B R A S I L. 



of 

 * 



D S 1 ' 



the coast, and the cultivated land, as is usual in new- 

 < "~~' ly settled colonies, docs not reach to any considerable 

 distance inland. There is, however, in the interior, 

 a large mountain plain, enjoying a very fine climate, 

 which, though long neglected in comparison of the 

 rest, was raised, by an unexpected circumstance, into 

 distinguished importance. This circumstance was 

 the discovery, in the beginning of last century, of 

 the gold and diamond mines, which were all in this 

 central district. When found thus productive in the 

 most coveted objects of American wealth, it soon at- 

 tracted the attention of the Portuguese court. It 

 was divided into three governments, called Minas 

 Geraes, or the General Mines ; Goyaz ; and Matto 

 Grosso. Minas Geraes is by far the most productive. 

 Its annual produce in gold is estimated at nearly 

 j 800,000 sterling ; its inhabitants are reckoned at 

 35,000 whites, 26,000 Indians, 108,000 slaves. The 

 capital is Villa Rica. The province of Goyaz pro- 

 duces annually in gold about 200,000. Its po- 

 pulation is 9000 whites ; ,'i(),000 Indians ; and 34,000 

 negroes. The capital is Villa Boa. The only town 

 in Matto Grosso is Villa Bella, and its population 

 does not exceed 2000 whites, 4300 Indians, 7300 ne- 

 groes. It produces gold to the value of about 

 62,500. 



Mr Lindley, the most recent traveller in Brasil, 

 has given the following table of latitudes and longi- 

 tudes, which he states himself to have obtained from 

 Portuguese manuscript charts made after a new sur- 

 vey. Latitude. Longitude. 



O / It oil/ 



City of Belem .... 1 30 



Maranon ....... 2 32 



Ciara ......... 3 31 



Cape San Roque ... 5 7 

 Rio Grande ...... 517 



Paraiba ........ 6 40 



Olinda ........ 8 2 



Cape San Augustine . 8 26 

 Rio San Francisco . . 10 58 

 Bahia, or St Salvador 13 

 Dos Ilheos ...... 14 45 



Porto Seguro ..... 16 40 



Rio Carevellos .... 18 



Banks of the Abrolhos 18 

 Spiritu Santo ..... 20 13 . 



Cape Frio ...... 22 54 



Rio Janeiro ..... 22 54 10 



Santos ......... 24 



Island of St Catherine 2740 



Immediate north point} 



of the river Plata, or(34 57 30 54 43 30 



Punta de Este . . . J 



The port charges for every vessel not belonging 

 to government, are at Fernambuco and Bahia, 4/. 

 18.T. 4d. j and the daily expense of continuing in port 

 11. 9*. 3{d. In Rio Janeiro the first expense is 7/. 

 4*. the daily expense 11. 2s. \d. The two former 

 places afford the best materials for the repair of ves- 

 sels; but it is more difficult to obtain permission to 

 touch at them ; and from being less accustomed to 

 the visit of foreigners, they are more apt to treat 

 Ihem with rudeness. Masters of vessels ought as 



48 

 43 

 38 

 36 

 36 

 35 

 35 

 35 

 37 

 39 

 40 

 40 

 40 

 38 

 40 

 41 

 42 

 45 



30 

 40 

 23 

 15 

 5 

 30 

 15 

 15 



25 

 7 

 12 

 22 

 50 

 30 

 35 



39 45 

 16 



much as possible to transact business themselves, and Br*M. 

 trust little to the natives. Caulking is performed in ' v~ ' 

 Brasil in a manner not excelled by any place in the 

 world. 



The population of Brasil is composed of Portuguese, inhabitant* 

 negroes, and Indians. The former do not differ mate- " : rfrail. 

 rially in character from those in the mother country. l' orl " 

 They are still more superstitious. In the principal K ' 

 towns, never a day passes, that some saint is not car- 

 ried in procession through the streets, the figure of 

 which, though extremely rude and grotesque, is 

 adorned with jewels and precious stones, which are 

 chearfully lent by the wealthier inhabitants. The 

 ceremony is accompanied by the populace with 

 rockets, squibs, and other demonstrations of extra- 

 vagant joy. The manners, however, of the numer- 

 ous monks and priests are generally described as 

 no ornament to their profession. Yet Brasil pos- 

 sesses the advantage of the mother country in having 

 been always free from the scourge of the inquisition. 

 Those who are supposed liable to its sentence, may 

 be sent to Lis-bon and tried there j but still its yoke 

 must be much less severe, than if it were established, 

 and acting on the spot. 



The Brasilians are generally branded by foreigners 

 with the character of craft and perfidy; vices natural 

 to the subjects of an absolute government, especially 

 of one which imposes such a multitude of superflu- 

 ous and ruinous restraints on commercial intercourse. 

 Revenge and cruelty formed also prominent features, 

 and assassinations were frequent ; but in the southern 

 provinces of Bahia and Rio Janeiro, the greater re- 

 finement of society has greatly alleviated the violence 

 of these passions; though at Fernambuco and in the 

 north, they still rage as much as ever. The manners 

 of both sexes are generally described as extremely li- 

 centious ; and those of the ladies of Rio Janeiro have 

 been exposed to peculiar reproach, from the custom 

 of throwing flowers from the windows on passing 

 strangers. Mr Barrow, however, candidly supposes, 

 that this is merely a national custom, which is not 

 understood to imply any dereliction of virtue. There 

 seems no doubt, however, that Brasil contains a full 

 proportion of licentious characters of both sexes. 



Except religious ceremonies, there are few public 

 amusements in the cities of Brasil. Their attempts 

 at theatrical entertainment are wretched, both in point 

 of accommodation and performance. Music only, 

 for which the people possess a natural talent, is per- 

 formed with tolerable skill. But the most favourite 

 of all recreations is the dance of the country, a com- 

 pound of the Spanish fandango with the negro, and 

 surpassing both in licentiousness. Growing refine- 

 ment of manners, however, is gradually banishing 

 this indecent exhibition, which is now indulged in 

 with some degree of secrecy. In Bahia, by the latest 

 accounts, card parties had begun to be established, 

 which promise to bring the tone of society nearer to 

 the European standard. 



The gorgeous magnificence in which the wealthy 

 Brazilians indulge, is accompanied with a total re- 

 gleet of internal neatness and cleanliness. This ap- 

 pears in their clothes, in the furniture of their hi v-es, 

 and in the manner of preparing their food, which is 

 in the highest degree disgusting. Their bodies are. 



