426 



B R A S 1 L. 





Brawl. 



Treaty of 



commerce 

 with Bri- 

 tain. 



Different 

 provinces 

 of Brasil. 



Para. 



40,000 men, was marching with incredible rapidity 

 upon Lisbon, and had arrived at Abrantes before the 

 Portuguese government were aware of his having en- 

 tered the country. Three days after, on the 29th 

 November, the vanguard of the French army appear- 

 ed on the heights above Lisbon. By this time, how- 

 ever, the determination of the prince had been form- 

 ed. Seeing fully that no concession could save him, 

 he determined upon emigration to Brasil. Every 

 thing of value, which could be transported, was 

 hastily put on board the fleet, which set sail on the 

 29th ; so that the French troops arrived just in time 

 to witness its departure. They entered Lisbon on 

 the following day. 



The prince, after a prosperous voyage, arrived, on 

 the 25th January 1808, at Bahia in Brasil. He spent 

 a month there, visited the most remarkable places in 

 its neighbourhood, and was received with enthusiastic 

 expressions of joy. He then sailed to Rio Janeiro, 

 where he established his residence. 



Since that time, no political events of importance 

 have occurred, unless hi the European dominions of 

 this prince, which, of course, fall to be related un- 

 der another head. Soon after his arrival, how- 

 ever, at Rio Janeiro, a treaty of commerce was con- 

 cluded, which contains many important provisions. 

 The ports of Brasil, formerly shut against British 

 commodities, were now laid open, upon the payment of 

 a duty of 15 per cent. Gold and silver, however, 

 according to the old commercial prejudices, were ex- 

 cepted, and continued still to be prohibited. The 

 island of St Catherine's was declared a free port. At 

 the same time, unlimited permission was granted to 

 build ships for the use of the British navy, and to 

 employ the noble forests of Brasil in their construc- 

 tion. 



In consequence of these arrangements, Brasil has 

 become extremely interesting to this country, in a 

 naval and commercial point of view. It may be pro- 

 per, therefore, to give, at some length, a view of its 

 extent, productions, and of the different provinces 

 which stretch along its coast. 



The most northern government is that of Para, si- 

 tuated immediately upon the river of the Amazons. 

 It comprehends even that part of Guiana which be- 

 longs to Portugal ; and the part of this government 

 which lies south of the great river, and which pro- 

 perly belongs to Brasil, extends to the frontiers of 

 the province of Maragnan. It is of considerable fer- 

 tility, though little cultivated. The foundation of 

 the town of Para, or Belem, was laid in 1615. The 

 trade was for some time confined to vanilla, sar- 

 saparilla, and cotton, the spontaneous produce of the 

 ground, which were collected by the Indians, and 

 brought to the capital. But when the labour of ne- 

 groes was introduced, some cultivation took place, 

 and the different West India products were raised, 

 though not in very great abundance. The progress of 

 this settlement was, in the middle of the last century, 

 severely checked by the exclusive company, establish- 

 ed by the Marquis of Pombal ; though it may pro- 

 bably have availed itself of the removal of this re- 

 straint, which took place about twenty years after. 

 The approach to the harbour is difficult, on account 

 of the currents ; but, within, the anchorage is good. 

 3 



Ba 



The population of this province is stated at 4128 

 whites, 9910 negroes or mulaiiuca, <x,id 34,000 I- 

 dians. 



The next province is that of Maragnan, which ex- 

 tends along the coast, from the frontiers of Para, to 

 a range of mountains, which separate it from Fer- 

 nambuco. The Portuguese first established them- 

 selves in it about the year 1600. In the year 1611, 

 some French gentlemen, Devaux and La Ravardiere, 

 established themselves in the isle of Maragnan, and 

 built on it a fort, which they called St Louis. They 

 were driven from it, however, a few years after by 

 the Portuguese, under the command of Albuquerque. 

 About the year 1640, the Dutch extended their con- 

 quests to this province, but lost it again, along with the 

 rest of Brasil. The first production drawn from this 

 country was ambergris, which was afforded in con- 

 siderable quantities ; but this article being exhausted, 

 the inhabitants betook themselves to the cultivation 

 of the common tropical productions. It was soon 

 found, that the cotton of Maragnan surpassed in va- 

 lue every other species produced in the new world ; 

 and a copious source of wealth was thus opened. 

 Different species of dyes, particularly that called 

 liocou, are copiously produced ; and the plains be- 

 hind are filled with horned cattle, which obtain a 

 ready sale in the more populous provinces adjoining. 

 The first and still the best inhabited part is the isle 

 of Maragnan, or St Louis, which is separated from 

 the continent only by a river. It is seven leagues in 

 length, four in breadth, and of exuberant fertility. 

 All the commerce of the province is carried on by 

 the port of St Louis, no other part of the coast be- 

 ing accessible, on account of the shallows and hills of 

 sand, with which it is bordered. This harbour, too, 

 possesses merit only by comparison ; for it is beset 

 with rocks and islets, which render the passage ex- 

 tremely dangerous. Only two entrances have been 

 discovered, one on each side of the island of St Anne. 

 The population of this province is calculated at 

 9000 whites, 18,000 negroes and mulattoes, and 

 39,000 Indians. 



South-east of Maragnan is a district called Ciara, Ciai 

 or Scara, where the Portuguese have formed so few 

 settlements, that some doubt is entertained whether 

 it ought to be reckoned among the number of their 

 provinces. They have constructed a fort, however, 

 in a situation where there is a harbour, though capable 

 of receiving only small vessels. Two or three ships 

 touch here annually, to take in the few productions 

 of this district. 



We come now to the extensive government of ^ e * 

 Fernambuco, which extends along the coast, till it is co> 

 bounded by the great river of San Francisco. It is 

 formed by the union of four provinces, those of 

 Fernambuco Proper, of Paraiba, of Rio Grande, and 

 Tamaraca. These were the districts held by the 

 Dutch, so long as that nation kept its ground in 

 Brasil ; and they are accordingly the most care- 

 fully cultivated. Sugar, the most valuable pro- 

 duction of these climates, is raised here in greater 

 perfection, than in any other part of South America. 

 Brazil wood, besides, which this country exclusively 

 produces, is found in the province of Fernambuce 

 alone. The government, however, has been careful 



