PROVINCE OF RIO DE JANEIRO. 



103 



contigaows cape. Pedro de Goes, who had frequented the Brazil for ten years, 

 was its first donatory; and although, the period of this donation is not recorded, 

 it was most probably about the year 1537, as the first allusion to him is in 

 the year 1527, when he transported some Indians from St. Vincente to Portugal. 

 This fidalgo established himself and the colonists who accompanied him, upon 

 the banks of the river Parahiba, where they lived in amity with the Indians 

 two years, succeeded by five of inveterate warfare, in which the aborigines dis- 

 played such bravery and determined resistance, particularly the Goytacazes, 

 (the name of which tribe the district retains,) that Goes was compelled to retire 

 to the capitania of Espirito Santo, where the donatory Coutinho was already 

 established. From thence he returned to Lisbon, and, in the year 1549, ac- 

 companied Thom^ de Souza to Bahia ; but neither himself nor successors were 

 fortunate in endeavouring to colonize the capitania of St. Thom6, which was 

 in the possession of three different nations, the Puris, Guarus, and Goytacazas; 

 the latter were the most numerous, and divided into three hordes, the Goytaza 

 Guassu, Goytacaza Moppy, and Goytacaza Jacorito, the avowed enemies of 

 each other. It is affirmed, that the Guarus comprised various nations, one 

 of which, the Sacarus, still exists in the Organ Mountains. 



Gil de Goes was its third donatory, at the time of its devolvement to the 

 crown. King Peter II. granted it to Viscount d'Asseca in the year 1674; but, 

 in consequence of the mal-administration of his successors producing considera- 

 ble dissatisfaction, and various revolts amongst the colonists. King Joseph was 

 induced, by commutation, to incorporate it with the crown lands ; and Fran- 

 cisco de Sales, ouvidor of Espirito Santo, took possession of it, in the year 

 1752, in the name of his sovereign, to the great joy of the inhabitants. 



From the river Parahiba, northward, a cordillera runs parallel with, and at 

 no great distance from the coast ; the intervening space, denominated Cacimbas, 

 is mountainous, and in parts sterile, and ill adapted to agricultural purposes. 

 From the Parahiba to the Maccahe, the whole country presents campinhas, or 

 continued plains, with some small woods, called capoes, and is irrigated by 

 various streams. 



The soil is appropriated to the produce of cocoa, coffee, indigo, and rice ; 

 wheat might be cultivated with advantage. Mandioca grows best in the south- 

 ern parts of the district, and sugar is cultivated in the proximity of the rivers 

 Parahiba and Muriahe, to a very considerable extent. The number of sugar 

 works in this district, in the year 1801, amounted to two hundred and eighty, 

 of which, ninety were very large. Since that period they have increased 

 rapidly, and the sugars produced upon the margins of those rivers are esteemed 



