ITAMARACA. 



it we passed by several cottages with mango 

 trees before them, and then ascended the steep 

 hill, upon the summit of which stands the town, 

 built in the form of a square. We entered it at 

 one corner, and near to my new habitation, 

 which was a large stone building, much dila- 

 pidated, with one story above the ground floor. 

 In the prosperous days of this settlement, when 

 its rank in the province was considerable, this 

 edifice was raised as a town-hall above, and 

 prison underneath ; but now that the decay of 

 the place had rendered it unworthy of its former 

 distinction, the building was no longer kept in 

 repair, and was now almost in ruins. 



The island of Itamaraca, which is in length 

 about three leagues, and in breadth about two, 

 is situated at the distance of eight leagues to the 

 northward of Recife, and is entirely separated 

 from the main land by a channel of unequal 

 width, varying from one league to half a mile. 

 The island does not contain any stream of water, 

 but in the neighbourhood of the town water 

 gushes from the hill wherever it is dug for. 

 That w r hich is obtained from the springs in the 

 neighbourhood of Pillar, is not however good. 

 Itamaraca is, perhaps, the most populous part of 

 the province of Pernambuco, taken as a whole, 

 the immediate vicinity of Recife excepted. It 

 contains three sugar-mills, which are well stocked 

 with negroes ; and many free persons likewise 



b 2 



