Our meal was
seasoned with jokes and good humour; and when we started afresh on
our journey, we felt revived both in body and mind.
The last cone of the mountain gave us some trouble: the route was
very precipitous, and lay over bare, hot masses of rock. But when
we did reach the top, we were more than repaid by seeing spread
before us such a panorama, as most assuredly is very seldom to be
met with in the world. All that I had remarked on my entrance into
the port, lay there before me, only more clearly defined and more
extended, with innumerable additional objects. We could see the
whole town, all the lower hills, which half hid it from my view on
my arrival, the large bay, reaching as far as the Organ mountain;
and, on the other side, the romantic valley, containing the
botanical gardens, and a number of beautiful country-houses.
I recommend every one who comes to Rio Janeiro, although it be only
for a few days, to make this excursion, since from this spot he can,
with one glance, perceive all the treasures which nature, with so
truly liberal a hand, has lavished upon the environs of this city.
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