of tropical fruits, spices, etc., etc., and indeed every place of note. The thing I best recall is a visit Halleck and I made to the Corcovado, a high mountain whence the water is conveyed for the supply of the city. We started to take a walk, and passed along that aqueduct, which approaches the city by a series of Madre, or fountain, to which all the water that drips from the leaves is conducted by tile gutters, and is carried to the city by an open stone aqueduct.

Here we found Mr. Henry A. Wise, of Virginia, the United States minister to Brazil, and a Dr. Garnett, United States