182 



PROVINCE OF ST. PAULO. 



receive less damage from the destructive prey of insects. St. Paulo is considered 

 a most healthy situation; and I have known the valetudinarian of Rio de 

 Janeiro, contemplate a change to its moderate and invigorating climate, as 

 exceedingly desirable. There are a great number of quintas or shacaras in its 

 suburbs. Among the fruit trees which embellish them, the jabuticaba is not 

 rare, affording a fine and excellent fruit. The oranges are not of good quality, 

 and the tree sustains considerable injury in years of much frost. The same may 

 be said of the coffee and banana trees, as well as of mandioca and the sugar 

 cane. 



Santos, considerable, populous, commercial, and advantageously situated 

 upon the northern side of the island of St. Vincente, was erected into a town 

 in 1545, and possesses a house of Misericordia, which is the most ancient of the 

 Brazil, a Franciscan convent, an hospicio (or entertaining house) of Bentos, ano- 

 ther of slippered Carmelites, and various chapels; the ex-Jesuitical college of St. 

 Miguel, after being much dilapidated, was renovated for the miUtary hospital. A 

 Juiz de Fora presides over the senate. The houses are solid and of stone ; and the 

 female part of their inmates are celebrated for making excellent lace. This town 

 was sacked by the Dutch, and upon another occasion by the English. Its port, 

 the entrance to which is defended by various forts, is capable of receiving large 

 ships, and it is the depositary of much sugar, rum, coarse cottons, coffee, hides, 

 and bacon, which articles constitute its exports. The produce of rice and 

 coffee are alone abundant. The winter is always a very rainy season. 



Seven miles to the south-west, on the southern coast of the same island, upon 

 the entrance of the bar of its name, is situated St. Vincente, the most ancient 

 town of the province, in former times flourishing and famous, but now sunk 

 into insignificance, in consequence of Santos being better adapted for commerce, 

 to which it has removed from this town. Its inhabitants are mostly fishermen. 



Fifteen miles to the west of Santos is the small arraial of Cubatam, upon the 

 northern margin of the river which affords its name, and from which it sustains 

 great damage at the period of the greatest floods. Every thing that descends 

 from the serra above, and destined for the town, is here embarked. A project 

 of uniting this island with the terra-firma has been proposed by means of a 

 calcada, or paved way, across the channel of St. Vincente, which, if carried 

 into effect, will prevent many shipwrecks. At the bar of Bertioga there is an 

 arma^ao, or establishment for whale fishing. 



Itanhaen, a small place, erected into a town in 1561, possesses a Fran- 

 ciscan convent, and is situated near a mount, upon the northern margin of the 



