164 COMMENTARY ON THE PLANTS IN 
Mauritia on an island between the mouths of the Capivaribe and Bi- 
beribe (forming at present part of the town of Reciffe) and sur- 
rounded it with gardens, in which, besides introduced subtropical and 
tropical fruits, were also cultivated indigenous useful plants; it con- 
tained also a park of native animals*. The Count relieved his hours 
of relaxation from labours by pursuits in natural history, and together 
. with his court chaplain Franz Plante, appears often to have had Piso 
about himt.: The Dutch dominions extended over the four Capitanias 
of Rio Grande, Parahyba do. Norte, Itamaraca and Pernambuco; also 
the nearest shores of eastern Brazil, between the fifth and tenth degrees 
of south latitude. Piso continued near the Count, who was continu- 
ally engaged in repelling the invasions of the Portuguese in various 
directions, and even attacking these; while Maregrav penetrated into 
the interior of the country. The geographical charts which Barleus 
published in his encomiastic report of the deeds of Count Moritz of 
Nassau, may serve to indicate the distance to which Maregrav ex- 
tended his researches inland; for it can hardly be doubted, that those 
charts were prepared by him, since Barleus expressly mentions him}, 
and no other geographer is alluded to, as having accompanied the 
Dutch expedition of occupation. According to these documents, com- 
prising the coast from the mouth of the Rio Vaza Barris to the south 
(11° 11’ S. lat.), to that of Rio Grande do Norte, or Potengi, to 
the north (5° 46’ 47" S. lat.), it appears, that Maregrav had proceeded 
furthest to the westward, along the rivers Managuape and Capiribi; 
regions then very sparingly inhabited, to a distance only of eight miles 
inland from the coast$. The Portuguese had principally settled, besides 
points along the coasts, in scattered farms on the navigable rivers, 
by encouragement and support from Albuquerque, the Donatario of 
* Barleus (Rerum in Brasilia gestarum historia, editio major, Amstelod. 1657); 
who gives a view of Manritia, and a plan of the grounds, quotes, at p. 144, the following 
indigenous plants in cultivation on them:—Carica Papaya, L. (Papaya Mam- 
maa), Genipa brasiliensis, Mart. (Jenepapa), Caladium Poecile, Schott (Mangara), 
Lagenaria vulgaris, Ser. (Calabassia), Anacardium occidentale, L. (Acajousia), Byr- 
sonima verbascifolia et alie species (Cerasa brasiliana), Anona Marcgravii et A. 
Pisonis, Mart. (Aratuca), Musa (Bacova s. Banana), species of Cereus (Semperviv®), 
Tamarindus indica, etc. í 
+ Barleus, p. 331. 
t ^" Tabulas geographicas magna cura et sumptibus suis exarari feeit anctore G. 
Maregravio, eujus in gratiam exstrui in sublimi speculam fecerat Nassovius."— Bar- 
lens, p. 330. 
§ Barleus, p. 317. 
