Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

60 BAHIA — SAN SALVADOR. Feb. round the north-east extremity of the island, and steered for Bahia de Todos Santos. Having remained only one day at anchor, in consequence of information that no better landing could be expected for many days ; and wishing to ascertain the rates of the chronometers, as well as to procure a supply of water, I decided to go to Bahia, as the nearest port convenient for both purposes. From the 23d to the 27th we found a cur- rent setting us southward, between twenty and thirty miles each day. This was quite unexpected by me, for I thought that we should have been set westward. At daylight on the 28th we made the land about Bahia, and before noon were at anchor in the port. As we sailed in rapidly from the monotonous sea, and passed close along the steep but luxuriantly wooded north shore, we were much struck by the pleasing view. After the light-house was passed, those by whom the scene was unex- pected were agreeably surprised by a mass of wood, clinging to a steep bank, which rose abruptly from the dark-blue sea, showing every tint of green, enlivened by bright sunshine, and contrasted by deep shadow : and the general charm was heightened by turretted churches and convents, whose white walls appeared above the waving palm trees ; by numerous shipping at anchor or under sail ; by the delicate airy sails of iimumerable canoes ; and by the city itself, rising like an amphitheatre from the water-side to the crest of the heights. We found ourselves in the middle of the rainy season, and although favoured by a fine day at arriving, cloudy weather and frequent rain succeeded it, and during the short stay we made, much embarrassed our observations. Bahia has declined ever since its separation from Por- tugal : unsettled, weak governments, occupied too constantly by party strife to be able to attend to the real improvement of their country, have successively misruled it. Revolutions, and risings of the negro population, interrupting trade, have repeatedly harassed that rich and beautiful country, and are still impending. Were property secure, and industry encouraged, the trade from Bahia miglit be very extensive, particularly in sugar and