James Cook - A Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's Bark Endeavour on a voyage round the world, by Lieutenant James Cook, Commander, commencing the 25th of May 1768 - 23 Oct. 1770: No. 048

Forces [note left margin]

the Church of Bonn Voyage about half way down the Cliff below the Church is a Battry of Guns. neither the one nor the other of these Battrys[sic] are of much Consequence they serve indeed to force Shipping coming into the Bay between 2 fires and hinder them from Anchoring on that side. until they are Silenced  ~ the next fortification is that on the Isle de Cobras, the Eastpoint to N.º side of which consists of a Rampart Bastion & a Parrapet[sic] faced with Stones & mounted with Cannon but no Ditch which is not much wanting as the works are built on the Edge of the rising Ground. the other side next the Town hath no other inclosure but a plain wall without any Guns it is said that the works on this Island are in bad repair on acco.t of being so Extensive that they would take more men to Defend them than they could Spare & placing no Dependancy[sic] on their Strength let them go to decay. The ground on which the Monastry[sic] of Benedictines stands Commands the Works on the Island. Over the S.º end of the City stands the Castle of S.t Sebastians it is Seated upon a Hill & Commands the whole Town & this is all I know of it. only that it is not counted a place of any great Strength. For the Defence of these Forts & the Town the King of Portugal Maintains 7 Regiments of Regular Troops. Those I saw were well cloathed & in a good Condition but this as I was told was not the Case with the whole, besides these Troops are 3 Regiments of Militias 2 of Horse & one of foot, these consist of the principal inhabitants of the place who serve without pay. Muster & Exercise in turns Nine Months in the Year on which acco.t they rank with the Regular Troops.

The City of Rio de Janeiro is in the Latitude of 22º :50' South & Longitude of 42º. 15' West from Greenwich according to Observations made at Sea it is Seated on a plain Close to the Shore on the West side of the Bay at the Foot of Several high Mountains. it is neither ill design'd or ill built the Houses are mostly stone generally one & two Story high with Balconys to most of them the Streets are of a Convenient breadth and Cross each other at right Angles, & the whole City may be about 3 Miles in Compass it is Govern'd by a Governor appointed by the King the present Governr. is Don Anto Mendoyaz Fastada who is no Friend to the English. it likewise is the Residence of the Vice Roy & Captain General of the States of Brazil, who is as absolute as any Monarch on Earth & the people to all appearance as much Slaves. This City & Adjacent parts about the Bay are said to Contain 100,000 Souls
The City [note left margin]