328 



PROVINCE OF BAHIA. 



by the Tappuyas, which tribe was soon afterwards expelled by the Tuppinas, 

 who came from the certams, whither the others retired ; but they never ceased 

 to annoy and to afford great inquietude to their conquerors. The Tupinambas, 

 who were masters of both banks of the St. Francisco, being at war with the 

 neighbouring Tuppinas, dispersed them, and marching forward expelled the 

 last conquerors of the Reconcave, and compelled them to fly in their turn to the 

 certams. The Tappuyas and the Tuppinas uniting, marched upon the Tupi- 

 namba tribe, but were effectually repulsed ; and from that period to the arrival 

 of the Portuguese in the bay of All Saints, and their final establishment at 

 Bahia, the Reconcave remained in the possession of the Tupinambas, They 

 were divided into various independent hordes and declared enemies on all 

 occasions to the injurers of any one of them. The same idiom prevailed 

 amongst them, and each elected the most powerful individual for its war 

 captain, who in peace received no superior distinction. They were a race of 

 anthropophagi. 



The only port of this comarca is the famous bay of All Saints, which is twenty- 

 three miles long from north to south, computing from the point of St. Antonio, 

 to the mouth of the river Pitanga, and near thirty wide from east to west. 

 The island f Itaparica forms two entrances, open to the south, the eastern is 

 about eight miles wide, and the western, called Barra-Falsa (False Bar,) is 

 under two at the narrowest part. The margins of the bay are flat, and beau- 

 tified in most parts with groves of cocoa-nut trees ; the most elevated portion of 

 it presents the site of the capital, St. Salvador, commonly called Bahia. 



Islands. — All the islands of this comarca are within the bay of All Saints; 

 that of Itaparica is the largest, being twenty-three miles long from north to south, 

 and ten in the widest part. It is of an irregular form, having a bay on the 

 western side, and a large curving projection on the eastern, with considerable 

 inequality of surface. Its soil in great part is adapted for various branches of 

 agriculture. The cocoa-nut, the mango, the Jam, and orange trees, are abun- 

 dant ; the vine produces in perfection. It is divided into the two parishes of St, 

 Amaro, on the southern side, and Santissimo Sacramento, at the northern 

 extremity ; the latter is a considerable povoa^ao, the only one in the island, 

 and yet without the title of town, also without regularity, but with a hand- 

 some church, a hermitage of St, Gon^alo, a fort, a good anchorage place for 

 small vessels, sheltered from the east winds, and at a short distance an abun- 

 dant fountain of excellent water. It has also a whale fishery, cord manufactories 

 of thepiassaba, (a sort of black rush,) and some alembics. For the instruction 



