Within it, is laid the canal, about eighteen inches wide, twenty-four deep, and three miles long. It

commences at the bottom of the lofty conical peak of the Corcovado, where the waters flowing from that mountain, are collected into a covered reservoir, and thence conveyed into the canal. Their course from the summit is through deep and shady woods, and the canal is defended from the sunbeams, and thus, until they reach the city, little of their * freshness is lost."

This water supplied the fountains, whence it was distributed for sale by water carriers none being conveyed by pipes into the houses. The largest public fountain is in the square fronting the palace, and close to the harbor. This supplies the shipping, and it is constantly surrounded by sailors of all nations. Captain Cooke expressed doubts about the goodness of the water for long voyages ; but Dr. Von Spix, a Bavarian traveller, who visited Brazil in 1818, states, that it had been conveyed to India and back, and found uncorrupted. The supply of water from this source and all others, is spoken of as scanty, for such a population ; but no account is given of the quantity.

In the United States, as earliest and grandest in design, we mention the Water Works of Philadelphia. The first water works were commenced in 1799, (the year in which the Manhattan Company was incorporated for supplying New- York with water,) and consisted of forcing pumps, worked by steam engines, which raised the water from the Schuylkill into a reservoir, constructed at an elevation of fifty feet on the banks of the river, from which it was conveyed to the city in wooden pipes. In 1811 the city councils appointed a committee to devise means for procuring a more perfect supply than those in use afforded ;