and immediately took advantage of every opportunity to put his
powers to the test. He could, however, tell us nothing at all; if
we asked him the name of a river, he replied that it was too small,
and had no name. The trees, likewise, were too insignificant, the
plants too common. This ignorance was rather too much; we made
inquiry, and found that Herr Beske had not intended to send us the
guide we had, but his brother, who, however, had died six months
previously--a circumstance which Herr Beske must have forgotten.

On the evening of the 18th of October, we arrived safely in Rio
Janeiro. We immediately inquired about the christening, and heard
it had been put off till the 15th of November, and that on the 19th
of October only the Emperor's anniversary would be kept. We had
thus hurried back to no purpose, without visiting the waterfall near
Novo Friburgo, which we might have admired very much at our leisure.

On our return we only came eight miles out of our way.



CHAPTER V. THE VOYAGE ROUND CAPE HORN.



DEPARTURE FROM RIO JANEIRO--SANTOS AND ST. PAULO--CIRCUMNAVIGATION
OF CAPE HORN--THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN--ARRIVAL IN VALPARAISO--8TH
DECEMBER, 1846, TO 2ND MARCH, 1847.

When I paid 25 pounds for my place in the fine English barque, "John
Renwick," Captain Bell, the latter promised me that he would be