306 



PROVINCE OF PORTO SEGURO. 



riches of its inhabitants. Its church is dedicated to the Purifica^ao de Nossa 

 Senhora. 



Alcoba^a, another small town, near the mouth of the Itanhen, of which it 

 originally had the name, has a church dedicated to St. Bernardo. The popula- 

 tion, generally Indian, and the agriculture, begin to increase, by the establish- 

 ments of various farmers, who removed hither from Caravellas, in consequence 

 of the woods or mattas remaining uncut in the immediate vicinity of the town. 



Caravellas is a considerable town, upon the northern margin of the river of the 

 same name, about five miles from the sea, and almost in front of the channel 

 which communicates with the Peruhype. It consists of three streets parallel 

 with the river, which forms a good port, capable even of receiving large vessels, 

 if the bar were accessible. It is the most frequented of any other town in the 

 province ; has a church called St. Antonio, and royal masters of the primitive 

 letters and Latin. Almost all its inhabitants cultivate mandioca, which is nearly 

 three years in the ground before it reaches maturity ; they can scarcely make 

 two plantations of it, as already in the second the ants have accumulated upon 

 it to a destructive extent. The lands overgrow with brushwood immediately 

 the woods are cleared away. The water-melons, abohoras, bananas, and 

 oranges, are very fine. There are places covered entirely with the jahuticaba 

 tree. A great quantity of farinha is exported from hence. Various families, 

 who escaped from the catastrophe which attended the destruction of the towns 

 in the vicinity of the capital by the Indians, commenced this town, upon the 

 right bank of the river, near the bar, from whence it was shortly afterwards 

 removed to the situation which it now occupies. They are now labouring in the 

 opening of a road or track, to communicate wdth that of Portalegre, which 

 leads to Minas Geraes. 



Villavi^oza, at first called Campinho, upon the southern margin, and four 

 miles above the mouth of the river Peruhype, is yet small, with a church of 

 N. Senhora da Concei^ao. Its inhabitants produce much farinha, and the 

 vessels by which the superfluity is exported navigate commonly by the river 

 Caravellas, and the channel before mentioned, in consequence of the little depth 

 which the Peruhype has at the bar. 



Portalegre, at the mouth of the river Mucury, of which it originally had the 

 name, is a small town, without any thing remarkable; but the extensive naviga- 

 tion of the river and the fertility of its surrounding lands promise it future 

 augmentation. Its church is dedicated to St. Joze ; and its inhabitants, besides 



