PORTUGUESE AMERICA. 543 



the port of St. Vincent, the harbour of St. Gabriel, and the port of 

 St. Salvador, on the north shore of La Plata. 



Metals, minerals... .Gold and diamond mines are found in Brasil. 

 The former were discovered in the year 1681, and have since yielded 

 about five millions sterling annually, of which sum a fifth belongs 

 to the crown. The diamond mines are situate near the little river 

 Milhoverde, not far from Villa Nova do Principe. They are farmed 

 at about 30,000/ yearly, which is thought to be scarcely a fifth of 

 what they actually produce. The diamonds, however, are not of 

 so fine water as those of Hindostan, but are of a brownish obscure 

 hue. 



Face of the country, climate, and rivers. ...The name of 

 Brasil was given to this country, because it was observed to abound 

 with a wood of that name. To the northward of Brasil, which lies 

 almost under the equator, the climate is hot, boisterous, and un- 

 wholesome, subject to great rains and variable winds, particularly 

 in the months of March and September, when they have such de- 

 luges of rain, with storms and tornadoes, that the country is over- 

 flowed. But to the southward, beyond the tropic of Capricorn, 

 there is no part of the world that enjoys a more serene and whole- 

 some air, refreshed with the soft breezes of the ocean on one hand, 

 and the cool breath of the mountains on the other. The land near 

 the coast is in general rather low than high, but exceedingly plea- 

 sant, it being interspersed with meadows and woods ; but on the 

 west, far within land, are mountains from whence issue many noble 

 streams, that fall into the great rivers Amazon and La Plata ; others 

 running across the country from west to east till they fall into 

 the Atlantic Ocean, after meliorating the lands which they an- 

 nually overflow, and turning the sugar mills belonging to the Portu- 

 guese. 



Soil and produce. ...In general the soil is extremely fruitful, pro- 

 ducing sugar, which being clayed, is whiter and finer than our mus- 

 covado, as we call our unrefined sugar; also tobacco, hides, indigo, 

 ipecacuanha, balsam of Copaiba, Brasil wood, which is of a red co- 

 lour, hard and dry, and is chiefly used in dyeing, but not the red of 

 the best kind ; it has likewise some place in medicine, as a stoma- 

 chic and restringent. 



The produce of the soil was found very sufficient for subsisting 

 the inhabitants until the mines of gold and diamonds were discover- 

 ed: these, with the sugar plantations, occupy so many hands, that 

 agriculture is neglected, and, in consequence, Brasil depends upon 

 Europe for its daily food. 



The animals here are the same as in Peru and Mexico. 



Population... .According to sir George Staunton, the whole num- 

 ber of whites in the Brasils is about 200,000, and that of the negroes 

 600,000. The natives may perhaps be about a million or a million 

 and a half. 



Inhabitants, manners, and cusTOMS....The portrait given us 

 of the manners and customs of the Portuguese in America, by the 

 most judicious travellers, is very far from being favourable. They 

 are described as a people, who, while sunk in the most effeminate 

 luxury, practise the most desperate crimes ; of a temper hypocriti- 

 cal and dissembling; of little sincerity in conversation, or honesty in 

 dealing; lazy, proud, and cruel; in their diet penurious; for, liks 



