428 



B R A S I L. 



Brail. same name, ia situated on the Rio Real, and sends 

 ' v mai/.e and cotton to Bahia. 



On the south of Bahia, is another small province 

 called Dos Ilheos, from a number of islands whicli 

 cover the entrance of the bay on which it is situated. 

 It is much less cultivated than Bahia, and supplies the 

 capital with little except timber. The banks of the 

 Rio Grande, which separates it from Porto Seguro, 

 are bordered with immense forests, producing the 

 best timber of Brasil, whence the royal navy derives 

 its chief supplies. An expedition sent up this river 

 pursued its course for fifteen days, without meeting 

 with bar or obstruction of any kind. 



To the south of Dos Ilheos lies the province of 

 Porto Seguro. This province is equal in fertility 

 and beauty to Bahia, but the cultivation is much in- 

 ferior, being chiefly confined to the banks of the 

 river on which the capital is situated. The harbour 

 of Porto Seguro is formed by an opening in that ledge 

 of rocks which runs along all this part of the Brasi- 

 liau coast. The depth of water at the entrance is 

 twenty feet, but in the interior twelve forms the 

 average. The inhabitants here give themselves up 

 to more than the usual share of Portuguese indolence 

 and languor. Fish, though abundant on the coast, 

 is scarcely to be had fresh, and the inhabitants de- 

 pend chiefly upon the importation of that article 

 salted. Although the savannahs in the country be- 

 hind are overrun with cattle, beef is excessively scarce. 

 Near the abrot/tos, or rocks, indeed, islands which 

 lie off the coast, a fish resembling salmon is c;uight 

 for the Bahia market: and this furnishes employment 

 to about 3000 people. Southward from Porto Se- 

 guro, the coast is extremely neglected, till we ar- 

 rive at the river Carevellos, where there is a good 

 harbour, though the entrance is rather dangerous. 

 The banks of this river form the store, whence ma- 

 nioc, an essential article in the subsistence of Brosil, 

 is chiefly supplied. 



Rip Ja- With Porto Seguro terminates the government of 



oeiro. Bahia ; and we come then to that, which has now 

 taken the lead among all the rest, the govern- 

 ment of Rio Janeiro. It is not less favoured by na- 

 ture than the other districts ; but so long as St Sal- 

 vador continued to be the capital, it experienced a 

 comparative neglect. The views of the government, 

 however, were greatly changed, when, about the be- 

 ginning of last century, the gold and diamond mines 

 were discovered in the districts immediately behind 

 it. Rio Janeiro then rose at once to the first im- 

 portance ; and on the discovery of its admirable har- 

 bour, the seat of government was transferred thither. 

 This harbour is perhaps the finest in the whole world. 

 Like that of Porto Seguro, it is fonrxl by a nar- 

 row opening in the ledge of rocks which walls all 

 this part of the coast. When the mariner has enter- 

 ed, however, he is struck with one of the most mag- 

 nificent spectacles in the whole compass of nature ; a 

 bay an hundred miles in circumference, surrounded 

 with a vast amphitheatre of mountains, which rise in 

 every varied form, and are covered with eternal ver- 

 dure. Vessels of all dimensions may enter and repose 

 with perfect security in every part of this immense 

 The city, which is called St Sebastian, is 

 situated upon a hill on the north eastern side of 



6 



the bay. It is better built than St Salvador. The 

 streets are straight ; the houses generally of two 

 storie?, and many of them handsome. The town con- 

 tains 60,000 inhabitants. The province is not yet 

 so well cultivated as Bahia ; but its capacities are 

 equal, and it is rapidly improving. 



The government of Rio Janeiro includes also the 

 ancient captaincies of Spiritu Santo on the north, 

 and St Vincent on the south. The former has been 

 boasted of as the most fertile province of all Bras>il. 

 The water and the land are equally productive ; and 

 the woods are filled with innumerable wild animal* 

 for hunting. The Indians are very numerous in this 

 district, great numbers having been converted by the 

 Jesuits. The harbour of Spiritu Santo is composed 

 of a bay, the entrance into which is attended with 

 some risk, on account of dangerous rocks which run 

 along the northern side, and of a bank of sand 

 which obstructs the narrowest part. A rock, which 

 rises in the form of a sugar-loaf, and afterwards a 

 white tower within the bay, form the beacons by 

 which mariners are to be guided. The harbour, 

 when entered, is commodious and secure. 



To the north of Rio Janeiro is the captaincy of 

 St Vincent, the least fertile and cultivated of all the 

 rest. It has derived some importance, however, from 

 its vicinity to the mines on one side, and, on the 

 other, to the Spanish settlement of Buenos Ayres. In 

 the interior lies the territory of St Paul, the residence 

 of the Paulists, of whom we have formerly given some 

 account, and in which some gold mines have recently 

 been discovered. The principal cities are Santos 

 and St Vincent, situated within a few leagues of each 

 other. The former has an excellent harbour, the 

 latter an indifferent one. But the place in this dis- 

 trict which it is most important for us to be acquaint- 

 ed with, is the island of St Catherine, which, by the 

 late treaty, was declared a free port to our trade, 

 and in which British merchants may settle and prac- 

 tise their religion without molestation. Less, how- 

 ever, is known of this island than its importance de- 

 serves. It serves as a staple place to the products 

 of the rich province of Rio Grande, not only on ac- 

 count of its vicinity, but from its excellent harbour, 

 which is the best in Brasil except that of Rio Ja- 

 neiro. The person to whom it was gismted, in 

 1554, by the Portuguese government, was disposses- 

 sed by English corsairs, and the island then, neglect- 

 ed by its original possessors, became a common re- 

 sort of all nations. It remained thus in a state of in- 

 dependence till about the year 1738, when the Por- 

 tuguese government, now at peace, recollected that 

 this island formed part of its dominion, and. sent an 

 administration to take possession of it. They forti- 

 fied the road, and established a garrison. In 1778, 

 it was invaded by the Spaniards, but restored, at the 

 peace, to its ancient masters. It is nine leagues in 

 length, and two in breadth, enjoys the utmost feli- 

 city of soil and climate, and one of the best harbours 

 in all America. From its situation near the mouth 

 of the river La Plata on one side, and the opulent 

 capital of Rio Janeiro on the other, it is admirably 

 calculated for becoming the emporium of an exten- 

 sive commerce. 



The governments now described extend all along 



