372 



PROVINCE OF PERNAMBUCO, 



delivered to the latter, as a reward for their services, in order that he might 

 receive the chastisement due to his perfidy. At the taking of this town, a 

 nephew of the Dutch general, Count Nassau lost his life, and the celebrated 

 Preto Henrique Dias part of an arm. The latter afterwards distinguished 

 himself in the battle of the mountains of Gararappes. 



Alagoas, so called from having its site upon a southern portion of the lake 

 Manguaba, created with the name of Magdalen, is considerable, head of the 

 comarca of its name, and the ordinary residence of the ouvidor, who is also 

 inspector of the woods of the royal marine. It has a church of Nossa Senhora 

 of Concei^ao, a convent of Franciscans, another of slippered Carmelites, two 

 orders of devout women, three chapels, with the titles of Amparo, Rozario, 

 and Bom Fim, and a royal professorship of Latin. At all times it is well sup- 

 plied with fish ; and abounds in the jaca and orange tree. In the beginning of 

 last century was exported from the district of this town, two thousand five 

 hundred rolls of tobacco, of eight arrobas each, and of such good quality, 

 that it was bought at fifty per cent, dearer than the same article from Bahia. 

 Sugar is at the present day the riches of its inhabitants. A custom-house has 

 been recently established within its jurisdiction, in consequence of the consi- 

 derable increase in the commerce of this, comarca. 



Atalaya, six leagues distant from the preceding place, three by water, and 

 the rest by land, is in a fertile and wholesome country, possessing excellent 

 water, and having a church of Nossa Senhora das Brotas. Its neighbourhood 

 abounds with ipecacuanha, and cotton is cultivated with the common provisions 

 of the country. The number of its inhabitants, including those of its district, 

 amount to nearly two thousand ; part of them are Cahoclos,^ white, and with 

 more regular features than any other known tribe of Indians. 



Anadia, a middling sized town, with a church of the Lady of Piety, is 

 fourteen leagues from Alagoas. Its inhabitants are Indians, Europeans, whites 

 of the country, and Mesticos, in number about ten thousand, including those 

 of the district ; almost all are cultivators or purchasers of cotton, its principal 

 produce. By the same law, of 15th December, 1815, which gave to the town 

 of Penedo a Juiz de Fora, were created the towns of Maceyo and Porto de 

 Pedras. 



Maceyo is a dismemberment of the Alagoas, having a district of more than 

 seven leagues of coast, computing from the river Alagoas to the St. Antonio 



* A Brazilian term for the Indian. 



