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. 049

[Page 49]

but not above a twentieth part are whites the rest are blacks & many of whom are free and seem to live in tolerable circumstances. 
The City of Rio de Janeiro is supplied with Water from 2
[note left] Refreshment-
Different parts of the Adjacent Mountains that which comes from the Southward is Convey'd across a Deep Valey by an Acquiduct[sic]which consists of a great number of Arches placed in 2 rows one upon the other from thence in pipes to a Town fountain which stands on the Middle of the square before the Vice Roys Palace at another part of the city is a Reservoir to which the water is convey'd much in the same manner from these 2 places but mostly from the former the inhabitants fetch all they want where there is always a Centinel  to keep order & it is likewise here that the ship waters they land their Cask upon a smooth sandy beach about 100 yards from the Fountain, & upon application to the Vice Roy you have a Continel to look after them & to clear the way for to come to the fountain to fill water. Upon the whole Rio de Janeiro is not a bad place for ships to put in at that wants refreshments not only because the Harbour is safe & Commodious but that Provisions & all manner of refreshments may be had in tolerable plenty. Bread & flower are however scarce & dear being brought hither from Europe & are never the better for that passage, in lieu of these are to be had Yams & Casada - all sorts of grain tho' it may be the produce of this Country is Dear. Fresh Beef tho bad / is to be had in Plenty, at about 2¼ per pound, & Jurked Beef about the same Price, this is cured with Salt & dry'd in the shade, the bones being first taken out, & the Meat cut into large but very thin Slices, it eats very well & if kept in a dry Place will remain good a long time at Sea, Rum,Sugar, & Molasses are all good & cheap, Tobacco is Cheap, but not good. Mutton they have very little Hogs & all sorts of Poultry are to be got tho' in no good Plenty, & of Course rather dear. Garden Stuff & Fruit in Plenty, but none that will keep long at Sea Except Pumpkins.- They have a Yard for building Shipping, & a small Hulk for heaving down by. there being no other method to come at a Ships bottom as the Tides doth rise above 6 or 7 feet. At the New & full Moon it is high water at that time about   o'Clock when the Land & Sea breezes are regular but when they are not the Course of Tides are alter'd The Sea breeze begins to blow about 10 or 12 o'Clock, & continues until sun set when it dies away & is succeeded by the Land Breeze which continues most part of the night from a little after sunrise until the Sea breeze sets in it is generally Calm & is then the Hotest[sic] & most Disagreeable part of the whole day

Remarkable Occurrences & I[incidents] from Rio de Janeiro, Towards Terra del Fuego

Fore& Middle parts Moderate breezes & Cloudy remainder little wind & Clear wea.r at 3 PM  the Boat return'd from the Island hoisted her in & made Sail at 6 the Sugar Loaf at the West Entrance of Rio de Janeiro bore N½E.t distance 7 Leag.s it lies from the City of Rio de Janeiro from which I take my Departure SºW 4½ Miles

Genteel light breezes & Clear wea.r at 3 AM the Foretopgall.t Mast broke short by the Cap the Carp.er Employ'd making another

Mod.te breezes with some Flying showers of Rain the first part 

Little wind & Clear wea.r the Most part of this day. serv'd Slops to the People

Firstp.t light Airs, remainder Genteel breezes & Clear wea.r found the Variat.n of the Compass