60% *J M E%1 C A. Chap. VII. 



The River which wafhes the Caftlc Ceulen, affords a convenient and fafc Harbor 

 for all forts of Yeffels. 



This Lordftiip of <%io Grande boafts onely two Sugar-Mills, of which one is de- 

 cay'd • fo that in allthofe Parts in (Brafele which belong to the JVeJMndia Company, 

 are a hundred and fixty Sugar-Mills cbnftantly employ 'd, befidcs forty fix which 

 are about repairing. v It is fcarce to be reckoned how much Sugar they make yearly, 

 in regard, through the alterations of the annual Seafons, as alfo the more or lefs 

 fruitful Fields, they produce one year, and in one place, more than in another. 



The Inhabitants are of two forts, vi^. free People, and Slaves . the Slaves arc 

 African Nsgros, and the others, Netherlander, fortuguefes , or Srafilians ; which laft 

 came in of their own accords, or elfe were abfolv'd from their Oaths, and ac- 

 quitted from their Martial Offices ; yet are ready to venture their Lives and Eftates, 

 and to Serve either on Foot or Horfeback for their Freedom againft their Enemies. 

 Thofe that went from the Netherlands to Brafile on their own Accounts, drive a 

 Trade, or Serve the Traders, or elfe keep Inns, and follow Handicraft Faculties - 

 fome of which, when grown rich, buy Parts in Sugar.Mills ; others live on Tilling : 

 by all which feveral forts of People Qfecijffa is very well inhabited, and full of Hou- 

 ks, which yield great Rents, and are held at high Prices : wherefore Grave Maurice 

 thought good to mark out pieces of Ground on the Ifle Antonio Vaes, which were 

 fold for a confiderable Sum of Money, infomuchthat in a fliort time a new Cu 

 ty call'd Maurke-ftadt was built on the fame, and inclos'd within ftrong Bulwarks . 

 yea, notwithstanding the Rumor of a great Spanijh Fleet in fome mcafure abated the 

 Courage of the Builders, yet the City was extended down to the Fort Frederick 

 Henrick, and a brave Bridge laid over the Stream Biberibi, crofs which they go from 

 %iciffa to Antonio Vaes, where no People were in greater efteem than Handicrafts- 

 men, who could get their ten or twelve Shillings a day. The Labor which is re- 

 quir'd in the Sugar-Mills, no Men arc able to undergo but the Negro's. Of the 

 <Portuguefe fome have liv'd here a confiderable time ; others lately came hither, being 

 mod of them Je'Ws, of whom there live a great many at %eciffa, and are very dili- 

 gent in promoting of Trade : They poflefs feveral Sugar-Mills, and are kept vfiry 

 much under . their whole ftudy and contrivance is for Gain ; they conceal their 

 Hatred againft the Clmjiians, as alfo their Covetoufnefs, yet arc mortal Enemies to 

 the Hollanders. The ferajilians, who are the ancient Inhabitants, live apart from 

 other People in their Villages, confiding of long Straw Huts, forty or fifty of them 

 under one Roof fleeping on woven Hammocks • they efteem no Houfhold-ftuff but 

 Nets and Calabaftes, ufing the firft to fifh with, and the other to drink out of 5 about 

 their Huts they plant Mandihoka and tBrafile Trees . when they are not employed in 

 the Wars, they fpend moft of their time in Hunting, but many in Idlencfs 5 they 

 efteem wild Fruits better than thofe which arc Planted ; they Drink night and 

 day, making their Liquor of the chew'd Root Mandihoka, or the Apples TajoVis ; 

 they efteem nothing fo much as ftrong Drink, and to wear Linnen next their Skins ; 

 they would not value Money, could they but get Brandy and Spanifh Wine with- 

 out it ; if they are not promis'd a Reward, they will not work. Each Village, 

 nay Houfe, hath its peculiar Governor } but befides him there is a Hollander, who 

 ftirs up the Idle to work, and takes care that the Owners of the Sugar-Mills do 

 them no injury : They never fuffer themfelves to be Hir'd for above twenty days, 

 at the end whereof they demand their Wages • they are commonly employ'd to. 

 chop Wood to boyl the Sugar with ; but by reafon of the fcarcity of Njgros, they 

 are often made ufe of for other Bufinefs, which to avoid they hide themfelves . as 

 alfo when they arc to go to Fight ; they arc hard to be kept in Ranks, for they will 



run 



