FROM CORCOVADO PEAK.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3249, 20 June 1911, Page 7

FROM CORCOVADO PEAK.

“FINEST IN THE WORLD.” SUHNY RIO BE JANEIRO. BETWEEN MOUNTAINS AND GLEAMING TIDE. A NOTABLE CITY AND HARBOR. (Specially written for the “Gisborne Times” by E. N. Armitt.) Ever since Alfonso de Souza sailed into that long semi-tidal indentation on the southern coast of Brazil and imagined it to be another river, the loveliness and majestic beauty of Rio de Janeiro harbor have been renowned. To extol its peculiar grandeur and infinite variety of scene? rugged,, precipitous mountains, palm-crowned isles lying in dark-purple spheres of sea, sandy beaches, river mouths, peaceful bays with a wealth of tropic vegetation often down to the water’s edge, and its stately drives, would now be superfluous. Even to attempt a pen-picture that shall be at once adequate and faithful, is a stroke of temerity. Inevitably the old comparison with Sydney suggested itself, and opinion among the R.M.'S. Tongariro’s /company as the ship anchored two or three miles from the frowning -masses of granite at the entrance, was. divided. Port Jackson has perhaps an equal expanse of water; it has probably a greater wealth of picturesque coves and baysit has certainly more homely associations for the English or colonial visitor, who meets there no difficulty about haggling with Portuguese or Brazilian boatmen in their own tongue. Both harbors are crowded with ships of all nations, and a flotilla of pretty sailing craft. But Rio de Janeiro has several points of superiority, as will be apparent to one who bases liis comparison merely on the natural formation and appearance of the two harbors. It is more grand and imposing in its approaches, and on each side is flanked by mountains whose remarkably bold summits are lost in the tossing clouds. These give to Rio a certain wild and “foreign” beauty which Sydney cannot claim. Under a warm brilliant sun —for the capital of Brazil is just within the tropic of Capricorn—Rio de- Janeiro presents a more varied and impressive panorama; but under a calm starry sky, it would he difficult to choose between them. Both display long bright lines of many-color-ed lights on the opposite shores; but the tropical raiment of night in Rio de Janeiro —inky black in its intensity —emphasises the brilliancy of the lights and their wavering bands of reflection, mingling with momentary flashes of phosphorescent luminosity oil the wav es. On the other hand, Rio has not; me numerous ferries that pass 1 like illuminated palaces to and fro on Port Jackson, making the water about Mesman Bay and Circular Quay one blaze of light and quivering bands. But then the “starry pendants” that hang over Rio de Janeiro at night seem to 6hine with a steadier glow than those over Sydney. Seen from midstream, the city of Rio de Janeiro, with its cluster of minarets, towers, and white domes, its terraces of gardens and stone houses climbing: aip the slopes and hacked by high rooky masses, is more picturesque than Sydney viewed from the deck of a ferry steamer. Justly, however, are opinions divided.

MOUNTAINOUS APPROACHES

Ships engaged in the New Zealand trade give the coast of Brazil a fairly wide berth in coming up from Monte Video. It was accordingly the morning of arrival before the skyline was broken to- the north-west by mountainous lands. Several bare rocky islands appeared ahead, and these were just off the entrance of Rio harbor. Wedgeshaped Raza, with a northward slope, stood 270 feet out of the water, and was surmounted by a flashing light visible for twenty-four miles. It forms one side of a channel two miles wide, with Redonda —another rocky hill, 726 feet high—on the other side. To the left, as the ship approaches, was the high Sierra de Carioco, a series, of rugged peaks over 2000 feet high, marking the limit of the eastern plateau of Brazil, and- breaking down to the shore in easy declivities, ■ wooded Vallejos, and irregular bluffs. Father and Mother Islands, both small, are soon abeam at the eastern side of the harbor entrance, •and the ship rides through a channel scarcely three-quarters of a mile wide. On the western side (Rio harbor extends almost due north and south) is an extraordinary peak 1296 feet high —the famous Pao de Acucar or Sugar Leaf. It stands alone, has a comparatively small base with a steep southward slope and a vertical, verging to concave, cliff on its harbor aspect. Surmounting its “bald, awful” 'head, like a conical apex, is a long white pole, but how anybody succeeded in scaling such a peak was a mystery. It is a conspicuous land-mark for miles, and there is an old fortification at the base. Immediately within the harbor and almost dividing the channel, is a small granite island, rising out of the water like a turtle’s back for no more than about twelve feet. This is the Fort Santa Cruz, and one observes borings in its sides for big guns. Opposite to this (on the eastern side of the entrance) is another grim-looking fort, with thick masonry built into the solid granite, and commanding the , whole harbor and approaches. Deep water surrounds the ship, the least depth at the entrance being fathoms. Then the harbor opens out on each side into sandy bays; the city, hitherto obscured by mountain masses, comes into view on the eastern side, and appears to nestle at' the base of the range : steamers of all descriptions throng the ? hay , and numerous wooded islands appear to the north and oast. It was a sujtry day, tempered by a.cool breeze off the sea.

BETWEEN MUTINOUS BATTLESHIPS.

Lying at anchor .round the Tongariro were some of the finest fighting ships of the .Brazilian navy—the most powerful of South America. These included the two Dreadnoughts SaO) Paolo, and Minas Oeraes, which were concerned in the recent disaffection and shelled the town after- a mutiny among the crews. The former is a smart modern ship painted dull green all over, and is the work of Vickers, and Maxim. Her armament is somewhat formidable. A little further ahead the Minas Ceraes, of 21,000 tons, the, largest Dreadnought afloat, presented a drab bluish-green mass, and is a splendid fighting vessel of somewhat different build. Closer inshore were several cruisers of various types and classes, also a number of torpedo destroyers. Bwm rang out a salute, and ' a big battleship was observed steaming into the harbor. _ At her stern was the Stars and Stripes, and she was just arriving fr-m ■ New York. She had lesser beam then the Brazilian Sao Paolo, lying omnpl-icent-lv off the town; her green national flag with a yellow circle in the upper corner waving lazily astern. Adjoin-

ing tho American’s smoke-stacks were two indestructible towers.of steel framework, and she was destitute of masts. The salute reverberated among the mountains, and was re-echoed from the deep-throated guns of Santa Cruz. Slowly she came to an anchorage, a couple of hundred yards away from the Tongariro. . Going ashore in the tender or a rowing boat, one passes a small island covered in nearly its whole extent by a white building in a pretentious style ■of Gothic architecture; this is Rat Island, and the Custom House. Opposite it—-on an elevated ridge lining the shore —is the old Royal Palace, now used as a naval and military barracks. The structure is of four stories, forming _two sides of an oblong, and has no architectural distinction. What made it interesting was the havoc wrought ny shells from- the Sao Paolo and Minas Ceraes. Here and there ' were great holes in the brickwork and masonry, while the earth and protective works had been torn and overthrown. Near the corner, one shell had pierced the wall of the barracks at an angle, continued through the building, and then penetrated the other wall from inside, dislodging bricks, mortar and stone by the cubic yard. When the uriter was there a gang of workmen had -started repairs. Attached to the barracks is a landing stage defended by a mounted rotary gun, and the muzzle of it almost yawns at you* on reaching the adjoining stone quay. ‘ ‘ELECTRIC’ ’ ATMOSPHERE.

This is an early impression of Brazil —the preparedness, for fight at any moment. Even the police, who appear to be better men physically than those of Monte Video, are armed t with the latest American revolvers. Squads ot militia are, to be seen parading the main streets. There are strong fortifications further up the harbor, and warships are generally handy in the event of trouble. At the time the atmosphere ‘was “eldotrio” 'because of the treatment of the naval ringleaders by the Government. These two battleships had for a -while held the city at their mercy; they demanded from the House of Representatives, then sitting, that a. law be enacted conceding the demands of the mutineers and granting them, free pardon both for shelling the city and for shooting their lawful commanders. Twenty-four hours was given Parliament to make up its mind, “at the mouth of the gun.” While itdeliberated, ±lie crash of shells was heard; if the mutineers demands were not acceeded to, they intended to take the Sao Paolo and Minas Ceraes to and sink them. The position was de perate. Shells were flying at the pres; dent’s house. The government did not want the forts to attempt to destroy its own ships—the finest in the navy—and the other ships were simply incapable of engaging a Dreadnought. Moreover, there was a good deal of sullen sympathy with the mutineers. Of course, the law was passed, the signal was given and the firing ceased. Promptly when the mutinous crews landed, the ringleaders were taken into custody. It was commonly rumored that the law had been annuled and that the leaders were to be quietly shot. Hence the preparedness for trouble. Native Barziiians were sore about the whole occurrence; the Argentine, between which and Brazil no love is lost, laughed' derisively and long. .The mutiny had been well organised; the men elected a leader, _ who successfully manoeuvred the ships round Rio harbor while they were being steamed by British engineers, who, of course, had nothing to do with the disaffection. At the time of the Tongariro’s visit, however. (early in Anril) the navy was quiet and the malcontents overawed. The tension did not interfere in any way with travellers’ inspection of the city. A GLORIOUS PANORAMA.

Towering 2300 ft. above the city of Rio de Janeiro, Corcovado Mountain presents a naked precipitous peak whicn is often lost to sight in billowy clouds. Fortunate is the traveller who arrives at the top in clear weather, for he is rewarded by perhaps the most glorious and diversified panorama in the whole world. On one aspect the peak is a sheer precipice, dropping abruptly down for some hundred feet to the forestclad slopes. The high jagged pinnacle of granite dominates the whole extent of Rio bay, city, suburbs, seaccast and surrounding country for about twenty miles. Who shall describe the .magnificent expanse, the endless variety, the superb colors, the bosom of that lovely bay studded with “summer isles of Eden” as far . as the eye can see. the riotous profusion of tropical vegetation up the slopes of the mountain, the grandeur of the wooded valleys leading down from the range, 'the cones, pyramids, pinnacles and isolated mounds of granite on the opposite shore, the giant form of Pao de Acucar beneath, the series of jagged heights and forest dales along the Sierra de Carioco, the splendid Botanical Gardens, appearing to nestle alongside a shimmering lake and sheltered by a seaward spur of the Sierra, the many-colored pattern of an opulent city, proud of its stately plazas, promenades and architecture, the great forts, the enormous flotilla on the bay, and the distant ranges that melt into purple as they bound the horizon? Conceive it if you can. Overhead a warm languorous blue of tropical depth and vividness;. wisps and white curtains of. mist rising off a steaming sea, which meets the sky away on the south-east; the pearly sheen of the bays; the moist luxuriant green of the lower slopes of Corcovado; the numberless emerald mounds on the peaceful waters, with their dense mantles of primeval flora. Nowhere, surely, has so much beauty and majesty of scene been gathered together within the compass of a single survey. It baffles detailed description. It charms and yet ?repels. It is simply unrivalled. To reach the summit one takes tram for part of the way. this stage of the journey occupying about forty minutes, and then an electric train up the slopes. Along the route is a magnificent stone aqueduct, built in noble massive arches ; this conducts Rio’s water supply down from the mountains. The vegetation is wonderful; fruits grow wild in the jungle, and one espies bananas, walnuts, pineapples and mangoes. Splendid palm-trees abound. Birds whose names it would be difficult to remember, display exquisite plumage of green and red, golden and pink, blue and purple, in combination the most gorgeous and flaring. Of the same description great butterflies, which flit about the fruits and flash wings of velvety purple, orange-golden, rich cream, deep indigo, opalescent, matchless blue, and other brilliant hues innumerable. Everywhere life is rich and luxuriant. Upwards the track climbs slowly; here a wide hay with islands in the distance bursts into view; there superb terraced mansions with lawns and gardens; Silvestre, where we joined the railway,' is far beneath. Up further do . we mount towards the clouds ; mail liners look like toys on the hay; the city p-p.—,oi <■»<"* rj np •*- in large handsome squares, r-d ton admirable proportions of the A v-nld- Central, are conspicuous. The train stops. Rut this is not the top. Further upwards yet is an irregular stone sfairway cut out of the faoe of

the peak, which we must climb for ourselves ;tlie summit has been approached on the easiest declivity of the mountain, but qnly an airship or an elevator could take us further. We therefore toil slowly up those granite steps to a pretty summer-house which crowns the highest? height. What a scene! One can only gaze in almost silent admiration for its extraordinary diversity and majesty; its evidences of colossal volcanic forces exerted at some remote age when the South American mainland was being formed. Down over the promenade rail was that naked precipice whose depth makes one start. Not far from the base of the mountains, on the harbor side, -were the grim battlements of Forts San Juan and Santa Cruz. There lay the Minas Ceraes and Sao Paolo, like nursery Dreadnoughts. Across the bay was the suburb of Nitlieroy and tiny specks of ferries were passing to and fro. Small islands appeared to float on the crystalline waters of the Atlantic. Far along the shores of the harbor one’s , eyes wandered for fourteen miles to its remotest. reaches, where streaks of silver marked the course of tributary rivers losing themselves in mazes on golden sands. Pleasant watering -places with avenues of palms there were on various parts of the coast. Truly Earth has' not anything to show more

fair; .Dull would he be of soul who could pass by .... A sight so touching m its majesty.