ARRIVAL OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. 



23 



unknown lands. Had this best and richest region of America fallen to the 

 share of the English, French, or Dutch, it would no doubt have assumed a 

 very different appearance, compared with its actual state. That this would 

 have been the case is evident, from the present immensely superior condition of the 

 Anglo-American states, the territory of which was colonized at a later period 

 than Brazil, and whose soil is in general so inferior to the latter country. The 

 occasion of the difference may be mainly attributed to the very opposite genius 

 of the governments and religion under the English and Portuguese ; the free 

 and wise character of the former giving every facility to talent and industry of 

 all descriptions, while the ignorant and oppressive nature of the latter, 

 especially in relation to the commercial restrictions, which, till the arrival of 

 the King, had unfortunately existed, and in the domination of the priesthood 

 over the consciences and property of the people, operating as a paralysis on 

 agricultural, commercial, and scientific enterprise, and upon all the beneficial 

 pursuits of the mind. It is now, however, pleasing to observe, that a very 

 striking change has and is taking place in these matters, the views of his 

 present Majesty being favourable to the amelioration of the country. 



In 1510, a Portuguese ship Avas w recked at the entrance of the Bay of All 

 Saints. The greater part of the crew escaped, and twenty-five years after- 

 wards nine sailors were found living amongst the Indians. Another account 

 affirms that they were all seized by the natives and devoured excepting Diogo 

 Alvarez, a man of distinguished family, who contrived to make himself useful 

 to those cannibals ; and acquired the name of " Caramura" — " a man of fire,'* 

 on his first discharging a gun, which he had saved from the wreck. 



In 1513, George Lopez Bixorda presented to King Emanuel three Brazilian 

 Indians, whom he had brought home in a contract vessel. They were dressed 

 with feathers, according to the fashion of their tribe. 



The King of Castile ordered Solis upon a second expedition, in the year 

 1515, with a view of discovering a western passage to India. In the prose- 

 cution of this voyage he discovered a large river, which he called the River 

 SoUs. This name was very improperly superseded by the appellation of Prata, 

 or Plate, (the Silver River.) He lost his life upon its banks by the hands of the 

 Indians, who slew him with their clubs, and roasted and devoured him within 

 sight of his countrymen. In justice, the river ought to have retained his name. 

 His death frustrated the object of the voyage, and the ships put back, took 

 in Brazil wood near the island of Itamaraca, and returned to Spain. The Por- 



