nieuhoff's brazil. 703 



The city of Pavaofa, belonging to this ifland, is fituate upon a rivulet ; it contains 

 about eight hundred houfes, and three churches. This city, as well as the whole 

 ifland, was, Oftober 16, 1641, c6nquered by the Admiral Cornelius Tol, after a 

 fiege of forty days, without any confiderable lols ; but both he and his lieutenant, as 

 well as feveral other commanders and many feamen, were fwept away by this peftilen- 

 tial air ; and of three hundred Brazilians, not above fixty efcaped with life. 



But before I proceed to give you an account of all the remarkable paflages that hap- 

 pened in Brazil (ince the revolt of the Portuguefe, and during my flay of eight years 

 there ; it will not be amifs to give a fhort defcription of this country. 



A Defcription of Brazil. {j[ 



AMERICA, (or the Weft Indies,) is divided into the Northern and Southern Ame- 

 rica. Brazil is part of the laft. 



The Northern America borders to the north upon the Terra Incognita, or rather 

 upon Hudfon's Streights ; to the fouth and weft upon the South Sea, and to the 6aft 

 upon the ftreights of Panama, the bay of Mexico or Nieu Spain, and the North Sea. 



It comprehends the following provinces : 



Eftotiland and Labrador, New France, Canada, Bakaloos, New England, Virginia, 

 Florida, New Spain, the provinces of Mexico, New Mexico, Tlaikalla, Guaxaka, 

 Mechoakana, Zakatula, Kolim, Yukatan, Tabafko, New Gallicia, New Bifcay, Chia- 

 metla, Kuliaka, Cimalon, New Granada, California, Anian, Quivira or New Albion, 

 Conibas, Guatemala, Sokonufko, Chiapa, Vera-pas, Honduras, Nikaragua, Coftarika, 

 and Veragua. 



The Southern America is a demi-ifland in form of a pyramid, the bafis of which lies 

 to the north ; the point extends to the Streights of Magellan, under the fifty-third de- 

 gree of fouthern latitude, bordering to the eaft upon the Atlantic ocean, or North Sea, 

 and to the weft upon the South Sea ; its whole circuit being of about four thoufand 

 Italian, or one thoufand German, miles. It contains the provinces of Caftilla d'Or, 

 Tierra Ferma (called by the Portuguefe, Paria), Cumana, Caribana, Brazil, Chika to 

 the eaft, to the weft Popayan, Peru, Chili, befides feveral inland provinces. 



Brazil was firft difcovered by Pedro Alvaro Capralis, a Portuguefe, fome time before 

 Americus Vefputius, viz. the year 1500. He gave it in the name of Santa Cruz, 

 which was afterwards by the Portuguefe changed into that of Brazil, from the wood of 

 the fame name, which is found there in great quantity, and from thence tranfport^^ 

 into all parts of Europe, for the ufe of the dyers. ; 



It is fituate in the midft of the torrid zone, extending to the tropic of Cancer and the 

 temperate zone. 



Concerning its extent from north to fouth, there is no fmall difference among the 

 geographers ; but, according to the beft computations, its beginning may be fixed under 

 the fecond degree and a half of northern latitude, near the river Pata, and its end under 

 the twenty-fourth degree and a half of fouthern latitude, to the river Capibari, two 

 leagues above the city of St. Vincent ; fo that its whole extent from north to fouth com- 

 prehends twenty-five degrees, or three hundred and feventy-five leagues ; fome place 

 Brazil betwixt the river of Maranhaon and Rio de la Plata. The extent of Brazil from 

 the eaft, where it borders upon the North Sea, to the weft, is not determined hitherto, 

 there being very few who have penetrated fo deep into the country, though its bignefs 

 from eaft to weft may be computed to be feven hundred and forty-two leagues y there 



are 



