N1EUH0FF*S BRAZIL.' 705 



fwords, viz. the captainfhip (it being on the fouth fide) Seregippe del Rey of Parnam- 

 buko, Itamarika, unto which belongs Gauiana, Paraiba, Potigi or Rio Grande, and 

 Siaraor Ciara. The captainfhip of Maranhaon was 1644, by fpecial command of the 

 company, left by the Dutch. This part of Brazil ufed to be called by the Portuguefe 

 the Northern Brazil, as the other remaining in their poffeffion went by the name of 

 South Brazil. 



The fix Dutch captainfhips did extend all along the fea-coaft from north to fouth, in 

 length about a hundred and fixty or a hundred and eighty leagues ; for from Rio 

 Grande to the northern border of Seregippe del Rey, is a hundred leagues : the two 

 others, viz. that of Siara to the north, and Seregippe del Rey to the fouth, make up the 

 reft. Each of thefe captainfhips contain feveral other lefler diftrifts, called by the Por- 

 tuguefe Fregefias, and by us Fregefien : as for inftance, in Seregippe del Rey, are 

 Pojuka, Kameragibi, Porto Calvo, Seiinhaim, and feveral others. Fregafie compre- 

 hends a certain traft of ground, compofed of divers villages, rivers, hills, and valleys, 

 betwixt each of which is commonly a traft of barren hills, of about three or four leagues 

 in length. Moft of the Dutch captainfhips are but indifferently cultivated, becaufe the 

 Portuguefe ufed not to manure the ground in thofe parts beyond three or four, or, at 

 fartheft, five leagues diftance from the fea, 



The captainfhip of Seregippe del Rey is likewife called Carigi, from a certain fmall 

 lake of that name; it is fituate in the fouthern part of Brazil, extending about thirty- 

 two leagues along the fea-coaft, bordering on the north fide, upon the river of St. Francis, 

 by which it is divided from Parnambuko, as on the fouth fide it is feparated by Rio 

 Real from Bahia dos todos los Santos. Seregippe del Rey has, among others, a cer- 

 tain Fregafie called Porto Calvo, fituated betwixt the ninth and tenth degree of fouth- 

 ern latitude ; being encompaffed on the north-weft fide by fthe Fregafie of Serin- 

 haim, and the fmall river of Pirafenunga, extending to the fouth as far as the river 

 Parepuera, by which it is divided from the PVegafie of Alagoafi, containing in all about 

 twelve leagues in length near the fea-fhore, its bounds on the land fide reaching to the 

 unpaffable woods. 



In this Fregafie is a village, called by the Portuguefe Villa de bon fuccelTo de Porto 

 Calvo, but was formerly called Portocano Dos quatros Rios, it being fituate at the con- 

 fluence of the four rivers, Maleita, Tapamunde, Commentabunda and Monguaba. It 

 is built upon a rifing ground, about four leagues from the fea-fhore, and by the Dutch 

 ftrengthened with two forts ; the biggeft of which was called Bon Succelfo, being built 

 all of ft one, furrounded with a good counterfcarp, with a large bafon of frefh water 

 within. The other fort was called by us the New Church, being created out of the 

 ruins of an old church, called by the Portuguefe Nolfa Senhora de Prefentacao. Be- 

 twixt both thefe forts, a third was ordered to be ereded by Count Maurice, upon the 

 banks of the river, but it lying within the reach of mufket-fhot from the mountains, was 

 not brought to perfedlion. 



The village has two ftreets, the chief of which runs parallel with the river, from one 

 fort to the other, and is called St. Jofeph's ftreet ; it contained no more than three 

 houfes of one ftory high, and about thirty-fix others covered with pantiles, being only 

 built 'upon the ground. The Portuguefe have, in lieu of their churches, which were 

 demolifhed when the fortifications were ereded, built themfelves another on the other 

 fide of the river, where they fometimes hear mafs. The village is fituate in a moft 

 pleafant and wholefome air, being cooled by the continual breezes from the fea, which 

 are not flopped by any hills betwixt them and the ftiore. In the night-time they enjoy 

 the benefit of the land-wind, which drives the cool vapours arifing from the neighbour- 



VOL. XIV. 4 X ^"^ 



